Women: These 4 Mistakes Are Tanking Your Thyroid

🗓 Jan 28, 2022 | ⌛️ 6 min read

You may not think much about your thyroid if it’s working well, but rest assured, as soon as it’s not–you won’t be able to ignore it! This little gland regulates your metabolism, energy levels, and mood, and dozens of other essential functions. Thyroid issues like hypothyroidism are increasing–with women up to 8x more likely to experience them than men. And most of us don’t realize that some of our daily behaviors might be tanking thyroid hormones. In this blog post, we will discuss the most common habits that are bad for your thyroid, and talk about ways to support thyroid function naturally.

If you are experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism, it’s important to see a holistic or integrative medicine doctor to identify and treat the issue.

What does your thyroid do?

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that regulates how quickly your body uses energy and how it stores fat. Thyroid hormones also help control other essential functions such as heart rate, muscle strength, menstrual cycles, and brain function. To sum up: Your thyroid gland does A LOT, and it’s often considered your body’s master regulator.

Thyroid disorders are becoming more common, but they’re also underdiagnosed. In fact, up to 60% of people with a thyroid condition have no idea they have a problem with their thyroid hormone levels (1).

Autoimmune thyroid diseases are the most common cause of hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid (2). You can also experience hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, as is the case with Graves’ disease.

There are many things that can disrupt normal thyroid function or negatively impact thyroid hormone production, such as:

A poor diet low in essential nutrients
Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Thyroid surgery or radiation therapy
Drinking alcohol to excess
Iodine deficiency
Hormonal birth control that contains estrogen
Environmental toxins such as lead and mercury

Myo-inositol and selenium have been shown to improve hypothyroidism (3). Learn more about myo-inositol in Hormone Helper>>

Thyroid disorders can make you feel awful

When your thyroid is working optimally, you probably don’t think about it at all–but when it’s struggling–it can feel like it’s trying to take your whole body down with it.

The thyroid is responsible for maintaining metabolism and energy. With hypothyroidism, you may feel sluggish and tired all the time, no matter how much sleep you get. You may also have a harder time losing weight, despite eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. This is because low functioning thyroid can slow down your metabolism, making it harder to burn calories.

If you think you may have low thyroid function, there are a few common symptoms to look out for:

Feeling tired and sluggish all the time no matter how much you sleep
Difficulty losing weight, despite eating healthy foods and exercising regularly
Unexplained weight gain
Dry skin and hair
Constipation
Chronic acid reflux or heartburn
Muscle weakness
Feeling cold all the time

Studies show that women are 5 to 8 times more likely to experience hypothyroidism than men (1)

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a holistic or integrative medicine doctor to evaluate the root cause of your symptoms.

Watch: Balancing Your Thyroid Naturally

The 4 Mistakes That Tank Your Thyroid Hormones

You’re eating gluten-containing foods often

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s also hidden in many processed foods. If you’re gluten intolerant (which might be as many as 1 in 3 people), eating gluten can trigger an immune response that attacks your thyroid gland (4,5).

This is because the protein in gluten looks structurally similar to thyroid tissue, confusing your immune system into flagging your thyroid for destruction. Autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as Hashimoto’s are the most common cause of low thyroid.

If you are struggling with thyroid problems, it’s important to get tested for gluten sensitivity. You may need to go on a gluten-free diet to improve your symptoms. There are many great gluten-free recipes out there, and the benefits from eliminating gluten from your diet can be great.

Try these: 11 Simple Gluten-Free Recipes

Your daily stress is running rampant

A system called the HPA axis regulates your body’s response to stress–mental, physical, emotional, and otherwise. Thyroid hormone levels are closely tied to the HPA axis and any disruption in the way your body handles stress–or just too much of it–can impact the way your thyroid hormones function as well.

Chronic stress is also associated with rises in blood sugar and insulin, and increased inflammatory cytokines, which also significantly impact thyroid dysfunction.

You’re having more than 2 drinks a day

Alcohol can cause direct suppression of thyroid function by damaging thyroid cells, but it can also interfere with signals sent from the hypothalamus to the thyroid that normally trigger the production of thyroid hormones (6).

Excess alcohol consumption can also contribute to estrogen dominance, which is another trigger for hypothyroidism. A state of estrogen excess occurs when there is too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. And even moderate consumption of alcohol has been shown to cause elevated estrogen and reduced progesterone in women (7).

For reference, here’s the breakdown of what counts as ‘too much alcohol’:

One drink a day, or a total of 7 drinks in a week is considered moderate consumption.
More than 4 drinks in one day is considered binge drinking

One study, looking at the relationship between autoimmune hypothyroidism and PCOS found that participants with higher estrogen also had elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and elevated thyroid antibodies (8).

Try it: Booze-free ways to relax!

You’re chronically irritating your gut with gluten, inflammatory foods, and stress

By now, you likely know that the health of your gut affects your entire body–and your thyroid is no different! A leaky gut is when the intestinal barrier becomes permeable, which allows toxins and other harmful substances to escape into the bloodstream.

When this happens, it can trigger an immune response and lead to inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can then lead to autoimmune Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and other immune-mediated diseases.

A leaky gut also makes it much more difficult to absorb nutrients essential for thyroid health, like zinc, iodine, and selenium which can increase your risk of developing hypothyroidism.

How does your gut health affect estrogen? Meet your estrobolome.

You have a high toxic load

Your thyroid gland is vulnerable to the effects of environmental toxins, including many that are found in household goods you handle every day. Many of these compounds are known endocrine disruptors, which means that they interfere with the production or function of hormones in your body–including thyroid hormones.

Examples of common endocrine disruptors include:

Toxins in household items: BPA, perfluorinated compounds (PFOAs) in non-stick pans, flame retardants found in things like carpet and furniture can also cause endocrine dysfunction. It’s often difficult to avoid all these compounds because of their widespread use.

Industrial chemicals: PCBs and dioxins are common industrial chemicals that have been shown to disrupt normal thyroid function (9).

Pesticides and herbicides: Agricultural chemicals can interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism by restricting the thyroid’s ability to utilize iodine and reducing the cellular uptake of thyroid hormone. Prevalence rates and risk of having thyroid diseases were significantly higher in areas with higher pesticide use, with a 49% greater risk for hypothyroidism (10).

Heavy metals: Cadmium, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals negatively affect thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and other hormones in the endocrine system (11).

How does your toxic load stack up? Take the quiz to find out!

Special Concern: Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy is often overlooked

During pregnancy, your thyroid ramps up production of hormones to support a developing baby. The problem is that researchers estimate that at least 13% of women have some degree of thyroid autoimmune disease during pregnancy (12). This means that the increased stress on the thyroid during pregnancy can be a big problem for expecting moms. Consider this:

Out of the women who have thyroid antibodies during pregnancy, more than one third will develop postpartum hypothyroidism (13)
In another study, researchers state that the “vast majority of women who develop postpartum thyroiditis are thyroid antibody-positive prior to pregnancy” (14)

Simply put, for women who have unknown autoimmune thyroid issues, the stress the thyroid undergoes during pregnancy can be enough to trigger autoimmune thyroid disease.

If you’re over 30, have previous thyroid issues, hypothyroidism symptoms, or just want to optimize thyroid health prior to pregnancy, it’s important to request a comprehensive thyroid panel to identify any issues with thyroid hormones as soon as possible.

The best ways to boost an underactive thyroid

If you suspect hypothyroidism, it’s crucial to work with a holistic or integrative medicine physician who can help you optimize not only diet and lifestyle changes, but recommend the right supplements or medication to address hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones are essential, which means your body can’t live without them.

The best diet for low thyroid

Foods can be the best medicine in terms of helping to increase thyroid hormone naturally. A diet that is supportive of a healthy thyroid includes plenty of vegetables, some fruit, moderate amounts of clean protein, and healthy fats.

Avoid uncooked cruciferous vegetables – Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and cabbage can actually inhibit thyroid function if eaten in large quantities. Try to avoid these vegetables when raw and eat them cooked in moderation.

Increase your intake of iodine-rich foods – Iodine is essential for the activation and conversion of thyroid hormones, and many people don’t get enough from their diet. Increase your intake of seafood, seaweed, and other iodine-rich foods to help support healthy thyroid hormone levels.

***For some people who have abnormal thyroid function, iodine can actually worsen symptoms of an underactive thyroid. This is why it’s so important to work with a functional physician who can identify the root cause of your thyroid issues.

Add some selenium-rich foods – Selenium is also essential for thyroid health, and many people don’t get enough from their diet. Brazil nuts, tuna, salmon, eggs, and mushrooms are good sources of this mineral.

Get the full RDA for selenium (plus hormone support) in Boost>>

Consume healthy fats – A diet that is low in healthy fats can be a contributing factor for low thyroid function. Consume plenty of healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts and seeds to support endocrine health.

Avoid processed foods – Not only are most ultra-processed foods devoid of many nutrients, but they can also contain endocrine disruptors that interfere with normal thyroid function. Try to avoid or at least limit your intake of ultra-processed foods as much as possible.

Limit caffeine and alcohol – Caffeine and alcohol can also interfere with thyroid function by directly affecting the thyroid gland itself and other important endocrine systems like your adrenal glands. Limit your alcohol intake, and be mindful of caffeine consumption if you’re sensitive to it.

Try these: 7 Wellness Tonics for Hormone Balance, Glowing Skin, and More

Other changes for a healthy thyroid:

In my practice, I always recommend my thyroid patients consider these changes as they may help support healthy thyroid function, or maximize the effectiveness of their thyroid replacement medication.

Get regular exercise – Exercise is essential for overall health, including a healthy thyroid. Try to get in at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

Get adequate sleep – Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for overall health, including a healthy thyroid. Try to get in at least seven hours of quality sleep each night.

Manage stress – Stress can interfere with thyroid function and be a common issue for people with thyroid problems. Find ways to manage your stress such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises.

Thyroid function is essential for your health and well-being. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of low thyroid, it’s important to speak with a functional medicine provider who can get to the root cause of your issues.

Healing Hypothyroid with Holistic Medicine

There are many reasons why your thyroid may be underactive, but some of the most common causes are driven by autoimmune issues triggered by a poor diet, exposure to toxins, and even pregnancy. Increasing Intake of hormone-healthy foods like fats and proteins, and avoiding gluten is one step toward improving thyroid function. You can also avoid caffeine, alcohol, and reduce stress to support thyroid health.

Because healthy thyroid function is absolutely essential to your well-being, it’s crucial to address it quickly with a qualified holistic practitioner.

Need more thyroid-boosting tips? Join here for special email-only perks and info delivered straight to you.

Resources

The Pursuit of Better Health is just a click away!

Join our email list for exclusive offers, personalised tips and the latest news.

Have a Question?
E-mail us at
support@doctortaz.com