Essential oils for Hormone Balance – Part 1

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DISCLAIMER:

Essential oils are not safe for everyone, and should only be prescribed by a qualified and insured aromatherapist following a full consultation and patch testing. If you have any concerns or are on medication, then you should consult your medical practioner prior to use.

A qualified aroma therapist for 16 years, I have found essential oils to be very beneficial for treating both physical and emotional conditions. Very careful blending and working with client’s feedback has allowed me to help them immensely. Further recent training, researching and blending later, I have found that essential oils can be particularly helpful in helping to manage hormone imbalances during menopause and its associated symptoms.

No essential oil can stop the natural decline in hormone levels that inevitably come with age, as this is an unavoidable psychological process. Essential oils are not hormones, but they can ease the way. Many symptoms during this transitional period can be alleviated with the potency and power of essential oils.

Essential oils contain a variety of active constituents, which means that each essential oil has a unique set of therapeutic actions, giving each oil the potential to address numerous menopausal symptoms and other health issues.

Combining essential oils with other lifestyle changes is necessary to achieve maximum impact when addressing hormone imbalance.

Focusing on reducing chronic stress, revamping your diet and exercise routines, as well as ridding your environment of toxic chemicals and xenoestrogens will help to normalize the body as much as possible to achieve this seemingly elusive hormonal balance.

 

How to use Essential Oils for relief of menopausal symptoms:

There are various ways in which our bodies can receive essential oils. Amazingly, they can directly affect the endocrine system, which is responsible for most of our hormone production. Essential oils should never be applied directly on to the skin, as they will cause sensitivity. They must always be diluted in a carrier oil.

Inhalation:

This is the quickest and easiest way.

  • Inhaling oils straight from the bottle, or for a blend of oils, place a few drops on to a tissue and inhale.
  • Making a spray in a glass bottle with distilled water and essential oils.
  • Inhalation from diffusers, vaporisers and burners. This method sends the volatile molecules contained within the essential oils straight up into the air. The brain is immediately stimulated via the olfactory bulb; therefore, this will target the brain immediately, and offer a quick way of absorbing essential oils.

(WARNING: If using a diffuser around other people or pets be mindful as they may find the oils toxic).

 

Aromatherapy Bath:

Making an aromatherapy bath is a lovely way of using essential oils. Not only will you inhale them, but they will also be absorbed into the body through the skin. When adding essential oils to the bath, they must be added in with a fat, so carrier oils such as grapeseed, sunflower or olive oil should be used. This will help the essential oils to disperse and prevent them from floating on the surface of the water, where they could coat and irritate the skin. No more than 8 drops of essential oils should be used in a full bath.

 

Body lotions:

Making a body lotion by adding a few drops of essential oils into an un-fragranced white body lotion is an effective way for the skin to absorb the therapeutic benefits of essential oils.

Rollerball bottles:

Rollerball blends are easy to make and are an effective way to absorb essential oils through the skin. They are great for use on the go and can easily be applied to pulse points 2-3 times daily for maximum benefit.

Therapeutic essential oil blend(s) can be used as a perfume; therefore, reducing the absorption of endocrine disruptors through perfumed fragrances.

Essential oils should be blended in safe quantities, and with other essential oils that will enhance their therapeutic benefits. My recipes are a 3% blend, which is deemed safe and effective.

A build-up of essential oils in the body is highly unlikely, as they are eventually excreted through the pores in the skin, the lungs and the kidneys.

Photosensitivity and essential oils

Some essential oils are photosensitive, (particularly citrus – lemon, lime, orange, bergamot), so should not be applied in direct sunlight and where an application as been made the skin should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Avoid direct sunlight for 12 hours for citrus essential oils and 72 hours for bergamot essential oil.

Reactions would generally be mild. If the oil is applied topically, the affected part should be washed with soap and water.

How do I know if I might be allergic to some essential oils?

Initially try inhaling directly from the bottle. Hold the bottle about an arms length away and then slowly bring it in, breathe deeply and then slightly pause to assess its effects. Do not overload your senses until you know how it is going to affect you.

Skin Patch Test:

Mix 1 drop of chosen essential oil, with a teaspoon (5 ml) of carrier oil – such as sweet almond, coconut or grape seed oil.

Apply a small amount of this mixed oil to the inside of the wrist, elbow, or behind the ear and leave uncovered for twenty four hours.

The area should not be washed for this period of time.

If there are no signs of itching, redness or swelling occurring after the 24 hour period, it should be safe to use the essential oil.

If no form of carrier oil has been used on the skin before, it may also be advisable to first do a skin patch test using only the carrier oil.

Essential oils should always be sourced from a reputable brand, as these will be the highest grade with the desired therapeutic benefits. A useful guide to this is to check where the brand sources their oils from and the price point.

 

Essential oil blends:

Top, middle and base notes.

Essential oils like perfumes are arranged and blended using top, middle and base notes. This creates a well-balanced, effective essential oil blend.

Essential oils are split into three groups, according to how volatile they are – how quickly they evaporate into the air.

Top notes:

These evaporate into the air the most quickly, they give the first impression of a blend and are the fastest acting on the body. They are usually derived from citrus fruits. These essential oils are the most stimulating and uplifting to both the mind and body.

  • Basil
  • Bergamot
  • Clary sage
  • Cinnamon
  • Eucalyptus
  • Ginger
  • Grapefruit
  • Lemon
  • Lemongrass
  • Lime
  • Orange
  • Peppermint
  • Pettigrain
  • Tea tree
  • Thyme

Middle notes:

These evaporate at a moderate pace and are mainly derived from herbs and flowers. They mainly regulate bodily functions such as digestion.

  • Black pepper
  • Roman chamomile
  • German chamomile
  • Carrot seed
  • Clary sage
  • Fennel
  • Geranium
  • Juniper
  • Lavender
  • Melissa
  • Pine
  • Rose
  • Rosemary

Base notes:

These are the slowest to evaporate into the air. Base notes act as a fixative, helping to slow down the more volatile essential oils, therefore, making the fragrance last longer. They are mainly derived from woods and resins and they sedate and relax the mind and body.

  • Cedarwood
  • Clove
  • Frankincense
  • Jasmine
  • Neroli
  • Patchouli
  • Sandalwood
  • Valerian
  • Vetiver
  • Ylang-Ylang 

Synergy:

Blending the oils takes into account the notes and aroma of the essential oils. When two or three essential oils blend well together, they enhance each other’s properties as their molecules combine to form a synergy. This synergistic blend will have more powerful effects than if using only one of the essential oils on its own.

 

 

 

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 8

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Yoga Nidra

What is Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra is also known as yogic sleep, and is a great relaxation method to promote calmness both physically and mentally; plus 30 minutes yoga Nidra practice is said to be the equivalent of 2 hours of deep sleep. This is especially important as we transition the menopause as a lack of sleep, anxiety and depression are some of the most common symptoms experienced.

Yoga Nidra is a safe way to release the on-going daily stresses that we all face in our lives. Practising Yoga Nidra on a regular basis will help to lower high levels of the hormone cortisol (stress), therefore, will help to balance other hormones in the body.

Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation, with the opportunity to set a positive personal intention. It is usually performed in a laying down position. Nobody can do this incorrectly, even if they fall asleep. Doing a Yoga Nidra practice is similar to experiencing a meditation that is like dreaming, sleeping and wakefulness combined.

The benefits of Yoga Nidra:

  • It counteracts stress, as it reduces cortisol
  • It can be effective for anxiety and depression
  • It helps to release tension in the mind and body
  • It is an effective way to gain sleep – 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep
  • It helps to reduce inflammation in the body, which will boost the function of the immune system, due to it giving the body time to rest, recover and restore
  • Setting a positive intention in Yoga Nidra may help to change negative thought patterns

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 7

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Yoga and Weight loss:

Women usually always gain weight during the menopausal years. It is nature’s own way of protection. After the menstrual cycle finishes, the two main ways that the body produces its own hormones are from body fat and the adrenal glands.

This means that we need a certain amount of fat to produce our own hormones. Excess oestrogen is stored in our fat cells.

As our oestrogen levels drop and to make the menopausal transition easier, our body uses that extra oestrogen. Women tend to have a more difficult menopause if they have a low bodyweight or are following an extreme diet.

Menopausal weight gain, as long as it is not excessive is also nature’s way of protecting us against thinning bones. Research has shown adequate body fat improves bone density.

As yoga stimulates the bones, muscles and endocrine system, (hormones), it tends to balance the metabolism and allows your body to determine its natural physical shape.

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 6

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And breathe – Pranayama Practices

Pranayama connects breath, life and energy; clarifying mental focus and increasing vitality. Acting as a bridge to the nervous system we can see just how closely connected our breathing is to the mind. Changes in our breath can be altered dependent on our mood and psychological state.

When we breathe consciously, we draw oxygen and energy into our cells, which enhance all cellular processes. The better we breathe, the better we feel.

Anxiety is a very common symptom of menopause. Conscious breathing helps to move our thoughts away from any concerns or worries, and shifts us back into the present moment. Using equal breath will help to release stress. Not only will it develop a good awareness of the breath, it is also a good concentration exercise as it fully involves the mind. It is good for anxiety and insomnia.

How to practice ‘equal breath’:

  • Sitting or laying comfortably, firstly become aware of your natural, normal breath. In a short while, incorporate a mental count. Make your inhalations and exhalations the same length – between 3-4 counts. This can be continues for 5-8 rounds.
  • The next step is to increase the length of the inhalation and exhalation to 4-5 counts. Again for 5-8 rounds. Check in with how your body feels, try and remain relaxed.
  • This can be repeated up to 9-10 counts. Do this for as long as it feels comfortable for you.
  • When you are ready, drop the counting, and just go with your normal breath for 10 rounds.
  • Now, check in with you are feeling. How do you feel emotionally? How do you feel mentally? Do you feel more relaxed than when you started?

Cooling Breath for Hot Flushes/Night Sweats, Anxiety and Mood Swings:

Cooling breath is a technique used in yoga to regulate the body temperature and calm the mind, so is particularly useful for hot flushes and night sweats. Cooling breath is believed to be beneficial for the endocrine glands and the nervous system.

How to practice ‘cooling breath’:

·Coming to a seated position on the floor or a chair to ensure you keep your spine long.

·Start by bringing focus to your normal breathing pattern.

·Roll the edges of the tongue inwards, and then draw the breath in through the tongue as if it is a straw. (Sitali pranayama) OR if you find that difficult, practice with the mouth open, but, the teeth closed. The breath is drawn in through the teeth, creating a hissing or sipping sound, (Sitkari pranayama).

· Inhale for up to 5 counts, through the tongue, like drawing air up through a straw. Seal, the mouth, retain the breath for a count of 2, exhale with control through the nostrils for a count of 5. Check that you are not tense and make sure that the shoulders are dropped from the ears.

· Repeat for 5-10 rounds to maximise the cooling effect.

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 5

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Yoga for Osteoporosis:

Yoga poses provide a superior form of weight bearing exercise that stimulates the bones to retain calcium, as well as helping to stimulate and distribute the flow of synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints between the bones. Yoga poses balance the muscular system whilst strengthening the bones. A balanced muscular system will help to bring the skeletal system back into alignment, which will help to reduce the risk of conditions such as osteo-arthritis.

Yoga poses are learnt gradually, therefore, the weight applied to the bones increases safely and incrementally as you become stronger and can hold the poses for longer.

 

Benefits of yoga as a weight-bearing exercise:

  • The body is taken through its full range of movement with yoga’s weight bearing poses.
  • Yoga lubricates the joints as it gives them an internal massage, unlike other weight bearing exercises that tighten the body.
  • Strength is built evenly throughout the lower and upper body.
  • Contributing to the formation of strong, healthy bones is the beneficial effect that yoga has on the endocrine glands.
  • Yoga helps to reduce stress levels as it has a positive effect on the adrenal glands.
  • Yoga helps to prevent falls as it improves coordination and balance.
  • The most visible sign of osteoporosis is the rounding and shortening of the spine; yoga can help to prevent and even reverse this.

 

 

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 4

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Suggestions on how to Alleviate Symptoms – Pose by Pose

Standing poses:

Many women experience muscle and joint stiffness during peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. Standing poses will help to safely remove this. They also improve breathing and circulation. A regular practice will ensure strength and mobility is gained in the neck, shoulders, back, knees, hips and ankles. Oxygen is drawn into the body, through the breath which will lift feelings of lethargy and fatigue. The whole body becomes energised as the breath flows freely.

All standing poses will help to increase circulation in the heart and throughout the body, as well as strengthening cardiac reserves.

Standing postures stimulate digestion, relieve constipation and regulate the function of the kidneys.

Inversions:

Poses that turn the body completely upside down or inversions such as downward facing dog stimulate the endocrine system, in particular the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is situated in the centre of the brain, and is involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels and body temperature, as well as controlling the changes in the hormone levels at menopause.

Inverted poses help to strengthen the heart, increase blood flow to the brain and may prevent the death of brain cells. One of the most important functions of the cardiovascular system is to supply blood to the brain.

Inversions help to enhance and maintain a healthy circulatory flow as well as preserving the integrity of the facial tissues and relieving the stagnation of fluid in the legs. Inversions also give the heart a rest from the strain of gravity.

Hot flushes:

In downward dog pose, positioning all or just the upper portion of the body upside down may help to reduce the occurrence and intensity of hot flushes and night sweats. downward dog has an immense effect on the flow of blood to every organ in the body, as well as having a potent effect on the endocrine systems glands; including the pituitary, pineal, parathyroid, thyroid, the adrenals and the hypothalamus.

Other inverted poses that may help with hot flushes include; supported shoulder stand, supported plough pose, supported legs up the wall pose.

Inverted poses are also beneficial for reducing blood pressure as they trick the body into thinking that blood pressure has risen, due to the receptors that measure blood pressure being in the chest and neck region. This then leads to the body immediately starting to lower blood pressure, as well as relaxing blood vessels and reducing the hormones that cause retention of salt and water.

Forward bends:

These are beneficial for gently compressing the abdomen and massaging the uterus and other abdominal organs. As we come out of the pose, and the compression is released, the organs are bathed in freshly oxygenated blood, which leaves us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. This alternate squeezing and soaking enhances the functioning of the ovaries and the hormones they produce.

Forward bends also have a soothing effect on the nervous system as well as a quietening effect on the mind, as they help to improve the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn affects cardiac nerves.

With support, forward bends may help to relieve high blood pressure.

Backbends:

Beneficial for adrenal fatigue and poor thyroid balance, backbends stimulate the adrenals and the thyroid as well as improving circulation in the pancreas. They are also beneficial for the ovaries as they help to relieve pelvic congestion.

Backbends help to gently stretch the heart muscle and the cardiac vessels that supply the heart. This helps to increase blood flow to the heart as well as helping to prevent arterial blockages. Backbends also help to maintain the elasticity of the blood vessels and force the heart to contract, which lengthens the heart muscle and enhances the blood flow.

Technically not a backbend, but an extension, supported bridge will help to regulate blood pressure.

Supported hero pose, (if your knees will let you do it), helps to prevent arterial blockages by increasing coronary blood flow. It also stretches the abdomen and aids digestion, thus helping to relieve acidity and flatulence. This pose also helps to relieve swelling and discomfort in the feet and legs and can help to prevent varicose veins.

Seated poses:

These help to relieve stress and anxiety as they calm the mind, as well as reducing fatigue and mild headaches.

They are beneficial for menopausal symptoms and menstrual discomfort as they stimulate the ovaries and uterus, therefore, relieving pelvic congestion.

Twists:

These are beneficial for replenishing and stimulating the adrenals as well as massaging and toning the abdominal organs. They aid detoxification as twists temporarily constrict blood flow in the bowel, liver and kidneys. As the twist is released a fresh flow of oxygenated blood is pumped out which will help the body to eliminate unwanted toxins. and helping digestion, as they stimulate maximum nutrition absorption and distribution throughout the body, thus easing constipation, which will help to eliminate any excess oestrogen.

Beneficial for mood swings, anxiety and depression, slowing down and taking some deep breaths in twists will help to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system.

Sun Salutation yoga asana sequence

A sequence that will warm up and tone the whole body. Not only does it help to detoxify the body, it also increases fat burning. The combination of postures will help to balance the function of the hormones, therefore helping to reduce hot flushes. As the nervous system is calmed down, it will help with mood swings, anxiety and depression. Sun salutations will also help to promote good quality sleep, therefore it is beneficial for helping to fight insomnia. It will particularly help to improve the function of the thyroid. It will help to promote strength in the abdominal muscles.

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 3

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Why the Adrenal Glands are important during the  Menopause:

The adrenal glands are key in supporting us through the many stresses and illnesses we endure throughout our lives. Therefore, the majority of women, on entering menopause will start the process with adrenal exhaustion, particularly if in your life you have not taken time out for yourself. This may have the impact of intensifying menopausal symptoms; a key reason why some women have a much worse transition than others.

Common symptoms of adrenal fatigue include mood swings, fatigue, depression and an addiction to coffee and sugar. Symptoms such as mood swings may worsen during menopause and drinking coffee may also increase sweat gland activity due to its stimulation of the adrenals potentially leading to intensified hot flushes and night

Decreased adrenal activity is also responsible for a lack of energy and is a common dysfunction of the endocrine system – yoga can help us to change this:

‘If the adrenal gland is well massaged every day by asanas, (postures), such changes will not occur. The health of the individual health of the gland is toned up by yoga. Stimulation of the glands provides greater energy than before. Standing poses invigorate the glands. Inversions recharge the adrenals. Forward bends soothe the overdrive. Half Halasana, (half plough pose), relieves the overdrive. Twisting asanas are invaluable for rinsing the adrenal glands. Backbends squeeze the adrenals. Energy levels depend principally on healthy endocrine and nervous functions. Yoga interacts in these areas by stabilising the inner vital force in the body.’

B.K.S. Iyengar (one of the foremost yogis, and founder of Iyengar Yoga)

As the ovaries naturally decrease their production of our sex hormones, the pineal gland, (which secretes serotonin) and the adrenal glands can actually increase their hormonal output if we support them to.

During menopause the adrenal glands can partially take over for the ovaries and produce the small amounts of oestrogen that the body needs to keep functioning at optimal levels, therefore, healthy adrenal glands are crucial to a healthy menopause transition.

Yoga’s relaxing, rejuvenating and inverted poses and other important restorative poses can break the vicious cycle of adrenal exhaustion, stimulation and fatigue. These poses also stimulate the kidneys, promoting healthy elimination of metabolic waste.

B.K.S. Iyengar recommends the following restorative poses for good adrenal health:

  • Backbends
  • Bound angle pose/Supported Reclined Bound Angle Pose
  • Downward Facing Dog
  • Headstand
  • Head to Knee Pose
  • Plough pose
  • Seated Forward Fold
  • Seated Cross Legged Poses
  • Seated Twist
  • Standing Forward Fold

 

 

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 2

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 The Unique Benefits of Yoga during the Menopausal Years:

The changes we experience in menopause are not limited to the reproductive system, they affect all of our body systems. Hormonal fluctuations influence the functioning of many of the body’s vital organs and tissues including the brain, the heart, the blood, the skin and the bones.

Due to this, the menopause is a time when we need to prioritise self-care. As women we are used to nurturing everyone else – if we don’t nurture ourselves now, how are we going to look after everyone else for years to come?

Menopause is the time; many of us will naturally withdraw from the outside world for short periods of time, as we long for solitude and peace. The menopause can be a wake-up call to take care of ourselves. We either take the time to be healthy or can be forced to take the time to be ill.

Good health during our menopausal years relies on achieving hormonal balance. What was once acceptable for our bodies is now not always the case. When we were younger, we could work through high stress levels, without it upsetting our hormone balance too much. We could eat and drink what we liked without piling weight on. However, fluctuating and declining hormone levels indicate that we need to start taking some responsibility for our own bodies, and the stress we put on them.

Yoga has many benefits that sets it aside from other forms of exercise. The breathing practice and yoga postures do not just benefit the bones and muscles of the body, but also the endocrine system, (the hormonal system of the body), as well as the body’s organ, such as the heart, the brain and the digestive system. A yoga practice can help to reduce or prevent the key, common symptoms that affect women specifically during the menopausal years.

Yoga provides a form of treatment that is directed at the root causes of the endocrine system that results in the breakdown of the healthy functioning of the body.

All menopausal symptoms are intricately related and using yoga to ease the effects of one or more of the many symptoms will generally lead to better health throughout the rest of the body. Every yoga pose has a multitude of positive effects on all of the body’s systems.

Yoga poses can include standing poses, forward bends, back bends, inversions and sitting or lying down to stimulate and activate the body. Inversions such as down dog are very important during the menopause as they have a powerful effect on the body as they allow fresh, oxygenated blood to flow to the glands in the head and the neck. This is important because if blood flow to the brain is reduced it prevents the brain cells from getting the nutrients they need to work correctly

Practising yoga throughout the menopause transition will gradually rejuvenate the body and may help to remove the causes of a number of unpleasant symptoms that can be experienced.

Yoga for Hormone Balance – Part 1

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 Why Yoga?

Yoga helps to reduce the effects of menopausal hormone changes by balancing the endocrine system. It promotes a sense of calm in the hormonal and glandular changes that take place through this natural life event. Practising yoga not only helps us to restore health and vitality to our bodies during menopause and the years that follow, but it also supports our emotional and spiritual well-being as we grow older.

A regular yoga practice can help with our attitude towards the whole process of menopause. In our constantly busy and stressed lives, yoga brings us into the present moment. We use pranayama (breathing exercises) to steady and regulate the breath, the asana (postures) to build strength, control and focus, and meditation to help us relax. It is also a great form of exercise that is available to people of all abilities. All too often I hear people saying, “I am not flexible enough to do yoga’ or ‘I am not very good at this’. You do not have to be flexible to do yoga; this comes with a regular yoga practice as your body creates muscle memory. Everyone can be good at yoga; a practice helps you to realise that you have to work within the limitations of your own body and focus on stilling the mind (what yoga is really all about!). We are all unique, as is our anatomical build. Yoga is about accepting yourself as you are and giving yourself some well-deserved me-time.

On a physical level, yoga eases menstrual and menopausal problems by supporting the relaxation of the nervous system, increasing the flow of oxygen and blood to the reproductive organs and strengthening the muscles surrounding those organs, such as the pelvic floor. A strong pelvic floor is needed to help control the bladder, improve your sex life, and keep all your internal organs where they should be, as well as keeping you upright.

Yoga helps to promote testosterone, which is part of the mix of hormones needed for helping to balance our mood, energy levels and sex drive. Along with oestrogen it helps to strengthen our bones and build muscle tone. As oestrogen declines (a key player in bone density) it also helps to build or at least maintain healthy bones.

Psychologically, yoga works to ease stress and promotes relaxation. It gives a woman the opportunity to go deep inside and learn about her body from the inside out. This is one of the greatest benefits of a yoga practice. Whatever is going on in your life, relaxing on the yoga mat gives you that much needed and deserved time out.

The Benefits of Practising Yoga:

  • Helps to balance hormonal changes experienced during peri-menopause and beyond
  • Begins to alleviate stress and related emotional and physical symptoms
  • Helps to relieves mood swings, anxiety, depression and fatigue
  • Supports the easing of hot flushes, night sweats and other symptoms
  • Part of strengthens the bones and helps to minimise bone loss
  • Supports female pelvic health and coping with common problems such as heavy and irregular bleeding, as well as fibroids
  • Helps to strengthen the immune system
  • Helps to prevent heart disease
  • Improves a sense of wellbeing, emotionally, physically and spiritually

Thyroid and Hormone Balance

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What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is made up of glands. It is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of the neck. It releases hormones that control the metabolism, which is the way the body uses energy.

Why does the body need thyroid?

The thyroid gland uses iodine from the foods we eat to make T4, (Thyroxine). T4 is mainly a pro-hormone as it converts into either T3 – (Triiodothyronine), the active thyroid hormone, or reverse T3 (RT3), which is made by the body to slow down energy. It is important that both T3 and T4 remain in balance. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in the brain communicate with each other to ensure this happens.

The hypothalamus releases TSH releasing hormone that signals the pituitary to tell the thyroid gland to produce more or less of T3 and T4 by either increasing or decreasing the release of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, (TSH).

  • If T3 and T4 levels are high, the pituitary gland releases less TSH to the thyroid gland to slow production of these hormones.
  • If T3 and T4 levels are low, the pituitary gland releases more TSH to tell the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones.

The function of the Thyroid Hormone:

  • Supports metabolism and body weight
  • Supports muscle strength
  • Supports the digestive system including liver detoxing and the bowels moving
  • Body temperature – stimulates energy to keep the body warm
  • Helps with breathing
  • Heart rate
  • Supports the central and peripheral nervous systems
  • Supports brain function including alertness, mood and memory
  • Supports the immune system helping us to fight infection
  • Supports the reproductive system including the menstrual cycle, fertility and libido
  • Helps to maintain good cholesterol, and reduce bad cholesterol
  • Helps to keep the skin soft and supple and the hair and nails strong and thick

Symptoms of LOW Thyroid: (Hypothyroidism):

  • Hair loss, including outer third of eyebrows, and even eyelashes
  • Dry, straw like hair, that tangles easily.
  • Dry skin
  • Thin, brittle fingernails
  • Fluid retention/swollen ankles
  • Headaches
  • Slow speech/hoarse voice
  • Sluggish reflexes
  • Depression
  • Weight gain – no matter what you do, you cant lose weight.
  • High cholesterol
  • Muscle/ joints aches and pains
  • A slow heart rate
  • Cold/Heat intolerance
  • Lethargy/Fatigue
  • Difficulty concentrating/memory loss
  • Low sex drive
  • Mood swings

Symptoms of HIGH Thyroid: (Hyperthyroidism):

  • Palpitations
  • Bulging eyes
  • Sweating
  • High blood pressure
  • Anxiety
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhoea

How other hormones affect thyroid production:

  • Cortisol either takes care of or destroys the thyroid gland. Too little or too much cortisol can interfere with the T4 to T3 conversion. Cortisol is also known to increase insulin levels, which is linked to low thyroid.
  • Excess oestrogen/Low progesterone – if oestrogen levels are too high relative to low progesterone levels, this can increase thyroid-binding proteins, which will decrease the levels of free thyroid hormone. For the T4 to T3 conversion, we need progesterone.

 

Balancing the thyroid with nutrition:

  • Copper – helps to balance any consistencies found in the thyroid gland. Find copper in meats, poultry and eggs. Vegans, choose nuts, seeds and grains. If still low, use a multivitamin containing copper.
  • Zinc – needed to produce TSH in the pituitary gland; found in oysters, lamb, nuts, ginger, whole grains, sardines.
  • Selenium – is important to the enzymes that protect the thyroid gland from damage by free radicals, as it helps to convert T4 to T3. Take selenium, only if you are deficient and have AUTO-ANTIBODIES to the thyroid. (Most multivitamins have the recommended dose on the label). Find selenium in Brazil nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds, brown rice, meat, fish, and eggs.
  • Vitamin A – is needed to activate the thyroid receptors. Chicken livers, grass fed butter, animal products, carrots and dandelion greens. DO NOT OVERDOSE – TOXICITY!
  • Iron – This is key to thyroid synthesis and conversion. Found in leafy greens and grass-fed beef, poultry, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains.
  • Iodine – is needed to make T4 hormone. Find it in fish, shellfish, sea vegetables – kelp, eggs, dairy, meat, sea salt.
  • Tyrosine – is the main amino acid in T4 and T3 hormones, and is found in chicken, turkey, fish, avocado, seeds, nuts, dairy, and whey protein.
  • Vitamin D – needed to activate the thyroid receptor on the cell. We can get good levels of Vitamin D in the summer, however, in the winter we may need to add foods such as liver, low mercury fish – herring, sardines and cod
  • Vitamin B – especially B2 and B12 are needed to make thyroid hormones. Found in Whole grains, meat, oats, dairy, green veg, nuts, seeds
  • Omega 3 fats – help to protect thyroid cells. Found in oily fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts.
  • MCT’s (medium chain triglycerides) – Coconut oil or liquid MCT oil – these fats help to boost metabolism.
  • Avoid gluten if you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism – there are proven links between autoimmune thyroid conditions and coeliac disease.
  • Avoid processed soy as they might impair thyroid function. Soymilk, soy isolates, soy cheese, soy meat, soy yoghurt, tofu.