Warming Herbs for Shivering Cold
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Kate
Posted on: February 17, 2002

I am 45 years old, a jogger for all my life, 135 pounds and 5’8" tall. I am constantly COLD! I hate the shivering spells I have throughout the day and night. My thyroid is ok, along with other bloodwork. I wear layer upon layer of clothes. A friend told me there are herbs/foods I could take to feel warmer! Any ideas? This has been going on for years, I’m weary of all of it!

There are some types of thyroid hormone abnormalities that don’t show up on blood tests. I suggest that you look at the website http://www.wilsonssyndrome.com/ to see if your symptoms correspond, and then consult with either an experienced natural practitioner or a medical doctor who also practices natural medicine, who have dealt with this syndrome.

Warming herbs are Ginger and Cayenne. You can make a ginger tea by gently simmering an inch of fresh ginger, sliced, in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper per cup for an extra spicy tea and quick whole-body warm up.

If long-term stress is a factor with you, exhausted adrenal glands may have contributed to a hormonal imbalance. In this case, you may want to look into adrenal support herbs such as Licorice and Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng).

Kelp is a seaweed that supports low thyroid conditions that are caused by insufficient iodine. If you choose to try kelp, buy only good quality in natural form that can be used in soups, stews or as a tea, or a good quality kelp supplement that is only kelp, with no added iodine. Check with the natural food store salesperson or the supplier that the kelp comes from unpolluted waters. Take according to directions on the label. Too much iodine will cause hyperthyroid symptoms such as heart palpitations.

Back to Medicinal Herbs and Their Uses | Q & A Index

Copyright © 1997-2024 Otto Richter and Sons Limited. All rights reserved.