4 Natural Ways To Heal Your Thyroid — Plus Symptoms to Look Out For
Small changes make a big difference.
The number of us with thyroid problems has doubled in the last 10 years — and when your thyroid is out of whack, so are you. This master gland helps regulate every cell in your body, so keeping it healthy can prevent everything from sluggishness and blue moods to headaches and weight gain. Find out how to do it below.
Take Bacopa.
Bacopa is an herb native to India that Ayurvedic physicians have been using for centuries to treat their patients’ thyroid troubles — and recent studies show that it really does work. When folks took 200 mg. to 400 mg. daily in supplement form, their production of an important energizing thyroid hormone (thyroxine) soared in as little as six weeks.
One option: Swanson Bacopa Monnieri, $11.26, Amazon
Eat mushrooms.
“All edible mushrooms are rich in selenium, an essential mineral
that reduces damaging inflammation inside the thyroid, plus
speeds healing of this gland,” says Larrian Gillespie, M.D., author
of You’re Not Crazy, It’s Your Hormones ($3.94, Amazon).
No wonder eating just one cup of mushrooms daily cuts your risk of thyroid troubles at least 25 percent, plus helps you revitalize your thyroid if it’s sluggish right now. Other good sources of selenium include asparagus, turkey, barley, sunflower seeds, and Brazil nuts.
Feed yourself fish.
Just eating 12 ounces of seafood or fish weekly could cut your risk of ever developing a thyroid problem 30 percent — plus help ease your symptoms within one month if you’re dragging right now, Canadian researchers say.
Seafood contains lots of omega-3 fats and iodine — nutrients that help your thyroid keep its hormone output steady and properly balanced, so fatigue, brain fog, dry skin, and other symptoms are less likely to flare, says Rashmi Gulati, M.D.
Drink oatstraw tea.
Prolonged exposure to the stress hormone cortisol switches on your production of an inactive form of thyroid hormone — one that blocks
active thyroid hormones from keeping your metabolism and energy at optimal levels.
Luckily, sipping three 12-ounce mugs of calming oatstraw tea every day curbs cortisol production, restoring your thyroid function, often in as little as 10 days, explain Stanford University researchers.
Try this one: Buddha Teas, $8.54, Amazon
Could your thyroid use a boost?
If three or more of the following statements are true — and home remedies don’t get you back on track within 12 weeks — talk to your doctor. A prescription thyroid supplement could be just the ticket to a vibrant new you!
- I’m exhausted by bedtime, but I have trouble sleeping.
- I usually wake up tired, no matter how long I’ve slept.
- I often feel chilly, even when others don’t.
- I struggle with anxiety or panic attacks.
- Even when I’m careful about what I eat,
- I have trouble losing weight.
- I often have sore muscles and/or achy joints.
- I struggle with digestive problems, allergies, or infertility.
- I feel mentally sluggish, unfocused or forgetful.
- I have dry skin and/or other skin problems,
- such as acne.
- I’m prone to depression or blue moods.
- My hair feels dry and straw-like.
- My eyebrows and/or hair seem to be thinning.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Reverse Aging.
