If you have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease and are thinking about following a natural hyperthyroid treatment protocol, here are five things you can do to help restore your health back to normal:
Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Tip #1: Get Your Symptoms Under Control. While the symptoms of hypothyroidism usually isn’t much of a concern from a life threatening standpoint, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease can be severe at times. Although I’m not a big fan of taking prescription drugs, sometimes it might be necessary to take the antithyroid medication on a temporary basis until the effects of the natural hyperthyroid treatment methods begin to “kick in”. I realize this isn’t exactly a “natural” solution, but my primary goal is to make sure the person with hyperthyroidism is safe. So while many people probably would be fine not taking any antithyroid drugs or beta blockers and just beginning a natural hyperthyroid treatment protocol, not taking the prescription drugs would put some people at risk.
I may sound hypocritical saying this, since I personally chose to avoid taking any prescription drugs, and jumped right into the natural treatment protocol. But as I have admitted in the past, this was a risk I was taking, as while my symptoms weren’t extreme, I still had a much higher heart rate than normal. So there was always a chance that something could have happened to me. However, there’s a difference when it comes to taking a risk with my own health, as I’m not willing to take the same risk with my patients.
Obviously everyone can choose to do what they want, and if a patient of mine decides that they also want to avoid taking any medication and will just wait until the natural hyperthyroid treatment methods take effect, then I will be supportive of their decision. At the same time I will make sure it is completely THEIR decision, and make sure to tell them that it’s okay if they do want to take the prescription drugs, since it probably will be at least a few weeks until they would begin noticing changes in their symptoms if they were to not take the antithyroid medication and use an herb like Bugleweed or Motherwort to manage the hyperthyroid symptoms.
So what is the exact approach I would recommend for someone who wanted to take the prescription drugs and at the same time follow a natural hyperthyroid treatment protocol? There are a few different approaches they can take, but the one I probably would recommend would be to begin both treatment methods at the same time, and after one or two months begin weaning off the medication under the supervision of their medical doctor. Of course many people will already be taking antithyroid drugs when beginning a natural treatment protocol, and in this case I would take the same approach. I would have the patient continue taking the medication, begin the natural treatment protocol, and then most will wean off of the medication after a few months under the guidance of their medical doctor.
Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Tip #2: Modify The Following Lifestyle Factors. A big part of restoring a person’s health with hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease is to modify certain lifestyle factors. First of all, one needs to eat well, as they need to minimize their consumption of refined foods and sugars. Eating too many refined foods and sugars will cause surges in the hormones insulin and cortisol, which over time will stress out the endocrine system, beginning with the adrenal glands, and potentially the pancreas as well if this pattern continues. Weak adrenal glands can also affect immunity, leading to an autoimmune condition such as Graves’ Disease. So in order to restore the health of someone with hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease, the person’s adrenal glands will need to be healthy and strong, which is rare in most people.
Another factor that leads to weak adrenal glands is poor sleeping habits. Most people realize they should be getting at least seven to eight hours sleep each night, yet many people try to get by with only five to six hours per night, and some people average less than this. Sure, some people can get by on only five or six hours sleep for many years without a problem. But for many people, not getting sufficient sleep will lead to adrenal issues over a prolonged period of time.
Chronic stress can also play a big role in the development of a hyperthyroid condition. In fact, I’m pretty sure that stress was the primary factor in the development of my Graves’ Disease condition. While other factors may have played a role, before I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease I was dealing with a lot of stress, and admittedly did a poor job of managing it. So it’s not the stress itself, as most people deal with a good amount of stress on a daily basis. While you won’t be able to completely eliminate the stress from your life, there is an excellent chance you will be able to modify the stress response so you can better handle the stress. Doing this isn’t easy to accomplish, but is necessary to achieve optimal thyroid health.
Exercising regularly is also important, as you want to engage in at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 4 or 5 days each week. Of course you might have to begin gradually if it’s been awhile since you have exercised.
Finally, you want to try minimizing your exposure to environmental toxins. Thousands of new chemicals are being manufactured each year, and many of these have a negative impact on thyroid health. Most people can do a better job of avoiding exposure to these toxins by making better choices regarding the household products they purchase, as this is one of the main ways people are exposed to these toxins. While it might be more costly to purchase natural products, doing this without question is better for not only your thyroid health, but your overall health as well.
Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Tip #3: Consider Taking The Following Nutritional Supplements And Herbs. There are nutritional supplements and herbs that can benefit people who have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease. Here are just a few that can be beneficial:
Iodine. While it’s assumed by many that those with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease have an excess of iodine, many people with these conditions actually have an iodine deficiency. And correcting this deficiency is essential in restoring the health of someone who has a hyperthyroid condition. So rather than assume you have a sufficient amount of iodine, the best way of determining whether or not you have an iodine deficiency is to obtain an iodine loading test, which is a urine test which detects the excretion of iodine over a 24-hour period.
Magnesium. Many people are also deficient in magnesium, which not only plays an important role in thyroid health, especially with regards to iodine metabolism, but has many other roles as well. Taking magnesium supplements can help with a severe deficiency, and once you have the proper levels you can obtain the magnesium you need through food, especially raw nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin D. There seems to be an epidemic with regards to Vitamin D levels, as many people are deficient in this important vitamin. A big reason for this is because many people do their best to avoid exposure to the sun, which is the primary source of vitamin D. As a result of this, I recommend that all of my patients receive a test to make sure they aren’t Vitamin D deficient. For those who are deficient, it usually will be necessary to supplement with Vitamin D3, while at the same time getting them in the habit of receiving some sun exposure for at least 15 to 20 minutes each day.
Eleuthero. This is an herb that can play an important role for anyone who has weak adrenal glands. I took this herb daily for many months when I was diagnosed with Graves’Disease, as it does a wonderful job of helping people adapt to stress, which as mentioned above, is a major problem with most people.
Bugleweed. I’ve mentioned in the past how this is my favorite herb for hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease, as it can do an amazing job of managing a person’s symptoms. However, it’s important to mention that in some people with severe hyperthyroid symptoms this herb won’t do a sufficient job of managing the symptoms, and so the person might actually need to take antithyroid medication until the rest of the natural treatment protocol restores their health back to normal. This herb is specific for hyperthyroid conditions, and should not be taken by anyone who has hypothyroidism.
Motherwort. Although taking Bugleweed can help a great deal with hyperthyroid symptoms, some people will need to take Motherwort as well. When I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, the Bugleweed I took did a great job of managing my symptoms, but I still had some mild palpitations, and shortly after taking Motherwort these symptoms also disappeared.
Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Tip #4: Try To Keep A Positive Attitude. I realize it’s difficult to maintain a positive attitude when you’re experiencing hyperthyroid symptoms. It can even be scary when your endocrinologist or medical doctor tells you that obliterating your thyroid gland through RAI will be the only way to “cure” your condition. But knowing there is a chance to restore your health back to normal should help to give you a better attitude. Obviously it does take time and a commitment on your part to cure hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease. But of course if it means avoiding RAI and/or not having to take prescription drugs then it will be well worth the effort.
One of the best methods of keeping a positive attitude is to try surrounding yourself with positive people. If you are choosing natural hyperthyroid treatment methods then you will want to try associating with those who support your decision, which admittedly can be a challenge, as many people will encourage you to follow the recommendations of your medical doctor, even if it means damaging your thyroid gland. You also might find it helpful to participate in numerous forums that focus on hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease. In any case, if you’re someone who typically has a “glass is half empty” attitude, this can definitely affect your recovery, and so you will want to try changing your attitude so that you think more positive thoughts.
Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Tip #5: Consult With A Competent Natural Endocrine Doctor. Some people with hyperthyroidism will attempt to self-treat their condition, which can be a risky thing to do. While taking supplements and herbs is an important component to any natural hyperthyroid treatment protocol, most of the supplements and herbs you find online and at health food stores won’t do a sufficient job of managing the hyperthyroid symptoms. Plus, you want to do more than natural symptom management whenever possible, as your ultimate goal should be to cure your condition, assuming this is possible (which in many people it is).
By seeing a competent natural endocrine doctor you will greatly improve your chances of restoring your health back to normal. The reason for this is because such a doctor will do more than just look at your thyroid blood tests. Although these tests are important, they don’t tell us anything about the actual cause of the hyperthyroid condition. So in addition to looking at your thyroid blood tests, a good natural endocrine doctor will most likely recommend additional tests to help determine your adrenal health, detect any nutritional deficiencies, etc.
So these are five natural hyperthyroid treatment methods that can help restore your health back to normal. You might wonder if all of these are really necessary to cure hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease. Let’s put it this way: the more of these factors you follow, the greater the chance you have of restoring your health back to normal and achieving optimal thyroid health. So if your ultimate goal is to restore your health back to normal, then I would definitely try to follow all of these factors, as neglecting even one of them can make a big difference in your recovery.
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