You eat right, you exercise, you get regular check-ups and follow the basic guidelines of good health. So, why don’t you feel great? Why are you having weight issues? Why are you so tired, foggy, depressed, anxious—or all of the above? You may be one of the one in eight women (or 12% of Americans) with a thyroid disorder.
That butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck can wreak havoc on your whole health. What’s worse is that up to half of people with thyroid disease are undiagnosed. This is often attributed to the fact that the symptoms are so broad and vary widely from individual to individual. Many are misdiagnosed and treated for the symptoms that the imbalance is causing, rather than the thyroid imbalance itself. It can, therefore, take years to be properly diagnosed.
What Does the Thyroid Have to Do with Mental Health?
Short answer: a TON.
When the thyroid is out of whack, it can throw just about everything out of balance—every cell, organ, tissue, and gland in the body is impacted by thyroid function. Heart and brain health, skin, hair, nails, weight, digestion, and libido all depend on the thyroid. Like a car needs the gas pedal to provide the proper amount of fuel, the body needs the thyroid to produce thyroid hormone to help ensure that oxygen and glucose get into your cells.
The thyroid is your metabolism’s master gland. Thyroid imbalances like an overactive (hyper) thyroid, or underactive (hypo) thyroid commonly come along with a host of other symptoms. Someone with hyperthyroidism may feel anxious, over-revved, hot, and unable to sleep or maintain weight. Someone with hypothyroidism may be more prone to depression, brain fog, memory issues, and chronic fatigue.
It’s not uncommon to hear stories in the Thyroid RefreshⓇ community about patients being put on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications while, unbeknownst to them, the underlying problem was an out of balance and untreated thyroid. This not only misses the mark, but can pose serious health risks as well.
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What to Do If This Sounds like You…
If you suspect you may have a thyroid issue, the first thing you need to do is see your doctor for thyroid testing. This typically begins by testing TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).
If you’ve already been diagnosed with a thyroid imbalance (like hypothyroidism), and have only had your TSH tested, it’s a good idea to request a complete thyroid panel.
A complete thyroid panel includes:
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Free Thyroxine (Free T4)
Free Triiodothyronine (Free T3)
Reverse T3 (RT3)
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Antibodies
Thyroglobulin (Tg) Antibodies.
These tests can tell you if you’re dealing with an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s, or other issues, like an inability to convert your T4 medication into the active form of thyroid hormone (T3).
Life After Diagnosis and Medication
Even if you’ve been diagnosed and are properly medicated, you might not feel optimal. Many of us don’t. To complicate matters, we’re often told that once our medication is properly adjusted and we’re in the correct laboratory reference range, any lingering symptoms are unrelated, all in our heads, the aging process, or our fault. While there may be kernels of truth to this in some cases, there are many things that can be done to reduce those residual symptoms. This can make a huge difference to a patient’s energy, mental health, and vitality.
First, it’s important to find a doctor who will help you uncover your root cause. This often requires the help of a naturopath, functional MD, or integrative MD. Additional testing can be used to uncover hidden root causes (such as gut dysbiosis, heavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities, or hidden infections). It’s also important to use the results from that full thyroid panel of tests to optimize medication. Sometimes tweaking the dosage and/or the brand of medication can work wonders in resolving residual symptoms.
Once you’ve turned over all those rocks, it’s time to get down to the business of adopting a thyroid-supportive diet and lifestyle. A thyroid diagnosis is often lifelong, and the pursuit of optimal health is an ongoing journey requiring dedication and support.
The 8 Tenets of a Thyroid-Healthy Lifestyle
At Thyroid RefreshⓇ, we’ve simplified the core tenets of thyroid-healthy living into what we call the 8 Daily Rituals (or 8 Rs for short):
- Remember: Did you take your meds and supplements today?
- Refuel: What you eat (and drink) has a huge impact on how you feel.
- Reactivate: Do at least 10 minutes of appropriate physical activity daily.
- Repair: Do one small thing for your gut health each day.
- Rejuvenate: Enjoy at least 10 minutes of daily self-care or stress-management.
- Reduce: Take one small daily measure to reduce the toxins in your home and body.
- Relish: Celebrate small victories. Support and be supported.
- Recharge: Sleep is the foundation of your overall well-being.
As a hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s patient myself, I have drastically restored my energy, my mood, and even cut my antibodies in half by incorporating these changes. There is no quick fix, and the process takes time, but it is possible to feel healthy, happy, and whole despite the struggles of thyroid disease.
If you’re a thyroid patient who isn’t feeling your best and looking to improve your whole health, don’t lose hope. Resources are available to help thyroid patients do just that. You have the power to make these changes and push the needle back into the zone of vibrant lifelong health.
Click HERE to download our free checklist: 25 Ways to Refresh Your Thyroid Lifestyle
Sources:
https://www.thyroidrefresh.com/hypothyroidism-which-blood-tests-do-i-need/
https://www.thyroidrefresh.com/back-basics-introduction-thyroid/
https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/
Guest Author BIO:
Ginny Mahar is the mom and recipe blogger formerly known as Hypothyroid Chef. After struggling with the residual symptoms of Hashimoto’s for over four years, she embarked on her own process of adopting a thyroid-specific diet and lifestyle. Within one year, she restored her vitality and lowered her thyroid antibodies by half. In 2017 she partnered with Danna Bowman of Thyroid Nation to create and co-found Thyroid RefreshⓇ and THYROID30Ⓡ , a revolutionary lifestyle support system for other thyroid patients on the healing quest. Ginny is a passionate advocate of supporting others on their journeys toward better health. She is a Cordon Bleu trained chef, cooking instructor, writer, and entrepreneur.