Can Serrapeptase help your Thyroid Eye Disease?

I considered it my moral duty to inform you about any product, supplement or herb that can help Graves’ Disease/hyperthyroidism or related symptoms and this post is no exception.

Some years ago, when I was writing one of my books “Life Stories for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism” and collecting stories from people about what helped them and what did not, I received the following information from one of my subscribers, Ted Salonica (I am extracting the information that pertains only to this specific product, Serrapeptase).

“…..What I also found to help me greatly with the inflammation and swelling in and around the eyes is a natural enzyme called Serrapeptase – nature’s steroid, a gift from the silkworm. What does Serrapeptase do? Dead and inflamed tissues are two of the key causes of the majority of ailments in the body. Serrapeptase digests (dissolves) non-living tissue, blood clots, cysts, and arterial plaque and all inflamed tissue which is then dispersed. There is a growing list of conditions that respond to Serrapeptase. In over 25 years of studies and usage no harmful side effects have been found….”

I researched further and found that Serrapeptase has been used in Asia and Europe for almost 3 decades.

So, Serrapeptase is actually a proteolytic enzyme, isolated from the non-pathogenic bacteria Serratia species found in the digestive track of Japanese silkworm. It may sound nasty, but the enzyme is used by the worms to digest their cocoons. I am just wondering who in the world and in their right mind would research a product that comes from the intestines of a worm and this is simply beyond my imagination.:) Anyhow, I am glad that there are such people and this product is available now on the market (including the USA).

Serrapeptase is not only helpful for eye inflammation, as reported by numerous customer reviews, for example, but it also has numerous positive “side effects”: it helps pain of any kind, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, sport’s injuries, traumatic swelling, post-operative swellings, Crohn’s disease, colitis, inflammation of any kind, high cholesterol, autism, fibroids and scar tissue, varicose veins, to list just a few.

Is this some kind of miracle supplement? I don’t know yet, I just ordered it even though I don’t have any current complains, only my inflamed and hurting knee due to a recent volleyball injury…

Cons: Have in mind that Serrapeptase is considered a blood thinner, so if you are on any Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs, consult your doctor first before taking it.

Pros: it is a natural anti-inflammatory product, better than the harmful NSAIDs and corticosteroids. 

How should you take it: 1-3 capsules daily (40 000 SPU), depending on the concentration or as directed on the label.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. It does not substitute a medical opinion, nor should be used for treatment purposes.

P.S. I have no financial interest in recommending this product.

P.S.S. If you have experience with Serrapепtase, please, do not hesitate to write me or share your experience in the comments. 

Some references:

Raskin JB. Gastrointestinal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. Am J Med. 1999; 106 (5B):3S-12S.

Fung HB, Kirschenbaum, HL. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors for the treatment of arthritis. Clin Ther. 1999; 21(7):1131-5

Raskin JB. Gastrointestinal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. Am J Med. 1999; 106 (5B):3S-12S.

Murphy PJ, Badia P, Myers BL, Boecker MR, Wright KP Jr. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs affect normal sleep patterns in humans. Physiol Behav. 1994; 55(6):1063-6.

Mazzone A, Catalani M, Costanzo M, Drusian A, Mandoli A, Russo S, Guarini E, Vesperini G. Evaluation of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial versus placebo. J Int Med Res. 1990; 18(5):379-88.

Is stress the cause for your thyroid illness and how can voluntarily simplicity reverse it? 

by Svetla Bankova

Before you proceed reading, my dear reader, please do me a favor: close your eyes, take a deep breath and answer the question below:

“How would my life improve if I owned less stuff, did a few things only and said “no” more often?”

I’ve been asked many times in the past 11 years what exactly did I to cure myself from Graves’ disease and what was this one thing that helped me the most? There isn’t such one thing, you know, and there isn’t a 24 hours makeover….

However, there is this one thing that changed my life completely and it is called “voluntarily simplicity”. You can not call it “one thing”, but it’s a life philosophy…. and many things are included in these two simple words.

Stress is a high-risk factor in patients with thyroid auto-immune disorders, as found in a research by Kung, and posted in Clinical Endocrinology in 2008. The researchers found that patients with Graves’ disease experienced greater psychological stress and adverse events prior to the onset of the disease.  They also concluded that as stress may change the immune system, it could play an important role in precipitating the disease in patients predisposed to autoimmune thyroid disorders.

Kung, A. W. C. (1995), Life events, daily stresses and coping in patients with Graves’ disease. Clinical Endocrinology, 42: 303–308. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1995.tb01879.x

So, how my stress levels were affected by simplifying my life? Voluntarily simplicity had the most impact in my life when I was trying to cure my  Graves’ Disease. Other things were also involved like diet, supplements, herbs, yoga, aromatherapy, etc. –but that simplicity played the biggest role ever… How you may ask?

Let me tell you how I look at voluntary simplicity: simplicity is not about misery, or frugality, or being thrifty. It’s about discovering the important between many unimportant things.

Let’s travel back in time…In 2003, when I was freshly diagnosed with Graves’ disease, I was forced to I give up a lot of things that weren’t “so necessary” in my life, including, but not limited to the material stuff. It was either me, my health or “the things”.

That also meant that I accepted to live with a smaller income (almost twice smaller in fact), and way less stress (not to mention the 2 hours driving torture)! It also meant getting out of debt, and that was possible too!  I’ve lived years with and without debt, I can appreciate the difference. Today, if I can’t afford to buy something right there, I don’t buy it. That gives me a huge peace of mind.

All these things that I “gave up” became the key for my healing, and living without stress and no alarm clock has no price tag, ever.

I had time, and time is a limited commodity as you know, so speaking I was “time- rich”. I also had the “do- nothing” time.  I had space. I had energy. I could breathe, metaphorically and literally speaking. I could do things slowly and just take my time. I stopped yelling at family members and friends for no reason. Instead, I smiled. They could not make me angry or frustrated, my “stress buttons” were off…I had time for fun and sport. I had time to talk to people, even to sales people, and I actually did. I had time to spend time with myself and ask “What would you like to do now, Svetla? How are you feeling today, honey?” 

Simplicity breeds harmony, patience, and compassion. 

Simplicity is subtracting the unnecessary and adding the meaningful. 

Simplicity could be applied to all aspects of our lives, not just part of it.  The simpler, the better, that’s my motto. I am not saying that you should live an ascetic life, or in poverty, neither did I. It’s a voluntary lifestyle choice. I am mostly talking about reducing possessions that we don’t need, being stuck in the wanting mode, the never satisfied hunger for material things, the wow- entertainment, the mindless action, increasing the quality of life versus quantity of activities, it’s about learning to slow down and smell the roses.

It’s also about simple diet and simple food.  When I look at a cook book and see these “page long recipes”, I just close the book. It will take me days to gather all the ingredients, not to mention the hours spent in the kitchen. I try to eat simple things, and I did not die of hunger the last 11 years. A boiled egg, a sliced tomato with salt, a piece of homemade bread with butter.  Finally, “we are what we eat”, so try to eat simply. 

Sort out your life– examine what is important and what is not, re-arrange your priorities, try to say “no” many times, to many things and to many people. The more I say “no”, the more I see how much more “no’s” I should’ve said.  

Forget multitasking. If you are doing two or more things at once, you’re not doing either of them. Or you are just poorly doing them with a lot of frustration and stress as well. I know, too many things to do, no time at all. That’s the moment when you drop things out of your “to do list”. This is crucial for healing Graves’ disease. Try to juggle 5 balls, no try 2 balls….what’s easier?

Simplicity also means de-cluttering. Throwing away. Discovering “enough” for you. Valuing “the ordinary”. Going to a few places in one day, rather than more. Watching less, so you can see more.  Carrying less, so you can climb more. Talking less, so you can hear more.  Assuming less, so you can succeed more. Competing for less, so you can excel more. Paying attention.

There is no one way to do simple living right. Simplicity has many faces, these are just some of them. Find yours and stick with them. Or just experiment. For example, try the “The One Week Closet Experiment”. I borrowed the idea from Dave Bruno’s book The 100 Thing Challenge. Here’s how to do this experiment:

1. Open your closet and pick up enough clothes for one week.
2. Store these one-week clothes in a separate section in your closet.
3. Over the next month only wear the items in this section.
4. Evaluate the result.  I promise you’ll be very surprised!

So, need a starting point? Here are some questions that can give you a jump start on your road to simplicity:

What is it about your current lifestyle that is not working for you?

What it is that is causing friction?

What is this one thing you can do now, today, that will improve your life?

Well now, get up and do it!

More strategies for living a simpler, happier and healthier life in my newest book “Mental, Emotional and Psychological Aspects of thyroid disorders”.

Are you being poisoned without knowing? Is your endocrine/immune system down because of dangerous chemicals? What you don’t know can hurt you! Your thyroid and toxicity. 

by Svetla Bankova

In my youth, I have to admit, I used many cosmetic products, in order to look pretty (and who didn’t?) Every day I fed my skin with dozens of cosmetic products, as probably you do that too- shampoos, face creams, tonics, makeup, lipstick, conditioners, you name it. I also believed that if these products are sold on the in the stores, someone took the time to check them, had tested them and approved to be safe. Not so folks! FDA (in the USA for example) may not really have your best interest in mind, but I won’t talk about why here. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics the European Union currently bans over 1,300 chemicals from its cosmetics. In contrast, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned or restricted only 11. In the U.S., major discrepancies in federal law allow the cosmetics industry to put thousands of synthetic chemicals into personal care products that are not tested for safety, even if those chemicals are connected to cancer, disruption of the immune and endocrine system, reproduction or birth defects. If you don’t believe me, read for example Toxin Toxout by Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith. I was merely shocked. 

Here are just a few of the “most” popular ingredients, often found in cosmetics: 1. Sodium lauryl (ether) sulfate (SLS, SLES) is a former industrial degreaser now used to make soap foamy, it’s absorbed into the body and irritates skin (skin rashes anyone?). 2. Toluene: well-known to disrupt the immune and endocrine system, and fetal development, it’s used in nail and hair products (hair falling, by any chance? Itchy scalp??). 3. Triclosan: used in antibacterial products, hand sanitizers, and deodorants, it is linked to cancer and thyroid system disruption. 4. Phthalates: Plasticizers banned in the EU in children’s toys, but present in many fragrances, deodorants, and lotions- linked to endocrine disorders, liver damage and cancer.5. Parabens:  used as preservatives, but linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, and reproductive toxicity. 6. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD): used in hair products and dyes, but toxic to skin and immune system. These and many other products I call the “silent killers” of our bodies. 

The list above is neither complete or exhaustive. But you get the idea, right?

The older I got, the more I read, the more convinced and scared I became. as I found that cosmetic industry uses thousands of synthetic chemicals in its products, with ingredients that are also used in industrial manufacturing processes to clean industrial equipment, stabilize pesticides and grease gears, deadly dangerous to us. Can we all agree that a substance that effectively cleans your garage floor may not be the best choice to put on your face? And do you know that your conditioner is actually a perfumed fabric softener? Things you don’t know can hurt you and sometimes kill you, and I am not trying to scare you but to offer you solutions that may help the recovery of your immune system and your health. Every little thing matters and counts, when comes to your health.

So, how all this may affect you?

And as we well know Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s disease are actually not thyroid disorders; they are disorders of the auto-immune system that target the thyroid. Once compromised, confused and disrupted the poor immune system, instead of fighting viruses, starts wrongly targeting different organs in our bodies: the kidneys, the liver, and in our case the thyroid gland. You may think that what you eat and drink is all that counts, but no…what you put on your body and face counts even more, since the skin is the largest organ of the body, able to absorb quickly everything we put on it! So, let’s be careful what we use.

Solutions. Managing toxicity and inflammation….

The best solution is not to pollute ourselves in the first place; for example, by replacing dangerous substances with safer ones. Second, read the labels, take that time, it’s worthy. If you find ingredients that are not familiar to you or sound more like Mendeleev’s chemical table, please do not buy. It’s not worth your health! 

Third: Try to use natural products, to the best you can. I am not saying you should go broke by buying only organic products (which you could if money is not an issue!). But sometimes there is a simple solution that doesn’t cost so much money or too many efforts. And your body will love it. 

What did I do to resolve the chemical poisoning problem? 

I love experimenting and even making my own cosmetic products (my last experiment was with aromatherapy oils, which continues). But this “natural making products” happen to be time-consuming, expensive (you buy larger quantities of ingredients that you need) and sometimes not so successful. It takes time and money to get all the ingredients, to find recipes, to try and see if they are working. I decided to save myself this trouble…but still, use natural products. And then, as the Universe likes to conspire on your behalf when you have the right intentions, I met a woman that makes that all for me, with love, as she says.

Her name is Teodora Sheriff, mother of three boys, who is devoted to making you beautiful and more healthy at a very affordable price (the natural deodorant she makes with her own hands costs $8, compared to $6.00 and up store chemical deodorant, for example). Initially, she started to “cook” different cosmetics products for herself and her family only, but then she realized that other people are also in need of these natural products, but they may not have the time, resources or energy so she decided to make it more global. This is what she says:

“I believe that everything we need to enjoy a healthy and happy life is given to us by Mother Nature. We just need to look around and remember. Why use synthetic ingredients in our skin care products when there is a great variety of natural oils and jars of butter. An abundance of oils and jars of butter of any kind of plant, fruit, vegetable, spice, etc. are readily available. 

I handcraft all my soaps and lotions with love and joy. I am having so much fun and knowing that my creations are revitalizing for you brings a smile on my face.”

Her products contain only a few ingredients, all natural, no preservatives and synthetic/artificial colors, freshly “cooked” upon request. She uses only 100% natural essential oils, dried herbs, and flowers, as she explains. And she can even make you a custom order with your favorite ingredients!

I personally have used her natural deodorant, the body butter (I had to restrain myself not to eat it), body scrub and soap, and so far I am very happy with the results- my skin feels soft, smells great and I know that no chemicals were applied to my skin (which by itself feels great as well!). The link to her products is below, indulge yourself! Your body and your face will love these products and will be thankful for not being poisoned and taking such a good care of it!

 Teodora’s Skin Care

Disclaimer 1: Just like with all beauty products test for sensitivity! Even these are all natural products and some of the ingredients are purely organic, make sure you are not allergic to any of the substances used. If in any doubt, test first on a small spot and check in 24 hours.  Enjoy!

Disclaimer 2: I have no financial or other interest of recommending these products, whatsoever. 

How I detoxified myself and my household with Aromatherapy and why you should do that too..

As you already know me, I like to experiment with everything, especially if it may improve my and your lifestyle and health. My newest experiment was with Aromatherapy. The purpose- to detoxify myself and my household, which I believe will lead to better health and cleaner environment in general.  How I did it and what are the results- read below. You’ll be amazed!!

But why I started with this experiment on a first place? Recently, I read a book, called “The Hundred Year Lie” by an investigative journalist Randal Fitzgerald. As the author says, we are constantly exposed to all kinds of toxins, for which are not even aware of- personal care products, add to that the over-the-counter and prescription drugs (vitamins and supplements as well) and all of the household cleaning products that you use (and I do too!). And on the top of that, most people just take it for granted that the products they use must have been thoroughly tested and deemed completely safe to use. Not so, folks.

Chemicals and toxins are invading our lives, often bringing serious illnesses and chronic disorders and I believe thyroid disorders are no exception. They destroy our immune system- making it underactive (cancer), overactive (allergies) or confused (autoimmune disorders) I’ll not explain here why, but if you’re interested check the book I mentioned above.

So, when you make a decision which is aligned with your “divine purpose”, (in my case  to get rid of unknown, probably dangerous personal care products and cleaning supplies and substitute them with eco-friendly products + essential oils) the whole Universe starts to conspire with you. This is what happened:

I “met” Heather Grant (on Internet of course, where else?), a young, beautiful woman, mother of five and who was very kind to introduce me to aromatherapy- used as medicine, personal and household care. When you meet a mother of five and she starts talking to you, especially about Aromatherapy, you can only listen because probably she has a point.

For the purposes of my  experiment she provided me with 6 essential oils (Lemon, Wild Orange, Peppermint, Lavender, and a few combinations). Not much, but it happens they were enough for my experiment. So, these are some of the things that I’ve learned and done in the past few weeks and I want to share with you:

1. Essential oils are drinkable and can be used for literally thousands of ailments, but they have to be “Pure Certified Oil”, or you may poison yourself. So, don’t take them internally if you are not 100% sure!!
2. Toothpaste: mix powdered clay +baking soda (equal quantities) + a few drops of Pepper mint. Mouthwash: bottle of water+ a few drops peppermint + tea tree oil (my choice). Both worked.
3. All purpose cleaning: I trashed all different chemical sprays I could find under my kitchen sink and substituted with baking soda and/or white vinegar+ a few drops of Lemon or Peppermint. That’s it, worked fine.
4. Shampoo– was substituted with clay powder (pretty much any you can find)+ 4-5 drops Lavender. Works for me!
5. Conditioner– apple cider vinegar with Lavender (that didn’t work very well because of the vinegar smell, otherwise my hair was soft and manageable. I am looking for other options).
6. Face wash: 1 tbl honey+ Lavender. Another one: milled oats+ grinded almonds + 2-3 drops Lavender. Worked wonders on my skin.
7. Lavender: I also used it for relaxation and to put me to sleep, quickly. Infused or topically, even internally, added to the water (glass bottle!).
8. Lemon: a few drops in my glass water bottle. Now the water had taste so I could drink the necessary 8 glasses of water/ day. You’ll love it.
9. Peppermint: 1-2 drops in water (glass) for upset stomach (I had that problem once).
10. You can also use Wild orange oil in water as a detoxifier. Fabulous.
11. Combined essential oils: I could not figure out initially what to use them for, I mean they smelled good, but then what? Heather said that if I put them at the bottom of my feet, my wrists or temples they can balance my moods throughout the day (well, I have these moods and weird emotional states too, and who doesn’t?). (As Heather explained, with 5 kids you need balance and serenity, so I believed her:).
12. Besides the essential oils I used for this particular experiment of mine, I know a few other Aromatherapy uses that can help your life right away: Lemon balm (melissa) oil- works directly on your thyroid ( used internally or topically); Lavender calms down the hectic mind; Frankincense oil improves your autoimmune system (internally, topically or infused); Grapefruit oil will help you loose weight; Orange, Peppermint or Ylang Ylang may help depression and low moody states; Maleleuka (Tea tree oil) will improve your gums and has anti-fungal properties to name a few of its hundreds of uses (this is a “must have” oil).
13. Hyperthyroidism symptoms, to name a few: Lavender (again!) and Vetiver – for hyperactivity. Restlessness– lavender and Yland Ylang (topically). Palpitations: Ylang Ylang, Wild Orange, Lavender (topically or a few drops on the chest). Inflammation: Frankincense, Wintergreen- topically and internally. 

The above list of essential oils and their applications is not exhaustive or complete. I am just mentioning the most popular oils and their everyday use (or at least for what I have used them). I can’t also share all the recipes I prepared and used due to limitation of space and time (deodorants, dish washing liquids, softeners, face tonic etc. (Heather Grant was so nice to provide me with a cheat sheet on how to use the different products and she also made herself available for my crazy questions!).

There are a few conclusions that emerged from my last experiments: 

1. You can substitute pretty much any chemical product in your household/personal care with products that are toxin- free and environmentally friendly. (And I mean make them by yourself!).
2. The product substitutes will be cheaper financially and health wiser as well.
3. Aromatherapy is centuries old alternative/complementary method for treating various ailments. It’s safe (if you use pure, certified essential oils of course), effective and works in most of the cases (if a particular oil does not work for you, try the next in line). 
4. A single essential oil has numerous applications. You just need to know what you’re doing!
5. If you are sensitive or allergic- check first, or before applying the oil directly to your skin and mix with coconut oil/ almond oil or any other carrier oil. Never put in eyes and ears. In all cases, use essential oils with the label “Pure Cerified oil”. 

This article is not complete; I didn’t have the space to write about everything I’ve learned about aromatherapy these past few weeks. But it’s a start. I feel lighter, happier and healthier. I know my body is also thankful for this experiment!

I am sure that many of you know or have applied at least one essential oil, and we want to hear from you how! Heather was kind enough to set up a drawing for my subscribers. Depending on when you are reading this article, the contest may be over. We actually have a winner from my subscribers and this is Terry, from Portales, NM, USA. 

Also, any of you who may have any questions about the essential oils you may contact Heather at heathergrantwellness@gmail.com , she will be happy to answer to the best of her knowledge.

(Sorry guys, when it comes to Aromatherapy, Heather is the expert, so better ask her than me! I only can tell you that Aromatherapy is one of the best complementary methods I’ve ever used and you probably already guessed: I am not going back to the chemicals!

Happy smelling!

Disclaimer: I have no financial interest for writing this article, or recommending Aromatherapy or any of the above mentioned essential oils.

Raw Juice therapy and Smoothies for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism

How it works:

Raw juices of fruits and vegetables contain a lot of  vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes and natural sugars which helps normalizing all body functions or whose who might be affected by a disease. They supply the necessary elements for the body’s own healing activity and cell regeneration, thereby speeding the recovery process and healing.

The juices extracted from raw fruits and vegetables require no digestion and almost all their vital nutrients are integrated directly in the bloodstream. They are also extremely rich in alkaline elements, which is highly favorable for normalizing acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues as there is over-acidity in most conditions of illness. The generous amounts of organic minerals in raw juices especially calcium, potassium and silicon help the restoration of  biochemical and mineral balance in the tissues and cells, thereby stopping the premature ageing of cells and disease.

Raw juices contain certain natural remedies, vegetal hormones and antibiotics. For example, it is found by scientists that string beans contain substance that imitates insulin. The hormones, necessary for the pancreas to produce insulin are present in cucumber and onion juices. The fresh juices made of garlic, onions, radish and tomatoes are found to contain antibiotic ingredients, which doesn’t mean that you should not take the one prescribed by your doctor, but can add fresh juices of these vegetables to speed up the healing process.

You can make raw juices from practically anything that is “juicable”. I have tried juicing all kinds of fruits and vegetables and honestly, some came out very tasty, while others I can’t really drink. You should also juice vegetables and fruits that can be consumed naturally in a raw form (for example I would not juice potatoes).

6 Main types of Fruit and vegetable juices 

1. Juices from sweet fruits such as prunes and grapes.
2. Juices from sub-acid fruits like apple, plum, pear, peach, apricot and cherry;
3. Juices from acid fruits like orange, lemon, grapefruit, strawberry and pineapple.
4. Juices from vegetable fruits, namely, tomato and cucumber.
5. Juices from green leafy vegetables like cabbage, celery, lettuce, spinach, parsley and watercress.
6. Juices from root vegetables like beetroot, carrot, onion, ginger, potato and radish.

There are some recommendations that you can follow in order to get the best of the vegetables and fruits. I am not saying that you should not experiment, but generally limit the number of vegetables/fruits to 3 or maximum 4 in one juice. Otherwise you wouldn’t know what exactly you are drinking. 

10 General Recommendations for Raw Juice preparation

1. Juices should be made only from fresh vegetables and fruits, don’t try to add canned or otherwise processed vegetables or fruits.
2. Make only the quantity you’ll drink immediately, because raw juices tend to oxidize and their medicinal properties may just vanish.

3. 

   Use preferably organic or locally grown vegetables and fruits.

4. Combine juices from sweet fruits (grapes or prunes) with juices of sub-acid fruits (apple, pear), but avoid combining them with acid fruits (lemon, pine apple), vegetable fruits (tomatoes or cucumber) or vegetables (onion and beetroot).
5. Combine juices from sub-acid fruits with juices of sweet fruits (or acid fruits), but not with other juices.
6. Combine juices from acid fruits with those of sub-acid fruits (apples, pear) or vegetable fruits (tomatoes, cucumber), but not with other juices.
7. Combine juices from vegetable fruits (tomatoes, cucumber) with those of acid fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit) or of green leafy vegetables, but not with other juices.
8. Combine juices from green leafy vegetables with those of vegetable fruits or of the root vegetable, but not with other juices. (Lettuce and pineapple is not a very tasty combination, believe me).
9. Combine juices from root vegetables with those of green leafy vegetables, but not with other juices.
10. You can add different leafy herbs, like Lemon Balm or Mint, for example to vegetable juices. You may also use the vegetable residuals for soups or casseroles.  

11. 

    When vegetables are not “juicable”, like bananas, cantaloupe,  or papaya, they are simply mixed to produce a smoothie.

A proper selection of juices in treating a particular ailment is very essential. For example, insomnia can be helped with apple, grapes, lemon, lettuce, carrot and celery. Sore throat will benefit from: Apricot, grapes, lemon, pineapple, prune, tomato, carrot and parsley. Eye problems: Apricot, tomato, carrot, celery, parsley and spinach.

I am also featuring on my blog about Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism some recipes of Fruit Smoothies and Raw Juices by Mariquit Losaria Orendain, who is my guest writer this month and agreed to share some of her raw juice recipes with us. They are tasty (I tried them already), nutritious and easy to implement. Thank you Mariquit! Click on the link to read them now:

Fruit Smoothies and Raw Juices by Mariquit Losaria Orendain

So speaking, Raw Juice Therapy may be very helpful, if followed with some precautions. I also included a few Green smoothies in my book “Ultimate Diet Secrets for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”, which was just updated in August, 2013. This are some examples of what recipes for smoothies you can find there:

Orange – banana – chard smoothie

Orange – banana – plum – lemon – more chard smoothie

Banana-lime-apple-milk-chard smoothie

Banana – lemon – apple – milk – plum – mint smoothie

Simple Sprout Smoothie

Antioxidant Veggie Smoothie

Feel free to check it out: “Ultimate Diet Secrets for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”

or just go straight to the “Books” section: 

Oriental Herbal Remedy for Graves Disease and Hyperthyroidism. 8 medicinal herbs mixture that can help Graves’ Disease

by Svetla Bankova

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder and one of the most common causes of hyperthyroidism. Today only a few methods, mostly medical, are available for treating this thyroid disorder: thyroidectomy (partial or total), medication (Methimazole, PTU and similar), Radioactive Iodine Treatment (radiation of the thyroid gland) and block and replace therapy.

All of the above methods have certain side effects, temporary or permanent, including the anti-thyroid drug therapy. Many people are forced to undergo thyroidectomy or RAI because of the adverse effects of the anti- thyroid medications they experience, or because they are simply allergic and cannot be treated with them. The scientific research on herbal remedies and natural cures for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism is very limited or missing at all. Most of the herbal remedies are known as a “word of mouth” and practically, there is no scientific research to prove if they are really effective or not or to what extent.

However, a team of scientists from the Oriental Medical Hospital at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea decided to conduct a research on 22 patients diagnosed with Graves’ Disease in the period between February 2004 and June 2006. The purpose of the study was to establish whether or not certain oriental herbs/mixture can influence or improve the TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), FT3, T4 (thyroxine) and thyroid antibody levels (TSO) of the above mentioned hyperthyroid patients (Lee, Kang, Ahn, Doo, Ahn (2008). The study consisted of two parts, but for the purposes of this article, I’ll concentrate just on the first part of it. The complete study though can be accessed from the bottom link  at the end of this post.

The herbal remedy for Graves disease in question was AJBHT (ahnjeonbaekho-tang) extract powder, which is a dried mixture of the following raw materials: kudzu (Pueraria thunbergiana), Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis), gypsum, platycodon (Platycodon grandiflorum), Angelica tenuissima, Chinese cimicifuga (Actaea cimicifuga syn. Cimicifuga foetida), fragrant angelica (Angelica dahurica), and Chinese licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) in a ratio of 5:2:1:1:1:1:1:1. The herbal materials used in this mixture are air-dried by special equipment to preserve their properties, crushed and added to distilled water.

The diagnosis of the 22 Graves’ disease patients was based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests, including suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, high serum thyroid hormone levels, and the presence of TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAb). The Graves’ Disease patients were not on any antithyroid drugs at the time of the clinical trial, never underwent RAI treatment or thyroidectomy and they all previously experienced adverse side effects from the antithyroid drugs (methimazole and prophylthiouracil). The patients were treated with AJBHT (aqueous extracts 6 g) three times a day for 3 months. Serum levels of free thyroxine (FT4), triiodothyronine (T3), TSH, and TRAb were measured in daily in the morning and after the administration of AJBHT. There were no side effects from the application of the herbal powder.

The herbal remedy for Graves Disease: medicinal powder mixture

Ahnjeonbaekho-tang (AJBHT) is made of eight medicinal herbs: Pueraria thunbergiana, Scutellaria baicalensis, Gypsum, Platycodon grandiflorum, Angelica tenuissima, Cimicifuga foetida, Angelica dahurica and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Pueraria thunbergiana and Scutellaria baicalensis are known to regulate thyroid hormone, and the others are known contribute to relieving the clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism. It is also believed that daidzein from Pueraria thunbergiana may inhibit the thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO). While these herbs are practically unknown in Western culture, they have been used for centuries by the Eastern one for various purposes.

Results of the study

From the 22 patients enrolled in the study, 4 dropped out for various reasons. The remaining 18 (7 men and 11 women) were followed for 3 months. The results of the study indicated that the AJBHT mixture improved thyroid hormone based on T3 measurements in 17 patients (94.4%); FT4 levels in 15 patients (83.3%); and TSH in 14 patients (77.8%). No significant changes were seen though in TRAb levels (thyroid antibodies), which is no surprise to me because thyroid antibodies in general are the last to improve and it takes much more than 3 months to see results. My experience also shows that the path of progress for treating Graves’ Disease (with anti-thyroid drugs) generally starts with T3, T4 improvement and then the next to improve is TSH, followed by thyroid antibodies, which is also in concurrence with the present study findings.

The study has some limitations that have to be mentioned here: the sample size is too small (18 people) to draw general conclusions, valid for all Graves’ disease patients. The clinical trial  was also too short in duration (3 months) to register any permanent effects in the TRAb levels, which are, in fact, the real indicator for clinical euthyroidism. Another disadvantage is that the herbs are not easily accessible by the public, require specific way of preparation and thus, should be prepared by a certified oriental herbalist who specializes in Chinese/oriental herbal medicine. However, regardless of all limitations, the results of the study undoubtedly indicate that these specific herbs and herbal mixture can positively influence Graves’ disease in patients who are allergic to anti-thyroid medication or do not want to use more invasive methods like RAI treatment of thyroidectomy, which have permanent negative effects and consequences.

Conclusion: While I am not recommending just to google the herbs one by one and try to make your own herbal mixture, I can suggest that you search for an oriental herbalists in your area and explore further your treatment options for Graves’ Disease and hyperthyroidism. I do believe that this will be worth the efforts. 

 Reference:

Lee B-C, Kang S-I, Ahn Y-M, Doo H-K, Ahn S-Y (2008). An alternative therapy for Graves’ disease: clinical effects and mechanisms of an herbal remedy. Biol Pharm Bull. April 2008;31(4): 5883-587. Retrieved on 05/18/2013 from: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/31/4/31_4_583/_pdf

Stress and Hair Loss- Twin Brothers?

by Svetla Bankova

“My hair is falling, there’s hair on the bed, there’s hair on the comb, there’s hair everywhere, except on my head”- This may sound humorous. But it is true. The main cause for hair loss is stress. Stress and hair loss are just like twin brothers.

Stress and hair loss are inter related. This is commonly noticed among people who gulp down coffee for breakfast, swallow the burgers for lunch and puffs the cigar to kill the stress. 

Most of the people are under severe stress because of an overdose of work. Stress and hair loss are the important factors to cause premature graying among the youth population. Your hair is the first part, which shows that you are in severe stress. Medication, imbalances in nutrition, and illness are the factors which cause stress and hair loss.

If you have been changed from one office to a new office, you may be in severe stress. At this time stress and hair loss can easily be visualized. Desire to earn and work pressure are the two main troubles causing stress and hair loss. It is extremely important to manage your stress levels especially if you suffer Graves’ Disease or hyperthyroidism. 

Lack of exercise, hectic work schedules and most of the people are running helter-skelter from one place to another. Working women are facing more stress from both home and job. Stress at home and at the working place have a drastic effect on food habits. Very often a lack of vitamins and thus hair loss is a result of wrong food habits.

All these reasons are known to contribute initially for the onset of Graves’ Disease. Accordingly- to cure your Graves’ Disease you need to change how you handle different situations, your nutritional habits and how in general you treat yourself in everyday life. This is what I call change of lifestyle.

Sometimes if you have undergone surgery for any ailment, your mind and body both are under severe stress and finally, you may suffer from hair loss as a result. This condition can not be corrected automatically. So don’t panic because stress and hair loss are interconnected elements.

In general, if people are not eating regularly green leafy vegetables and other healthy foods, they will go for iron deficiency, which in turn will lead to anemia and finally severe stress and hair loss.

Methodical treatment, including de-stressing, meditation, yoga, hair—care advice, and correct nutrition will alleviate stress and hair loss problems. Relax, quit smoking, and manage your day better to feel lighter and fitter for impede stress and hair loss. This will help also the cause of your Graves’ Disease and will speed your recovery.

12 Tips to Manage your Palpitations- Basic Life Style Suggestions

Palpitations are probably one of the worst symptoms of Grave’s Disease, not to mention Thyroid Eye Disease. Hyperthyroidism Palpitations usually strike when you are resting, but not always. When they come you panic, probably feel urged to do things, and move. But should be doing exactly the opposite. Hyperthyroidism palpitations are still manageable and controllable, with or without beta- blockers. Beta- blockers are usually prescribed by doctors to treat anxiety and in severe cases, you should take them as prescribed, but here I’ll give a few other tips that can help you calm down and manage your hyperthyroidism palpitations.

For the purpose of this writing, I will assume that you are working full time, with family and kids. That probably is the worst case scenario, because you have to take care of so many things, many of them even out of your control, I know it from personal experience. So here we go:

1. Morning: if you have to get up at let’s say at 7 a.m. set your alarm clock (not cell) 15 or more minutes earlier. Take your time to wake up completely and stretch, don’t just run out of bed. This is important to keep your stress levels down starting in the morning. If you can, I would also advise you to buy one of these natural sunlight alarm clocks. I am not suggesting any particular company, but they can be found for app. $40.  They are worth the investment.
2. So now, open your eyes and tell me what you see in your bedroom? Whatever you see must be pleasing to your eyes. Clean up messy bedrooms as the energy there is stuck, move out all TVs, computers, cell phones or any other technical machines. You don’t need them but they literally bathe you with electricity and interfere with your sleep.
3. Look around your bedroom again- what colors are prevailing? For now, I would advise you to stick with light green, light blue, light purple. I am not going into details why there is an article on my website especially about color (chromotherapy). And yes, it does matter.
4. Go on with your usual routine. If you are drinking coffee, substitute with decaffeinated. If you drink tea- let this be Lemon Balm tea or Chamomile tea. Or Nettle tea. Nettle tea can be bottled, refrigerated and drank instead of water. I highly advise you to do so as it nourishes the adrenal glands like no other herb. I make 2 bottles with Nettle tea, refrigerate them (you don’t have to) but it just tastes better for me. Tea must be fresh for the day. No Green tea, no black or grey. Forget about this for a while. No sugar or artificial sweeteners, you are only allowed, honey.
5. On your way to work, if you stay in traffic for an hour, turn off that radio and put some classic or calming music, whatever you prefer. If you don’t have a CD player, just stay in silence. If you travel in a public transportation- isolate yourself with iPod with that same music I mentioned above, and close your eyes. You don’t have to look at all these already nervous, anxious and frustrated people. It is contagious.
6. At work: Limit your activities to the minimum required by your job. No overdoing, no multitasking, it’s not the time for that. If a colleague gets on your nerves, just walk away. If you are given tasks that will additionally frustrate you don’t be scared to talk with the manager and supervisor and explain your situation. They are all people and in most of the cases will understand.
7. Breaks: take them, there is a purpose for them. Lunch break- go for a walk or just isolate yourself in some private place and put your iPod on. Zone out. Do not engage yourself in meaningless conversations, or online shopping. Get off this computer. Eat slowly, take your time. No sodas, no coke, nothing that contains aspartame, because it affects hyperthyroidism palpitations. What you should eat and diet is another topic. On your way home: same as above. Do not try to kill your time in traffic talking to people on the phone. Deep breathing. It is proven it is the best way to kill stress.
8. When you get home, before starting your second full-time job with the family- cooking, cleaning, homework, etc. just lie down, dear, lie down and close your eyes for about 30 minutes. Everything else can wait. This is your time to recover. Most of our problems come from chronic exhaustion, nothing else. Depression, anxiety, you name it, is usually due to chronic fatigue and tiredness, or at least one of the reasons. After this 30 min, you can go back to your usual routine.
9. Sleep– you must spend at least 8 hours in your bed (resting and sleeping). If you go to sleep usually around 11, that means you must be in bed at least 1 hour earlier. Drink a cup of Lemon Balm or Valerian Roots tea, a glass of wine is allowed too if you prefer, or warm milk with a spoon of honey. No TV, but you can watch movies (not in bed though). Avoid excessive noise, it hurts.
10. On Sundays, sit down and write 3 things that you love doing: massage, reading, movies, knitting, dancing, and scrap booking,  your choice. And put them in your schedule for the next week. Make sure that they are your priority.
11. Take frequent walks in nature, which helps a lot. Do meditation, regularly 15- 25 min (I mean every single day). I suggest no treadmills, no running, and no aerobics type exercises- you can do them another time. I did not list these activities in the above routine but you can make some space and time for them in your schedule. 

This is the most simplified version of a recovery routine to manage palpitations. Do it for 2 weeks and let me know how you feel. You’ll see results,  I guarantee you.

When talking about or considering natural remedies for  Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism, please, have in mind that they cannot substitute any medication and that’s not their purpose. The goal of using natural remedies for hyperthyroidism is to supplement and help your healing process.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis). The “officinalis”, in all plant names stands for “officially recognized as a medicinal herb”. Lemon balm has been used for centuries to relieve anxiety and sleeplessness; it has mild sedative effect, relieves menstrual cramps, fights cold sores, relaxes nerves, and eases indigestion. The flavonoids and polyphenolics found in the Lemon balm have been identified as inhibiting the excessive thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Drink as tea, or buy in capsules. Your choice.

Chamomile Tea. Chamomile tea boosts the immune system and fight infections associated with colds, reduces menstrual cramps in women, relaxes the nerves, reduces inflammation. Chamomile tea helps relieve rheumatism as well. You can drink it cold or hot. The chamomile tea bags (refrigerated) are used to relieve swelling associated with Thyroid Eye Disease/ Graves’ eye disease. It’s great for sleeping problems (insomnia) and anxiety.

Valerian Roots Tea (Valeriana officinalis, Valerianaceae). The tea is used as a sleeping aid, and it has a sedative effect, so make sure you are not drinking it before driving. It can be mixed with other herbs as well.

Nettle tea for your nerves and your hair. This is one of my favorite natural remedies for hyperthyroidism. As a tea it is very pleasant to drink cold or hot. After preparing I just put in bottles and keep it in refrigerator. I drink that instead of water, no sugar added, but you can add some honey if you can’t drink it just like that. Nettle is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, anti-cancer selenium, immune-enhancing sulphur, memory-enhancing zinc, diabetes-chasing chromium, and bone-building boron. A quart of nettle infusion contains more than 1000 milligrams of calcium, 15000 IU of vitamin A, 760 milligrams of vitamin K, 10% protein, and large amounts of most B vitamins, as reported by Susun Weed, one of my favorite herbalists. You can also use nettle tea for strong hair (internal and external). It also helps regulating the menstrual flow, especially if you have amenorrhea. It restores mood, replenishes energy, and guarantees sound sleep. Who doesn’t need that?

Cruciferous vegetables and goitrogenic fruits. Isoflavones and isothiocynates, found in goitrogenous foods and cruciferous vegetables appear to naturally inhibit the thyroid hormone overproduction, so really- start eating them, and the sooner and the more the better. An example of such food products are: Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Peaches, all leafy green vegetable.

Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera contains a very important substance, called acemannan, found in its sugar part and it acts as an immune modulator, especially for the thyroid antibodies. It has the power and ability to slow down or enhance the immune system response. In our case- should be able to manage the immune system to recognize its own cells and not attack them. It acts however it is required by the immune system! It also has a huge anti-inflammatory effect  regarding Thyroid Eye Disease.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiac) – it is a member of the mint family. You can find this plant pretty much everywhere on the planet, in all continents. It can be also cultivated in your garden. Motherwort balances the hormones generally and helps palpitations; it strengthens the heart beat without increasing the pulse.

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) has been used to treat heart disease as far back as the 1st century. By the early 1800s, American doctors were using it to treat circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses. It’s found to be beneficial for heart muscle weakness, for pressure, tightness in the chest and for mild arrhythmia.

Vitamin B complex (all Vitamins in B group); Vitamin C- for the immune system; Vitamin A and Vitamin E for your hair and skin. Make sure you take it with food or after meal.

Selenium– according to the researchers, selenium deficiency appears to contribute to the development and maintenance of autoimmune thyroiditis because of its effect on the function of selenium-dependent enzymes, which can modulate the immune system. Selenium supplementation with 200mcg of sodium selenite may improve the inflammatory activity seen in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, but whether this effect is specific for autoimmune thyroiditis or may also be effective in other organ-specific autoimmune diseases remains to be investigated. Selenium supplementation may lower free radical activity, which contributes to inflammation.

 L- Carnitine.  The most recent discoveries regarding L- carnitine for hyperthyroidism are done by the Italian endocrinologist Dr. Salvatore Benvenga and his colleagues in 2004. By examining the results of supplementation on Group A, the researchers studied the ability of carnitine to treat the effects of hyperthyroidism. To date, clinical trials have shown that doses of 2,000-4,000 mg/day of L-carnitine are helpful in individuals who suffer from hyperthyroidism. Future studies may uncover similar benefits of other carnitine formulations such as acetyl-L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine arginate, and propionyl-L-carnitine, along with the doses needed to match the efficacy provided by 2,000-4,000 mg L-carnitine.

Copper. Although supportive data is limited, a report from a study group of hyperthyroid women suggests that copper status should be investigated in women with Hyperthyroidism. As it was reported “Virtually all patients in the hyperthyroidism group have found that copper supplementation reduced their symptoms, usually within hours or a few days at most. Most have reported that within three to six months of beginning copper supplementation, they have been able to significantly reduce their intake of antithyroid drugs. While copper is the big story in hyperthyroidism, it is not the whole story. If it were, it would have been discovered years ago. Proper copper metabolism interrelates with and depends upon many other nutrients.” [John Johnson, iThyroid.com]

Flax seed oil- it is the most abundant plant source of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid omega-3. The seeds and oil of the flax plant contain substances which are known to promote good health. Flax seed oil is good for: Circulatory System, Immune System, Reproductive System, Nervous System. There are a lot of reports that it can help your Thyroid Eye Disease and practically you can see results in 1 or 2 weeks. The recommended dose is 2 capsules of 1000 mg per day (at least). Flax Seed and Flax Seed oil are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for a lot of diseases.

Honey. One of the safest natural remedies for hyperthyroidism Grave’s disease that I regularly use for all purposes is honey. Honey helps the nervous system and not only. Lemon juice and honey is a good remedy in cases of hypertension, insomnia, and nervous conditions. Dissolve a spoonful of top quality honey in a glass of mineral water and add the juice of half a lemon. The beverage is pleasant and nutritious. Honey and insomnia: mix a cup of warm milk with a spoon of honey before going to bed. Sleep like a baby.

Enjoy you natural remedies for  Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism, but before taking or making any of them make sure you are not allergic, especially of you consume them in tincture (it may contain alcohol). If in any doubt, please consult an herbalist or your physician. Most of the remedies can be found in organic food stores, or even in regular food stores over the counter. Supplements- please, be extra careful with them and first do a test and check if your body is lacking any of them or not. Don’t forget that we are all different and need different things, and at different dosages to feel well.

If someone asks me what was the most successful approach in my healing process from Graves’ Disease or how to cure hyperthyroidism naturally in 2 words- I would definitely say “voluntarily simplicity”. That was the single one thing that had the most impact in curing my  Graves’ Disease. Well, of course there were other alternative methods involved like diet, supplements, herbs, yoga, aromatherapy, etc. – but that simplicity played the biggest role ever.. How, you may ask?

Simplicity is not about misery, or frugality, or being trifty. It’s about discovering the important between many unimportant things.

Back in 2003 I gave up a lot of things that weren’t “so necessary”, including, but not limited to the material stuff. That also means that I accepted to live with a smaller income- and much less stress. That was the key for my healing, and living without stress and no alarm clock has no price tag, ever.

I also meant getting out of debt, and that’s possible too. I’ve lived years with and without debt, I can appreciate the difference. Today, if I can’t afford to buy something right there, I don’t buy it. That gives me a huge peace of mind.  

Simplicity is applied in all aspects of our lives, not just part of it.  The simpler, the better, that’s my motto. I am not saying that you should live ascetic life, or in poverty, neither did I. It’s a voluntary lifestyle choice. I am mostly talking about reducing possessions that we don’t need, being stuck in the wanting mode, the never satisfied hunger for material things, the wow- entertainment, the mindless action, increasing the quality of life versus quantity of activities, it’s about learning to slow down and smell the roses.

It’s also about simple diet, simple life.  When I look at a cook book and see these “page long recipes”, I just close the book. It will take me days to gather all the ingredients, not to mention the hours spent in the kitchen. I try to eat simple things, and I did not died of hunger last 9 years. A boiled egg, a sliced tomato with salt, a piece of homemade bread with butter.  Finally, “we are what we eat”.

It’s also about sorting out your life- what is important and what is not, re-arranging your priorities, saying “no” many times, to many things and to many people. The more I say “no”, the more I see how many more “no’s” I should’ve said.  

I forget multitasking. If you are doing two or more things at once, you’re not doing either of them. Or you are just poorly doing them with a lot of frustration and stress as well. I know, too many things to do, no time at all. That’s the moment when you drop things out of your “to do list”. This is crucial for healing Graves’ disease. Try to juggle 5 balls, now try 2 balls..what’s easier?

It means also de-cluttering. Throwing away. Discovering “enough” for you. Valuing “the ordinary”. Going to a few places in one day, rather than more. Watching less, so you can see more.  Carrying less, so you can  climb more. Talking less, so you can hear more.  Assuming less, so you can succeed more. Competing less, so you can excel more. Paying attention. 

There is no “one way to do simple living right”. Simplicity has many faces, these are just some of them. You find yours and stick with it. Or experiment. And if you think that this has nothing to do with your intend to cure hyperthyroidism naturally, you are wrong. Think again and try.

Bon Voyage.