Thyroid conditions are becoming increasingly more common in women who as a result, find themselves living daily with symptoms that affect their quality of life such as persistent or extreme fatigue, depression, hormonal imbalances and anxiety. Yet sadly thyroid problems are often under detected and under diagnosed. Women are at a much higher risk than men for thyroid issues, particularly women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth as pregnancy places huge demand on the thyroid gland. I experienced this myself after my son was born, when I was diagnosed with an over active thyroid, having never previously had issues, and then more recently an under active thyroid. The first time I was offered no treatment despite my blood test results clearly showing that my thyroid was over active and with symptoms such as excessive weight loss and anxiety to go with it. Second time I was put on medication which I felt wasn't addressing the root cause so I ended up going off it and correcting the issue with herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.
So what is your thyroid and what symptoms should you look out for? Your thyroid gland has the important role of regulating energy for your entire body. It affects everything from your mood to your menstrual cycles and metabolism plus it is very closely linked with the nervous system, making it is very sensitive to stress.
The most common forms of thyroid problems include:
- Hypothyroidism - Where your thyroid is under functioning and your energy and metabolism are low
- Hyperthyroidism - Where your thyroid is over functioning and your metabolism is on overdrive
- Autoimmune forms of Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism such as Hashimoto’s and Graves disease which can be due to nutritional deficiencies, chronic stress or inflammation of the thyroid.
Your thyroid depends on certain levels of nutrients to function properly including Iron, Selenium and Zinc. Without the proper nutrients for function, your thyroid hormones will be affected and may cause problems including Hypothyroidism (underactive thryoid), which includes symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Dry Skin
- Poor Concentration
- Brain Fog
- Depression
- Cold Intolerance
- Weight Gain
- Low Blood Pressure
- Irregular Periods
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
or on the flipside, it can cause Hyperthyroidism (over active) which can cause symptoms including:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Rapid heart beat
- Excessive Weight Loss
- Diarrhoea
The normal range for TSH is controversial with most doctors considering the upper range of normal to be between 4 and 5 mU/L. However, many experts believe the upper end of normal to be more along the lines of 2.5-3 mU/L with the optimal range falling between 1.5-2mU/L which is where most women feel their best and what I have definitely seen within myself and my clients. If you feel that you may have an imbalance in your thyroid hormones due to any of the above mentioned symptoms, then it is important to get tested. When asking for a blood test from your GP make sure that you ask for TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) as well as T3 and T4.
In order to support your thyroid make sure that you are consuming a diet rich in the key nutrients mentioned above (Iron, Zinc, Selenium) by including plenty of nuts and seeds (particularly brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds!), green leafy vegetables and wholegrains (rye, brown rice, quinoa, spelt, barley etc) in your daily meals and snacks. If you have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition such as Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism, you can use herbal medicine and nutritional medicine for support in restoring function, and for the autoimmune forms additional support via addressing the immune system and any inflammation can also be helpful. Following a gluten free diet has also been proven to be very helpful in those with the autoimmune forms of Thyroid conditions.
If you are sick and tired of feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and with low energy and nothing seems to be helping then it may well be your thyroid, get tested and get the right treatment!