It's Not In Your Head - You Have An Under Active Thyroid

This blog feels slightly different to the other blogs that I have written. I think it is because I have a particular passion about this one.

But before I get into it, I'll quickly explain what and where your thyroid is!

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland at the base of your neck and plays a vital role in regulating vital body processes, including:

- Breathing

- Heart rate

- Energy metabolism

- Body weight

- Menstrual cycles

- Immune function

- Hair, skin & nails

- Digestion

- Body temperature

- Central and peripheral nervous system

- Mood

- Cholesterol levels and the list goes on

When we have an under active thyroid it basically means a slowing down in all of the processes listed above. It affects a person hugely from the inside out.

I heard recently in a conference, "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, but it is taken the least seriously."

Although we are talking about hypothyroidism in general here, a lot of the same symptoms are experienced between these two, with Hashimoto's being the autoimmune progression of hypothyroidism.

In my experience I have heard too many times how those with an under-active thyroid have been dismissed by different health professionals and told, "it's all in your head" or "you just need to lay off the sweet stuff" when they talk about unexplained weight gain or debilitating fatigue.

Below you will see a list of symptoms, and this is where my personal passion comes in. Not all illnesses can be seen or touched, some are simply just experienced and to see the relief on my clients faces or the tears when I tell them that all the things they have been feeling are real, it has a name and they are not crazy, is sobering.

So for those who are unfamiliar, here are some of the symptoms experienced with hypothyroidism:

- Weight gain

- Brain Fog

- Dry hair

- Puffy face

- Constipation

- Depression / anxiety

- Eyebrow thinning

- Enlarged thyroid gland

- Slow heart rate

- Cold intolerance

- Dry skin

- Fatigue

- Forgetfulness

- Menstrual disorders

- Infertility

- Muscle aches

- Weight gain

- Brittle nails and the list goes on

However! There are many things we can do about it!

Thyroid conditions are becoming more and more common, with less and less people knowing that there are things they can do to support their thyroid, reduce their symptoms and greatly increase their quality of life.

And that's where I come in!

With a passion for thyroid health, paired with a wealth of knowledge of how to properly support the thyroid through testing, nutrition and lifestyle, I team with people who are just struggling and get them back to a place of living that some didn't even know was possible.

So what kinds of things would I look at?

1. Diet - our diet plays a huge role in our overall health and wellbeing as well as directly affecting the thyroid. I would be looking to lower inflammation as much as possible in the diet - removing refined and highly processed foods and swapping them for lots of veggies of all shapes and sizes, and lots of different foods that will help fight any damage that may be occurring in the body.

2. Nutrients - there are specific vitamins and minerals that have been shown to aid thyroid function such as zinc, selenium, vitamin D, iodine, and vitamin A that are vital to thyroid function and would greatly increase function.

3. Stress - stress affects the immune system either directly or indirectly through the nervous and endocrine systems. Stress can be one of the environmental factors for thyroid autoimmunity and so it is vital that stress is reduced in anyone who has a thyroid issue not only for their quality of life but also to stop the progression of any autoimmunity.

4. Lifestyle - it is so important for anyone experiencing thyroid problems that their lifestyle is optimised. This could look like investing more in what they love, hobbies, exercise, or taking time outside. As low mood and motivation can feel overwhelming at times with hypothyroidism, bringing relief, joy and enjoyment into their everyday life is paramount.

So those are just a few pointers but every person is different, the illness label may be the same but the person is so individual and very much needs a personalised approach!

If any of this has resonated with you and you want that life change, you can book in for your free 15 minute call here.