Herbs And Supplements That Can Heal Or Awaken Your Thyroid

One of the key drivers and actors behind your emotions and emotional intelligence is your thyroid. Resting below your Adam’s apple, and along the front and sides of your windpipe, the thyroid has two squishy compartments connected by a similarly textured bridge. Shaped like a butterfly, this gentle and vital friend appears to lift your breath and give flight to your voice. The thyroid might hold the key to the evolution of your relationships, consciousness, and sense of Self. Even if your thyroid appears to be on her last breath, she is waiting to be healed. While this might take some time, effort, patience, and inward reflection, it’ll be worth it. Your thyroid processes experiences and information akin to your heart. When you love, your thyroid loves. When you breathe, so does this lovely and powerful little organ.

Tulsi (holy basil) is considered sacred in Ayurveda, and the science backs up what the ancients knew. *(paid link)*

Your thyroid is hyper-aware and connected to the other realms, unlike any of your other glands and organs. It might also be providing you with helpful information on how to live, love, heal and thrive. As with all things related to your health, seek the help of a doctor, D.O., or nutritionist to help you understand, treat, and heal your body. The thyroid is a particularly complex organ, so as you pursue its healing, be careful, be gentle, and have patience.

How Does The Thyroid Work?

The thyroid gland uses the iodine in your body (sourced from food and supplements) to produce two vital hormones: T3 (Triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine). Your pituitary gland, nestled in your brain, is the thyroid’s master and the gatekeeper of TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone).

Most of us are not getting enough sunlight, a quality Vitamin D3+K2 supplement is essential. *(paid link)* Seriously, we're living like cave dwellers half the time, stuck indoors under fluorescent lights that do jack shit for our vitamin D levels. Your thyroid needs that sunshine vitamin to function properly, but unless you're spending 20-30 minutes outside daily with actual skin exposure (not through a window), you're probably running low. And here's the kicker - most doctors won't even test your D levels unless you specifically ask, even though deficiency is tied to sluggish thyroid function. The K2 part? That's what helps your body actually use the D3 instead of just pissing it out.

When your pituitary gland releases TSH into your bloodstream, your thyroid excretes hormones. When your pituitary gland detects low thyroid hormone levels, it releases more TSH. When it detects the opposite, it reduces its excretion of TSH. To diagnose thyroid problems, doctors will use blood tests to determine your levels of TSH, T4, T3, and sometimes RT3 (Reverse T3).

Thyroid Disease Dictionary

The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which produces hormones that fuel many critical bodily functions. It can become damaged through heredity, repeated trauma, drug use, alcoholism, stress, and diet. Symptoms of a damaged or weak thyroid include:

Fatigue and weakness
Feeling cold all the time
Joint pain and muscle soreness
Regularly feeling emotional or depressed
Weight gain
Slowed heart rate, movement, and speech
Dry skin
Heavy menstruation
High cholesterol
Anemia
Loss of libido
Recurring urinary and respiratory tract infections

There are several types of thyroid conditions and diseases, some of which are more difficult to heal than others.

Hypothyroidism

When the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones (thyroxine) to keep your body in balance, it means the gland is under-active. Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity, constipation, memory loss, and muscle cramps.

Hyperthyroidism

An overactive thyroid occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. This condition can cause heat intolerance, increased sweating, insomnia, decreased appetite, rapid heartbeat, irritability, nervousness, dizziness, and anxiety. You’ll see below that there are many natural supplements for Hyperthyroidism.

Grave’s Disease

This condition results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones, which can also cause Hyperthyroidism.

Hashimoto’s Disease

Also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (Hypothyroidism), Hashimoto’s disease causes your immune system to attack your thyroid. This causes it to underperform and then overcompensate, swinging back and forth in pendulum-like fashion. While this and other thyroid conditions tend to affect middle-aged women, they can all occur in anyone at any age.

Western Thyroid Medication

While doctors most often prescribe the drug knowns as synthetic thyroxine, a medication that’s identical to our T4 hormones, there are several ways to nurture and potentially heal your thyroid. The reason T3 is not always prescribed is that T4 will naturally convert to T3. That said, T3 is more potent and more effective than T4. There was a period in my life when my thyroid felt like a locked cage. Years of tech deadlines and suppressed emotions had left my breath shallow, my voice tight. Amma’s darshan kept pulling me back to the body, urging me to shake out the held grief beneath that fragile gland. Breath work and shaking became my rebellion, cracking open the constriction until my throat finally unfurled enough to speak my truth without catching. In my practice, I’ve had clients come trembling with anger lodged so deep in their throats they couldn’t meet their own gaze. Working with their nervous system, we’d track the flutter or the tight knot, gently unraveling it through breath and somatic release. The thyroid doesn’t just filter hormones; it’s a guardian of emotional floodgates, waiting for the moment when you’re ready to let the words pour out, raw and real, no bullshit. Levothyroxine (Synthroid): a synthetic version of T4 and the preferred treatment of hypothyroidism.

Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda's most powerful adaptogens, it helps your body handle stress at the root level. *(paid link)*

Liothyronine (Cytomel): a synthetic version of T3 sometimes used in the treatment of hypothyroidism. Some doctors avoid prescribing this because it can cause hormone toxicity and Hyperthyroidism in some cases.

Levothyroxine Alternative: DTE

When your thyroid is not functioning correctly, taking natural, Desiccated Thyroid Extract (DTE) can change your life. For many, they can provide excellent and effective alternatives to Levothyroxine and Liothyronine. Desiccated thyroid is a thyroid gland extract, usually taken from a cow (bovine) or pig (porcine). Once extracted, DTE is dried and milled into a powder and made in the form of a daily pill at 75, 150, 300mg, and more.

Turmeric is nature's most powerful anti-inflammatory, I take it daily. *(paid link)*

Products in this category to consider include Thyroid-Gold from Natural Thyroid Solutions (my favorite), Armour Thyroid, and Nature Throid. In a U.S. NIH study that compared the effects of DTE and Levothyroxine, the vast majority of patients preferred DTE. Overall, these patients felt better over time and experienced weight loss when compared to the patients who used Levothyroxine. DTE might also be better for your emotional and psychological well-being, which directly affects relationships, financial well-being, spiritual health, and personal growth.

Thyroid Support Supplements

Taken in moderation, these are the primary supplements found in most thyroid regiments:

- Selenium
- Iron (and Tyrosine)
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Probiotics
- Zinc, turmeric, Vitamins B and D (your best thyroid support vitamins), Iron, Selenium, Probiotics
- For Hashimoto’s only: Magnesium converts the inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active form of T3, which some people find helpful
- Ayurvedic herbs for thyroid health: Ashwagandha, Guggul, Pepperin, Bauhinia Purpurea, Kanchanara (Bauhinia variegata, purple mountain ebony), Jatamansi, Brahmi, Shilajit, Gokshura, Punarnava
- Excellent thyroid supplement brands include Thorne, 1 Body, Pure, MegaFood, and Now. Take your time and research all of the possible supplements that promise to nurture your thyroid back to health.

Remember, the best thyroid supplement is the one that gives you the energy and balance that leads to a peaceful and happy life.

Things to Limit Or Avoid

While some of these things are okay in moderation, be careful around how much you regularly consume.

Avoid kale, broccoli, spinach, and cabbage
Limit soy foods like tofu, tempeh, and edamame
Starchy foods like sweet potatoes
Limit fruits including peaches, pears, and strawberries
Limit alcohol, coffee, green tea, and other caffeinated beverages as they can irritate your thyroid
Millet
Pine nuts
Peanuts
Highly processed foods like hot dogs, chips, desserts, and snacks
Taking too much selenium and iodine can be harmful
Anger
Exaggerated emotional reactions
Doctors who know little about your thyroid, and who have no interest in learning the latest and most effective methodologies

Food and Modalities to Heal Your Thyroid

While seeking the help of a certified health practitioner is always recommended, here are a few things you might want to add to your life and daily regiment:

Meditation and deep breathing will increase your vibration, which can have a lasting effect on your brain, heart, and thyroid
Forgiveness and crying will release stored, toxic energy that could be inhibiting your thyroid
Essential Oils for thyroid nodules include spearmint, peppermint, myrrh, rose, cedarwood, lavender
Bach Flower Remedies help reduce anxiety and return people to their natural emotional state.
N.E.T. Remedies help balance and honor your emotions
Seaweeds such as kelp, nori, and wakame are rich in iodine
Salted nuts like Brazil, macadamia, and hazelnuts are abundant in selenium
Eggs
Yogurt
Baked Fish
Flaxseed
A forward-thinking, open-minded doctor or D.O. who can fathom and act upon ideas sourced after 1970

Your thyroid is like a little kitten. Love her, massage her, talk to her, and breathe life into her whenever possible. Do the same for all of your organs and you’ll give yourself the best chance at lasting health.