lifestyle

Our Favorite Herbs & Supplements to Support a Healthy Thyroid

Published on August 02, 2023


By Gaia Herbs

Gaia Herbs

Your thyroid is a small but mighty gland responsible for controlling almost every process in your body. From your heart rate to your body temperature to your metabolism, your thyroid plays a part in helping your body to operate effectively.

Continue reading for everything you need to know about your thyroid and what herbs and supplements can help support it.

What is the Thyroid?

The thyroid gland is located in the lower front of the neck and is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that wraps around the windpipe (trachea) and affects almost every process in the body.REF#2480

The thyroid gland makes two thyroid hormones, which help the body use energy (i.e., regulate metabolism), stay warm, and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working properly.REF#2481

Thyroid hormones influence everything from our heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight.REF#2482

Continue reading to learn more about this gland and how to use herbs and supplements to help support healthy thyroid health.

What Does the Thyroid Do?

Your thyroid is fundamental in how your body functions, as the hormones it produces help control your metabolism.REF#2480 Your metabolism is the process where your body takes the food you eat and transforms that into energy. The energy produced is used throughout your body, helping many of your bodily systems to keep working properly.

Your thyroid produces two different hormones: T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), which requires magnesium to convert into T3. The role of these hormones is to instruct your body on how much energy to use. 

When your thyroid works normally, your body will produce the right proportion of these hormones to keep your metabolism working effectively.

The pituitary gland oversees this whole process. This gland is found in the center of the skull, right below the brain, and it monitors and controls the amount of thyroid hormones that enter your blood.

When the pituitary gland senses an imbalance in these hormones, it will adjust them by adding a hormone of its own. The hormone the pituitary gland adds to balance things out is called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This hormone returns to the thyroid and instructs it on what it needs to do to get the body back on track.

How Do Thyroid Hormones Support Your Body?

The hormones your thyroid produces affect every cell and organ in your body by:REF#2484

  • Maintaining your metabolic rate by regulating the number of calories you use, which affects weight loss or weight gain.
  • Increasing or decreasing your heart rate.
  • Controlling your body temperature by either raising or lowering it.
  • Regulating the speed at which the food you consume moves through your digestive tract.
  • Affecting brain development.
  • Controlling how your muscles contract.
  • Maintaining skin and bone maintenance by controlling when your body replaces dying cells.

How Can You Support a Healthy Thyroid?

Your thyroid is an essential part of your body but is often overlooked.

As your thyroid helps metabolize and maintain healthy blood pressure levels and maintains your body’s temperature and heart rate, it is a gland that deserves some attention.

Continue reading for five things you can do to help promote a healthy thyroid.REF#2485

Limit Refined Sugar and Processed Foods

Sticking to a diet low in refined sugar and processed foods is important, as these can contribute to an underactive thyroid.REF#2498

Foods high in refined sugar that you may want to avoid include:

  • Candy
  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Pie
  • Pastries
  • Doughnuts
  • Soft drinks

Limit Your Cruciferous Vegetable Intake

Limiting the amount of cruciferous vegetables you consume is important, as they contain compounds called goitrogens. These compounds can affect how efficiently your thyroid can make hormones, therefore affecting the supply of these hormones to the rest of your body.REF#2497

You shouldn’t avoid these veggies entirely, as they’re also full of nutrients. However, limiting your intake of raw cruciferous veggies is important, especially if you have a known thyroid problem.

Cruciferous vegetables include:

  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Kale
  • Turnips
  • Bok choy

Manage Stress Levels

Finding ways to manage your stress is vital for numerous reasons. When it comes to thyroid health, stress may be a contributing factor to certain health conditions originating in the thyroid.REF#2496

Some examples of stress reduction activities include:

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Maintaining a healthy body weight is important so your body can function properly. Being significantly overweight can contribute to many health concerns, but it has been specifically linked to health conditions involving the thyroid.REF#2495

Maintaining a healthy weight can help your thyroid function at peak capacity, which can support your overall health.

What Foods Support the Thyroid?

Studies have shown that certain foods can be added to your diet to help your body maintain a healthy thyroid.

A few thyroid-friendly foods that you can include in your diet are:REF#2486

Seaweed

As seaweed is high in iodine, a trace element that is needed for maintaining proper thyroid function, try adding varieties such as kelp, nori, and wakame to your diet.*

You can eat it with sushi or even eat it dried as a snack.

Note: too much iodine can have a negative effect on thyroid function. Please discuss with your doctor how much iodine you should consume. 

Nuts

Nuts are a great source of selenium. Selenium can help support a healthy thyroid, and snacking on nuts throughout the day is an excellent way of supporting your thyroid.

Nuts that contain selenium include:

  • Brazil nuts
  • Cashews
  • Peanuts
  • Pistachio nuts
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Pecans
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Pine nuts

Fish and Seafood

Adding fish and seafood to your diet, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, is a great way to encourage healthy thyroid function.

Some seafood items to add to your diet include:

  • Salmon
  • Mackerel
  • Sardines
  • Shrimp
  • Crab

Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of both selenium and iodine.* To reap all their benefits, eating the egg whole is generally best, as most beneficial nutrients are found in the yolk.*

A good way to track the thyroid-friendly foods you consume is to create a thyroid diet chart that you can keep in your kitchen.

What Vitamins Can Help Support a Healthy Thyroid?

Be sure to discuss any potential vitamins or supplements with your doctor or health professional.

A few vitamins and minerals that may support thyroid health include:

  • Iodine
  • Vitamin B (including vitamin B12)
  • Selenium
  • Zinc
  • L-tyrosine
  • Vitamin D

Four Herbs That Can Support Thyroid Health Maintenance

Ashwagandha

When the body is stressed, it releases a stress hormone called cortisol.REF#2488

Continuous release of this stress hormone can cause the thyroid glands to work harder to produce sufficient amounts of the thyroid hormone.

While stress may not directly cause problems for the thyroid, it could contribute to them.

Ashwagandha root is a great herb for anyone with a busy schedule dealing with ongoing stress.REF#2494

It provides the support your body needs and helps you healthily cope with stress.REF#2494

Learn more about the benefits of Ashwagandha here.

Rhodiola Rosea

A popular herb amongst endurance athletes, Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen that supports healthy stamina to help people go the distance.REF#2493

It also supports the functioning of the adrenal glands and encourages a healthy response to physical, emotional, and mental stress by supporting cortisol levels.REF#2492

If used regularly, Rhodiola rosea is believed to support the body’s natural resistance to stressful influences and can have a positive effect on a healthy mood.REF#2492

Schisandra

Schisandra berries are regarded as a harmonizing tonic and a popular adaptogenic herb and contain a blend of five distinct flavor properties, which correspond to the five phases or Elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine:

  • Sour (Wood)
  • Bitter (Fire)
  • Sweet (Earth)
  • Acrid (Metal)
  • Salty (Water)

Since these five flavors work synergistically to promote overall health and wellness, Schisandra is sometimes called the “ultimate superberry.”*

Schisandra berries can help promote the body’s natural resistance and adaptation to stressful influences, support mental endurance, and aid your body’s overall metabolic efficiency.REF#2491

Cordyceps

Cordyceps are so highly valued in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that they were once exclusively available to the emperor’s family in ancient China.

TCM uses a thyroid support complex consisting of Cordyceps as an adaptogen and immune-supportive herb to support the kidney and lung systems.REF#2483

Today, many people use Cordyceps to help support healthy stamina and assist their body in maintaining their energy levels.REF#2490

As an adaptogen, Cordyceps are also believed to help promote overall endocrine health.*

Three Supplements That Sustain Metabolic Balance & Support Energy

Thyroid Support

Thyroid hormones affect every major system in the body, including metabolism.REF#2489

Thyroid Support is a gluten-free, non-gmo thyroid support supplement that contains a synergistic blend of herbs traditionally known to support healthy metabolic balance and aid the body in supporting thyroid hormone levels.*

This supplement contains Ashwagandha, Brown Seaweed (bladderwrack), Schisandra, and Kelp and is a great formula to help you stay feeling your best.*

Energy Vitality

When dealing with a thyroid issue, your energy levels may take a hit, making you feel tired and run down.

Adding a dietary supplement such as Energy Vitality may offer the natural boost you need.

Encased in a vegetarian capsule and made with Ginkgo, Ginseng, Green Tea, and Gaia-grown™ Nettle, this invigorating blend of herbs helps your body adapt to stress and supports healthy energy levels.*

Everyday Adaptogen™

If you’re looking for an alternative to a capsule, our high-quality Everyday Adaptogen™ Mushrooms & Herbs powder is a delicious option.

Made with Cordyceps, Rhodiola, Maca, and Ashwagandha, this supplement contains no added fillers, flavors, or sweeteners and is an easy addition to your daily routine.* 

This powder is a great addition to help you operate at peak performance.*

Take Time to Relax

As life gets busy, make it a point to carve out time for rest and rejuvenation. Overall health, including thyroid health, begins with making wise choices and slowing down to take care of yourself.

If you’re feeling stressed, try adding one of the supplements mentioned above to your healthcare regime to help support your health and well-being.

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