Perhaps by now you are thinking, “Lordy….is this information on the thyroid ever going to end?” The trail of clues (and ah-ha moments for each individual) touches pretty much every aspect of the body, and there are many wonderful books and resources that go much deeper than I am here. Please, go research! You are worthy and capable of more than you may think. My goal here is to ignite the “ah-ha”, and spur you towards digging deeper on your own, and perhaps that may even need to include finding the right health professional who will partner (key word there!) with you in your personal wellness journey.
Recall that the thyroid has a symbiotic and synergistic relationship with many organs and glands in the body. (We haven’t even covered the adrenal glands and sex hormones yet!
). There is a math phrase, “The whole equals the sum of the parts.” This applies in biology as well: Our body cannot work wholly unless each part is well maintained and works!
). There is a math phrase, “The whole equals the sum of the parts.” This applies in biology as well: Our body cannot work wholly unless each part is well maintained and works!Before we head further southward in the endocrine system, let’s take a look at a cliff notes version of supportive measures designed to keep your thyroid healthy and happy:
Food has the power to heal or kill. Choose wisely and know your sources! Nutrients are best received by the body if in natural form, and if supplementation is needed (often the case in our imperfect world! 
), choose naturally sourced supplements! Synthetically derived supplements are unfortunately the most common ones found in the marketplace and do not do the job well. This is what makes having our naturally sourced Young Living supplements a beautiful, safe and effective one stop shopping experience!The thyroid needs very specific nutrients to produce sufficient levels of thyroid hormones:
Vitamin D: found in YL’s Super Vitamin D and Master Formula, Balance Complete, MightyVites, MindWise, OmegaGize and Super Cal Plus.Vitamins B2 (riboflavin),B3 ( niacin) , and B6 (pyridoxine): found in YL’s Super B, Master Formula, MightyVites and Balance CompleteIodine: found in YL’s Multigreens, Master Formula, Thyromin,Balance Complete, NingXia Nitro and Slique Shakes). Recall that it may be a good idea to have an iodine loading test done to see if your body needs more than it is currently getting in your diet and current supplementation.
Vitamin E: found in Master Formula, MightyVites, Thyromin and IlluminEyesIron: found in Master Formula, Balance Complete and FemigenZinc: found in Master Formula, Immupro, PowerGize, Balance Complete, Slique Shakes, Super B, AminoWise, MegaCal, and MightyVitesSelenium: Master Formula, MightyVites, Immupro, Super B, Balance CompleteTyrosine: found in Thyromin and MultigreensAdditional ways to support and love on that beautiful butterfly within your throat include:
Keeping the toxin
load to a minimum! Thank goodness we have the entire Thieves Household Cleaner to keep our homes, cars, ourselves, and our pets spiffy, clean, and healthy! Butterflies (and your thyroid!) are so very sensitive to their environment. Recall that toxins include toxic emotions and unresolved drama and trauma. Toxins also may include gluten in susceptible individuals.Be alert for chronic low grade infections that create systemic low grade inflammation, and mediate accordingly. Common sites for these to occur may be within joint replacements, root canals and other dental infections, sinus cavities, breast implants, and parasitic
infections (usually undiagnosed!…. I personally do a parasite cleanse at least twice a year using Parafree along with major liver support)Support your toxin clearing organs so that they may do their job efficiently and effectively…. Pay close attention to how well your liver and kidneys work! If you have an MTHFR gene variance, you’ll want to support your liver function on the regular. The liver has to work that much harder to remove toxins from the body! Studies have shown that carriers of a MTHFR gene variance have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism if left unmanaged. Conversely, if you have a sluggish thyroid and a normally robust MTHFR pathway, the sluggish thyroid will eventually affect the MTHFR (methylation pathway) that is needed to clear toxins (and fighting inflammation) efficiently from the body.Strive to live as medication free as possible. While it may not always be possible, make it a goal to aim for. You’ll never succeed in something if you don’t create a plan and work towards a goal!Thyroids love exercise! Incorporate an appropriate exercise routine into your daily habits.Remove all possible sources of fluoride and chlorine saboteurs from your world. Check your local water source for fluoride content and filter your water. Remember that Thieves Toothpaste and Mouthwash is your thyroid’s friend!Address Autoimmune Diseases holistically and reduce chronic systemic inflammation in the process.Chronic stress is among the gang of enemies hellbent on destroying the thyroid. Protect your thyroid as you would a small child
…… seriously. Use your skills we’ve talked about and work on improving your stress quotient.Protect your Gallbladder! Recall the synergy between those two unlikely organs. If you’ve lost yours, make sure you are supplementing with digestive enzymes such as EssentialZyme or EssentialZymes-4 to help break down the fats needed to assist in the conversion of inactive T4 to active T3.Sleep! 7-9 hours a night to allow the body to reset and heal.Use supportive essential oils: YL Endoflex, Brain Power, and Clarity blends all have properties which are beneficial thyroid health as does Spearmint, Ledum, Myrtle, Peppermint, and Myrrh.
Ashwaghandha: Although not a nutrient, it is an adaptogenic herb that has strong scientific credibility as a supportive measure for thyroid function. This herb is found in EndoGize and PowerGize.Supporting and managing thyroid health isn’t just for those with altered thyroid function. It’s for everyone. We protect what we love, right? We are each a work in progress, and our work is never done because our personal life’s circumstances change daily. We tend to live in one of two ways. God has given us free will to choose throughout our lives, and we can choose to actively live or passively die. I’ve known people who (even despite dying) chose to proactively live. It’s a beautiful thing to see, and their lives have glorified God. Our body is a temple created to serve and worship Him. Treat yourself as though you are a precious gift worth fighting for.
worth fighting for.xoxo~ liz
(link for purchase of Volume I, BYOHD: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
temperature it’s generally in relation to illness or fertility. You’ve heard people say, “My body temperature just runs low.”, and we accept that as “normal” for them. Heck, I was one of those people too, until I learned the truth.
Dr. David Jernigan writes, “The colder a body becomes, the slower the electrical oscillatory rate and therefore the thicker, more viscous, or syrupy the body fluids become. The more viscous the fluids become the more difficult it is for the body to push the fluids through the body. The lymph fluids that are normally supposed to bathe the outsides of all of your cells become progressively stagnant as it is too thick to move efficiently.”
You bet it can, and we’re going to discuss that next week! 
Remember, the wall around Jerusalem didn’t get destroyed in a single day and it wasn’t rebuilt in a single day either! And, Nehemiah didn’t do it alone. He sought out a community of like minded people with different skill sets to help him rebuild, and they persevered… even despite toxic (both physical and emotional) onslaught in the process. Your life is a story of clues, and although God is the ultimate author of each of our stories, the choices we make play a huge part in the writing of it!
Dopamine Deficiency Part IV: More Solutions
, Coriander
Mowing the yard! It may be hard work, but the aroma of fresh cut grass contains a chemical called hexanal (the “green” smell of grass) that stimulates dopamine release.
Organic coffee (No more than one cup a day or it may contribute to adrenal fatigue…. A dopamine high followed by a crash!) or a cuppa organic green tea (Have you tried the YL Vanilla Lemongrass Green Tea yet?) is a dopamine supportive treat.
Acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn support healthy dopamine levels. (Go back and reread the section on low vagal tone!)
Creating and performing music boosts dopamine levels even more than listening to your favorite tunes, but all three are effective. Listening to music has even been shown to improve fine motor skills in Parkinson’s patients.
Chronic inflammation reduces dopamine synthesis and release in the brain. We’ve got tools on hand to support a healthy inflammatory response (as opposed to the runaway variety!). Sulfurzyme, BLM, Agilease, and OmegaGize3 are excellent supplements. Nobody can “out supplement” an unhealthy lifestyle…..examine your life and look for offending (and often hidden) toxin triggers in household chemicals, processed foods and drinks, body care products, and makeup.
Lack of sleep down regulates dopamine receptors and reduces dopamine receptor availability. You know what to do! Sleep is so very important in ALL aspects of health. Review your sleep hygiene practices and look for “holes in the armor” that may result in interrupted sleep. I LOVE and incorporate Rutavala on the base of my big toe and Immupro (chewable) in my bedtime rituals.
Iron plays a role in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Iron and ferritin levels are important lab values to watch (both for being too low and too high). Natural sources of iron include spirulina ( an ingredient in Multigreens), dark chocolate, spinach, shellfish, organ meats (I highly suggest Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions), beans, lentils, chickpeas, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, turkey, broccoli, and fish.
Vitamin C assists with the formation and conversion of dopamine in the brain. Deficient levels of vitamin C may show up as a low mood. Super C Chewables are a tasty way to supplement daily.
Vitamins B6 and B9 are critical for dopamine synthesis. Low folate levels contribute massively to low dopamine levels which may ultimately lead to depression. Super B is another fantastic supplement to help the body in at least a thousand little and big ways.
Alternate between standing and sitting. “Chronic sitting” lowers dopamine levels. Our body was designed to move!
Finish a project. Who knew? This in itself causes the brain to flood with dopamine.
Exercise: Exercise slows the breakdown of dopamine in the body, and helps prevent loss of dopaminergic
brain cells. You may have heard of the “runner’s high”. There are several neurotransmitters involved in this sensation of feeling great, and dopamine is one of them. The brain is literally washed with dopamine in these moments. If strenuous exercise is new to you, start with walking, yoga, pilates, or aquatic exercise. Mild exercise causes dopamine release too. Bonus points for exercise outdoors and with a group of friends!
Vitamin D: Vitamin D has a role in the production of dopamine and in also protecting dopamine receptors. Evidence suggests that supporting healthy Vitamin D levels also supports healthy dopamine levels, especially if clinically deficient in Vitamin D. Make sure to ask for Vitamin D levels whenever you have the opportunity to get labwork! Young Living’s Super D is most bioavailable when it is dissolved in the cheek or under the tongue.
Phenylalanine and tyrosine are two amino acids used in the biosynthesis of dopamine. Foods high in phenylalanine and/or tyrosine include meats, beans, milk, nuts, seeds, whole grains, sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, cherries, eggs, yogurt, and NingXia Wolfberries! Supporting healthy dopamine production is just one more reason to get your ounce or two (or four!) of NingXia Red every day!
Increasing Vagal Tone: There is a direct correlation between low vagal tone and lower levels of dopamine. You’ll want to go back and review ALL the wonderful and fun ways you can improve vagal tone! (We talked about this a few months ago….use the search option in this group to find the posts.)
Uridine is a supplement. It’s also found in beer, brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is not the same yeast that bakers use. If you do a little digging, you’ll find recipes incorporating nutritional yeast into tasty options.
Cryotherapy: You’ve seen advertisements for it I’m sure. Be brave and consider giving it a try! Remember, simply exploring something new increases dopamine in the brain. Ice water immersion (or cryotherapy tanks) increase dopamine by an estimated 250%! Yowza! I am a fan of cryo….. I find it both terrifying and exhilarating (probably from that ginormous dopamine dump I received!)
Intermittent Fasting not only leads to higher levels of dopamine release; it also reduces age related dopamine receptor attrition. There are many additional reasons to incorporate intermittent fasting into your lifestyle if you’ve not considered it before now.