You’re always tired. And sometimes, it seems like your brain just can’t quite compute like it used to. You feel flat as a pancake most days — and you’re putting on weight for no apparent reason. It’s frustrating as can be, and your doctor seems stumped. It’s like there’s nothing medically wrong, but you know you aren’t feeling like yourself.
If you’re experiencing these kinds of mystery symptoms, your thyroid could be trying to tell you something.
Keep reading to learn more about the thyroid, what happens when it starts working the way it should, and some natural ways to help it get back on track before things get worse
How Does The Thyroid Work?
Your thyroid gland is an important player in your body. It releases hormones that control your metabolism. So it’s responsible for how much energy your cells use. In this way, the health of your thyroid affects almost every cell in your entire body.
Your pituitary gland oversees the function of the thyroid gland, controlling the amount of thyroid hormones that get released into your body. The pituitary releases thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which in turn tells the thyroid to release thyroid hormones.
What Is Hypothyroidism?
When the thyroid receives the signal from the pituitary gland to release its hormones, sometimes it doesn’t comply. When this happens, hypothyroidism results.
Most hypothyroidism (upwards of 90%) is caused by a condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid.
Other causes of hypothyroidism include:
- Iodine deficiency
- Thyroidectomy (surgical removal of part of the thyroid)
- Medications
- Disorder of the pituitary or hypothalamus
Symptoms Of Hypothyroidism
When your thyroid is not functioning properly, you may experience symptoms throughout your whole body. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Dry skin
- Hair loss
- Depression
- Brain Fog
- Constipation
- Low libido
- Feeling cold
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Muscle weakness
- Low heart rate
- Changes to menstrual cycle
Natural Treatments For Hypothyroidism
Typically, hypothyroidism is treated by replacing the thyroid hormones the body isn’t producing with synthetic versions of the hormones. Medications like levothyroxine are commonly used for this purpose.
Soemtimes, more natural methods can be used to help treat people who have thyroid problems but don’t quite have full-blown hypothyroidism. Lifestyle changes can go a long way toward helping manage thyroid disease naturally. Exercise, the right diet, and even supplements can be an effective part of a sub-clinical hypothyroid management or prevention plan.
Foods For Thyroid Health
Since hypothyroidism affects your metabolism, following a thyroid-health diet is crucial for managing the condition. Some of the best foods for thyroid health are the same kind of anti-inflammatory foods that I recommend to all of my patients. Plenty of vegetables and legumes are ideal for thyroid health.
There’s some evidence to suggest that getting plenty of protein is important for those with hypothyroidism, too. Fish, in particular, seems to be a good choice for those with hypothyroid struggles. Essential fatty acids found in fish like salmon are full of anti-inflammatory compounds as well.
Other thyroid healthy foods include:
- Brazil nuts
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Seaweed
- Shellfish
- Beef
- Chicken
The idea is to supplement your diet with foods rich in iodine, selenium, and zinc — all of which can be important nutrients to support your thyroid. Filling your plate with plenty of veggies and lean protein is a great way to stay full longer and possibly encourage your metabolism to improve a bit.
Supplements For Thyroid Health
In addition to packing your diet full of vegetables and nutrient-rich foods, supplements can be an effective way to support your thyroid as well.
While selenium, zinc, and iodine are all important for thyroid health, it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting a supplement regimen including any of these nutrients.
Ashwagandha is one of my favorite herbs for supporting thyroid health. Ashwagandha has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, and it’s got a wonderful reputation as an adaptogen — meaning it can help your body adapt to stress.
But some interesting research suggests ashwagandha may also be able to help normalize thyroid function in those who have sub-clinical hypothyroid issues.
Tired of Feeling Tired?
One of the problems so many of my patients complain of is feeling wiped out all of the time. If you’re always feeling a little sluggish, have a bit of brain fog you can’t shake, or sleeping is your favorite hobby, your thyroid may be to blame.
Take my quiz below and see if you can figure out if it’s your thyroid or something else that’s causing your fatigue.
References
“Effects of thyromimetics on reverse cholesterol transport – NCBI.” 21 Dec. 2010, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3007105/.
“Autoimmunity and hypothyroidism – PubMed.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3066320/.
“Underactive thyroid: Overview – InformedHealth.org – NCBI Bookshelf.” 8 Oct. 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279601/.
“Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid) | NIDDK – National Institute of ….” https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism.
“a study of its mechanism and the effect of amino acid deficiency.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3121981/.
“Effects of Dietary Protein on Thyroid Axis Activity – NCBI.” 22 Dec. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793233/.
“Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28829155/.
