Guts and Girl Bits – Podcast Episode #46

I am joined once again by Naturopath Lisa Costa-Bir to discuss the topic of thyroid nodules.

Thyroid nodules are typically identified via an ultrasound and indicate the presence of growth of abnormal cells within the thyroid gland. Nodules vary in their sizes and impact, and while some may wish to manage this, many people may be told they have a nodule yet can observe no negative impact from it. It can be a diagnosis that brings uncertainty and confusion, and so we would like to share information about what thyroid nodules can mean, as well as how to help manage them naturally.

The Podcast

Have a listen here or on the embedded player below:

iPhone   Stitcher   Youtube   Soundcloud  Spotify 

Get in touch with Lisa…

Lisa is a leading Naturopath in the Sutherland Shire. Lisa strives to show her clients that good health is not be simply the absence of disease but rather a state where they find mental, physical and spiritual balance in all aspects of their life.

Lisa is also a lecturer and clinical supervisor at Endeavour College of Natural Therapies where she mentors students completing degrees in Nutrition and Naturopathy and has  taught nutrition to dancers at ED5 performing Arts School.

• https://www.lisacostabirnaturopath.com
• 0404 070 142
• lisa@lisacostabirnaturopath.com

Check out previous podcasts that have featured Lisa here:

• PMS and PMDD
• Thyroid Health
• Ayurvedic Medicine
• How to lose weight without changing your diet (much)
• Adrenal fatigue (part 1)
• Adrenal fatigue (part 2)

Featured Webinar

Understanding Underactive Thyroid – Webinar

Have you been diagnosed as having hypothyroidism?

Do you struggle trying to understand the right things to do to help your thyroid out?

Perhaps you’re on thyroid medication but you still don’t feel any better for it.

Maybe you feel like you’ve got some symptoms that suggest your thyroid might be a bit sluggish, but your blood test come back as “normal”.

If that sounds like you then this webinar is for you. It will shed some light on the topic of under active thyroid and provide you with some tips to help yourself.

We will talk about:

• What are some of the common symptoms of under active thyroid
• How to interpret your test results and what to do if your test come back as normal but you still feel like something’s going on
• What it means if you’ve got high antibodies but your hormones are in normal range
• How to get the most out of your thyroid medication
• What are the nutrients that your thyroid needs to work properly
• What is peripheral thyroid hormone conversion and why is it important
• The right type of exercise to do for someone with hypothyroidism
• How your thyroid affects the hormones in your body such as in PCOS and adrenal fatigue
• How your diet can make a big impact on thyroid health
• What a naturopath can do to help thyroid problems

 

This webinar is awesome value at only $25 so to register today to get access .

 

As a bonus you will get my cheat sheet to understanding your thyroid hormone test results, plus 5 recipes to nourish the thyroid.

$27.50

Shop now

The post How to Manage Thyroid Nodules Naturally appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

How to Know if your Thyroid isn’t working properly.

Ever suspected your thyroid might be out of whack? Have a read through this articicle and see if you might be on the right track.

Thyroid problems are quite common, affecting approximately 5.4 in 1000 women in Australia¹.

In this article I discuss the functions of the thyroid, signs that your thyroid isn’t working properly and describe the common tests that are done, with some tips on understanding these tests.

What does the thyroid do?

The thyroid is a gland that sits in your neck, and is responsible for functions such as energy production, metabolism, foetal development, brain growth and body temperature. It receives messages from the brain in order to know whether it needs to make more or less hormones, and then it sends those hormones out to the body to be further converted into their active state, and to carry out actions in your periphery.

If the thyroid becomes sluggish, or underactive, this is referred to as hypothyroidism.

If the thyroid becomes overactive, this is referred to as hyperthyroidism.

In some instances the thyroid can be affected by antibodies, which is when the immune system inadvertently causes damage to the thyroid gland, affecting it’s function.

Possible Signs of a Thyroid Imbalance

Testing for Thyroid Problems

The test that a doctor will typically run when looking for thyroid issues is a hormone called TSH. This hormone is produced by the pituitary and it’s role is to tell the thyroid gland how much hormones to produce – hence it’s named ‘Thyroid Stimulating Hormone’.

There is a problem however, that while it’s commonplace for this hormone to be used by itself to screen for thyroid imbalances, it can actually allow many sub-clinical thyroid issues (and a few more overt cases) to slip through the cracks.

Let’s look at some of the other hormones that may be assessed. This information is covered in detail in a bonus handout in my webinar Understanding Underactive Thyroid, including typical (and ideal) reference ranges. Other hormones and tests that may be helpful for understanding thyroid health are included in this too.

Key Thyroid Hormone Tests

T4 – The Storage Form of Thyroid Hormone

Once TSH signals to your thyroid to ramp up production of its hormones, it produces the four different types of thyroid hormone – T1, T2, T3, and T4. The primary output of your thyroid is T4, which is a storage form of the hormone. It is circulated throughout the bloodstream and stored in tissues so that it’s available when needed.

If FT4 is high – it can indicate an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism

If FT4 is low – it can indicate an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism

Free T3 – The Gas

When each local area of your body determines that it needs more power, it converts storage T4 into Free T3, which is the active form of the hormone. These hormones attach to receptors inside of your cells to power your metabolic processes.

If FT3 is high – indicates that your thyroid is overactive or hyperthyroidism

If FT3 is low – you may not be converting T4 to FT3 very well and you could have hypothyroid symptoms even if your TSH and FT4 are within range.

Thyroid Antibodies – Your Immune System’s Attack on Your Thyroid

The vast majority of thyroid conditions are autoimmune, which means your immune system is attacking your thyroid. The hypothyroid form of autoimmune thyroid is Hashimoto’s, and the hyperthyroid form is Graves’ Disease.

This is an important marker to get included if you have a family history of thyroid disorders, or have symptoms yet your TSH is showing as normal.

It is also a good idea to get this tested during pregnancy and in the postpartum period (that time when you’ve just had a baby).

Thyroid ultrasounds and other imaging may be performed if your thyroid is more strongly suspected as being out of balance.

One of the points to remember is that the reference ranges are quite large so while aiming to be within the ‘normal’ reference range may be suitable for some, many people need to aim for the ‘ideal’ reference ranges. Also keep in mind that if you are pregnant or interpreting results for a child, the reference ranges are different.

If you need assistance in supporting your thyroid naturally, get in contact with your health care practitioner.

Contact Page.

References

1. O’Leary PC, Feddema PH, Valdo PM, et al. Investigations of thyroid hormones and antibodies based on a community health survey: the Busselton thyroid study. Clin Endocrinol 2006; 64: 97–104.
2. So M, MacIsaac RJ, Grossmann M. Hypothyroidism. American Family Physician 2012; 41(8): 556-562.
3. Topliss DJ, Eastman CJ. Diagnosis and management of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. The Medical Journal of Australia 2004; 180(4): 186-193.

The post Signs your Thyroid Might Be Struggling appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health & Wellbeing Podcast #1

I’m excited to share with you my first podcast! In this recording I discuss with fellow Naturopath Lisa Costa-Bir thyroid health. Lisa has personally experienced both hyperthyroid and hashimotos, and she has a passion for supporting thyroid health and stress so I’m super grateful she helped out for this podcast.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Unfortunately there are a few recording hiccups in this podcast where I found that the recording had stopped itself so it sounds a bit funny in some bits, (still getting used to the software), but the message is still there, and these problems should be ironed out for the next ones :).

Podcast breakdown:

1:30 The prevalence of thyroid conditions; sub clinical thyroid problems are frequently going undiagnosed and taking into consideration more factors than just blood test results, the rate of thyroid problems (hypothyroidism in particular) would likely be much higher. TSH alone is not enough.

3:50 TSH can be artificially suppressed.

4:30 Reverse T3

6:15 Causes of elevated thyroid antibodies

7:47 Foods Lisa recommends for people with thyroid disorders

10:45 Wheat and thyroid

12:00 Soy and thyroid

14:14 Nutrients for the thyroid and how thyroid problems can cause reduced absorption of nutrients

16:35 Look the adrenals and stress first

18:38 Oestrogen, progesterone, PMT and thyroid

20:43 Thyroid medications – You need nutrients for it to work properly

22:00 Iodine and the building blocks for thyroid hormones

23:40 Vitamin D

25:30 Thyroid and Iodine in Preconception, Pregnancy and Post-Partum

30:22 Thyroid and Depression

31:26 Thyroid and Cholesterol

34:30 How long does it take to improve thyroid function?

35:35 Sleep for thyroid

37:44 Basal body temperature and salt in the morning

38:20 Our favourite thyroid herbs

The post Thyroid Health appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The link between MTHFR and Thyroid health

MTHFR is a gene that has been known for several decades now, but the implications that this gene can have on our health are only becoming well known recently.

If you’ve tested positive for the MTHFR gene, you’re probably still learning about all the impacts it can have on your health. If you haven’t been tested for it, but have some concerns about your health, then I definitely recommend learning more about it and consider getting yourself and your loved ones tested.

MTHFR is just one type of gene that we can have issues with and certainly it’s not the be all and end all of our health (nothing is) but it is showing to be a very important one with some wide ranging health implications such as mental health, heart disease, digestive health, fertility issues and more. MTHFR is also linked to the health of our thyroid, and the health of our thyroid has an impact on the activity of our MTHFR gene.

I know I tend to get a little carried away when writing these articles, so for those of you have are in a hurry, I introduce my new addition to my articles, a TLDR summary (TLDR = too long; didn’t read).

TLDR:

• The MTHFR gene produces an enzyme which is responsible for the conversion of methylfolate, the activated form of folate, folinic acid and the synthetic, not good for us form, folic acid.
• A fairly large proportion of the population has some form of mutation in this gene which causes underactivity of certain chemical pathways in the body (known as methylation) à which causes methylfolate deficiency à which causes lots of health problems because it’s a very important nutrient in our biochemistry.
• Our thyroid status affects the expression of the MTHFR gene, regardless of whether you have the polymorphism (gene mutation) or not.
• MTHFR polymorphism can reduce detoxification of chemicals and also affects immune health, which can contribute to the presence of autoimmune thyroid disorders such as Graves and Hashimotos disease.
• If you don’t have methylation working properly, you’re not turning your genes on and off properly, and this can be linked to cancer, in particular thyroid cancer. There is an increased risk of thyroid cancer in those who with homozygous C677T MTHFR.

Still reading? Cool!

Here’s a bit of a summary about what MTHFR is and its impact on your health.

The MTHFR gene produces an enzyme in the body called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase which is responsible for converting folate, folic acid or folinic acid into a form that the body can use – methyltetrahydrofolate, or commonly shortened as methylfolate.

Some people have a genetic mutation in the MTHFR gene which affects this pathway, and as a result causes a lot of other issues in our health.  This methylation pathway is central to our biochemistry, so defects in this gene cause wide ranging implications and are associated with a huge amount of conditions, including but definitely not limited to:

There are two main MTHFR genes we are currently aware of (there are some other types but these are rarely tested or implicated in conditions), and your combination of these genes, as well as you diet and lifestyle, affects how much of an impact this gene has on your health. If you have the MTHFR gene mutation and you are consuming synthetic folic acid such as from fortified foods and certain supplements(*cough*most supplements out there), this can worsen your health as well, by blocking up the methylation pathways and your blood can accumulate with unmetabolised folic acid (UMFA). Accumulation of UMFA has been linked with inhibition of part of your immune system, particularly suppression of your natural killer cells (1).

MTHFR and Thyroid Health

If you have hypothyroidism, it’s likely your MTHFR gene is sluggish

And this can be whether you have the polymorphism or not.

If your thyroid is underactive then you have lower levels of a thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) in the body. Our body converts T4 to T3, and those who have an underactive thyroid are mostly prescribed T3 medication, bypassing the T4 deficiency.

Giving T3 in isolation may address the thyroid function, but T4 is involved in the process of making vitamin B2 into its active form, flavin adeninde dinucleotide (FAD) (2). If you don’t have enough T4, you can’t covert Vitamin B2 to FAD properly, and your supply will be reduced.

If you don’t have enough FAD, your MTHFR enzyme slows down, causing low methyfolate levels, and subsequently can mimic the issues caused by having the MTHFR polymorphism (3).

“But my thyroid is normal.”

It’s important to be aware that the standard test for thyroid health is TSH, and if this is within normal range most people are brushed off, being told that their thyroid is ‘fine’.

I believe that solely testing TSH levels gives an incomplete understanding of thyroid function. The current ‘normal’ range of TSH 0.5-5.0 debatable, and in addition to this, other factors such as the presence of reverse T3 (which competes with natural free form T3) and the ratio of T4:T3 (which I recommend to be 3.3:1) is rarely considered.

It’s not uncommon that even if T3 and T4 are added to a test request that they will not be performed is TSH is within normal range. This is due to the restrictions placed on doctors and labs regarding what can be covered by Medicare. If you suspect that you have an underactive thyroid and your TSH is greater than 2, it may be worthwhile discussing whether you would benefit from seeking deeper investigations with your health practitioner, and it is likely that further testing will have to be paid for yourself.

MTHFR impact on thyroid

Conversely, if you have the MTHFR polymorphism then it can impact thyroid health. MTHFR polymorphisms can cause issues with detoxification of chemicals and immune health, factors which can contribute to the development of autoimmune conditions such as Grave’s disease and Hashimotos. Chemicals such as organophosphates and those in the halide group (fluoride, chlorine and bromide) can interfere with iodine levels, an essential mineral for thyroid health. We are exposed to these chemicals on a regular basis, and unless we are making steps to minimise our exposure they can often be in harmful amounts. People with MTHFR polymorphisms have a much harder time detoxifying these chemicals, and so their effect on the thyroid function is greater.

As impaired methylation causes lower levels of methyfolate, which is involved in the production of biopterin (BH4) (1) (4). This is needed to convert tyrosine into its active form and tyrosine is needed for formation of the thyroid hormones.

Some research has found that the MTHFR genotype C677T (homozygous) can increase the risk of developing thyroid cancer in caucasians (5) (6) (7). This is a pretty scary thing to hear, but rather than view it in a negative light we should embrace this knowledge and make the steps to reduce our risk factors. Also remember that the genes don’t cause problems in themselves, rather it is our diet and lifestyle that influences the expression of these genes – we have a lot of power over our health.

It is a good idea to make steps to avoid the harmful halide chemicals and other toxins, and ensure we are getting adequate nutrients necessary for our thyroid health (you can read more about this here). Ensure you’re getting the right nutrients for methylation through your diet, and definitely avoid synthetic folic acid. If you are homozygous for C677T it may be a good idea to get baseline thyroid ultrasound, and repeat this every year or so.

If you would like to learn more you can watch a presentation by Dr Ben Lynch here.

Works Cited

1. Lynch B. [Video Presentation].; 2013 [cited 2014 November 23. Available from: http://mthfr.net/mthfr-and-thyroid-disorders/2013/07/18/.
2. Cimino JA, Jhangiani S, Schwartz E, Cooperman JM. Riboflavin metabolism in the hypothyroid human adult. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1987 Feb; 184(2).
3. Hustad S, Nedrebø BG, Ueland PM, Schneede J, Vollset SE, Ulvik A, et al. Phenotypic expression of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C–>T polymorphism and flavin cofactor availability in thyroid dysfunction. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004 October; 80(4).
4. Miller AL. The methylation, neurotransmitter, and antioxidant connections between folate and depression. Alternative Medicine Review: a journal of clinical therapeutic. 2008 Sep; 13(3).
5. Yang YM, Zhang TT, Yuan L, Ren Y. The association between the C677T polymorphism in MTHFR gene and the risk of thyroid cancer: a meta-analysis. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2014; 18(5).
6. Chen Y, Wang B, Yan S, Wang YG. Significant association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and thyroid cancer risk: evidence from a meta-analysis. Genetic testing and molecular biomarkers. 2014 Oct; 18(10).
7. Ozdemir S, Silan F, Uludag A, Atik S, Erscelcan T, Ozdemir O. Increased T-allele frequency of 677 C>T polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Genetic testing and molecular biomarkers. 2012 July; 16(7).
[fb_button]

The post MTHFR and Thyroid health appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Are hormone imbalances affecting your ability to lose weight?

Did you know that hormonal imbalances can cause us to gain weight?  Most people know that if their thyroid gland isn’t making hormones correctly they can start to pile on the kilos, but some other lesser known hormones can do this as well such as our stress hormone cortisol.  Another interesting aspect of hormonal problems causing weight gain is that they often target specific areas of our body.

If you’re trying to lose weight but finding yourself struggling despite doing all the right things, it might be time to investigate if your hormones are sabotaging your efforts.   Below I will cover some of the key hormones that can be involved, how to identify if they’re out of balance and what to do about it.

In the next newsletter I will cover some of the other issues that can affect your abililty to lose weight that aren’t because of hormones.

Stress

When we are stressed our adrenal glands produce more of the hormone cortisol.  This was originally designed as a reaction to help us run away from the hungry tiger, but now when the cortisol is being produced from our work, family and financial stress it’s so as helpful.  Excess levels of cortisol can cause fluid retention, bloating and weight gain around the neck, trunk and abdomen.  Women with higher levels of this hormone have been shown to have larger waists than those women with normal cortisol levels.

If stress is severe or prolonged, it can cause chronic elevation of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline and this can result in weight gain, most likely due to our body thinking we need to stock up on nutrients to deal with famine or heal potential injuries.  Some people may get certain food cravings in times of stress, and this can impede weight loss, especially if you are cravings sugary or fatty foods.

Stress can be assessed not only by how you feel and the stressful events that you have been through, but also by testing the function of your adrenal hormones by a saliva test.  Our cortisol levels should rise moderately in the morning, then gradually reduce throughout the day.  I often find that cortisol is too low in the morning (which causes fatigue), then too high in the afternoon (causing cravings) and still high at night (causing sleep problems).

If you are experiencing high levels of stress then a treatment program combining herbal medicine and high quality nutritional supplements designed to balance the adrenal glands and help improve your ability to cope with stress will help to balance the cortisol levels and also reduce food cravings, therefore improving weight loss.  This works best when combined when targeted to the results of a cortisol test, as the herbs can be given at the times we know you need to be balanced.

Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid imbalance can strongly affect metabolism and make it difficult to lose weight.  Approximately 6-10% of women have hypothyroidism.  However, the prevalence increases with age and up to 25% of women aged 65 years or older may be affected.  Men are also affected, but less frequently.   People with an underactive thyroid may experience weight gain, fluid retention, bloating.  An overactive thyroid usually causes weight loss, oily skin and an increase in irritability.  In some cases the symptoms can be the opposite.  The different symptoms are covered in the table below.

Thyroid imbalance is very common in post-menopausal women and often goes unnoticed.  A blood test by your doctor can assess your thyroid levels, but the range of what is considered normal thyroid hormone levels is very broad and so all too often people are told their thyroid is normal, yet they are showing signs of a struggling thyroid and metabolism.  Research has shown that even a small increase in TSH, the main thyroid hormone tested in blood tests, can lead to weight gain.   By combining information from your blood test results with your symptoms, a basal body temperature chart and/or an iodine test we can help to put the picture together of whether your thyroid is working as it should.

If you have an imbalance in your thyroid function, consult a naturopath for a treatment plan to correct its functioning and bring your metabolism back on track.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance, also known as Syndrome X is a metabolic disorder which affects insulin and blood sugar level metabolism.  In individuals with insulin resistance your body cells’ insulin receptors have become resistant, which leads to high levels of circulating insulin.  If left unmanaged, this syndrome can develop into diabetes.

People with insulin resistance tend to carry weight around the abdomen (visceral fat).

Insulin is tested via blood.  You have to ask your doctor for this test, as it isn’t performed in routine check ups.  If your insulin level is 10 or greater this is suggestive of insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance makes it very difficult for you to lose weight successfully.  The best way to tackle insulin resistance is a combination of exercise, diet modification and nutritional supplementation.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a very common condition in women and presents with several symptoms such as excess hair growth (hirsuitism), acne, irregular periods, and difficulty losing weight.  This condition is usually caused by a combination of insulin resistance, excess androgens and low levels of progesterone.

Naturopathic treatment can help to treat PCOS by regulating hormone levels and treating insulin resistance.  Once the insulin resistance and hormonal levels are improved, weight loss can occur more easily.

Oestrogen Dominance

High levels of the hormone oestrogen can cause several health complaints such as endometriosis, breast tenderness, pre-menstrual syndrome and period pain, however it can also affect your weight.  Too much oestrogen encourages fat and cellulite to build up around the highs, thighs and buttocks.

In women with oestrogen dominance, herbs and nutrients that boost progesterone and support liver function can help fat loss to occur more effectively from areas that you want, instead of the face and breast area (which women usually don’t want to lose).

Hormones can be tested via blood or saliva.  Saliva hormone testing is able to identify imbalances more easily than blood, however is more expensive than blood tests which can sometimes be covered by Medicare when ordered by a doctor.  Hormone testing can help identify PCOS, Oestrogen dominance and testosterone deficiency in males.

If you feel like you have one or more of the above issues that is affecting your ability to lose weight, make an appointment to see how we can help you.  We will go through your case history and can suggest which factors may be relevant for you, and can discuss your testing options with you.  Once we have identified what is happening we can create a treatment plan to naturally and safely balance your hormones.

The post Internal Barriers to Weight Loss – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

This article discusses the thyroid gland and the differences between and over and underactive thyroid.

Thyroid Health

The Butterfly-Shaped Gland

 The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland, situated in the front part of your neck, which produces hormones needed for normal metabolism. Essentially, you can think of your thyroid hormones as the drums in an orchestra or band; thyroid hormones set the rhythm and the pace for most of our body functions – they regulate our metabolic rate and how fast or slow our organs and tissues function. Disordered thyroid function, therefore, upsets the whole rhythm of the body.

The Highs and Lows of Thyroid Function

Dysfunction of the thyroid can cause a number of different symptoms. Thyroid problems can affect weight, energy levels, appetite and mood; but the effects will be different depending on whether the thyroid gland is over functioning or under functioning.

Hyperthyroidism is a state of over-activity of the thyroid gland with excessive production of thyroid hormones and an increased metabolic rate – it’s as if the drums that set the rhythm for our bodies have sped up too much and are making everything function too fast. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include:

• Feeling hot and intolerant of hot weather
• Weight loss
• Anxiety, restlessness and insomnia
• Excessive sweating
• Increased heart rate
• Fine tremors of the fingers
• High blood pressure

Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, is a state of under-activity of the thyroid gland with an underproduction of thyroid hormone – it’s as if the drums have slowed down and the beat that is running how our body functions is too slow. When your body does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone, the body’s metabolism slows so much that you can experience symptoms such as:

• Tiredness and fatigue
• Depression
• Irritability
• Weight gain
• Intolerance to cold weather
• Brittle hair
• Slow heart rate
• A croaky, hoarse voice

Herbs to Calm The Thyroid

An overactive thyroid can make you feel anxious and restless and can also be a contributing factor to insomnia. A combination of traditional calming herbs may help to manage these symptoms and slow that beating drum that is increasing your metabolism too much. Lemon balm, Rehmannia, Bugleweed and Phyllanthus emblica are traditional herbs with anti-anxiety actions which can help to calm an overactive thyroid. They also provide anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant protection, reducing the negative effects of oxidative stress and inflammation on the thyroid. Lemon balm is easy to grow and makes a delicious tea. (It’s also great for a nervous tummy!)

Eat more of these foods to calm your thyroid:

Photo by Disiana Caballero on Unsplash

Cabbage, brussel spouts, cauliflower, broccoli (all raw)
Radish
Apples
Almonds and walnuts
Soy milk, tofu and soy fibre

Herbs to Balance The Thyroid

On the other hand an under-active thyroid can make you feel tired, cold and depressed. To increase the rhythm of the drum and improve the activity of the thyroid gland, you can use a combination of herbs traditionally used to energise and warm the body. Ginger, goji berry and rosemary are energising herbs which improve circulation, warm the body and are a great source of antioxidants. Ginger and rosemary are easily included in meals as spices, and goji berries are a great snack. Other herbs that help to balance the thyroid which care available with prescription are Withania, Bladderwack and Bacopa.

As well as these herbs to stimulate thyroid activity, there are some vital nutrients required for an under-active thyroid, including:

• Iodine – Iodine is an essential element for the production of thyroid hormones. Iodine deficiency is common in many areas of the world, leading to depletion of iodine stores and reduced production of thyroid hormones.
• Selenium – This trace element has many important roles in the body, including crucial roles as a cofactor in enzymes essential for production of thyroid hormones.
• Zinc – Low zinc levels are associated with poor thyroid hormone production and reduced basal metabolic rate.

These foods can assist in balancing underactive thyroid function

• Apricots, dates, egg yolks, parsley, molasses, potatoes, prunes, raw seeds, and whole grains.
• Make sure all foods from the brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are well cooked).
• Iodine rich foods such as seaweed.

Testing for thyroid problems

Blood tests

These are the most commonly performed and well known forms of testing done, and you can get these tests done by your GP.

The thyroid has a few different hormones and common practice is to first test TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), and if that is out of balance they will then go on to test the main hormones T3 and T4. If these are out of balance, they will then go on to test for thyroid antibodies, which are an indicator of an issue where the immune system attacks the thyroid, being responsible for the imbalance. Another less frequently tested hormone is rT3 (reverse T3).

 Below is a brief guide to thyroid tests:

• TSH: High in hypothyroidism | Low in hyperthyroidism
• T4: Low in hypothyroidism (may appear normal) | High in hyperthyroidism
• T3 (tested less frequently): Low in hypothyroidism | High in hyperthyroidism
• rT3: Higher levels may lead to hypothyroidism symptoms.

 Symptoms

 Symptoms are a good indicator to a practitioner to investigate further. As well as the symptoms listed above, a sign of thyroid imbalance can be a combination of the following:

• Dull facial expression (drooping eyelids)
• Cold intolerance (with cold extremities)
• Poor circulation
• Dry skin, elbow keratosis, brittle nails
• Prolonged Achilles tendon reflex time
• Diffuse hair loss and lateral 1/3 eyebrow
• Slow speech, movement, heart rate
• Puffy face, swollen eyelids
• Fluid retention (body, legs, feet, hands, belly)
• Low body temperature
• Acne
• Fibrocystic breast disease

Basal body temperature

Basal temperature is controlled by the thyroid and can be a good indicator of how much T3 is active inside cells.

1.  Shake down a thermometer to below 35°C and place it by the bed before going to sleep.

2.  Upon waking, place the thermometer under the armpit for a full 10 minutes.

3.  Remain as still as possible, resting with the eyes closed.

4.  Record the temperature for at least 3 consecutive mornings, preferably at the same time of day. Menstruating women must check basal body temperature on the second, third and fourth days of menstruation. Men and menopausal women can check on any 3 consecutive days.

 Ideal basal temperature: 36.5°C- 36.8°C

 Scanning

The thyroid gland itself can be scanned with a radioactive isotope or radioactive iodine scan. This will show whether the gland is enlarged, whether there is a goitre on one or more nodules, and whether particular areas are ‘hot’ (that is, are active and take up the isotope or iodine). An ultrasound can also show up a goitre or nodule and whether it is solid or not. In some cases a needle biopsy of a goitre or nodule may be needed and tissue sent to a pathologist for examination to determine whether it is benign or malignant.

The post Thyroid Health – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.