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| Reference #: | 1,351 |
| Submit Date: | 05 Nov 2007 |
| Browse Category: | thyroid |
| Author: | none |
| Email Address: | wsotr@hotmail.com |
| Treatment used: | none |
| You can buy this remedy at: | free |
| Remedy will cost you: | unknown |
| Country of Remedy: | USA |
| Remedy Source: | Waters Singing on the Rocks |
| More Links about this Remedy: | none |
| # Comments posted to this remedy: | 0 |
| Complaints Reported: | 0 |
| # of times remedy read: | 77,390 |
| Dosage Info: | |
| Typical Dosage: | unknown |
| Dosage should be related to weight: | unknown |
| Dosages used in clinical trials are significant: | unknown |
| Maximum dosages in relation to side effects and serious side effects: | unknown |
| Other foods/nutrients/medications that can affect absorption or utilization: | unknown |
| Foods that provide the nutrient recommended as a remedy (or reference giving same): | unknown |
| Ratings: | |
| Total # reviewers: | 0 |
| Average Rating: | 0.00 |
| Effectiveness: | 0.00 |
| No Side Effects: | 0.00 |
| Ease of Use: | 0.00 |
| Effective after long term use: | 0.00 |
| Cost Effectiveness: | 0.00 |
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For a consultation and research contact Waters-singing-on-the-rocks at wsotr@hotmail.com
Low thyroid function is characterized by "low body temperature, cold feet, lack of energy, fatigue and sometimes brittle nails, dry hair and/or lack of mental clarity. At home tests: Shake down thermometer before retiring, upon awakening take you temp, either the arm (10 min) or in the mouth. Temperature below 97.8 for three consecutive days and the symptoms above is an excellent indication of hypothyroidism. (Further on in this article I go into more detail about this home test which is extremely if not totally accurate.) Did you know that while soy foods like tofu, tempeh and soymilk stimulate thyroid function, other foods have a tendency to lower thyroid function and should be avoided by those with under-active thyroids...these foods to be avoided include, believe it or not, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cress, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, turnips and mustard greens, peaches and pears. Foods to eat with hypothyroid conditions include: molasses, egg yolks, parsley, apricots, dates and prunes, fish or chicken and RAW milk and cheeses.. Avoid white flour and sugar and processed or refined foods. Avoid fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water and chlorinated water ... these and iodine are chemically similar and they both block receptors in the thyroid gland, which results in reduced iodine-containing hormone production and finally in hypothyroidism... avoid sulfa drugs and antihistamines also. If a doc wants you to take levothyroxine to treat your thyroid you need to know that it causes nearly a 15% loss in your bones! Kelp is a sea veggie that contains enough iodine to help hypo thyroid conditions in that it will support the thyroid function. Remember that NONE of this is instead of seeing a physician or homeopath... it is to be discussed with them and experimented with while they are monitoring your condition (or your child's in this case)...the b vitamins are important (and you may need to supplement with intestinal bacteria -lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus as well as digestive enzymes...you almost certainly need to supplement with the essential fatty acids - omega 3 and 6 from fish or flax or evening primrose or borage oil or a combination...used alternatively so as not to overdo any one kind, these essential fatty acids which are not produced in our bodies but must come from our diet and which, according to the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, probably 90% of all Americans are deficient in, help inhibit tissue breakdown and provide the Unsaturated fatty acids necessary for tissue repair...you need extra zinc, but take this separately from foods and other supplements...30-50mg daily for an adult... ask your doc re: kids...do NOT take vitamin e or if you do, keep at 200-300IU daily... Most nutrition-minded docs of medicine or chiropractic will prescribe Armour glandulars for you and there are other non-prescription glandulars on the market worth considering...the 3 best companies I know of that produce these are: Progressive Labs (Nutri-Dyn products), CPB Inc. (Sivad Products) and Enzymatic Therapy Inc...The numbers are respectively: 800-527-9512, 800- 221-1943 and 800-558-7372. There are 2 reasons many people do not get adequate treatment. 1- The usual thyroid blood tests often are read as normal even though, clinically a person seems hypothyroid. There seems to be a large range of normal. Very frequently a trial of 32 or 65 mg of Armour thyroid for a month will give real improvement. 2- The usual hypothyroid treatment is synthroid or levoxyl; both are T4 which the body is supposed to change into the active form T3. However, sometimes the conversion doesn't take place. Thus the thyroid cannot function normally even though synthroid or levoxyl are being given. The reason the Armour thyroid works is because it is a mix of T3 and T4. One product called Thytrophin and made by Standard Process Labs can often be used instead of thyroid hormones - 3 tablets is about equal to one grain of Armour but should be used in conjunction with a water-soluble iodine product. The thyroid self-test I discussed can be used to help determine how much of these glandulars to use... according to Dr James Balch's Prescription for Nutritional Healing, if your regular morning basal temp (underarm) is 96 you would take 3-4 grains of Armour thyroid extract, if 97 you would take 1-2 grains... he also recommends L-tyrosine (amino acid) at 500mg twice daily on an empty stomach because low blood levels have been associated with a hypothyroid condition. From Dr. David Williams'' Alternatives. vol 8 #5 - Nov., 1999 "Hypothyroidism has been linked to dozens of serious health problems, from heart disease and poor circulation to depression and low libido. Yet the medical establishment continues to overlook the problem, opting to mask its many complex symptoms with dangerous drugs." Common effects of an under-producing thyroid gland include heart disease, increased susceptibility to infection, depression and mental confusion, sexual dysfunction. Common causes of hypothyroidism - iodine deficiency, selenium deficiency, estrogen-like compound pollution. Heart disease is the #1 killer in the u.s. diets high in fried foods and sugar, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity are all established risk factors for heart disease. High blood levels of homocysteine has been identified over the past decade as another risk factor "that seems to be even more telling than diet and lifestyle". Homocysteine is created when the amino acid methionine, found in red meat, milk and dairy products, is broken down in the body. It is in turn broken down with the help of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. In the 1992 Physicians' Health Study men with very high homocysteine levels had a heart attack risk 3X that of men with normal levels. elevated levels indicated increased risk even in men who had no other cardiovascular risk factors. Lowering homocysteine levels thru an increase in the intake of the above B vitamins may be masking a more serious underlying problem, the one that is causing the elevated levels of homocysteine in the first place - an under-active thyroid. Research at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio (Ann Intern Med 99;131(5):348-51) proved that "correcting an under-active thyroid gland normalizes elevated homocysteine levels in the blood.without having to administer any of the B vitamins." Correcting a thyroid problem in turn corrected the vitamin deficiency. In 1976 Dr Broda Barnes wrote "Solved: The Riddle of Heart Attacks" in which he reported research and clinical experience showing that heart disease was caused by hypothyroidism. Studies in the early 1900s and since have shown strong relationship between thyroid activity and fat metabolism - blood-fat levels such as cholesterol and triglycerides increase with an under-active thyroid and decrease with an overactive thyroid. Circulation problems cause some of the "less dramatic complaints of hypothyroid sufferers, including dry flaky, or cracked skin and chronically cold hands and feet. the skin may receive as little as 20 to 40% of its normal blood supply.interfering with the delivery of various essential fatty acids and nutrients. Once the thyroid is back to normal, skin softness, suppleness and health return to normal as well. Immune system: Hormones produced by the thyroid help regulate the metabolic rate within each cell and directly influence over 100 different cellular enzymes. When the thyroid is under-active, one becomes more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. especially those of the urinary and respiratory tracts. Sinus problems, asthma, middle ear infections, sore throats, tonsillitis, pneumonia and many respiratory problems are all good examples and these have increased exponentially among the general public at about the same rate as has thyroid function, according to Dr. Williams. Kidney dysfunction and failure is often linked to chronic infections of the urinary tract that were originally due to an under-active thyroid, he writes. And "all the immune-boosting supplements in the world won't help if the thyroid isn't functioning properly." Depression and mental confusion: "the drugs currently being used to treat its symptoms [hypo- thyroidism] are making matters infinitely worse." Depression and outbursts of violence (self- directed or directed outwards) are two of the most common side effects of hypothyroidism, often treated with drugs such as Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, Serzone and Zoloft. all designed to alter brain chemistry. "Prozac: Panacea or Pandora?" by Dr Ann Tracy (Cassia Publications - 800-280- 0730) discusses the connection between use of such psychotropic drugs and the wave of "seemingly unexplainable violence we've been seeing over the last few years". She has linked dozens of cases of shooting incidents such as school shootings in Littleton Colorado and Atlanta Georgia, with the use of prescription antidepressants. "The increase in the misguided use of antidepressant drugs," writes Dr. Williams, "to combat the symptoms of hypothyroidism has paralleled an alarming increase in violent behavior.no one contributes more campaign money or has more political influence than the pharmaceutical industry, and you can bet that the drug companies don't want this information going public." Energy levels, sexual dysfunction etc: Dr Williams believes that the logical starting point for treating conditions now approached via these mind-altering drugs would be to check for and treat hypothyroidism. Low energy and fatigue are also often corrected in the same manner. And "normal sexual function requires normal thyroid function. In males, too little thyroid function depresses libido, while too much causes impotence. In females, too little. depresses libido and results in irregular periods with excessive and frequent menstrual bleeding.Too much can reduce menstrual bleeding and even stop the menstrual cycle." Some symptoms often associated with hypothyroidism - Memory loss Pot belly type weight gain Morning headaches and vertigo Tinnitus Allergies Hair loss High serum cholesterol or triglycerides High blood pressure Atherosclerosis Bowel changes Muscular sluggishness & weakness Baggy eyes Puffy, swollen face or body (fluid retention) Pain where the ribs meet the sternum and Decreased heart rate and cardiac output. Dr Williams traces many of the above to Mucopolysaccharides - a normal body structureal component that accumulates abnormally on the cellular level in cases of low thyroid function. Mucopolysaccharide accumulation manifests as swollen tissues and fluid pressures within the body often resulting in, for example, migraine headaches temporary relief for which can often be found by loosening or removing all clothing and bed rest. Ultimately attention to the thyroid will correct and prevent these problems. The American farm soil is deficient in many minerals in the 20th Century. including iodine and selenium. (Jrnl Clinical Endocrin and Metab 98;88:3401-3408 and Biol Trace Elem Res 96; 51(1):31-41 and Clin Sci 95;89(6):637-42, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Various articles in Organic Gardening Magazine over the years, etc) Both these minerals are critical to thyroid function. iodine is an essential component of thyroid-produced hormones and selenium to the processes involved in keeping the hormone production balanced properly. For example, the conversion of thyroid hormone T3 to T4 requires Iodothyronine 5' deiodinase, a selenium- containing enzyme. Generally overlooked as a factor in thyroid health is the introduction of estrogen-like compounds (PCBs, dioxins, lindane, dieldrin, etc) into our environment in the past 4 or 5 decades. Our air, our food and drinking water supplies have been compromised, possibly irreversibly. These compounds enter our bodies through respiration, ingestion of foods contaminated by various pesticides and herbicides and via skin contact. Inside the human body they increase the risk of estrogen- dependent cancers and block many enzymatic responses including the production of thyroid hormones. The basal metabolic rate is an almost foolproof means to test your thyroid function. You measure this by taking your body temperature under your armpit first thing in the morning when your body temperature is normally at its lowest. Before you go to bed shake an oral thermometer down to below 96 degrees and place it near the head of your bed. When you awaken immediately place the thermometer in your armpit and leave it there for 10 minutes before you get out of bed. Try to remain still until you read and record the temperature. Do this for 2 or 3 days in a row to compare readings. If you happen to be a menstruating woman, you must do this on the 2nd or 3rd day after your menstrual flow begins. 97.2-98.2 is a normal reading. Higher temperatures usually result from hyperactive thyroids and lower temperatures from under-active thyroids. The types of blood- tests performed in most doctor's offices measure the presence of specific thyroid hormones in the blood and are NOT accurate measurements of what is often referred to as sub-clinical function problems. Under-active Thyroid treatment options: One method is to use prescription-only thyroid hormone supplements - synthetics such as Synthroid or natural hormones such as Armour, extracted from pigs. Another approach is to provide all the raw materials needed to increase hormone production - such as iodine and non-hormone glandular supplements. If the thyroid gland is working at all, this latter method is preferred because the sophisticated system of checks and balances that regulate hormone production levels throughout our bodies could be easily disrupted. In my opinion, artificially introducing hormones - synthetic or natural - is to risk upsetting this delicate balance. An additional risk is that often, when one supplies a hormone orally that a given gland normally makes on its own, the gland will quit making that hormone altogether due to cellular memory systems. If that were to happen of course, lifelong supplementation with the oral hormone would be necessary. To treat hypo-function of the thyroid naturally, you must take a good multi-vitamin/mineral formula, Selenium at 200mcg daily and daily consumption of kelp or other seaweeds, various liquid iodine products that are specifically sold for oral use (one such is called Iosol, made by TPCS Distributors, 800-888-1415 ext 9265 for mail order if your local healthfood store does not carry such a product. dosage for Iosol is, according to Dr. Williams, 4 drops in water daily for 2 weeks, then reduce to 2 drops per day.). Dr Williams writes that if Iosol used alone does not alleviate the symptoms, "take 3 tablets of a glandular product called Thytrophin along with just one drop of Iosol per day". He also says that taking 3 tablets of Thytrophin per day is roughly equivalent to one grain of prescribed hormones, but I would suggest careful monitoring by your health professional if you are considering cessation of a prescribed medication. Brazil nuts are a good source of naturally occurring Selenium, one would have to eat several nuts a day for the therapeutic benefits to accrue. Interestingly, one unshelled Brazil nut (the kind you must crack yourself) averages 100 mcg of selenium, according to Cornell Professor Donald J. Lisk. On the other hand, an already shelled Brazil nut averages 12 to 25 mcg. So, while you can reach your daily requirement with two freshly hulled Brazil nuts, it would take between 8 and 16 already- shelled nuts to reach that level Pumpkin seeds are also good for stimulating the thyroid. They contain a lot of Tyrosine and you will know they are working for your thyroid if you feel noticeably warmer when eating them on a regular basis. Many folks have low blood pressure along with hypothyroid disease although its opposite is also noticed by some thyroid patients... If you have high blood pressure as well as thyroid problems I recommend you check your adrenal function as well... often your body tries to help your adrenals to function by elevating your BP.. I suggest you also try to reduce your exposure to synthetic estrogen-like compounds (it is not necessary to curtail soy foods in my opinion) by using organic cleansers and other household products, natural pesticides that do not mimic estrogen in the human body and drink/cook only with carefully purified water. With such a protocol you can expect to see a notable change in your energy levels and mood within a week or so. Other symptoms might take longer to begin to subside. Correcting an under-active thyroid will not reverse any cardiovascular damage that has already taken place, but it will often halt the progression of such health problems and help prevent future heart attacks. Judicious use of cardio-support supplements and dietary changes can then help you to reverse such damage. for instance the daily intake of 400-800 IU of mixed tocopherol Vitamin E that includes the Gamma and Beta factors as well as the D-Alpha tocopherols, 2400 mg of lecithin, 60-100 mg of Co- enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), Flaxseed, Hempseed or Perillo oil for the essential fatty acids (please do not think that evening primrose oil or borage oil will give you the correct balance of the e.f.a's because they are predominantly Omega 6 acids which most Americans get enough of. it is the Omega 3's that you need to supplement). Consider using herbs such as Hawthorne berry (heart tonic), Ginkgo Biloba and/or Bilberry for circulation, etc. For more information about cardiovascular health, see reports specific to that subject. This information is not given for you to self-treat while ignoring the advice of your local health- care professional but rather to be used to educate yourself and your doctor and to offer alternatives and additions you and he/she may not have thought about and to use to try to find a different physician if the one you are now seeing refuses to open to all the research that has been done in the last 10 years. Remember that it is very seldom that only one part of the glandular system is out of whack... usually when the thyroid is out of kilter so are the adrenals, often also the thymus and the parathyroids... try to find a doctor who specializes in protomorphogens and glandular therapy. The Thyroid Gland is a tricky thing. It is paired with the Parathyroid. The Parathyroid controls calcium uptake. These glands MUST be totally balanced. If one is under-active, the other will be OVER-active. An over-active parathyroid will cause Calcium deposits in the arteries (hardening of the arteries, heart, etc.) An over-active Thyroid, causes oily skin, menorraghia, dementia, muscle calcium depletion, heart disorders because of lack of calcium, etc. and can cause heart attacks. If a person had an under active Thyroid (an overactive parathyroid) and is given a Thyroid medication, such as Armour Thyroid, then he/she MUST take something on a daily basis with the thyroid meds in order to balance both. One such product is Homeopathic Parathyroid in a 7C potency - recommended by N.D. Alva Irish who also recommends Homeopathic Calc. Carbonica for these conditions. |
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hypothyroidism |