Class Notes from Lesson 9-3 Constitutional

 Lesson 9-3: Thyroid Stress

THYROID STRESS is not to be confused with thyrotoxicosis or Graves disease, real pathologies, but instead it is a pattern of internalized stress a few people seem genetically prone to. It is the only one I have seen acquired through excess coffee, amphetamine or cocaine use, as well as the usual stress source, the hypothalamus/pituitary axis.

These people use their metabolic rate as their stress response.

Superficially they seem like adrenalin types, but their skin is warm and moist and their intestinal tract is one a lion would envy. Mild tachycardia is nearly always present, even present first thing in the morning, and they sometimes have a mild pseudo-lethargy during the day, with troubled, short sleep. These are the predictable patterns: GI, liver, cardiovascular, lymph/immune and skin/mucosa excess, kidney and muscle/skeletal deficiency.

HERBS TO COOL relax the hypothalamus or mildly decrease thyroid response to thyroid stimulating hormone from the pituitary.

THYROID STRESS: DEPRESSIVE Unlike the other two stress types, where there is actually increased strength that “settles” in the target tissues (and is essentially organic), thyroid stress is ongoing, with imbalances occurring only so long as the pituitary responds to the hypothalamus (and is essentially functional). Many thyroid stress people manifest a sort of manic-depressive duality, a metabolic bipolarity. If they respond to agitation with elevated metabolism, they may respond to depression with a decrease of thyroid stimulation. It may difficult to perceive their current depression as part of a big cycle, unless they have had extended periods in the past when they have clearly been in excess. You often need some fairly extensive interviewing before seeing the patterns.

To further confuse matters the thyroid stress person will often perceive the physically-depressed end result, but understandably flail about for some external explanation, such as CFS, MCS, or some acronym-of-the month. They will want you to work with them based upon this realistic presumption

In fact, THEY ARE OFTEN CORRECT, since a thyroid person in a deficient phase is very susceptible to such subtle, lingering pathologies. But until you can help them begin an upswing in metabolism, there is nothing at all you can do about such a condition.

The predictable patterns are: GI, liver, lymph/ immune and skin/mucosa deficiency. To the observer they have sluggish eyes and pasty skin.

HERBS TO STIMULATE act on the hypothalamus primarily, although some simple CNS stimulation is often helpful. 

THYROID STRESS. Leonurus, Lycopus

THYROID DEPRESSION. Anemone, Aristolochia serpentaria, Centella asiatica, Mahonia, Phytolacca Berries. 

Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/