ot? Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

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April 15, 2010 Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

by Horne, RH(AHG)

At one time many people in midwestern states developed

goiters from a lack of iodine in their diets. With the introduction

of iodized table salt these problems largely disappeared. It's

kind of odd that they had to add iodine to salt because natural salts,

like the pink Redmond Salt (which is available from NSP) contain

iodine. It is only refined salt that lacks this nutrient. It's sort

of like "enriched" white flour—you bleach out all the natural

nutrients and then replace them with chemical nutrients. When

most thyroid problems were caused by a lack of iodine, herbs like kelp

usually solved the problem. However, there may be a different cause

of many modern thyroid problems. Especially when you consider that

the main cause of low thyroid is now an autoimmune disorder called

Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In

Hashimoto's, the body produces high levels of antibodies to the enzyme

thyroid peroxidase. Thyroid peroxidase is used to synthesize the thyroid

hormone, so the immune system is destroying the enzyme that utilizes the

iodine. Interestingly enough, Hashimoto's is more prevalent in the

countries which rely heavily on chemical iodine like iodized salt. Beyond

Iodine I

recently acquired two new books written by my good friend and fellow AHG

herbalist Wood, The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World

Medicinal PlantsError! Filename not specified. and The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World

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writing about kelp, a standard remedy for hypothyroid problems for many

years, says, "it is likely to disappoint." He

recommends black walnut as a superior remedy. Black

walnut is one of the few inland plants that contains significant amounts

of iodine. In fact, it is the iodine in the hulls that makes the

hulls stain things so easily. I can attest the staining power of

black walnut hulls because I remember helping my mom to hull, crack and

pick the "meats" out of black walnuts. But,

I digress. Like , I've found black walnut, and especially the ATC

Concentrate Black Walnut, to work where other thyroid remedies have

failed. This may be due to the fact that black walnut is one of the

remedies that seems to modulate the immune system. I

believe that autoimmune conditions are primarily the result of poor

nutrition coupled with toxicity in the tissues. As mentioned last week,

other halogens, like chlorine, fluorine and bromine, interferes with

iodine metabolism. So does mercury (and probably other heavy metals),

soy and many drugs. Black

walnut is a traditional "blood purifier," meaning it is used to

help the body clear toxic conditions. It is a very effective single

remedy in fibromyalgia, which seems to involve low levels and iodine and

high levels of toxicity in the tissues.

suggests that the thyroid plays a role in purifying the blood. The

thyroid secretes into the carotid arteries, which carry blood to the

brain. says that this helps to purify the blood going to

the brain, which helps the hypothalamus regulate metabolism better. He

also says that this disinfecting of the blood going into the head helps

treat sinus problems, too. Emotional

Issues and Hashimoto's I

wouldn't rule out emotional issues in Hashimoto's either,

especially when you consider that 90% of people with low thyroid are

women. One out of five women (a whopping 20%) will develop Hashimoto's by

age 75. That just can't be normal. Years

ago, when I was teaching Manager School for Nature's Sunshine, I observed

an interesting phenomenon. The school was four days long, and sometimes,

when I'd start to get a little tired, I noticed that I was mixing up some

of my words. If I took some thyroid herbs (like Thyroid Activator),

I noticed that within minutes I was able to communicate clearly again. The

thyroid is located at the base of the throat, next to the voice box.

Oriental cultures suggested that there is an energy center here that has

been called the throat chakra, which deals with our ability to

communicate. It is also the link between our chest (home of our

heart and emotions) and our head (home of our logic and thinking). If

feeding and strengthening the thyroid can improve one's ability to

communicate (as I experienced firsthand), it's possible that the reverse

may be true. Feeling you are unable to communicate, and more

particularly that your feelings are not been listened to and

acknowledged, may adversely affect your thyroid. I think many women, in

particular, feel that their feelings are not being heard, cherished or

appreciated. Let's

also remember that Hashimoto's is an autoimmune condition where the

immune system is attacking the thyroid. To me, this means that

Hashimoto's may be a subconscious "attack" on one's own

voice. These issues should be explored when treating this problem

and flower essences may definitely be helpful. I particularly find

Larch flower essence and Trumpet Vine flower essence helpful for people

who have a hard time expressing their thoughts and feelings. Looking

Beyond the Obvious The

standard NSP remedies for low thyroid, like Thyroid Activator and TS II

with Hops are based primarily on the "old school" iodine

deficiency issue. Thyroid Support is a thyroid glandular, which can

help rebuild the gland, but even that does not work in many cases.

So, it seems to me that maybe we need to expand our idea of what remedies

can work. Some

of the herbs that have a good long term effects on the thyroid and may be

helpful for Hashimoto's thyroiditis are Ho Shou Wu, Saw Palmetto and

Ashwaganda (found in Adaptamax and 5-HTP Power) These herbs have a

slow cummulative effect on thyroid function when taken for at least 3-6

months. Another

remedy you might try is IF-C. This is an anti-inflammatory remedy

that can help cool down an irritated thyroid. Adaptagens like

eleuthero may also have a beneficial effect in this instance. So,

don't feel your options are limited to the "standard" thyroid

formulas and remedies. There are many herbs and formulas that can

be used to remove underlying causes of low thyroid function and restore

balance. Consult with a qualified herbalist if you have questions.

You

can also learn more about the thyroid (and iodine) from two of Tree of

Light's DVD programs, The Iodine Solution and When Your Thyroid Needs "Kelp."

Purchase either DVD by April 19th for the regular price of $29.95 and get

the second one for only $15.00. Next week we'll be talking about

Grave's disease, the most common hyperthyroid condition.

Do You Have Hypothyroid?

Check out these symptoms of low

thyroid. If you have a lot of symptoms you may want to have your

thyroid checked and/or try some natural remedies to boost your thyroid

function.

Physical Symptoms:

Brittle

nails Depression Dry

skin Fatigue Infertility Lack

of concentration Loss

of Appetite Loss

of sexual desire Low

body temperature (cold limbs or intolerance to cold) Numbness

or tingling in hands and feet Painful

PMS Recurrent

infections Slow

heart rate Thinning

hair Weight

gain Difficulty

losing weight

Emotional Symptoms:

Mixing

up words Difficulty

expressing feelings Difficulty

speaking one's truth Feeling

one's feelings are not heard or acknowledged

If you have a lot of these

symptoms, you can learn more about the importance of iodine and how to

heal the thyroid from two of Tree of Light's DVD programs, The Iodine Solution and When Your Thyroid Needs "Kelp."

Purchase either DVD by April 19th for the regular price of $29.95 and

get the second one for only $15.00.

Missed the Free Parenting Webinar?

If you missed 's free

webinar "Parenting is a Delightful Job," you can download the

webinar recording and the handouts (free) from the resource section of

our website www.treelite. com.