Thyroid, zinc, vitamin D and Ayurvedic Herbs

If you have taken my Sri Lankan remedies or have thyroid issues, vitamin D deficiency or zinc deficiency, this post will interest you.

I started the year right by checking up on all my main labs. I don't generally test obsessively as, being an Ayurvedic healer, I am trained to assess the situation by signs and symptoms in my body, and I respect this dialogue over any lab results.

Something was off recently, though, and my money was on the thyroid as a) we have a lot of that in the family on my mother's side, and b) I never had terrific labs for thyroid in my pre-holistic-health youth (hypothyroidism).

I didn't really like the narrative of everyone whom I knew to be on synthetic thyroid hormones, their complaints of side effects ringing in my ears, and years ago, I decided to manage differently, providing my body would cooperate. And it did.

Understanding the endocrine organs' work as a team and looking at my health holistically, not fragmentarily, I knew I had a big arena to maneuver. Always cooperating with open-minded endocrinologists and great naturopaths, I knew that lifestyle and some dietary/supplementation hacks would probably push my hypothyroidism over the line into "the norm". It worked like a charm, but I was made aware that a day might come with aging when it won't be enough, and I would have to explore other options. At 36 years of age, I was fearful that day had come, but I was wrong :)

Even being an Ayurvedic healer, I still appreciate the consultation of a good naturopath, and I worked with one to order and assess my lab results as this is beyond my area of expertise (finally, I have someone to recommend for you in Bahrain if you need a naturopath, email me!).

For all those with thyroid issues, many amazing products are available these days to manage low thyroid hormones more naturally. In my research, I found freeze-dried grass-fed bovine thyroid capsules from New Zealand and an overall thyroid support product containing all the substances needed for optimal production of thyroid hormones and glandular ovine extracts of the pituitary and hypothalamus. We can hardly get more natural and bio-identical than that when it comes to those with sluggish thyroids that can't be managed in any other way.

To my surprise, my thyroid is in excellent condition, which means my Ayurvedic herbal adaptogens for the thyroid have been holding up! And I don't need the glandular products yet. While the thyroid is still functioning quite well, it is best, in my opinion, to stimulate it with thyroid-specific adaptogenic herbs and not make it too lazy too soon by offering even bio-identical hormones. Now, what about my other labs?

Let's zoom in on those herbal medicines I work with for a moment… As you might know, there has been a lot of drama surrounding Ayurvedic medicines regarding lead or arsenic poisoning in the press. Some manufacturers cut corners, and the products are polluted, which typically results in liver panels being out of whack. I heard many such stories of people using mass-produced, low-cost herbal formulas, and perhaps you have come across this bad rep as well, and it made you suspicious towards alternative medicine.

As a practitioner from the Ayurvedic Institute UK, I have access to a small Sri Lankan manufacturer of traditional Ayurvedic formulas. I have experimented with those heavily during my study years. I like to stand behind my recommendations and would not prescribe something I haven't tried myself. It excites me greatly to report that my liver panel shows a very healthy liver function, and my inflammatory markers are at a record low, signifying no major inflammatory sites in the body.

Well, since it seems that I have been managing my thyroid well, liver and kidney function is excellent, and there is no inflammation, you might ask what was wrong. After all, I wasn't feeling optimal.

Unfortunately, despite supplementing, I'm deficient in zinc and vitamin D, which have been giving me symptoms similar to hypothyroidism. I am now trying to rotate different types of zinc to maximize absorption, including zinc picolinate, which is very bioavailable.

Vit D on the other hand, is a funny one, since it is present in food (egg yolks, for example), in small amounts, like a vitamin, but its active form is a fat-soluble secosteroid hormone produced by our skin, which makes skin a part of the endocrine organ team. I am now spending more time outside after abhyanga (oil massage) as oiled skin is better equipped to produce D3. Why? In sunlight, vitamin D is synthesized by a photochemical reaction of a cholesterol precursor and ergosterol (found in mushrooms). It is interesting how cholesterol was vilified, considering all the good functions it actually serves in the body, but that is a subject for another post!

Either way, understanding the basics of vit D production, it is clear that good fats are essential for it (both internally, as vit D is a fat-soluble substance, and externally, as the skin absorbs everything transdermally, and it is the organ producing it). Mushrooms in the diet are helpful, as is the actual time outside with exposed skin, of course. It is vital to exercise caution and not overdo it to burn the skin. Little, systematic exposure goes a long way. Since all the endocrine organs work together, stimulating the master glands in the brain with sunlight makes a big difference in regulating all hormonal functions. Ditch the sunglasses sometimes throughout the day, especially in the safe morning and evening light, as the reddish hues signal important messages to our brains.

Can I help you more? Would you like to book an Ayurvedic Consultation to address any particular symptoms or health goals? Please find the booking options in the Book Online tab on my website. A free discovery call is also available!

Was this helpful? Please share this with your loved ones and friends who struggle with hypothyroidism, zinc or vitamin D deficiency. Also, say hello, and tell me how you feel in the New Year :)