Many of you are taking thyroid supplements or medications already, but you might consider adding one more thing into your thyroid health regimen. Simple is best, and there’s nothing more simple or pure that I can think of than essential oils, which are basically extracts from flowers and plants.
The medical community never used to think much of essential oils because after all, how powerful can it be to inhale a flower extract? But let me tell you, I’m convinced this is an excellent and safe way to enhance your current regimen. You see, once you inhale, this “medicine” goes right into your bloodstream, and it doesn’t have to travel through your stomach or intestines. It goes through tiny capillaries directly into the bloodstream where it then shoots all over your body and activates many biochemical pathways.
We know inhaling the aroma of lavender can cause relaxation and sleep. We know peppermint essential oil can mitigate a migraine, and calendula essential oil can soothe a skin wound. Using oils properly requires a little bit of experience and knowledge.
Essential oils are naturally-derived potent powerhouses that impact your body in a dramatic way, without the risk of horrible drug side effects. Plus they are inexpensive and available everywhere… online, at health food stores, Alfalfa’s, Sprouts, Whole Foods, even drug stores. I do mean everywhere!
As for THYROID-loving essential oils, I have a few ideas for you.
When your thyroid is LOW…
The essential oils that I recommend in this case, are those specifically devoted to stimulating or producing the secretion of hormones, activating your metabolism which helps you turn food into fuel, and boosting your immune function.
I’m going to break it down by uncomfortable symptoms that thyroid-sick individuals have to contend with. If you want more detailed information about it, you may grab a copy of my Thyroid Healthy book, or my Thyroid Summit flash drive. Both have a plethora of info on the issues… possibly more than you’ve ever wanted to know! In the meantime, try these quick essential oil health hacks:
Gut problems: People with hypothyroidism are often overweight and struggle to digest their food. Sometimes after eating, you might experience a stomachache or flatulence. A few gut-soothing essential oils that can bring you relief include peppermint, fennel, ginger and chamomile.
Here’s just one idea off the top of my head: pour yourself a glass of water, either still or seltzer, and add ice if you like. Then just put 1 drop of chamomile and 1 drop of peppermint in it and drink. This is refreshing and soothing, so long as you don’t have an ulcer (if that’s the case, avoid peppermint and instead use lemon balm).
Headaches: I mentioned peppermint already, you can rub this on your temples, and sniff it. Some EO makers have little edible or tiny pellets which deliver pure peppermint oil into your mouth like a mini bullet of freshness, and that’s better than gum laden with garbage. You can also put a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a cup of water or tablespoon of honey. I tried this once, and it instantly relieved my tension headache. I didn’t even need ibuprofen!
Muscle aches and pain: People with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism often hurt more than regular folks, especially after exercising. I’ll help you “create” your own soothing balm now: Pour 30 drops of lemongrass and 15 drops of marjoram into your favorite bottle of body lotion. Make sure it’s paraben-free, but pick any basic unscented lotion that you like. Then you can rub it onto your sore muscles and body aches.
Fatigue and Exhaustion: My own go-to is a smoked butterscotch latte, double shot – LOL! But we are talking about essential oils today. You can dab one drop each of eucalyptus and rosemary to the the base of your neck (right onto your thyroid) and it will wake you up.
You can even take a quick whiff. This stuff is so powerful that you want to waft it into your nose gently by fanning your hand, (and also, you might want to avoid using it within 4 hours of bedtime). Play around with the drops, you might want to try 2 drops of rosemary to 1 of eucalyptus or the other way around, and you might also want to put it into a carrier lotion, to keep in your purse all day (and if that’s not enough to wake you up, consider the butterscotch latte!)
If your thyroid is HIGH…
It would be unfair if I didn’t share my knowledge about Graves’ disease, the automimmune version of hyperthyroidism so here’s what I suggest from an essential oil standpoint. Mix 15 drops of lemongrass with 15 drops of frankincense, 2 drops of myrrh (warning: it smells awful), as well as 10 drops of lemongrass into a container with a tablespoon of apricot or almond oil.
This can be sniffed or applied to your throat area a few times daily. You can dilute as you desire. You can play around with the ratios of these oils, and even add sandalwood if you like the scent of that. The essential oil mixture might help you deal with anxiety, stress, anger, agitation, tremors and insomnia. You don’t have to have hyperthyroidism to use this; anyone dealing with stress could try it.
If you need help choosing or buying essential oils, my friend who is a real pro can help you decide. Just write to us at scriptessentials@gmail.com
Related articles:
Headaches? Time to Get Your Thyroid Checked!
You Pay the Price if Your Doctor Misdiagnoses You
Rules for Using Essential Oils
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
