TheHerbProf.com is a treasure trove of knowledge for those interested in natural healing and herbal remedies. The website is run by Paul Johnston MD. A naturopathic who has not only received extensive education in the field but also has personal experience in self-healing.
Thyroid disease, malfunctions of the thyroid gland, hyperthyroid (overactive), or hypothyroid (underactive) are showing signs in our population of becoming an epidemic says ‘The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study’. This is a trend across the board in American health, where we are seeing many common diseases moving to an epidemic stage. You name a disease and it is probably an epidemic or moving toward becoming an epidemic-like thyroid disease.
Why Do We Have This Problem?
Well, as a naturopath I say look at the basics, we are violating just about every natural law in how we take care of ourselves and our environment. But for you who have thyroid disease, solving your problem is the most important priority right now. I will be frank with you; the drug industry does not have a realistic answer for thyroid support. Drugs can be a way to stabilize your situation temporarily but to use those drugs does not address the root of the problem only the symptoms. Through your thyroid disease, your body is saying something is wrong with the way you are living. If you only address this disease signal your body is sending you with drugs, without addressing the real cause, it will break out again as another disease, and so on.
When you give your body what it needs, the whole body begins to normalize and all your organs begin to run like they were designed to. When they do that, even genetically weak organs begin to move toward normal function.
Give These Suggestions A Fair Shake
I ask that you give these suggestions a fair shake of at least 3 months of diligent work. Remember it took years of abuse to develop thyroid disease, it is not going to be solved with a few good meals, You have to work with this. You will see changes just as I did. Read my biography. I had cancer, a genetic weakness, and many genetic problems all served up by an American lifestyle. I thought I led a healthy life until I was taught better by my sicknesses. If I had not changed my life, like I am asking you to do, I would be dead like my father and grandfather. As I have repeated over and over to students, ‘I have not drawn a sick breath since that time 18 years ago when I cured my cancer.’
While you are establishing a healthy foundation for your body there are three herbal combinations listed below that can assist you with your thyroid support issues (personally I like the Vegetarian Thyro). Also, I would encourage you to take up a hatha yoga routine that includes inverted postures (simple inverted, shoulder stand, and plow poses). These powerful yoga postures are known to cleanse and stimulate the thyroid gland, to balance itself while encouraging a balancing of all hormones.
Thyroid Supplements
1. Metabolic Thyro
Get this supplement here.
Overactive (hyperthyroid), underactive (hypothyroid), and subclinically sluggish thyroid glands can cause a variety of health complaints: One medical text reports research which found the following associated symptoms (note that not all have all the symptoms) [1]:
| Hypothyroid | Hyperthyroid | |||||
| Dry coarse skin and hair | 70-97% | Nervousness | 99% | |||
| Fatigue, lethargy, mental or physical slowness | 70-91% | Excessive sweating | 89% | |||
| Edema, puffy hand, face, or eyes | 67-95% | Hypersensitivity to heat | 89% | |||
| Cold intolerance | 58-95% | Palpitation | 89% | |||
| Decreased sweating | 68-89% | Fatigue | 88% | |||
| Hoarseness | 48-74% | Weight loss | 85% | |||
| Constipation | 36-61% | Tachycardia | 82% | |||
| Weight gain | 48-76% | Difficulty breathing | 75% | |||
| Loss or thinning hair | 32-57% | Weakness | 70% | |||
| Menstrual disturbance | 16-30% | Diarrhea | 23% | |||
| Bradycardia | 14% | Weight gain | 2% |
As the preceding lists show, some symptoms of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid overlap (and many people have a mixture of symptoms). Other studies have also implicated high cholesterol, depression, headaches, cardiovascular, and other problems with the thyroid [1-5]. Current and historical references suggest that substances contained within the ingredients in Metabolic Thyro can nutritionally help support the thyroid gland and promote better overall metabolism. Note: Many believe glandulars provide nutritional support for the type of gland they are [6-13].
AKA Underactive Thyroid
Underactive Thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism. This condition occurs when your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones.
First up, Symptoms. Common signs of an underactive thyroid are tiredness, weight gain, and feeling depressed1. And guess what? TheHerbProf.com has a detailed guide on recognizing and understanding these symptoms. It’s like having a personal health consultant!
Next, the Causes. Most cases are caused either by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it, or by damage to the thyroid that occurs during some treatments for an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer1. And TheHerbProf.com? It’s got all the info you need to understand the root causes of thyroid issues. It’s a wellness warrior’s dream!
Then there’s the Treatment. An underactive thyroid can often be successfully treated by taking daily hormone tablets to replace the hormones your thyroid is not making. But with TheHerbProf.com, you’ve got a guide to naturopathic solutions for thyroid problems. It’s like a DIY project for your health!
Metabolic Thyro contains the following thyroid support Foods:
Adrenal glandular is a support Food that has been used for decades by nutrition-oriented doctors when adrenal concerns are suspected. The adrenal glands help the body deal with stress, but high stress weakens the adrenal glands [14]. Fatigue and metabolic problems are common symptoms of adrenal insufficiency [15]. It should be noted that it is well-accepted that hypoadrenalism results in ‘increasing the frequency of hypoglycemia’ as well as ‘hypothyroidism’ [15]. Salt craving is a common symptom of hypoadrenalism [15]; it can also be involved in hypothyroidism [3]. The adrenal cortex produces the hormone cortisol which helps control organic metabolism and responses to stress [4].
Alfalfa – Get Yours Here.
is believed by some herbalists to have a ‘beneficial effect on the pituitary gland’, ‘helps in chemical imbalance’, ‘neutralizes uric acid for arthritis‘, and ‘is useful as a Food to prevent cholesterol accumulation in the veins’ [16]; this last point is supported by several animal studies [17].
Burdock – Get Yours Here.
is believed by some to be helpful in ‘fortifying and supporting the immune system’ [18]. It has several historical uses including helping with skin disorders ‘particularly when they are caused by a system imbalance. It stimulates the digestive juices and bile secretion and therefore is useful in treating anorexia nervosa and digestion and appetite problems’ [19]. Some believe that, in addition to helping with digestive concerns, burdock ‘aids the pituitary gland to help adjust hormone balance’ [16]. Burdock has sometimes been recommended for thyroid health [16].
Chromium GTF – Get Yours Here.
Chromium Gtf In Food is organically attached. Inorganic chromium ‘is very difficult to absorb’, but organically attached chromium 10-25 times ‘more easily absorbed’ [20,21]. ‘Chromium is generally accepted as an essential nutrient that potentiates insulin action and thus influences and supports carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism [20].
Guar Gum Seed – Get Yours Here.
Is a water-soluble fiber (in the form of a galactomannan), extracted from locust beans, which appears to have some of the same support benefits as other dietary fiber [22-24].
Starwest Botanicals Organic Kelp Powder – Get Yours Here.
Kelp Is a Food high in minerals, especially iodine [25]. Kelp has long been used (since 3000 B.C.) to provide nutritional support for the thyroid gland [16,18,21]. Gary Null, Ph.D, has written, ‘Kelp can rebalance thyroid metabolism, resulting in successful weight management and the reversal of many conditions which are caused by a thyroid imbalance, including stomach and respiratory disorders [18]. The body’s sole function of the mineral iodine is for the thyroid to make thyroid hormones (T1, T2, T3, & T4) [1,4,21].
Liver Glandular
have sometimes been recommended by nutrition-oriented practitioners for some with metabolic concerns [5,11,20]. The liver is involved in blood sugar regulation, conversion of T4 to T3, and a variety of enzymes [4].
Pituitary Glandular – Get Yours Here.
have long been used by doctors [11,26]. The pituitary produces the thyroid stimulating hormone which signals to the thyroid that it needs to work and make its own support hormones [4].
Scullcap – Get Yours Here.
(also spelled ‘skullcap’) is a member of the mint family and is often used as a tonic for ‘female weakness’ [9,17,27]. ‘These [support tonics] are plant remedies that either strengthen or enliven a specific organ or the whole body. They are truly Nature’s gifts to a suffering humanity’ [27]. Even the United States Pharmacopoeia has long recognized scullcap as a nervine and tonic [9]. It also is recommended by some herbalists for thyroid support concerns [16].
Glandular System Ointment – Get Yours Here.
have long been used by doctors as nutritional thyroid support [9,12]. The 1916 edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia states that the following concerning thyroid glandulars, ‘exerting a strong influence on the nutritive and metabolic processes. Used in the treatment of myxedema, cretinism, and obesity [9]. Dr. Cass Ingram also prefers glandular to synthetic thyroid support medications when low thyroid is suspected [3]. There are reports that many who do not test positive for clinical hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism who take thyroid glandulars have sometimes reported improvement in many symptoms associated with hyperthyroid and hypothyroid [3,5,11,26].
Many people simply take Metabolic Thyro to feel better.
2. Vegetarian ThyroTM
Get the supplement here.
The thyroid is responsible for hormones that affect mood, improve circulation, increase metabolism, retain calcium, affect cardiovascular health, improve tolerance to temperature fluctuations, minimize body fat, reduce the tendency for obesity, minimize menstrual disturbances, improve energy, reduce dryness of skin and hair, and reduce premature hair loss [1-3]. Yet thyroid problems are very common [2].
Unfortunately, medical interventions are often incomplete as blood tests often do not recognize certain forms of hypothyroidism [2,3]. Furthermore, even when found medically, most medical interventions are limited to the prescribing of synthetic T4 (levothyroxine), which tends to shut the thyroid down [4], thus possibly increasing the tendency for osteoporosis [3-5], as well as sometimes increasing mood problems and some other symptoms associated with low thyroid function.
Vegetarian Thyro
Vegetarian Thyro is a 100% vegan Food supplement intended for nutritional thyroid support and for improving metabolism. Vegetarian Thyro is basically Food intended for the thyroid gland. If additional endocrine support is indicated, consider adding Vegetarian Adrenal or Bean Tyrosine.
Brown Kelp
Brown Kelp is a Food source of trace minerals, and an excellent source of iodine [6]. Kelp has long been used (since 3000 B.C.) to provide nutritional support for the thyroid gland [7-8]. Gary Null, Ph.D., has written, ‘Kelp can rebalance thyroid metabolism, resulting in successful weight management and the reversal of many conditions which are caused by a thyroid imbalance, including stomach and respiratory disorders [8].
Carrots
contain a variety of carotenoids, which is a vitamin A precursor. Low levels of vitamin A are associated with increased risk of thyroid goiters and deficiencies affect thyroid metabolism [9]. ‘[A] decade-long Harvard study indicated that getting 50 milligrams of carotenoids every other day significantly reduced the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cataracts [7].
Copper – Get Yours Here.
is a mineral which, in proper dosages, is essential to the human body. Vegetarian Thyro contains copper in a B-vitamin containing Food. Copper works with zinc in the body, and zinc without copper can lead to imbalances [10]. Food copper is not like non-food forms such as copper chloride [11].
Iodine
Iodine can be properly called THE THYROID support mineral since the body’s sole use of the mineral iodine is for the thyroid to make thyroid hormones (T1, T2, T3, & T4) [1,5,7]. The primary thyroid hormone (T1) is called monoiodotyrosine, which means it needs iodine and tyrosine [5]. It gets converted to T2 with the addition of more iodine, then to T3 with more iodine then to T4 with even more iodine.
Starwest Botanicals Organic Irish Moss Powder – Get Yours Here.
Irish Moss Chondrus crispus contains humic and fulvic acids (FAs) which increase the solubility of toxic metals [13], thus it is sometimes used to detoxify. Detoxification can be an issue with thyroid health as some believe that substances like chloride and fluoride can bind with the thyroid and interfere with iodine absorption. ‘The Irish moss and Kelp combination is used to balance hormonal inefficiency, especially in the thyroid gland. It increases the metabolic rate, thyroid activity, and the detoxifying function of the body. The herbs {also} supply trace minerals'[and] is commonly used in conjunction with the complex of B vitamins, vitamin A,’ and zinc’ [14].
L-tyrosine – Get Yours Here.
L-tyrosine is an amino acid required for the production of thyroid hormones, T1, T2, T3, and T4 [5]. Tyrosine may reduce the net rate of protein breakdown in the body and appears to help with endurance [15]. Tyrosine has an effect on nerve impulse transmission and may ‘improve vigilance and lessen anxiety’ [16]. Gary Null (Ph.D.) considers tyrosine to be a therapeutic amino acid for depression as well as an anti-encephalopathic, antiparkinsonian, and antidepressant [17].
Women on oral contraceptives have been found to have less plasma and brain levels of tyrosine which results in a reduction in catecholamines, which affect mood. [18]. Oral consumption of tyrosine has, in some cases, been shown to completely alleviate depression while increasing plasma tyrosine levels [19,20]. It has also been shown to help when MAO inhibitors did not [20]. In rat models, vitamin C has enhanced the ability of tyrosine to decrease blood pressure [7,21]. Interestingly, ‘Tyrosine has been known to normalize blood pressure whether high or low. Tyrosine is being tested by the Air Force to enhance performance under stress [22].
The body naturally produces tyrosine by converting it from phenylalanine [7]. ‘Compared with tyrosine which has a de novo synthesis component limited by phenylalanine oxidation, most nonessential amino acids have very large de novo synthesis components because of the metabolic pathways they are involved in’ [7]. This might explain why taking separate tyrosine is more helpful for many than taking other separate amino acids classified as nonessential can be made much easier (with less restriction) than tyrosine can (tyrosine requires liver hydroxylation).
Rice bran – Get Yours Here.
Rice bran is a Food source of B vitamins [23], which are often used for stress and anxiety.
Selenium – Get Yours Here.
Selenium seems to support thyroid hormone production, function as part of many enzymes, have antioxidant effects, and support cardiovascular health [24]. Food selenium is about twice as well retained than non-food selenium [25].
Watercress – Get Yours Here.
Watercress Nasturium officinalis is an evergreen that thrives in clear cold water. It has been written that ‘Watercress is strongly alkaline due to its high potassium content’Watercress increases blood circulation and increases energy’. It increases physical endurance and stamina [26].
Zinc – Get yours Here.
Zinc deficiency in humans can cause thyroid problems, alopecia, impotence, skin problems, immune deficiencies, increased susceptibility to infection/sore throats, night blindness, impaired taste, delayed wound healing, impaired appetite, photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), difficulty in dark adaptation, growth retardation, male infertility (low sperm counts), liver enlargement, and spleen enlargement [7,27].
Many people simply take Vegetarian Thyro as a Food supplement to help them feel better.
3. Thyroid Formula
Get the supplement here.
This nourishing formula provides the thyroid gland with herbs that are known to benefit the thyroid gland balancing both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid conditions. Suggested Guidelines: Not intended for use with hyperthyroidism or for long-term therapeutic use. If thyroid conditions are a concern, consultation with a qualified healthcare professional is advised. Not intended for therapeutic use if pregnant.
References:
Little Herb Encyclopedia, by Jack Ritchason; N.D., Woodland Publishing Incorporated, 1995
The Ultimate Healing System, Course Manual, Copyright 1985, Don Lepore
Planetary Herbology, Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D., Lotus Press, 1988
Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, by James A. Duke, Pub. CRP Second Edition 2007
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody, Published by Dorling Kindersley
