Thyroid disease affects 20 million Americans, and to provide us with wisdom on ways to heal it, protect it, and reduce stress this year, I had a great conversation with Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum, an Ayurveda practitioner and author of Healing the Thyroid With Ayurveda, who also featured as an expert in my book, Authentic Power!
Keep scrolling to read highlights from our conversation!
A: First, tell us a little bit about your background.
Dr. T: I always wanted to heal my patience using herbs, but it’s difficult because we don’t really practice holistic medicine in America. I started studying Ayurveda because they’ve been studying this for 5,000 years in India, and I decided to incorporate it as part of my practice when I began 35 years ago. I also had the privilege to be trained by one of the top Ayurveda doctors from India who came from a family who treated the kings and queens of India. When I realized how much Ayurveda really worked, I began writing books on it and I started writing about using it to heal the thyroid because many of my patients come to me with thyroid conditions.
A: What is Ayurveda?
Dr. T: It’s the practice of truly using natural medicine. Here in America, we use synthetic medicines rather than natural medicine. The problem is, we don’t have a good understanding of what makes a proper diet, and we don’t know how to thoroughly detox, and I’ve found that the traditional remedies we use in America are often incorrect.
A: What tips do you have to boost your immune system?
Dr. T: Try not to go to bed past 10pm! Another way is to control your diet, specifically reducing or removing white table sugar and vegetable oils like canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, palm oil, and mustard seed oil. If you get good quality oil like cold-pressed, extra olive oil and eat organic, your liver will be happy, and the liver is a huge part of our detoxification, digestive system, and immune system. Another way is to watch the number of antibiotics and any pharmaceuticals you take because they destroy friendly bacteria in the gut which are first responders to attack viruses. This includes birth control pills! And believe it or not, vaccines destroy the immune system as well, so try to only get the necessary vaccines.
A: What can we all be doing to reduce stress?
Dr. T: Stress hormones called cortisol basically shut down the immune system, and flush out all the magnesium in the body, which is the absolute most important nutrient for your body in the whole world. It has over 800 functions in the body, but when your magnesium is low, these functions can’t work. I like applying magnesium to my skin when I’m under stress. You can also try an herb called ashwagandha, and this can also be applied to the skin or used as drops to put in your water. Rest, going to bed early, taking naps, massages, and meditation are also helpful.
A: How long does it take for the gut microbiome to build back after a vaccine?
Dr. T: It depends because it’s probably not just the vaccine depleting the friendly bacteria in your gut; it’s probably an antibiotic or other medications that destroy it. If it’s just the vaccine, it would probably take a month or two. Unfortunately, we don’t know enough about the COVID vaccine, but if it’s one shot, it could take a month or two, and if it’s multiple, it could take a year. To help replenish the gut, I recommend taking Natren probiotics.
A: Is it OK to take antibiotics with probiotics?
Dr. T: Yes! I’m not saying that you can’t take antibiotics altogether, you just have to make sure you replenish the gut if you do take them.
A: How do I increase B12 naturally?
Dr. T: B12 is absorbed by the friendly bacteria in the gut, so you might be low in B12 because the friendly bacteria are depleted. Try replenishing your gut!
A: Why is it so important to heal the thyroid? Whare some small steps we can take to start the healing process?
Dr. T: The thyroid gland is the only gland whose hormones affect every cell in the body, plus everything can weaken the thyroid, including stress, going to bed late, etc. So go to bed early and eat as healthy as you can. Unfortunately, the medicine we’re given to treat our thyroid actually tells the thyroid that it doesn’t have to produce hormones anymore to function properly because the medicine is taking its place, so we have to start with understanding what is bothering the thyroid before taking medicine if we can. Another way to heal is to remove fluoride and mercury from your diet by avoiding eating tuna fish and avoiding getting vaccines with mercury in them. Also, try not to rush through the day because that causes stress and it puts stress on the thyroid. Catch yourself, slow down, take breaks, and then move on.
A: Yes, rest is so important! I realized that in my health journey, taking breaks has made a huge difference in how I feel. How about Vitamin D? Is there a way to keep that up in our diet?
Dr. T: The only way to get Vitamin D is from sunlight. In the winter, you can take it transdermally or orally, about 2,000-3,000 units per day. I actually recommend taking it transdermally because often the liver has an easier time processing it.
A: Is gluten harmful to the thyroid disorder Hashimoto’s?
Dr. T: I would avoid it if you have Hashimoto’s but Hashimoto’s is a problem with the immune system, and in the case of this disorder, your immune system is attacking your thyroid. Gluten and dairy are the two most difficult proteins to digest, so when we digest them, the liver is so hot and angry from so many chemicals going through it, it oxidizes them and turns them into poison, which paves the way for autoimmune disease. What you actually want to do is fix your immune system and digestive system so you can go back to having gluten.
A: You’ve had so many incredible success stories. What have you seen happen to your patients once you see them implement these practices?
Dr. T: They call me and tell me that their blood pressure is lower, they’re off their medication, and they’re feeling better. It’s so fulfilling because I’m helping people who didn’t know there was a solution to their health issues.
For more on Dr. T go to:
- Website – https://drmteitelbaum.com/
- Instagram – @marianneteitelbaum
CLICK HERE to watch the full IG LIVE with me and Dr. T!