Hypothyroid Diagnosis: 5 Ways to Recognize Low Thyroid Function

It turns out that hypothyroidism is one of the most common health problems in America, and it is frequently not recognized, and just as frequently a hypothyroid diagnosis is performed incorrectly. The most common situation we see is a client who has just been checked by their doctor and was told that their thyroid tests all came back normal. So why is it that they are presenting with the symptoms of hypothyroidism? Could it be that the hypothyroid diagnosis results are not interpreted correctly? What you may consider to be signs of stress or aging could actually be symptoms of an under-active thyroid. Low thyroid symptoms include chronic fatigue, lack of energy or motivation, low tolerance to cold, muscle and joint aches, lack of appetite in the morning, and sweet cravings in the evening, constipation and irregular menstruation.

Low thyroid function has especially awful effects in pregnancy: it leads to miscarriage, low birth weight and low intelligence in babies. Some people will gain weight, despite their lack of appetite it is as if just walking past a pastry shop would have them gain weight. Another common sign of low thyroid function is dryness of both skin and hair, and hair loss. And then there is the brain fog: loss of concentration, memory problems and depression. If the thyroid problems are allowed to escalate, you can find puffiness first in just the eye lids, and later in the whole face, swelling at the front of the neck, hoarseness, sleepiness, and significant hair loss.

Many patients who persistently present with signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are constantly told by their health practitioners that there is nothing wrong, based solely on the normal TSH and T4 blood results. That T3, T3 conversion and T3 uptake levels are rarely checked is bordering on negligence, and certainly involves both ignorance and arrogance on the practitioners part. Likewise, adrenal hormone levels should be checked as a matter of course in such patients.

Doctors don’t have a ready access to a T3 drug, so they continue to prescribe T4 Synthroid/ Levoxyl/ Levothroid despite the fact that the hypothyroid diagnosis results they get are unsatisfactory. They could do much better by turning to nature: whole seaweed or detoxified iodine tincture modulates the thyroid function, helping it return to normal levels without side effects. You may wonder why the medical profession has turned away from using natural sources it probably has to do with financial interests: there is no patentable seaweed

Life Extension Foundation calls this situation a silent epidemic of iodine deficiency:

Iodine therapy shows promise in safely and effectively modulating these health concerns. Thyroid dysfunction creates unfavorable disturbances in lipid profiles, elevating low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol levels and raising the risk of atherosclerosis. Hypothyroidism also weakens the heart muscle, causing it to squeeze less firmly with each contraction; it can cause cardiac arrhythmias as well. These effects may not be evident at rest, but become important during moderate exercise. Low thyroid function is also associated with higher waist-to-hip ratios, an obesity-related risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

It turns out that the thyroid hormones affect the functioning of every cell in the body. They affect energy, function, replication and low thyroid function is associated with a broad range of health problems. The solution is quite simple:

Eating sufficient amounts of iodine, the main nutrient that thyroid requires for its function. Unless you are eating lots of seaweed every day, supplementation is your only viable option. This does make logical sense: most humans have lived on sea shores and have adapted to having access to abundant supply of iodine. We ignore this at our own peril, as a hypothyroid diagnosis is a serious concern. So what are the five ways to be sure? Check your morning body temperature. If it is consistently below normal of 97 degrees, you are almost sure. If you get cold hands and feet, you are more sure. If your eyes are puffy, and your hair and skin are lack-luster, and your PMS is acting up, you can safely bet your iodine levels are too low for your thyroid to function correctly.

Author: Life Enthusiast