First, I want you to check out the symptoms posted below...does this sound like you? When the thyroid becomes sluggish and symptoms present themselves, this is a sign that your body is slowing down.
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland in the centre of your neck. This is the master gland of metabolism, controls your mood, hormones, cognitive function and affects EVERY cell in the body; this shows just how important it is and why we should tune in to what our bodies may be telling us.
Did you know that, it's the thyroid that determines how easily you lose weight, how regular your bowel movements and periods are, whether you get pregnant, what your mood will be, how efficiently you burn calories, how well you remember things and how well you focus? Phew! That's only a short list but you can clearly see the importance of this gland.
When one goes for blood tests, usually TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is measured. This hormone level alone isn't enough to measure the function of the gland...results may return with 'normal' ranges, yet you are still displaying several symptoms of a dysfunctional thyroid. Functional testing performed thru a qualified practitioner may be needed to get a full and definitive picture.
Loss of function of the thyroid may be caused by not having a thyroid, nutritional deficiencies/excesses, toxins, stress, adrenal stimulation, thyroid hormone resistance and even postpartum thyroiditis (keep an eye out for my upcoming posting about this!).
We CAN identify a troubled thyroid before it goes too far and medication is needed. We CAN address underlying issues that are leading you down the wrong path, and we CAN slow or reverse the progression.
As a Functional Nutritionist, I'm looking for 'optimal' ranges, not what's considered 'normal.' I'm playing detective and on the search for WHY your thyroid is dysfunctional in the first place - the root cause.