Hypothyroidism: What it is and how you can heal!
Hypo- “below, less than normal”
Thyroid- A small butterfly shaped endocrine gland sitting at the base of your neck that controls metabolism.
If you have received this diagnosis, on the surface, it is because your TSH level is high and your T4/T3 are low. Looking through a deeper lens, it is due to chronic stress, mineral loss, processed foods, liver congestion, medication, antibiotic use, birth control use, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, etc. It’s your current AND past lifestyle, diet, and health choices that determine how well your organs function.
Your thyroid is the master metabolizer. It is what converts the food you eat into energy, aids in fat and carb metabolism, and promotes protein synthesis- thus energy production. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. Not only does the food you choose to eat fuel your organs, but your organs (specifically thyroid) are what dictate if and how the food is used! Food is literal information for our body.
HPAOT Axis Graphic via @chewsfoodwisely: All organs communicate via neuroendocrine pathways about stressors with the goal of staying as close to homeostasis as possible.
When your thyroid is under preforming, it affects each organ shown in this graphic resulting in the symptoms listed on the side. For women, I see a lot of estrogen dominance along with parasites and/or high H. Pylori correlate with a sluggish thyroid. We won’t be able to pinpoint which came first, thyroid dysfunction or infections, but we do know there is heavy influence from liver function. I talk more about this in another post, A Deeper Dive into Thyroid Health, but to reiterate, a sluggish thyroid is more of a liver problem than thyroid. Your TSH is high because the pituitary is doing its job a little too well and your liver isn’t converting T4 into T3 as efficiently as it needs to. This is why diet is crucial in those suffering with hypothyroidism.
So how do we help the thyroid in the conversion of T4 into T3 (the active hormone)?
LOTS of liver work!
Diet- sourdough bread and raw dairy are a NO for you here, sorry!
Liver/gallbladder support supplement Practitioner Code: STEPHANIEPATTISON
Filtered H2O and added minerals
If you’ve worked hard on liver function and still feel overwhelmed with symptoms, it may be time to prioritize your health in the form of a Thyroid Rest Program working 1v1 w a practitioner. As I mentioned previously, I often see thyroid dysfunction alongside bacterial overgrowths like yeast or infections like H. Pylori and parasites. There may be personalized nutraceuticals you need to take in order to tackle your dysfunction once and for all.
The good news: You can heal without meds! If you’re currently on meds with a goal to get off, then the Thyroid Reset Program is for you and I’m so excited to help you heal! Enrollment for this program is currently CLOSED. Inquire here.
You don’t have to go at it alone and healing IS possible!
xx, Steph
