Thyroid health often goes unnoticed until problems and imbalances begin to arise, so understanding what really impacts your thyroid health is important to get your symptoms under control and maintain your overall well-being. In this blog, we'll help you understand what your thyroid is, the impacts it has on your body, and six factors that can either improve on or eliminate to maintain optimal thyroid health.
What is a Thyroid?
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in your neck that plays a crucial role in hormone production, energy levels, metabolism function, body temperature, and more. The thyroid gland produces two essential hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), each impacting the functioning of almost every organ in your body.
Your thyroid needs fuel to make these hormones and convert T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) to T3 (active thyroid hormone). The fuel is a combination of vitamins (A, B, and C), minerals, (iodine, copper, zinc, magnesium, and iron), glucose, and amino acids.
When thyroid function and hormone production slow down or speed up, so do many other processes in the body. The result? A thyroid imbalance.
Common Thyroid Imbalances
Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid fails to produce enough thyroid hormones. Also known as an underactive and sluggish thyroid, hypothyroidism can lead to an overall slowdown of your metabolism, fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity, depression, and brain fog.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid overproduces thyroid hormones. Also known as an overactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism can lead to many disruptions throughout your body and cause weight loss, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, and heat intolerance.
Six Factors that Impact Your Thyroid Health
Macronutrients (Proteins, Fats, Carbohydrates)
Micronutrients (Vitamins and Minerals)
Blood Sugar Balance (Insulin and Cortisol)
Stress (Mental, Emotional, Physical)
Meal Timing (How Often You're Eating)
Halogens (Floride, Bromide, Chloride)
Is it Time to Get Your Thyroid Checked?
We check your thyroid function through blood work, but there is so much more to thyroid health than blood work alone. Understanding how minerals, stress, and nutrition impact thyroid function is key for optimal hormone levels. By working on improving and/or eliminating these factors, you can improve your thyroid health and reduce your symptoms.
Hillary Mayers, FNP-C at Lubbock Primary Care specializes in thyroid health and can help get your thyroid under control. Give us a call at 806.701.4040 to schedule a consult today!
