THYROID HEALTH

The thyroid is a small gland located in the neck. It produces hormones that regulate the metabolic speed of every cell in the body. It controls many important bodily functions such as metabolism, how fast your brain cells are firing and the length of your menstrual cycle. If the thyroid produces too much or too little activity, it can lead to a variety of health problems.

Some common thyroid symptoms include:

• fatigue

• brain fog

• weight gain or weight loss

• constipation and/or bloating

• dry skin

• cardiovascular changes - racing heart (tachycardia), palpitations or changes to blood pressure

• hair loss and/or brittle nails

• low mood or anxiety

• cold or heat intolerance

• joint pain

• tremors

• difficulty swallowing or feeling as though something is catching in your throat

As Naturopaths, we treat the cause. Here are a list of comorbidities that go along with thyroid issues:

• PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

• Urticaria (hives)

• NIDDM or Type 2 diabetes

• Fibromyalgia

• Viral infection - Epstein-barr virus, Ross river fever, Cytomegalovirus and even Herpes Simplex Virus

• Mood changes - anxiety/depression

• Hypercholesterolaemia (high cortisol)

• NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Leaky gut

Common factors that can affect thyroid function:

• Digestive issues

• Stress

• Hormonal fluctuations

• Toxic load

• Compromised liver function

As Naturopaths, our reference ranges are not as broad as conventional medicine. We see so many clients who are told their thyroid is fine, yet still present with many thyroid symptoms. A TSH test result is not enough to determine how the thyroid is functioning - we need to look at t3, t4, rt3 and antibodies to really delve into how the thyroid is actually functioning and communicating in the body.