What are hyper- and hypo-thyroidism?
The thyroid gland is a regulator that controls the rate of our metabolism. It works a bit like the accelerator in a car. Depending on the pressure we put upon it, the car’s speed increases or decreases. Imagine the body ‘steps on’ the thyroid gland in order to give appropriate commands for all the functional mechanisms of our bodies.
If your thyroid is out of sorts it can cause big issues:
- Hyperthyroidism causes everything to speed up, leading to feelings of agitation, weight loss and difficulty sleeping.
- Hypothyroidism causes the body to slow down, leading to weight gain, constipation, fatigue, high cholesterol and heavy periods in women.
- In serious cases the body can produce antibodies against the thyroid. This, combined with food intolerances, can lead to autoimmune thyroid diseases.
How can nutritional therapy help with thyroid issues?
Our thyroid does not lose its rhythm for no reason; there are many lifestyle and dietary factors that can cause this deregulation. Together we’ll work through a three step process to find out what’s behind your thyroid issues and help you make positive changes to restore it to its proper function.
Step 1: Take a thorough case history
First we will discuss what has been going on so I can get a picture of all the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. We will talk about lifestyle factors that may be contributing to your stress or anxiety levels, as well as looking at your diet and eating patterns. Because thyroid function directly depends on the adrenals and the pituitary, I always support all three glands nutritionally.
Step 2: I may suggest a food intolerance test to check for intolerances to foods such as gluten.
Step 3:Create a personalised nutritional therapy programme
Equipped with the results of the tests I will design an individual nutritional therapy programme for you including recipes and a supplement plan. You will learn the types of foods you should be eating and those you should be avoiding, to better support your body in resolving this condition.