By Dr Melina Roberts, ND
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland on the neck which is the master metabolic regulator of the body and it does this by controlling the temperature of the body. Every biochemical process in every cell in your body needs to function at a certain temperature, if the temperature is off by even a slight amount then this can slow down or speed up the metabolism in the body.
When the temperature is lower than normal, this is called hypothyroidism and leads to a slow down of metabolism seen as cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin and hair, difficulty losing weight or weight gain, fatigue, headaches, depression, infertility, low libido, hair loss, sluggishness, mood swings and low body temperature in general.
When the temperature is higher than normal, this is called hyperthyroidism, when the metabolism is fast, you have difficulty keeping weight on. Often people hear this and say, that sounds great, but the problem is that you have breakdown of tissues including organs and muscles, anxiety, insomnia, loose stools, nervousness, sweating, palpitations, hyperactivity, eye disorders.
FIVE causes of thyroid dysfunction:
Nutrient Deficiencies: The enzyme that converts inactive T4 to active T3 needs zinc, selenium, B6 and B12. For the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones there must be adequate iodine in the body. If there are not adequate amounts of these minerals and nutrients in the body, then this will affect the proper functioning of the thyroid.
Heavy Metal Toxicity: Heavy metals in the body from dental amalgams, cigarette smoke, cosmetics, tattoos, can interfere with the conversion of T4 to T3.
Liver Congestion: The liver is where the hormones are metabolized. If the liver is congested with toxins and not functioning optimally, then it is unable to effectively make hormones, including thyroid hormones.
Adrenal Dysfunction: The thyroid and adrenals work really closely together. If the adrenal function is challenged, then the thyroid will act as its back up plan and this will deplete thyroid function. Proper adrenal gland function is necessary to convert T4 to T3.
Toxic Overload: Certain medications including the birth control pill, hormone replacement therapy, beta-blockers, chemotherapy agents will interfere in proper thyroid function. Hormone Disrupting Chemicals such as bisphenol A, phthalates, pesticides, xenoestrogens can cause toxic damage to thyroid hormone receptors.
One of the easiest way to access if your thyroid is functioning properly is to check your body temperature. Your oral body temperature should be between 36.5℃-36.8℃ (97.8℉-98.2℉). Check this for 3 days in a row. If your body temperature falls outside of this range, then you may have thyroid issues. This is best approached from a comprehensive, naturopathic assessment that looks at the body from a functional, biochemical perspective and takes into consideration body temperature, comprehensive lab results and clinical presentation.
Comments