| Hypothyroidism is primarily due to a dysfunction of the | | | | sluggish. Thyroxine determines how efficiently food is |
| thyroid gland itself. In most cases when someone | | | | burned within the body and how quickly nutrients are |
| suffers from hypothyroidism there is an impairment of | | | | converted into energy. |
| the thyroid gland, which causes it to produce too little | | | | Symptoms |
| thyroid hormone,specifically thyroxine. If you have | | | | There are several symptoms, which taken together |
| hypothyroidism, with a little know-how you can start | | | | can indicate an under active thyroid. As the thyroid |
| taking control of your condition and reclaim your health. | | | | influences every system in your body the potential list |
| Within a short while you can start looking and feeling | | | | of symptoms can be enormous. The most common |
| better. | | | | indicators are unexplained fatigue, depression, poor |
| The Thyroid Gland and Hypothyroidism! | | | | memory, lowered immune function, reduced libido, |
| The thyroid gland is stimulated by the pituitary gland to | | | | mental confusion,weight gain, moodiness, constipation, |
| produce hormones like thyroxine (T4 ). The thyroid | | | | sensitivity to cold, clumsiness, brittle hair and nails and |
| makes four hormones: Thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine | | | | many more. An under active thyroid can undermine |
| (T3), diiodothyronine (T2) and monoiodothyronine (T1). | | | | your whole life. |
| All of these hormones contain iodine, and the figures | | | | The Immune system |
| relate to the number of iodine atoms in each hormone | | | | The thyroid plays a pivotal role in keeping your immune |
| molecule. T3 is not made directly, but is produced from | | | | system intact. Your Immune system is affected if your |
| T4. This conversion is important as T3 is a more | | | | thyroid gland is under or over active. If your thyroid |
| efficient hormone. | | | | levels are low, you will notice a lowering of your |
| The thyroid takes in iodine and combines it with | | | | immune system. If your immune system becomes |
| tyrosine, an amino acid, that then converts it into the | | | | over or under active, you could develop diabetes, |
| hormones T3 and T4. If your thyroid is normal, 80% will | | | | cancer, arthritis, allergies, bronchitis, tuberculosis and a |
| be T4 and 20% T3. Both of these hormones travel | | | | host of immune system related conditions. |
| through the bloodstream, converting calories and | | | | The Solution |
| oxygen into energy. If this process doesn't work | | | | Although Hypothyroidism is incurable, symptom relief |
| properly, then the calories and oxygen cannot convert | | | | can be achieved, and you can go a long way to |
| the energy properly and you have your immune | | | | overcoming your fatigue and depression and losing |
| system disorder. | | | | unwanted weight gain. |
| Thyroxine determines how quickly nutrients are | | | | When we come to treating hypothyroidism, there are |
| converted into energy and how efficiently food is | | | | two main avenues. |
| burned within the body. In this way the thyroid | | | | Medical Treatment |
| hormones control the body's metabolic rate and any | | | | The standard medical treatment for hypothyroidism |
| dysfunction to this gland can affect every organ in the | | | | usually consists of of a prescription for thyroxine (T4) |
| body. | | | | and triiodothyronine(T3). |
| When the thyroid is under-active it creates a general | | | | Nutritional treatment |
| depression of many of the cellular systems and | | | | Your hypothyroid symptoms can be greatly relieved |
| oxidative processes in the body that are needed for | | | | through a strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet. |
| energy production. This can cause a decrease of the | | | | And there are a number very powerful supplements |
| metabolic activities in the cells. Metabolic wastes can | | | | which have been proven to have a very beneficial |
| then filtrate into the organs, causing them to become | | | | effect on the thyroid. |