Figuring Out Your Thyroid: The Struggle is REAL.

Since beginning these posts, a number of people have messaged me to ask if I have any other "health issues". So, I thought we should  talk about a tiny organ that is a huge player in the game of your health.  Please note that I said health and not weight.  While it can affect your weight, your general health can be greatly affected by thyroid function and should not be overlooked.

Most people know they have a thyroid and not much more about it.  Ironic, since that little bastard controls a host of things in your body.  Here's some stats that will help with my little lesson:

According to WedMd.com, the following is the general information regarding what your thyroid does...

• The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck. Your thyroid lies below your Adam’s apple, along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid has two side lobes, connected by a bridge (isthmus) in the middle. When the thyroid is its normal size, you can’t feel it.
• Brownish-red in color, the thyroid is rich with blood vessels. Nerves important for voice quality also pass through the thyroid.
• The thyroid secretes several hormones, collectively called thyroid hormones. The main hormone is thyroxine, also called T4. Thyroid hormones act throughout the body, influencing metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature. During infancy and childhood, adequate thyroid hormone is crucial for brain development.

I learned at a pretty young age that the thyroid could affect your weight.  I come from a family where thyroid problems run rampant on both sides of the gene pool.  Lucky me! Don't get me wrong, I got some awesome genes handed down from my family.  I lucked out and got my mother's Italian skin and long eyelashes.  I'm convinced that my liver is the champion that it is because of my dad, but my thyroid is also a chip off the old  block and that isn't the best of all situations.  

As a chubby kid, my doctor used to tell me to not eat sweets and to be more active in order to lose weight.  No one ever really thought to check my thyroid.  They just figured that since my dad and brother are so thin, that I must be a lazy kid and the fix would be the classic mantra of "eat less/move more".  

Then, when I was in my late 20's, I saw a new doctor in Florida who took one look at me and said, "Yeah, I wanna run blood work on your thyroid."  Here's why...I had one of the most physically visible signs of thyroid disease and never knew it.  I always thought that my neck was just fat because the rest of me was.  Turns out, it's symptom of thyroid trouble. 

There are two main catagories when it comes to thyroid diagnosis:

• Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone.
• Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone. The condition is often referred to as an "overactive thyroid."

 Here are some of the symptoms of both conditions...

Now, I will say that I had most of the things listed above, but I actually didn't think much of most of them.  My dad always said I was a dramatic kid.  Maybe I was making too much of this stuff.  I mean, I'm forgetful, but who isn't?  Mood swings?  I'm a Cancer who is ruled by the moon and tides.  Dry skin?  I live in Florida and I love the sun.  Weight gain?  I wasn't eating right, so obviously I'm gonna gain, right?  

The proverbial straw that broke this camel's back was when I was detangling my hair in the shower one day.  I pulled my hands out of my hair, expecting to need to rinse a few pieces of hair off my hands.  What I saw made my knees buckle so I had to sit on the tub floor.  My hands were covered in hair.  I've always been one of those women who sheds like a cocker spaniel, but this was excessive, even for me.  I cleaned my hands off and when I got out of the shower, I looked at my hair brush, which was full of my hair.  I knew this wasn't something that happened overnight, but how the hell had I not noticed it?  

I'd love to say I'm not a vain person, but I think we all have physical fears and I'm no different.  My top 3 fears (regarding my body):  1. Losing my teeth. 2. Developing a hutchback. 3. Losing my HAIR! 

Naturally, no woman wants her hair to fall out.  So, I was bound for blood work.  When that came back, I learned all sorts of things about trying to help my thyroid function normally.  I mean, for me, I have to be medicated with the t4 (Synthroid) and t3 (Cytomel) hormones since I'm unlucky enough to be deficient in both, but I knew that there was more I could do.  My best friend could tell you that I was that kid who, even before the internet became a go-to source for information, I loved research.  If it meant digging through book shelves and encyclopedias at the library?  Yeah, I'm down for that.  I used to hide these traits about myself, but let's face it--Nerdy is the new sexy, right?  No?  Well, I'm rolling with that.  Anyway, now that we have the almighty Google to search the interwebs, research has gotten more fun.  There are countless sources for information.  Are you an electronic hoarder like I am?  Search Pinterest!  So many great pins detailing thyroid symptoms, treatments, supplements, power foods, and so on and so forth and all the rest.  

Okay, so where was I going with all this?  

I don't want people to think that this post is basically saying that if you're adding weight or having trouble losing that you must have a thyroid condition.  That's not what I'm saying.  Sometimes it is just a matter of changing your lifestyle.  For me, and I can only really share my story with you, it wasn't.  Before my diagnosis (and at other times when I was unable to be on medication due to the cost) I was eating under 1,000 calories a day and gaining weight steadily.  

The bottom line is, if you think that your thyroid is causing detours in your journey to the physical goals you've set for yourself, get checked.  Don't wait for your doctor to mention it.  Tell them you want to be tested.  If that's not the problem, then you can rule it out.  If it is, then you know and can begin to adjust your routine accordingly.  

The question you're probably thinking is, "So, once you get medicated the weight comes right off, right?"  

The answer to that is, "no".  Once I was able to normalize my hormone levels, I was able to effectively use diet and exercise to get results and that was a big part of the battle.  The bottom line is, if you think that you could have an issue--with any part of you--get it checked!  Each of your organs (with the exception if your appendix, which is just there to maybe burst and then screw shit up) has a role to play and when it doesn't function properly, it reaks havoc on how other organs do their jobs.  

Dammit, thyroid! Do your job!  

Below is a great link that I found to be very informative in explaining function and symptoms.  I hope you get something out of it as well.

Learn more about your thyroid HERE.