The Green Pharmacy for Hypothyroidism

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The " Green Pharmacy " for Hypothyroidism

JoAnn Guest

Feb 24, 2005 16:12 PST

 

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http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/41/69.cfm

 

Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism in every cell of your body.

For that reason, having too little of the hormones, a condition

known as hypothyroidism, can have a profound impact.

Symptoms include lethargy, depression, headaches, low body

temperature, unusual sensitivity to cold, decreased libido,

difficulty losing weight, dry skin, painful menstrual periods, slow

reflexes, goiter and recurrent infections.

 

Hypothyroidism varies in intensity from very minor and almost

unnoticeable symptoms to a severe and life-threatening

conditionknown

as " myxedema " .

 

Many so-called allergic diseases may in fact be due to thyroid

disorders. The thyroid gland is located in the neck just behind and

below the

Adam's apple. Its hormone production depends on three things:

 

the availability of the mineral iodine, the health of the gland

itself and the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

circulating in the body.

 

TSH is released by the pituitary gland, which is located in the

center of the brain.

 

Ordinarily, as TSH levels increase, the levels of thyroid hormones

in the body increase accordingly to reach a balance.

If the thyroid is not functioning properly, the pituitary releases

more TSH in a vain effort to correct the situation.

 

Green Pharmacy for Hypothyroidism

 

My top herbal recommendations are bugleweed, lemon balm (also known

as melissa), self-heal and verbena.

 

Amazingly enough, these same herbs also help with Graves' disease, a

condition that involves too much thyroid hormone, because they seem

to have the ability to normalize thyroid hormone levels regardless

of whether there's too much or too little.

 

(For other details about these helpful herbs, see page 225.) Here

are some other natural approaches for fighting hypothyroidism.

 

Gentian (Gentiana officinalis).

 

Herbal pharmacologist Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D., author of The Scientific

Validation of Herbal Medicine and Herbal Tonic Therapies and an

herbalist I respect, says that gentian " provides bitter principles

known to normalize the functioning of the thyroid. "

 

He suggests gentian as the main ingredient in his own thyroid

formula, a combination of gentian, red pepper (cayenne), Irish moss,

kelp and saw palmetto. If I had hypothyroidism, I would not hesitate

to take this combo.

 

Kelp (Fucus vesiculosis).

 

Kelp is high in iodine, a key mineral that the body must have in

order to produce thyroid hormones.

 

Urologist James Balch, M.D., and his wife, Phyllis, a certified

nutritional consultant, strongly recommend sea kelp for treating

hypothyroidism.

 

Working kelp into your daily diet isn't likely to hurt. You can buy

powdered kelp in health food stores to sprinkle over your food as a

seasoning.

You might also try putting a little kelp in your soups, or go to a

Japanese restaurant and order sushi, the veggie or raw fish and rice

treat that's wrapped in kelp.

 

 

 

Mustard (Brassica nigra,

Sinapis alba and others).

 

In addition to having a high iodine content, thyroid hormones are

made from the compound tyrosine.

 

Mustard greens are the best source of

tyrosine I know, with 1.9 percent on a dry-weight basis.

 

Several other foods that include tyrosine,

in descending order of potency,

 

are velvet bean seeds, carob, winged beans, bean sprouts,

lupines, non-gmo soybeans, oats, organic peanuts, spinach,

watercress,

sesame seeds, butternut squash (organic), chaya, chives, fava beans,

lamb's-quarters, pigweed, pumpkin seeds, snowpeas and cabbage.

 

Along with iodine from kelp, the tyrosine in any of these plants

might contribute to increased production of the thyroid hormone

thyroxine.

 

I could see making a tasty soup with kelp, mustard greens, spinach,

sesame seeds, squash and beans. Or try a salad with mustard greens,

spinach, lamb's-quarters, bean sprouts, radishes, pumpkin seeds and

sesame seeds.

 

 

Radish (Raphanus sativus).

 

Radishes have long been used in Russia for treating both types of

thyroid problems, according to medical anthropologist John

Heinerman, Ph.D., author of Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Fruits,

Vegetables and Herbs.

 

Russian researchers told him that one chemical in

radishes, " raphanin " , helps keep levels of thyroid hormones in

balance. With enough " raphanin "

circulating in the blood,

the gland is less likely to overproduce or underproduce these

hormones.

 

St.-John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum).

 

Like many pharmaceutical antidepressants, this herb is a monoamine

oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. Depression is a common symptom of

hypothyroidism, and MAO inhibitors can help elevate mood.

Although this herb addresses a common symptom of hypothyroidism, not

the condition itself, it might help if you have depression. (For

other helpful herbs for depression, see page 156.)

 

People who are taking MAO inhibitors or using herbs that contain MAO

inhibitors on a regular basis need to avoid certain foods--

 

alcoholic beverages and smoked or pickled foods--and some

medications, including cold and hay fever remedies, amphetamines,

narcotics, tryptophan and

tyrosine.

 

Also, pregnant women should not take St.-John's-wort, and

everyone should avoid intense sun exposure while using it, since

this herb can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight.

 

Walnut

(Juglans, various species).

 

In Turkish folk medicine, walnuts are used as remedies for various

glandular disorders, including thyroid problems. It looks like

there's something to it.

 

In one study, the fresh juice of green walnuts doubled levels of

thyroxine.

 

A decoction of green walnuts, made by boiling them for about 20

minutes, boosted thyroxine at least 30 percent.

 

You might get some benefit from walnuts simply by enjoying them by

the handful, and you could also use walnut oil as a flavorful

addition to salad dressings.

 

But it's the green husks that are more likely to be effective, even

though they are not pleasing to the palate.

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

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