3 “Hyperthyroidism Herbs”- worth growing, owing and drinking!

I’m a lot into alternative and herbal medicine, just experimenting all the time. You probably know me by now.:). But that’s me- so, regarding the information below- use your own judgement, of course. 

There are in fact many herbs, that can positively influence hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease but there are 3 that are “must have” in your herbal kitchen and use them regularly, instead of all the sodas and artificial juices sold in the stores.

 Motherwort (Leonurus cardiac) – it is a member of the mint family. You can find this plant pretty much everywhere on the planet, in all continents. It can be also cultivated in your garden. Motherwort balances the hormones generally and helps palpitations; it strengthens the heart beat without increasing the pulse.

Motherwort helps bring on a delayed or suppressed menstrual flow, especially when someone is anxious and tense, it’s also used to improve fertility and anxiety, it helps also the hot flashes in menopause. You can use it as a tea, or a tincture, or even make your own.

It reduces blood pressure. Do not use if you are pregnant. Bitter taste. It also has sedative and antispasmodic properties.

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) has been used to treat heart disease as far back as the 1st century. By the early 1800s, American doctors were using it to treat circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses. It’s a thorny three, which gives red berries in late summer, early fall. It contains compounds that support the heart and circulatory system. It’s found to be beneficial for heart muscle weakness, for pressure, tightness in the chest and for mild arrhythmia. In some scientific researches it’s found that hawthorn interact with key enzymes in the heart to increase pumping force of the heart muscle and it also works to dilate the blood vessels. Hawthorn also helps painful joints and stabilizes the collagen in the bone itself. It also helps bloods shot eyes, glaucoma, swollen ankles and varicose veins. It can be used as a substitute of a beta- blocker. 

It’s available in capsules, tablets and tinctures, but my favorite is Hawthorn tea, some of the capsules include not only the berries, but also leaves and flowers.

To make a tea from these berries, you generally use a teaspoon per cup. Let it brew for a few minutes before drinking.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) (The officinalis stands for “officially recognized as a medicinal herb”).

This is one of my favorite herbs and I already have written about it a lot. It’s an “easy herb”, you can grow it in a pot on your window, or in your garden. Lemon balm has been used for centuries to relieve anxiety and sleeplessness; it has mild sedative effect, relieves menstrual cramps, fights cold sores, relaxes nerves, and eases indigestion. Combined with Valerian roots it’s often used for insomnia treatment. It also helps hot flashes associated with menopause. 

The flavonoids and polyphenolics found in the Lemon balm have been identified as inhibiting the excessive thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).  The TSH is blocked for further stimulating the excessively active thyroid gland. Generally it helps the action of the anti-thyroid drug, and acts like one in mild cases. I’ve been using that herb as “sleep helping tea” for many years and I also know that it’s gentle on children and even babies.

I would not suggest combining and drinking these herbs altogether for “faster results”. I would suggest  trying them on for a few days, i.e drink Hawthorn tea for a few days (only), Lemon Balm tea after that, Motherwort for the next 3 and see how you feel. We are all different as people, we feel differently. Try it cold, hot, as an infusion, or you can even steep it overnight.  

Happy “tea”ing! Happy drinking! See you soon…

Svetla

About the author: Svetla Bankova is an author of 6 books about Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism, as follows: “Life Manual for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”; “Thyroid Eye Disease and Its Healing”; “Ultimate Diet Secrets for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”;”Life Balance Manual for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”, “Life Stories for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”, “Graves’ Disease in Children”

Click on the corresponding books to find out more. Or   get them all in a package deal (you save $40.00):

Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism Books- Package Deal

 

23 Foods to help Hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease

Diet is a big selling word worldwide..There is a diet fro pretty much everything.Most of us suffering with thyroid problems believe that eating the right food or avoiding the wrong one will cure us from hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease.

This is true and not really true. No matter what you eat the next 24 hours it will not cure your hyperthyroidism overnight. But maintaining a proper diet in a long-term plan will cut a lot of your symptoms, will help your immune system to fight the over active thyroid and basically will improve in natural way the performance of your thyroid.

Accordingly, any food that naturally inhibits the thyroid overproduction is good, especially if you are diagnosed with overactive thyroid/ hyperthyroidism. These foods are called goitrogens, they can act as antithyroid drugs (like PTU and methimazole).

This is a short list of foods that may help your hyperthyroidism, some of them are called cruciferous vegetables, some of them are just fruits that do a similar job.

Cruciferous vegetables and goitrogenic fruits:

• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Mustard greens
• Rutabaga
• Turnips
• Millet
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Mizuna
• Garden cress
• Water cress
• Daikon
• Wasabi
• Bok choy
• Komatsuna
• Rapini
• Soybean and soy products, including tofu
• Strawberries
• Peaches

The above listed vegetables and fruits are enough to cover any food diversity for a week, you can mix and match, add meat, or river fish (this is not dangerous as it does not contain iodine), or anything else that comes to your mind.

Why not give a boost to the thyroid medication? But yes, just eating the above foods will not be enough..

Please, feel free to share any recipe, or diet suggestion, or idea you may have regarding hyperthyroidism diet.

Selenium and Grave’s Disease/ Other supplements

This is not a new information in fact, but I am mentioning it here because there was just another scientific research about Thyroid eye disease and Selenium that I feel I should share with all of you..

Recently conducted study titled “Selenium and the course of mild Graves’ orbitopathy” was conducted by the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. What happened: They  carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of selenium (an antioxidant agent) or pentoxifylline (an antiinflammatory agent) in 159 patients with mild Graves’ orbitopathy. The patients were given selenium (100 μg twice daily), pentoxifylline (600 mg twice daily), or placebo (twice daily) orally for 6 months and were then followed for 6 months after treatment was withdrawn. Primary outcomes at 6 months were evaluated by means of an overall ophthalmic assessment, conducted by an ophthalmologist who was unaware of the treatment assignments, and a Graves’ orbitopathy-specific quality-of-life questionnaire, completed by the patient. Secondary outcomes were evaluated with the use of a Clinical Activity Score and a diplopia score.

CONCLUSIONS made by the scientists: Selenium administration significantly improved quality of life, reduced ocular involvement, and slowed progression of the disease in patients with mild Graves’ orbitopathy.

Another older information about selenium as well:

On June 22, 2001 Dr. Barbara Gasnier reported the findings at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in Denver, Colorado that selenium supplementation may prevent progression of autoimmune thyroid disease, especially during the onset of the disease. According to the researchers, selenium deficiency appears to contribute to the development and maintenance of autoimmune thyroiditis because of its effect on the function of selenium-dependent enzymes, which can modulate the immune system.

Selenium supplementation with 200mcg of sodium selenite may improve the inflammatory activity seen in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, but whether this effect is specific for autoimmune thyroiditis or may also be effective in other organ-specific autoimmune diseases remains to be investigated. Selenium supplementation may lower free radical activity, which contributes to inflammation.

It appears that taking selenium without iodine will result in a decrease in production of Thyroxine (T4), although there may be an initial transient increase in T4 to T3 conversion and hence higher T3 and seemingly worse hyperthyroidism.

Bottom line:  Selenium may be helpful for both- hyperthyroidism and thyroid eye disease (mild, but who knows). I know that almost any laboratory can measure if you need any vitamins and supplements. Better check that as well.

I also know that muscle cramps (I used to have a lot of these and they’ll wake me up during the night) are well administered by taking magnesium.

But again, I would just take vitamins and supplements on my own, check better with your family practitioner first.

Stay well,

Svetla

Alternative methods by Sharon Levin, South Africa

As it became a practice, I’ll often share the comments and alternative methods sent to me by other subscribers.

Here is a new one by Sharon Levin, South Africa. She is a counselor, Life coach and a Head of the Fibromyalgia Support Network of Southern Africa. For more information about her, please visit her website: http://www.fibromyalgiasa.co.za

Dear Svetla,

I have found personally and with patients, that a holistic protocol for Graves’  Disease and Hashimoto’ diseases, + for that matter,  all thyroid malfunctions (under or over-active newly diagnosed before either of the 2 auto immune diseases are definitely diagnosed by an Integrative endocrinologist), is imperative to slow down all symptoms:

ELIMINATE THE FOLLOWING:

1.    Clinical Nutrition:  ALL iodine in foods, all FLUORIDE and CHLORINE, ALL PRESERVATIVES in foods and drinks.

2.   Alcohol – fermentation processes encourage CANDIDA ALBICANS and further disrupt the cells (from tongue to insulin receptors, to pancreas and thyroid gland, upper and lower colon and Enteric Nervous System). Yeast growth/overgrowth is essential to halt at all costs. Wine, whiskey. Brandy – no different in conversions.

3.  SUGARS- all to go. Safe is Stevia nutraceutical and sucralose in smaller dosages. Zylatol has not been proven to be helpful. No other sweeteners allowed.

4.  In Graves Disease, asthma is shown to be prevalent.

HONEY+ PROPOLIS, is shown in all studies to affect the bronchioli + alvioli and the lungs’ systems as the queen bee leaves POLLEN in all captured honey – whether organic/creamed/etc. The pollen-filled honey disrupts the lung functions, and worsens  asthmatic Graves Disease thyroid function. Molasses is the better option.

5.  Non-organic MILK, non-organic LAMB, are anathemas in Graves Disease, as is all other MEAT, bar OSTRICH which is free-range.

6.   All colas disrupt the function of thyroxine, whether endogenous or given in tablet form. (Sugar, phynelanines, glucose etc and all preservatives and colourants with FIZZ) the problems. Pure apple and pear juices are 100%. Any other pure  fruit juices must not contain GRAPE JUICE for the same reason as the grapes in wine will ferment and cause havoc. Ciders – apple and pear again because they are pure will not effect the thyroid. Coming to the Festive Season, do not be lured into the ‘drinking with buddies alure’! Staying well all the time is, with knowledge, in our hands and intelligence must rule! Paying for an elusive ‘pleasure’ will only cause more pain and disruption for sufferers.

7.  Teas –  Chamomile FLOWERS tea, Cranberry, Raspberry, Elderberry flowers with apple and cinnamon are fantastic assistants for the endocrine system, drunk both hot and cooled!

8.  Water – never tap water due to high fluoride, heavy metals, toxins from river effluents world wide. Bottled water is NOT OK unless there is NO SULFUR, NO SODIUM, LOW POTASSIUM, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM LEVELS. The latest studies show that MOST plastic bottled water hold much bacteria from materials used and are most harmful to the thyroid! Thus advise at worst double boiled water and then cool in GLASS and at best a good water filtration system. Drink a litre of water, plain or with the above teas a day.

9.   All WHEAT, GLUTEN AND WHITE FLOURS, RICE, SPUD POTATOES OATS, BARLEY, RYE, SEMOLINA must be eliminated – these are thyroid’s enemies – replace with SPELT, NON- YEAST BREADS ORGANIC BROWN RICE CAKES, NON-SALTED CORN CAKES, QUINOA, POULENTA, MILLET AND SPELT CEREAL AND PORRIDGES, TASMATI/BASMATI RICE AND SWEET AND COOLED BABY POTATOES.

10.   Keeping insulin low means keeping a glycaemic load and index ‘in-balance’ for the endocrine system to function better. Thus, when eating orange coloured veg eg pumpkin, use your hand as the diameter =’s a quarter of a palmful only, 3 times a week. Goes for all orange veggies.

SUPPLEMENTATION:

1.  The best multi mineral and vitamin you can find, watch out that IODINE is very LOW or ELIMINATED within the mineral content of tablet.

2. Ester C, 2-4,000 grams to boost the immune system, divided into 2-3-4 times a day and night, depending on your overall health condition.

3.  Thyroid support formula WITHOUT TYROSINE (if one has Hashimoto’s there MUST be L-tyrosine).
4.  B Complex, +B5, and B12 specifically.

5. Protect eyes with the best NON –PRESERVATIVE drops and gels for DRY EYES, use hourly if needed, along with 900 UV protection sunglasses, + Solar Shields if necessary (ask optometrist to advise), and Transition lenses for COMPUTER work and MINOR sunlight photophobia. Change computer to color APPLE GREEN BACKGROUND OR SKY BLUE – light too bright on black and white!

6.  Take one a day capsule of Lutein, Zeaxathin, bilberry.

7. Ensure 2 am Flax seed capsules and 2 pm, either Krill oil seafood/Omega 3 pure Alaskan / Sardine fish oil/Vegetarian Algae capsules before sleep for optimal ‘oiling and greasing’ of the eyes, the brain systems, the body systems.

8.  If you are stressed take the amino acid L-Taurine, 1 am, 1 noon, 1 4pm, 1 before sleep.

The most nvb capsules for graves eye disease and for the continual organ and normal function at optimal levels are : 3,200 mg of pure flax seed omega 3 caps- ie 2 am and 2 pm, krill oil, 1 capsule with algae omega 3 2 am and 2 pm as well as pure omega 3 Alaskan salmon oil or sardine oil.

Eyes must be well lubricated hourly-2 hrly with non-preservative eye gels and drops. The best known to date are the highest viscosity with best drops from  ophthalmologists only.

Sharon Levin

http://www.fibromyalgiasa.co.za

fmssha@ibi.co.za

+27828768777

Also, for many other Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism Remedies, check:

Free Articles on Graves’ Disease

Graves’ Disease Diet

I know that Diet is very important when you have Graves’ Disease or Hyperthyroidism. When I was sick, I tried to avoid foods with high iodine content- like sea food, for example. Even though I like fish, shrimp ect and this is my favorite food. Many people have found that different foods make them feel different..

Do you have any experience about this? What makes you feel good and what makes you feel bad?

Share your thoughts with us- it may help other people as well.