Can´t find your car keys? Jeans getting tight? Feeling tired or anxious? Feeling down? It just might be your hormones.
Have you ever found yourself misplacing things, unable to concentrate, not able to grasp the right words? I have many clients refer to this as having a senior moment. "No," I tell them. "It sounds more like you are having a thyroid moment."
Are you suffering from slow and consistent weight gain even though you are eating well and exercising? Have you been feeling tired and fatigued even though you get to bed early? Do you have feelings of anxiousness or depression? All these symptoms (and more) can be linked to an improperly functioning thyroid.
The thyroid is a small gland just under the skin on the front of the neck. This gland plays a very important role in controlling the body’s METABOLISM and how the body functions. It does this by producing hormones that tell the body how fast to work and how to use energy. (Unused Energy = FAT)
Thyroid hormones play a major part in creating the correct metabolic rate. If it is not functioning properly everything slows down leading to these classic symptoms: * weight gain * fatigue * cold hands and feet * difficulty focusing and remembering * anxiety * depression * constipation * hair loss. The list can go on and on including many problems with the female reproductive system including menstrual disorders, endometriosis, and breast cancer.
What is the connection between reproductive problems and the thyroid? We are not parts but rather we are systems. When one gland does not work properly it affects other glands and hormones in the body. When you decrease the thyroid hormones you increase estrogens. The function of estrogen is to promote growth. When your estrogens are over-producing or when you take them in from outside sources, growth can get out of control.
"But I am not on birth control pills and I am not taking HRT, I must be safe."
All of us are exposed to substances daily that mimic estrogens. These false estrogens lock up the hormonal system including the thyroid gland and the cells that need the information to work properly. These false estrogens are called ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS.
These ED’s are in much of the food we eat. Haven’t you wondered why the teens now are all taller and more developed than any time in history? Their bodies have blossomed well before their maturity levels. And why do we have so many instances of breast cancer in this country? If you eat non-organic meats you are regularly ingesting additional estrogen. American farmers use hormones in animal feed to produce bigger livestock as fast as possible. You are what you eat. Got milk?
Other substances that can lock up the system are pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and a wealth of chemicals that we use daily. We can do this so innocently. Micro-waving in plastic creates a toxic substance known as a xeno-estrogen and it goes right into our meal. Better living through chemicals does not mean our food.
Many times a person can have normal thyroid test results but still have all the classic symptoms. This can be due to ED’s blocking the cells. The thyroid is talking but nobody is listening. We have grown to accept that our metabolism is going to slow down in our 30’s. This could be due to many years of exposure to toxins. Luckily there is a test that can identify the most common things locking up the system and a non-supplemental method of removing them.
If you have symptoms of an under-active thyroid you should have your doctor check your levels. However, before going on medications you may wish to check if ED’s are the culprit and possibly avoid taking hormones. Supplementing with hormones weakens the gland. It is a situation similar to those immature teens. If you give them all their spending money why should they work?
