Feeling Tired and Sluggish: It Could be Your Thyroid


By Mary Moskowitz, MS, CHC


minor aches and pains, increased gas and bloating and mood and sleep disturbances. If you fail to listen to these messages, they will continue to get louder until you are eventually forced to listen.


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Understanding what is causing these signs and symptoms and addressing the root cause is key to optimal healing and recovery. The problem is many of us take the quick fix, band-aid approach to dealing with physical and emotional discomfort. We hope that the symptoms will go away and we can get on with our overly chaotic lives. This is where the medical roller coaster begins. A good example of how this approach fails us is with thyroid dis- ease.


In the past few years, especially in middle-aged women, there


seems to have been an increase of hypothyroid disease caused by Autoimmune Thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s. Many people have this debilitating condition for years and never know they have it. They may have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put on a med- ication, but this didn’t really help them feel much better. Some are told it is menopause, stress or old age and that they should expect to feel lousy and tired for the rest of their lives.


Hashimoto’s is a disease that should not be ignored. If you


don’t take heed, you will receive its messages loud and clear! Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland. It is more common among women. 95% of people diagnosed with hypothyroidism have Hashimoto’s and don’t realize it.


The most common symptoms of Hashimoto’s are: • fatigue


• weight gain despite a healthy diet and exercise • depression • constipation • cold sensitivity and numbness in your hands and feet • dry hair that falls out easily • dry skin


14 Essential Living Maine ~ March/April 2017


our body is an amazing machine. When things are not right, your body will give you subtle messages that it might need your attention. Messages such as feeling a little run down,


• low auxiliary body temperature • loss of outermost portion of your eyebrows • brain fog and memory lapses • infertility and miscarriage • high cholesterol • raspy voice


If you are experiencing at least 3 of the above symptoms, you


might have a thyroid condition. Even if you were told your thyroid is fine there is a good chance it isn't! Most practitioners only check TSH and T4 levels causing them to miss crucial information since it doesn’t provide a comprehensive evaluation of how your thyroid is fully functioning. They will also wait until your TSH level is on the higher side before they will treat you with thyroid medications. At this point, you will be having increased symptoms and discomfort and there is a risk of more damage to your thyroid gland (the typical TSH reference range is 0.5-5.0 nU/L- functional medical practitioners consider 1-2 mU/L as the optimal range). Having the proper lab tests done will give you a better picture of how your thyroid is functioning and allow you to take action to correct the problem.


The best lab tests* to check for an optimal diagnosis are: • a complete thyroid panel that includes: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, TPO Antibodies, TGB Antibodies


• Vitamins and minerals: Ferritin and Vitamins D3 and B12 • Sugar levels: Glucose (fasting blood sugar), HA1C and Insulin • Lipid Panel: Total Cholesterol, LDL, HDL and Triglycerides


* check with your insurance company to see if these labs are covered so you know what costs to expect


Once it is determined you truly have a problem with your


thyroid, then what makes the most sense is figuring out what is causing your immune system to attack your thyroid gland and treat these underlying conditions. Remove the trigger and the attack will subside and stop, if caught soon enough. It is like stepping on a piece of glass and just putting a band aid on it and taking aspirin to alleviate the pain. The glass is still there and will eventually


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