Are you familiar with your thyroid gland? It’s that butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that is an essential part of your metabolism, releasing hormones that affect almost every part of your body, including your brain, heart, muscles and skin.
But when your thyroid doesn’t release hormones at a normal rate, it may lead to hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism affects more than 3 million people a year and more often than not, symptoms usually go unnoticed. By knowing what hypothyroidism is, you will be able to look out for certain symptoms, understand the underlying causes and find natural remedies to reverse this ailment.
What Does the Thyroid Gland Do?
Your thyroid gland is responsible for how your body’s cells convert food into energy, which is the process known as metabolism.
In addition to many other things, your metabolism affects your heartbeat, your body temperature and how fast you burn calories. If your thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones, you will notice how your body processes will start to slow down, resulting in decreased energy and a sluggish metabolism.
What Is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is also referred to as underactive thyroid disease. It is a very common disorder that happens when your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism affects everyone, but women ages 19 to 60 are more likely to experience it.
Since your thyroid regulates your body’s metabolism, people struggling with this condition will often have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Dry hair
- Constipation
- Memory loss
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Irritability
When uninformed, these symptoms are often mistaken among women for their “time of the month,” adding to why these symptoms go unnoticed. Knowing about the symptoms and causes can help develop an effective treatment strategy.
What Causes Hypothyroidism?
There are a few causes of hypothyroidism, but the most common cause is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disorder that happens when your body produces antibodies that destroy the thyroid gland.
Other causes of hypothyroidism include:
- Use of certain medications
- Lack of iodine in the diet
- Pregnancy
- Damage to the pituitary gland
- Hormone imbalances
- Gut inflammation
- Genetics
- Stress
Treatment options for hypothyroidism usually involve surgery or medications, but there are natural alternative treatments that are just as beneficial. By knowing these natural remedies and the necessary steps to take, you can start the healing process to a healthier you.
Natural Remedies for Hypothyroidism
The conventional treatment for hypothyroidism is taking a daily thyroid hormone replacement medication, but medications are often accompanied by side effects and if you’re a forgetful nelly, forgetting to take a pill might lead to more complications. Natural remedies have fewer side effects and are versatile enough to fit into your overall lifestyle.
The overall goal of natural remedies is to correct the root cause of the thyroid problem. Thyroid complications are caused as a result of a poor diet or missing nutrients in the body.
Changing your diet is one of the best ways you can alleviate your thyroid condition. Consider the following natural remedies as a healthier alternative to your treatment plan.
Sugar-Free Diet
Sugar and processed foods with additives can cause inflammation in the body, which can slow down your thyroid hormones. Eliminating sugar from your diet can help you regulate your energy levels, reduce your stress levels and help improve your skin.
Although cutting back on sugar isn’t an easy task, being able to boost your thyroid health will be worth it.
Probiotics
A correlation was established between hypothyroidism and small intestine complications. These issues include the overgrowth of yeast. Probiotics contain live bacteria that can help regulate your gut flora and keep your intestines healthy.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B helps convert food into energy. Low thyroid hormones can affect your body’s vitamin B-12 levels. Adding more B vitamins to your diet can repair some of the damages hypothyroidism causes while giving you more energy.
Selenium
Selenium is a trace element that plays a role in thyroid hormone metabolism. Foods like grass-fed beef, turkey, tuna and brazil nuts contain selenium. Eating these foods can help balance your hormone levels.
Following the mentioned suggestions will help regulate your thyroid glands and bring balance back to your hormones. There are many advantages of adopting a natural thyroid treatment plan, however, if you’ve had surgery to remove your thyroid gland, a natural treatment plan wouldn’t be beneficial for you. So make sure to discuss any treatment plan with your doctor before starting them.
