# Thyroid Problems?



## cozyhollow-gal (Sep 11, 2002)

I would like to know more about *treating Thyroid naturally. *What do you do for your Thyroid problems..Hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism. What did you find out after research or from others who deal with it? 
I found out that it can cause Chronic constipation, which is a big problem of mine. So I suspect thyroid problem may be cause as I have tried everything else I can think of to straighten out the problem. 
Will appreciate your input.  thanks, Patsy


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

To confirm whether or not you have thyroid problems, which can be life-threatening if untreated, you need to have a blood test. Treatment for hypothryoidism (under-active thyroid gland - Hashimoto's Disease) is as simple as popping a pill containing natural or synthesised thyroid hormone every day for the rest of your life. Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid gland - eg. Graves' Disease) is a little more tricky. 

One simple way to avoid goitre is to use iodised salt, and to eat foods which contain iodine. Foods which contain useful amounts of Iodine include Lettuce, Turnips, Carrots, Garlic, Onions, Oats, Pineapples, whole Rice, Tomatoes, Watercress, Strawberries, Guavas, Citrus fruits, egg yolks, and seafoods. You could try using supplements of Co-enzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, which helps the muscles deal with fatigue.

There are certain herbs which can help regulate the function of the thyroid, but it's very tricky getting the right dosages, and it's easy to get it completely wrong.

Eating raw Celery can help stimulate the thyroid and pituitary glands.

The following herbs will help to normalise thyroid activity: Pokeweed, Irish Moss, Kelp, Parsley, and Cayenne.

The following herbs help heal an under-active thyroid: Bayberry, Goldenseal, and Myrrh.

The following herbs are used to treat an over-active thyroid: Motherwort, Bugle Weed, and Lemon Balm. 

I found the following on the internet:

GRAVES DISEASE
A serious medical condition requiring the care of a medical profession. Graves disease in an overactivity of the thyroid often resulting in a bulging eyed appearance. The following recipe is meant to be calming and supporting. Consult with your doctor before trying alternatives. They may conflict with your medications.

Â½ oz lemon balm
Â¼ oz bugleweed
1 tsp mint
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp self-heal

Use 1 tsp per cup of boiling hot water, steep 7 minutes and drink regularly. 

You really should use all these herbs with extreme caution if you are treating thyroid problems. Lemon Balm, for instance, is frequently referred to as a herb to AVOID if you have thyroid problems. That means that there seems to be some disagreement amongst herbalists, and it's my policy 'when in doubt, don't!'. Certainly you should avoid lemon balm if your thyroid is under-active.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I have a thyroid problem that was brought on by loss of minerals etc.. during pregnancy. This was years ago.. I became so ill...liver problems, I was orange. Couldn't stay awake, dry skin .. The Dr. put me on thyroxin, but I found that it supposedly leaches the calcium out of your bones and other lovely stuff, so I switched to herbal rememdies.
I have tried them all, and they all work some, but my fav is "Enzymatic Therapy"
Thyroid & L-Tyrosine Complex. It rocks!! I went from off the scale low function to normal in fairly short time. It promotes your body's own system to work for you. And the L-Tyrosine promotes tanning and not burning in your skin. A natural type sunscreen. Bonus.
I haven't taken it for awhile due to money issues this year and boy, can I tell a difference. I'm gettin fat.
I love it and could tell a huge difference between taking a synthetic replacement and prompting my own body to repair itself. I also take more than the bottle says because I had a diagnosed low thyroid problem. The dosage listed is for more normal type people. Good luck


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I looked up this product on Google and found the following web page. I would recommend caution in using it. 

http://www.quackwatch.org/02ConsumerProtection/enzymaticfdac.html


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Wow, that was 14 years ago. One would think that there had been reformulation between then and now or it wouldn't still be on the shelves. I wonder how one can find out. Maybe I will call them. 1-800 #'s are great. Let you know.


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## symple-lyfe (Dec 17, 2005)

The best stuff to take if an underactive thyroid is the problem is Armour Thyroid. It is a thyroid hormone replacement, but it's all-natural and unsynthesized, so the body accepts it more readily and with less side effects. Also, take an Iodine supplement, like Iodorol. Doing those two things has kept me an a nice even keel for years. Taking the Iodorol even made me able to stop taking one of my thyroid meds (the T-3; Armour is a T-4). Definitely do research, and make sure the doctor tests for Free T-3 in the blood tests...some tests used now by conventional doctors don't look for the right thing.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

OK. The thyroid tissue is no longer raw, it is processed and they are an FDA regulated and approved facility. And they do still get questions about the raw thyroid incident in the 90's. Thank you GrannyCarol for pointing that out to me. I rest a bit easier now knowing. Whew.


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## backachersfarm (Jun 14, 2005)

Armour is made from desicated pig thyroid. A lot of folks have a better response to it then Synthroid, because it contains all of the thyroid hormones and not just t4 like the synthetic meds. It can be difficult to get started on because the t3 in itwill make your heart palpitate. These folks have to start with a very small dose and build up to theraputic dose. Some Dr. won't give Armour because Pharm co claim they are less consistant in dose.
Sharon, hypothyroid sufferer


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## Jeff54321 (Jan 26, 2005)

GrannyCarol said:


> I looked up this product on Google and found the following web page. I would recommend caution in using it.
> 
> http://www.quackwatch.org/02ConsumerProtection/enzymaticfdac.html


The man behind quackwatch is named Stephen Barrett and he may be the biggest quack of all. A search of his name will reveal who and what this man is and it is unlikely you will pay any heed to what he says after reading about him.


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

The thing about using a natural pig thyroid product is that you don't know if it is close enough to human thyroid to avoid developing antibodies to the product. If you develop antibodies to pig thyroid hormone, those antibodies in turn may have some cross-reactivity with your own thyroid hormone, making your thyroid issue even more tricky to sort out.

If you have a thyroid problem then you should have a thorough allopathic work up to determine where the problem originates. Treating a problem originating in the thyroid itself could be a lot different than treating a deficiency in the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3, for example.

Start by reading up on the normal biological pathways of thyroid hormone synthesis and utilization. It isn't terribly complex as endocrinology goes, but it is complex enough that you should read up on 'normal' so that you can tell when someone's treatment addresses what is wrong with your particular situation, or whether someone is scamming you or trying to sell you something that doesn't address your specific thyroid-related problem. 

If your allopath has prescribed a thyroid medication for you, kindly consult with the allopath before discontinuing its use. Discontinuing, and especially discontinuing abruptly, may be unsafe.


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