As if we women didn’t have enough to worry about. Not only must we endure the hormonal changes brought on by menopause in our middle age, we are also far more prone than our male counterparts to developing a thyroid disorder at some point in our lives – as much as 30% more likely.
Furthermore, the chances increase for those of us over 60, those who’ve recently been pregnant, or those who suffer from other types of autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes. What’s unfortunate is this particular women’s curse is more often than not invisible; that’s why it’s so important to get screened regularly by your doctor to prevent additional complications from manifesting.
Know The Symptoms And Possible Causes
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that is responsible for several bodily functions. If you’ve recently experienced abnormal weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, unexplainable exhaustion, insomnia, impaired cognitive functioning, depression or anxiety – you may be experiencing problems with your thyroid and not realize it.
While some thyroid disorders are hereditary, many are the result of stress, toxins in the body, and nutritional deficiencies. Countless people are unable to say exactly what causes their thyroid to go out of whack, or in the case of thyroiditis – why their body is producing antibodies dead set on destroying part of their thyroid gland.
How To Treat It
Your body is comprised of a number of systems working in connection with one another, this is why we must also look at how your liver, gut, and adrenal glands are functioning to determine if your thyroid disorder is an extension of a complex issue.
Figuring out the “Root Cause” is crucial. In my practice, I will incorporate stool testing to identify pathogens in the body as well as other bugs, bacteria or parasites that might be affecting your health. The blood testing I perform is comprehensive and will include markers indicating whether your thyroid has been under or over active; and hormone testing will help me to see if there is any excess of T3 in your system putting you at risk for hyperthyroidism.
The Benefits Of Functional Medicine
Through functional medicine, I will then be able to treat your body using natural methods. We’ll incorporate a plan to have you feeling less sick, without pumping your system full of adverse chemicals that cause the toxicity in your body to increase. For example, we’ll be able to put you on a diet that will work to reduce your symptoms, and test to see if there’s any food you might be eating (like sugar, or gluten) that is causing your body to turn on itself.
Thyroid disorders are often chronic autoimmune conditions, but there are ways to combat their severity by providing you with tools to cope, and not just prescriptions. Not only will I be able to screen you for illness, I’ll be able to tell you exactly what influenced its appearance while showing you the steps you can take to both take control of it, and boost your overall health in the process.
If you would learn more about Thyroid Disease, you can simply give our office a call at (954)782-4855. For more details about how we can help, please visit our website at www.womensbesthealth.com. We can’t wait to help you take control of your thyroid