Nov 02, 2021
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that wraps around the trachea at the front of the throat. This gland produces and releases hormones that control metabolism. When you eat something, the thyroid hormones in your blood work together to release energy from that food for your cells to use, and the amount of thyroid hormone determines how quickly or slowly your cells use that energy.
If your thyroid produces either too much or too little hormone, you may experience problems with your metabolism, often manifested as weight gain or loss, fatigue, and difficulty regulating your body temperature. HYPERthyroidism refers to an over-active thyroid that produces too much hormone, and may lead to fatigue, weight loss, sensitivity to heat, and a faster heart rate. HYPOthyroidism refers to a less-active thyroid that produces too little hormone, and may lead to fatigue, weight gain, and sensitivity to cold.
Thyroid dysfunction is very common, and may occur at all ages. More women than men are affected by thyroid issues. Some risk factors for thyroid dysfunction include a family history of thyroid issues, a medical condition such as type 1 diabetes, consuming excessive iodine, either from a medication or from your diet, being over 60 and postmenopausal, if a woman, and treatment for a previous thyroid issue.
Thyroid dysfunction can be difficult to identify at first, as the symptoms can result from a variety of causes, or be dismissed as “normal” aging. In order to pinpoint a diagnosis, your healthcare practitioner can order a panel of blood tests to determine the amounts of thyroid hormone in your blood, can use an imagining test such as a thyroid scan or an ultrasound, or perform a physical evaluation.
If you have hyperthyroidism, conventional treatment options include medication to suppress the thyroid, radioactive iodine to damage thyroid cells to prevent them from making thyroid hormones, beta blockers to help control symptoms, or surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid. If the thyroid is removed, a person will need to take synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of their life. If you have hypothyroidism, you may be prescribed a synthetic thyroid hormone to replace the hormone that your body does not make.
Thyroid disorders are a serious medical condition, and need to be properly diagnosed and treated by your medical practitioner. In addition to the treatment prescribed by your practitioner, the thyroid in particular is especially sensitive to certain lifestyle patterns. Important areas to focus on are:
If you have fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain, and temperature sensitivity, talk to your health care practitioner about the possibility of thyroid dysfunction, and get the support you need to manage your symptoms and prioritize your health. At TruBalance, we can help you take thyroid dysfunction into account as part of our personalized goal-setting. Whether you need help balancing hormones, supporting optimal nutrition, or working toward weight loss, at TruBalance we are here to help. Dr. Traci Kiernan’s cookbook, Eating on Purpose, is chock-full of suggestions about sleep, movement, hydration, stress management, and nutrition, and of course full of recipes that use whole food ingredients, good healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables in order to provide you with delicious and nourishing meals for any time of the day.