Sunday, January 3, 2016

Healing Your Thyroid

Healing Your Thyroid


Despite their prevalence, disorders of the thyroid remain relatively misunderstood. The thyroid gland acts as an energy thermostat for the body, so when your thyroid is operating smoothly, so do you. When your thyroid stops functioning optimally, multiple areas of your health can come crashing down. Common symptoms of under-functioning thyroid include fatigue, weight gain, mental fogginess, depression, hair loss, insomnia, and muscle weakness. 

Conventional medicine’s explanation of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is that the immune system becomes confused and starts attacking the thyroid. However, over 95 percent of thyroid disorders stem from infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (the virus that causes mononucleosis, aka the “kissing disease”). Thus, it is EBV that confuses your system and wages war on your thyroid, reducing its ability to produce its critical hormones. 

If you suspect you have a thyroid issue, have your doctor conduct thyroid hormone blood tests, including TSH, free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies. Even if your tests are in the normal range, bear in mind that your thyroid may still not be functioning optimally. 

Conventional treatment involves supplying the body with extra thyroid hormones in hopes that the body will use them to replace the hormones the thyroid isn’t producing. While this may provide symptom relief for some, this approach does not address the cause of the symptoms. This is where the saying “let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” really applies. Your thyroid has the ability to rejuvenate and heal itself when provided with what it needs! Certain fruits and vegetables can help your body rid itself of EBV and heal from its effects. Foods that target thyroid health include:

• Atlantic Dulse
• Wild Blueberries
• Sprouts
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Hemp Seeds
• Coconut Oil
• Brazil Nuts
• Cranberries

In addition to helping destroy EBV, these foods supply your thyroid with critical nutrients, help repair thyroid tissue, reduce nodule growth, flush toxic heavy metals and viral waste, and boost production of thyroid hormones. By providing your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive, you can reclaim the health you deserve!