Originally published September 11 2012
Five steps to boosting your thyroid function almost immediately
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) The thyroid is considered the master gland for regulating the endocrine (hormones) system by most health practitioners. If it is not producing enough of its hormone to influence other areas the condition is hypothyroidism. Too much thyroid production creates hyperthyroidism.
Some classic signs of possible hypothyroidism
* Hard to get to sleep, waking up often, or slow to rise even after sleeping well
* Low energy requiring caffeinated interventions; muscle weakness
* Overly sensitive to cold
* Poor hair and nail quality; premature graying or balding
* Brain fog and memory issues; mood swings, depression, and irritability
* Inability to lose weight no matter what's done
* Heart palpitations, or heartbeat too rapid or too slow
* Unexplained joint aches and pains
* Constipation or digestive problems; craving sweets and carbohydrates
* Low sex drive but still interested in sex
* Low basal temperature
Okay, some of these signs are applicable to many other diminished health conditions. Besides, there are other symptoms as well. But those are common symptoms. Obviously, it would be wisest to test.
You can self test with a basal body temperature test, which directly addresses the last symptom listed. Using a non-digital, non-mercury basal thermometer, place it under your arm for several minutes just before getting out of bed for 10 consecutive mornings. Record and average out the readings. An average of less than 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit is a low thyroid hormone marker, which means it's wise to pursue further testing.
Find a physician or holistic practitioner who'll agree to order or run all three blood tests: Free T3, free T4, and a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test. It may be necessary to add a thyroid antibody test also.
Often, doctors will order only the TSH test, which is inadequate. T3 is an operating hormone produced from T4, but many doctors simply prescribe a T4 solution, which may not be enough. If you feel your malaise is from a poorly functioning thyroid, some medical practitioners suggest trying a few easy remedies to see if you get positive results.
Five ways to boost thyroid function
(1) Drop soy products from your diet. Dr. Mark Hyman also suggests gluten may have an adverse effect on your thyroid production as well. So dropping wheat products could be positive as well. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
(2) Try easing out of stress as a foundation. Stress produces cortisol, and cortisol inhibits getting T3 into your cells. Since all these tests are blood level tests, even if your T3 blood count test is okay, your cells could be lacking. This is a tricky area that few MDs know about.
(3) If you haven't already done so recently, detox heavy metals. (http://www.naturalnews.com/detoxification.html)
(4) Iodine is the major supplement for boosting your thyroid function. Some practitioners recommend nascent iodine while others say tried and tested Lugol's brand works fine. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, selenium and zinc, omega-3, and vitamin D3 should be supplemented with your choice of iodine as well.
(5) Natural hormone balancing may be needed to recover completely from hypothyroidism. Avoid the synthetic remedies most MDs prescribe and request something natural, such as a desiccated liver product. The most well known is Armour, but there are others. These are natural products that supply the complete thyroid hormone.
Referring back to item (2), you may need to address poorly functioning adrenals. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
There is the possibility of Wilson's syndrome. Dr. Denis Wilson recognized that not enough T3 in cells goes unnoticed with a full blood panel. He recommends using only a T3 remedy for this. Dr. Wilson is under attack from Quack Watch and some other allopathic MDs, which probably proves he's right.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.naturalnews.com/025067_thyroid_hypothyroidism_gland.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/024388_thyroid_hair_body.html
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/shames/a/supplements.htm
http://drhyman.com
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