Are you feeling foggy? Colder than usual? Tired? Gaining weight?
Our thyroid is an important little organ, located at the base of our neck, and has the gigantic job of regulating our body.
Just think about how big that job is. It controls our metabolism (which is all chemical reactions that keep us alive), temperature, and many hormones. We feel symptoms whenever it’s struggling.
Hypothyroid (Low Thyroid)
When our thyroid is struggling it tends to work slower than usual, and this is hypothyroidism. It’s a very common condition in women, and the cause most of the symptoms we relate to thyroid issues, like; fogginess, depression, constipation, weight gain, and feeling cold all of the time.
Hyperthyroid (High Thyroid)
A much more rare condition, hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid is over producing thyroid hormones. Symptoms include; rapid heart beat, sweating, anxiety, trembling, and insomnia.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
This is an autoimmune condition, and I’m seeing this more and more everyday. Found in a blood test, usually by a skilled Naturopath (and some MDs are testing for this too), this indicates the immune system is attacking the thyroid and usually causing hypothyroid symptoms.
Be Kind to your Thyroid
Many of you will see yourself in these symptoms, or you may already have been diagnosed with a thyroid issue. Every year more and more of us are dealing with an unhappy thyroid.
What our thyroid wants more than anything is kindness and relaxation. It lives under our parasympathetic nervous system, and this nervous system governs our rest and relax state. So our thyroid works best when we’re in relaxation mode. Our high stress lifestyle is pulling resources away from our thyroid and this may be causing it to weaken.
The good news is our thyroid will begin to rebound with every relaxing minute we can add into our day. 15 minutes of relaxation, laughter, or any activity that brings you happiness is healing for your thyroid. Your thyroid just wants to have fun.
Healing foods and supplements
Iodine and Selenium – if your thyroid is low, these minerals are important thyroid support.
Healthy fats – your thyroid needs lots of healthy unprocessed fats like, organic butter, coconut oil, avocado, and nuts and seeds.
Lots of veggies – give your thyroid lots of minerals through veggies (preferably lightly steamed). Many experts recommend removing raw cruciferous veggies (broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc) as they may reduce thyroid function.
Basal temperature test – this is a test that can be done at home and may show early signs of thyroid issues. Bring your test to your MD or ND for a proper diagnosis.
Relax, laugh, and have a really fun day. Your thyroid will love you for it.