Can you imagine living out the rest of your years in a mental institution because your life was filled with depression, irritability, hallucinations and even elements of schizophrenia? Before the innovation of thyroid hormone medication in the late 19th century, that is exactly what did happen to some thyroid patients. Thankfully now, we not only have thyroid medication available to those that need it but also the testing needed to uncover thyroid disease. Unfortunately, thyroid disease can go undetected when mental health issues arise because our culture is very amenable to jumping right into medication for mental health rather than looking deeper for a root cause.
Let’s consider the thyroid and what it does.The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland that sits at the base of the neck. Every cell in the body depends on thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism. The two main thyroid hormones are T4 (Thyroxine) and T3 (Triiodothyronine). It is important that T3 and T4 levels are neither too high nor too low. Two glands in the brain—the hypothalamus and the pituitary communicate to maintain T3 and T4 balance. When T4 and T3 levels are low, the metabolism of cells will slow down, like heart rate and digestion for example. When T4 and T3 levels are too high, rapid heart rate and weight loss occur.
Undiagnosed and under-medicated thyroid disease can affect patients with the following symptoms:
- anxiety
- depression
- excessive fear
- mood swings
- rage
- irritability
- paranoid schizophrenia
- confusion
- dementia
- obsessive/compulsive disorders
Dr. Ridha Arem, in his book, The Thyroid Solution: A Mind Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health, explains the connection, “Scientists now consider thyroid hormone one of the major players in brain chemistry disorders. And as with any brain chemical disorder, until treated correctly, thyroid hormone imbalance has serious effects on the patient’s emotions and behavior.”
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As you can see a complete thyroid workup is needed to get a full picture of what the thyroid is and isn’t doing.
The following 6 tests should be requested by your physician if you think you struggle with your thyroid:
- TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)
- T4 and Free T4
- T3 and Free T3’s
- Reverse T3
- TPO and TG antibodies’Thyroid Ultrasound
Nutrition and lifestyle also play a large part in how well your thyroid functions. If you find yourself diagnosed with thyroid disease and on optimal thyroid medication but still experiencing mental health dips, try these thyroid boosting tips:
- Eliminate gluten and dairy from your diet.
- Steer clear of alcohol and caffeine.
- Increase stomach acid by adding apple cider vinegar or an HCL (hydrochloric acid) supplement. HCL breaks down nutrients for absorption. Thyroid patients tend to have lower HCL and thereby not digesting food as well or medication.
- Use food to boost your mood! Foods like organic bananas, dark chocolate, almonds, walnuts, wild caught salmon, pasture raised poultry and eggs increase dopamine and serotonin production.
- Help the liver do its job. T4 gets converted into useable T3 through the liver. Keep it healthy by eating dark leafy greens and drinking dandelion root tea.
- Focus on high quality sleep. Aim for at least 8 hours a night. Practice good sleep hygiene by turning off electronics an hour before bed, keep your bedroom cool, avoid caffeine after 12:00 pm, and get adequate exposure to natural light during the day.
- Schedule “ME” time everyday. Whether this involves naps, meditation, walking, journaling, or reading, make sure your self-care time is all about you and what you need.
- Add in movement and sauna trips so you sweat every day. Sweating helps the body rid itself of toxins and the daily movement helps decrease inflammation.
This is a guest post from Adrienne Klein, The Thyroid Whisperer
CLICK HERE to learn more about Adrienne