Thyroid function

The thyroid is a gland located below the Adam's apple, in front of and on either side of the throat. The name "thyroid" means "like a shield", but it's really shaped more like a bowtie, with a lobe on either side connected by a narrow "waist". The purpose of this gland is to produce certain substances, which act throughout the body. Two of these substances, thyroxine and triiodothyronine (or T4 and T3 for short), control the body's rate of metabolism. Another substance, called Calcitonin, causes the body to put calcium into the bones.


In a healthy person, the thyroid does its job and never gets noticed. Unfortunately, thyroid disorders seem to have become much more common in the last couple generations. Sometimes these disorders are very noticeable, and at other times they can be subtle and insidious.


There are many types of thyroid conditions, with many causes, but they can be group into two main headings-- those in which the thyroid works too much, and those in which it doesn't work enough. When the thyroid works too much, the body temperature is often elevated, and the person usually feels restless, energetic, or anxious. Sometimes the hair gets thinner, the person loses weight, and the eyes take on a characteristic "bugged out" appearance. When the thyroid is deficient in producing the metabolism-regulating substances, the body temperature goes down, and the person tends to feel lethargic and gain weight. In either case, the thyroid may or may not be swollen.


Many people who self-treat with natural remedies for a deficient thyroid attempt to do so using kelp or other iodine-rich seaweeds. Unfortunately, this almost never works satisfactorily. It used to be that people living in certain areas would occasionally get a hypothyroid condition as a result of iodine deficiency. In some places there isn't any iodine in the soil, and so none in the plants and animals that grow on it. T3 and T4 are made from iodine, so the thyroid can't make them without it. In such a case, iodine, even a single dose per year, can work wonders. But the body only needs a very tiny amount of iodine, and nearly everyone gets it these days. If iodine deficiency isn't the problem, putting iodine into the system won't usually fix it.




Instead, its important to use substances that support the structure and function of the thyroid gland, or, if the thyroid is severely damaged or has been removed/destroyed, substances that the support the other endocrine glands (which are capable of producing thyroid hormones if they have to). Some examples of substances in these categories would include myrrh, ashwagandha, and blue cohosh. It is possible, even for a person who has little or no thyroid gland left, to maintain a healthy level of thyroid function in the body. Doing so requires some degree of vigilance and self-monitoring, and probably some professional guidance as well, but it is possible.