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Even though it's a small gland, the thyroid plays a major portion in our daily lives and when it's not performing right, it takes a huge toll on your body and life.
While I normally talk about homesteading, self-sufficiency, living the simple life, taking care of our health is an important part of this natural lifestyle.
I have thyroid disease and it is often times not diagnosed and when it is, symptoms are treated, but not the actual root cause of why the thyroid isn't functioning right in the first place. While I believe in treating the symptoms, that's not the only thing I want to do. In fact, I had low thyroid symptoms for years but the tests came back in the “normal” range and I was never treated until they became so severe my hair was falling out.
Disclaimer: I'm not a medical doctor, nutritionist or medical professional. This is not intended as medical advice, treatment or diagnosis, only for education and information purposes. Please see a trained medical professional of your choice.
What is the thyroid and what does it do?
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland in your neck that regulates hormones and controls your metabolism and energy levels within our endocrine system.
The thyroid produces and releases two main hormones called T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine). T3 is the active hormone while T4 is considered in active. The thyroid converts T4 to T3 in the body so it can be used. We need T3 as it affects growth and development in the body, heart rate, metabolism (energy levels), body temperature and more.
For a small gland, when it's not functioning properly, it can have huge impacts on your life. Right before getting medical help and going on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, my hair was falling out and I was so exhausted I wanted to cry when I woke up in the morning, even though I'd gotten a full night's sleep. It was beyond a normal feeling of tired that settled deep into my bones.
Most Common Symptoms of Thyroid Not Functioning Properly
- Always feeling cold, especially when others around you are not.
- Hair loss
- Low energy levels or constantly exhausted without seeming cause or reason
- Feeling tired even though you've gotten a full night's rest or more
- Weight gain
- Thinning of the outer eyebrows
- Anxiety
While these are the most common signs, there's actually main other symptoms that aren't always recognized as thyroid impairment. It's estimated that 1 in 3 Americans have thyroid disease and 60% of those 1 in 3 don't know it.
This is a great quiz to help you discover if you have thyroid disease or symptoms–> Thyroid Symptom Quiz
Thyroid disease is becoming more and more common, yet most doctors don't look at the root causes, they just give you a prescription and you're dependent upon that the rest of your life.
What I didn't know was thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder. When I suffered from acid reflux I took several prescriptions up to 4 and 5 times a day, and still had burning almost all the time. It wasn't until I drastically changed the foods and items in our home that I was able to get off the medications completely and heal my stomach.
But I didn't realize the same was true for thyroid. There are many factors as to why the thyroid gland is under attack and steps to take to help it heal. Especially if you're still suffering from symptoms even though you're on medication. Hello, waving my hand right now.
You can sign up to watch this FREE documentary called The Thyroid Secret by Dr. Isabella Wentz. I thought I had a pretty good foundation on thyroid disease, but I had no idea how much more there was to the root cause and ways to help heal my body.
I've been chattering away to my boss every morning about a new insight or study from the documentary (I got a sneak peek of the videos because I'm an affiliate and to make sure I could honestly say it was worth your time) to my boss. While I was doing a lot of things right, whew, there's a lot of room for improvement. To get notified as soon as the FREE videos are up go here.
About the Author
Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.
