" Take time for silence to receicve the power it gives in your life."
Do you ever take a moment of silence ? I have but these moments have been rare in my past. I have been learning to do this on a daily basis. It does make a difference. Last Monday at a Funeral Mass I sat silently and cried. I needed this so badly in my life. Over the weekend, I heard that someone I knew took their life. I sat and cried silently. Silence, prayer and meditation gives me the pwoer to carry on through the good and bad times.
Most herbalists discuss remedies for the under active thyroid, but today I want to discuss hyperthyroidism (over active). The fatigue, low body temperature, weight gain, depression, heat or cold intolerance (usually cold), and hair loss are symptoms of a thyroid which is under active (an under active thyroid has thyroid stimulating hormone levels greater than 4.0) You can also have hair loss and fatigue with an overactive thyroid.
With an overactive thyroid, the most important clinical aspect is to control the cardiovascular signs and symptoms such as an overactive heart rate (pulse rate) and an elevated blood pressure. Unfortunately not many herbalists deal with hyperthyroid conditions. I get many patients who have been told by other doctors dealing with their overactive thyroid, "You have two options- radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid or surgical remove the thyroid, thus you will be on medications for the rest of your life." There is even a medication to slow down your thyroid in addition to the well documented beta blockers.
Although these are two conventional methods still used today, the use of some natural herbs in high doses can reverse and/or cool down the hyperactive thyroid.
I have seen patients respond within a few months, some within a year and rarely beyond two years unless the presenting hyperthyroidism is very severe. Harvey W. Felter, ecletic physician, wrote this about bugleweed, "...used for vascular excitement with rapid, tumultuous action of the heart, but lacking power." I love to read old uses of herbs. I especially enjoy Culpepper and Sauer.
Bugleweed, ( Lycopus virginicus )can be used for both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. It has been shown to reduce thyroid levels in hyperthyroid animals. The dose is high - about 150 drops of a 1:3 extract. The aerial parts of the plant are used. Bugleweed is specific for the over-active thyroid where the symptoms include tightness of breath, shaking and palpitations. For the wild crafter it should be collected just before the buds open. It is a great nervine and I have used it with valerian. I also have used this herb with other cardio tonic herbs for slowing down the heart rate.
Another herb, Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) helps in decreasing anxiety and calming an overactive thyroid. I use both lemon balm and bugleweed together. In animal studies, lemon balm has been shown to reduce or normalize the TSH levels. It is given at 45 drops of a 1:3 extract. I love the plant family that lemon balm belongs to --Lamiaceae . This is the same family for the all the mint plants. There is no history for use of lemon balm in thyroid diseases, but I have seen other herbalists use it, and I have also used it with good success. Other than its thyroid use, lemon balm is antiviral especially herpes simplex. There has been new exciting studies for its use in Alzheimer's Disease.
I love the Mint Family...Another herb I use with the two above mint family herbs is another in the same family- This is Motherwort. I usually use Motherwort for the arrhythmia's associated with hyperthyroidism.
Until tomorrow
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