Thyroid 101 » under active thyroid

Is Your Thyroid Gland Making You Overweight?

admin — Sun, 31 May 2009 08:13:23 +0000

Over the past couple of years have you been extremely tired and can barely muster enough energy to get through the day? Are you gaining weight at an alarming speed? Has your mother had a thyroid problem or your sister been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and feels more energy now that she is taking thyroid medication? Maybe you have gone to your doctor for tests but they come back normal for thyroid. There are many causes for weight gain so maybe it isn’t your thyroid gland, but then again maybe it is. The reason it may still be your thyroid gland that is making you overweight is because even though the standard THS tests may show you are in a normal range, you need further testing.

Any time there is a decrease in thyroid function there will be a corresponding decrease in the consumption of energy. Weight gain can be the result of an under-active thyroid. Many women are overweight because of this under-active condition and do not even know that the reason for their weight gain is their THS imbalance. You can be eating significantly less than those who are lean and yet still gain weight because your thyroid imbalance is not allowing you to use energy, instead it is storing it in the form of fat.

If your TSH test results have come back in the normal range, ask your doctor to check your T4 and free T3 levels. Seeing an endocrinologist may be better person to go to for testing your thyroid gland problem than a regular MD.

However, once you have been diagnosed as having this and have been prescribed the proper medication for your condition, you may still gain weight. The problem may be because after having gone for years with an under-active thyroid, your metabolism set point has lowered. A lower metabolism set point means it will be hard to lose weight. It is a good idea to have your blood sugar levels tested to see if you are insulin resistant now which may be the cause of your weight gain also.

The good news is that there are natural cures for hypothyroidism that you can learn about. These cures make use of natural herbs and foods that feed the thyroid gland and can nourish your body back to good health.

Tips to Help You Control Thyroid Diseases and Weight Gain

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:04:07 +0000

There are millions of Americans that have some sort of thyroid problem or disease. Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that is a part of your endocrine system. Your thyroid gland controls your metabolism which in turn controls your weight gain. If your metabolism slows down because you have hypothyroidism, you will gain weight.

Thyroid diseases interfere with how your thyroid works. People can develop goiters which is an enlarged thyroid or they may develop either hyper or hypo thyroids. Hyper refers to the condition where your thyroid is over active and hypo means that your thyroid is under active.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

* Weight loss
* Sensitivity to heat
* Anxiety and irritability
* Panic attacks
* Insomnia
* Fatigue
* More frequent bowel movements
* Sweating
* Goiter (enlargement in your neck)
* Graves’ disease ophthalmology – bulging and drying out of the eyeballs

Symptoms of hypothyroidism, or under active thyroid, include:

* Weight gain
* Fatigue
* Sensitivity to cold
* Clinical depression
* Constipation
* Dry, rough skin and hair
* Irritability
* Memory loss

When your thyroid gland is not working properly, it will either release too much thyroid hormone into your system or too little. Women should be more concerned about thyroid cancer than men. However, thyroid cancer is very treatable with iodine and the thyroid gland may be removed to treat it.

Recent findings give great hope for successfully treating thyroid problems holistically. Natural approaches to treating thyroid conditions involve exercise, diet and certain supplementation. When you begin to eat the proper foods that actually feed your thyroid gland, your metabolism will be corrected and your weight gain will vanish without effort. There are several thyroid diets you can read about to find out what type of diet is best so you can control thyroid diet and weight gain.

One other important tip to keep in mind is that the type of oil that you ingest daily is of extreme importance when trying to correct a thyroid disorder that leads to weight gain. Switching to coconut oil has been helping many people to correct a slow metabolism whereas polyunsaturated oils only make the condition worse. Many such people say that as soon as they taking Virgin Coconut Oil the fat began to melt and many have lost 20 pounds effortlessly. It has to be Virgin Coconut oil though. You can find it in your local health food stores.

Sleep Deprivation and an Under Active Thyroid

admin — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:55:30 +0000

Have you suffered with several symptoms leading to the diagnosis of an under active thyroid gland? Is one of the symptoms that compelled you to seek a diagnosis sleep deprivation? Are you suffering from complete exhaustion, sweating all the time and have noticed you have a horse voice all the time? All of these are symptoms of having an under active thyroid. People who have sleep deprivation and an under active thyroid are depressed and lack enthusiasm for life.

Many women are affected by sleep deprivation and an under active thyroid more than men. The thyroid gland is the master gland that affects metabolism and energy levels and yes, even sleep patterns. It is located at the base of our throat and it has an extreme amount of influence over our sleep patterns and many other functions of our body.

If low thyroid functioning is affecting your sleep, you will wake up still feeling exhausted after even 10 hours of sleep. Taking naps will be a necessity, instead of a luxury you indulge in once in awhile, if you have an under active thyroid. You may find yourself falling asleep in your car at lunchtime or while sitting reading a good book that you are really very interested in. This type of fatigue is not normal. Not everyone experiences it. It is caused by a slowed metabolism and lack of sleep that is the result of hypothyroidism.

If you do not treat your under active thyroid, you may also begin to suffer from sleep apnea. This has been the finding of sleep researchers. Sleep apnea is more than just a problem of snoring loudly. It is a condition where one stops breathing during sleep and can be a dangerous condition.

If your low thyroid functioning is causing you to be unable to sleep adequately, your stage 4 sleep phase will be insufficient. This is the restorative phase of ones sleep where your body is able to repair the damage caused by stress and re-energizes itself. The result is brain fog and weight gain and extreme tiredness.

Another thyroid problem that can cause sleep deprivation is transient thyroiditis. This is a condition that means that your thyroid gland is inflamed. Inflammation of the thyroid is common during periomenopause and menopause as well as a condition women can suffer during the post-par-tum period after childbirth. You will experience the area of your thyroid gland, neck and throat area being tender if your thyroid is inflamed. One of the first symptoms of a woman entering menopause is the lack of ability to sleep well.

If you have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid, properly treating it will help resolve your sleep problems. There are natural cures you can try or prescription medications you can take. You should avoid drinking coffee or alcohol, especially in the late afternoon or evenings. Also, taking magnesium and calcium supplements will help as well as 100-400 mg of 5 HTP and a Melatonin supplement. It is a good idea to speak to your medical doctor about your sleep deprivation and under active thyroid too.

Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain is a Tough Condition

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:15:40 +0000

Are you having trouble losing weight? Hypothyroidism and weight gain is a tough condition to over come but you can do it. Your weight gain may not be your fault. You can have an under active thyroid and not even know it. If you have a thyroid disorder that is due to a poor functioning or diseased thyroid, you will gain weight, have dry skin, have brittle nails, be unable to conceive and have dry flaky skin. Your voice may be hoarse and your hair falling out. Another sign of low thyroid functioning is the fact that you will be missing about a third of your outer eyebrows. So if your eyebrows are not what they used to be and you have gained weight without eating more, you should pay your doctor a visit and have your thyroid levels tested.

Hypothyroidism means an under active, reduced or less than normal thyroid functioning. Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located at the base of your throat. It secretes thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism means the under-functioning of the thyroid gland in the body.

Thyroxine is the hormone that is normally released in the body. It will show up on your blood test under the title of T4. It is called T4 because it has four iodine molecules. Thyroid hormones have various functions in the body. It is carried in the blood stream to the many cells of the body. It ensures that other organs and tissues in the body are functioning correctly. Thyroixine aids the heart, brain, body and muscles of the body. When it is out of balance because of a thyroid disorder, the body has a tendency to gain weight and keep it on even when the victim of hypothyroidism is dieting. The body just will not function properly and energy levels will plummet. The body will be unable to process carbs and calories properly. If you are gaining weight and feeling tired the entire time, go see your doctor as soon as possible and explain all of your symptoms. A blood test will be needed to confirm that you are suffering from hypothyroidism.

Once confirmed as an under active thyroid condition, the proper medication can be prescribed and excess weight will melt off. You may also try a thyroid diet that will help you balance your thyroid levels with out the need for prescribed medication. A few of the proper foods eaten every day can make a world of difference. There is no need to suffer needlessly. Hypothyroidism and weight gain is a tough condition but it can be controlled naturally or with medication.