Curing Hypothyroidism Without Medication

We all wish we could find the proverbial fountain of youth; to bottle that energy for our daily consumption. Perhaps you are like countless others, who have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. You just want to have the energy to get through the day, to exercise, and maybe even lose that stubborn weight. However, the thought of taking a synthetic drug to help your thyroid is daunting. You would prefer to help your body naturally. In this post we discuss ways to cure hypothyroidism without taking a synthetic medication.

What is Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, also known as under-active thyroid, is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones.  Receptors for thyroid hormones are found throughout the body.  A disruption in a normal-functioning thyroid causes problems in virtually every system of the body – including the heart, GI tract, sleep, mood, and the growth of skin, hair, and nails.

Typically, hypothyroidism is diagnosed based on your symptoms and the results of blood tests. Once diagnosed, physicians prescribe a synthetic drug. The purpose of this drug is to help maintain normal metabolism by correcting the deficiency of the thyroid hormone.  Once medication has been initiated, TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels are checked after about two months. This allows the heart time to adjust to your metabolism being artificially increased.  Some of the side effects of synthetic thyroid medication include shakiness, heart palpitations, insomnia, and changes in appetite.  When hormone replacement therapy begins, the thyroid will eventually stop producing hormones altogether; therefore, replacement hormones must be continued for the rest of your life.  There is, however, another alternative – curing hypothyroidism without medication.

Dietary Changes

If you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, the first thing you need to do is thoroughly evaluate your diet.  Eliminating harmful foods from your diet is just as important as incorporating helpful foods.  A few of these foods are:

• Gluten – If you have hypothyroidism and you consume gluten or any other type of wheat, this is not helping your condition. The molecular structure of the thyroid and gliadin, one of the proteins found in gluten, is very similar. It is so similar that when gluten gets through your stomach and into your blood stream, your immune system mounts an attack against the gliadin proteins since they are not supposed to be there. Since the thyroid is seen as a similar molecule, your immune system also begins to attack against your thyroid.
• Processed foods and sugar – Processed foods and sugar cause inflammation in the body. This inflammation inhibits T3 and T4 (hormones produced by the thyroid) conversion. Eliminate processed foods and sugar from your diet not only for your hypothyroidism, but also for your general overall health.
• Soy – If you have an existing thyroid condition, excess consumption of soy may affect thyroid function. This is more of a concern in individuals already taking thyroid replacement medication; however, with soy in everything today (soy burgers, soy milk, soy cheese), you should pay close attention to the ingredients in products.  Moderately consuming soy (one serving daily of whole soy foods) should be fine.
• Iodine – Consuming adequate iodine from dietary sources is important as well. Iodized salt, fresh ocean fish, and seaweed are good sources of iodine.  It is not necessary to take an iodine supplement unless your physician directs you to do so.

Exercise

Regular exercise is an important factor in managing many of the hypothyroidism symptoms.  Burning calories helps to prevent weight gain and also helps reverses the effects of a sluggish metabolism.  A good workout also helps to boost your mood. Exercising results in your body releasing endorphins and other mood-enhancing chemicals. Low-impact aerobics and strength training are the perfect place to start. This kind of exercise gets your heart rate up and your lungs going without putting too much pressure on your joints.  This is important because joint pain is another common symptom of hypothyroidism.

A Team Effort

Curing hypothyroidism without medication takes a great deal of time and effort, but it can be done.  Dr. Maziar Rezvani and the staff at Avicenna Integrative Medicine are committed to enhancing your body’s natural healing abilities.  Working together as a team with a dedication to wellness through mind, body, and spirit fusion, Dr. Rezvani and the staff create a personalized wellness plan for you.  For more information on curing hypothyroidism without medication, contact Avicenna Integrative Medicine at (770) 977-9300.