Liz James

Thyroid disorders are like chameleonic villians. They look different in every person, and their characteristics may change according to their environment. Thyroid disease is a master of disguise! This is important to understand

 Two key reasons:

1. Innocent until proven guilty. It’s estimated that perhaps 18-25% of women have an underlying thyroid disorder (It’s somewhat less common in men). This still means that 75-82% of us (women, for statistical ease) do not. Become well acquainted with your body so that you may better decipher the clues you are being given, and remember that there are many possible causes for almost every clue the body gives. Cluster clues for the win!
2. Thyroid disease is overwhelmingly mistaken and/or overlooked in favor of other disorders (often mental health related) by the corporate owned medical community. Thyroid diagnosis often requires intuition (Holy Spirit discernment), patience, persistence, and attention to details. If you feel “off”, and yet your doctor tell you “everything looks good”…. Who do you believe? I hope you pointed a finger back at yourself just now. You believe what you know about your body and your refined detective skills!

Function of the Thyroid

While every little organ and gland of the endocrine system is important for stellar body function, very often the trail of tears leads back to the thyroid, the butterfly shaped gland located just below the Adam’s apple along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid’s function is to regulate all the processes of energy release on microscopic (cellular) and macroscopic (full body) levels. Because hypothyroidism (especially Hashimoto’s) is the predominant thyroid disorder, most of what I write about will be centered upon thyroid deficiency. Grab a mirror (you’ll need it for a few of them!) and your journal and take stock of your own possible crime scene.

Symptoms of thyroid deficiency might include:

• Chronic fatigue or tiredness.
• Muscular fatigue
• Puffiness or evidence of fluid retention
• Difficulty regulating body temperature (chronic feelings of being hot or cold. Recall the posts on body temperature)
• Development of Reynaud’s Syndrome
• Reduced pulse pressure and blood pressure
• Heart rate fluctuations
• Angina and/or feelings of breathlessness
• Higher cholesterol. People with subclinical hypothyroidism often have higher levels of LDL cholesterol. Thyroid disease is a major contributor to cholesterol problems.
• Arteriosclerosis (decreased elasticity of arteries)
• Changes in bruising or clotting (generally, bruising will become more common)
• Depression and/or anxiousness
• Difficulty gathering thoughts, memory, focus and concentration
• Headaches with unknown origin
• Moodiness or lack of enthusiasm in life
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Carpal tunnel (there is a strong link!)
• Random shooting pains in the hands and feet
• Osteoporosis (chronic hypothyroidism can be a contributor)
• Visual problems: dry eyes, age related macular degeneration, primary open angle glaucoma
• Loss of the outer eyebrows
• Chronic constipation
• Increased incidence of gallstones (thyroid hormones affects the composition of bile and how well it flows)
• Poor digestion of fats and proteins
• Decreased stomach acid resulting in poorly digested foods (If this clue is on your radar, grab your YL Essentialzyme and give your body digestive support!)
• Bloating, gassy
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
• Insulin resistance (and therefore) increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes
• Thicker tongue, perhaps even with scalloped teeth marks on the sides of the tongue.
• Changes in how food tastes.
• Periodontal disease
• Development of a husky or hoarse voice
• Infertility or difficulty maintaining a pregnancy
• Heavy periods (There is often a link between hypothyroidism and PCOS)
• Sex hormone imbalances (progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in women)
• Loss of libido
• Postpartum depression (very common)
• Premature menopause
• Dry skin
• Deep cracks and scales on the bottoms of the feet
• Deep lines on the palms of hands or soles of feet
• Yellowish orange or reddish color on palms of hands or soles of feet
• Reddish spots, bumps, or rashes that come and go
• Acne (often seen in conjunction with testosterone level disturbances)
• Brittle, flaking nails or nails that fail to grow well
• Hair loss (on the head) or gaining hair in all the wrong places elsewhere
• Getting sick more often, especially upper respiratory tract infections and in women, persistent urinary tract infections.
• Bedwetting in kiddos
• Delayed wound healing
• Gaining or losing weight without trying
• Poor sleep
• Iron deficiency anemia (roughly 50% of people with thyroid disease struggle with this)