My Herbs 1

glutathione in one’s organism, protecting
thyroid cells against the destructive effects
of autoimmune inflammation.
Indian coleus (Coleus forskohlii)
comprises a substance called
forskolin, which removes
iodine from the thyroid
glands’ blood cells,
thereby increasing
the excretion of
thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
The
active substance
contained in the
coleus plant also plays
an important role in iodine’s
organification, or inorganic iodine
binding to the organic protein. In
naturopathy, coleus is successfully used
for the treatment of respiratory and
heart diseases, and in recent years it has
also been added to weight reduction
products due to its performance in
helping burn fat.
Ashwagandha
Common Hop (Humulus lupulus)
promotes the extraction of iodine from
the blood and its absorption by thyroid
tissue. It also suppresses the activity of
inflammatory cytokines that emerge
during inflammation, possibly interfering
with the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
Further traditional uses for
hops are in the treatment of insomnia
and anxiety disorders. Hop plays a role
as a sedative, stimulates digestion, and
helps regulate women’s menstrual cycles.
Water hyssop, or Brahmi (Bacopa
monnieri) is among the most traditional
Ayurvedic herbs and is celebrated for its
beneficial effects on the nervous system.
A number of studies have proven that
active substances from the brahmi plant
improve the transmission of nerve impulses,
thereby improving memory and
one’s cognitive performance.
During prolonged periods of stress,
high levels of cortisol prevent the conversion
of thyroxine to triiodothyronine,
thus causing the body to suffer
from a deficiency in its cells.
Water hyssop lowers cortisol
levels, protecting against
the adverse effects of
chronic stress. This herb
also induces significant
stimulation of the thyroid
tissue itself, thereby significantly
increasing the generation
of thyroxine
hormones.
Ashwagandha or Withania (Withania
Somnifera) belongs to the most important
adaptogenic herbs that are traditionally
used for the treatment of
chronic stress, insomnia, fatigue syndrome,
and adrenal insufficiency (lack
of adrenal cortex activity). A less well
known effect of Ashwagandha is its specific
and direct effects on thyroid tissue
and its support of both thyroxine and
triiodothyronine secretion. The herb
also influences the conversion of thyroxine
to triiodothyronine and subsequently
restores triiodothyronine
communication with the cell nucleus,
thus promoting the effective use of all
the cells’ thyroid hormones and positively
affecting the body’s general metabolism.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) belongs
to a group of important herbs for
the treatment of hypothyroidism of autoimmune
origin. It has strong anti-inflammatory
properties and influences
most of the steps in the formation of
thyroid hormones and their utilization
by cells. It enables the conversion of thyroxine
to triiodothyronine, cell receptor
24 MY HERBS MAGAZINE