Dietary supplements and herbal remedies for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Dietary supplements and herbal remedies for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

If you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and are thinking about using natural treatment methods, then there is an excellent chance that you will consider taking nutritional supplements and/or herbal remedies to get your health back to normal. While taking the right supplements can help with Hashimoto's, self-treating this serious autoimmune thyroid disease can be both difficult and risky.

I have consulted with patients who thought they could go to their local health food store and purchase a “thyroid support” formula or immune system boosting supplement, thinking that these types of supplements would provide the cure for their condition. The truth is that most natural products people buy to treat diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis don't do much to restore their health. While these supplements can sometimes provide temporary relief from their symptoms, in most cases it takes more than just supplements to fully restore a person's health. And of course, for some people with this condition, it may not be possible to fully restore their health through natural treatment methods (although that doesn't mean they still can't benefit from a natural treatment protocol).

When choosing supplements for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, you need to keep in mind that you are not only trying to restore the function of your thyroid, but just as importantly, boost your immune system. And in most cases, the adrenal glands and/or other areas of the body are also affected. In fact, many healthcare professionals, including myself, agree that it is more important to focus on strengthening the immune system before treating the thyroid directly. One reason for this is that a weakened immune system is a big reason why many people develop Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the first place.

Supplements to support the immune system

Supplements that may boost the immune system of people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis include echinacea, selenium, and astragalus. Of course, you should first consult a competent doctor to determine which of them you should take, as well as the correct dosage. Before purchasing supplements, remember that quality is extremely important. This does not necessarily mean that you have to buy the most expensive supplements, but you must keep in mind that most supplements sold in retail stores, over the Internet, and even in many health food stores are of low quality. And if they aren't high-quality supplements, your body probably won't absorb them properly, which of course means you won't get the optimal benefit from taking them.

So what's wrong with taking an immune support formula from your local health food store to boost your immune system? Now, if you can find a quality immune system support formula then that's great, but on top of all the inferior ones out there, remember that it's extremely difficult to find a single "natural pill" that can do great work on boosting your immune system. It's one thing to take a "wellness formula" to temporarily boost your immune system and reduce your chances of getting a cold or flu. It's another thing entirely to expect an immune system support formula to effectively combat an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

It is also important to know that strengthening the immune system usually requires more than just taking nutritional supplements. Here are five rules to follow to strengthen your immune system and maintain the health of other areas of the body:

Rule #1: Eat healthy most of the time.

Rule #2: Take quality supplements.

Rule #3: Get at least 8 hours of good sleep every night

Rule #4: Manage stress effectively

Rule #5: Exercise regularly

If you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and do these five things consistently, you will strengthen your immune system over time, which will help with your recovery. In addition, this will also help prevent the development of other autoimmune diseases in the future, which is very common in people with Hashimoto's. The reason for this is that most people simply take synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of their lives and never address the immune system component. So if you focus on strengthening your immune system, in addition to restoring your thyroid function, you're much more likely to stay healthy in the future.

Get your adrenal glands checked

In addition to focusing on the immune system component, you should also have your adrenal glands tested, as many people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis have adrenal problems. And just like the immune system, adrenal function must also be regulated before direct treatment of the thyroid can occur. If you try to treat the thyroid before boosting the immune system and balancing the adrenal glands, the treatment won't be nearly as effective.

Often these problems that I have talked about so far can be solved by following the five rules listed above, as a healthy and regular diet helps regulate your blood sugar levels and this in turn may be necessary to enforce rule number 3, which includes: Quality sleep every night. Overall, the main key in treating the adrenal glands is to regulate blood sugar levels. And the two best ways to do this are 1) get rid of sweet cravings and 2) avoid going long periods of time without eating.

Adrenal gland treatment supplements

As far as supplements that can help with the adrenal gland, an important one is called Gymnema, which can help stop any sweet and carbohydrate cravings you may have. You also need to manage the stress in your life, and although this requires some lifestyle changes, Eleuthero, also called Siberian Ginseng, is an herb that can help with chronic stress. Again, please consult a competent physician to determine the proper dosage of these supplements.

In addition to the immune system and adrenal glands, other areas of the body can also be the cause of the problem. Although it is important to target the immune system and adrenal glands, this may not be enough to restore your health. Some people have problems with their gastrointestinal tract that are the underlying cause of their condition. Others have hormonal imbalances that need to be addressed. For this reason, it is a good idea to consult a natural endocrine doctor, as a competent doctor will examine other areas of the body and not just the thyroid.

Thyroid Support Supplements

Speaking of your thyroid, there are supplements you can take to support its function. Many people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis have an iodine deficiency. However, someone with Hashimoto's should NOT take iodine until both the immune system and adrenal components are treated. If taken immediately, iodine can do more harm than good, and this is one reason why many healthcare professionals advise someone with Hashimoto's thyroiditis to avoid iodine altogether. So iodine may be essential for a person with a deficiency, but timing is extremely important when it comes to Hashimoto's.

While there are other supplements and herbs that can support the thyroid, such as ashwaganda and bladderwrack, the fact remains that the thyroid is usually not directly affected in Hashimoto's. In other words, if you're addressing the root cause of the autoimmune disease, it's often okay to give the thyroid minimal nutritional support. So there's usually no good reason to take a lot of supplements that are aimed directly at restoring thyroid function. By cleansing other areas of the body and then nourishing the thyroid, this gland will often return to functioning at normal levels.

Of course, this assumes that full health recovery is possible, as in some cases this is not possible. For example, someone who has had their thyroid completely removed will likely need to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormones for the rest of their life. On the other hand, this does not mean that they should not consider natural treatments to strengthen their immune system, restore the function of their adrenal glands, correct hormonal imbalance, etc.

In summary, taking nutritional supplements and herbal remedies can help in most cases. But just because they are “natural” doesn’t mean they don’t pose risks, which is why you should never self-medicate and instead consult a professional. Since everyone is different, it makes sense that some people need to take different supplements and herbs and of course not everyone needs to take the same dosage.

Although supplements and herbal remedies can help many people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, taking supplements and herbs alone will not restore your health. To achieve this, you need to change your eating habits, exercise regularly, get good sleep every night, and manage the stress in your life. As you can see, restoring your health is definitely not easy, but most of the time it is possible. But the person with this condition must be willing to make these changes in their life. If you are ready to make these changes and want to see if you are a candidate for a natural treatment protocol, you should see a natural endocrine doctor. It could very well be the smartest decision you make this year.

Inspired by Dr. Eric Osansky