NATURAL HEALING OF AN OVERACTIVE THYROID(this article was first written in January 2001 and appeared in 'Positive Health' magazine in Spring of that year. It has since been very slightly revised to bring it up to date) Hyperthyroidism - an Introduction The thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck in front of the windpipe, is one of the body’s crucial hormone-producing glands. It releases the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4 - thyroxine) which regulate metabolism in all body systems. The overall effect of the thyroid hormone, for which there appears to be a receptor in every body cell, is to increase the amount of energy that the cell uses; it is essential for life, and it is the only part of the body known to require iodine. Blood levels of these hormones are kept in narrow limits by a feedback control system whereby, when levels fall, the hypothalamus (an area of the brain) is triggered to increase production of the hormone thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) which travels to the pituitary gland in the brain. The pituitary then increases production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to increase its production of T3 and T4. The thyroid hormones are so named because there are four atoms of iodine (their major constituent) in each molecule of thyroxine (T4) and three atoms of iodine in each molecule of triiodothyronine (T3). It is believed that T4 starts to be active only when it is converted, mainly in the liver, to T3 by the removal of one atom of iodine. When for any reason the thyroid becomes over-active, chemical actions in the body are speeded up, with many resultant physical and psychological symptoms. Food calories are quickly burned off, causing weight loss, excessive body heat and increased frequency of urination and bowel movements. Restlessness, sleeplessness and lack of concentration also result, together with breathlessness and heart palpitations as all of the body systems accelerate. Muscle tone diminishes (including that of the heart muscle) and muscle tremor and weakness are experienced - the changes in the muscles of the eyes cause their characteristic bulging appearance, together with blurred vision and heightened sensitivity. The reproductive system is also affected, and there is a noticeable deterioration of the skin, hair and nails. The person affected will probably be hyper-active and restless, but also prone to resultant periods of extreme exhaustion. Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre) is present to some degree, with or without nodules in the gland which are often noticeable enough to be easily felt with the fingers. These nodules over-produce thyroid hormones in their own right and are not under the control of the negative feedback loop described above. The causes of hyperthyroidism are not understood, but there is thought to be an auto-immune stimulus whereby for an unknown reason the body produces a thyroid stimulating immunoglobin; also, thyroid-stimulating antibodies which attack THS receptors in the thyroid are found in the serum of hyperthyroid patients. Environmental pollutants have certainly been linked with thyroid disorders by some research, and there are also possibilities that parasitic or fungal infections of the thyroid could be involved. Stress of course affects the immune system, and often traumatic life events appear to have taken place a few months before hyperthyroidism is noticed. Personal history During 1999 I faced for the first time a potentially serious illness - hyperthyroidism. It is not an uncommon condition, especially in women and even more especially in women, like me, around the time of menopause. It’s easy to mix up menopausal symptoms (like flushes, and emotional highs and lows) with those of an over-active thyroid - and in fact the two are related at this time, when the hormones are running riot. In my case, with my gung-ho approach to the menopause, I ignored the signs for many months, even to the extent of putting down to fatigue such symptoms as muscle tremor, breathlessness, insomnia and palpitations. That is, until the day in November 99 when I realised that I’d lost nearly a stone in weight and so immediately made an appointment to see my GP. The diagnosis came a few days later, with the blood test results. My GP made no bones about the seriousness of the condition and the treatment options; these were: drug treatment (carbimazole), or radioactive iodine treatment, or surgery - and possibly all three, in the long term. Without treatment, he said, my condition would inevitably worsen and I would end up in an incurably weakened state, at risk of blindness and psychosis. As with all cases of hyperthyroidism, he wrote a letter of referral to a consultant - the leading endocrinologist in the city, he said - and started to write a prescription for carbimazole and for beta-blockers to control the palpitations. Straight away, this didn’t feel right, since for many years I’ve preferred to let my body do its own healing rather than use remedies, especially pharmaceuticals. I asked the GP for a period of grace to think about it, and he reluctantly agreed to see me two weeks later. With reference to the drugs, I am talking here about my own reactions and my personal choice; whether to take a drug treatment is of course a choice for each individual to make, based on the nature of the illness, on our views on our own body’s healing process, and on our views on the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, my period of ‘grace’ turned out to be quite a depressing time, as I searched the literature, searched the web and asked as many people as I could for any information on alternative treatments for hyperthyroidism. Again and again I came up with the same thing - drug treatment, radioactive iodine, surgery - and no alternative at all. My first breakthrough came when I learned of someone who had been helped by particular nutritional supplements (albeit in addition to drug treatment) and the second came with the discovery that medical herbalism could possibly be of help. By the time my first appointment with the consultant came up in January 2000 I had been taking nutritional supplements and medicinal herbs for several weeks and my symptoms were improving slightly - though the medics did not ‘count’ this, saying that the thyroid was still basically out of control. I was still determined to avoid the drug if possible, whilst being clear all along that if things got really bad then of course I would probably decide to take it. The consultant, however, strongly opposed my plan. He said that very many of his patients over the years had tried alternative treatments without success. He also said that before the advent of drug treatment, one third of people with the condition used to die from it, and that I was at serious risk of heart failure (at that time my resting pulse was way up in the nineties and I experienced frequent palpitations). My herbalist had written the consultant a letter detailing my treatment, but the consultant merely took a quick glance at this and handed it back to me instead of putting it on my file. He did however agree to continue to monitor me, for which I was grateful. Six months later, in July 2000 and on my third visit, the consultant’s reaction to a quick check of my pulse rate was to say "That’s amazing!". Later, the results of the blood test taken on that visit showed that my thyroid hormone level (FT4) had come down from 37.3 on first diagnosis to a level of 12.5 which is within the normal range. FT3 was also normal at 6.5. TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) had also returned after being untraceable in my previous tests. Considering what I had been told by both the GP and the consultant, I felt that this was a marvellous result. Later still, the consultant has written to me following the subsequent test in October that the result shows that my thyroid "is under perfect control". I still need to me monitored; I feel that our hormones are a complex - magical! - and incredibly sensitive system that is constantly acting and reacting with other systems as part of our body’s continual working on our behalf towards balance and health. I cannot declare myself "cured" and then forget all about it. Like most aspects of life, this is a process, not a cure. Indeed, with this condition, there is often a pattern of recurrence. But I do feel that there has been a lot of healing going on, and I’d like to describe here the various things that I did which were all part of my healing. I hope it may be helpful to others with the condition, and also to others who need to work on restoring their health. Some of my strategies are very practical whilst others involve the emotions and spirit. They are not listed in order of importance. Information On diagnosis, the first thing I did - as with all previous challenges in my life (the driving test, the first baby) - was to go out and get a book about it. I got several books, in fact. Information is part of the empowering process. Reassessment I knew that the fundamental thing to do, when faced with illness, was simply to stop doing whatever it was that made me ill. This involved reassessing the whole of my life, including habits of work, play, eating, sleeping, thinking and breathing! Hyperthyroidism is one of the few conditions that even orthodox medicine recognises to be stress related (whilst a more wholistic view is that all conditions are related to stress of some kind). The first thing to do, then, was to examine why it was that my life had become so stressful, and to do something about it. We can’t just abandon responsibilities, of course, and being self-employed I felt unable to stop working, but I did manage to take some things at a different pace and, most importantly, to resolve not to work in the evenings for a while. I made more time for myself wherever possible, without feeling guilty, and sometimes I just abandoned ship and went to bed. I said "no" more often. Most importantly, I schooled myself to change my attitude to uncomfortable situations which I can’t change. I slowly and deliberately became a different person from the one who had become ill. Breathing and Relaxation It’s good to take time out, but in reality for many people that’s a rare treat. I had already learned relaxation techniques and thought I was quite good at doing a swift "body check" at any time to see if I was unnecessarily tensing any muscles. And realising that opportunities for "deep" relaxation were normally very limited, I began to practice a less profound but much more sustained type of relaxation which I now think has benefited me more than occasional periods of complete "switch off". I have made a habit of checking for tension almost all of the time; of slowing and deepening my breathing almost all of the time; of approaching tasks at ease, and at a slower pace. Breathing is especially important, being the only part of the sympathetic nervous system over which we have some conscious control; calming the breathing has a marvellous effect on other parts of the sympathetic nervous system, which we can’t of course consciously control. In normal breathing, the in-breath is a muscular effort which takes less time than the relaxing out-breath. In stressed breathing, the in and out-breaths are quicker and of an almost equal duration. By becoming aware of our breathing, and sometimes counting with the breaths, we can deepen and regularise our breathing to one that has strong refreshing in-breaths and long luxurious out-breaths; this delivers the right amount of oxygen to our body cells and soothes and balances the nervous system with enormous benefit to our other body systems. This is a way of breathing which with practice can become normal - not just something reserved for special times. It is of particular benefit to the hyper-thyroid condition where the body is under too much stress of its own making. All of this, I think, may have been more beneficial than taking limited periods of time out for relaxation deep breathing during an otherwise hectic life in the fast lane. (Top) Likewise, with meditation and healing, the "big picture" is the most important. Of course there is no substitute for meditation (devotion, healing, or prayer, depending on your views), and I have taken every opportunity I could over the past year to give and receive healing. However I really think that what these practices are actually "for" is to be carried over into every aspect of our lives. If we can practice loving and healing thoughts wherever we are, and in whatever circumstances, not just at special times, then we’ve really achieved our own healing (and needless to say, I’m not quite there yet!). On a practical level, I found that listening to tapes of beautiful visualisations and strengthening affirmations helped with this. I would listen to my tapes each night before falling asleep and I’m sure that this really helped with bringing the peacefulness of the meditative state into the other parts of my day and night. When I remember that I am, in fact, a soul, then all worries and hassles, and all fears, melt away. This simple fact is really all it takes. It is the setting in which healing can take place and, personally, I think that a "soul consciousness" is our greatest strength. When things go wrong and I can feel myself getting ‘wound up’ and exhausted, it’s usually because I have temporarily forgotten this simple fact. Medical Herbalism I’ve been interested in herbs for many years, and perhaps that’s what gave me an affinity for this choice of treatment. Robyn James who practices in Sheffield is my herbalist and she is a Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. From the outset Robyn made it clear that she would not be happy to treat me were I not also being seen by a hospital consultant; all responsible herbalists (as with other practitioners) will clarify what they can and can’t treat, and will refer to a doctor or another practitioner when appropriate. Robyn conducted a much more thorough consultation than either the GP or the consultant, including blood pressure and cardiac examination, neither of which the GP or the consultant had done. Robyn has treated me with different combinations of several herbs over this period, all in the form of tinctures, taken in a mixed dose twice a day. The herbs used have been: Leonurus cardica (Motherwort), Lycopus virginicus (Bugleweed, i.e. NOT Lycopus europaeus [Gipsywort] and NOT Bugle [Ajuga reptans]), Verbena officinalis (Vervain), Valeriana (Valerian), Ashwagandha (Withania) and Crataegus spp (Hawthorn). At Robyn’s suggestion I also drink a pot of tea made from fresh garden lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) on most days. Lemon balm is calming and has anti-thyroid properties; and it is not a co-incidence that for the last two years the plant has been running all over my garden - reaching out to me, it seems. I consider that the treatment with herbs has been absolutely pivotal in the rebalancing of my thyroid hormone levels. Herbs work on the chemical level, of course, but I’m sure that they also work on subtle levels which are not yet fully rediscovered. It is important to note that I have not been self-treating with herbs, which might have been possible if I had consulted a herbal and just taken recommended doses of suitable plants. A practitioner is able to see us from a different perspective from our own, and to make a prescription based on our biochemical and personal individuality - not to mention knowing sources of organic herbal tinctures which would not be easy for an individual to find and to buy in suitable quantities. I do use herbal remedies from the garden, fields and shops for minor ailments and general health, but I feel lucky that in this case of a serious health problem I was able to consult a professional herbalist. (Top) Eye Care Robyn also advised on eye care because of the changes in my eyes caused by the condition - which, again, the medics did not. Hyperthyroidism causes a bulging of the eyeballs - exopthalmus - because of a weakening of the muscles behind the eye. This condition is thought to be irreversible and in extreme cases leads to cataracts and blindness. I told Robyn that for some time past I had experienced streaming of the eyes during the night. She said it sounded as if I had been sleeping with my eyes open, and I immediately realised that his was the case. I’d also experience dry eyes during the daytime which I had put down to tiredness, not having noticed the changes which had imperceptibly taken place in my eyes. Robyn suggested I use eye drops to lubricate the surface of the eye and prevent the damage which could eventually result in cataracts if the constant unnatural dryness of the eye were left untreated. I started using the only eye drops available over the counter which do not contain antibiotics (they do however contain a harmless form of sugar as preservative). The brand name is Hypromellose, and the drops simply mimic tears. Robyn told me that pure castor oil can also be used as an eye protector, but I find the drops more convenient. I use them before working at the computer and before going to sleep, and they have made my eyes much more comfortable. I expect my GP would have prescribed them if I’d asked him, though he hadn’t mentioned eye care even though the appearance of my eyes had caused him to suspect hyperthyroidism in the first place. Now that my condition has abated, I am sure that the shape of my eyes has improved, just as the general muscle tone in other parts of my body is ready to be restored. My eyes no longer constantly feel as if I need to close them and there is less ‘white’ visible around the cornea. This proves to me that in the early stages, at any rate, thyroid induced eye problems are by no means irreversible. Nutrition During this time I was supporting my body with nutritional supplements in the form of a liquid multimineral and also an anti-oxidant. In particular I remember that around the time of first diagnosis my muscles had become so weak and my shoulder joints had become so stiff that I found myself crying out in pain with the effort of taking off a sweater. I think it possible that nutritional support may have helped me to completely overcome these symptoms by helping to deliver nutrients to the muscles. Before my illness I had resisted taking supplements for many years, wanting to demonstrate the healthiness of my wholefood vegan diet, but at that time, realising that I needed all the help I could get, I did use supplements. So looking carefully at what I ate was yet another reassessment for me! Now, once more, I do not use supplements and through more study and particularly through basing my eating around 'living' foods I have found a diet that works for me and which has in fact brought my energy levels back to my optimum level, so that I now feel completely 'myself' again. Needless to say, I tried to make doubly sure during this time that I ate a varied and fresh wholefood diet, including a wide range of vegetables, fruits, pulses, nuts, seeds and grains. Some foods (mainly members of the cabbage family - turnip, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts etc.) contain substances called goitrogens which interfere with the workings of the thyroid gland and are not recommended for people experiencing thyroid imbalance. However, I believe that a huge amount of raw cabbage would be needed in order to produce this effect, and so avoidance of this food group - or using it to excess - was not part of my strategy. I consider these green leaves to be vital foods (not eaten in isolation, of course, but together with the full palette of other coloured vegetables which together provide the anti-oxidant vitamins and phytonutrients) and I continued to use them as before. My feeling was that their health benefits outweighed other considerations. Stimulants In a stress related illness, the last thing to do is provide the body with more stress in the form of stimulants - all of which cause some kind of chemical "rush", followed by depletion and fatigue (and the need for more stimulant). The prospect of giving up coffee was very depressing for me, but nonetheless a challenge. I had always despised decaffeinated coffee, but on Robyn’s instructions I immediately changed over to it (another reassessment!). Technically, though, I didn't actually given up caffeine, because the decaffeinated stuff I drank does contain smaller amounts of it, not to mention other drugs (theobromine, theophylline) and potentially harmful substances from the processing. Still, that was a huge step, and I have since gone further! I also drastically cut down on sweet snacking. Sugar as such (even in a "wholefood" product) is really a stimulant, since it floods our system with glucose and brings the endocrine system into play. I’m now much more disciplined about sweet snacks and use them far less often than in the days when my symptoms were at their worst and when a coffee with flapjack was practically a life support system - albeit one that was spiraling quickly downwards! Certainly, when I ‘got serious’ about reducing stimulants, I immediately saw an improvement in my symptoms. (Top) Exercise I have a feeling that in the last few years my attempts to maintain fitness with a sporadic exercise programme and jogging routine - without proper recovery periods in between - actually contributed to the onset of my condition. After my diagnosis, I simply dropped any exercise as such (sweet relief!) and admitted fatigue. My work and family amply provided as much exercise as I could cope with and when possible I just went for gentle outdoor strolls and got out of the city as much as I could. Gradually when I felt better I introduced some easy muscle building in order to rebuild lost muscle tone. Now that I am ready to regain even more strength and fitness I understand more fully how to 'listen to my body' and take the right amount of exercise. Receiving Help from All Sides When we are ill, we need all the help we can get. Not one thing, but many things and people, have helped me, and I am thankful to them all and to 'the universe'. I don’t claim to have found a cure (though now, more than four years later, my thyroid tests show normal) but I do feel that I have made some good changes in my inner life and that a process of restoration is taking place. I hope it will be continual. Illness often changes us for the better. The following quote from M Scott Peck is really about mental illness, but it sums up beautifully: "The symptoms and the illness are not the same thing. The illness exists long before the symptoms. Rather than being the illness, the symptoms are the beginning of its cure. The fact that they are unwanted makes them all the more a phenomenon of grace - a gift of God, a message from the unconscious, if you will, to initiate self-examination and repair." |