Too Much or Too Little
We’ve heard time and again that life is all about balance. Too much of a good thing and all that. The Shakespearean proverb espousing that too much of even a good thing can be bad has been handed down for millennia. Too much of a good thing is true in every area of one’s life, even our hormones.
The Thyroid and Hormonal Balance
The thyroid plays a major role in hormonal well-being and balance. It’s a gland shaped like a butterfly, located at the base of your throat. It’s part of the endocrine system and is responsible for numerous metabolic functions, including:
- Weight gain or loss
- Calcium levels within the body
- Heart health and rate
- Bone health
- Muscle health
- Metabolic rate (fast or slow metabolism)
- Body temperature
- Skin and hair health
Clearly, the thyroid plays a significant role in one’s health. In terms of hormones, the thyroid is the captain of the ship. If you have a thyroid imbalance, it can cause innumerable health problems.
Hyper or Hypo?
The thyroid can produce too much thyroid hormone, which is called hyperthyroidism. When it produces too little, you experience hypothyroidism. Both are frustrating conditions with different symptoms. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:
- Inability to tolerate heat
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Moodiness and irritability
- Anxiety
- Irregular heartbeat
- Tremors
- Diarrhea
- Goiter or enlarged thyroid
Conversely, the thyroid can produce too little thyroid hormone, which is called hypothyroidism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Inability to tolerate cold
- Joint pain
- Weight gain
- Facial puffiness
- Dry skin
- Thinning hair
- Irregular menses
- Constipation
- Depression
Too much (hyper) and too little (hypo) thyroid hormone can wreak havoc with your body and your life.
Thyroid Optimization
Optimizing your thyroid’s function is a key piece of feeling your best. Thyroid optimization can occur through diet and exercise, by including foods like:
- Seaweed
- Seafood
- Cow’s milk
- Low-fat cheese
and supplements like Omega-3s and vitamin D. However, as with many health-related conditions, diet and exercise may not be enough to create optimal thyroid function. In that case, Vallee Health Repair can help.
How Vallee Health Repair Can Help
For those in Quincy, IL and the surrounding areas, Vallee Health Repair can help you evaluate the most effective ways to optimize your thyroid. To get the clearest picture of how your thyroid is working, we’ll order the standard TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test as well as testing your T4 and T3 levels. We’ll also order any other tests we think will give us the most information about your thyroid function. We’ll take a complete personal and family health history during our consultation, as well as doing a physical examination, to unravel symptoms you may have and their relationship to your thyroid’s performance. From that, we’ll develop an individualized plan to optimize your thyroid function.
Tasha Vallee, Tasha Vallee, FNP-BC, FPA is a compassionate, certified family nurse practitioner licensed in the State of Illinois. She is committed to helping you get to the root of any imbalance you may have. Call (217) 577-2992 or email vhrillinois@gmail.com today to optimize your thyroid and your health.
Disclaimer: The information contained here was not written by a medical doctor and is intended for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for medical advice.