TCM & Thyroid Health
Autoimmune diseases are on the rise. Who hasn't heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, Diabetes or Lupus. And most of us will know at least one person who has problems with their thyroid. In fact, thyroid disorders are one of the most commonly diagnosed autoimmune diseases.
The thyroid is a gland located in the front of your throat, and is part of the endocrine system. The thyroid controls our metabolism and determines the speed at which our body functions, from use of energy to protein synthesis. It even has an influence of how our body reacts to other hormones. It does that by producing two hormones, T3 and T4, and releasing them into the blood stream. How much hormones are made depends on the pituitary gland, which is part of the brain and measures the concentration of the two hormones in the blood. If levels drop too low or go too high, it will respond by releasing more or less thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, which will then tell the thyroid whether to continue producing T3 and T4, or whether to stop.
An underactive thyroid will fail to produce enough thyroid hormone, which in turn will slow down bodily functions considerably. Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism are weight gain, fatigue, palpitations, menstrual irregularities, sensitivity to temperature changes, feeling cold, hair loss and hypersomnia. In case of an overactive thyroid, the gland produces too much thyroid hormone, and all bodily functions will be sped up. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, restlessness, palpitations, abnormal sweating, intolerance to heat, insomnia, shaking hands, menstrual abnormalities, hair loss, and in some cases protruding, bulging eyeballs. Both conditions are easily diagnosed with blood tests by measuring the amounts of free T3 and T4 as well as the overall level of TSH.
From a Western medicine point of view, hypothyroidism is a lot easier to treat than hyperthyroidism. Synthroid, aka Levothyroxine, is a synthetic thyroid hormone in pill form. It stabilizes thyroid function by supplementing thyroid hormones. Patients using thyroid hormone medications need to be monitored on a regular basis to make sure hormone levels are good. With a drug-only treatment approach, most patients will depend on thyroid medications for the rest of their lives.
Hyperthyroidism is a more complex condition to treat. For one, if not detected on time and left untreated, patients with an overactive thyroid can develop a "thyroid storm," which is a life-threatening condition presenting with rapid heart beat, nausea, confusion and possible heart failure. Western treatments for hyperthyroidism are limited to anti-thyroid medications, thyroid ablation with radioactive iodine and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
Anti-thyroid drugs work by preventing the thyroid from producing too much hormone. There are currently two antithyroid drugs on the US market, and both have potentially serious side effect. Most practitioners in the US will only prescribed these drugs for short periods of time, usually for anywhere between one to two years. If the thyroid has not normalized during this time, or if a person relapses after a period of remission, doctors will generally recommend removal of part of the thyroid gland.
This removal can be done surgically, or by ablation with radioactive iodine. In the latter case, a radioactive iodine solution is given to the patient. The thyroid will absorb the iodine, and the radioactivity kills the thyroid. Even though doctors try to adjust the dose of the radioactive iodine to only destroy part of the thyroid, most of the time patients are not left with enough thyroid tissue to produce enough hormones. Surgical removal of thyroid tissue will also leave most patients with an underactive thyroid. These patients will be dependent on thyroid hormone drugs for the rest of their lives.
What Western medicine fails to treat is the underlying root causes of thyroid disease. Admittedly, little is understood about the dynamics of autoimmune disorders, but it is apparent that stress is one of the main contributors. For example, Hashimoto's disease, which presents with short bouts of hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism (the body's immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid cells), is very often trigger by extremely stressful events in the patient's life, and also often happens after pregnancy, which is also a major stressor on the body. Many of the other autoimmune disorders also seem to often follow serious stressful events.
Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture causes the body to release powerful neuropeptides which help the body to relax and de-stress. By this action alone, TCM can help in the management of autoimmune conditions. Regular treatments can help alleviate many of the emotional symptoms associated with thyroid disorders, like anxieties, palpitation, nervousness and depression.
An acupuncturist will address thyroid disease from many sides. The acupuncture treatments will focus on moving blocked energies, optimizing digestion (malabsorption is one of the big problems with thyroid disorders) and clearing heat and toxicity. The herbal formulations will support the acupuncture treatments by continuing to move energies, but will also nourish the body where it needs to be nourished, and help calm the spirit to alleviate anxiety, palpitations, insomnia and depression. The formula will also contain herbs that help reduce swelling in the neck area (goiter), and can help with Opthamolopathy (bulging eyes).
An Eastern medicine practitioner will also work on diet and lifestyle with their thyroid patients. For example, since stress is one of the main triggers of autoimmune disorders, it is imperative to start on an effective stress management protocol. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are both great tools for autoimmune disease patients, and often work better than meditation alone. Many patients have a hard time controlling and calming their minds, so sitting meditation can easily turn into a stressful battle with "the monkey mind." In Tai Chi and Qi Gong, however, the meditation is combined with physical movement: The patient needs to remember the hand and foot movements of each form, and while doing this synchronize their breath with each movement. This will give even the most active mind enough to focus on. Moreover, Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises are specifically designed to move and augment the qi and energies in the organ networks and associated channels. So instead of just helping the patient calm down, these exercises will also give the patient an important tool to regulate the energies in the affected organ and channel networks to actively rebalance the body and combat the root dysfunctions present in thyroid disease.
Diet is another big contributor to thyroid disease, and adjusting ones diet will be a vital tool in recovery. Depending on whether your thyroid is overactive or too slow, your practitioner will give you a list of beneficial foods as well as a list of foods to absolutely avoid. In general, it is advisable to include adequate amounts of protein, preferably in form of animal proteins. Milk, Cheese and other dairy products should be avoided, since they contribute to the formation of phlegm, which in TCM is a major pathogen involved in thyroid disease and the formation of goiter. Also, patients with an overactive thyroid should include small amounts of raw soy in their diet every day. Raw vegetables from the cruciferous family, like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, are also foods that should be included on a daily basis. Hypothyroid patients, on the other hand, should avoid soy and cruciferous vegetables, since they naturally lower thyroid function. Instead, they should include foods rich in natural iodine like sea vegetables or kelp - the iodine can help support the thyroid in hormone production, and since it is part of a whole food, the iodine is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. All thyroid patients should include a good, whole-food multivitamin and mineral supplement, and a breakfast high in protein (hemp protein shakes with steamed fruits and vegetables prepared with rice milk are a good option since they are also high in Omega fatty acids).
For optimal management of autoimmune-related thyroid disorders, especially in the acute phases of hyperthyroidism, an integrative approach will bring the best results. Often, antithyroid medications or beta blockers are necessary in the earlier stages of hyperthyroidism to control the acute symptoms of irregular and fast heart rate until acupuncture, herbs and dietary changes (which work slower than Western medications) can rebalance the body. From my own clinical experience working with thyroid patients, this integrative approach helped most of my patients to get off thyroid medications faster and to stay in remission longer - most patients will not suffer from repeated episodes of thyroid disfunction. It is important to mention that once the thyroid function is restored to normal, it is important to continue with stress management and dietary protocols, and it is also advisable to continue getting acupuncture treatments at least once or twice a month to help the body stay balanced.
The thyroid is a gland located in the front of your throat, and is part of the endocrine system. The thyroid controls our metabolism and determines the speed at which our body functions, from use of energy to protein synthesis. It even has an influence of how our body reacts to other hormones. It does that by producing two hormones, T3 and T4, and releasing them into the blood stream. How much hormones are made depends on the pituitary gland, which is part of the brain and measures the concentration of the two hormones in the blood. If levels drop too low or go too high, it will respond by releasing more or less thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, which will then tell the thyroid whether to continue producing T3 and T4, or whether to stop.
An underactive thyroid will fail to produce enough thyroid hormone, which in turn will slow down bodily functions considerably. Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism are weight gain, fatigue, palpitations, menstrual irregularities, sensitivity to temperature changes, feeling cold, hair loss and hypersomnia. In case of an overactive thyroid, the gland produces too much thyroid hormone, and all bodily functions will be sped up. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, restlessness, palpitations, abnormal sweating, intolerance to heat, insomnia, shaking hands, menstrual abnormalities, hair loss, and in some cases protruding, bulging eyeballs. Both conditions are easily diagnosed with blood tests by measuring the amounts of free T3 and T4 as well as the overall level of TSH.
From a Western medicine point of view, hypothyroidism is a lot easier to treat than hyperthyroidism. Synthroid, aka Levothyroxine, is a synthetic thyroid hormone in pill form. It stabilizes thyroid function by supplementing thyroid hormones. Patients using thyroid hormone medications need to be monitored on a regular basis to make sure hormone levels are good. With a drug-only treatment approach, most patients will depend on thyroid medications for the rest of their lives.
Hyperthyroidism is a more complex condition to treat. For one, if not detected on time and left untreated, patients with an overactive thyroid can develop a "thyroid storm," which is a life-threatening condition presenting with rapid heart beat, nausea, confusion and possible heart failure. Western treatments for hyperthyroidism are limited to anti-thyroid medications, thyroid ablation with radioactive iodine and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
Anti-thyroid drugs work by preventing the thyroid from producing too much hormone. There are currently two antithyroid drugs on the US market, and both have potentially serious side effect. Most practitioners in the US will only prescribed these drugs for short periods of time, usually for anywhere between one to two years. If the thyroid has not normalized during this time, or if a person relapses after a period of remission, doctors will generally recommend removal of part of the thyroid gland.
This removal can be done surgically, or by ablation with radioactive iodine. In the latter case, a radioactive iodine solution is given to the patient. The thyroid will absorb the iodine, and the radioactivity kills the thyroid. Even though doctors try to adjust the dose of the radioactive iodine to only destroy part of the thyroid, most of the time patients are not left with enough thyroid tissue to produce enough hormones. Surgical removal of thyroid tissue will also leave most patients with an underactive thyroid. These patients will be dependent on thyroid hormone drugs for the rest of their lives.
What Western medicine fails to treat is the underlying root causes of thyroid disease. Admittedly, little is understood about the dynamics of autoimmune disorders, but it is apparent that stress is one of the main contributors. For example, Hashimoto's disease, which presents with short bouts of hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism (the body's immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid cells), is very often trigger by extremely stressful events in the patient's life, and also often happens after pregnancy, which is also a major stressor on the body. Many of the other autoimmune disorders also seem to often follow serious stressful events.
Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture causes the body to release powerful neuropeptides which help the body to relax and de-stress. By this action alone, TCM can help in the management of autoimmune conditions. Regular treatments can help alleviate many of the emotional symptoms associated with thyroid disorders, like anxieties, palpitation, nervousness and depression.
An acupuncturist will address thyroid disease from many sides. The acupuncture treatments will focus on moving blocked energies, optimizing digestion (malabsorption is one of the big problems with thyroid disorders) and clearing heat and toxicity. The herbal formulations will support the acupuncture treatments by continuing to move energies, but will also nourish the body where it needs to be nourished, and help calm the spirit to alleviate anxiety, palpitations, insomnia and depression. The formula will also contain herbs that help reduce swelling in the neck area (goiter), and can help with Opthamolopathy (bulging eyes).
An Eastern medicine practitioner will also work on diet and lifestyle with their thyroid patients. For example, since stress is one of the main triggers of autoimmune disorders, it is imperative to start on an effective stress management protocol. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are both great tools for autoimmune disease patients, and often work better than meditation alone. Many patients have a hard time controlling and calming their minds, so sitting meditation can easily turn into a stressful battle with "the monkey mind." In Tai Chi and Qi Gong, however, the meditation is combined with physical movement: The patient needs to remember the hand and foot movements of each form, and while doing this synchronize their breath with each movement. This will give even the most active mind enough to focus on. Moreover, Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises are specifically designed to move and augment the qi and energies in the organ networks and associated channels. So instead of just helping the patient calm down, these exercises will also give the patient an important tool to regulate the energies in the affected organ and channel networks to actively rebalance the body and combat the root dysfunctions present in thyroid disease.
Diet is another big contributor to thyroid disease, and adjusting ones diet will be a vital tool in recovery. Depending on whether your thyroid is overactive or too slow, your practitioner will give you a list of beneficial foods as well as a list of foods to absolutely avoid. In general, it is advisable to include adequate amounts of protein, preferably in form of animal proteins. Milk, Cheese and other dairy products should be avoided, since they contribute to the formation of phlegm, which in TCM is a major pathogen involved in thyroid disease and the formation of goiter. Also, patients with an overactive thyroid should include small amounts of raw soy in their diet every day. Raw vegetables from the cruciferous family, like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, are also foods that should be included on a daily basis. Hypothyroid patients, on the other hand, should avoid soy and cruciferous vegetables, since they naturally lower thyroid function. Instead, they should include foods rich in natural iodine like sea vegetables or kelp - the iodine can help support the thyroid in hormone production, and since it is part of a whole food, the iodine is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. All thyroid patients should include a good, whole-food multivitamin and mineral supplement, and a breakfast high in protein (hemp protein shakes with steamed fruits and vegetables prepared with rice milk are a good option since they are also high in Omega fatty acids).
For optimal management of autoimmune-related thyroid disorders, especially in the acute phases of hyperthyroidism, an integrative approach will bring the best results. Often, antithyroid medications or beta blockers are necessary in the earlier stages of hyperthyroidism to control the acute symptoms of irregular and fast heart rate until acupuncture, herbs and dietary changes (which work slower than Western medications) can rebalance the body. From my own clinical experience working with thyroid patients, this integrative approach helped most of my patients to get off thyroid medications faster and to stay in remission longer - most patients will not suffer from repeated episodes of thyroid disfunction. It is important to mention that once the thyroid function is restored to normal, it is important to continue with stress management and dietary protocols, and it is also advisable to continue getting acupuncture treatments at least once or twice a month to help the body stay balanced.
