Nourish Me Naturopathy

Thyroid Dysfunction

Your thyroid is a butterfly gland that sits in your throat and it orchestrates the speed of every metabolic pathway within your body. This includes the speed of oxygenation, detoxification, blood pressure, heart rate, thermostat, digestive function, reflexes, skin cell turn over… and of course, the speed of your metabolism.

The fast-paced world that we live in has led to underactive thyroid (hypothyroid) and an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroid) being quite common.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:

• Weight gain (despite eating well and exercising)
• Mental fogginess
• Cold body temperature
• Menstrual disorders
• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration
• Reduced libido
• Constipation
• Dry and brittle hair

Symptoms of hyperthyroid include:

• Weight loss
• Insomnia
• Irregular or absent periods
• Fatigue
• Heat intolerance
• More frequent bowel motions
• Rapid heart rate
• Anxiety and nervousness

If you have a diagnosed thyroid condition, or you think you may be suffering from one, it is integral that the underlying cause is identified and treated correctly.

Stress

We all experience periods of our lives that are stressful, and this is very normal. Managing and dealing with stress before it has serious consequences is very important. Feeling stressed is a natural process that your body experiences when you find yourself in a situation where you are required to be alert, concentrated and organised. Daily causes of stress include; meeting work project deadlines, paying bills, and managing family commitments… etc.

Our bodies know how to help us cope with day to day ‘stressful’ situations by activating the sympathetic nervous system and releasing our three primary stress hormones: adrenaline, cortisol, and noradrenaline. These hormones bring about a ‘fight or flight’ reaction within our bodies and symptoms include:

• Increased heart rate
• Muscle tension
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased alertness
• Anxiety
• Loss of appetite
• Affected digestion
• Sleeping problems
• Dilated pupils

In this modern fast-paced life, stress is becoming increasingly problematic

Stress can become chronic, raising our cortisol levels and begin to affect our:

• Weight
• Digestive System
• Nutritional Status
• Immune System
• Endocrine System

In order to combat stress and its negative side effects, it is crucial to:

• Assess the underlying cause of stress
• Have effective tools in place to deal with stress
• Address biochemical contributing factors
• Address biomechanical imbalances
• Improve the body’s overall capacity to adapt to stress

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