If you’ve recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism or Hashimotos, or suspect that your thyroid may be affecting your well-being, you’re not alone on this journey. I hope this guide will be the beginning of easing your concerns, understanding what your body is trying to tell you, and your go-to reference for embracing the early stages of thyroid health awareness. We’ll chunk down the complexities of thyroid health, explore natural approaches to support your well-being and empower you with insights to regain control of your vitality, energy, and confidence. Let’s explore some practical strategies to thrive naturally after a thyroid diagnosis.
Thyroid mysteries unveiled:
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped piece of spongy tissue located in the front of your neck. It makes the chemical messengers that influence metabolism and hormone balance, mood, energy, weight, hair and skin health, libido, heart health and cognitive function. With so many possible symptoms that could arise from thyroid hormone imbalance, it can be tricky to tell if the cause is a thyroid issue or something else. This is where I often see confusion and overwhelm occurring in patients as they try to decode all the mysterious clues. Often diagnostic steps are completely missed, leaving an incomplete picture, and treatments are ineffective because they are either missing the point or starting in the wrong place.
The Art of Thyroid Testing:
When it comes to the thyroid, accurate and comprehensive testing is crucial. The screening test often used by bulk billing pathology laboratories is TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and sends a message to the thyroid gland to then regulate how much thyroid hormone is made. The two main thyroid hormones are T4 (Thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). In other words, TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. So what we often see is a patient being told that their TSH is “normal” because the numbers fall within the reference range of 0.4 to 4.0 and therefore they are told their thyroid is “fine” and there is nothing else to be done. Ideally, to get the full story on whether the thyroid is working properly, the measures of TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and Thyroid antibodies should all be measured together. If you are female, have a family history of thyroid concerns, and are experiencing symptoms suspicious of an out-of-whack thyroid, it is worth considering getting more complete thyroid testing done. You can do this by asking your doctor to give you the option to pay privately for the additional tests and request them for you, or by seeing a Naturopath or Functional Medicine practitioner well-versed in thyroid health. Getting the right tests and having a knowledgeable person help you analyse and interpret them is the first step in decoding the mystery.
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Wholistic next steps:
If you are health-minded and inclined to do things naturally wherever possible, you should know that there is so much on offer for achieving thyroid wellness. Wholistic wellness means looking for and removing, the underlying causes driving the imbalances, and not just treating the symptoms alone. The first steps are getting the foundations right for your health.
- Nourishing the body with nutrients that protect and heal. Using whole food as medicine. Not sure what to eat? Here is a Nourish Your Thyroid Meal Plan and Recipe Book
- Movement medicine. Finding joyful ways to move your body daily, especially in the great outdoors, is critical to any wholistic treatment plan.
- Sleep. The body can’t heal, self-regulate, and restore without enough good quality sleep and a healthy sleep routine. It’s often underestimated how powerful it can be to achieve a consistent 7-8 hours of sleep nightly, ideally in line with the natural body and earth clocks or rhythms.
- Relaxation is also often overlooked, especially by women. We are born doers, and carers, and have a reputation for putting ourselves last. Relaxation is fundamental to keeping our stress hormones in check and letting the body know it’s safe to heal, rest, and restore.
The good news is that for most of the health foundations, you already know what you need to do. There is always room for improvement, but that’s no excuse not to start. Then, when you know better, you can do better.
Nature’s Medicines & Healers
Mother nature has provided a wealth of allies that can support thyroid health. From adaptogenic herbs like Ashwagandha (also known as Withania) to the brain and mood-enhancing benefits of Bacopa, many botanical wonders can complement your health journey.
Setting out on the adventure that is thyroid wellness can be both empowering and challenging. It’s important to nurture your self-awareness, knowledge, and curiosity, and build a support network of like-minded health and wellness professionals. Once you know where to start, have a plan, and learn how to monitor and adjust your body’s response, you will be well-positioned to take back control of your health and embrace a naturally healthy life!
