Herbs & the Endocrine System

Empowering - Holistic - Insightful

Discover time-tested remedies for hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex, and thyroid wellness.
"...learned more about my own condition in these hours than I have in years." 
LC
"...gain a better understanding of how iodine is needed." 
DD
" I now feel so much more confident when it comes to using adaptogens. "
NN

Master herbal secrets for balancing your body's command center!

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the endocrine system, focusing on the integral role it plays in the body's overall health and the ways herbal medicine can support its function.
Participants will delve into the functions of key glands, such as the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex, and thyroid, gaining insights into their interactions and the hormones they produce.

Throughout the course, you'll learn about the impact of stress on the endocrine system and discover how herbal adaptogens can enhance the body's ability to manage stress by improving communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals, and thyroid. The course also covers the historical and contemporary importance of iodine, particularly in thyroid health, and examines various thyroid conditions, their causes, and effective, time-tested herbal remedies.

With a focus on holistic approaches, this course equips participants with the knowledge to support endocrine health using plant-based allies, empowering them to address common endocrine disorders, and promote well-being naturally.
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Classes Include

  • Intro to the Endocrine System
  • Hypothalamus, Pineal, and the Pituitary: Functions and Herbs
  • Herbal Adaptogens
  • Herbs and the Adrenal Medulla and Adrenal Cortex
  • Iodine, Evolution, and the Thyroid 
  • Herbalism and the Thyroid Intensive (now part of the above class)
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Note: You will need the updated and expanded 2019 edition of Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston for the Herbal Adaptogens class.
Intro to the Endocrine System
The endocrine system is complex, and the scientific community has only begun to gain a better understanding of its function in the last couple of decades. Herbalists have a variety of plant allies that holistically support the health of the endocrine system, but one must understand how the system functions and how the plants act upon it in order to use them. In this class, Matthew and Phyllis overview the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the endocrine system and highlight the herbs that are most useful in clinic.
Hypothalamus, Pineal, and the Pituitary: Functions and Herbs
The glands of the head settle into two significant divisions: pineal, which does not participate very much in the endocrine cascade, and the hypothalamic-pituitary, which stands at the top of the cascade.

The pineal is largely credited with the regulation of the biological sense of time. Great mysteries are associated with this gland. In our experience, it also interacts with the dream state, so it is actually highly regulatory on a profound level of the organism. The hypothalamus and pituitary operate together, on the other hand, to regulate the endocrine core, so their function is extremely important.

This class describes the major hormones secreted by the anterior and posterior pituitary, as well as with neurotransmitters and the limbic centers - where emotions are registered.
Herbal Adaptogens
The discoverer of the functions of the adrenals was Hans Selye, who selected the names stress and adaptation; he observed that there were two different responses to stress, the anti-inflammatory and the pro-inflammatory, or the “general” and the “specific.” The latter responds to stress with an exact and specific reaction in distinct molecular, immune, thermoregulatory, nervous, and endocrine functions firing up, amounting to a specific local reaction. Selye called this the “local adaptation syndrome.” The anti-inflammatory pole, associated with cortisol, not only suppresses the immune system but causes a systemic (“general”) reaction that tones down the local responses. 

Basically, for the past thousands of years, we have been working on the specific or “local” response with herbs and other therapeutic tools. Russian scientists, developing Selye’s ideas, introduced the idea of strengthening ‘adaptogens,’ or remedies that operate on the other pole of adrenocortical action: suppression of the inflammatory response. 

These ‘adaptogens’ strengthen the ‘reading’ of the blood by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, the signaling to the adrenals, or thyroid, with the resulting improvement in response to stress. They include Siberian ginseng (eleuthero), Chinese and American ginseng, spikenard (Aralia), ashwagandha, schizandra, rhodiola, and other now very popular herbs. 

Adaptogens have specific pharmacology, which also will be cited.

Note: You will need the updated and expanded 2019 edition of Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston for the Herbal Adaptogens class.
Herbs and the Adrenal Medulla and Adrenal Cortex
The adrenals sit atop the kidneys. They arise from two very different fetal layers and maintain different functional relationships throughout the organism. The adrenal medulla (in the center) is associated with the nervous system and secretes adrenaline that promotes the sympathetic response. The adrenal cortex (on the inside), is composed of lipids and secretes lipid hormones (steroids) that uphold parasympathetic functions. Within the parasympathetic, there are two opposing tracks, the pro-inflammatory and the anti-inflammatory, which control the inflammatory response, the basic mechanism the body uses to deal with stress and immune response. It includes hormones that influence the renal and reproductive spheres.
Iodine, Evolution, and the Thyroid
Iodine was the first antiseptic and anti-inflammatory substance - absorbed by primitive creatures from the sea around them. The thyroid was developed by higher animals, not to regulate heat, but to continue to supply these functions. Finally, warm-blooded animals developed thyroid hormones (T4 and T3), the function of which was to regulate heat production in cells.

Humans discovered iodine, and it was recognized as essential to human health to prevent hypothyroidism and goiters and used as an antiseptic and antibacterial. Many organs other than the thyroid require iodine, particularly the breasts (breast cysts and diseases can be caused by a lack) and the brain, which is protected from some kinds of stroke by iodine released into the carotid sinus. We see the importance of iodine in a wide arena in the body.

This class addresses:
  • Why iodine is very important for breast tissue
  • Why fluoride, chlorine, and bromine wreak havoc on this system and how to counteract the effects
  • How low iodine, Hashimoto's, and hypothyroid are similar but different
  • How to palpate the thyroid
  • How to do a simple iodine content test of foods
  • Comparisons of the various iodine tests for the body
  • Goiter
  • Hyaluronic acid and restoring cartilaginous tissue
  • Herbs and foods to provide iodine and improve uptake
  • and more!
Herbalism and the Thyroid Intensive
Gain valuable insights into various thyroid conditions and explore time-tested remedies that have proven effective in promoting thyroid well-being. Whether you're seeking a broader understanding of thyroid health or aiming to enhance your well-being, this class offers a rich tapestry of wisdom and knowledge. Join us on this enlightening exploration of thyroid health.

History
At first, all that was known about the human thyroid was that it needed iodine and it was responsible for heat generation. We learn about this in Matt and Phyllis' class Iodine, Evolution, and the Thyroid.

Signs, Symptoms & Diagnostic Terms
In addition to iodine deficiency, various types of goiter, swelling, and small lumps can occur in the thyroid—as well as cancer. We will address the five major conditions of the thyroid that are usually contemplated:
  • hyperthyroidism
  • hypothyroidism
  • Hashimoto’s disease (which usually ends in hypothyroidism)
  • under-secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the pituitary
  • Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome

These can have a multitude of causes and whether we know the cause or not, there are effective remedies for all of these conditions.

Effective, Time-tested Remedies Matt and Phyllis have often and successfully used to improve thyroid conditions:
  • Lemon Balm
  • Motherwort
  • Lycopus
  • Poplar bark
  • Black Walnut
  • Ashwagandha
  • Iris
  • Poke Root

Also, learn what they've found to aid symptoms of Hashimoto's and regulate the pituitary function.

Causes of thyroid-related conditions, even unsuspecting ones like...
  • Misuse of the voice box and tensions in the upper chest, neck, and shoulder structures is known to cause hypothyroid.
  • Leaky gut is another little-known cause of thyroid conditions.
  • Thyroid imbalances are easy to correct.

Includes

Support Materials

474 pages of online reading

from Matthew Wood, MS and Phyllis D. Light, MA
Video

15 hours of teaching

Certificate

Certificate included
(see more below)

Pay Once = One Year Access

1 year to view and review content, ask questions and discuss

This is for you if you...

are curious about the power of herbs in managing stress.
wish to learn practical skills for supporting endocrine health.
want to enhance your knowledge of herbal adaptogens and their benefits.

Upon completion, you will...

understand the key functions of the endocrine system.
have practical skills for testing and supporting thyroid health.
be equipped to integrate herbal remedies into your wellness routine.

Teachers

Matthew Wood, MS

Matthew Wood has been a practicing herbalist for over forty years. He is an internationally known teacher and author with more than ten books to his credit. Matthew has an MSc in herbal medicine from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine (accredited, U. of Wales). He lives in the Midwest. 

Phyllis D. Light, MA 

As a 4th generation herbalist, Phyllis started with lessons from her grandmother who taught from her Creek/Cherokee heritage. Phyllis has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for 30+ years. She is the author of Southern Folk Medicine and co-author of Traditional Western Herbalism Pulse Evaluation.

Certificate Included

  • How to Get a Certificate

    • Complete course materials
    • Pass the test with a grade of 70% or better
    • Save or print your certificate!


    Available with subscription and individual course purchases.

  • Accreditation hours

    This course is a total of 28 accredited hours
    • 7.5 hours Materia Medica
    • 15.5 hours Basic Human Sciences
    • 1 hour Nutrition and Medical Terminology
    • 4 hours Current Evidence Based Botanical


    *Please check with your accrediting agency whether they will accept accredited hours or certificates from the Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism
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Herbs & the Endocrine System

Transform your health with expert insights into the endocrine system.
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