Your Magical Thyroid

Your thyroid is the most underrated organ in your body. It is command control of the body’s chemical messengers.

 

From the command center in your throat, the thyroid is constantly receiving signals from the brain to regulate all sorts of tasks – from what your body temperature and appetite should be to the quality of sleep you get and your sexual function.

 

The thyroid also signals to numerous glands to tell them how much of certain hormones to make when anything begins to get out of whack.

 

Women, by the way, make up the vast majority of people with thyroid issues, mainly because of our complicated menstrual cycle. The thyroid is so sensitive to these hormone fluctuations it is easy for it to get out of whack.

 

Basically, this peanut-sized, fleshy gland can make or break us.

 

When thyroid hormone levels are too low, we can get cold, tired, gain weight, and become depressed. When levels are too high, we can become anxious with shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, an appetite we can’t keep up with, and lots of sweating.

 

Some conditions affecting the thyroid can be hereditary or even due to tumors, like Grave’s disease or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Treatments for these conditions work on either replacing the lack of the hormone with synthroid medication, or destroying overactive thyroid tissue with radiation or iodine treatment.

 

What so many of us aren’t told is that there are many “outside” influences that act on our thyroid and can make it dysfunction. Lack of certain nutrients, too much of certain foods, toxins, or even medications can disrupt thyroid function.

 

This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, but I include the following because I have seen them play a role in my patient’s as well as my own personal thyroid health.

 

Get your iodine! Iodine is the building block of the thyroid molecule. Get your dose with iodized salt, eggs, and seafood.

 

Don’t forget the protein! It isn’t just for weight loss and muscle building, but protein at every meal is what keeps your blood sugar levels stable – another trigger for thyroid dysfunction.

 

Iron, selenium, and zinc. When these minerals aren’t around, our immune response is weakened and we can’t make enough thyroid hormone. Spinach has all 3! Grass fed beef and fortified cereals do too.

 

Get your Zsssss! I’m always talking about how important sleep is, not because I love to sleep (although I do!), but because those hours each night can have dramatic effects on the thyroid. Not enough sleep or irregular sleep patterns boost stress hormones (like cortisol) which leads to a vicious cycle of even poorer sleep. Read my tips for getting better sleep here.

 

Check your meds. Several medications can interact with the thyroid system of regulation, leading to imbalances. This is a good reason you should be thorough when giving your doctor a list of everything you take. A few medications used to treat diabetes as well as lithium and some antibiotics can all disrupt the thyroid system.

 

Detox your products! Especially for women – so many bath and skin products out there contain hormone “mimickers” or “disruptors.” Pthalates and parabens are just a couple we’ve eliminated from our household. Read more about my home detox here.

 

Relieve the stress! Sure, easier said than done. Yet, this is probably the most important element in your health. Period. Too much stress is the culprit behind lots of hormone imbalances, because stress can make the thyroid less sensitive to everything it is supposed to regulate. From calming breathing exercises to cardio workouts to taking a walk around the block to clear your head – we need to take better care of ourselves mentally.

 

Bottom line….

 

Don’t underestimate the thyroid. If you know something isn’t right with your health, make sure your doctor checks your thyroid hormone levels, along with the other hormones in its regulatory pathway (called a Thyroid Panel).

 

Think of your thyroid as your super sensitive barometer. Throw too much at it and it won’t be happy – and then neither will all of the organs it regulates. Even little changes in our diet, our medications, our sleep and our overall mental well-being can affect it!