Dr Whiting on Natural Thyroid Support and Thyroid Function

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Underactive Thyroids - Why They Hinder Weight Loss

Many people suffer with underactive thyroids. A thyroid is said to be underactive when it produces a lower than normal level of thyroid hormones. The medical term for this condition is hypothyroidism. People with underactive thyroids experience a number of symptoms that can range from mild to severe.
Some symptoms associated with underactive thyroids include feeling tired and run down, thinning hair, constipation, slowed heart rate, dry skin, brittle nails, sore muscles, voice changes, trouble concentrating, depression, feeling cold, and fertility problems.
The most common problem people with underactive thyroids struggle with is weight gain. The thyroid hormones regulate body metabolism. When metabolism is sluggish, weight is gained easily, and once on, it is very hard to get back off. There is a direct link between the health of your thyroid and weight loss.
As you can imagine, with symptoms like these, you would seek a solution to your problem. Unfortunately, many people who have underactive thyroids do not know the cause of their symptoms and do not make the connection between the thyroid and weight loss difficulties.
Luckily, once you learn about underactive thyroids and understand the connection between your thyroid and weight loss success, you will find options available to help you rebuild the health of your thyroid gland.
If you suspect that you have an underactive thyroid, you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause and discuss treatment options. Your doctor may talk to you about taking hormone supplements that artificially supply your body with the hormones that are lacking. This type of treatment does not work to make your thyroid healthier; it merely replaces the hormones, so you may have to take the medication on a continuous basis.
If possible, you should rebuild the health of your thyroid so it begins to function normally again. This might be possible through a healthy diet and all-natural supplements. This is a different approach over taking thyroid hormone replacements. When your thyroid is healthy, it naturally produces the correct amount of hormone. When you take hormone supplements, there is always the risk of taking too much, which causes symptoms of an overactive thyroid like racing heartbeat. Together with your doctor, you should decide which treatment approach is right for you so you can finally lose that excess weight. The goal for people with underactive thyroids should be to stimulate the thyroid and weight loss will occur when normal metabolism is restored.
When your thyroid is healthy and it produces the correct amount of hormones, your metabolism will increase to normal. This will give you more energy and help you burn fat off faster. With more energy, you can become more active which further accelerates your fat loss. If you are having a hard time losing weight, consider the relationship between your thyroid and weight loss. With a slow metabolism, you will find it nearly impossible to lose weight.
To support the health of your thyroid and boost your metabolism so that you can lose weight much easier, consider taking an all-natural supplement that is gentle on your system. People with underactive thyroids can gain relief from symptoms caused by a sluggish metabolism. A healthy thyroid and weight loss success may be as close as an all-natural supplement.

My name is Ken H. I am an internet marketer and I love to spend time with my wife Susan and our two children, Jason and Emily. We love to go to the ocean and mountains to relax, and enjoy each others company.
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What You Need to Know About Underactive Thyroids

One prominent thyroid problem that most people take for granted is underactive thyroids, also called hypothyroidism. You get underactive thyroid symptoms because of a decrease in the production of your thyroid hormones. It is usually the thyroid that produces the hormones but sometimes problems with the pituitary gland also causes the problem. If left untreated, underactive thyroid symptoms can become fatal. What happens is that your body, instead of speeding up and overheating, it usually slows down in several ways whenever you experience underactive thyroid problems. You can watch out for some prominent underactive thyroid symptoms such as the following:

• sluggishness
• fatigue
• depression
• greater sensitivity to cold
• unexplained weight gain
• dry hair and skin
• constipation
• menstrual irregularities

If you have encountered these problems in a regular basis, then you might want to have yourself checked. Similar to an overproductive thyroid hormone, underactive thyroid symptoms also pose a risk to pregnant women. This is because during the first trimester, your baby will rely on all of the thyroid hormones that you supply to it so if you have underactive thyroids then you may have insufficient thyroid hormones to give to your child. To avoid this, it would be best if you get yourself tested especially if you have a history of thyroid problems in your family.
Underactive Thyroid Symptoms: Myxedema
Myxedema is a very dangerous underactive thyroid symptom. It happens when the thyroid hormones in your body drops to very low levels, which can be fatal. People who suffer from myxedema are prone to suffering from infections and can have serious reactions to injuries, medications, and even become really sensitive to the cold temperature. Sometimes, people who suffer from this problem also slip into a coma and hypothermia could occur, dropping the body's temperature level at a fatal low.
If you are suffering from any of these underactive thyroid symptoms then it is best to have yourself checked as soon as possible so you can obtain treatment right before the problem gets worse. Getting help as soon as possible could prevent the problem from worsening and could help avoid other serious outcomes.

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Hypothyroidism: Underdiagnosed By Doctors, Overdiagnosed On The Internet

* Fatigue and Lethargy
* Infertility
* Hair Loss
* High Cholesterol
* Menstrual Period Problems
* Depression
* Recurrent infections, particularly in winter
* Chronic Headaches
* Feeling Cold frequently; cold hands and feet; intolerance to cold
* Confusion and Memory Loss

These are symptoms that could be caused by hypothyroidism, or a low-functioning thyroid gland.
Because the thyroid gland is the master controller of your metabolism, many different systems can be effected, and many symptoms can occur, when it isn't working properly. Unfortunately, the vague nature of these symptoms is the source of a lot of confusion, because not every person with the problems listed above has hypothyroidism - there are many different conditions that can cause them. (It's important to rule out other potential causes of symptoms before assuming that undiagnosed hypothyroidism is the problem. For instance, anemia can cause fatigue, uterine cancer can cause uterine bleeding, and there are many causes [including stress!] for infertility. And, of course, if you are tired and dragging from lack of sleep, treating your thyroid is a bad idea - what you really need is more sleep!)

UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERY OF HYPOTHYROIDISM
As I pointed out, there are two main problems with trying to figure out if you are hypothyroid. The first is that most doctors and health professionals mistakenly believe that the condition is uncommon. It is actually quite common. And, it is even more common among people who go to doctors (since the symptoms listed above are common reasons that people go to doctors.) And - it is really common among people who end up jumping from doctor to doctor or specialist to specialist, wondering why everyone tells them they are fine when they know that they don'tfeel fine. So this results in a lot of people with hypothyroidism walking around not knowing what their problem is, and sometimes having been told that their thyroid definitely is not the cause of their symptoms.

The second problem is almost the exact opposite. Because the symptoms of hypothyroidism are common, and commonly caused by things that aren't even medical problems (for instance, stress and posture problems can cause headaches; not getting enough sleep can make it hard to remember and make it easy to get infections), it's easy to look at a list of symptoms caused by hypothyroidism and think "I must have that!" There are a lot of health-related websites that add to this confusion by suggesting that if you have any of those symptoms, you must have a thyroid problem. This, obviously, isn't true.

What makes this dilemma even worse is that one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism in some people is weight gain. However, hypothyroidism is not the main cause of weight gain, even in people with "sluggish metabolism." And, the main treatment for hypothyroidism - taking prescription thyroid hormone - only rarely helps people lose weight. Of course, since so many people are interested in losing weight, hypothryoidism is frequently mentioned, even though improving thyroid function rarely helps with weight loss.

TSH - THE BEST, BUT STILL FLAWED, THYROID TEST
You may be trying to figure out if you have a hypothyroid problem. And so far, we haven't made much headway into figuring that out. So stick with me, and we'll try to unravel this further.

The most important single thing to know about thyroid lab tests is that the normal range of the most important test for thyroid (TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone) is between .5 - 5.5 microunits per millileter (don't worry, there won't be a test later!) The only problem with this is that this normal range was taken from ordinary people, many of whom may have had undiagnosed hypothyroidism - so some people with a sluggish thyroid problem have been included in the "normal" range of this test!

A more accurate range of normal for TSH is between 1 - 2.5: 90% of the population has a TSH level in this range. So, if your TSH result is between 1 - 2.5 mIU/mL, you are probably not hypothyroid. Even if your TSH goes as high as 2.7 or 3.3 on a single test you may not be hypothyroid, if a second, later test shows it has gone back between 1 and 2.5. This can happen with lab results - it's normal for them to move around.

However, if you have more than two consecutive TSH tests above 4.0, and you have some or many of the symptoms listed above, or those mentioned in the armour thyroid link below, you probably don't have enough thyroid hormone in your body. Unfortunately, it may be quite difficult to convince your doctor that this is your problem, because even if you have two tests that come out at 5.3, and you are a walking talking hypothyroid symptom textbook, many doctors will just say "the test is normal." (Some doctors don't even do the TSH test, preferring other tests that are even less helpful than TSH!)

NAVIGATING THE MEDICAL DOUBTERS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM
So, how do you find a doctor who understands this problem? You can look for a Naturopathic Doctor or holistic physician in your area. If your condition is mild, you may be able to treat the problem without thyroid hormone, using instead nutritional supplements and herbs. The main thing is to find a practitioner who will listen to you and try to understand your unique situation, and who is familiar with natural therapies. In many areas, the most likely practitioner to fit this bill may be a chiropractor.

However, if your condition is such that you need a thyroid hormone prescription (and this is something that only can be determined by a licensed healthcare practitioner who is legally allowed to prescribe thyroid hormone) you may find that even a doctor who agrees that you may have a thyroid problem wants to prescribe synthetic rather than natural thyroid hormone for you. While synthetic thyroid hormone works for many people - perhaps most - there are some people who only respond to natural thyroid hormone (armour thyroid, U.S.P. Thyroid) and many doctors are unwilling to prescribe it because they've been trained to believe it's ineffective (it's not: it's highly effective and completely safe.)

Oh, by the way, there is a term I probably should have introduced way at the beginning of the this article. The subject we are discussing is correctly described "subclinical hypothyroidism." The term "hypothyroidism" is actually specific to people whose TSH is over 5.5, and almost every doctor will prescribe thyroid hormone for this (or refer you to an endocrinologist.) However, in either case, you're very likely to be given a prescription for synthetic thyroid (levothyroxine), not for natural thyroid hormone. It probably wouldn't hurt, if you're going to try to discuss this with your doctor, to know the difference between subclinical hypothyroid and regular hypothyroid.

AN EVEN DEEPER LAYER OF HYPOTHYROID MYSTERY
Remember that I said that hypothyroidism, whether subclinical or not, is very common, and that this is probably what has skewed the normal range for TSH to include people with low thyroid in the supposed "normal range." The esteemed physician and researcher Alan Gaby, MD, has pointed out that there should be another category of hypothyroid: "Sublaboratory Hypothyroidism." Dr. Gaby's message was that there are plenty of people whose TSH is normal but who would benefit from taking thyroid hormone. They have some combination of the symptoms mentioned above or in the armour thyroid webpage, but their TSH is between 1 and 2.5. In some cases the only way to determine who those people are is to give them thyroid hormone and see whether they benefit. Obviously, this can only be done by a qualified physician or practitioner, and under careful supervision. Of course, it would be very difficult to convince a doctor who didn't believe in this to prescribe thyroid. I have included a link to Dr Gaby's article on sublaboratory hypothyroidism below, though keep in mind it was written for a medical audience so it may be hard to understand if you don't have medical training. If you have a very openminded doctor, they may be interested in it.

Many people who suspect they have sublaboratory or subclinical hypothyroidism attempt to test for it by measuring their body temperature immediately after waking with a fertility thermometer (one that measures normal body temperatures more accurately but that is not useful for measuring fevers.) Some people consider a waking body temperature well under 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C) to be a sign of hypothyroidism. This "test" runs the same risk as reading about hypothyroidism on the internet - it can seem as if everyone is hypothyroid, because a waking temperature of 98.6, or close to that, appears to be quite rare.

Determining if you are hypothyroid or not can be confusing and frustrating. It helps to be armed with as much (good) information as possible. Here is a link to the Armour Thyroid page that details the symptoms of hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms

Here is a link to alt.support.hypothyroid's page on the medical literature that shows the limits of using TSH alone to determine thyroid function.
TSH Medical References

Mention this ezine article for a FREE introductory consultation. (Contact details below.)

If you've enjoyed this article, you can take advantage of my insights, experience, and expertise by contacting me (through my website, below) to arrange an appointment, phone consult, or email consult. Natural Health and Wellness consultations do not involve diagnosis or treatment of disease, but rather help guide you back to health. I am a Naturopathic Doctor in San Rafael in Marin County, California.

My areas of expertise are hormonal disorders including hypothyroidism; pre-diabetes, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome; depression and eating disorders; chronic fatigue syndrome; food allergy and celiac disease; high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease; clinical nutrition; and difficult to diagnose and treat conditions that have not responded to other conventional and/or alternative treatment. I enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds, and have extensive experience using natural approaches with children and teens.

Correcting inadequate diet, and steering patients towards optimal diet, is an essential part of my approach with each and every patient.

I graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon in 1995. Before practicing in Marin, I practiced in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in Stamford and Norwalk, for 11 years. I have also practiced in Santa Cruz County, California.

My website at http://www.drdanielheller.com has more information on my practice, my philosophy, and me, as well as contact details to set up your free complementary consultation.

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Hypothyroid symptoms – Weight Gain

Is your thyroid making you put on weight? Why is it so difficult for people with an underactive thyroid to shed weight?  Hypothyroidism and putting on weight are very much related, and is also one of the most common thyroid problems.  When you happen to be hypothyroid, your slowed metabolism and changes to your endocrine system will make losing weight feel like a losing proposition.   

Generally, thyroid weight gain is common in women undergoing menopause as there is a change of hormones in the body. 

 It can become extremely frustrating as well as discouraging. It feels like anything you do just does not seem to really make any difference.

Take heart, it will.

Once you start to get your levels back to normal, helping kick start your metabolism again should be a priority.  Exercise, and eating supporting foods can greatly help that to happen.  You don’t have to go crazy.  Like we talked about in nutrition, just start to make one small change at a time, and before you know it – off comes the weight.

To fight your thyroid weight gain, try to avoid refined foods that contain high amounts of sugar.  They raise your blood sugar levels really high and cause your body to try to bring the levels down really low.  This in turn makes you feel that energy crash, which in turn makes you want the sugar boost again.  This can be a huge contributor to weight gain. All calories are not created equal.  Calories from white foods will not fill you up like calories from saturated fats such as from nuts.

We all love our comfort food.  Try some of these low fat swaps to help you stay on track.

Lasagna – Amy’s Light & Lean Spinach Lasagna

Pizza – Kashi Mushroom Trio & Spinach

Chicken Pot Pie – Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie

Mac & Cheese – Annie’s Homegrown Deluxe Shells & Wisconsin Cheddar

Mashed Potatoes – Ore Ida Steam N’ Mash Cut Russet Potatoes

Small bursts of exercise are always helpful also.  Your cells have to reset themselves into fat burning mode.  This doesn’t mean you have to go to a gym. 

You can start to incorporate small things everyday.  Park farther away at the store so you walk more.  Make an extra trip up and down the stairs when you have to get something.  Lift your detergent bottle a few times with each hand before you put it down.

All these little things help to start burning calories.  You can always visit a nutritionist to help make a very specific plan on how to get you back on the right track as well.  The weight may start to come off slow, but that is a good thing because when it comes off slowly, it will stay off as long as you continue on your path to health.

Hypothyroid symptoms – Gluten

If you continue to feel the symptoms of your hypothyroid such as - severe exhaustion and fatigue, your hair being dry and brittle, weight gain you can't explain, your skin being very dry – even after higher and higher doses of hormone replacement, the culprit could be gluten.

Gluten is a common protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley, and it is commonly found within our day-to-day food items. It is a potential goitrogen best known from Celiac disease.  Gluten sensitivity can cause inflammation in your body, and has been found to have a connection to other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and autoimmune thyroid disease.  
Autoimmune disease is when a person produces antibodies that attack the body's own tissue, including the thyroid tissue.

If you have autoimmune hypothyroidism you may seriously want to consider cutting back on your gluten intake, or eliminating it all together.  After a few weeks of lowering your gluten intake you may notice you start to feel better.

If you don’t notice a change, you may have to eliminate it completely, and then see how you feel.

Most processed foods and the obvious grains - wheat, rye, barley contain gluten.  I know some of you are thinking “I can’t give up my bread”, there are plenty of grain alternatives out there.  Quinoa, rice noodles, corn, and gluten free breads are all great alternatives. Lundberg rice chips are a great gluten free snack food also, and they come in different flavors.  For the best gluten free handbook Go Here

If you start to make simple swaps like using lettuce leaves to wrap a sandwich, it starts to get easy, and pretty soon you won’t even miss it.

If after a couple of weeks you think you feel better, but your not sure if it made a difference, you can start to add back a little gluten at a time, and see if you start feeling worse again.  The odds are you are going to feel better when you limit the amount of gluten, or take it out of your diet completely.

Hypothyroid symptoms – Goitrogens

The symptoms of hypothyroidism such as - feelings of severe exhaustion and fatigue,

weight gain you can't explain, your hair being dry and brittle, your skin being very dry and sometimes scaly - may not go away with just medication alone.  You may still feel a lot of these symptoms due to the foods you are eating.  You think you are doing better by making healthy choices never knowing that some of these foods can be counter-productive to your thyroid health.

Many healthy foods contain what are called goitrogens.  Goitrogens are substances that naturally occur in food. They are mainly found in the cabbage family, and in soybeans

Eaten in large amounts, especially if eaten raw, these foods can interfere with your thyroid function.  They inhibit your thyroid from absorbing and processing iodine. 

Cruciferous vegetables that contain goitrogens such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, cauliflower and spinach all can be steamed and then eaten. 

Cooking these vegetables deactivates the goitrogenic compounds in them so they can be eaten and not slow your thyroid function. 

Steaming is best to get the most health benefits that the vegetables have to offer. 

Other foods that you want to eat in moderation or avoid altogether are strawberries, peanuts, peaches, millet, radishes, soy beans and soy products. 

The best thing to remember is everything in moderation.  The health benefits of all these foods are too important to eliminate completely.

Pay attention to how you feel when you eat these foods.  That will give you a better idea of which foods affect you more.  You need to find your balance and what works best for you.