For many people an underactive thyroid slows them down and leads to a host of other unpleasant symptoms. Most of those people are never diagnosed with the disorder. Many are never treated. So many fail to make changes to their diet and lifestyle that help ease their symptoms. Most go on living their life in a debilitated state.
The Thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland in the middle of the front of your throat. Its purpose is to release hormones that help in the regulation of many body functions including metabolism, heart rate, maintaining core temperature, healthy skin, weight, fertility and more.
The thyroid gland slows you down or revs you up to make you more energetic. It also activates your immune system. It plays a part in most of the body’s physiological processes, so when it is out of balance, so are you. In fact every cell in your body has receptors for thyroid hormones.
Sometimes the thyroid does not work as it should and, depending on whether it is pumping out too many hormones or too few, it becomes under-active or over-active. This is known as either Hyperthyroidism, too many thyroid hormones in the blood, or Hypothyroidism, too few.
Thyroid conditions can be quite common and it is estimated that about 20-25% of the female population may suffer from hypothyroidism. An estimated 30% more of people over the age of 35 may suffer from ‘subclinical’ hypothyroidism. This is where they either have no obvious symptoms, or their test results are within the ‘normal’ range, but they have mild symptoms of low thyroid function.
Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction
Many people live with the symptoms of low thyroid function for years, where their thyroid gland works sluggishly without them even realising it. With too few thyroid hormones in the blood the body processes start slowing down, and so does the person.
However, there are some telltale signs to look out for. Here are some of them, although there are many more:
- Fluid retention or swelling in the legs, feet, arms or face
- Cold hands or feet, poor circulation and intolerance of cold
- Dry skin, acne and eczema
- Lethargy, fatigue, poor stamina and sleeepiness
- Forgetfulness, slow cognitive function, brain fog
- Depression
- Constipation, indigestion
- Weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
- Poor brittle, slow-growing nails and hair, hair loss
- Heavy periods, irregular cycle, PMS
- Infertility, low libido
- Insomnia
- Muscle and joint aches and pains
- Food cravings, food intolerances, hypoglycaemia
- High cholesterol/ triglycerides, palpitations, high or very low blood pressure
Illnesses where symptoms seem vague or scattered could actually be providing warning signs that you have a problem with your thyroid. Diseases and syndromes such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, menopausal symptoms, muscle and joint pains, IBS, PMS, heart disease or depression, may also be connected with thyroid problems. They all have a wide variance in the symptoms they present with and each may be improved when underlying thyroid issues are addressed. Sometimes an underactive thyroid can be due to an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s disease.
Adrenal Stress
However, low thyroid function may actually not be the root of the problem. There is a strong relationship between your adrenal and thyroid glands and it is very common for adrenal fatigue to go hand-in-hand with hypothyroidism. In many cases the adrenal glands become weakened, leading to a malfunctioning thyroid gland. If treatment is only directed towards the thyroid gland and the adrenal issues are not addressed, then the person’s health will simply not improve.
It’s important to reduce stress in your life as both the adrenals and the thyroid are very sensitive to stress. Practicing meditation, yoga, qi gong, or relaxation techniques goes a long way to reducing the stress response and supports the action of these glands.
Thyroid Hormones
Two hormones, T4 and T3 are produced by the thyroid. T3 is the active form and is the one that does the vast majority of work in the body. When levels are low enough the traditional approach is to use synthetic hormone, but they only contain T4 and the problem with this is that most people have difficulty converting T4 into T3.
Thyroid hormone levels can be tested with a blood test. If symptoms are vague and do not point directly to a disorder, testing will probably be done alongside other blood tests. The normal range for tests is 0.5 to 5.5 IU/ml.
The problem for many people is that they suffer symptoms of low thyroid function even though their measured levels of the hormone are between 2.0 IU/ml and 5.5IU/ml, levels considered to show ‘normal’ thyroid function. They are told their levels are normal and left with no explanation or treatment for their symptoms. When it comes to thyroid hormones, setting the boundaries of ‘normal’ for thyroid levels is very misleading. There really isn’t any ‘normal’ level as the levels change depending on factors such as age or health.
The Delicate Hormone Dance
All the different hormones in the body work together in a delicate dance and when one is not working all the others are affected also. Many reproductive hormone-related symptoms may be experienced when thyroid hormones are low. PMS, infertility, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, menopause symptoms, fibrocystic breasts or even post-natal depression may all result.
Low thyroid function can easily be confused with the symptoms of menopause. While symptoms such as hot flushes, period irregularities, weight gain, night sweats and insomnia are often experienced during perimenopause or menopause, night sweats and insomnia in particular, may also be key symptoms of low thyroid function.
Using hormone replacement to deal with these symptoms simply makes the problem worse, as the oestrogen in the medications further interferes with the thyroid hormones, impairing the thyroid function even more. This in turn slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain. It is a vicious circle.
As usual it is easy to point the finger at poor diet and lifestyle as contributing factors to thyroid dysfunction and sugar, processed foods, stress, lack of exercise or toxic environments all play their part.
What You Can Do
Low thyroid function can be addressed in a number of more natural ways.
I treat many people, mainly women, for low thyroid function with great success using carefully selected Homeopathic remedies. These reverse their debilitating symptoms and allow them to live a normal life. But with this being a complicated chronic issue it is not one that can be self-treated and requires careful prescribing by a fully trained professional Homeopath.
But luckily there are a number of things that you can do as a first-line defense for hypothyroidism, and using natural methods avoids the side effects of medications.
Diet
A well-balanced diet made up of unprocessed, unrefined whole foods, with organic or biodynamic vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy, is the best way to combat hypothyroidism, if you also include the following guidelines.
It’s important that you stay away from sugar and caffeine which simply cause thyroid burn-out. If going ‘cold turkey’ is too hard then cut these back more gradually. Cut out refined and processed carbohydrates as well as they behave just like sugar when they are metabolised in your body.
Make sure to eat protein as it transports thyroid hormone into your cells. Include nuts, nut butters, legumes, quinoa, and less frequently and in smaller quantities eggs, meats, fish and dairy.
Good fats help to create hormone balance, including thyroid hormones. Avocados, one of my favourite good fat sources, coconuts, coconut milk and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, raw nuts and nut butters, organic butter and yoghurt, organic egg yolks, flax seeds are great choices. Avoid trans fats.
Make sure you’re getting enough Vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin A, Vitamin D, the Vitamin B’s, iodine, selenium, zinc, copper, iron and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Organic produce will be higher in vitamins and minerals as long as it isn’t old and wilting.
Thyroid hormone production is just another of the many functions of Vitamin D which is produced in the body from sunlight. This is yet another reason to have levels of this crucial vitamin tested and maintained, and you may actually need to supplement this.
Cut out gluten especially if you have Hashimoto’s as the gluten mimics thyroid tissue and aggravates the autoimmune response.
Watch out for foods that interfere with thyroid function especially those containing goitrogens and don’t eat them unless they are cooked. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, turnips, spinach, strawberries, peanuts, and millet are all ones to avoid.
Get tested for food sensitivities, especially if you find there is a food or food group that you crave, as eating these foods sets up an autoimmune response in the body.
The thyroid gland requires iodine to make thyroid hormones so iodine deficiency may be a contributing factor to hypothyroidism. Many people are deficient in iodine so include more sources of iodine in your diet like seaweed, kelp, dulce and nori, shellfish, saltwater fish, eggs, yoghurt, mozzarella cheese
Supplements
Take probiotics as good thyroid function depends on healthy gut flora.
Add vitamins and minerals particularly if you are not getting adequate amounts in your diet.
Other supplements that help thyroid activity and the manufacture of thyroid hormones are Tyrosine, Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), magnesium citrate and Potassium iodide. Look for these in a combined thyroid supplement.
Herbs
Ashwaganda can help improve the level of T4 hormone and Commiphora wightii (common name guggul), can help convert the T4 into the active T3. Guggul has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and is now difficult to source due to its scarcity after overuse.
Exercise
Exercise lowers insulin levels and increases thyroid function. Work out or walk for 40 minutes three times a week and make sure you get out of breath.
Disclaimer
The Information contained on this site is for your general health information. It is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional healthcare. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction
Source articles:
http://www.thyroid.org/what-is-hypothyroidism/
http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=59
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3139/13-Ways-to-Treat-Hypothyroidism-Naturally.html
http://www.elliotthealthcare.com/low_thyroid.htm
http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/truth-protein-carbs-fats-thyroid-health
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