Pills Don’t Fix Everything: Look Deeper to Reverse Hashimoto Disease
You know when something is wrong with your body. But thyroid problems often go undiagnosed because the one simple blood test that’s used to identify abnormal thyroid hormone levels can be inaccurate. If you work with a practitioner of functional medicine, however, life can be different, especially if you have Hashimoto’s Disease.
Do You Have Hashimoto’s Disease?
Hashimoto’s Disease is a common thyroid problem that is a combination of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. The initial thyroid inflammation results in excess thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism). Over time, the inflammation interferes with the production of enough thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism). These imbalances can lead to fatigue, aching joints, constipation, dry skin, unexplainable weight gain, hair loss, poor sleep, sensitivity to cold, and more.
Hashimoto’s is known to affect women especially, which may be one of the reasons these symptoms are quickly and easily attributed to depression. It’s true, the symptoms of Hashimoto’s and mood issues can mirror each other, but a thyroid problem can affect hundreds of key functions in the body, from metabolism to cholesterol levels, sleep to digestion, fertility to mental clarity. Investigating the problems further can getting clarification of their source is worth the effort.
Rely on Functional Medicine to Manage Hashimoto’s Disease
Even though Hashimoto’s Disease can be a daunting and sneaky problem that is often underdiagnosed, through a customized plan, you can alter your lifestyle and environment to better support your health and rid yourself of this debilitating chronic illness.
Some of the methods that might be used to diagnose you:
- Thorough lab testing. TSH should be tested with a blood test, but testing should also be done for free T3, free T4, TOP, anti-thyroglobulin antibody, reverse T3, iodine levels, and heavy metals.
- Identify root causes. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, a practitioner of functional medicine will want to know everything about your medical history, lifestyle, environment, diet, exercise, relationships, and even spiritual health to get a well-rounded picture of your health and other factors that could be contributing to your symptoms.
- Rule out other afflictions. Just as Hashimoto’s symptoms can be confused with mood disorders, other problems could be in play, like anemia, nutritional deficiencies, stress, viral infections, or Lyme disease.
And some of the efforts that might be used to begin the healing process:
- Adjust diet and nutrition. This may mean avoiding gluten, eating low-mercury seafood, and identifying previously unknown food sensitivities.
- Add supplements. Identifying nutritional deficiencies and supplementing them with the nutrients needed to support healthy thyroid function (like zinc, iodine, iron, thiamine, and selenium).
- Take appropriate medication. The common thyroid drugs used to treat thyroid problems are not right for everyone. There are various forms of this medication that can affect how your body absorbs and responds to it. Ingredients, allergies, and other factors can affect whether medication can help or hinder your recovery.
Seeking out a practitioner of functional medicine who is willing to thoroughly understand what you’re experiencing can truly be the key to helping you find good health again. The practice of functional medicine is based on getting to the bottom of the symptoms you’re experiencing, addressing their root sources. A personalized approach conducted mainly through lifestyle interventions is used to support people as they recover from their afflictions. And remember to be patient – changing your body takes time, but a solution is possible.
Get answers to the symptoms you’re experiencing and find out whether you have a Hashimoto’s Disease diagnosis. Contact the Restorative Wellness Center in Ann Arbor to schedule a consultation with our functional medicine team.
