Thyroid Health

Warning: Low Battery Mode

The thyroid is your body’s master control switch. It keeps you right around 98 degrees all the time. It controls your metabolism and how fast and strong your heart beats.

When your body is under stress of any kind, the thyroid adapts. Of course, your thyroid can’t tell if the stress you’re experiencing is short-term, like a big presentation coming up at work, or long-term, like the famines our ancestors experienced during a bad harvest. So when stress happens, your thyroid lowers its function in order to slow down your metabolism, safely ensuring that you’ll have resources left for the long winter.

It’s just like your phone battery – when resources dip, it goes into low battery mode to make sure you have enough juice left until you find a power source again. During this time, everything still works, but the lighting is dimmer and the operating system is a little slower. That’s your thyroid constantly adapting to protect you.

But the side effects of a body in low battery mode are no fun! You’re fatigued, irritable, too hot or too cold, you have unexplained weight gain or weight loss, high cholesterol, hormone imbalances, and possibly infertility. Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and other thyroid problems all have different symptoms, but they have one thing in common: You don’t feel right, and no one seems to be able to fix it.

“Normal” thyroid tests often don’t tell the whole story.

Understanding the Thyroid Gland

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The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, located in front of the trachea. It’s responsible for storing and releasing the hormones that control the speed of your metabolism. If the thyroid’s production of the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) is disrupted, a thyroid disorder can develop.

The thyroid gland predominantly produces T4, which is then converted to T3, the hormone responsible for doing the major work of the thyroid. The pituitary gland plays a role too, making thyroid-stimulating hormones (TSH) that are responsible for telling the thyroid gland how much T3 and T4 to produce.

The thyroid plays a critical role in your overall health, which is why you can feel full-body symptoms when your thyroid isn’t working properly, from gastrointestinal function to cholesterol levels. Potential signs of a thyroid imbalance vary based on whether the thyroid is underactive or overactive, and the list can include:

Too much energy or extreme fatigue
Feeling anxious and restless or depressed and sluggish
Chills or sweating
Sleeping problems
Hair loss
Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
Irregular heartbeat
Feeling cold or hot, regardless of the weather
Dry skin or very oily skin
Brittle hair and nails

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If you don’t feel right, then something is wrong.

Negative results for suspected thyroid imbalances can make you feel a little crazy, as if your symptoms are psychological rather than physical. It can also be deeply discouraging to chase answers that feel out of reach.

Keep listening to your body – it will tell you the truth. And when you’re ready, reach out to our team to schedule a complimentary 45-minute Initial Consultation & Evaluation. We know how to help you choose the right testing, understand your results, and take smart steps toward better health.

Look Closer

The production of thyroid hormone in the body is complex. The correct testing reveals which links in the thyroid chain are the weak ones.

Remove the Stress

The next step is to strategically identify and reduce any relevant stress that may be contributing to thyroid imbalance, supporting the areas that need the most help first.

Bridge Nutrient Gaps

Making thyroid hormones is like baking a cake. If you're missing the basic ingredients, you can still try to make the cake, but it won't turn out very well. Restocking your thyroid kitchen can be a game changer.

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From Fatigued and Failing to Happy, Energized Student

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Kathryn was so tired that she dropped out of school.

She had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease 5 years before she came to Ann Arbor Holistic Health. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition that causes the body's immune system to mistakenly attack the thyroid, causing impaired thyroid function.

Kathryn had already tried medications, but her symptoms just got worse. Not only did she have to leave college due to extreme fatigue, she couldn’t lose weight, she was losing her hair, her eczema was out of control, and numerous other symptoms continued to pop up. She had hit rock bottom and was ready to get to the root of her ongoing issues.

Right away, her AAHH practitioner helped her choose functional lab testing that revealed major inflammation, nutrient weaknesses from poor diet and digestion, unfriendly gut microbes, a reaction to gluten, and blood sugar imbalances. This knowledge was powerful! Her test results revealed the root causes of her thyroid imbalance, so she could strategically remove the biochemical stress and nourish her body.

Within 6 weeks of starting her customized Comprehensive Wellness Plan, Kathryn’s energy was better, her bloating was almost gone, she was exercising (and loving it!), and her mood had improved dramatically. Fast-forward to a few months later… Kathryn was losing weight, feeling energetic, her skin had cleared up, and her belly was 100% calm.

Stories like this happen every day at Ann Arbor Holistic Health, and we couldn’t be more delighted and honored to guide our clients on their wellness journeys. We want this kind of transformation for you too!

Do you think there’s something wrong with your thyroid? Your body speaks loudly, and your intuition matters. If you’re listening to it, you’re already on the right path to better health! Contact us today to schedule a free comprehensive evaluation, so you can begin the process of restoring your well-being.

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