5 Natural Treatments for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

A diagnosis of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis generally means supplemental thyroid hormone will be needed long-term but there are absolutely things you could be doing to reduce your antibody levels and keep you on the lowest possible dose necessary to feel well.

#1 Selenium

Selenium plays an important role in the production of thyroid hormone as well as in many aspects of the immune system. That is why even a mild selenium deficiency can contribute to increased antibody levels. Selenium status can be improved simply by consuming 2-3 Brazil nuts each day. So simple!

#2 Get Good Sleep

Sleep sets the foundation for all of our physiological rhythms. The thyroid, like all of our endocrine glands, releases hormones at a different rate during different times of the day and in different situations. We also do a majority of our healing at night, which means if sleep is disturbed the potential for healing is greatly reduced, if not eliminated. By establishing a strong foundation of sleep, the endocrine and immune systems can begins to rebalance and heal.

#3 Release and Reframe Your Stress

Building stress release into daily life is an important means of bringing the body into a more parasympathetic (rest and digest) state. Stress is an inevitable part of modern life and it is how we deal with our stress that will effect our health the most. Meditation, walking, deep breathing and allowing for rest are my favorite ways of managing stress. Although learning to release stress is important, I also like to remind people that stress is not always a bad thing. It enables us to address the task at hand. Simply viewing your stress as a purposeful tool can reduce the harmful effects of stress on our physiology.

#4 Reduce Your Exposure to Hormone Disruptors 

Even though we talk about the thyroid as an isolated glad, it is part of a greater whole within the endocrine system. The thyroid is most directly linked to the adrenal glands and the sex glands (ovaries/testes) so anything that effects those other these organs also effects the thyroid. I’m mostly talking about hormone disruptors as substances that mimic estrogen in the body. The list of hormone disruptors that are a part of most people’s lives every day is astounding. So many chemicals are allowed into our homes, onto our skin, in the air we breathe, and in the food we eat. The most effective ways of reducing daily exposures to chemicals is by eating organic, whole foods, drinking filtered water, and utilizing skin care and cleaning products that are chemical-free. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a couple wonderful platforms, Skin Deep and Dirty Dozen, to help make the world of chemical avoidance so much easier.  

#5 Heal Your Childhood Trauma 

The thyroid matures when a child is between 4 and 7 years old. Any trauma experienced during that time can affect how well the thyroid gland functions for the rest of one’s life. Traumas are can be anything that your nervous system wasn't not prepared to handle at the time and can include things like moving, the death of a friend or family member, abuse or being teased or bullied at school. Addressing the lasting effects of childhood traumas can be an incredible way of supporting the body to heal itself. Homeopathy is my favorite of gently supporting a person’s release of long-held trauma, no matter how significant. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can also be helpful in this process.

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Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)

What is Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)?

FAM is a reliable method of tracking fertility that can be used in preventing or attempting to achieve pregnancy, in addition to providing a deeper understanding of gynecological health. It is also so much more than that. Your body has an amazing monthly rhythm of hormones that translates into signals that you can pick-up on in order to understand your fertility status as well as the health and balance of your hormones. The main measures that are used are a daily morning temperature taken even before your feet hit the floor, as well as cervical fluid and cervical position.

Understanding your monthly cycle

The first half of your menstrual cycle is from the first day of your menses until ovulation, which is around day 14. This is called the follicular phase. During this time, estrogen is high and the morning temperature should be lower (generally below 98.0F). The second half of your cycle is higher in progesterone, which causes the morning temperature to be at least a few tenths of a degree higher that the first half. This second phase is called the luteal phase and spans from approximately day 15 until the day before your menses returns. If these daily morning temperatures are charted throughout the month, there should be a clear shift where the morning temperature rises, which indicates ovulation. Commonly, the whole cycle will be around 28 days and the luteal phase should last at least 14 days. If your cycle is much longer or shorter than 28 days or luteal phases that are less than 11 days it could mean that there is some degree of hormone imbalance. Tracking this information shows you exactly what is going on with YOUR body each month and that is priceless!

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Something you were not taught in sex-ed class: you can really only get pregnant about 6 days each month, which means there isn’t really any need for birth control for the rest of the month. FAM helps you understand which of those days are your fertile days so you can either avoid having sex or use some form of non-hormonal birth control during that time.

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