The number of prescriptions that are filled each year continues to soar. According to statistics on Therapeutic Drug Use compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 50% of all Americans fill one prescription each month, and just over 10% fill five or more prescriptions each month.

This data also indicates that between visits to doctors offices, emergency rooms, and outpatient hospital care, nearly 3.5 billion prescriptions are written each year. This number does not include all of the patients who are prescribed medication as part of their inpatient care during a hospital stay.

Thyroid Hormones and Weight Loss Drugs Among the Most Frequently Prescribed Medications

While the number of prescriptions filled each year continues to grow, there are a number of health conditions for which there are natural and alternative therapies. Thyroid disorders are a prime example; levothyroxine is one of the top 100 drugs prescribed each year and is used to help patients with low thyroid function who do not produce enough thyroid hormone. It can also help control the size of the growths on the thyroid gland, known as goiters.

However, while levothyroxine helps to treat low thyroid function there are a number of diseases and conditions recognized by Western medicine that can affect thyroid function. Prescription medication is just one of the treatments for low thyroid function. Other medications are sometimes prescribed to treat secondary health conditions that arise from an imbalance of thyroid hormones.

The Connection Between Low Thyroid and Weight Gain

As a result of low thyroid function, it’s more difficult for the body to metabolize calories and nutrients. This is why weight gain is a common symptom of low thyroid. When this occurs, some healthcare professionals prescribe additional medications to help sufferers curb their appetite and assist them with weight loss. Several of these weight loss drugs, or “diet pills,” also appear on the top 100 list of most prescribed medications.

Alternative Medicine and Non-Prescription Therapies

Alternative medicine, however, is not so fast to prescribe medication to treat low thyroid function, weight gain or other symptoms. Instead, therapies are developed to get at the root cause of obesity and weight gain. Healers that follow ancient Indian energy traditions, for example, recognize the connection between the production of hormones by the thyroid and weight gain.

These healers believe that exposure to harmful substances in our environment and mental stress from our busy, energy draining lifestyles takes a toll on the endocrine system and can cause it to malfunction, leading to a number of symptoms and health conditions. They also believe that as balance returns to the body, weight loss occurs, and other symptoms of hormone imbalance, such as headaches, or feeling cold and tired, will resolve as the body heals itself.

Rather than suggesting a prescription medication, practitioners of alternative medicine might suggest a herbal remedy or natural tonic to restore the thyroid and other glands in the endocrine system to their normal function. They might also suggest that sufferers take steps to reduce their exposure to chemicals and eat a healthy, plant-based diet to support the thyroid and other hormone producing glands.

Additional Natural Ways to Support Thyroid Function, Lose Weight and Improve Overall Health

It’s possible that you may not be able to avoid taking a prescription medication to treat low thyroid, or other health concern, but, you may be able use alternative therapies to reduce the amount of prescription medication that you take over time. Even if you must continue taking pills or other treatments prescribed by a doctor, alternative treatments may help support your body’s normal function and help improve your sense of well-being and overall wellness.

In addition to herbal remedies, eating a healthy diet, and limiting exposure to toxins, practices that enhance the connection between mind and body, such as walking, gentle stretching, breathing exercises, performing yoga poses, practicing mindfulness, and other forms of therapeutic activity can help you be able to reduce the effects of stress. These practices can help you to relax and feel more rested and can help you to feel calmer and energized, regardless of what other types of treatment you take for low thyroid, weight loss, or other concerns.

Shift Frequency © 2017 – Prescription and Alternative Therapies for
Low Thyroid and Weight Loss