Stubborn Symptoms Can Fade with the Right Oils!
So you found out you have hypothyroidism. Knowing is a great first step, but unfortunately many treatment methods will miss the mark in addressing your daily symptoms and the root cause of your hypothyroidism.
Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get oily because you are about to take a deep dive into the natural ways to treat hypothyroidism, and how a simple toolbox of essential oils for thyroid can really shift things for you!
Symptoms of Thyroid Problems in Women
The list of thyroid problems symptoms in females is long and varied! You may have a set of symptoms that differ from your friend with the same condition. Hypothyroid blogger Dana Trentini, aka Hypothyroid Mom, lists over 300 symptoms of thyroid disease! (1)
Here are some of the complaints I hear about that are common and can affect your daily life or your sense of self-esteem:
Bloating
Weight gain
Fatigue
Hair loss
Can’t think clearly
Cold all the time
Feeling anxious
Getting sick often
Can’t fall asleep
Can’t get enough sleep
The reason the symptoms are so numerous is that most cells in your body have a receptor for thyroid hormone. That thyroid hormone stimulates energy production within that cell so it can do its function. So if there isn’t enough thyroid hormone arriving to the various cells and systems of your body, all sorts of symptoms can arise.
Are You Doing the Right Things for Your Thyroid?
If you are using a conventional approach to dealing with your hypothyroidism, you are likely using a combination of prescription medication and over-the-counter remedies.
You may find that the conventional medicine approach is not fully addressing your symptoms, or is causing other side effects. This could be due to a few reasons:
You are on the wrong medication
You are on the wrong dose of medication
You are not treating the real source of your health problem
You are using synthetic medications that have secondary side effects
You are exposing yourself to toxins in your OTC medications
If you are using natural remedies for thyroid, that’s great, but you still may not be getting to the root cause of your hypothyroidism.
If you are trying to treat hypothyroidism and still not feeling better, it’s very frustrating! Luckily there are essential oil benefits that can really help for hypothyroidism. Before we get into the oils, I want to briefly detail the causes of hypothyroidism.
Getting to the Root Cause of Your Hypothyroidism
There are various reasons you can fall into hypothyroidism. If you’d like to learn more on how the thyroid gland works and what can go wrong, please read our article, How to Know if You Have a Thyroid Problem.
Here are the main reasons for hypothyroidism:
The autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (this is the #1 cause).
A neurological issue in which the thyroid is not getting a signal to make sufficient hormone.
A conversion issue, in which the health of the the body’s cells, liver or gut is not supporting sufficient conversion to active thyroid hormone.
Inflammation at the cellular level, which blocks thyroid hormone from entering the cell.
But these reasons for hypothyroidism have underlying causes! The main ones are:
Stress
Lack of sleep
Toxin exposure through food, air and water
Genetic predisposition
Leaky gut (aka ‘increased intestinal permeability’)
Chronic infection
Poor nutrition
If you don’t address these underlying causes, you may never feel better.
Essential Oils for Thyroid
Essential oils, when sourced properly and used knowledgeably, are safe, affordable and effective tools for your natural medicine cabinet.
Addressing Root Causes
1) Best Oils for Gut Health
Digestive issues are almost always present in hypothyroid cases. It requires some advanced testing to sort out if you have parasites, candida, H Pylori, etc, but we can say for sure that everyone in this busy society could use a digestive boost. And we also know that if you have a low-functioning thyroid, you produce less stomach acid.
Back in the day I studied Chinese Medicine, and I actually practiced acupuncture for 13 years. In Chinese Medicine, we have the concept of ‘five tastes,’ and two tastes that stimulate digestion are sweet and bitter.
Bitter tastes stimulate stomach acid production, digestive enzyme production, and bile flow. Sweet taste (and I’m not talking mini-donuts here) ‘warms the stomach’ and food is digested and assimilated better.
The best oils for digestive support include anise seed, peppermint, ginger, caraway seed, coriander seed, tarragon, and fennel seed essential oils.
2) Best Oils for Stress
Chronic stress taxes your adrenal glands, gut lining and more. So it’s ‘essential’ to address it!
Many essential oils address high cortisol, the hormone that hangs around when we live in chronic stress. These include:
Lavender
Rosemary
Orange
Speaking of how to use the oils, the most effective way to use oils to reduce stress is through inhalation. This could be 3-10 deep breaths straight from the bottle, using a cold air diffuser in your bedroom, or sprinkling a few drops onto a tissue and leaving that on your pillow (2).
3) Best Antioxidant Protection
For topical use on my thyroid, I love lemongrass and myrrh. Both high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, they protect the thyroid gland itself from damage. I do a couple drops of each in a carrier oil like coconut oil or grapeseed oil.
As you get to know your oils, you get an intuitive sense of how oils feel for you. I love using these two oils topically over my thyroid gland as it just feels protective!
Addressing Common Symptoms
1) Best Oils for Hair Loss
This sign of hypothyroidism is very distressing for women! The good news is that essential oils can play a huge role both in short-term improvement of hair appearance and in long-term regrowth.
Lavender can be used each time you wash your hair. This study on lavender essential oil for hair and maybe others demonstrate certain essential oils to be as effective as Rogaine over a 6-month period. (3) Add a few drops to your palm, inhale three times, and then mix with your shampoo.
Rosemary essential oil is my favorite to use as I apply conditioner. It not only promotes hair growth but it also has a smoothing quality. So shake 3 drops into your palm, inhale deeply, and then mix with your conditioner. Rosemary has antioxidant properties that support your thyroid as well.
2) Best Oils for Brain Fog
When you’re dealing with hypothyroidism, your brain is not firing as fully as you would like. You can’t find your keys, you can’t recall a word you know, and maybe you just aren’t learning as quickly. Luckily there are some ‘tricks’ to help with brain fog.
Peppermint is an oil that invigorates, stimulates and creates circulation. Rub a little onto your temples and scalp to wake up your brain.
Orange is an uplifting oil that, when diffused in a room, helps you stay alert, energized and focused.
3) Best Oils for Weight Loss
Oils that have circulating and warming properties can support weight loss. Some oils help move lymph, some curb cravings and others promote good digestion and blood sugar balance.
The best oils include: grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger, and cinnamon.
Ready for More Support?
Do you wake up groggy and tired, turning to coffee or pastries to get you going? Add in a simple 5-minute routine to have more energy for the day! Add in a simple 5-minute routine to have more energy for the day!
Written by Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP
Bridgit is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.