What is a thyroid and what does it do?

Nardini Naturopathic has an area of special interest in thyroid health. This is because it’s intimately connected with many other parts of the body. As a result, an imbalance in your thyroid can lead to a wide range of different health issues.

But your thyroid doesn’t get a lot of attention.

It’s the biggest gland in the human body, but one of the smaller organs in the human body. The skin, liver, brain, lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen, and pancreas are all bigger.

It’s also not directly affected by some of the most commonly talked about diseases, including heart disease, respiratory diseases, or most forms of cancer.

You can even continue living after having your thyroid removed, which is not true for many other bodily organs.

Nevertheless, this little gland can have a big impact on your health. Here’s why.

Endocrine Health

Your endocrine system is an intricate system of organs in your body. This includes your thyroid as well as your pituitary gland and pineal gland in your brain, liver, stomach, pancreas, kidney, and duodenum in your mid section, and your reproductive organs.

This system supplies your body with the hormones your body needs to regulate its metabolism, sexual and reproductive functions, sleep, mood, and much more. As a result, disorders of these organs can severely impact one’s quality of life.

Common diseases of the endocrine system include diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, thyroid cancer, reproductive disorders, depression, and anxiety.

So Why Is The Thyroid So Special?

Your thyroid’s job is to release hormones into your blood, including the T1 and T3 hormones. These hormones have a big impact on your metabolism. When your thyroid is balanced, your metabolism will be balanced as well. But if it’s underactive or overactive, it can cause all sorts of other issues.

An underactive thyroid is known as hypothyroidism. This is a fairly common condition; some estimates claim up to 5% of people worldwide suffer from this disorder. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, depression, memory loss, a low heart rate, sensitivity to cold, muscle weakness, a puffy or swollen face, and unusual menstrual activity.

Meanwhile, an overactive thyroid is known as hyperthyroidism. This can cause sudden and unexpected weight loss, sweating, nervousness, depression, anxiety, irritability, an increased appetite, insomnia, weak or brittle hair, and unusual menstrual activity.

Other thyroid disorders include:

· Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition where your body’s immune system disrupts your thyroid, causing it to become overactive.

· Thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid which causes thyroid hormones to leak into the bloodstream

· Goiter, an enlarged thyroid often caused by an iodine deficiency

· Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition caused by the immune system mistaking the thyroid for a viral infection

· Wilson’s temperature syndrome , a difficult to diagnose thyroid disorder which often manifests itself in a low body temperature

Because the symptoms for many thyroid disorders are common to other ailments as well, they often go misdiagnosed and untreated. This is why it can be helpful to speak with a health practitioner with a special interest in thyroid health. They can spot disorders which other health professionals may misdiagnose.

Treatment For Thyroid Disorders

If you believe you may be suffering from a thyroid disorder, Nardini Naturopathic may be able to help. Contact Nardini Naturopathic today to book your free 15 minute consultation.

You’ll get a chance to speak with one of our licensed naturopathic doctors who will answer your questions and help you decide whether naturopathic medicine is for you.

Contact Nardini Naturopathic today.

Contact Nardini Naturopathic today.