You may feel apprehensive about contacting your doctor, but the list of symptoms is growing and is out of control… you feel like you have no other choice but to consult your medical professional.

It is always advisable to get a medical opinion if you suspect that you have any health condition.  Now what can you expect from your hypothyroidism examination?

First of all, your doctor will ask you a lot of background information about you medical history if they do not already know most of it.  The list of symptoms that they may be looking for will include:

• Weight gain
• Low sex drive/libido
• Hair loss, including the outer part of the eyebrows;
• Exhaustion and fatigue, low energy
• Difficulty in concentrating, memory issues;
• Constipation;
• Sore muscles, cramping, sore achy joints;
• Heavy menstrual flow
• Dry, itchy skin
• Depression;
• Infertility

After your doctor has determine what the symptoms are, they will probably check you over with a few peripheral tests.  The tests will include checking your reflexes, feeling your neck around your throat, examining your skin and eyes, taking your weight, checking your heart rate, measuring your blood pressure, examining your hair and your nails.

If your doctor determines, at this point, that further testing is necessary, there are several tests they can conduct to determine if you have hypothyroidism.  These include:

1. TSH test – measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone;
2. Total T4 Test – measures the total level of Thyroxine;
3. Thyroid binding Globulin /TBG Test
4. Free Triiodothronine Test (Free T3)
5. Free Thyroxine (Free T4)
6. Thyroid Receptor Antibodies (TRAb)
7. Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb) / Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibodies
8. Total T3 / Total Triiodothyronine

Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor will then discuss which medications you should be prescribed.  At this point you may wish to think further about taking a prescription medication.  If you want to, you can tell your doctor that you will wait to hear about the test results before you make a final decision one way or the other.

Many of the medications that are available and are routinely prescribed have a great deal of harmful side effects.  Many people are bothered by these side effects and often they wish that there were safer, less invasive and more natural treatments.  It is your body, so keep in mind that any treatment you decide to go with is entirely up to you.

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Once you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you will probably be prescribed a treatment of a prescription medication by your doctor. While this will definitely deal with the problem, it does not come without a great deal of unwanted side effects. Depending on whether or not you have other medical conditions, you may need very close monitoring by your doctor to ensure that you do not become more ill.

Diabetics tend to have a serious interaction with the kinds of medications that are prescribed. Mainly, they need to have their insulin increased or decreased, depending on the effect of the medication. Sometimes serious side effects such as blood clots can occur. This will mean that a patient might need doses of warfarin which helps to thin the blood and decrease the incidence of blood clots. This can be extremely dangerous, and will require frequent visits to your doctor.

One of the most commonly prescribed medications is Levothyroxine. This medication can cause a myriad of side effects, including dangerously low blood pressure. It does take a great deal of time to lessen the complications associated with hypothyroidism, such as elevated cholesterol levels and weight gain.

So why all the dangerous prescriptions? There are herbal medications that are just as effective and do not pose a risk to your health or the inherent dangers that go with these prescription medications. Some people report that the side effects of their prescription medications are similar to those of fibromyalgia.

When you choose an herbal alternative, you are not flooding your body with harmful chemicals and exposing yourself to harmful chemicals. Instead, you are using natural therapies that your body will work with and not fight off. The main thing to remember about an herbal remedy is that it does take a great deal of time to become effective. Many people think that because a product does not work after a day or two that they should discontinue using it.

The herbal remedy choice means you need to remember to give it time. It could take as long as two months to show a marked improvement in your health, and so you should prepare for this and purchase a supply for a month or two. This will give your body time to adjust to the various compounds in the treatment and incorporate them into your body’s functions. Once a remedy starts to take effect, you will definitely not only see an improvement in your symptoms, but you will also start to feel much better.

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We have all seen those fad diets that say we can lose weight without even having to exercise. While many of these diets work great for most people, they do not work for people who suffer with hypothyroidism. The very condition of hypothyroidism makes it impossible to follow a diet and lose weight. The body becomes insulin resistant when your thyroid is not functioning properly, and this causes your body to hold onto the weight, and make it next to impossible to lose the weight.

Compounding the problem is the fact that it is extremely difficult to exercise. Aside from the fact that you are probably unenergetic, you may also have some serious aches and pains in your joints and your muscles. It is difficult to get any meaningful exercise when you are in this kind of pain.

The only way to really lose weight with hypothyroidism is to get out and move. Whether this means going for a walk or doing any other activity that you find bearable, it is extremely important to move your body. Brisk walking is one of the best types of exercise because it is low impact, can be done anywhere and requires no special equipment, except for a very good and supportive pair of shoes.

Exercise raises your metabolism, reduces insulin, burns fat and raises your resting metabolic rate, making it easier for you to lose weight, because you are actually using stored fat while you are at rest when you raise your resting metabolic rate. Another important way to raise your resting metabolic rate is with weight training. You don’t need to lift heavy weights, just light ones with high repetitions to tone the muscles and trim the fat. Building muscle is one of the best things you can do to burn the fat. One pound of muscle burns 60 calories per day!

Getting enough water and fiber in your diet is equally important. You need at least two liters of water daily and enough fiber to keep your digestion running smoothly. Some medical experts maintain that you need to drink an extra 8 ounce glass of water per 25 pounds of weight you need to lose.

Another roadblock to weight loss when you have hypothyroidism is the medication that your doctor will prescribe to you. Some of these medications, while dealing with your thyroid, will cause you to gain weight. This makes the herbal remedy alternative much more attractive. In addition, herbal remedies have a lower price point and are much healthier for your body.

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So many people tend to underestimate the power of herbal treatments for their health issues and they are quick to have their doctor prescribe some sort of medication to deal with the problem. While traditional western prescription drugs can assist with thyroid problems, they also have plenty of tough side effects. What kind of side effects? For starters, difficulties in sleeping. This can only serve to aggravate the issues, and intensify them. Other side effects can include skin rashes, abdominal pain and nausea, joint pain and difficulty breathing.

The most under rated treatment for thyroid issues includes herbal remedies. The main advantage of these types of remedies is that they are completely natural and the side effects are very minimal. In addition, they are very cost effective. Prescription medications are very expensive, and many of the medications that are prescribed need to be taken on an ongoing basis (perhaps a lifetime). They do not always treat the problem, but rather, control the symptoms. This is one of the main drawbacks to traditional prescription treatments.

Herbal remedies are not considered often enough. One main factor that leads to thyroid issues is malnourishment of the body. This can include a serious deficiency of all of the vitamins that are necessary to assist the thyroid in its normal production of hormones. Some of the vitamins and minerals that are needed on a daily basis include: Vitamin A, B2, B3 B6, B12, C, E, Selenium, Tyrosine, Zinc, Manganes, Iodine and copper. While ingesting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals is important, so is a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.

One thing that many people do not think about when it comes to herbs is that they are naturally occurring and grow in our environment. Some of these herbs grow in other countries, but we do still have access to the herbs that we need through health food stores or through online stores.
Some of the most useful herbs for thyroid issues include:

• Withania
• Guggul
• Bacopa
• Bladderwrack
• Coleus
• Goji Berry
• Bupleurum
• Echinacea
• Hemindesmus
• Rehmannia
• Siberian Ginseng
• St. John’s Wort
• Dan Shen
• Rosemary
• Ginger
• Schisandra
• Iris moss and Gou Kola.

Some of the best herbal remedies for thyroid treatment include these various herbs in proprietary combinations

We really have to change our thinking surrounding treatments for illnesses and ailments, because often herbal remedies work even better than prescription ones. The best part of going with an herbal remedy is that there are minimal side effects.

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The old saying “you are what you eat” has never been more true than it is these days. We are faced with everyday food choices that are healthy and those that are really of no nutritional value. Some foods are highly processed, and with the processing of the ingredients that go into a particular food, all of the basic nutritional value is stripped out of it, so that it does not even resemble a natural food any longer.

A good healthy diet that is loaded with fresh foods, such as vegetables and fruits, lean meats and high fiber grains is best, supplemented with plenty of fresh water, up to two liters daily.

Processed foods contain many additives and chemicals that assist in throwing hormones out of balance. They can raise the blood pressure, increase bad cholesterol and lead us to suffer through countless health issues. When we neglect our diet, we neglect our bodies and we are asking for a myriad of health problems.

Some of the foods to avoid include:

• Coffee: caffeine has the effect of depressing thyroid function and worsening the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

• Processed foods, such as white bread: If you have never heard this before, then you will hear it now. Avoid anything “white”. White foods, especially white bread, have been stripped of most of their nutritional value and are basically a waste of your time when it comes to eating them. They are hard on your body’s systems, and make it very difficult to regulate insulin levels. They can wreak havoc on your body, throwing hormones out of balance.

• Foods called “goitrogens” are known to cause enlargement of the thyroid which is referred to as a “goiter”. They can also lead to hypothyroidism. Foods in this group include cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, corn, cauliflower, peaches, peanuts, turnips, kale, and almonds. The way they affect the thyroid is in blocking conversion of the T4 hormone to T3 which is an active thyroid hormone. It might be that removing these foods from your diet can lessen your symptoms and return your thyroid function to normal; however, once you have an issue with hypothyroidism, it is likely to become chronic.

In addition to food, there are additives in other items we “consume”, including toothpaste. Fluoride is known to interfere with the secretion of thyroid hormones. It has the effect of blocking iodine from attaching to receptor cells and causes a hormone imbalance.

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Many people tend to have the thinking that if there is a health issue that they suffer from, that they should immediately throw medication at the problem.  Moreover, doctors that we deal with are trained in western medicine and they are educated to believe that prescription medications are the answer to every health problem out there.  Unfortunately, many of the medications prescribed to deal with our health issues can create a lot more side effects and problems than we are prepared to deal with or are ready for in any event.

Vitamins and minerals are a largely overlooked but extremely necessary part of your body’s nourishment and nutritional requirements.  For starters, taking a daily vitamin that is specifically designed to your specific sex and age group is a very good start.  In addition to a daily vitamin, there are a specific combination of vitamins and minerals that are extremely important to ensure good thyroid health.  The proprietary blend contained in Thyromine is a good combination of these necessary vitamins and minerals, and the list includes:

1. Ginger:  an ancient digestive aid that is known to soothe achy muscles and joints.  It is also known to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol, lowering bad cholesterol levels and promoting the health of your blood
2. Nori:  a common seaweed variety that is often used in sushi making.  It just happens to contain iodine, an essential mineral for thyroid health.
3. Piper Longum:  Long used as a stimulant for respiratory health and digestion, it also increases the thyroid hormone levels;
4. Guglipid – This mineral has long been used for weight management and for maintaining lipid levels.  It also has powerful cholesterol blocking properties.
5. L-Tyrosine – an amino acid that is found naturally in vegetable and meat proteins.  We are not going to get intensely scientific on you here, but it assists in the process of neurotransmission which ensures that the brain and the nervous system can work together in the most efficient way.  The one main drawback to this amino acid is for those who are taking anti depressants such as MOA inhibitors.  These two items do not interact well and if you are taking an MOA inhibitor, you should not take Thyromine as well.

The thought that herbal remedies are not as powerful as prescription drugs is simply not true.  Unfortunately, western medicine has closed our eyes to the power of many of these ancient herbal ingredients.  Often, these kinds of products are the ones that will help us much more than prescription medications.

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As we get older, we tend to slow down, some of us gain weight as we are much less active. Perhaps we become less active, in part, due to those strange aches and pains we are experiencing. Next, we notice that our hair is thinning and falling out in patches or clumps. We feel extremely run down, sluggish almost, and seemingly, we catch every illness that comes our way.

Are all of these issues to do with getting older? Not all, some can be; however, they don’t tend to happen all at once. One thing is for sure, plenty of these symptoms can be attributed to hypothyroidism, and we may not associate one to the other, simply because we think it is our body breaking down due to old age.

So many common symptoms that plague those who are aging tend to crop up with hypothyroidism. One day you find that you have a great deal of trouble concentrating and serious brain fog. You woke up in the morning feeling like you just did not get enough sleep, even though you made the effort to go to bed 45 minutes earlier. You are suffering from fatigue and complete exhaustion. Just what is happening? Perhaps you are suffering from hypothyroidism.

The best way to find out if this is the problem is to see your doctor and have a complete physical. In addition, your doctor will be able to run certain tests in order to determine if it is your thyroid that is causing you the problems. Unfortunately, too many of us allow our doctors to tell us what to do. You should already know what your body is telling you, including what your specific symptoms are. You need to follow up with your doctor and explain what your chief complaints are. If you are not having luck with your doctor, ask to see another doctor or a specialist.

While there are many medications available that can help with hypothyroidism, you should also know that there are many remedies available that are

1. herbal in content and much safer;
2. a lot less expensive than traditional prescription medications;
3. have little or no side effects that will put you under the weather.

While many of the effects of aging can be mistaken or put down to simply getting older and slowing down, it is totally worth investigating the symptoms you are dealing with in order to determine if you suffer from hypothyroidism.

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Are you suffering from hypothyroidism? Are you finding it really tough to shift the weight? If so then don’t worry, you are not alone. It can be very hard indeed to lose weight when you have hypothyroidism. This is because your metabolism slows down and no matter what you try those numbers on the scales keep going up.

In this post I’m going to explain the 3 keys to hypothyroidism and weight loss. I can give you the road to follow but only you can walk down it. The vast majority of people who try and fail to lose weight do so because they give up. Tests have proved that people who write goals down tend to stick to them but I would go one step further. Buy a calendar and write your goals there. Make them realistic but challenging. Then write down what exactly you will do to achieve those weight loss goals. I will guide you. Being hypothyroid doesn’t have to mean being over weight.

1. Food – Certain foods hinder your thyroids production of hormones while others increase it. Make sure your diet takes this into account. You can see which foods you must add in to your diet and which you must avoid in my previous posts. Getting this right will massively boost your energy levels too.

2. Metabolism – As mentioned above, one of the major reasons for weight gain is slow metabolism. In order to speed up your metabolism you must eat small healthy portions often. This means 6-8 small, low fat, protein rich meals per day. Combining this tactic with exercise will turn your body into a fat burning furnace.

3. Exercise – I’m not saying you have to join a gym or train for a marathon here. Just start out light depending on where your fitness levels currently are. This might mean walking to the shops or taking a bus. Either way, increasing your exercise will not only lighten your mood increase your thyroid function.

When looking to lose weight with hypothyroidism you should definitely consider these 3 keys to success along with your preferred natural thyroid treatment option.

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The best diet for sufferers of hypothyroidism can be a tough thing to work out at first. This is clearly something that many readers are interested in so we decided to do a mini overview of the foods you must avoid if you are hypothyroid. This follows on from my previous post which highlighted the foods you should include in your diet. (See Previous Post: Diet for Hypothyroidism part 1)

As before, this information is based on the teachings of the well known health expert, naturopath and author: Duncan Capicchiano. You can find our review of his great ebook here. We’ve had tons of great feedback from people who have tried his Hypothyroidism Solution and we’d also love to hear what you think too, so feel free to drop us a message.

Some foods can greatly hinder your thyroid and its ability to produce certain hormones. Cutting these foods out will definitely help you feel better so give this a try. Below I have outlined which foods will cause this problem:

1. Some green vegetables – For example cabbage, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts contain Cyanogenic Glycosides. These inhibit the thyroid function.
2. Dairy – It is recommended to cut down on dairy products as they contain hormones which can hinder your thyroid hormone production.
3. Saturated Fats – You don’t have to cut these out completely but when consumed in excess you will reduce your thyroids ability to produce T3 & T4.
4. Garlic – This is a tough one to avoid but again, it contains compounds that will hinder thyroid hormine production.
5. Gluten & Wheat Products – Due to the correlation between gluten intolerance and hypothyroidism it’s best to either steer clear or cut down on these foods.
6. Goitrogens – This is things like soybean, peanuts, pine nuts, millet, legumes.

Changing your diet is essential for anyone currently suffering from hypothyroidism. This can be done quite easily and the effects are definitely worth it. If you combine a great diet with a natural thyroid treatment that is proven to work you will start to see improvements in no time at all.

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Many people use a change in diet to help control their hypothyroidism. After speaking at great length about this to renown health expert Duncan Capicchiano I decided to put together a mini healthy eating guide right here for you to follow. These are our diet basics for hypothyroidism, however you can get the full details in Duncans great book, The Hypothyroidism Solution, which we have reviewed here.

Using a special diet for hypothyroidism works because some foods contain compounds that actually help the thyroid gland to function properly, whilst other foods contain compounds that will hinder the thyroid and deplete it’s ability to produce essential hormones.

I have outlined below the 4 elements you must include when putting together your own diet for hypothyroidism. Doing this will not only allow you to feel much better, but it will allow you to lose weight. I will tackle the foods to avoid in my next blog post.

4 Steps to Beating Hypothyroidism:

1. Antioxidants – It’s essential to get plenty of antioxidants into the body and you’ll normally find these in fruits and vegetables that are red, purple, blue, yellow and orange. Green tea is also a fantastic antioxidant and one which I highly recommend.
2. Good fats – For example Avocados would be perfect here. This keeps major bodily functions working as they should.
3. Organic meats – I was a little unsure of whether things being organic really mattered at first, however my research indicates that organic meats are free from harmful compounds that can cause hormonal imbalances in those suffering from thyroid problems.
4. Protein – The kind of protein you find in chicken, fish and turkey is essential for thyroid health. I strongly recommend you eat these foods everyday.

For more in-depth information on these foods and the others recommended by health expert Duncan Capacchiano  you can check out his great ebook here: The Hypothyroidism Solution Review.

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