Achieving Thyroid Balance with Natural Remedies and Nutrition

I started taking it because I read it could help regulate my thyroid. Even tho medicated for my hypothyroid, I continue to have symptoms. I began coconut oil and found I had to reduce my levothyroxine by 1/3 2 weeks after starting taking about 3 tbsp daily. I am hoping it will continue to get better!

I have been battling hypothyroidism for 8 yrs now, i gained 82 lbs over the yrs,diet after diet failed umtil i started on coconut oil and let me tell you that in 2 months of taking coconut oil combined with a low carb diet, i have lost 35 lbs feel great energetic again, on my way of losing all the weight i plan to lose an aditional 40 lbs by december since i"ve taking the coconut oil softgels i have not had any side effect coconut oil is the miracle oil but again combined with a low carb diet.

I began taking coconut oil about June 1st this summer, primarily for my long term hypothyroidism. Now not yet 3 months later I am completely off my synthroid and cytomel. I was on more than 300 mcg for about 7 years. It has changed my life. I feel so much better than I did on the thyroid meds. I am not cold, I am sleeping better. It made a herpes outbreak completely dissappear in 4 hours when applied topically. my periods which have been abnormal all my life are normalizing,(I am 45) and I am finding that I am eating smaller meals and more satisfied and not hungry. I swear I can hear the click in my head that says I have had enough to eat! Ive lost 10 lbs. I attribute it all to 4tbsp VCO a day(2w bfst/1w lunch/1w dinner) and also trace minerals, and fish oil. none or very little bread and refined carbs. I did have a day of scary high blood pressure symptoms, after which I reduced my meds by 1/3rd, and the symptoms went away. A wwk or so later when I began feeling the same things again, I reduced my meds again and again until I quit all together. the last step is to get my blood levels tested by my doc, just to confirm I am doing as great as I feel, tho I am starting to think it is not necessary, except to gloat to my dr.

[WITH SIDE EFFECT] I began using VCO on doctor's orders to help combat hypothyroid. My skin, hair, energy levels were all positive results. I also used VCO as a deodorant. However, after a few days I began gaining weight, got dizzy spells and some diarrhea. My blood pressure soared! After continued trials for a couple of weeks, my doctor advised me to stop using it. This was disappointment as I got good results in other areas; however, every attempt made to try it again caused my BP to go higher. I do full body cleanses once or twice a year. Possibly it might help if I did just liver cleanse? I'm 60 years old, exercise daily, eat healthy foods, do drink 1.5 cups coffee in morning and am Blood Type A. Disappointed as not being able to use coconut oil due to HBP. Would appreciate any comments on my HBP problem to be answered on this site. Any insight would be beneficial. Thanks, a CA gal

I have had a chronic thyroid condition including goiter and hypothyroidism for years. I have been taking thyroidisine prescribed by my doctor, 1.75 mg per day for 1 1?2 years. The weight loss was slow and I always feel as If there is something stuck in my throat. I would often start coughing and throwing up, because of the condition. my T3 levels were at 90, after a year they are at 3, finally. However I now take coconut oil reliving the constant pain in my neck, therefore i take it everyday. it makes me feel alive, after many years. The weight loss has been slow, I will mix a tablespoon in my coffee in the morning. I spread it on bananas, just so I am getting the desired amount. I find it still hard to swallow, and when I combine my thyroid prescription with the oil, It makes all the difference in my comfort level of my neck area. Slowly, the goiter is shrinking. i will continue to buy coconut oil, the benefits are very great. It still often uncomfortable and I have weight to lose, It is a slow process, but the oil makes a great difference in my energy and throat irritation.

Coconut Oil: Has really helped me with my thyroid condition and has given me energy when it has not been functioning that has really helped.

I was diagnosed with mild Hypothyroidism in May 2006, studied the benefits of VCO and started to use it shortly after. For the first 6 manths I experienced an increased energy and a better digestion. However this effect did not last. The oil did not have any effect on the funtion of my Thyroid and my general wellbeing. I am still using the VCO internally(every heated meal is prepared with it) and I also use it externally (on some parts of my body). I do this, because I am convinced by the benefits of this oil. However it does have not any dramatic effect, as testified by others. Since about one week I am having digestion problems and feel congested in my liver and spleen area. I am still on my Thyroid medication (50 mcg of Euthyrox). Does anyone have a similar experience that they seem not to benefit so much from the oil? I am of the blood type O and according to the bloodype diet I should avoid coconut and also the oil from it. Has anybody experiences with the effect of VCO on blood type O people?

i found out i was hypo in Sept 07. have never been overweight ..read about VCO so i tried it for a month but have gained weightI went from size 4 to 6 in a short time. i exercise alot and have not changed my eating habits with the exception of adding VCO to my diet. I would have 1lbs on my toast in the morning and then cook with another tbls at night. i started taking it for additional energy and softer skin...but the only thing i got was thicker thighs and stomach. i just had my endo appt this week and still had to increase my meds as the THS levels were still not close to normal. I guess I was the exception!

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in Feb 2006. I had lost weight, my hair was thinning and I had appalling sweats. I was given medication to regulate the thyroid function, beta blockers to control the rapidity of my heart (up to 139 btm) and to stabilise atrial fibrillation and Warfarin (coumadin) to prevent stroke. After six weeks I was advised by the hospital to have radioiodine treatment (which would make me radioactive for two weeks) and cardioversion to jolt my heart back to the correct rhythym. I know that these prodecures are commonly used and are fairly effective. I definitely didn't want them! I decided to look at homeopathic treatments, which, oddly led me to my local doctor's practice. In my session he prescribed a different natural remedy (the main ingredient being unrefined sea salt). He also said sometimes the iodine is depleted with hyperthroidism. I went home and dug out some kelp that my partner had stopped using. I had only 3 tablets in single doses and my heart beats have returned to normal. I have to admit that they have actually become rather low with a resting beat of 46 btm. I think this is caused by me continuing to take the prescribed medication as well. I have stopped the kelp. I would like to stop the prescribed medication now but need to see the doctor first. My appointment is not for six weeks. I definitely believe that the iodine in the kelp has helped me.

I have been using Turmeric for my inflammation for 2 years now and swear by it. I have an autoimmune disease which causes a lot of inflammation. I take 1 tablespoon a day and it keeps my swelling way down. I am now goiter free and do not need thyroid removal surgery. If I go off of it the swelling picks back up and my goiter returns. I have taken it in capsule form or by mixing it with water and swallowing fast!

BSM [blackstrap molasses] is good stuff. However, if you wish to use milk, use raw milk. Raw cow's milk does not have the problems associated with pasturized, homogonized milk. Also, please be aware that soy is not the wonderful thing the soy industry would have you beleive! If you have hypothyroidism, unfermented soy is the worst thing you can ingest! Almond milk and any seed milks are very good. We drink goat milk when we have milk. BSM would fit in with goat milk very well.

After reading the info on fluoride on Earth Clinic I realised that the onset of my severe hypothyroid symptoms of extreme fatigue, weight gain, hair loss etc. was caused by taking repeated doses of Flucanazole to prevent yeast during repeated antibiotics for acute asthma [healed after 90 days on Zithromax]. My TSH [thyroid stimulating hormone] is less than .01 which shows hyperthyroidism so I have had a hard time finding a doctor willing to treat me. Now I know it is because the fluoride inhibits the pituitary gland from producing TSH. I live in a fluoridated community so my exposure has been long term. For several years I have had reverse osmosis water but it is very disappointing to find there is no acceptable whole house removal system. It was recommended to me to take cool showers as skin absorption is greater than drinking. I am hoping to convince our city council to drop the fluoride. I was happy to hear that borax can be used for detox. Yesterday I mixed 1/8 tsp of borax and sea salt in one L of water. During the night I awoke with a headache. By morning it was so bad that I vomited the aspirin, snack and enzymes I took to combat it. I couldn't keep anything other than sips down without dry heaves until early evening.I am thinking that is a detox reaction. I am going to hold off another day and dilute it further. I currently take Armour Thyroid and about $400 of supplements, mainly enzymes to prevent reflux, keep spinal alignment, joint stiffness, fatigue, sinus infections, constipation, hair loss and all those other nasty hypothyroid effects. I was also taking the apple cider vinegar and baking soda [about 8 days now] at the same time so may be that was too much at once with the borax. I will keep you posted on my progress. Thank you for this wonderful website.

I use pH Testing tape to test my pH of my saliva. What I read is your saliva should be 7.35 and when I am real close to that, I don't have any shoulder pain at night when I sleep on that side. I learned about 8 months ago that if you're low on iodine, your thyroid doesn't function properly. It affects your mental attitude, like stress, depression and emotional feelings. I was with a lot of stress from my was sent home Aug 18th with 2 weeks to live because all the drugs they had given her the last year had almost destroyed her liver. Also, my mother of 102 years old was in an assisted living place and didn't like it. She was having leg pains, upset stomach and headache. I gave her colloidal silver, change her calcium to EZSORB powder and started putting clear iodine on her throat and in not time she was happy and not having leg pain. To test your iodine level, you put a 1" ring of the brown iodine on your stomach and if it is gone in 24 hours, you're low. I get the clear iodine from Albertson Gro for $1.29 plus tax. I put it on my thyroid under my chin. In 30 minutes the stress feeling is gone. You won't over dose as your body won't take it in if it doesn't need it. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Actually, the T3 method to measure iodine deficiency is not accurate. Another way is your body temperature.

I have seen instances that body temperature is low while T3 is good. In other instances I have seen none of these but a severity of fibrosis to occur. Fibrosis is actually a condition of iodine deficiency but the T3 is o.k. while the conditions was cured after taking iodine. So present medical practice in my humble opinion is primitive. Iodine quenches glycation of protein involved in aging and arthritis and this doesn't show on T3 but is a wonderful way to reduce arthritic pain by allowing the healing to process. Skin pores opening up too large is also cured with an iodine as it stimulates skin regeneration reducing the size of skin pores. I know, I have a huge one on my face and it is mostly cured that most people cannot see it.

So we really have to be practical about it. Analysis is just that, it won't cure your conditions and you will be lost forever in trying to figure out how the T3 is related to oversized pores, arthritic pains, fibrosis, asthma, clogged eustachian tubes, fallopian tubes (preventing pregnancy), where such fibrosis formation are due to abnormalities in skin metabolism. Figuring out why is one thing, getting yourself cured is what we all seek.

These poor people need to be treated for hypothyroidism. Brittle nails, falling hair, being deathly pale and being exhausted and tired are all symptoms - as are most of the things you are saying the iodine "cured".

The iodine will help only because it is feeding the thyroid but it may not help completely and they will feel much better if they take a free T3 test to confirm low thyroid hormone. Publishing these instances without proper attribution to the serious health problem they can signify is irresponsible. These are sick people! And they need more than iodine.

For a really insightful viewpoint on iodine, check out this lecture by Dr. David Brownstein (http://www.internetwks.com/clips/bsBCancer.rm) about iodine and its deficiency relationship to Breast Cancer. Note he also suspects an unproven relationship between an iodine deficiency and Prostate Cancer.

He mentions that the Japanese diet includes 14mg per day of iodine on the average (coastal Japanese ingest even more.) The US RDA is 150 ugs (micro grams) per day -- about 100 times less than the Japanese eat -- and the recommended upper level for iodine is no more than 1.1 mg/day, and they estimate the average requirement to be 95 micrograms per day or about 150 times less than the Japanese consume.

The 125mg Kelp tablets that I have from Vitamin Shoppe, have 225 ugs of iodine in them. Thus, to get to the Japanese level of Iodine (14 mg/day), I would have to take 62 of these tablets a day! Dr. Brownstein also states that iodine is stored in the thyroid which requires 6 mg/day and is also stored in a women's breasts and required for proper breast development. The breasts require 5 mg/day for a 110 lb woman.

And catch this... Breast cancer researchers have to starve test animals of iodine in order to be able to induce breast cancer in any significant number of them. Hmmm...

Another 2 mg/day of iodine is required by the adrenals, hypothalamus, pituitary, and other organs. Therefore, the total required iodine for a woman is 5 6 2 = 13 mg/day. The RDA is 150 ugs per day, so a woman would have to take 86 times as much as this to achieve the 13 mg/day needed by her body, and even more if she had a larger body or bigger breasts. A man has smaller breasts and his prostate requires somewhat less iodine than a woman's breasts. However, a man's body is generally larger than 110 lbs, so this would have to be factored into the total requirements for a man.

Dr. Brownstein states, "Over the last 30 years, iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the United States. Breast cancer rates have risen dramatically. Thyroid illness from hypothyroidism, autoimmune including Grave's and Hashimoto's, as well as thyroid cancer has risen dramatically."

Since the Japanese have so much iodine in their bodies (they're ingesting 100X our 150 ug RDA of iodine), and iodine is essential for dealing with radiation exposure, it makes me wonder what might happen happen if there were a mishap involving massive radiation exposure in a country such as ours where the iodine level is so pathetically low.

And this may well be an important consideration, as cancer rates have been shown to rise after radiation has been released into the atmosphere, which apparently happened quite a bit with the use of depleted uranium (DU) weapons in Iraq in 2003. Background radiation levels were measured at many times normal in England (click this link - http://www.llrc.org/aldermastrept.pdf - and check the graphs) just a few days after the fighting started in Iraq. Cancer rates in Iraq in 2001 were about 10X what they were before Desert Storm where much less DU was used than in 2003. The big problem is that the effects are global (see: http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2006/DU-Europe-Moret26feb06.htm). So, the problem for us is that the DU rounds burn up or pulverize and tend to stay in the atmosphere, allowing the "aerosol of sub micron" size to enter the slip-stream and come back to America to bite us all.

Therefore, we all need to be aware of any nutritional and purification techniques which will handle radiation.

I've just upped my iodine intake to 1.35 mg/day (6 kelp tablets of 225 ug each) and I feel warmer already (maybe this will help me burn off my excess fat even faster.)