Natural treatments for hypothyroidism focus on proper nutrition that will support the immune system and exercise to improve circulation since this is an autoimmune disease. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the cause of hypothyroidism 90% of the time. Some people change back and forth between hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid).
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid, located in the front of the neck, helps to regulate the metabolism and calcium. The hormones made by the thyroid affect how the body uses energy. People feel fatigued, weak, may have memory problems or feel cold. Cholesterol levels can get higher, raising the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Anyone can have hypothyroidism, but women over 60 are most at risk. This thyroid problem tends to run in families.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause. The thyroid gland is unable to produce sufficient thyroid hormone because the immune system attacks thyroid tissue. If a cancerous thyroid is removed or treated with radiation therapy, hypothyroidism is an expected side effect. Iodine deficiency, lithium or a viral infection may also cause hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone treatment is usually successful but will likely be life-long and will need to be monitored or symptoms will reoccur.
Natural Remedies for Hypothyroidism
A natural whole food, gluten-free diet is critical to thyroid management. Some foods will supply iodine while others should never be eaten raw and only eaten once in a while when cooked. Exercise is necessary to maintain general body health and support the struggling immune system.
Foods That Supply Iodine to Help the Thyroid Function Better
Seaweed (kelp, dulce and nori), shellfish and ocean fish are excellent sources of iodine.
Low fat cheese, yogurt and ice cream, eggs and cow’s milk are also good sources.
Many people do not receive enough iodine from their diet. The average iodine intake per person in the U.S. used to be 250 mcg; it is now 157 mcg. While sea salt has traces of many minerals, it does not have as much iodine as iodized table salt. If you prefer sea salt, iodized sea salt is an option.
Exercise
Regular, daily exercise is important in order to effectively deal with hypothyroidism. Exercise will also help with stress reduction, an important component of a treatment regimen.
Nutrition – Gluten-free and Whole Foods
Proper nutrition is a crucial part of any home treatment for hypothyroidism. A gluten-free diet is necessary, as the molecular structure of gluten and thyroid tissue is almost identical. Eating gluten increases the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. Whole, organic foods will help strengthen the malfunctioning immune system and are indispensable to any home treatment for hypothyroidism. This should not be a low-carb diet. It should include protein in every meal, healthy fat, selenium, B and D vitamins.
Avoid Foods Containing Goitroens
Goitroens, which lower thyroid function, make hypothyroidism worse. This anti-thyroid property of foods containing goitroens may be inactivated by cooking, but anyone with hypothyroidism should eat the following list of foods sparingly, if at all.
- Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, peanuts
- Any vegetable in the broccoli family: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage
- Green leafy vegetables: kale, mustard and spinach
- Fruit: pears and peaches
- Misc.: Turnips, corn, millet, soy (isoflavones block iodine), canola oil, caffeine and sugar
Home remedies for hypothyroidism focus on supplying the thyroid what is needed and avoiding foods that will lower thyroid function on a thyroid that is already struggling. Staying gluten-free will be essential for this autoimmune disease. The treatment regimen also includes daily exercise.
Additional Pages of Interest:
Chronic Fluoride Poisoning Q&A by Jason Uttley
Supplemental Iodine
Coconut Oil Remedies
Reply to Lois.
Replied by Lois (Honeoye Falls, Ny) on 01/20/2015
Why hasn't your Dr.'s put those of you with hypothyroidism on Synthroid? That in itself is the replacement for loss of thyroid hormones. I also, take ACV every morning & night in combo with honey & black strap molasses. Great for losing and maintaining a good weight for your height and bone structure.
Synthroid (a/k/a Synthetic Thyroid) is only ONE way to treat hypothyroidism and, while it is the drug of choice for a great many medical practitioners in the US, it is often NOT the best choice.
Synthroid contains thyroid hormone T4 only – T4 is the storage hormone, it is not the active hormone. The only thyroid hormone that can actually be utilized by the body is T3, so the T4 of synthroid must be converted to T3 to actually be utilized by the body. Many people cannot make that conversion, and Synthroid is totally useless to those people. Rather than using the synthetic thyroid hormone replacement, many people have had much more success using what is considered to be the Natural Hormone replacement: Desiccated Pig Thyroid (such as NP Thyroid, WP Thyroid, Naturethroid, Westhroid, Armour, Erfa at al) contains all the natural thyroid hormones T1, T2, T3 and T4 so that NO conversion is needed for the desiccated pig thyroid to provide the patient's needed thyroid supplementation. Because all of the pharmaceutical advertising dollars have been behind Synthroid for so many years, it is hard to find a doctor who will prescribe the desiccated pig thyroid, but all hypothyroid patients should be aware that the desiccated pig thyroid is available, and quite often provides MUCH better results than Synthroid.
Additionally, Synthroid is, in my opinion, very dangerous for women, as my mother was on Synthroid for 45 years, and she developed osteoporosis so bad that her bones starting breaking of her own body weight at age 80. This is a known problem with Synthroid, but one that is seldom mentioned so you should question your doctor about this side effect of Synthroid. I personally have been on desiccated pig thyroid since October, 2011, and have had excellent results.
I was diagnosed with low thyroid. I have worked my way up to taking 15 drops of 12% solution of lugol's iodine, over the last 11 months. With all the the necessary supported supplements. I salt load twice a day. This has helped me a lot and got rid of most of my symptoms. I no longer needed to take NDT. Now I am getting aching joints, sleepless nights and low energy ( what I see as low thyroid symptoms, just like in the beginning. ) When I increase to 20 drops a day, I feel better, am I taking too much, I'm just a little concerned as to what the limit is on the amount of Lugols to take? Thank you in advance.
Hi Paula…I think that you are taking too much lugol's iodine. Your dose is too high. The recommended dosage for low thyroid is 8 drops of 5% Lugol's Iodine per day(or 50mgs iodine/day). Taking this dose should easily alleviate or cure a low thyroid condition provided that you are taking all the advised minerals and supplements as well.
Taking 20 drops of 12% lugols is quite a high dose which I doubt that you need. That dose is equivalent to taking 120 mgs of iodine per day. Such a high dose should only be taken for cyst problems or something more serious. And since you have been taking iodine, at a high dose, for the last 11 months then it will probably help if you reduce your drop dosage to 2 drops a day which is equivalent to 9.3 mgs iodine(at 4.65 mgs per drop for 12% lugols iodine). This should be quite sufficient to properly replenish your iodine stores on a daily basis.
More details on supplementing lugol's iodine for you here:
The Guide to Supplementing Lugol's Iodine
LI Companion Nutrients
Possible insight into relationship between hypo symptoms and estrogen:
Ted, I have had neck and jaw and thyroid pain 10 months now with some other hypothyroid symptoms as well. (outer third of eyebrows gone, slow digestive function, 4 menstrual periods in the past 9 months, receding gums, kidney pain)
I have been researching how to resolve this including your page which has helped me too many times to count. Today I ran across TWO articles linking excess ESTROGEN with thyroid problems. Ted, I switched birth control exactly the same month these problems started. But I have always taken progestin-only birth control. Or so I thought! After seeing these articles I checked my birth control. The former birth control was progestin. But 10 months ago I switched to combo progestin/estrogen. (I didn't realize I was taking estrogen!) I am going to take 90 days off and let you know what happens with my thyroid pain.
Cayenne for hypothyroid:
I used to run on the warm side all my life, then got to where I felt chilly a lot, did not sweat hardly in hot weather, felt sluggish.
I have been taking Lugol's iodine (2%, 5 drops a day) for many moons, cooking with coconut oil, avoiding bread with brominated flour, mostly avoiding fluoridated water, never use fluoride toothpaste…still was not consistently warm by any means.
Recently I got a nasty and persistent lung congestion that was going around, which gave several people I know pneumonia. I said to myself, "That ain't gonna happen to me! " I thought about that old "Back to Eden" book, and how the old herbalists talked like cayenne would practically raise the dead!
Seeing as its been years since I ate habaneros every day, or even that many jalapenos, I went at it cautiously. Every day I would heat up about 4 ounces of water, add a mere 1/8th teaspoon measure of cayenne powder, and drink it.
I did this for maybe a week. Been comfortably warm ever since, including through a recent cold spell. I think all the other things I've been doing played a part, but I believe cayenne was the real "magic bullet".
Everyone is different, your mileage may vary! Some people get along well with hot peppers, others may not.
Hi All,
Having read that many suffering from hypo-thyroid are iodine deficient, I decided it would be a good idea to test myself by painting a small two by four inch area with iodine to see how long it would take to absorb. Six hours was the average time needed. Five days a week, for a month and a half I painted with the iodine. My prior blood test indicated that I was just in the top of the upper normal range. The blood test after six weeks of use, showed my TSH was 4.21, the normal range indicated was between 0.30 and 4.00 mlU/L my TSH two months prior was 3.96, my free triioddothyronine was 4.2and my free T 4 was 12, these falling within the excepted normal range.
Recently I read that ninety percent of all hypo-thyroids have Hashimoto's and should not take iodine. It would seem this was true in my case so just wanted to warn others that might be considering using this protocol. Guess I will have to ask to have my iodine levels checked next blood work. Right now I am totally confused. I am also wondering if anyone else knows if NDT has ever been checked for traces of ractopamine? Could it be a part of the reason we are gaining weight even while being careful of our diet? I don't even want to think about having to use synthroid. My NDT does not seem to be working even after having my dose doubled from 15mg to 30mg.
Is anyone else having this problem? Any input on the subject would be appreciated. Thanks to all who make this site such a success.
All the best, Ali
Ali,
Although many people recommend the use of "painting" iodine onto the skin as a method of absorbing iodine into the body, it is a very poor way to go as 88% is lost to evaporation and only 12 % actually becomes available within the body. This may explain your lack of response to your use of iodine.
http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/updates/UNIOD-02/UNIOD_02.htm
Art
I forgot to mention that people think because the iodine color dissipates that the iodine has been absorbed, but the salt in the skin slowly oxidizes the iodine to form iodide which is colorless and is still on the skin. In any case, if you are buying iodine, it seems like a waste of money to get just 12% absorption.
Art
Hi Art,
Thanks for your response to my request for info on iodine painting. The link you supplied was most interesting. You made an excellent point. I will ask my Dr. to check my iodine level before I proceed with the painting. A big thanks to Earth Clinic for the update on the harm caused by fluoride in our water supply as well as from other sources which affects the thyroid.
On closing, would just like to add that I received some info from Erfa, the company that supplies our NDT here in Canada. Gluten was listed as one of the fillers, I was very disappointed as I had just spent the last month trying to eliminate gluten from my diet, hoping to get the weight issue under control .Still no word from erfa as to weather or not their natural thyroid has been checked for traces of ractopamine. I am beginning to think I will never get this hypo-thyroid thing under control. It is so disheartening.
Wishes for health and wellness to all. Ali
Hi Ali…One of the main reasons that you may not be getting anywhere with your suspect thyroid problem is that the main TSH/T4 checks that the doctors run on your thyroid can be wildly inaccurate. That's a well known fact. Also patented thyroid meds usally only contain T4 and no T3. Triiodothyronine(T3) is the important active thyroid hormone that usually causes all the thyroid problems. So why are the mainstream docs only testing the TSH and T4 levels and medicating with synthetic T4 hormones? In the 1970s, for reasons completely unknown, the docs were suddenly advised(by the drugs companies) to change from testing T3 to just testing TSH/T4. I'm still trying to work that one out…
The other point is that you will need to take more than just iodine to cure a suspect hypothyroid problem that the docs can't confirm. You could try supplementing the Iodine protocol as advised here and here. I would also strongly advise that you should see an iodine-literate doc to help you with this, as hypothyroid problems are not so simple and can be highly individual and complex — many other adverse factors can also be play their part such as diet, liver, adrenals etc.See this website for more info on how to get your thyroid checked properly. This website also has advice on how to find an iodine-literate doc who might also be able to help you.
I still take my lugol's iodine every day — 6 to 8 drops (usually between 37 mgs to 50 mgs) per day. I've been taking this Iodine Protocol for nearly 10 years with no adverse effects. I'm one of the lucky ones. My body is detoxed and clean and fed with love and tender care. Others, when they first start taking lugol's iodine, can't even take one drop without going into a hyper or highly agitated or anxious state. But that's not the fault of the iodine — that reaction is caused by poor personal diet and lifestyle which is due to lack of proper nutrients and poisons in their diet that has persisted — unchecked –for decades. Some articles and further clarification on this and other aspects of iodine for health shown here and here.
Ali,
One thing you can try is using a thermometer under your arm to check your temperature first thing upon awakening in the morning. It should be very close to 98 degrees. If it is lower than that, you may be iodine deficient. Not as accurate as what your doctor can probably find out, but it should give you a clue .
Art
Hi Art ( California ) Thanks for the suggestion that I try taking my temp. on waking as a way to check for low iodine.I will do immediately before I get up. I have a Dr. appt. in two weeks so will request a test than. In the mean time will check this out and hope for a 98.6 reading. As I recall, that is considered normal.
Will also ask about having adrenals checked. I noticed when I had my natural desiccated thyroid dose doubled a month ago, that my skin felt a little itchy and the last week I don't sleep as well and feel little edgy. It might be a little to much, so I take the full dose of 60mg and alternate to 30mg the next day.I may just be feeling edgy from cutting my tea intake . Never realized how much fluoride I was consuming in those six cups a day. Have cut back to two now. Our water supply does not have added fluoride, Thank goodness.
Thanks Art, it is so great knowing that people care enough to take time from their busy lives to give helpful advice to others who are searching for answers. I have learned so much from those who took the time to post on this site. Gratefully, Ali
Hi Bill, (San Fernando, Philippines) Thanks for the links you supplied, I will be ordering a saliva Cortisol test, I did not know it was available without a prescription. I was diagnosed with hypo-thyroid about a year ago after many tests. I have been taking natural desiccated thyroid since that time. Just had my dose upped a month ago after my attempt at iodine painting.
Where you hypo- thyroid before you started on the iodine protocol ? If so do you still take natural thyroid? Thanks again for the links, tons of great info. I read somewhere that thyroid meds should be taken after the blood has been collected for the test, Any thoughts on this? Wishing you good health. Ali
You might be interested in the Iodine Workshop group on Facebook.
My doctor tried to put me on levothryoid for my hypo-thyroidism. I was allergic to it. So I went to a homeopathic dr., and he put me on 2 drops of emulsified vitamin D. When tested a couple of months later, my thyroid levels are now perfectly normal.
Most doctors know hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease. But most patients don't. The reason doctors don't tell their patients is simple: it doesn't affect their treatment plan.
Studies show that 90% of people with hypothyroidism are producing antibodies to thyroid tissue. This causes the immune system to attack and destroy the thyroid, which over time causes a decline in thyroid hormone levels. This autoimmune form of hypothyroidism is called Hashimoto's disease. While not all people with Hashimoto's have hypothyroid symptoms, thyroid antibodies have been found to be a marker for future thyroid disease.
The following are the five major thyroid patterns that don't show up on standard tests
1.HYPOTHYROIDISM CAUSED BY PITUITARY DYSFUNCTION:
TSH below the functional range (1.8 ? 3.0) but within the standard range (0.5 ? 5.0). The T4 will be low in the
functional range (and possibly the lab range too).
2.UNDER-CONVERSION OF T4 TO T3.
This common pattern is caused by inflammation and elevated cortisol levels. T4 to T3
conversion happens in cell membranes. Inflammatory cytokines damage cell membranes
and impair the body's ability to convert T4 to T3. High cortisol also suppresses the
conversion of T4 to T3. it doesn't matter how
much T4 you take; you won't be able to use it. you'll have hypothyroid symptoms, but your TSH and T4 will be normal.
If you have your T3 tested, which it rarely is in conventional settings, it will be low
3. HYPOTHYROIDISM CAUSED BY ELEVATED TBG.
Thyroid binding globulin (TBG) is the protein that transports thyroid hormone through the
blood. When thyroid hormone is bound to TBG, it is inactive and unavailable to the
tissues. Elevated TBG is caused by high estrogen levels, which are often often associated with
birth control pills or estrogen replacement. When TBG levels are high, levels of unbound (free) thyroid hormone will be low, With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be low, and T3 uptake and
TBG will be high.
4. HYPOTHYROIDISM CAUSED BY DECREASED TBG.
But too much free thyroid hormone in the bloodstream causes the cells to develop
resistance to it. So, even though there's more than enough thyroid hormone, the cells
can't use it and you'll have hypothyroid ? not hyperthyroid ? symptoms. Decreased TBG is caused by high testosterone levels. In women, it is commonly
associated with PCOS and insulin resistance. Reversing insulin resistance and restoring
blood sugar balance is the key to treating this pattern.With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be high, and T3 uptake and
TBG will be low.
5. THYROID RESISTANCE.
In this pattern, both the thyroid and pituitary glands are functioning normally, but the
hormones aren't getting into the cells where they're needed. Note that all lab test markers will be normal in this pattern, because we don't have a way
to test the function of cellular receptors directly.
Thyroid resistance is usually caused by chronic stress and high cortisol levels. It can also
be caused by high homocysteine and genetic factors.
Causes (read more in the Chris Kressser free ebook”Thyroid Disorders”):
-The Gluten-Thyroid Connection
-Iodine for Hypothyroidism: Crucial Nutrient or Harmful Toxin?
-Selenium ? The missing link for treating hypothyroidism?
-Thyroid, Blood Sugar, and Metabolic Syndrome
-The Thyroid-Gut Connection
Thanks so much for all the posts!! My T4 is 2.04, a bit high, T3 is 139, middle, but my TSH is 0.024, very very low, the synthroid 0.088 made me so sick, I'm afraid to take it now. But reading this site has been so helpful. I'm getting almost everything on here to try to help the tsh,, if there's something else you know that could help me I would be very thankful.
I just joined this site after reading on many subjects over the last week. It's very informative and I'm thankful to have found it.
I'm a 52 yr old woman with, if it's not one thing it's another type issues. I know I have thyroid issues. My temp runs very low among other things. I tried a iodine product recommended by my local health food store last year. Within days my fingers started to feel numb. I knew it was the iodine because that was the only thing new I added. I don't feel confident it was good quality.
I just ordered the Lugol's iodine. I know I need this but I'm nervous about starting it. I saw where a salt solution protocol is likely needed and since I have blood pressure issues, which is probably from a lack of iodine, I'm just not sure how to handle this.
How should I begin this process? Would love some advise.
Hi Bonbon…The alternative regimen you should always follow for lugols iodine supplementation crucially also includes taking the companion nutrients as well. This includes taking vitamins and minerals such as selenium, zinc, magnesium, niacin, B6, Vitamin C, etc on a daily basis with the LI.
This iodine regimen will not just benefit your thyroid. The iodine, vitamin C and niacin will all act to also help reduce your blood pressure issues too.
I'm 64 years old and I've been supplementing 8 drops of iodine with water for the last 8 years due to the severe lack of iodine in food today. I have no aches and pains, heart good, no digestive problems, have lots of energy, sleep well, BP 110/70 and feel about 35 y o.
Supplementing Lugol's Iodine in the correct daily amounts will also help to correct menstrual issues, stop cyst formation and it will help you to automatically lose weight if you are overweight. Iodine also seems to act as an all round hormone balancer and stabilizer for the body's other hormone systems.
References:
A Guide to Iodine Supplementation
More Info on Iodine Companion Nutrients
Recommended Proper Lab Work for Thyroid Issues
Hypothyroid and High Blood Pressure
Bonbon, You need an MD to test your thyroid levels, and probably need some synthetic thyroid hormone. Even though iodine is right for some of the people who have hypothyroidism, you must find out just what your problem is first, before starting to take iodine. I say this because your body may not need iodine at all…and you even might be hurting yourself, if your body doesn't need it, by taking it. Low body temperature can be an indicator of low thyroid function. After seeing a doctor, then ask him if iodine would help you or not.
Also, blood pressure issues are not necessarily from lack of iodine. More likely you need to add some synthetic thyroid hormone, which I find works best, after getting an MD to check your thyroid levels. I am hypothyroid, meanwhile my blood pressure is low….I believe these 2 facts are related.
Bonbon, First go to an endocrinologist, so you can find out why you have thyroid problems. It could be that taking iodine won't help you at all, depending on the reason why you have thyroid problems. Even worse, iodine could be something that is causing you health problems if your case isn't one where the problem is that “you're just lacking iodine”. What you probably might need if you are just running a little low on thyroid, is to take a small amount of Levothyroxine or Synthroid. As we women age, sometimes our bodies produce less thyroid. Feeling cold is a symptom of low thyroid. If this is the case, then adding a little amount of Levothyroxine is perfect, because once you find the minimum amount that you need to add, then your body will add the exact amount you need to the meds, because your body can tell or sense how much it needs. My thyroid gland doesn't produce any thyroid hormone because my thyroid gland was ablated by radioactive iodine when I was 5, so when I take the Levothyroxine meds, then I'm stuck with whatever level is in my blood…my body can't sense and then add the exact, right amount like yours probably can….you see, maybe yours is just a little low, but mine doesn't make any at all.
Hi Everyone…..I have a quick question….does anyone know why every time I attempt to use enzymes, it always cause a burning sensation in my stomach….I am hypothyroid and always feel like anything I eat is not digested the way it should….any advice would be helpful….Thank you…
Lauren, can you experiment with a MUCH lower amount?
Hi Lauren xxx
Go to a website called 'stop the thyroid madness' lots of information and what to do to help yourself on there.
Love Andrea C xx
Thyroid: what is the recomended T3 level? Mine is 4.4, my t4 is 10.1 ans s-tsh is 4.27
Shiehaam, When your blood tests come back from your doctor, then ask for a copy of them. They have the normal ranges printed right there on the paperwork. Also, ask your doctor for a 3rd generation tsh test, instead of a 1st generation one because the 3rd generation test shows results that are much more precise, whereas the 1st generation tsh test is less precise, and only somewhat guesses at what normal is.
Shiehaam, The normal ranges for thyroid tests are printed on the test results. Get a copy of the lab results from your doctor.
Hi Ec….Does anyone know if its safe to use Charcoal for internal cleansing if you are hypothyroid? Please advise….Thanks
Dear Lauren,
I have used charcoal (internally and externally) for years. I also am hypothyroid, though currently symptom free. I just am careful not to take charcoal within two hours of supplements that I take for my thyroid, or any supplements. I have never had a problem with it.
I love charcoal…it is inexpensive, easily accessible, safe and effective.
Have a great day!
~Mama to Many~
To mama to many — just curious what have you used charcoal on externally. Thanks
Dear Suseeq,
I have used charcoal in poultices externally on me and my children and most recently on my father…here are some things on which I have used charcoal…
-insect stings (spider bites, tick bites, bee stings) to draw out the poison and reduce pain and swelling.
-skin infections or wounds that look like they might become infected.
-infected finger (at the nail area. I have seen the poultices draw pus out over several overnight applications.)
-staph infection on the skin (in conjunction with other remedies internally.)
-over a surgical site that I was concerned could become infected.
-over the ovary area for cyst pain.
-mixed in water and strained out to use in the eye for pinkeye or in the ear for an ear infection.
-packed into the hoof a a goat with a hoof infection.
-poison ivy.
-eczema.
Charcoal draws out infection and reduces inflammation. It has been effective for our family in so many ways that I never hesitate to use it.
Have a great day!
~Mama to Many~
Tthank you, mama to many, charcoal is a very handy thing to keep on hand. I didn't know it can do so many things. I always keep it but I'll use more from now on, thanks again
Thank you Mama to many for your response. You are very kind and helpful always. I am curious though…..what did you do to become symptom free from thyroid disease? I have been trying for the past four years to achieve that….I mean I feel like I have taken every vitamin out there, I have drunk every green juice on this earth, I rarely eat junk food and yet I am struggling especially since menopause…any suggestions would greatly help….thank you so much
Dear Lauren,
I would be happy to share what I have tried for my low thyroid…I hope it will be helpful to you. Of course you may have already tried these things if you have been working on healing for so long. It sure can be vexing to try remedy after remedy and not find the answer.
Currently I am taking 2 droppers of Lugol’s 2% iodine and 200mcg of Selenium. I take Vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin D as needed. I use Celtic Sea Salt daily. For a long time I was using 2 T. of extra virgin coconut oil daily, but I have gotten lax about that. We are on well water so I don’t have to worry about the chlorine or fluoride in the water, which apparently can be an issue for some. I eat a pretty good but far from perfect diet. I eat a lot of whole foods but it is not all organic or anything. We eat out some and I love chocolate. 🙂 I try not to worry so much about what I am consuming when out with friends as it is important to me to be able to enjoy times with friends and family without having to stress about food. I think what I eat cheerfully probably is better for my heath than what I don’t eat fearfully, if that makes sense.
That is the short answer…here is a longer version with some other thoughts. Four years ago I was having unquenchable thirst. 20 cups of water a day and I still had a dry mouth. I went to a doctor who tested me for thyroid issues. My thyroid was off and I started to take a low dose of synthroid. My mouth was not dry any more, but I felt awful and my hair was falling out in handfuls. So, I quit synthroid and tried other things. I know the next time I had bloodwork, maybe 6 months later, my thyroid was still off, though I didn’t feel as bad as I had on synthroid. But a year or two later, my bloodwork showed the thyroid to be working. Apparently you can have normal blood numbers and still have a thyroid issue, so I tend to go by how I feel. If I run out of iodine, my dry mouth symptoms return. But it took me a year or two to get the right amount of iodine for me.
So, I wish that this would work for everyone. It seems to work for some. But it seems that everyone is different and there isn’t a one size fits all solution. Some people need to add dessicated thyroid to what they take. Maybe the stuff I am doing only works because of other stuff I am doing and I am unaware of the connection. I do try to walk regularly. I use Apple Cider Vinegar most days. I took Burdock Root for neuropathy for 6 or 12 months. I take 3 capsules of Borage oil daily to help skin issues. Sometimes I take turmeric. Maybe one of those things helps the other stuff to work for me. And but for the grace of God, none of this would work.
If you don’t mind a bit of rambling, I think health is related to things beyond just our intake. I think what we eat is important, but there are so many things that also affect our health. A few years ago I read about a study that linked heart problems and high cholesterol to stress and not to diet. Thousands of years ago, Solomon said that a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Richard Wurmbrand was a pastor who was imprisoned under dreadfully inhumane conditions with very little and poor quality food, and yet he went on to live quite a long and productive life. God was sustaining him in spite of a horrendous diet and living conditions.
It puzzles me that my children’s health is not identical. They eat the same food, have the same genes, live in the same house. But they recover differently from sickness. One has had some chronic health problems. So, I have to conclude that there is more to it than just supplements and diet. I know people that have “near perfect” diets that still struggle with health problems. I had a friend who had an amazing diet and was so sweet and cheerful and she died of cancer. There are just some things that are beyond our control. (Lots of things, really! )
Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble there a little.
Oh, and I am blessed to not yet be dealing with menopause. That will be a whole new set of things to learn about…I am 47, so I am figuring sooner than later. Anyway, I have read a little bit about Dong Quai and Black Cohosh for menopause symptoms and those will be some things I may try when I get to that point.
Well, keep in touch and let me know how you are doing!
~Mama to Many~
Hi Mama to many…..Thanks a million for your detailed response. You couldn't be more right when you said that sometimes its not just about the diet but many other factors contribute towards illness. I can attest to that cause that's exactly how my life played out….a lot of stress on a daily basis….maybe that's why I can't regain true health. But I am not a quitter…I keep pressing on with the good Lord by my side and hopefully one fine day, I will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Anyways, thank you again for taking the time to answer my query with such detail. I really do appreciate it and yes I will let you know what worked for me if I find something that does…..I heard about a product called Thyrogold that I am thinking of trying cause I don't want to be on medication all my life. Have you heard of this and if so, what are your thoughts? Looking forward to hearing from you, Take care and have a blessed day….
Dear Lauren,
I admire your attitude!
I have never used Thyrogold, not have known anyone to. However, when I read about it online, it seems like something I would try if I were wanting to get off medications and what I was trying was not working. So much of what I have learned has been trial and error on myself.
Have you ever read any of Dr. John Lee’s books? I have his book called, “What Your Doctor May not tell you about Premenopause.” He also has one for menopause. His writing is somewhat technical, but also interesting and helpful. I mention this because in his Premenopause book, he talks some about thryoid, particularly its relationship to other hormones. The premenopause book is directed towards women in the 30-50 age range and the menopause one for 50 and over. You have obviously done your research and tried many things…there may be a few more “stones to unturn” in his writings.
Keep in touch and God bless.
~Mama to Many~
Thank you Mama to many….I definitely would check out the books…never thought of that and I am a reader….thanks for that tip…take care and have a blessed day……
"Mama to Many" mentioned she wasn't worried about her water because she has well water. I got sick in 2000 with "fibromyalgia" and had a heavy metal test done and arsenic was high. My test said sources of arsenic were well water or run off from an orchard. Had my well water tested and there was arsenic in it, but the fluoride levels in the water were even worse. My 440 foot deep well had less than a grain of hardness (old well had 55 grains of hardness), so I never thought to get the water tested. Just because it is well water doesn't mean it is safe. Fluoride can be naturally occuring as well as heavy metals. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are the same as chronic fluoride poisoning:
http://www.life-enthusiast.com/fluoride-the-cause-of-fibromyalgia-a-3782.html
Ivy
Wow Ivy, thanks for sharing that! It is good to know. It never occurred to me that well water could have flouride in it. I knew what I was dealing with with our water since we had it tested when we moved to our current home. It was orange and we wanted to know what we were dealing with (Turns out it was manganese, which is easily filtered with charcoal.) I should not have assumed that well water in general does not have flouride! I agree that well water is not always safe! Years ago my children were all of a sudden vomiting and had no fever or other symptoms. We finally realized it was when they drank water. We had it tested and it had bacteria in it. We had to treat our well. I guess the moral of the story is that people on well water should get water tests to make sure they know what they are dealing with… Thanks again for the helpful information! ~Mama to Many~
There are SO many external forces that can undermine your health. It is SO true. We all are different, so can I just say LISTEN to your body, and be sensitive to how you are made. Don't let anyone tell you what is right for YOU. Be it a Dr, friend, relative or family, though they may mean well, NO ONE lives in your skin. So get attuned to your body, be kind to it, and gentle. And it never hurts to keep a wellness journel, so you can possibly pinpoint what changed or helped.
My reply to Mama of Many regarding your well water… it's easy to think it's safer than city water. But my brother in law's family were on a well, and two of their four children were diagnosed with diabetes, insulin dependent. It's very sad because now they have to be on diabetic meds for the rest of their lives. They traced the issue to pesticide run off from the farms around their property. So please get your water checked (if you haven't already).
And thank you for sharing your remedies for hypothyroid. I am hypo, and take iodine daily, plus all the vitamins I can afford.
Best wishes, Lauren
Lauren, Your children do not have to be on medications for the rest of their lives…Go to watercure2.org. Then read the testimonials for the close to 50 diseases…Bob Butts will have a coach call you (On their dime) and walk you through the simple procedure…It's ALL free as Mr. Butts cured himself of cancer and is spreading the word about his cure and many other cures through a web site and radio show…He should be sainted…
I am avid supporter of selenium and have been for years. Selenium sources are just as important as the trace mineral itself. Brazil nuts vary widely in their selenium content depending on the soil content where they were grown. I swear by an organic high-selenium yeast with a broad spectrum of selenoproteins because it is safe and guaranteed.
Iodine and selenium are great tools for thyroid health.
Also, a great iron source is Floradix. One of the best organic iron sources out there with superior absorption.
For every good product there are always a plethora of crappy and ineffective ones. Do your research, when you get supplements, choose a pharmaceutical-grade quality instead of wasting your money at grocery stores and retail chains.
Hello mama to many, I know this post was very old, but just came across it. Was curious how much synthroid you took in the beginning? how did you "manage" to get a dr to prescribe the blood work if you were not taking the medicine? I do not have hair falling out, but have mercury toxicity we are working on slowly, but I'm wondering how many of my symptoms are from syntroid or exacerbated by it? I DO have hashimotos also, had a hot nodule and stupidly ( because I felt so bad, and just WANTED relief) took the radioactive iodine, it was probably 8 months then went hypo and 3 weeks after starting synthroid, my sleep stopped or went to 4 hours max. which then snowballed into all this other stuff. Im just searching for hope in the middle of this mercury madness.
Thanks for any input!
Dear I.M Trying
To answer your question…
I first went to a doctor not knowing why I had excessive thirst, thinking it was diabetes. Tests said it was low thyroid. I was given 25 or maybe 50 mg of Synthroid, which I took for about 3 months. When I was retested in that time, my thyroid number was okay, but I was not and ended up weaning off Synthroid and trying natural remedies. A couple of years later I had blood work done for pregnancy and they checked my thyroid as a matter of course. I didn’t mention that I was taking iodine or other supplements. My thyroid level was normal.
I never did have the more complex thyroid panels done. In recent years I can only go by how I feel. If I run out of iodine, my dry mouth comes back. I was not diagnosed with Hashimoto’s specifically, though I wouldn’t be surprised if that would have been diagnosed had I had further testing or gone to an endocrinologist as I had another autoimmune issue going on at the time.
All that to say, I don’t know if iodine would work for you or not. Some say iodine is bad for those with Hashimoto’s. Others say it is necessary. You may want to read what Dr. Brownstein has to say about thyroid and iodine.
And you are dealing with the mercury toxicity, another layer.
I would encourage you to keep reading on EC. You may find another story or two here that will resonate with your situation. Surely you will get many ideas for things to try; just don't try too many at once or you won't know what is helping or not. The wellness tips page is one place to start if you haven't checked it out already.
Keep us posted!
~Mama to Many~
Thank you so much!!! I appreciate you responding, I will read what Dr. Brownstein wrote and discuss with my naturopath.
My reply to "Lauren" (great name btw :-). My brother in law and his family live in the agricultural basin of California (from Sacramento all the way down to below Bakersfield) and were on well water. Two of their four children got diabetes while teenagers, and are on diabetes medications for life. I always suspected it was due to pesticide run-off.
It pays to test your well water and not 'assume' that it is safe. Our underground water is not as pure as it used to be.
All the best,
Lauren
Hi everyone.. My dilema is to whether to ingest 3 tablespoon of organic virgin coconut oil or best to cook with it or do I need to do both to help my hypothyroid condition which has really slows my metabolism down and cause weight gain.. Pls earth clinic help me
Which oil should I use to cook ( mainly curries) with and how much coconut oil should one need to take to see the results?
Does virgin coconut oil lose its power if you heat it up to saute vegies on medium flame ?? Pls help me!!!! . Want to feel good and energetic. I also take apple cider vinegar everyday.
Hi am 38 years old on thyroxine for the last 8 years. Ihave been feeling very tired and irratable lately . After reading many post about coconut oil and apple cider vinegar I myself sees difference in my health after starting as in am feeling not as tired and less irratable.
Even though my thyroid report according to doc to its all good and wants me to continue take 150 ug everyday . But I don't feel good and want it addd some supplements to support my thyroid function . I will continue taking coconut oil and apple cider vinegar everyday but also want to add kelp too. But after reading many sites it found that it can be full of toxin but it says pottasium iodide is very safe to take it
So my question is how much pottasium Iodide to take it everyday and where to buy in Australia and which brand? And also does It actually help thyroid or kelp is better option
Please help me I want to feel good and energetic since I have kids to chase after. Will be very grateful if someone could help me. Thank you for reading. Waiting for HELP.
Dear Dee,
Glad to hear that the ACV and coconut oil are helping. I find them helpful, too.
Regarding kelp versus potassium iodide….well, I have tried both in my family. The thing is that if you are truly deficient in iodine, which so many of us are, you would need a lot of kelp to get the amount needed. I don't personally notice much difference when I take kelp. But some do.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I took a very small dose of levothyroxine and it made me feel much worse. (But my doctor assured me that I was better since my labwork looked good.) Well, I ended up going off the medication and trying natural stuff. It took some time but I did find things that helped me. ACV and coconut oil being some of them. But potassium iodide made the biggest difference for me. I take Iodoral (the pill form of Lugol's.) I take 1 12.5 mg tablet a day (12.5 iodine/potassium iodide.) Iodine supplements should be taken with Selenium and B-complex. Some also include vitamin C.
If you take some time to read people's stories on Earth Clinic's Iodine page and Hypothyroid page, you can read a lot about what people do and what helps. The one thing is that different things help different people. Some feel a lot better taking iodine. Others do not.
You may find that you need less of your thyroid medicine if you supplement with iodine. It might be helpful to try Lugol's iodine (the liquid form) as it is easier to take less and build up to more.)
Keep us posted on your progress.
~Mama to Many~
Hi Dee…If you have a hypothyroid condition, then this is a condition that occurs when you have low iodine levels in the body and perhaps a lack of certain critical minerals in your body as well. Most people are low thyroid these days but if you lack certain mineral anti-oxidants in your body — like magnesium, zinc or glutathione peroxidase — this can even cause or aggravate hypothyroid and thyroiditis problems.
The protocol that you should be using is the full Lugol’s Iodine Protocol with Companion Nutrients. Never take Lugol’s Iodine just on it’s own for reasons that are all explained here in this link. This link, which is a short excerpt from my book on Candida, describes, in detail, the reasons and causes for higher dose iodine problems.
If you are hypothyroid, it might also benefit you to supplement a natural bio-identical thyroid from bovine or porcine sources(such as Nature Thyroid for example) which contains real T1, T2, T3, T4 and calcitonin (hormone that controls bone formation). This form of thyroid is all natural, whereas allopathic equivalents like Synthroid only contains synthetic T4 to control the thyroid via the TSH from the Pituitary gland.
More reasons to use natural dessicated thyroid.
The Iodine Protocol with companion nutrients should definitely help to relieve your hypothyroid problems. A good series of books has been written by Dr Brownstein to help people to more understand and naturally resolve their own thyroid problems and these are:
Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t live Without It
Overcoming Thyroid Disorders
The Miracle of Natural Hormones
If you prefer to use the potassium iodide then just buy some SSKI (Saturated Solution of Potassium Iodide) from the health shop or from ebay.com and take one drop of SSKI in water or juice twice a day. One drop of SSKI is equivalent to 25 mgs of iodide. Therefore 2 drops is 50 mgs which is the minimum dose you should be taking for hypothyroid. Always take the iodine/iodide companion nutrients if you take this as a supplement to avoid problems.
Personally, I would rather take either lugol’s iodine or Iodoral (LI in a pill) for thyroid problems because it does much more than just iodide alone. Iodide is a very useful antioxidant that is needed for absorption by the thyroid gland. Lugol’s Iodine contains iodide and elemental iodine that react together in solution to also produce Tri-iodide(same as nascent iodine) in this reaction:
I2 + I– « » I3-
And as you can see, lugol’s iodine contains all three useful forms iodide/iodine/triiodide, which is much more beneficial for the whole body’s absorption of iodine(not just for the thyroid).
If you have your thyroid checked by the doc then do not have the TSH test — this test is very inaccurate because it only checks T4 levels(inactive form). Get the Free T3/Free T4 blood check for a more accurate check of your thyroid hormone levels. Insist on this from your doctor. If you doctor won’t do the Free T3/Free T4 test then find another doctor or naturopath that will do it.
If you supplement iodine then you should also avoid all foods containing dairy and soy — calcium and soy are goitrogens that tend to inhibit the absorption of iodine into the body and the cells.
What might also help you is to have a hair analysis(not expensive). This will tell you exactly what minerals you are lacking in diet and will also tell you what heavy metals and other poisons like chlorine, fluorine and bromine that you have in excess in your body(which are detrimental to the thyroid gland). This will allow you to more fine tune your protocols to address these mineral deficiencies and other problems concerning chelation and removal of excess heavy metals and halides in the body.
HI Mama to Many. First of all thank you so much for responding me I always read your posts on this site . They are all so useful and I cannot Belive that somebody I adore responded me.. I will definately try liquid pottasium iodide with selenium (can I eat 3 brazil nuts instead selenium pill) and b complex as you suggested.
Am lacking iron (stopped taking iron tablets now sick of taking them) and b12 (taking shots regularly) and vitamin d too. And I am vegetarian not vegan. Its feel so good that somebody lives so far understood my pain and took some time out to respond me back. Thank you so much!!! Am not feeling alone now. Take care.
Dear Bill, thank you million for all the information you shared. I will go for a tFfree t3 and t4 test and also hair analysis test too . And also thank u So much for all the info regarding iodine and how to take it.. Am on the path to heal my self naturally . Your time and support means a lot to me.. This site is amazing!!!! I put my husband on ACV for his allergies issue and heseems to start believing in natural products now.. Thank again. God bless you!!!
Dear Dee,
Hi again! Regarding using Brazil nuts instead of a Selenium supplement, I think that is a good idea. Whenever possible, I like to get the needed nutrients from food. Then they are perfectly balanced with other needed nutrients. I think the recommendation for Brazil nuts is 1 or 2 nuts a day (ideally, one and a half! )
Have you considered Blackstrap Molasses for your iron? It has helped me greatly with pregnancy related anemia. It is wonderfully nutritious. I once saw a naturopath who put almost all of her patients on Blackstrap. She must have seen great results from it. (1 Tablespoon per day.)
Keep us posted on your progress! God bless you!
~Mama to Many~
Hi. I have been under active for nearly 18 years following my last pregnancy. Tuesday I have to have a fine needle biopsy done on my thyroid due to a cyst. Scared!!!!!! A have a build up of calcium that was detected it blood tests and the cyst in an ultra sound I'm on 150 mg thyroxine tablets but today have started taking ACV and Coconut Oil. I have lost 43 kg in weight since 2013 and have that to loose again.
This morning I out 1 tsp coconut oil in my fresh green juice and couldn't taste it at all. I will do this twice daily.
I put 1 dsp ACV in warm water and took this afterwards. I will try and do this three times a day.
Do you think I'm taking enough of the vinegar and oil? Thanks
Dear Sheryl,
When I am taking Coconut Oil for medical purposes, I take up to 3 Tablespoons a day. But less may work fine for you. You could up it slowly and see what you think.
A total of 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar a day is helpful for many people for a variety of conditions. Others end up taking 2 or 3 Tablespoons a day. Again, you could increase if you like and see what you think.
The calcium build would make me suspect the body needs more magnesium. If so, you could try a Tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses a day, frequent Epsom Salt baths, or Natural Calm. I take about 1.5 teaspoons of that each night. (If you get loose stools, cut back some.)
Yes, getting a biopsy is scary! Let us know how it goes.
~Mama to Many~
Hi Dee, I believe that your problem is that the doctor is giving you way too much thyroid meds. I took 150 mcg when I was a small child because children require more. But as we age, we require less, so a doctor put me on only 100 mcg for over 40 years! Now I realized that the reason why I always feel exhausted is because I need to split the tab, take part in the morning, and part before bed….it was still too much at 100 mcg to take all at once. Your doctor is probably wrong that “you're fine because the test came back normal”. Ask him or her for the more sensitive and precise 3rd generation tsh test, instead of the regular 1st generation one because it is much more exact. Doctors have a way of always saying they are right, or if you question them, then a lot of the time they say it's your fault, not theirs, whatever the problem is! If the doctor ignores you again by telling you there is nothing wrong, then it's time to say sayonara, baby, and get a different doctor that will listen to your problems and concerns, and try out different ideas that may help you. Some doctors that are not endocrinologist (and even some that are ) don't really know very much at all about thyroid disorder. My own Endocrinologist, Dr Yank Coble, had me on 100 mcg for over 40 years, meanwhile I constantly complained of horrible, daily exhaustion where I would sleep in a semi-comatose state for 8 or more hours a day, even though I got enough sleep at night and ate well. During my sleepy time I could be dehydrated, or famished but I was too weak to get up to get something to drink or some food…I must've been very close to death thousands of times. Meanwhile, Dr Coble went on to become the head of the American Medical Association and the head of the World Medical Society, yet he never really listened to my pleas for help, nor changed my dosage. Years later, one day I planned that I would get a written prescription for my blood work, and go get my blood drawn only when I became very exhausted, like what was happening to me, only when I had such exhaustion that I could barely stay awake….and that way I could find out whether my tiredness was due to my meds being too high or too low. The results came back showing a huge amount of T4 circulating in my blood, and an overly suppressed, very low, sub-normal reading on the TSH test. All of that means that I was over medicated on 100 mcg a day. So at that point I started splitting the tab, taking half in the morning and half at night. I also tried out only 88 mcg dosage. Both ways worked better than taking the 100 tab all at once. Now I split the 100 mcg, and even though I feel sleepy and sometimes have to take a nap, I'm not going into a semi-comatose state, and having to sleep 8-12 hours a day until the meds wear off some. Make your doctor allow you to see the results of your tsh test, and discuss it with you. Don't let him get away with just telling you, “you're fine….there is no problem….the test results are normal”. The tsh paperwork should show a range, like from 1 to 10 on it, and your tsh level should fall somewhere in the middle of that 1-10, or 1-5, or whatever the range is.
Lauren, I lowered my thyroid hormone, after being prescribed 100 mcg per day for almost 50 years. Today I took half of the 100 tab in the morning, and half at night. 150 mcg you say? That sounds way too high, …unless you weigh 200 lbs or more. The reason you get exhausted and irritable is because that dosage is way too high. I have been getting exhausted for years, so I decided to get a prescription for blood work, and to force myself to get the blood drawn when I was very exhausted, and could barely even stay awake. That way I could tell if my exhaustion was from the med being too high or too low. The results came back: a huge amount of thyroid hormone was circulating in my blood, and my tsh was a very small, below normal value…this means the medicine was way too high. Yet lowering the dosage made it be that I didn't get enough in a 24 hr time period. So splitting the tab was the best idea for me. 150 mcg is the amount I was on as a child, but as we grow to adulthood, we need far less…even the best endocrinologists don't always know what they are doing. My old endocrinologist became the head of the American Medical Association, and the World Medical society, yet he could never help me, as I was constantly beyond exhaustion, … he just kept giving me 100 mcg, never suggesting that the problem was that my dosage was too high, because he believed that giving me the largest amount of med I could possibly stand was a great idea. After all, my test results showed my tsh was in the normal range. But he was wrong because he was over suppresing my tsh, even though the test results were in the “normal” range, normal, for me, is a different number within that supposedly normal range. There are different tsh tests including 1st generation, and 3rd generation tsh tests. Try to get a 3rd generation test because the results are much more accurate. I found that I was actually being over medicated by taking the whole tab all at once. Now I split the tab and take half the 100 mcg in the morning and half at night. When you feel agitated, it means your dosage is too high. If your doctor won't allow you to lower the med, or want talk with you, or listen to your concerns and problems, then find another one, … perhaps an Endocrinologist knows better than a regular plain MD. Many people think the Doctor is their boss, but in reality, the best Doctors are the ones that listen well to your concerns, and then try new ways to make it better for you. Find someone willing to try new, different ways to help you, … Try lowering the tab to 100 mcg. If that doesn't work, then try splitting the tab in two and taking only part in the morning.
I read about taking Apple Cider Vinegar for hypothyroidism on here. I started out taking levothyroxine, and over time (6 months) I already had to increase my dose. I wasn't really feeling better and was not losing weight. I also have PCOS and depression so I had a lot working against me. It all hit really fast, and I was overwhelmed. So, I quit taking my levothyroxine. I really did start to feel better within a week, but all of my thyroid levels weren't up yet. NOw, six months later, I went into my endocrinologist who was beginning to scold me for not taking my levo. When he went to go look at the results of my most recent thyroid tests, he was absolutely floored. My thyroid levels are normal…high end of normal! I wish you all could have seen his face. He had said a few times before, that increasing the thyroid medicine was normal because my thyroid is basically nonfunctional and will frequently require new dosing.
I am feeling wonderful now. I am off of my effexor, off of my PCOS meds and off of my thyroid meds. I am taking absolutely zero prescribed medications. I am so, so grateful.
Would you be able to tell us how much ACV you are taking to cure your hypothyroidism? How much and how frequently? Thank you so much!
I started out at two teaspoons a day and now take 2 to 4 tablespoons depending on how I feel. I’m of larger size and build so I do typically see great results with four tablespoons per day.
I've been on levothyroxine since 2004. I really want to be cured of my thyroid issue. Does the ACV really work to bring levels back up to normal?
T: ACV has beneficial influence on metabolism, digestion, and elimination. Also to help the Thyroid it is recommended to take Potassium Iodide, Tyrosine, and Coconut Oil. If you do all these recommends, you will proly need to lower the Levo dose, so do these remedies beginning in small doses and gradually increase.
So, what exactly did you take, in what amounts? Thanks.
Hello. I just turned 50 and take .75mcg of Levothyroxine and have for about 3 years now. I hate taking meds and seem to miss more than I take. I am looking for a better more natural way to get this hypothyroidism in check so I can throw my pills away. Advice from anyone who suffers from this and has taken a more natural approach and feels better would be great!
Thanks, Teri
T: Check out the E.C. page for this disorder here http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html
Hi. I am well over 50 and have been taking 'pills' for hypo thyroid / Hashimoto's thyroiditis for quite some time. I too, do not like ingesting chemicals. My doctor calls for fairly frequent testing to make sure “all” of the numbers are good. She has prescribed “Nature Throid”, which as the name implies, a natural / chemical free alternative. There is another one, although I honestly don't know if they still make it, call Armor.
My personal experience has been that trying to control my thyroid without prescription medication was not a good idea… Others may have had better luck.
Hi, I am 13 weeks pregnant and suffering from hypothyroid currently taking 50 mcg synthroid. Can I take ACV and coconut oil for my thyroid during pregnancy?
Dear Mili,
I have taken ACV all through pregnancy. I would not take huge amounts of it or anything. But I probably took up to 2 Tablespoons a day.
Coconut Oil is a great oil to use in pregnancy.
I am assuming you are not going to off your synthroid? I would not make any prescription changes during pregnancy without doctor supervision. Low thyroid can cause miscarriage or other problems with the baby.
Some pregnant moms need to have medications adjusted as pregnancy may change the amount of synthroid you need. So if ACV and coconut oil improve your condition and make it so you need less of the synthroid, presumably this would be picked up during bloodwork you have as part of prenatal care.
~Mama to Many~
My thyroid is only slightly underactive. Was put on 25 thyroxide and within days felt very very ill. So came off it. Then went onto the natural one and felt very ill in a different way. Am now using iodine.
Thanks for sharing! I'm now off the levrothyroxine and learning more about what I can use instead.
Armour Thyroid is difficult to get; but it's still out there. You may have to pay cash for it.
Kelp tablets are easy to take, to naturally build up iodine levels in the body!
Hello! I am diagnosed with hypothyroid 2 years ago.
I have been struggling with low energy, oversleeping and still feeling tired, depression and anxiety, racing thoughts, visual side hallcinations, muscle and joint pain during day and night, low blood pressure and heart rate, very cold hands and feet, bouts of insomma, low concentration, anaemia, repeated stomach upsets with diarrhoea, irregular periods extreme sensitivity to light and hair loss amongst others.
My Dr. changed me from levothyroxine to Endonorm and for the first time since I have been hypothyroid I have felt better and my body temperature is now normal!
Be careful with Armour. They changed the formula a few years back and some people don't do well on it since then. I got a doctor to let me try it and actually gained weight quite quickly on it – 30 pounds in a few months – and did not feel too well. Others have reported similar experiences, even folks who had been on it for years with good results.
Can you share if you had any weight loss after taking ACV for so long? Thanks.
I had hypothyroid issues and started eating 3 Brazil nuts a day that have high selenium in them and my thyroid is normal. Selenium regulates the endocrine system.
Please can someone help. I have hypothyridism and so a naturally low appetite. I have no desire whatsoever to eat, and we have hot weather which isn't helping. Today I ate nothing until lunchtime when I had half a marmite sandwich, and tonight I made a chicken salad which I picked at. My cat ate more of it than I did. I cannot begin to think about having fruit, or anything else nutritious, at some other time because then I will eat nothing in the evening. How do I handle this?
Quick remedy for Hypothyroidsm is take 2 – 3 drops of Lugol's 5% solution everyday. Eat foods rich in Iodine, Kelp is rich in Iodine. Good Health
Linda, Generally, hypothyroids tend to gain weight, but that has not been the case with me, either. As suggested in another post, I take an iodine supplement along with Selenium, B vitamins, and magnesium every day. Also, a natural thyroid replacement, such as Armour, will bring your TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 where they should be, as measured by blood tests and symptoms. A good book on the subject is, "Stop the Thyroid Madness" which helps you understand what is going on and gives good advice on what you need to do to balance your symptoms. Unrelated to thyroid issues, I have found that taking a Benadryl capsule (the pink and white one) can take me from nauseated to hungry in about an hour sometimes. Best wishes.
Thanks both. I have understood that iodine is something you should be careful about taking as it can block the thyroxine, so I've always been wary of it. Unfortunately, Armour is not available as an option here in France so that's out. Funnily enough, I am reading Stop the Thyroid Madness at the moment, it's interesting.
I was holding about 2 stone (30 pounds) excess weight but it started coming off late last year – when I started taking cider vinegar. No idea if this is a coincidence or whether there's a different cause. I certainly don't want to lose any more weight though. I'll certainly look out for Benedryl tablets and give that a go.
Linda, thyroxine is an iodine containing hormone. A treatment for hyperthyroid is radio iodine. Radio iodine is radiation. The thyroid and other tissues require small doses of iodine. The japanese, who eat large quantities of kelp, average 12mg. Of iodine per day. The old japanese tourists I see on the mall are all in good shape. There are 3 types of iodine, one from kelp, one called nascent iodine containing alcohol, and two from lugols. In the early 1900s, a company made nascent iodine from kelp with electricity. This cured malaria. The company was sold and the new owners tried to save some money with a less expensive process. Lugols contains some of the iodine from kelp and some of the iodine from this less expensive process. Nascent iodine that contains alcohol is the easiest for the body to utilize, second is the one made from the less expensive process, and third from kelp. I take 2 drops of nascent iodine that has alcohol 4 times a day. The other nascent iodine that has something else does not work. I weigh 180 lbs.
Hi Mike, thought I'd replied but obviously not posted. The whole issue is obviously complicated. And you must bear with me if I don't fully understand. Are you on thyroxine? And does the iodine interfere with it?
Linda, nutrition, politics, and religion are the most confusing subjects to study. Everybody in the entire world is confused, including me. 100% of the information from big agra, big pharma, the fda, and the ama is designed to make wealthy people wealthier. 99% of the information from nutritionists is too much irrelevant information, incomplete and contradictory, or an advertisement. There are 4 types of iodine. The iodine you are refering to is called radio iodine. This is radioactive. This is for killing the thyroid gland in people who have hyperthroidism. They are producing too much thyroxine. The body requires iodine from food to make thyroxine. The tissues of the body also require iodine from food. Organic and grass fed food is going to have more iodine than regular food. Kelp has the most. Iodine from food has to go through a process to change the iodine into a form usable by the body. This is hard for the body to do. In 1945 lugols processed kelp into a form the body can more easily process. This is a less expensive process than the original company did in the early 20th century. This iodine is in the form the body uses and does not have to be processed by the body into the usable form. This is called nascent iodine. There are two of these. The one that is stabalized with alcohol works. The other one does not. I take 2 drops 4 times a day so that my thyroid can make thyroxine and also for the other tissues of the body.
Thanks Mike, you've been very helpful. I shall get myself some and give it a go.
Linda, When you have hypothyroidism, you feel less hungry and you eat less, but gain more weight because your metabolism is too slow, resulting in you not able to efficiently burn your food so that it becomes fuel or energy that you can use….so then you gain weight..even though you are eating less. Go to a doctor, get a tsh thyroid test done…the results will probably come back that the tsh number is too high, which means that you need to take some thyroid hormone. Levothyroxine or Synthroid is best, I have found.
Linda, Low appetite and weight gain means you are taking too little amount of thyroid hormones. Or that your body has problems using the meds, even though you take them. Find an Endocrinologist that you can trust, that listens to your needs and feelings. If you need to, find a therapist or friend that you can talk to and rely on for support during this difficult time. I take 100mcg, but I split the tab, taking half in the morning and half before bed. I recommend the synthetic form, which can be gotten from an MD, after you have a TSH blood test. Then try a little exercise, like jumping in a swimming pool and either swimming at you own pace, or just moving your arms and/or legs in the shallow end, whatever is comfortable for you, as this can help you speed your too-slow metabolism. Or, take an enjoyable walk when the weather is comfortable for you. Eat whatever seems to help you in the amount you feel comfortable with….I like a green salad with some cheese, maybe cold cereal with blue berries, bacon or red meat…don't blame yourself that you're not hungry or gaining weight. It is very difficult, having this disorder, both physically and emotionally, but try to be brave, love yourself, pat yourself on the back, and help yourself in whatever ways you can. I have the exact problem and symptoms you have has been for 50 years, so I know exactly how you feel. I'm so sorry. I hope you will find ways to help yourself in this situation, which can be depressing and frustrating. I care about you, and I want to help you out of this. Soon they may develop a way for you and I to get a new thyroid gland, made from stem cells. When they do, I am going to look into it, and I suggest you do also.
Michelle, things have moved on somewhat since I first posted. I lost a huge amount of weight overall, nearly fifty pounds and was very underweight, but that has improved and it is slowly going back up. I couldn't understand why I was the opposite of everyone else with hypothyroidism, but am now convinced that it was caused by issues I have had at home which I am now resolving.
I started on natural thyroid a year ago which helped a lot, and I have started doing the MIR Method recently too, if you haven't heard of it it is a technique that supports the body in healing itself. People have actually reported healing their thyroid. Whether this is possible I can't say but I have been feeling very different mentally since I started doing this.
TSH 160.9: Can anyone explain what this means and how to make health corrections? My eyebrows are thin and missing outer third on both sides of face. My thyroid numbers were in mid range of normal.. NO PROBLEM…!!! … ? 🙁
You have demodex mites. Eyebrow and hair loss are very telling. Try slathering yourself with organic coconut oil when you get out of your bathing. Face to feet and watch all the mites squirm out of your pores it is amazing. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your bath products and it will kill the eggs too. Massage yourself firmly and press out all the poisons. I did this morning and night. Especially at night and I picked them off and put them on the tissue. Going to take them to my Dr. next week as she also had rosacea. That is why I did all the research for this cleanse. Awful acne/rosacea caused by demodex mites. We all have them. They came out of my kids and sister. They just have different symtoms or no symptoms and just carry them. I’m doing everyone in my family. Tell everyone and then come back and tell us how you do! If you watch the utub video on how to do eyelashes it is good but I don’t bother I just use my fingers to rub everything in and then I make sure I do my best to get them off quickly as they can slide back in the pores and get stuck and cause breakouts like crazy. I have a couple and they are all red and zitty. Wasn’t quick enough so many came out is was shockingly disgustingly amazing and so freeing to get back my health and energy.
I found my answer this week while going through some papers… A high THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE blood work number means that the thyroid is not putting out enough hormone~hypothyroid
thyrotropin =TSH= thyroid stimulating hormone
produced by the pituitary gland telling the thyroid to make and release the thyroid hormone into the blood. I am experimenting with some Kelp since I already use iodized salt. I have used kelp supplement before. If you are hyperthyroid, do not use kelp or iodine without doing research and seeing a doctor.
I greatly advocate the use of organic coconut oil for a myriad of uses. However, none of you will find a cure in it for this particular ailment. Nor will any prescription drug from Pfizer or Glaxo.
I’m very surprised to see the lack of mention in regards to selenium and iodine. Many cases of hypothyroidism stem to a deficiency of selenium and/or iodine. Both correlate with the levels of T3 and T4.
Miguel: There are a myriad post suggesting many forms of Iodine as well as Iodide; nascent being the best. Also, in order of “not mentioning” I have posted a few times the need for supplementing Tyrosine along with the Iodine and Selenium. Also, all glands in general, not just the thyroid, are quite sensitive tissues and are often the first to show signs of stress. This is why antioxidant nutrition is critical for healthy endocrine system. Zinc/Vit-A is also specifically indicated for healthy glands.
Joy, Have you ever been tested by an MD for thyroid function? Just a guess….you have some form of hyperthyroidism is why you're loosing hair.
Have a doctor give you the 3rd generation TSH test, not the usual 1st generation. It is more exact or precise as to whether your thyroid is too high or too low.
The soles of my feet hurt sometimes, I read that it could be one symptom of hypothyroid. I am hypothyroid. What I have found that helps my pain is Emu Oil. Rub to any painful areas really well. It goes deep into several layers of the skin, relieving pain. Also works for burns, sunburn, swollen joints etc. I carry it with me everywhere. Anyone with any itch, insect bites, painful gums, teeth or even for cleaning up, it works. Emu Oil is an Australian cure by the aborigines. It was introduced to me in US as a multi level marketing product. It now is in the mainstream so anyone has access. thru Amazon or Ebay.
Lab results of TSH: I had a lab done on 2-21-2013 and the one I don’t understand is the TSH, 3rd generation is 4.62 (0.40-4.50 mIU/L) it ia marked as High does this mean that my thyroid is high or low? I am 66 yo and had 4 surgeries from last year April till Sep. 1, 2012, the doctor did not seem overly consinerd about it, but if someone understands these labs I would love to know what they mean. Merrryanne in Central FL
Hi, It looks lke your thyroid is a little bit on a HYPO ( low) side. What about your other thyroid tests? Free T3 and Free T4? The results of TSHm T3 and T4 will give more precise picture of your thyroid health.
Belladonna
I often check my lab work on this site: http://labtestsonline.org/
Use the section on the right hand side to pull up each of the tests conducted by the lab, then just read the various tabs that appear. You will then have a good understanding of your results.
Linda
Thank you Belladonna for your response: The results I posted are from my regular blood work, I forgot to ask the doc did mean high or low, what I mentiond was the only result concerning TSH, thank you, Merryanne in Central FL
Thanks Linda! This site is very helpful in interpreting test information never shared by doctors.
First of all, after reading the blurb at the top about cretinism being a form of hypothyroidism in infants… this is a CHOICE…I am a patient who has congenital hypothyroidism (in my particular case, my thyroid gland is so severely underdeveloped I basically do not have one) but thanks to my beloved mother listening to the physicians when she found out that I had this condition and CHOOSING to make sure I took my medication everyday, I do not suffer from cretinism and am actually a nursing student with Certification as a Medical Assistant.
I have read several books and articles about this condition and ways to maintain a healthy diet. Unfortunately, there is not a cure but there are ways to live a healthy life despite the condition. I have heard that choosing a “flexitarian” diet that is a diet where meat is eaten once a day and the rest of the day a vegetarian-style diet plan is followed (high protein, high complex-carb… Think fiber). It is supposed to aid in proper BM also because you want to be eating higher amounts of fiber you want to drink more water which will promote the effects of the fiber. Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats are also a huge help with this condition. Limit Saturated and Trans fats as much as possible (they break down into simple sugars which will leave you feeling drained).
Hypothyroidism can make joints and muscles feel weak, a good way to combat this is to start the day with yoga or some soothing exercise (save the cardio and strength training for later, allow your muscles the opportunity to ease into the day’s movements) also this is the time of day when you want to consume the most calories ie: if you are consuming a 1600 cal diet then 600 breakfast, 500 lunch, 500 dinner (with that said I have heard over and over it is best to just stick with 3 meals a day rather than 5 or 6 mini-meals, our metabolism is not like everyone else [drats :(]). Try not to eat anything between 2 to 3 hours before going to bed at night (acid can creep up causing problems in the future).
Hope this helps! Nursing Student in Florida
Hi, I am a new mom for 2 weeks old baby girl. She is under the medication with synthroid 0.44mcg/kg/day after she was diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism. Her thyroid gland is under-active producing 0.4 T4 level. We are badly broken. Is there any chance for my daughter to get cured completely. Prayers and medicine are our only hopes.. Please help. Thanks
Dear Shiny,
I would ask around locally and try to find a natural doctor you could take her to. With a tiny baby, even with natural treatment you will want to monitor your baby and make sure what treatment you are doing is working.
I am assuming you are breastfeeding your baby? You will want to continue that for at least a year at all possible. Two years is ideal for a child with special health or physical needs.
Whether you continue with conventional medication or natural, try to keep her health secondary and enjoy every day with her. They grow so fast and these days with a little one you can snuggle and cuddle are really quite short, though at times they can seem long! 🙂
~Mama to Many~
Hello Shiny,
in your child's case I would like to encourage you to give them the synthroid daily. Their development at this stage is so crucial that not doing so will effect them for the rest of their life.
Our son, who is now nine, was born with only the tiniest amount of non functioning thyroid tissue. We have giving him synthroid daily since he was nine days old. He is now at the top of his class, is considered gifted in math, super athletic, and one of the tallest kids his age. He would have been a different kid had we not made sure he took his medicine daily.
I'm all for trying natural remedies for most ailments, but not in the case of congenital hypothyroidism.
Dear Nursing Student, Forget about CHOICE. It is against the law not to test newborns, and I believe, also against the law not to treat them for thyroid disorder. Otherwise, like you said, they will become a cretin, or totally retarded. Born in 1959, I'm incredibly blessed that my own thyroid gland kicked in for the first 2 years of my life, which is the time most crucial in childhood development (other than in the womb) for a brain to develop and function. Because there was no law back then about testing newborns. Now it's mandatory, …you must.
Attention to Ted: I am hypothyroid & am on levothyroxine. However, when I research on VCO a week ago, I started on VCO daily (one teaspoon) with NO levothyroxine. I feel more energetic, able to function normal & so far have not encountered any side effects. As I have only been on this new remedy for 7days, do u have any advice for me? I sincerely want to get off levothyroxine as I would like to try for my first baby next year.
Hello, Were you able to get off your Levothyroxine Medication? I have neonatal/congenital hypothyroidism and was wondering if I could use Coconut Oil as an alternative to the generic brand of levothyroxine that I take.
This is my story: I was born and was a very sick child, going to the doctor all the time. They discovered half of my thyroid gland was growing into a cyst so half of the gland was removed during surgery. I started taking Synthroid and immediately my health improved and my development accelerated and I was able to grow up into a normal human being with perfect health.
I just really want to know if there are any alternatives to this generic brand of Synthroid that I take.
I have been tested for both hypothyroid and iodine deficiency. I am currently taking Levothroxine but still have little energy, etc. So I asked to have a iodine test which came out that I was about 50% below what I should be. I was told to take a drop per day of lugols in a glass of water – I really felt hypertensive on the two occasions I did this so I stopped. Recently I read that putting the drop in the water and just holding it in your mouth and repeating til the glass is empty will work. I did it and I did feel much better. But the question is if I continue doing this should I continue to take the thryoid medication I have taken since the 8th grade? Can I take both of these together?
Hi Ec….. I am hypothyroid, have been for the past three years. As many of us who has this disease know, you can never feel the way you did when you were not sick. I personally have changed my diet, used every green drink/vitamin imaginable and am still struggling. Recently, I have noticed that anytime I have a stressful day, or has overworked, I would have this sudden discomfort directly in the center of my chest. It would last from an hour to sometimes the whole day. I have used cayenne, lemon water, magnesium, fresh green juice, co q10, apple cider vinegar, garlic etc but nothing seems to help until one day out of desperation, I reached for a glass of milk don’t ask me why.. All I know is that it took maybe 10 mins for the feeling to just disappear. I cannot up till now figure out why milk out of everything helped this issue. Could it me I was lacking calcium? I hope someone in this wonderful community can help me figure out this one. Please guys…. Bill, Lisa, anyone…. Your input would be very appreciated. God Bless
Sounds like you have reflux.
As I read this post, I am wondering about copper?
At the beginning of last October after my last annual blood test, I tried Anatabloc, a new over-the counter anti-inflamatory nutriceutical for secondary hypothroidism. I was my last hope before going to a doctor and it worked better than I hoped. Anyway, I saw on the web some speculation that it would also be effective for BPH and even though my PSA level was only 1.30, it has been slowly rising for the last 7 years. I got another blood test at the beginning of February that focused on thyroid associated hormones and a PSA test. My TSH level went from 0.3 to 2.8 and my PSA level went from 1.30 to 0.60. I’m a happy camper. One other thing that I noticed is that the rheumatoid arthritis in my hands no longer hurts.
Side effect reported
Hello there, I have been taking euthyrox 50mg for 10.5 months with regular visits to my doctor my initial thyrod level was 9.6 but after regularly taking the medication 50mg everyday and 75mg once a week I have managed to drop my thyrod level to 2.9, my last blood test was 1 month ago…. I have noticed since the medication gaining weight slowly and my dr said you have probebly change you eating habits (which in fact I didnt) now after 10.5 months I’m already 5.5Kg extra on what I was when I started the medication my dr as well as the little reasearch that I’ve done all confirmed that this medication will actually make me loose weight this never happened I keep gaining and gaining now I’m following a certain diet trying to eat less bread and carbs and sweets although this never been the case in my life I always ate what I wanted….. can someone please advice if me gaining weight is a side affect of euthyrox 50….
Hi, your msg. frightens me. I am on euthyrox since Oct’11 25mg daily and I have noticed a consistent weight gain since then. I have told my doctor about this, and he says be patient, you are actually supposed to lose weight on this , but you are giving me mixed signals. He increased the dosage by 25mg for one day of the week, and I think he wants to see what happens. As the visits are every two months, I think that I am in for a long wait , to see how my body reacts to teeny weeny increases…. I too have gained about 5 kg and very upset about it, despite controlled eating. I am on the verge of ditching the meds, but I have seen an improvements in other areas so dont want to give up on those. Instead I am now thinking of starting daily exercise of at least 1 hour a day, may be this will help…. But if it does, then it wont be the medication, it will be the excersise and I wont know for sure… I am confused as you are….
Cece, 50 may not be enough. Weight gain can mean you don't have enough. I never heard of euthyrox. Can you get Synthroid or Levothyroxine instead ? Have you had a TSH test to see if you need more or less ?
Wondering if anyone can help. I’ve been recently (2 wks ago) diagnosed as hypothyroid. My OB wanted to put me on Synthroid, but due to reading on this site (about fog brain and libido), I chose Armour Thyroid over that. She wasn’t pleased to deal with it (as it is a pig’s thyroid-OMGoodness! ;)), and said she didn’t know how to prescribe it, but did it anyway and only prescribed 1/4 grain/day. I am considered borderline, but really for a younger woman of childbearing years (40), they’d actually like to see my numbers even lower.
I immediately started research here for natural healing and added coconut oil to my daily intake of food (about 1and 1/2 or 2 Tbsp/day). Also, 4 days ago, I found a kelp supplement w/ added folic acid and started that, 1/day. At the same time, I found Ashwaganda and a B-stress formula and started taking those 2x’s a day. I’ve been unable to find the Guggul and the Bauhinia as of yet.
I also had started ACV (about 2Tbsp. + water +honey around 2x’s a day) about a week before this diagnosis, as I had just found this website and read that it would help my asthma. Unbelievably, my asthma practically disappeared w/i 2 days. Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen! I have used my Xopenex inhaler 3times w/i the last 3 weeks, but only on the nights when I had neglected to take my ACV that day. Before that, I had been using it 3 to 4 times A DAY!, 2 puffs each time, and it was getting worse by the day! Oh, and I have OPed with Coconut Oil about 4 or 5 times during this time too (only once before my asthma went away though, so I attribute it’s disappearance to the ACV, not the OP).
My husband made the comment to me yesterday that I seem to have gotten worse since being diagnosed. (I only started the Armour 2 mornings ago). I agree that I seem to be even more exhausted than normal and the only thing I can think of is that maybe I’m detoxing because of the OPing and the ACV, and the coconut oil in general? I would not be surprised in the least if I have a system wide Candida issue. I think I read somewhere about “die-off”? Can you explain this to me and tell me what I would need to do to help it along? It’s Christmas of course, so it is not real probable for me to get off sugar until January. Even then, I will struggle tremendously. I am truly addicted to chocolate and crave a sweet (hot chocolate, cookies, cheesecake, hot fudge sundae, etc…) before going to bed at night. 🙁
Are there other things I could be doing for hypothyroidism that I am not currently doing? I find it difficult to get enough time on here to read everything as I have 3 children and am SO exhausted! Do I need to take more coconut oil than I am? More Kelp? More B? More herbs? Oh, and what is the difference between cold pressed and expeller pressed? Mine is from Radiant Life and is expeller pressed. Also, do I really have to take 2 days off the ACV every wk. to get it to work best? I’m concerned about my asthma coming back. I hate being dependent on the inhaler.
I know that I have more questions, but due to the fog brain, I can’t remember them all. My memory is shot. I walk around all day knowing I’m supposed to be doing something, but can’t remember what. Please help!
Erika, my hypothyroid was off the charts a yr ago, and small nodule, but is now normal. My regimen wasn’t completely like yours but some similarities. I had severe side effects to the Levothyroxine with only 2 doses. I used magnet therapy daily on each gland for almost 1yr. I finally broke down and decided the Kelp thing wasn’t enough and the povidone iodine may not be suitable, and began liquid potassium iodine. A few weeks of daily LPI I experienced a sudden symptoms of radiation sickness. I took some pectin fiber and sodium bicarbonate to deal with the radiation (I assume). Normal now. Oh, I also took raw thyroid glandular daily for several months.
Hope this helps and good luck.
Watch out so you don´t overdo it! I screwed up my liver because I started taking like 20 supplements at the same time. They have no time to work separately, so you do need to stop the madness. Take the kelp and ACV and wait with the VCO because it is actually cleansing your liver and will make you worse for couple of weeks, so when you start with it, you need to be sure that you don’t take anything else! Good luck!
Erika, I think the problem here could be the Armour…it is very weak and inefficient. I tried it. A much better choice would be the synthetic thyroid, …Synthroid or Levothyroxine, just like your doctor wanted for you .
Michelle, no one is going to listen to you extolling the virtues of a synthetic thyroid here on Earth Clinic. We are interested in natural remedies and cures from the things God created—not the junk created in a pharmaceutical lab for profit.
Hello, I would like to request your input regarding the link between low thyroid and anemia. About one year ago I was diagnosed with iron-deficient anemia and been told by my doctor to take OTC iron supplements, I took it for a couple of months and then stopped. I went back recently for blood work to see if things have improved and not only have there not been any improvements, but my numbers (iron, %saturation and hemoglobin) are actually lower. I also know from the way I feel (tired, depressed, unable to think clearly, shortness of breath, etc.) that things have not improved.
I started searching about anemia and came across some information that discusses the possible link between anemia and low thyroid function. Does anyone have any thoughts or personal experience regarding this? If so, please let me know, I thank you very much in advance. I have been considering taking raw thyroid supplement and liquid iron to see if things get better…
Olivia;
Take a food source of iron: black strap molasses, spinach, or………. choose another one.
Mineral forms of iron are:
1] not absorbable for biological functions
2] highly poison-us
A few years ago, the #1 cause of child-hood deaths was iron supplements. This was when all the AMA doctors were pushing iron supplemnts for anything that was wrong with a female. The children were eating their mothers iron supplemennts and dying. Iron supplemnts were the #1 killer of children in the United States.
They were so poisonous, and the body-mind knew it, that all the women were naturally [un-consciously] stimulated to eat more food to dilute the poison they took. [thus saving their life]. As a result, the main side effect noticed by the women was weight gain, getting fatter.
Yes, I’ve been hypo for almost 10 years. I was diagnosed with anemia prior to that. So yes, IMO there is a correlation. But there are so many variables. Who really knows for sure. What helps one may hurt another. I’ve read on here eating too much raw brocolli could cause thyroid issues. Really?????
My husband has both hypothyroidism and anemia. To be more specific, he’s suffering from Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and pernicious anemia. They are both results of autoimmune disorder.
Maybe you should check with your doctor if you are suffering from pernicious anemia. It can only be solved by regular B12 injection.
Yes, both my mother and myself have iron deficiency anemia and we both have hypothyroidism too. We are taking tyrosine, selenium, iodine and black strap molasses and it is helping.
Olivia, Get a TSH test from an MD to see if you have thyroid dysfunction. I tried natural hormome, but it didn't work very well, so I take the synthetic. I have never heard of the liquid.
Hi, I managed to cure my hypothyroidism naturally within 8 months. Previously I was on Levothyroxinum 50 mcg for 3 years but experienced some side effects and decided to stop my medication on my own in February. The beginning was very difficult. The herbal pills from China did not help much and in June my TSH was 7.0
Then I started taking MSM, L-tyrosine, mega doses of B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, vitamin D3 (very important- 5000IU) Vitamin E. Everything in high doses. I also was drinking a lot of herbal teas like: nettle (for extra iron), horsetail, sage, liqurice root. I had a big glass of raw vegetable/fruit juice with ginger every day. I also consumed some chlorella, coconut oil, fish/evening primerose oil and bee pollen. I installed water filter to get rid of the fluoride in my drinking water and used chemical-free cosmetics and household products (no perfume as well) I consume only organic meat, raw cheese and do not drink any alcohol nor coffee and do not smoke. I walk 1-2 hours every day and use only cable internet and no wireless devices. (wireless and all x-rays are very bad for the thyroid) I reduced the use of my mobile phone. I removed all my amalgam fillings and do not eat tuna- too much mercury in there! ) I also tried liquid zeolites for a month and it gave me so much energy but had to discontinue it because of high price. This is a lot but certainly it worked because my TSH is 3.30 now and I am feeling much more better. If I do not take MSM I am losing my hair and if I do not take 300 mg of niacin a day I am getting nervous. I hope it will help. Regards, Magda
Thanks Magda! Since I first found my TSH as high as 19 two months ago, I've been taking the same vitamins, herbal teas of echinacea, licorice, astragalus; ashwagandha capsules, chyawanprash in the morning and triphala in the evening, EV coconut oil 2-3 table spoons a day, fruit, cooked vegetables, very little of oatmeal and other grains, every day bone broth, brazil nuts for selenium and pumpkin seeds for zinc/magnesium, sometimes probiotic capsules. I use only olive oil for frying.
In two months my TSH improved to 10. The antibodies also improved.
Should I start taking levothyroxin tablets?
My doctor has been monitoring me with blood tests for over six months, thinking I might have underactive thyroid, I had many of the symptoms but they would come and go and switch around.
I am now on a healthier diet but get good days and bad days, is it the same with you? Am thinking of taking licquorice and some other things, deciding which way to go, turmeric keeps coming up as being a good idea. How are you getting on?
Hi Carmel, I feel little improvement not every day, but every week in general.
Does your blood test display that you are low in freeT3, T4 and have too high TSH and antibodies?
If your blood test results are within normal range, but you have simptoms of underactive thyroid, I would recommend you to choose natural remedy in accordance with the symptoms. I am not a doctor, this comes from my personal experience.
If you have issues with the immune system, you should understand, either you are TH1 dominant or TH2 dominant, and take the herbs accordingly (TH1 – green tea, gotu kola, pycnogenol, grape seed extract, lycopene; while TH2's are echinacea, licorice, astragalus, maitake mushroom etc). There is information about this in Google.
If it is slow methabolism, there are coconut oil, triphala for constipation and general detox, probiotics. For stress and anxiety there are adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, siberian ginseng, passiflora. And vitamins of course for general well-being.
I've been taking coconut oil for a year and my thyroid seems to have re balanced itself going by my morning basal temperatur( taken before I get out if bed). Be careful with licorice as though it has its uses. It can send your blood pressure up a lot. I was having several cups a day and mine went from my normal 120/75 to 157/85! When I came off the licorice my BP came down.
Did you use any other medicines except coconut oil and licorice? How high was your TSH before you started taking them? How is it now?
Olive oil is great for salads and dressings, but is not suitable for frying. Much too fragile (Still shaking my head at some of these cooking shows where celeb chefs use EVOO for frying! ) It simply does not have a high smoke point and can make your end results carcinogenic. Much better choices for frying foods or high-heat baking are avocado oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil and macademia nut oil – all have high smoke points.
Hello Everyone: Can someone tell me which is the best seaweed to consume? I am thinking of adding this to my diet to help my hypothyroid symptoms but do not know which one to choose. Thank you everyone for a quick response.
Fucus seaweed is what I use. I make it into a tea.
Many recommend kelp. Does anyone know if kelp and kombu are the same thing?
Hi Mmsg, Kombu is a variety of kelp just as in Australia we have bull kelp growing off Tasmania (I think it is still harvested at King Island). Some other varieties are: giant kelp; stalked kelp; sea bamboo; wakame.
Bladder wrack is a seaweed that is often used to extract iodine and some refer to it as a kelp but I have read that it is not.
Irish moss is supposed to promote healthy thyroid function. It might be worth researching. Most herb stores carry it.
I swim everyday for 30 min. in an indoor chlorinated pool. I also have hypothyroidism. Is this bad for me? I have ask two Dr.s but they seem clueless. I have come across a couple of comments online that suggest swimming in an indoor chlorinated pool is bad for the thyroid. Is this true? Unfortunately, because of knee problems and shin splints I have had to move to a low impact aerobic form of exercise. Swimming seemed a viable alternative.
After swimming for a year, I am now worried about my thyroid. I had the condition well before I started swimming. But, I’m wondering if I’m exasperating my condition? Or, asking for even more trouble with my thyroid by swimming? It is all in an attempt to stay healthy, and maintain a level of fitness despite my hypothyroidism, but now I’m wondering if I’m doing more harm then good.
Chlorine depletes the body of iodine so I guess the answer to your question is swimming in a chlorinated pool bad for your hypothyroidism bad for you.
Hypothyroidism is caused by a lack of, or deficiency of iodine so you need to supplement with iodine & I suggest you read the book “Iodine why you need it and why you can’t live without it” by Dr. Brownstein.
Iodine is needed all over the body so if you have hypothyroidism you probably have other ailments also attributed to iodine deficiency as well or will have soon.
If you search Dr. Brownstein on youtube he has some excellent videos on iodine.
I didn’t catch the original post for this but in regards to swimming in a chlorinated pool, It just isn’t worth it IMO and I won’t allow my kids to swim in one either. My husband would like them to learn how to swim and our pool is only open a few months out of the year but I won’t let them go to the pool at the Y because it is so incredibly toxic on sooo many levels… I did a whack of research on it trying to show him the pros and cons. I recall reading something years ago about kids who swam like once a week in a chlorinated pool and how damaging on their respitory system and causing ashtma etc. Last time I was in a chlorinated pool 5 years ago on vacation, I went to get out and could hardly stand up!!! Don’t let people fool you with ‘salt pools’… Same diff – research it, its not the healthy option they lead you to believe. Great Wolf lodge? I walked in the room and it BURNED MY LUNGS just breathing it- YUK!!!! I turned around and walked back out. WOW, can’t believe people take their kids there.
We put up our own pool and run it on hydrogen peroxide (we purchase 35% in 5 gallon jugs, and then the following year we bought them in drums (maybe 18 gallons?? not sure my husband gets them from an agriculture place that services farms ;-)) and then we buy test strips. When shocking you can shoot for 100 ppm and some recommend keeping it at 50-75 ppm…. Which seems to work well 😉 there is information online about converting yoru pool to h202. We tried ozone for a few years but it wasn’t a stand alone product and we got algae so we switched to the h202 and algae bars which I couldn’t find this year 😉 Just my 2 cents on the evils of chlorine ;-(
Seeking help with a diagnosis..
Symptoms/ailments:
Brief history:
After getting fed up with conventional doctors’ bullshit (being put on SSRI’s and the like),
Saw a holistic doctor when I was perhaps 22. Said I was borderline hypothyroidic. Put me on some type of thyroid med (Armour thyroid if memory serves), to no avail. Gave up.
Nearly 28 now. Recently ate a lot of cruciferous vegetables (for whatever reason) over the course of two or three days and skin began to itch horribly for the better part of 36 hours. Looked into it, made the hypothyroid connection. Did some preliminary research and decided to start supplementing my diet with kelp (for the iodine) and Brazil nuts (for the selenium). Cut out all known “goitrogens” etc. After two or three days, woke up today feeling energetic, in fairly good spirits, yet slightly nervous (all of which are unprecedented for me). Ate a moderate breakfast that kept me satiated well into the afternoon (usually I have cravings). Crashed half way thru the day and couldn’t even get myself into the gym to do light cardio for 30 minutes.
Can someone help me out, here? What the hell is going on with me? Should I continue using kelp and brazil nuts?
Any help is greatly appreciated, Jesse
Jesse, everything you have described as symptoms all point to toxicity. To begin cleaning start w/ your environment –home, workplace, food, water, air. Next start a parasite cleanse and proceed to kill chronic infections (bacteria, fungi, viruses). Next get out possible heavy metals and zenobiotics (that cause parasites and infections) w/ ionic foot spa, detox foot pads, and oil pulling.
Info on the particulars of these protocols are found on this site. Also, body buffering or alkalizing is very important as well as oxygenation. Take whole body hot baths of 1/4 cup Epsom salt 1/4 cup baking soda and rotate to either a ACV or Borax bath for infections.
Support the liver and kidneys w/ recommended herbs. NAC is a must for glutathione boosting (detoxification). Flood your body with nutrition especially antioxidants. Coconut oil or caprylic acid is a must. A good 3-6-9 oil supplement will help much.
Be diligent and patient because this process could take months or as much as 2 yrs depending on specific conditions.
Jesse, one thing I have read is not to take TOO much selenium, which means that I do not take more than ONE OR TWO brazil nuts a day. NOT MORE.
Hi Jesse… Regarding your own problems, it would seem from the symptoms that you have described that you are hypothyroid or low thyroid at the very least. Therefore you should take the full Iodine Protocol given in the link to replenish both your thyroid and your whole body’s need for iodine/iodide.
Here is a link to the most current research that explains the whole body’s need(not just the thyroid’s need) for regular iodine/iodide using lugol’s iodine:
Iodine Research
Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Two of your symptoms make me quite suspicious and I wonder about another possible associated problem:
Caffeine makes my face break out.
Severe sugar and alcohol cravings
These symptoms are not indications of low thyroid — they are symptoms of candida. Caffeine removal happens in the liver — so you may have a stressed or insufficinet liver because of candida or parasites. Severe sugar and alcohol cravings can also be associated with candida problems. In my own experience of treating candida — everyone I have ever helped(including curing myself of systemic candida) has had low thyroid symptoms always associated with their candida problems. I had 80%-90% of the same problems and symptoms that you have now except I also had psoriasis, eczma, jock itch, athletes foot, continual bloating, constipation etc. I can’t possibly define all the diseases that can be associated with candida — it would take up too much room — but have a look at this link for for a full range of recognized candida associated symptoms. No two people will ever have the same candida symptoms which is why doctors have such a poor record of identifying early stage candida problems. And because of candida’s wide associations with other diseases and problems such as low thyroid, gastro-intestinal problems, skin problems etc — no two candida sufferers will ever have exactly the same symptoms.
So you must find out whether you have systemic or local candida problems. You can do a quick check on yourself and look at your tongue. If it is white or blotchy white(instead of a healthy pink) then you probably have candida. Best to go to a naturopath and tell him or her to test for candida(medical doctors are clueless at diagnosing early stage candida). Also ask the naturopath for a hair analysis to see what heavy metals and bad halogens you have in your body. The hair analysis will also reveal what minerals you are lacking in your diet.
If you do have candida then the whole ballgame changes and you should take the Anti-Candida Protocol.
But first you must confirm whether your low thyroid problems are due insufficient iodine or whether they are due to internal candida problems. So your best bet is to first go to a naturopath, as I have already described, for confirmation either way.
You may have an adrenal issue, but I’m certainly no expert!
Now I’m not advertising this center; just helping you hone in on one in your area that may help you.
I would suggest contacting the The Nutritional Healing Center of Ann Arbor – (734) 302-7575. While I’ve never been there, it appears that they do Nutrition Response Testing, recommend eating whole foods and taking Standard Process whole food supplements.
Their website is
http://www.thenutritionalhealingcenter.com/
I’ve been seeing a specialist in Columbus, Ohio for the past 4 years who does Nutrition Response Testing, and I’ve experienced excellent results.
Best of luck!
Re chlorinated pools: I swim regularly at our local health club who will be introducing SPHAGNUM MOSS to augment their chlorine-based filtration system. Apparently sphagnum moss can DECREASE the chlorine by as much as 50%(! ).
Currently, there are some universities and health centers who are already using sphagnum moss.
I found this link which explains more:
http://news.discovery.com/earth/swimming-pools-moss-green.html
You may just be hypothyroid or have the autoimmune Hashimoto’s–that attacks your thyroid. I think this because you said you took thyroid meds and it did nothing, been there. By taking them you increased your immune response to attack and had even less energy than you started w/. on what you are doing. Go to hypothyroid or Hashimotos page, there is wonderful info already written. Invest in Dr. Brownstein book on autoimmune/thyroid (not exact name). It will give you a fuller accurate picture of a treatment plan.
You will also want to see someone in natural med who agrees about using iodine. The reason for this, once your thyroid is off/not working right it affects ALL your hormone levels. When you introduce iodine to focus on fixing the thyroid, if your adrenals are not keeping up you won’t have sustained energy, the balance is tricky so help is good (someone who muscle tests is best so you get the correct dosing you actually need) and I’m 3 1/2 weeks into Hoshi treatment, it is up and down. I am having on/off with the healing crisis, Dr. Brownstein states usually 3 months on ‘therapy’ levels of iodine, for me 100mgs a day, or until all symptoms have stopped, then a slow decrease to ‘maintainance’ level of 12/5 mg a day. And people being people that is an average number for maintainance, you wean yourself down and stop at the level where you don’t feel as well, move back up a drop then stay there. don’t give up.
Look into parasites cleanses
Hey EC: I am hoping someone can help me with this problem. Shortly after being diagnosed as being hypothyroid, I noticed that small white spots started appearing on my legs/calves etc. Didn’t pay much attention to it until the other day while doing a pedicure, I was stunned to see how much it had spread. Anyone knows what is causing this? Is this a common symptom of this disease? What if it keeps spreading. Help someone/anyone with an answer. Thank you EC. You people are the best!!!
My husband also has those white spots and his doctor didn’t know what they were either. I researched the net and found out that his were “Stucco Keratosis”. Unfortunately there is no cure for that. I have a few at the bottom of my legs also. My husbands’ always show lighter after he gets out of the pool. Maybe the chlorine does it. Not contagious, just unsightly.
Hi, there are all kinds of white spots, so it is difficult to say what it is. I started having white spots on my legs years ago, then they started spreading and the ones in the legs started getting bigger. Doctors have no idea what it is but they all assure me that it is not viltligo. It is quite ugly and nowdays I have quite a few on my arms, chest, some on my back. I have tried quite a few things but nothing has helped. I found out that this particular kind of spots is called Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis. I have now been trying to rub lemon juice on them twice a day (don’t go in the sun for a while after doing this or you might get more stains) also because I have a few age spots but so far nothing has happened neither with the white or the brown ones. Sorry………. No idea what causes them!
Several months ago I purchased organic coconut oil, not for hypothyroidism, which I now believe I have, because my hair is falling out rapidly, and also read here that ‘brain fog’ and low body temp are also symptoms of it, which I also have. In reading about it on here, it looks like I need to go look for ‘cold pressed’ CO. The jar says ‘expeller pressed’. It was very expensive at $9.51 for a 14 oz. jar. What is the difference in the way it is pressed? Will ‘expeller pressed’ work? I hunted in this small town for a long time looking for any CO and finally found this at the health food store.
To M from farmington, I”ve only been using VCO for a short time. What I noticed in difference of CO vs- VCO, the good stuff VCO, when you open the jar you smell coconuts, everytime! The other, nothing so smell nothing, get nothing in benefit.
Mercury amalgam fillings prevent T4 thyroid medication from working properly. Mercury is a endocrine and enzyme disrupter and you will likely not feel well until all of your amalgam fillings are safely removed by a biological dentist.
I found this out after I had 11 amalgam fillings removed and I had chelation therapy afterwards to flush the mercury and other heavy metals from my body. About 8 months after I had my fillings removed and replaced with composite I started feeling better after suffering for 40 yrs with depression, suicidal thoughts, fatigue, headaches, brain fog. In fact, there are 150 know symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings which helps keep the doctors and hospitals from running out of patients. Amalgam fillings have been banned in Europe and the Philippines now for about 10 yrs now but are still legal in North America.
Here’s former dentist Dr. Hal Huggins. After Dr. Huggins refused to give mercury amalgam fillings and root canals to his patients his dentist license was revoked. Dangers Of Amalgam Fillings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmYFDkIa6kw
Regarding keratosis….I had keratosis pilaris on my arms that cleared up completely when I stopped eating wheat.
Side effect reported
Hey EC: I have a quick question for anyone with an answer. In my quest for a healthier lifestyle since being diagonosed as hypothyroid, I started a morning smoothie made with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, wheatgerm, a few brazil nuts and a splash of milk. A day or so after drinking this smoothie, I noticed that I kinda feel wired and struggle to sleep in the night. I am tired but I just cannot sleep. Also, I developed a constant headache. Any idea whats going on? I love this smoothie and don’t want to stop drinking it because of these problems. Help please someone!!!! Thank you guys.
It will be the brazil nuts and the pumpkin seeds – Selenium in both is the active ingredient. They can act to convert t4 to t3 and may tip you into being hyperthyroid. (Read Mary Shamon on this) If you are on medication for the hypothyroid or, if you have hashimotos disease as well, you may have too much active thyroid hormone in your system. This explains the headache that won’t go away and a wired feeling. Don’t change your medication – it takes at least 8 weeks to have an effect. Just cut out the nuts and seeds. It is so cold here that the hyporthyroid symptoms are out so lots of Vitamin D and selenium supplementation. Get your adrenals checked – that could also be a reason for night-time waking.
Hi Loren…
It sounds like a herxheimer or detox reaction to me. You may have taken too much of a good thing too fast, and your body couldn’t keep up with it. You miight want to cut back a bit on how much you drink at a time, and work up to it more slowly.
Just a thought… But any time I do anything new, if I try too much too fast I get ill. I know that it is sometimes hard to start of slow, because we want to feel better FAST… but it is really worth it to allow our bodies the time to adjust to the new thing we are ingesting (mo).
Hello Everyone,
I was wondering if anyone has had the same issues I’m dealing with being Hypothryoid.
I had RAI done in 2009 for being Hyperthyroid, consequently I became Hypo due to this procedure I’m taking 137mg of Synthroid but find that I’m still dealing with the most troublesome issue of burning and watery eyes. I now have noticed that one of my eyelids is drooping a bit my Dr says my levels are fine with the Synthroid and that in time this should go away???? Has anyone had to deal with this before?
Any feedback would be so helpful, Thank you so much…
Siera
I have hypothyrodism with a level of 4.8 and my doctor prescribed me synthroid of 50 mcg which I was afraid to take. I feel week, have brain fog at innumerable times during a day. I like to know if yoga or applying coconut oil will help me.
I am having 2 drops of iodide/iodine every day on emty stomach. Please help me as I don’t want to take medication. Weight gain is there.
I was just told by a nutritionalist/naturopathic person that have definite adrenal fatigue and a thyroid issue, but haven’t been to the doctor to figure out for sure. (No insurance) Well I took her advice with the iodine and I’m taking 4 dropper fulls and supposed to go up to 6 dropper fulls which is way over the direction doses on the packages….. And its working! In 48 hrs, the large lump in my throat that has been very uncomfortable (hard to swallow, restricts breathing) is gone or at least has shrunk enough to not notice it. I do know that with iodine supplementation you have to take Vitamin C and B’s to carry it through for absorbtion in the body. Vitamin C has to be around 1500 mg and Extra B’s. I was told not be scared of the high doses because you’ll just pee them out within a few hours, but they are very important in absobing the nutrients. If anyone has any more knowledge they’d like to throw my way I’d love the feedback! Also how do you know if you are HYPO or HYPER thyroid? My symptoms are a mixture of both and a lot of adrenal. Which from my understanding adrenal & thryroid go hand in hand?
Jessica, when taking iodine and vitamin c ensure they are taken at different times of the day. If you have an iodine stain on clothes for instance putting vitamin c crystals on the stain will make it disappear.
Hypothyroid issue for yrs, now. Nothing was really making a difference. Bought colored Iodine in a bottle from the pharmacy and did a patch test. The orange color was completely gone in an hr. Taking Iodine and selenium now, and in 1 day that huge goiter was gone! Swallowing normally for 1st time in yrs, noticed feet and face are softer in a week, brain fog gone, and my hair loss is 90 % less, My joint pains are almost completely gone, they were so bad, there were times I had to crawl from the bed to the bathroom in the mornings. I just began middle age, so this was especially difficult. I will be adding b vit and A and C as well. Why didn’t I find this info yrs ago? Dr. Jonathan v. Wright’s site helped as well as this one and Dr. Mercola.
Anita, when 1st diagnosed with hypothyroidism I was put on Synthroid but was constantly ill. After refusing to continue with Synthroid, I was prescribed Armour and I felt a difference immediately, and no longer felt ill. Personally, I refuse to use any synthetic (laboratory-made) thyroid products again (e.g. , Synthroid, Levothroid, levothyroxin, etc. On the other hand, Armour Desiccated Thyroid Hormone, Nathroid, Westhroid, and other brands derived from the thyroid gland of the pig, use natural glandular concentrates or extracts containing thyroid hormone. Now I order mine online, porcine thryoid health which is much like Armour if not the same, and am feeling really good. Armour Thyroid and other natural thyroid preparations contain natural thyroid hormone. Armour Thyroid and most natural thyroid preparations are made to standards approved by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), which helps assure that its potency is accurately stated on the label. They contain T4, T3, T2, and T1 and most closely resemble natural human thyroid hormone. At the proper dose, natural thyroid hormone works quite well and are preferred by nearly all “natural” or “alternative” physicians. Synthetics, on the other hand, consist solely of T4. They depend on the body to convert the T4 to T3 and the other metabolites.
Hi Imcinnamon,
I’d like to know what is your regimen/dosage amount for taking the iodine and selenium? How long was it before you started seeing results? Have you lost/gained any weight as well?
I am trying to locate a good practitioner in NYC to properly diagnose and treat me as I have over 90% of the symptoms for having an underactive thyroid in addition to an somewhat enlarged goiter. I am also looking to lose some weight as well.
I appreciate suggestions/input you have, thanks!
I have read these threads with interest because I have speculated I might have a thyroid issue because of my fatigue and inability to lose weight. I started taking 750 mg. of guggul extract along with 250 mg. of forskoli and in two days have noticed a drastic increase in energy. I reccommend only taking these supplements first thing in the morning. I used to be sluggish in the morning even after sleeping 7 hrs. But not anymore. For the women that got advice from her nutritionist that she might have adrenal fatigu and a thyroid issue…. If you noticed a lump in your neck then you most likely have hyperthyroidism which means your thyroid is already overactive and these supplements would not benefit you. There are herbal supplemetns you can research that heal the adrenal glands so I would suggest you start there and take a good multi-vitamin and eat nutritous foods. Goodluck!
Where do we get these items – EVCO, Apple Cider Vinegar etc. Are they at the grocers or medical shops?
I started off getting them at GNC. Then I found a Whole Foods. It’s hard finding Iodine though. Get that offline.
For the question of where to buy ACV with the mother and CO. I get mine at a large nationwide discount store, that does not require membership, at reasonable prices. I don’t think I can give the name because I had another post removed due to mentioning it.
Go to the vinegar section of the store–you will see several brands. Look for one that says “Raw” or “unpasteurized”, it will usually also say ‘with the mother’. For coconut oil, it’s in the section with the oils. Make sure you get one that says virgin, cold-pressed. It will look like shortening because stores are usually cooler and it’s solid at over 74 degrees. I avoid the one in the white plastic bottle-you can’t see what you’re getting.
Week 1 on Lugol’s 2%
Like many on the website, I have all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism but test negative. Lately, my energy levels were dropping, and I have been steadily gaining wait even though I am on the Atkins diet. I decided to try Lugol’s after a bit of research.
I wasn’t expecting much since none of the thyroid supplements have helped me in the past, so I was pleasantly surprised with the iodine tincture. I started with 2 drops of the 2% in the morning in a tall glass of water and ACV.
So far my energy level has increased slightly. It isn’t like a cup of coffee, but rather I am able to stay up a bit later at night, and even had trouble sleeping the first 3 days. My mood has elevated dramatically; it is much more positive even with overhaging stressors. My seasonal allergies are nearly neutralized as well.
My side effects so far include trouble sleeping, a low level vaginal discharge, cloudy urine in the morning, and possible hair loss. Iodine is supposed to help eliminate candida, which may account for the discharge. It may also be the case that my hormonal levels are changing, and that is the result. In relation to hair loss, I’ve always been losing hair, so I;m not certain that that is a side effect.
I’ll keep you posted as I notice more changes.
Hi All~
I will try to make this short and sweet : ) I have been treating Adrenal Fatigue since 2009 and was doing quite well untill about July of 2010 when I crashed. The symptoms were different than when I crashed with AF. I have never been able to find a doctor who would even listen but I finally found one last month. Upon initial consult she foud a nodule on my thyroid and that combined with my symptoms she suspected hypthyroidism. I am going tomorrow for for the results of my saliva panel but I have not been able to afford my other bloodwork yet.
I did start taking the organic coconut oil about a week ago. I was also taking a TBS of ACV in 16oz of water every morning. I thought I was feeling a bit better and then this weeknd I started having heart flutters in the middle of my chest and flutters below my adam’s apple. The fatigue was so bad I was housebound. Climbing the stairs would make ny heart flutter as well. Then, today I had this bizarre feeling across the front of my neck that felt shock-like and lasted only a few seconds but it scared me. As of a year or so ago my cholesterol was great and I have no heart issues. Also, I read about using 2% iodine tincture to check iodine levels and I did the test before I went to bed and by morning the spot was gone. I also did it 2 more times and the spot would always disappear in about 12 hours. Any thoughts? Just for the record, I woke up today feeling pretty good and was so thankful it was a “good” day but then that feeling just set me off and brought on some anxiety…
Thanks for reading!
~C
Hi to Frog51. I have an aortic regurgation so I have gone to the emergency lots of times for the heart problems. My sister had the same problem and when we put our heads together, not easy to do when you live 500 miles away, (lol) we found that we were always given some potassium and sent home.
My heart is very reactive to potassiium levels that are anywhere near low for some reason. I get angina easily when that happens.
Heart rhythms are greatly affected by a lack of magnesium as well. Both of these minerals are critical to heart function and you might want to get your potassiium level checked really soon if you continue to have problems. When in doubt, head out to the emergency room! Don’t take chances. Our medical system is great for really dramatic emergencies. If you suspect a heart attack or stroke, GO! Then be sure that you get a copy of the blood tests they do when you’re discharged.
My last emergency room visit was for an esophageal spasm, it was helped by nitroglycerin but wouldn’t go away. I naturally thought I had a heart problem even tho’ my heart rate and blood pressure were normal. ? The pain was excruciating! After all those tests they told me they thought it was an esophageal spasm and sent me home. The followup visit to my cardiologist was the answer to the mystery for me. He was irate that the emergency room hadn’t given me potassium as my potassium was slightly under normal. Basically, I had a muscle spasm from low potassium. Again, go to the emergency room when you’re in doubt. But, I know you wouldn’t be on this site if you weren’t interested in taking care of your body. It amazes me at how many people never give a thought to their health until it’s too late.
We who read and contribute to sites like this are in the minority. I am just so very thankful the people who run this site.
When trying to kill yeast, which is what you were doing with the ACV and the coconut oil… You were killing it and it doesn’t like it so you were have some side effects of the die off, most likely. Or you may have had a high carb meal that weekend when your heart started to act up. If you are taking ACV and coconut oil, it’s best to give up sugar and white bread, and breads all together for awhile because that is what yeast feed on. Hope this helps. Nana
Thanks Granny and Nana for your responses : ) I wanted to post an update since I went to the doctor on Wednesday ( 02/24). Once I told the doctor what my symptoms were she drew blood to test my thyroid ( T3, T4, freeT3, freeT4, and antibodies) she *thinks* I have Hashimoto’s and a possible iodine deficiency. I am praying she is wrong about the Hashimoto’s but I will have my results by Tuesday. I have continued with 1 TBS of organic, unrefined, virgin CO in my morning green tea. For the past 2 days I have actaully woken up WITHOUT feeling exhausted and have felt good througout the day. I do get pretty tired by 9pm or so but I am feeling better, no doubt. I have also been rubbing the CO on my face and neck at night before I go to bed. I stopped the ACV for now. I know there is some controversey about using 2% iodine tincture on the skin to determine iodine deficiency. But I have been using this for the past week and I will contiue until it stops disappearing. I am determined to get well and I would like to use natural methods if possible. I have also eliminated Gluten as of last week. Not that bad to do except for the cost. Any positive feedback, suggestions will be much appreciated.
The good news from my doctor was that my saliva hormone panel came back and it looks like I have made huge progress with my adrenal fatigue so I am happy about that! My DHEA was great as well as other hormones ( I do supplement with natural progesterone). I am just sharing that to let others know that there is hope!
Thanks for reading~
~C.
Hi fog513′ you said the Dr. found a nodule. Did he send you for a needle biospy? I had the same problems for approx. 16 years, back and forth to the doctors and nothing. Finally I asked for a ultrasound, nodules were found, biospy done and it was thyroid cancer. I don’t mean to scare you but I want you to check. Thanks for reading and if you can let me know. I am sure it will be fine. D
Thank You, Nana! Now I know why I've been feeling "off" after taking ACV with the extra virgin coconut oil…it's the bread!!
Hello 🙂 I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid about 2 years ago, but my chiropractor actually warned me of the problem earlier than that. I am on Levothyroxin at 25 MCG’s. I have done a lot of research on the condition and things that can help or harm the thyroid, information that my dr never told me. I really want to improve my thyroid as naturally as I can. I have read about coconut oil helping and also apple cider vinegar.
My question is, how much of both the coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar would you recommend I take and also how many times/day? I have been taking 3 tablespoons 3 times a day of the coconut oil. I also read about kelp as helping, but I am a newbie and I am just not sure what to do or how much of anything I should be taking to help. I am also trying to avoid soy(challenge! ) and gluten and any refined sugar… And I exercise everyday, trying to lose about 50 lbs, that I really think came on because of my thyroid. I would appreciate any help or thoughts. Thank you 🙂
I had the same issue as you mentioned. I do a combination of acupuncture and chinese herbs, along with chiropracter once monthly who suggested taking “CHIRO-ZYME T1 to T12 Rbs” (I take that one, three times daily with meals). I eat 2 tablespoons of Artisana Coconut Butter (not oil) fisr thing in the morning in addition to cooking with coconut oil. I completely eliminated soy products (despite being vegetarian). Found other sources of gluten free and soy free protein, in addition to cooking/eating at home. I also add to my diet daily Sea vegetables organic sold in plastic bags in the Asian aisles of most grocery stores. Dulse, seaweed and any other sea veg that has iodine content in it. Finally I replaced regular sea salt with ‘Sea Seasonings Organic KELP Granules’. Found relief in approx 2 weeks of doing so. Once energy returned included daily exercise and am at a much better place. I was told by my chiropractor to NOT take traditional meds for this since it worsens the thyroid making it dependent on the meds for a very long time. Hope this helps!
Hypothyroid and Coconut Oil
If you are feeling exhausted…. Coconut Oil & Iodine is AMAZING! I am 39 and mom of two. I have been feeling mildly flu-like for months not to mention beyond lethargic (having to literally lay down before leaving the house with kids). I went to a naturalpath who did some kinseology tests and said it was my thyroid. He gave me some liquid iodine derived from dulse(seaweed). I then started taking coconut oil topically and internally.
I started slow so I wouldn’t get sick. Only a tsp a day in warm water with a tad bit of honey. I am now up to a tablespoon.
In ONE WEEK, and I am not exagerating, I feel 85 to 90% better. My brain fog is gone. Even when i am not able to get a lot of sleep I don’t feel that heavy tired anymore!!!!
Don’t let any doctor tell you that you can’t cure hypothyroid. Most just don’t know how!
As far as the iodine I took 4 drops in water the first 4 days and then 6-8 drops after that.
I haven’t lost any weight yet.
I’m slender but have gained about 8 extra pounds I NEVER had before! I hope now that my body is feeling better that will change soon too!
Hope that helps someone out there!!
Andie
what is the dosage and brand that is best for Iodine for hypothyroidism? Thank u so much and God bless~
I use Iodoral, which is liquid iodine. Iodine hasn’t changed my hypothyroid problem, but I am still impressed by what I read about it and coconut oil.
I used Bernard Js Liquid Dulse. Good luck. : )
To Better but not Cured: fatigue can be a sign of many things. Are you by chance taking any pharmaceutical drugs? Statin drugs for high cholesterol depletes the CO”Q10 in your body and can cause fatigue. Have your dr test your coq10 levels. I take 200mg early in the morning and 200 at noon. I should be able to decrease it soon. I am never tired anymore. Ubiquinone is the preferred choice for COQ10. I suggest not using Costco’s. Try any of the better brands.
Staying on strict diet and coconut oil helped tremendously. However, maca root helped the most because it is a powerful hormone balancer. My eyes became moist immediately and my energy returned as well as a ceasing of "attacks". Now on a steady diet of salads with raw apple cider, bananas, and pomegranate. Then on to more powerful fruits like citrus. Refer to Dr. Morse on YouTube for more details.
Fruits are way less taxing on digestion and are healing. But in order to have fruit without the attack, where I thought I was gonna die :/, I had to use coconut oil and maca root to balance the hormones. Adrenals, thyroid, parathyroid, and pancreas are all related in a chain and hormone balance is essential. Fruits and herbs are healing. I pray this helps someone cause it has been a blessing for me. God bless.
Tyson, your comment helped me so much looking for what direction to go in besides the herbs and clean diet. Thanks.
For 30 years I suffered from ever-worsening insomnia. The cause was never found, but it was suggested slyly that I was neurotic. Ultimately I developed short-term memory loss and my exhaustion was profound.
One winter I developed a craving for clams and could not seem to get enough of them. I noticed that occasionally I had short periods of normal sleep. Then it hit me – iodine! I had myself tested for hypothyroidism. The result was positive. And I was furious. I never got help from the medical profession, lived for years as a zombie, and had to find the cure all by myself! Thanks to potassium iodide I sleep just fine. Although I started at a higher dosage, I currently take only four drops of 5 per cent solution a week. Now if I could get a refund of all the money I wasted on doctors who resorted to facile psychology instead of medicine . . . .
Has anyone heard of a natural way to remedy congenital hypothyroidism? Would it be relevant, the ways mentioned for those having hypothyroidism, the kind brought about by autoantibodies? Does it necessarily mean a person with congenital hypothyroidism has no thyroid gland at all or just a non-working one/system?
Thank you!
Since so many questions have come in about figuring out what they have, thought this hypothyroid checklist might come in handy for EC.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm
However, thinking along the lines that no one ever died from a deficiency of aspirin or any other drug, but they do die from a deficiency of necessary vitamins and minerals (which are usually secondary to our overfed and undernourished American diets). They might just find an answer to what ails them by looking up vitamin and mineral deficiency symptoms.
We were never told much of anything about causes of sluggish thyroids or heart arrhythmias in physiology ( and neither were your doctors) but I learned in a hurry from patients. When I had to cut a patients thyroid medication in half after putting her on Stress Tabs 4 x day, I pulled out my pharmacology book and read that a deficiency of B vitamins caused sluggish thyroid function. Another woman (in her 70’s at the time) had her bijeminy heart rate revert to a normal rhythm with the Stress Tabs and throwing out the bleached flour and making her breads with whole grains. I remarked to a psychiatrist that the best nerve pills I knew of was a good stress tab at meal times and bedtime. Her reply was: “Ssh! You’ll put us out of business.
Hypothyroid
I have been on Eltroxin for thyroid for a few years. Lately my heart started palpitations. Had a blood test done. It came back that my thyroid was underactive again. Dr. increases my meds from 50 to 100. Had another test done in two weeks and it came back normal. But I still have heart palpitations. How long does it take for the meds to settle my heart. Do you think I should try some virgin coconut oil or kelp supplements? Or would this give me more palpitations??
First research adrenal fatigue. Seems that adrenal is the primary cause of hypothyroidism (among other issues). If you start to treat your adrenals (primarily with eating foods to nurture it and supplements as well), then you will see improvement in your thyroid. Heart palpitations in my experience never seemed to have lasted long. That is a little concerning that you are having heart palpiations for so long. Ask your doctor to back off a level as your issue is really concerning you. or ask for a different brand. From what I understand Kelp and VCO are good places to start, but it gets confusing to me. Should I first look into healing the adrenals and then look into the thyroid…or does it all just fall in place?
For years I have suspected that I was hypothyroid. Since my TSH was normal, my doctor saw no reason to do the T3/T4 test despite my having classic hypothyroid symptoms. It seemed like my symptoms were getting worse, so I decided take things into my own hands and started researching natural therapies for hypothyroidism. All my research led me to iodine and I started taking one 12.5 mg of iodine/iodide pill a day. I also started on a 200 mcg of selenium, as well. What I had read was that the two need each other to properly function.
The change in my life has been incredible. The first change was my energy. I felt completely recharged! I also felt motivated! Like I actually WANTED to get things done. Mentally I felt so much clearer. I have struggled on and off with depression since I was 13 years old and for the first time in my life I felt consistently stable. I researched this further because it was completely astounding to me. There is a known link between low thyroid function and bipolar disorder! In fact, if anti-depressants stop working or aren’t as effective in some people, doctors prescribe them a medication that enhances their T3 and- viola! -their medication starts working again!
The next thing I noticed was that my knees were no longer hurting. They had been fairly sore for at least a month and the just stopped hurting completely.
The list goes on and on. The hypothyroid night sweats are gone (I would wake up at least 4-5 times each week with my pajamas, hair and sheets drenched), I am sleeping decently, my acne cleared up, the puffiness in my eyelids is gone, and on and on….
One thing that still just blows me away is that my feet are smooth. For as long as I can remember, my feet have been dry and cracked and the skin was so thick. To get my feet in shape for sandals in warm weather took a ton of effort. I just figured that’s how my feet were. Within just a couple of days, I started noticing my feet were not as rough. After a week, they were like I had received an incredibly expensive pedicure minus the nail polish. To get results like this, normally I would have to soak, scrub, moisturize repeatedly and maybe after a week they would look half this good.
The whole thing is shocking and amazing to me. It has helped me beyond anything I could have imagined. I figured so many of my issues were things I had to live with and never dreamed they could even be treated. I wonder how many people are walking around with low functioning thyroids and don’t even know it?
Don’t take my word for it. Do the research for yourself, there are tons of well-documented studies online. Do a patch test. If you are deficient, try it for yourself and get your life back!
What is a patch test? i am using coconut oil for my hypo, and seeing great results, but i do wonder if what you are talking about would help as well.
Hi Julie!
The patch test is an easy way to see if you are deficient in iodine. Get a bottle of tincture of iodine. Paint a 2 inch square on an inconspicuous place on your body (arch of your foot, inside of your arm or thigh, stomach, etc) before you go to bed. If it’s gone in the morning, you are iodine deficient. In someone who has enough iodine in their system it should disappear in about 24 hours.
Another thing I wanted to add is that my sugar cravings are gone. It’s bizarre! Really, if I woke up and started speaking Sanskrit I would be less surprised! I’ve always struggled with my weight because I was always craving things, always thinking about food. A while back I was counting my calories trying to lose weight (again!). Once I started with the iodine, I stopped counting calories, because I just didn’t need to. I could suddenly go without snacking between meals. I am losing weight with a reduction in my calories, but it’s not a struggle or an effort as it has been in the past.
I saw this on another board about iodine and it’s true for me as well- I am finally eating to live instead of living to eat.
Best of luck to you!
Hi,
Your post is very very interesting to me.
Of most interest was the feet thing….around the time I got pregnant (a few months after being diagnosed with hypothyroidism) they started getting all thick skinned and very dry and cracked and rough.
I moved from Ireland to Arizona around that same time, so I attributed the foot issues to the dry weather here and the almost-constant sandal-wearing… Now I’m rethinking my previous assumption…and just to think about the possibility that it can all go away makes me feel happy. So thank you for that!
And that’s just the foot thing!
I’ve been doing a lot of research recently and bought some selenium and magnesium yesterday, along with some ginseng to see if that helps at all in the meantime with the lack of energy. That’s my main problem; I now have a very active 2-and-a-half year old son, and just can’t keep up with him, let alone keep our house clean and make dinner, etc.
I had read some time ago that almost no one is deficient in Iodine in this country these days because of the amount of salt we eat; now I’m going to do the patch test and see for myself.
I’m excited to try all this, but am wondering, how soon can I expect to see results? Haha, I’m impatient…
Thanks for your time and for your experience!
Sarah
This was true of America years ago, but now there is an almost epidemic issue with iodine deficiency due to poor soil conditions, etc.
http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/iodine.htm
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread196741/pg1
http://www.tuberose.com/Iodine.html
I have been hypothyroid since 2003. I had been dealing with it through Synthroid and the like, and also used Armour for a while. I felt the best with Armour. But I still have to fight fatigue every single day, not to mention struggle with weight loss and all the other symptoms hypothroid holds. I had been at a constant dose, up until now. I started EV coconut oil back in October (2009, it is now Jan 2010). I started with ~1/2 Tbsp. Had a lot of diarhea and nausea. But boy did i actually clean out. I did back off a little. I now have 1Tbsp in my coffee in the morning…sometimes a little more. I am not having the diarhea/nausea as much. My goal is to get to 3 Tbsp, but that seems like it will be far off. Anyways, I had my blood checked about a month ago, 2.5 months after starting CO. I am very HYPERthroid now. I have moved down a dose and will get my blood checked again in about 6 weeks. I am still a little leary that CO is working so well, but I will find out March. I am very hopeful to cure my disease and start to have energy again. I am 32 and otherwise very healthy.
I took 4 days off of my thyroid medication and started to have great energy…no nap needed. When I started taking my medication, 2 days later, I was extremely exhausted, even worse today. I will be getting my blood tested on Monday because I cannot deal with being this tired. I will update as soon as I know the results. And by the way, I am not sure how everyone is measuring their coconut oil, but I am measuring with an actual measuring Tbsp, not a spoon and calling it tablespoon. If I were to measure by using a regular spoon, I would probably be closer to 2 Tbsp.
Update: I am actually in the “normal” range right now according to my blood work. My husband made a comment that ever since i switched from Armour to Levo, he has seen a huge decrease in my energy. I didn’t even link the 2! Darn FDA!
I have been doing a ton of research this weekend and will be starting supplements and changing eating habits. I have been reading about bromine in the foods we eat, primarily breads, pastas, pizza dough, etc. This is exactly what I eat all the time. Bromine (or was it Bromide, I don’t remember exactly) interferes with iodine. So in addition to eliminating these foods and sugar (oy, going to be hard) I am going to get a kelp supplement (iodine), Vitamin A, Omega-3. I have already been using Vitamin C and B-complex.
I am current day 6 off my levo and actually feeling a great deal of energy. I read somewhere that having these hormone replacements dumbs down your real hormone, thyroid…into atrophy. Does anyone have any information/research on this? I haven’t been on thyroid meds quite 5 years yet and even then have been on levo, then armour for 2.5 years, and back on to levo. i wish i could have my armour back though…but maybe not if it is going to make my thyroid atrophy.
Also, does anyone know how to start the “healing” process for your adrenals? Since I am more prone to the thyroid issue due to genetics, I think I really pressed my luck stressing in college a few years ago. But I really do believe my cells can heal.
Hi Jhopkins
I have been hypothyroid for nearly 15 years now and have been on Eltroxin. In May 2009, I read about coconut oil and started with 1 tbsp (proper measuring tbsp) and increased it to 3 tbsps a day. I too had diarrea in the beginning and noticed that I get it if I had the EVCO too close to my meals. I then started giving a gap of 20-30 minutes before or after food and that problem was solved.
I checked my thyroid in Oct 2009 and my medication was reduced fom 100 mcg to 75 mcg as the the thyroid had gotten better. I checked my thyroid again after 6 weeks but there was no further improvement and my dosage remained at 75 mcg. I skipped the EVCO when I went away for a week during Christmas vacation.
From the past 3 weeks I have been feeling heavier and have put on a big of weight, though I have not changed my eating habits. This makes me wonder if my thyroid has gone bad and if I need to go back on 100 mcg of Eltroxin. I have stopped the EVCO for the last couple of days but might just have 1-2 tbsp a day as that does give me the energy.
I wonder if all what is said about EVCO curing hypothyroid is actually a myth as, although it helped me in the beginning to reduce the medication, it didn’t help any further even when I continued to take 3 tbsp every day.
I would be doing the blood test again tomorrow for my hypothyroid and might have to go backt o 100 mcg.
What has been your experience with EVCO?
Hi DJ
Can you please elaborate on Kelp. What is it and how and how often do you take it. Do you not take any medication for thyroid?
The whole idea of being " within range" idea is old idea that no longer applies. Since most doctors got smart Many people are having the effects of hypothyroidism without being " within range". You can be on the verge of hypothyroidism and having full blown symptoms that can hospitalize you . I got smart and went to a Naturopathic doctor. I take 1 tsp organic virgin coconut oil harvested from fresh coconuts and lugols iodine and as is well!
Hi Sasha
Could you tell me how much of the Lugol's you take and what % it is? I want to get off of levo. My hair is falling out, weight gain, and I could sleep forever. Did you go to a naturopath after being on meds?
Jane, I suggest you read Bill Thompson's info re Lugol's iodine here. Also, there is a very helpful iodine workshop on Facebook you might find supportive.
Hypothyroidism is not a disease, it's a deficiency in the body. I have it and I certainly wouldn't call it that.
I realize this post is old but I was just wondering, what where your results with coconut oil? I am using CO for my hypothyroidism but now I am weary about continued use. I don't want to get worse. Thanks
This site is the latest in my search for more info related to iodine, hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's for me), and autoimmune disorders. Wow, can I relate to so many of these posts. My mom had pre-cancerous thyroid nodules and thyroidectomy; I was a very small for date baby that failed to thrive the first 6 weeks, until on a trip was given a needed 'boost' by a heat wave in Missouri. I did not gain any weight as an infant until that trip when I could use my food to grow rather than try to keep warm apparently. I was diagnosed hypothyroid in my 20s, could not tolerate Armour porcine thyroid, so was put on Synthroid. Struggled with weight soon as prescribed birth control pills to try to help with ovarian cysts. Painful and extremely heavy periods that interfered with my life from the age of 13 on. Now an entire constellation of autoimmune disorders and new diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. I've known for years that conventional medicine was not 'doing it' for me but have had to educate myself on how to best deal with this (probably genetically messed up) body. Maternal grandmother with pernicious anemia. Mom with persistent serious levels of anemia, fibroids, etc. In hindsight, I'm sure my mother had autoimmune disorders including psoriatic arthritis (as I, my daughter, and two grandchildren now also do). And yes, we all live or did live in the Midwest. I have begun Lugols' solution, dropped all sugar and grains for now–I cannot even eat fruit for the most part without my blood sugar raising too high. ACV 2 x a day. Fatigue is ruling my life and has been for decades; I'm looking forward to improving with my 'home-grown' treatments and greatly appreciate the first-hand accounts of others.
Modern medicine has saved my life several times in surgical emergencies but it sure has not addressed or helped my chronic sh..stuff. The one exception to that was a wonderful rheumatologist who gladly encouraged alternative medicine also; I live too far from her now to treat with her, but her own daughter is a naturopath (among other degrees). I have spent most of my adult life in health care so it's not like I didn't know my way around the system; it just did not work for my boatload of chronic issues and I didn't start feeling better until I began applying non-conventional therapies.
Taking supplements while on Synthroid
Hi, I am wondering if anybody has info on any issues of taking ACV or Turmeric while on Synthroid. I had my thyroid removed last year and wonder if it is OK to take these remedies or will it interfere with the meds.
Hi Sharon, I had my thyroid “fried” several years ago, started w/Synthroid, now take 200 mcg of Levothyroxine. I don’t ingest ACV consistently. When I did take it for a period of time, I saw no effect toward my med….I took it in the evening so as not to disturb the absorption – you know how you should avoid dairy for so many hours within taking the med, etc. – I haven’t found that any supplement I’ve ingested has affected the med, actually, and I’ve dabbled with St. John’s Wort, Maca, Cellfood and have just started with 15 drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 6 ounces of water. I take colloidal silver on occasion or echinacea to ward off a cold; sometimes ingest a sublingual B complex which seems to help when the corners of my mouth are dry and cracked….listen to your body and just stop if it feels wrong. Good Luck to You!
i take both ACV or Turmeric while on Synthroid. my levels continue to test fine and i have been on this regimine for two years. hope this helps.
I have been taking 3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil since around May 2009. After 5 months of taking that, my body wasn’t feeling too right and so I got my thyroid checked and was happy that my thyroid prescription was reduced from 100 mcg to 75 mcg Eltroxin. Six weeks after that test and contination of around 3 tbsp a day of EVCO, I got my thyroid tested again, but it had not become any better and I continue to take 75 mcg of Eltroxin and around 3 tbsp of EVCO.
How long does it take for a 2nd round of reduction in prescription after continuing to take the EVCO? I have not gone for another thyroid test since mid November 2009.
Will EVCO be able to cure my hypothyroid (of 14 years) completely so that I would not need to take any medication?
Thanks for responses.
How were you taking the CO? I find if I put it in tea, I can’t drink it. It’s too oily. Have any suggestions? Thanks
I have the same problem, VCO in the tea is too oily for too. I often just use more in the dishes I cook or else drink it in a little drink I make with hot water, molasses, a bit of cider vinegar or lemon juice, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Or else maybe you could try to put a bit in your mouth and then wash it away with the hot tea. Some people here say that it is quite nice in the coffee but I don’t drink coffee at all or else I would stop sleeping.
You might try using coconut oil as a spread on a sandwich or toast instead of butter. I like it in a sandwich with peanut butter. You can also add a tablespoon of CO to hot cereal, such as oatmeal. It gives a good flavor to some fried foods, such as croutons, french toast, etc.
Organic coconut oil tastes delicious – it has a rich, buttery flavour. Why don’t you try a spoonful over cereal? Or even rice or pasta? My mother, who grew up in Kerala, India, uses it to cook and so do I. I have a tsp of OVCO first thing in the morning with turmeric, cayenne pepper and some honey. I also add lecithin granules and drink a warm glass of water. It has taken the place of my morning chai!
I put it in my smoothies twice a day.
Hi to Francisca; regarding the oily taste from your CO, have you tried using an immersion blender to mix it into your tea? I have done that and it tastes fabulous, like a creamy latte or chia. Bon appetite’
Tootsie
Coconut Oil / Hypothyroid
Upon diagnosis of hypothyroism, doctor proscribed Synthroid. Research (here) indicated cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil as a treatment. I began taking EVCO regularly, melted on toast with jam, liquefied into granola with yogurt, etc., dosage 2-3 tablespoons daily. Improvement was marked, within a month I had renewed energy, restored digestive function and began losing weight. I did experience what I can only describe as minor heart palpitations around this time, but was unconcerned as they felt like bursts of energy.
After 10 months I am still sensitive to cold. Raynaud’s like symptoms are minimal in comparison to a year ago and improve quickly if I take care to keep warm. I continue to use EVCO as a regular part of my diet. There are some nice side effects to EVCO: my athlete’s foot is completely gone, as is a brown mole on my arm.
I am so happy to have tried iodine/iodide for my hypothyroidism. I have had this problem since 1947 with little results with medications. Since I am older, the doctors will only go by what the test shows and I have been suffering. I remembered what my sister took after she had a goiter out 60/70 years ago and decided to try it. I looked on the computer and found some favorable information. I then called my Natural Doctor and he told me they had the product in capsule form and a suppurt product as well. I have been on the formula for about 3 months and my doctor is pleased. I take 12.5 mg daily. I also take 1,000 mcg of Vitamin B12. I also have medicine for diabetes. I am 86 years old and still do all my chores.
Hi Lisa: I have to say I really do enjoy reading yr posts. Keep them coming!! I noticed you mentioned in
one of yr posts that Maca is really helpful to menopausal women especially. Do you think it can correct a hypothyroid condition with long term use? Ihave read many good reviews on this product and would love to try it. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid a few months ago and I am hoping Maca can help. Please advice. Thank you so much.
Hi Loren, I’m glad you find my posts of use. I think that Maca would be a wonderful choice for you as I have noticed that many of your posts have to do with thyroid, menopausal and adrenal issues. This is a superfood that addresses all of these. I would also encourage you to read up on others like raw cacao, goji berries, medicinal mushrooms- there are some amazing superfoods on this planet that are given to us by Mother Nature we need only do the research. I know I’ve said this before but you should listen to David Wolfe speak on youtube and other forums as he is quite brilliant in his research and knowledge- an absolute wealth of information and much of it doctors will not tell you or don’t even know themselves or would poo-poo the info anyway. He has given me some amazing keys to my own healing such as the negative effects of calcium in the body and the damage it is doing to everyone. I can’t believe how much is changing for myself. I love it! At any rate, don’t become overwhelmed and maca would be a wonderful start. I wish you the best! Lisa
Hi Lisa: Thanks for yr prompt response. I’ll try the Maca, and let you know if it works. Also, I’ll check out those
websites you mentioned. Thks again
I’m a certified Holistic Health Coach. I had previously used Maca when I was 40 because I was experiencing hormonal fluxuation. I wanted to mention that I had to stop because it was making me estrogen dominant. After stopping my estrogen dominant symptoms went away. I was hoping that it would have increased my progesterone.
Sonja…. What were your/are “estrogen dominant symptoms”? Thanks in advance.
Side effect reported
adrenal/hypothyroidism: I also tried iodine and dhea both gave me bad side-effects.
Dear Eileen:
It sounds like you had an experience like mine with the DHEA. I have a wonderful naturopath who has a relationship with a MD where we can obtain bloodwork. The reason I say this is that I have hypothyroidism and very low adrenal function. My naturopath put me on DHEA 25mg/day and I blew up like a pufferfish. I gained 10 lb in one month and it felt like my skin was stretching. We got new bloodwork only to discover I had elevated estrogen levels! I looked like a women on birthcontrol pills in the 50’s. The DHEA caused this. unfortunaltely taking DHEA did not increase my DHEA levels in y body only my estrogen levels.
The iodine on the other hand is life itself. studies have shown that 10 drops of lugals solution is enough to prevent breast cancer. there is an e book out there called Iodine “secrets of the sea”. It shows all the uses of Iodine that doctors pre 1946(a faulty bias study) used it for. It was even the agent that made bread fluffy. Now they use bromine,which is very harmful to us.
I wonder if it is the DHEA not the iodine that gave you side effects. Really the only side effects that could happen with too much iodine is hyperthyroid symptoms, them one could simply cut back.
For improving my thyroid the only thing that worked was T3 therapy. I take the iodine to relieve pain in my breast and to prevent breast cancer. It was certainly not enough to fix the hypothyroidism. As my temperature is comming up I can sleep again. Life is very rough for me when my thyroid is not functioning well. My naturopath is treating me for wilsons syndrome with the T3 and it is the only thing that has helped my thyroid. Trust me I have tried EVERYTHING else!
Hope this helps.
After reading about various “cures” and improvements of thyroid-related conditions through the use of various supplements, I’m left wondering if everyone can achieve these results. My mother had most of her thyroid removed as a teenager and has been on a synthetic replacement ever since. My brother and I have hypothyroidism as well. Can hereditary thyroid issues require someone to be on hormone replacement for life? Am I predisposed to an under-active thyroid gland no matter what supplements I use? Is it a waste of time for me to look for alternative cures?
You might try taking 1 tbspn of coconut oil 5-6 times a day. Try spreading it on toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Or cooking with it as long as you get the full amount for the day you should see some excellent progress. Also, the thyroid needs kelp because of the iodine content especially, but the iodine is best absorbed in a natural form such as kelp because it is bound with a balance of many other minerals. This will help heal and regulate your thyroid and keep it operating at its best for the rest of your life if you are consistent in taking it. Take about 2 tsp per day intially and after a week or two lower the amount to 1.5 tsp per day for another week or two and then lower it again to 1 tsp per day. Go by how you are feeling. Try taking it with a freshly squeezed lemon with a glass of water mixed with a few drops of stevia. Stevia is the only natural sweetener that I would recommend taking.
The combination of these recommendations will work if you give them a chance and are consistent.
Hi, I need help! I just got test results back that indicate hypothyroidism. I have my first Dr. appt on Friday morning with an endocrinologist. I need to know what questions I should ask. I don’t want to just go in there and take everything she wants to prescribe to me. It’s at Vanderbilt Medical, so I know they are good docs, but I’m all about not taking medicine and being natural, so I need to be armed with good information. Any help?!
Hi Trisha-bo-bisha (like the name game! ) – Have you checked out Mary Shomon’s Web site (http://thyroid.about.com/)? She has a lot of information for those newly diagnosed (Basic Info/Thyroid 101), as well as those who have been struggling for years. It’s a good place to start. Also, you may want to check out your local library – there have been quite a few good books written recently about hypothyroidism. Good luck!
To those people having problems with some of the treatments for hypothyroidism you should really seek the diagnosis from a Professional Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor only. These can give you the specifics for your condition. If you’re taking something heating but you have dramatic heat in the body you can cause negative effects. Same as if you have high levels of raising Qi and your eyes are bulging you cannot take foods or herbs which raise the Qi further you want to use the opposite. You’ll only find these details out from a good Chinese Doctor.
Thyroid problems are very much tied to the Kidneys and Spleen which drag down the Liver, Lungs and Heart eventually. You need to know your Qi issues overall and with individual organs along with hot/cold problems in organs so you can tackle this correctly and properly. If you want to aid your Kidneys and have a Yin deficiency there then you should take black Sesame seed cooked daily. The Chinese system and diet is the only way to properly address your problems. I’ve found Chrysanthemum flower excellent for my symptoms which involved a lack of Yang Qi at the Kidney and too much in the Lungs creating breathing problems and hell to be honest. This wonderful flower really helps the heat in the Lungs and excess heat in the Liver which will soon affect the eyes if not dealt with. Again Chinese medicine is the only way to go properly and safely.
That is really great information. I never understood the serving of chrysanthemum tea at Chinese restaurants (instead of normal chinese green tea) until now. I would love to see a whole section on EC to do with Qi and what we can do to help it.
Hi EC: I am hoping someone can help me out here. I recently read several articles strongly cautioning anyone who is hypothyroid with elevated antibodies to stay away from iodine. I am very nervous now cause i fall in that category and i am currently on lugols (4drops) daily. Would anyone know if this is true or not ? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Ec for always being there for us. God bless!!!!
Loren, I talked to a Pharmacist who is into natural healing when he did a talk on thyroid last week. He said Lugols was o.k. but too much iodine can actually shut the thyroid down and he preferred to see people take Kelp, Dulse or some other source of iodine from food sources. He told me 1 drop of Lugols a day. I happened to have taken two that day and I got really flushed. The Lugols is the only thing I can think of that would do that to me.
Thank you Janice/Sharik for all yr help. Will follow yr advice and see what would be the outcome. Thanks again Ec. You guys are the best!!!!!
I truly wish I could go back in time when the hypothyroid was finally diagnosed and simply gotten a hold of some lugols or iodoral and started. Taking these synthroid, levoxyls whatever, has never ever made me feel better and I believe these synthetics simply put the thyroid into hibernation.
Iodine was the cure for both hyper/hypo and all this cautioning and hype /anti-iodine therapy has not helped the majority of those out here with thyroid irregularities. and this IS SIMPLY my humble opinion and you better believe THAT I AM sick and tired OF BEING sick and tired/
Will start the iodine and get through the inevitable detox symptoms etc and write back in a month. Do I have hasimoto’s? I don’t know and really don’t care.
Funny, they’re NOT concerned about synthroid stimulating more antibodies etc but with an organic substance that IS REQUIRED by the human body they ARE sooooooo cautious and condemning.
Hi Saoirse, I agree that the synthetic thyroid drugs only supply T4 when our bodies need T3, T4 and other compounds found in natural thyroid. The synthetic T4 must be converted by the body into T3, and for some, this is difficult or impossible for some reason. I have recently been diagnosed with hypo and also take iodine, with the other suggested supplements that go with iodine. However, from what I have been able to read, untreated hypo has many serious and far ranging problems, like arteriotherosis, high cholesterol, and other things nobody wants. You can still take iodine with a natural thyroid drug and treat your thyroid so that you feel better. Adrenal issues can also complicate the issue. I’m just now learning about this, but I’m not sure about stopping your meds suddenly because they may not have been right for you. Maybe Ted or Bill will clarify this for both of us? I hope you feel better soon.
Hi everyone:
Does anyone know what causes the puffiness on face/hands etc in hypothyroid patients? Since my diagnosis recently, i have noticed that my hands especially are really puffy. Its really kinda scary. Thanks everyone for an early reply.
Hi, Loren.
The thyroid is an integral part of your endocrine system which includes the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroids, thymus, adrenal, pancreas, and ovaries. When one goes, they all act up. It takes a while for the synthetic hormone to work as you must find the level your body needs. Meanwhile, keep your DR. posted as to symptoms, for as you can see, this is not something to ignore. But don’t be frightened about the hands. It’s uncomfortable and unsightly, but it will pass as your body starts to use the synthetic hormone. I suggested the time-honored ACV in apple juice to balance the pH in your body until the pills kick in. This can take anywhere from two to six weeks. The reason I know all this: I have Hashimoto’s disease (it runs in the family) so I’ve been through it all.
Good luck to you, but remember to keep your MD posted as to your progress.
Namaste, Shar
This message is for Sharik from California: Thank you very much for yr response. I will definitely let my doc know of this when I see her. I do have a question though – I had read somewhere on earth clinic that acv depletes the body of iodine. I was using it but when I read this, I stopped immediately. Have you ever heard of this? If so, any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks again for yr response.
Hi Loren – I’m not Sharik but I did read the following about apple cider vinegar and iodine. On a Lugol’s iodine bottle featured on the Web, they actually advise you to take one drop of Lugol’s in a glass of water with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar added to enhance the uptake of iodine. So it seems that taking apple cider vinegar when you have thyroid issues would be beneficial. Good luck!
From what I’ve read apple cider vinegar will boost whatever you take with it. Please do some research before you start taking iodine. As to how long to take it and how much. If you take it too long your thyroid counts will rocket. I should know mine went so high they stopped testing it. But I swear by apple cider and iodine. People are clueless when it comes to thyroid and how important iodine is to it. I had severe allergies, don’t know if it was the ACV or iodine or combination of both but I am cured! My allergies are non-existant.
Thanks a lot Bessie for your feedback. I really do appreciate it.
To Loren from Queens:
I have never had that problem, but then I eat iodized salt as well as kelp, so I do get plenty of iodine. Since it’s measured in mcg.s (micrograms) it doesn’t take much. I drink ACV almost every day for pain (arthritis and Rheumatism) and haven’t noticed any problem in 33 years of dealing with hypothyroidism but then we aren’t cut out with cookie cutters, and not all people are the same. The person to ask is your pharmacist. I cultivate mine like a garden as he knows all sorts of marvelous stuff that my Dr. never heard of!
Having done a little research, I found this:
“Some foods block the uptake of iodine into the thyroid gland when eaten raw in large amounts. These include Brussels spouts (raw?!?!), cabbage, cauliflower, kale, peaches, pears, spinach, and turnips. If you have an underactive thyroid, you should limit your consumption of these foods.” ‘Prescription for Nutritional Healing’ by Phyllis a Balch, CNC
I did not know this! And I do love my salads and slaws (I grow my own organic stuff). Learn something every day…..
Peace, sharik
To Janice from Mi: Thank you so much for yr response. I really do appreciate it. I do have one question though – what brand of Kelp do you use? I purchased one a few days ago but refrained from using it because it says on the bottle that there are some sonstituents in the kelp that contains carcinogens. Well when I checked the meaning of carcinogen I figured I better off not using it. Any feedback will be appreciated.
Kelp is seaweed. I always buy organic (expensive, true) but pure. You may have gotten hold of supplies from countries not always trustworthy in their manufacturing techniques. I buy the powdered form, use it in soups and stews, or if I need a real clean-out, I make my own capsules using 0 or 00 veggie capsules I buy from my herbal store or online. I also have a friend who has a resale license (wholesale) and occasionally I’ll help her fill out a minimum order. I use a lot of herbs and spices for health and buying wholesale saves me a lot of money. Do you have an herb store or health food store in your area? They would be the best place to find the pure stuff.
Peace, Sharik
Loren, we are not allowed to mention name brands. I have taken several different brands. Just try to find a plain Kelp. There are quite a few out there. The one I’m taking has 150 mcg of Natural Iodine from Kelp. I usually take two a day. One after breakfast and one with either lunch or dinner. On the bottle, it just says Kelp. Another thing I have done is mix my pepper shaker with pepper and kelp powder. That way when I put pepper on my food, I’m getting some extra Kelp. I hope that helps.
I have hypothyroid and am taking Amour thyroid. I still have a lot of symptoms like cold hands and feet, low temp, being tired and depressed some times. I just received my order of liquid Iodine. I have read so many good reports about it, but I am kind of confused as to how long I should take it. It seems to be good for so many other things. Can this be taken as a daily supplement or can you get too much? I hope someone can clear this up for me. Thanks so much
There are alot of great benefits from daily iodine. From everything I have read and believe me I have looked into this subject extrenuously. There are a small number of people who should be careful with it. I would start small. With just a drop per day. See how you handle it. Then go up every week or two until you hit about 50 mg per day. Take this dosage for about 3 months to get the flouride, bromide, and chlorine detoxed from your thyroid and system. Then you should be able to drop back down to about 12.5 mg per day. I have read many articles saying that this is a good maintanance dosage. You could also take the 12.5 mg daily but I have read that it would take at least a year at this dosage to detox the halides from your system which in the long run is what will make your thyroid start to heal and regulate itself (hopefully).
Have had underactive thyroid for at least a year, I suspect a lot longer as I was forever getting infections and feeling bad before. I take 100 mg of iodine each day, have read that you should not take it at all, now taking 25 of the synthetic thyroid from doctor each day, this is third day.
The first day I took it I felt so much better half an hour later! It was fantastic. But yesterday when I took it it seemed to have little or no effect.
Please do not suggest I go to the doctor and get total results of rests, in England it does not work that way. Here they just tell you that the blood test says you are under, end of discussion. And I cannot afford to go privately.
I eat a reasonable diet but am not obsessed and boring about it. I have little sugar or salt.
For a long time I have stuggled to want to do anything, or have any energy, have poor memory and concentration, headaches, ears kept getting filled, nose, which are all symptoms I know.
I cannot afford to take lots of different things.
You can respond to me at my email address at rychhmo at aol dot com.
C: If Iodine/Iodide alone doesn't correct the problem you will need to also use Coconut Oil on foods or cook with it AND supplement the amino acid Tyrosine. This combination should reduce your need for synthetic hormones as prescribed by Dr so you must go back a few weeks later and have another T-Panel done to adjust the meds.
The Thyroid can also get infected w/ some type pathogen or heavy metal. Selenium helps T against heavy metal toxicity. Much of England has relatively high or sometimes dangerously high Selenium in water & food supply so you may not need to take any Selenium.
Zinc/Elderberry throat lozenges are also very helpful for Thyroid conditions where there is infection or general free radical stress.
hypothyroidism…
Question:
Been trying ACV [apple cider vinegar] and VCO [virgin coconut oil] for my hypothyroidism of 18 years. Am feeling some changes, but am concerned about taking the VCO 3 times a day. A tablespoon has 120 calories and sometimes I take it warmed in rice milk-a cup would have 9 calories. That’s 210 calories. At the minimum 3-4 tablespoons a day I’d be taking 360-480 in in calories of VCO. With the rice milk even more. I’m 59 and that would take up at least a third of my daily calories to maintain my weight. Gonna make my range of food intake extremely limited, I’m afraid.
After the ACV and VCO reduce the need for meds, do you need to maintain the same dosage of ACV and VCO to stay hypothyroidism free?
Most weight loss experts these days don’t recommend calorie counting because all calories are not created equal. A glass of vegetable juice might have more calories than a ‘0 calorie’ diet drink, but the juice is full of vitamins, minerals and other great things, while the diet drink is junk in a bottle.
VCO is a good example of this. It’s crammed with medium chain triglycerides (about 60%). MCTs aren’t stored as fat. They are converted to ketones that your cells can burn instead of sugar. MCT’s are being researched as a treatment for Alzheimer’s for this reason.
For hypothyroidism iodine is the thing-along with removing things that inhibit thyroid function from your diet. Fluoride, chlorine and bromines are big culprits. Soy and raw cruciferous veges like broccoli and cauliflower can also cause problems. Check the iodine section here for instructions on how to do an iodine patch test and see if supplementing helps.
Hey Guys,
I am a newbie to this site and happy to see so many people sharing their experiences. I am 27 yrs old and have been on thyroid medication for a year now. Although this disease has messed up my life – body and mind.. The doctors I have met seem quite unconcerned with the problems I am facing. From being an extremely active girl, I have become the laziest and tiredest of all. I have put on 20Kgs in last one year and look extremely puffy. Nothing interests me and at times I feel detached to my loved ones. I don’t understand why! I have asked many doctors about it… but all they do is get my blood test done and then change my medication amount accordingly.
Looking for alternatives is how I found this site and hope that it may help me to cure or at least cpe with the situation. I have started with EVCO – cold pressed today. My stomach is not taking it well right now, but I am feeling much more energetic ( I might be just imagining it! ). Anyhow, I am feeling happy enough to enroll for swimming – used to be my passion in college.
Hoping for the best!