Know anyone with thyroid issues?
The thing about thyroid issues is that the issues themselves are not the problem, but rather a symptom of the problem. If it's auto-immune in nature, why is your body's immune system overreactive? If it's just your garden-variety hypo- or hyper- (or mixed) -thyroidism, why is your body not able to regulate the important functions of this mighty gland right now? Where might it be needing to put out fires elsewhere that it had to drop the ball?
I'm NOT against conventional treatment when necessary, but I strongly believe that conventional treatment or not, if we don't optimize, other health issues will keep popping up because nothing was truly fixed at the root.
Thyroid health is often so much more complicated than just looking at 1 or a few lab values. In fact, many doctors don't even order enough lab tests to get the full scope of what's going on. If you suspect a thyroid problem, be sure to seek out a medical practitioner you really trust and one who is comprehensive and willing to look for the root cause of why your thyroid is acting up in the first place.
Hyperthyroidism is out there for sure, but most people who come to me for help do so because of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can often cause weight gain or weight loss resistance, dry or brittle hair and nails, depression, cold intolerance, low libido, low energy, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, imbalanced blood sugar, and painful or missed periods.
Due to a bunch of recent questions on the topic, I decided to dedicate a whole week on my socials to thyroid dysfunction. Check out THIS POST where I discussed how I would induce hypothyroidism in myself if I wanted it again (I had it. Reversed it. Don't want it back, but it helps prove the point that our previous and current choices matter when it comes to this stuff.)
Here are ways to promote healthy thyroid function (alongside conventional treatment, on your own, or even if your thyroid is currently healthy and you want to keep it that way):
NO yoyo dieting or over-restriction.
Fuel your body well and with the right amount of food for your needs. This is something everyone should know about themselves, but few actually do. Make it a point to learn this!
Eat enough carbohydrates. Most people eat too many. Some cut out too many. Just like the last point, know what you need. If you have hypothyroidism, I recommend adding an extra carb serving per day on top of your baseline needs.
Avoid toxins in beauty and home products, extra hormones and antibiotics in your food supply wherever possible.
Avoid overexercising or practicing a maladaptive ratio of exercise (like tons of cardio and no strength training)
Eat and live your life in a way that promotes blood sugar balance
Test of levels of micronutrients like zinc, iron, magnesium, iodine, selenium, vitamin B complex, vitamin D, vitamin A and / or be sure to include enough of them through your food intake. Consider talking to your healthcare practitioner about supplementation.
Give yourself 7-9 hour sleep opportunities most nights of the week
Reduce stress and work on stress management tools like breathwork, mindfulness practices, self care, boundaries, new hobbies, time outdoors, etc.
When stress levels are normalized, consider adding cold exposure a few times a week. This helps convert some of our regular white fat to brown / beige fat - a more metabolically active type AND helps the thyroid gland produce better hormone ratios.
If you need help with one or any of these areas, make sure you hop on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. It's my 28-day course on boosting metabolism, healing, and we cover everything in the list above and more! The next round starts in September and if you're on the waitlist, you'll get a discount code and be notified when the cart opens so you can grab a spot.
Oh, and I put together THIS RECIPE COLLECTION for you. It contains thyroid-supportive recipes containing the nutrients listed above as well as a carb source, at least 5g fiber, 10-30g healthy fat, and at least 20g protein per recipe. Hope you love 'em!
XO,
Tara
P.S. I think you need my weekly newsletters. It’s time. You can sign up RIGHT HERE. :-)