Thyroid Health and Hypothyroid (Part 1)

Thyroid Health: Hypothyroid & Hashimoto’s (part 1)

Are you struggling to lose weight despite a clean diet? Overly sensitive to cold weather? Is the outer 3rd of your eyebrow thin or completely missing? Do you experience low energy, fatigue, constipation, hair loss, dry skin, anxiety or depression? If so, you may be suffering from a low thyroid function aka hypothyroid or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis despite what your labs tests indicate.

A healthy functioning thyroid is vital to your health; it’s the master gland of metabolism and the body’s internal thermostat, regulating temperature by secreting two hormones, T3 and T4 that control your metabolism. Every cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormone. The thyroid controls energy levels, weight, metabolism, body temperature, heart rate and menstrual regularity.

Thyroid hormones directly act on the brain, the G.I. tract, bone metabolism, the cardiovascular system, liver and gallbladder function, hormone production, glucose metabolism, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, protein metabolism, and body temperature regulation.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped, hormone-producing tissue the size of a walnut located at the lower front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. Every cell in your body needs small amounts of thyroid hormone to function optimally.

Hypothyroidism is a condition where there’s insufficient thyroid activity. Approximately 27 million Americans experience thyroid dysfunction and that number continues to rise. It’s estimated that nearly 60% of individuals are completely unaware that they have a thyroid imbalance.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system affects the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s is a common finding in those diagnosed with hypothyroid.

Numerous individuals with thyroid disorders have been improperly diagnosed or treated. Some of the early symptoms of thyroid dysfunction are mistaken for fatigue, depression, anxiety, headaches in the morning that wear off during the day, constipation, or the normal aging process. Left untreated, hypothyroidism dramatically increases risk of serious health problems, heart disease, and degenerative diseases.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted by the pituitary gland in the subconscious brain. In early stages of hypothyroidism, the pituitary gland releases more and more TSH, causing elevated TSH levels. This causes the thyroid to work overtime to secrete more thyroxin, T4 and T3, the biologically active form of thyroid. Most of the T4 produced is converted to T3 by the liver.

A thorough thyroid panel and other blood markers can determine if the thyroid is working properly, however subjective indicators must be taken into consideration and should not be overlooked.

Thyroid Assessment

At Home Thyroid Temperature Test. Before going to bed, set a basal thermometer on your nightstand. The moment you wake up, place the thermometer under your left armpit for 10 minutes. Record your temperature for 5 consecutive days. Discard the highest and the lowest temperature. Average the middle three values. A morning temperature consistently <97.3˚F may suggest hypothyroidism, whereas temperatures consistently <97.0˚F are highly probable of low thyroid function. Proceed with lab tests to assess further.

Thyroid Assessment - Paula Owens, MS Clinical and Holistic Nutritionist