Do you now that an estimated 27 million people in the US have thyroid disease and is running close to epidemic levels? A diagnosis of Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, means that your thyroid gland is not producing high enough hormone levels to carry out its many roles in the body.
Thyroid hormones play roles in a wider range of physical functions than most people recognize. Thus, when someone experiences an imbalance in their various thyroid hormones levels, they most commonly develop symptoms that will affect multiple areas of body. There can be a number of reasons this happens, ranging from nutritional deficiencies due to gut malabsorption issues to radiation, with one of the more common reasons being an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Is More Common than You May Think
Affecting approximately 10% of women over the age of 30, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Some studies put the incidence of Hashimoto’s as high as five percent of the overall population.
What is Hashimoto’s?
The condition gets its name from the Japanese physician who first identified it in 1912. It’s important to understand that Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder. In other words, with Hashimoto’s, your immune system somehow perceives that your healthy thyroid is a threat to your wellbeing, and attacks it in response.
Autoimmune disorders like this can be frustrating since they often don’t have a direct, easily identified cause. They can also be tricky to diagnose. In fact, up to 60 percent of people who have a thyroid issue don’t know that they have it.
Who Is At Risk of Hashimoto’s?
Women
Certain conditions can make it more likely that you will develop Hashimoto’s. For example, women are from five to eight times more likely to develop the disease.
Previous Autoimmune Disease
Your risk is also highest at middle age. Having other autoimmune disorders (such as lupus, celiac disease, or rheumatoid arthritis) can also make you more vulnerable.
Gluten Intolerance
Some research has linked Hashimoto’s to diets high in gluten. Although gluten doesn’t directly cause Hashimoto’s, gluten consumption does seem to increase the risk for autoimmune disorders in general. And interestingly, people with celiac disease are three times more likely to from thyroid dysfunction .
Stress
Other research suggests a link between chronic stress and Hashimoto’s. Stress, physical, emotional and environmental stressors, play a detrimental role in weakening our immune systems.
What Are the Symptoms of Hashimoto’s?
The symptoms of Hashimoto’s often build slowly, which is why many people do not recognize early warnings signs given by the body. Feeling tired is an early warning sign that is often experienced but people overlook this symptom thinking it is being caused by their busy lifestyle. But feeling tired turns into the most common complaint made by those suffering from Hashimoto’s and that is overwhelming fatigue.
For those that suffer from Hashimoto’s and other Hypothyroid disease may experience a long list of frustrating symptoms, including:
Weight gain
Muscle aches
Thinning hair
Dry skin
Constipation
Fertility problems
Poor cold tolerance
Depression
Memory issues
Hoarseness
Low libido
Slow heart rate
A lump at the base of the throat, due to an enlarged thyroid
Many of the symptoms listed above can be misread as being caused by on other health issues - even simply growing older. However, the long term-effects of Hashimoto’s can greatly affect your quality of life. And over time, low levels of thyroid hormone can lead to elevated cholesterol levels.
How is Hashimoto’s Diagnosed?
Many conventional medical doctors run just one test for thyroid problems - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). However, because thyroid problems can be complex, the result doesn’t always provide an accurate diagnosis. High TSH may well indicate that the body is trying very hard to stimulate an under-responsive thyroid gland, however it doesn’t tell us why. And a normal TSH result does not rule out more complex issues.
For a thorough evaluation of your thyroid health, more in-depth testing is often required. After all, your body works as an integrated unit, and TSH is just one piece of the puzzle.
Help! I am Having Trouble Managing Hashimoto’s. What Can I Do?
Hashimoto’s is typically treated with a thyroid hormone supplement to restore the body’s levels. However, many patients have difficulty finding the exact level of supplementation to alleviate their symptoms.
A holistic approach aims to address the root cause of the autoimmune condition, in addition to supporting the thyroid and using thyroid hormone supplements as needed. This requires making improvements to your overall health and also exploring the need to balance other hormone levels to support the whole system.
Supportive Supplements for Hashimotos’s
Supplements that may help include:
Selenium
Vitamin B12
Zinc
Ashwagandha
Lifestyle changes To Support Thyroid Health
Good habits can have a positive effect on Hashimoto’s, including:
Reduce the amount of sugar that you eat (and drink): This includes sugar substitutes, which have been directly linked to Hashimoto’s. Artificial sweeteners can lower the number of “good” bacteria in your gut, which can negatively impact your immune system.
Watch Your Gluten Intake: Gluten and autoimmunity are often interconnected. So, getting tested for gluten sensitivities is most prudent. At Falling Leaves Health we have a variety of tests that we can order that will help the practitioner and patient, better understand the patient’s issue or non issue with gluten.
Reduce stress: Yes, that’s easier said than done in today’s busy world! However, it’s also important to remember that looking after your own health (even if that means cutting back on your responsibilities) will ultimately make you better able to look after your loved ones and your other responsibilities. As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup, so taking care of yourself is step one in taking care of others.
If you recognize the symptoms of Hashimoto’s described above, or if you’ve been given a diagnosis but are having trouble managing your symptoms, let’s talk. Together we can map out a holistic game plan to help get a handle on your energy levels, so that you can start feeling like yourself again.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6221534/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28829155
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30060266
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6688766/