The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland on either side of the windpipe directly below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland has many functions, including governing metabolism and aiding in digestion, mental processes, sex drive, muscle and cardiac activity, and bone repair.
When your thyroid gland is underperforming, it’s called hypothyroidism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, brain fog, moodiness or depression, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and hair, headaches, low libido, high cholesterol, poor short-term memory, anxiety or panic attacks, poor sleep, flu-like symptoms, hoarseness, hypersensitivity, and fluid retention. Heredity, viral infection, fluoridated water, and some medications can all affect the thyroid adversely. Here’s how to boost your thyroid function.
NATURAL SUPPORT FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM
Nature provides herbs that can naturally boost thyroid health. Nettle seed is a natural thyroid tonic, being both nourishing and providing trace minerals needed by the thyroid. Look for it in tincture form and take a dropperful three times daily. You can also gather it wild and dry the seeds to sprinkle on food.
Irish moss, a seaweed, moistens dry skin and soothes swollen glands. It is a nutritive and moistening tonic for the body. It can be found in capsules and taken as directed, usually three times daily.
A deficiency of vitamin A can reduce the thyroid’s ability to assimilate iodine and contribute to goiter. In cases of hypothyroidism, it’s better to take a vitamin A (10,000 IU) supplement rather than its precursor, beta-carotene, which becomes vitamin A in the body. An iodine supplement, which is usually derived from kelp, should also be taken as sea vegetables contain the minerals needed for all endocrine functions. You can also look for combination remedies in natural food stores that contain herbs and vitamins to support the thyroid.
ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM
Essential oils are powerful fragrances that are able to improve circulation to parts of the body that need attention. Massage Saint-John’s-wort oil in the area of the thyroid gland several times each day to invigorate it by increasing its circulation to function more optimally. You can boost the thyroid’s effectiveness by adding 5 drops of essential oils of frankincense, geranium, or catnip to 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil or coconut oil. The ideal massage technique is to grasp the front of the throat at the gland level using all fingers and move the area up and down.
BEST FOODS FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM
If iodine is deficient, the thyroid gland tends to swell, and blood vessels get hardened. The Japanese, known for their diet high in iodine seafoods and sea vegetables, such as dulse, kelp, and hiziki, rarely have goiter associated with hypothyroidism. The sea vegetables, constantly bathed in the rich brine of the ocean, have a softening and cleansing effect. Do your best to consume at least 1 gram daily. It is simple to sprinkle kelp or dulse on dishes.
Apricots, parsley, Swiss chard, tahini, and watercress are considered beneficial foods for thyroid health. Include some in your regular regimen. Coconut oil is made primarily of medium-chain fatty acids, which increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism, benefiting those with low thyroid function.
Harmonizing Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism means your body is producing too much thyroid hormone. This can result in heart palpitations, hot sensations, sweating, weight loss, chest pain, and muscle weakness. A goiter can also form around the necklace line of the neck due to poor thyroid function. Natural Cures for Hyperthyroidism Motherwort herb calms heart palpitations, hot flashes, anxiety, skin hypersensitivity, and thyroid enlargement. Mullein leaf is also used for hyperthyroidism and reduces glandular inflammation. Take each in tea or capsule form three times a day.
A supplement of essential fatty acids three times daily may help decrease excessive thyroid hormones. The amino acid L-tyrosine (500 mg 2 times daily) is a precursor to the thyroid hormones, meaning it becomes transformed into thyroxin and triodthyronine. The thyroid gland has a high need for vitamin B1, especially when overactivity is the problem. Niacin, or vitamin B3, is needed for smooth functioning of all the endocrine glands. B6 improves iodine assimilation. Taking a vitamin B complex (50 mg) once daily should help nourish both hypo- and hyperthyroid conditions.
This Natural Hypothyroidism Treatment article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
