The thyroid is responsible for a lot more than you may think. This little gland located in our neck secretes necessary hormones and controls metabolism. If your thyroid levels are out of balance, your weight can swing one way or the other regardless of your diet. For those being hypo-thyroid (underactive thyroid), it can make you feel sluggish and depressed, cause dry skin, make your joints ache, and create puffiness under your eyes as well as weight gain. Not to mention, it can put a damper on your sex drive.
Hashimoto’s Disease is one of the most common causes of hypothyroidism. This is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own thyroid gland.
On the flip side, a case of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can cause heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea, and extreme weight loss.
Although the most common thyroid problem is hypothyroidism, neither scenario is easy to deal with…Unfortunately there are an estimated 27 million Americans that have some form of thyroid disease and a large percentage of those people go undiagnosed.
Before working with a new client, I always like to review their thyroid levels. A textbook situation I frequently see is someone who watches what they eat and exercises, but they continue to have poor energy levels and can’t seem to lose weight. They may also have issues with their partner for not being sympathetic to their unexplainable mood swings.
Often I find that the cause is hypothyroidism. Fortunately this can be corrected with a little thyroid medication and some dietary alterations. The key is not waiting too long to have it diagnosed.