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For such a small gland, our thyroid—a little butterfly-shaped organ in our necks—has a giant job to do! The thyroid is the body’s ignition. It powers every aspect of our physical being—our skin, vision, heart, metabolism, growth, cell repair, even our hair. When the thyroid slows down—that is, when we become hypothyroid—other functions in our body slow down, too. If your thyroid is under active, you cannot enjoy optimal health.
Women experience thyroid dysfunction more often than men. No one knows why, but doctors think it probably is linked to the relationship between our reproductive hormones (especially estrogen and progesterone) and our thyroid hormones. Many women first notice hypothyroid symptoms during perimenopause, while others notice them during adolescence or pregnancy—the three stages when women undergo tremendous hormonal shifts.
Unfortunately, conventional medicine typically views the thyroid in isolation from the body’s other systems. As a result, women’s well-being so often spirals downward; they feel worse as the years go by.
At Vibrant Way, we encourage clients to see their thyroid function from a holistic perspective—truly the only way to restore and maintain healthy thyroid function for life.
Because women with underactive thyroids tend to have lower-than-normal metabolic rates, one of the most prominent (and frustrating!) symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain and difficulty losing weight. Often, their metabolism continues to slow as they eat fewer calories, so they can gain weight even when they’re dieting. That’s why, in order to fix your metabolism, you need to understand your entire health picture, not just your thyroid.
Most thyroid problems happen within the gland itself, not causing symptoms until a pattern of hormone imbalance develops. Thus we have the “trinity” of middle-aged women: thyroid issues, menopause and weight gain. This imbalance comes, too, after decades of dieting, usually in a yo-yo cycle of feasting and fasting. Every time a woman completes that mad cycle, her metabolic rate declines a little—a compounding factor for the thyroid.
Women also tend to internalize stress, which affects their adrenal, brain and thyroid functions, resulting in cravings for sweets and simple carbs to provide instant energy and feel-good hormones. On top of these complications, women experience monthly hormonal fluctuations that affect their biochemistry.
If you’ve run into stubborn weight gain, your first step is a talk with your health care practitioner. She may ask for a thyroid test to measure your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). We’ve found that many women whose TSH tests within the “normal” range still need thyroid support; even a slightly elevated TSH level can influence their metabolism and cause weight gain. For these women, supplemental nutrients such as selenium, supplemental iodine, and a regular meal plan, balancing their protein-to-carbohydrate ratio, increases their metabolism and they begin to lose weight. Many women with underactive thyroids also need a low-dose thyroid replacement hormone.
Not all endocrinologists agree on the best treatment for hypothyroidism—in fact, if a patient were to visit five doctors for her thyroid problem, she probably would get five slightly (or not-so-slightly) different answers on how she should proceed. Many doctors believe that patients who test within the “normal range” but have low metabolisms, and low basal temperatures, need to take a thyroid supplement. Others argue that only those patients with significant abnormalities really need to support their thyroids with hormones. Needless to say, this disparity in the medical community makes it difficult for women with thyroid problems to make the right choices in treatment!
Weight gain is only one symptom of thyroid abnormality, but when it is persistent, we encourage you to take note of any patterns and other thyroid symptoms—because, quite simply, if you are hypothyroid and try to lose weight without addressing your thyroid issues, you cannot succeed. We’ve found that the best chance of weight-loss success for hypothyroid women is a holistic, natural approach that considers thyroid function as an integral part of their overall hormonal balance.
Hypothyroidism is the medical condition created by having a sluggish thyroid. If “sluggish” seems to be your middle name these days, see if you recognize your feelings in these symptoms:
- severe fatigue, loss of energy
- weight gain, difficulty losing weight
- depression, depressed mood
- skin rashes
- joint and muscle pain, headaches
- dry skin, brittle nails
- brittle hair, itchy scalp, hair loss
- irregular periods, PMS symptoms
- calcium metabolism difficulties
- difficulty tolerating cold and lower body temperature
- constipation
- sleeping more than usual
- diminished sex drive
- puffiness in face and extremities
- hoarseness
- bruising/clotting problems
- elevated levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and heightened risk of heart disease
- allergies that suddenly appear or get worse
- persistent cold sores, boils or breakouts
- tingling sensation in wrists and hands that mimics carpal tunnel syndrome
- memory loss, fuzzy thinking, difficulty following conversation or train of thought
- slowness or slurring of speech
Not all hypothyroid patients experience all of the symptoms, and it’s important to remember that they happen in degrees. When hypothyroid symptoms are mild, or only fatigue or depression appears, you may have what’s known as “subclinical” hypothyroidism, which often occurs along with insulin resistance.
In some cases, hypothyroidism can lead to a goiter, or a thyroid enlargement so extreme that it is visible to others. Goiters form when the thyroid is trying hard to compensate for its sluggish production. Goiters also can result from an overactive thyroid, called hyperthyroidism. In its most common form, hyperthyroidism appears as Grave’s disease; in this condition, the thyroid enlarges in response to attacks by anti-thyroid antibodies, which stimulate overproduction of thyroid hormones.
Without treatment or relief of the underlying causes of hypothyroidism, the symptoms usually worsen over time, occasionally resulting in permanent damage. In the most extreme cases, such as Hashimoto’s disease, the body forms antibodies that fight its own thyroid cells, creating what some believe to be permanent low thyroid function.
If you suffer from at least several of the above symptoms and are concerned that you could have a thyroid problem, your next best step would be to visit your doctor or clinician to discuss your options. We’d suggest reading our article on thyroid testing beforehand, so you’ll go equipped with information and good questions.
When we suspect thyroid dysfunction in our clients, we recommend that they get a Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment (link) blood panel from their clinician. That gives us information, which we use in formulating a broader plan for the client, incorporating the best conventional treatment options with a natural program of nutritional supplements, endocrine support and dietary changes.
 In subclinical patients, a shift in eating choices may be all that’s needed to resolve the hormonal imbalance that’s clouding their thyroid health. For more advanced thyroid dysfunction—a very common condition in our society—our Women’s Empowerment Formula (link) and dietary recommendations will support other treatments recommended by your doctor or clinician.
Our Women’s Empowerment Program is a great place to start finding balance today!
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