About the Thyroid

Your thyroid – a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck – not only helps regulate metabolism, but it’s also involved in the delivery and use of energy, body temperature regulation, mood and thinking, and even digestion. Thyroid hormone is essential; all our cells, tissues, organs, and glands require sufficient thyroid hormone to fully function.

Most people with thyroid conditions in the U.S. are hypothyroid, meaning that they don’t make enough thyroid hormone. Most hypothyroidism in the U.S. is the result of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition characterized by inflammation and antibodies that slow and disable the thyroid. Lowering inflammation and supporting a healthy immune system are, therefore, important components of good thyroid health.

The treatment for hypothyroidism is daily thyroid hormone replacement medication, most commonly levothyroxine (i.e., Synthroid, Levoxyl) or natural desiccated thyroid (i.e., Armour, Nature-throid, or WP Thyroid). Once diagnosed, most people with hypothyroidism take these drugs for life and rely on the medication’s effectiveness for thyroid function and overall good health.

The thyroid is one of the endocrine system’s hormone-secreting glands, along with the adrenals, the pituitary, sex organs, and the pancreas, among others. Because hormone balance is quite sensitive and highly interdependent, hypothyroid patients face a higher risk of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, sex hormone deficiencies, and adrenal dysfunction.

Royal Camu-Camu™

Research has shown that adequate Vitamin C intake helps enhance the absorption of thyroid pills when taken together. (Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24601693) Knowing this, many thyroid patients take Vitamin C along with their thyroid medication. Camu-Camu fruit is the richest food source of Vitamin C on earth, and is 50 times more potent than the synthetic form, ascorbic acid, found in most supplements. Whole World Botanicals’ Royal
Camu-Camu™ is a therapeutic-grade, potent, natural, and highly absorbable form of Vitamin C, making it a perfect way to get Vitamin C as a complement to thyroid treatment.

Vitamin C is also an important supplement to support immune function and overall health. Autoimmune thyroid patients who want to support their immunity frequently supplement with Vitamin C, making the potent and natural Royal Camu-Camu™ a great choice.

Royal Abuta™

Abuta is a woody vine found in the Peruvian rainforests. Abuta is used in traditional medicine to support healthy blood sugar and insulin levels, improve glucose tolerance, reduce insulin resistance, and decrease sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Research has shown that plants in the Abuta family may promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464614002771) and reduce blood glucose levels. Given that people with hypothyroidism face an increased risk of insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes and weight gain, Abuta may be a helpful complement to a healthy diet and lifestyle in helping ward off further health problems.

In my own case, as a type 1 diabetic, I can report that regular use of Whole World Botanicals’ Royal Abuta™ measurably reduced my HA1C level. I wear a continuous glucose monitor, and can also see that when I take Royal Abuta before a high- carbohydrate meal, it reduces the impact of those carbs on my blood sugar. It’s a side effect-free supplement that is a natural addition for anyone with blood sugar irregularities.

Royal Cat’s Claw™

Cat’s Claw—in Spanish it’s called “Uña de Gato”—comes from the bark of a woody vine from the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. It’s been used traditionally for centuries as a natural anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti-viral and a support for immune function and gut health. Whole World Botanicals’ Royal Cat’s Claw™ is one of the few supplements I always keep well stocked. (I even take it with me when I travel.) Why? Reduced resistance to bacterial and viral infections is more common in people who, like me, have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I’ve found that any time I feel like I’m coming down with any sort of infection, I take a few doses of the Royal Cat’s Claw™ extract, and I’m quickly back to normal. The infection is stopped dead in its tracks! I have also recommended Royal Cat’s Claw™ to friends, family, and coaching clients, who have reported incredible results, quickly resolving everything from shingles, to Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), to respiratory infections.

Royal Maca®

While I love the entire Whole World Botanicals product line, I saved my favorite for last. Maca is a cruciferous root vegetable, grown in the high Andes, and traditionally used for centuries for its natural hormone-balancing properties. Maca has been eaten to reduce menstrual cramps, enhance fertility, libido and sex drive, treat premenstrual syndrome, manage menopausal symptoms, and support healthy thyroid function. Contemporary scientific research shows that Maca activates Insulin Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), a key player in endocrine and hormonal balance. Therapeutic grade Maca root has a unique capacity to correct hormonal imbalances without the use of hormones.

In recent years, it has become popular to add improperly prepared, poor-quality raw Maca in large quantities to foods and smoothies. When raw, Maca has the potential to slow thyroid function, so traditional preparation involves carefully heating the harvested Maca roots, which deactivates its thyroid-slowing chemical, goitrin. Unfortunately, the huge popularity of and the increasing demand for Maca has resulted in the market being flooded with cheap, low-grade supplements, made from ineffective, Chinese-grown raw Maca, often
contaminated with pesticides.

I only use and recommend the Whole World Botanicals Royal Maca®, because it is an authentic, therapeutic-grade Peruvian Maca that is organically grown in the high Andes of Peru. It’s also harvested and prepared in traditional ways, making it safe for thyroid patients.

Some of my hormonal health coaching clients have reported measurable improvements in their thyroid blood test levels and symptoms after starting Royal Maca®. In addition, those who had elevated blood sugar levels have noted reductions in fasting glucose and even Hemoglobin A1C, a test that measures an average of blood sugar levels over time.

Perimenopause and menopause are common times for thyroid conditions to appear in women. At the same time, thyroid patients frequently experience more menopausal symptoms—hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, low sex drive, and insomnia—due to related sex hormone imbalances. In my case, I was able to eliminate menopausal hot flashes and sleep disruptions just a few days after starting Royal Maca®. Many of my friends and coaching clients have reported that taking this safe, hormone-free food supplement quickly resolved their hormonal symptoms as well.

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I have only touched on a few of my favorites from the WWB line of botanicals, but
I’ve used them all at various times, with great success. I not only am confident in
the effectiveness of all their products, I’m inspired by Whole World Botanicals’
strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, their clear respect for the
growers and harvesters, the indigenous communities and cultures, and their
commitment to quality products.

Mary Shomon
Author, The Menopause Thyroid Solution