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A slow thyroid can be linked to
so many symptoms.
Not only that, but so many different things can cause a slow thyroid!
It’s a complicated little gland that both impacts and is impacted by a ton of other body systems, organs and external factors.
You’ve heard me talk about ensuring you get a
full thyroid panel and not just a TSH test from your doctor. But if you think you may have hypothyroidism, there are a lot of other things you should be investigating so that you don’t just get the diagnosis, but so that you can also get proper treatment for what’s really causing your slow thyroid.
So, here are 7 common causes of hypothyroidism in women.
1.Genetics
Sometimes, unfortunately, there isn’t an external cause that we can point to. Like many other ailments, sometimes these things are just based on our own genetics. Don’t worry though, even if genetics is the root cause, your hypothyroidism is still very treatable.
2.Hormone imbalance
Sex hormones and thyroid hormones are directly connected. If one type of hormone is thrown off, then the other will become off balance, too, because they feed off of each other. This is why I do a DUTCH Hormone Panel with all of my clients, so we can have a full picture of how the sex hormones might be playing a role in their hypothyroidism.
3.Chronic stress
If you’ve been under a lot of stress for a long period of time, this can wreak havoc on your thyroid. That’s because your thyroid and your adrenal glands - which release stress hormones - are also super connected. So addressing stress levels can actually also help your thyroid (along with so many other ailments!)
4.Mineral imbalances and nutrient deficiencies
Minerals are a really common culprit behind hypothyroidism. Things like extremely high calcium levels or extremely low potassium levels can slow the thyroid down. Unfortunately, not a lot of doctors check for this, even though the testing is super simple and readily available. I give all my clients a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis so we can see which minerals may be giving them grief.
5.Gut dysfunction
This is another cause of hypothyroidism that’s often overlooked, even though there’s a huge connection between the gut and the thyroid. Gut dysfunction can cause a slow thyroid, AND a slow thyroid can cause gut dysfunction, so this has to be addressed. One thing that can factor in here is food sensitivities. If you’re eating stuff that your body doesn’t really tolerate, your gut (and your thyroid!) will not be happy. It’s so important to eat clean and avoid food sensitivities to properly support your thyroid.
6.Environmental toxins
Remember when I said that the thyroid is connected to a lot of other body systems? Well, the liver is another one. This is where a lot of your T4 is converted to T3. The other thing the liver does is filter out toxins and get those out of our bodies. But your liver can only take so much. If it’s bogged down with too many toxins, then it can slow down that thyroid hormone conversion and make you feel like crap. If you think this might be causing your hypothyroidism, check out this post on how to remove some environmental toxins for a healthier thyroid.
7.Sleep
Sleep is your healing and repair time. If you’re not sleeping properly then your body doesn’t have the time or energy to rejuvenate. It can lead to chronic stress, it can lead to poor gut health, it can lead to other hormone imbalances, all of which can contribute to a slow thyroid. This one can be a really tough one for many women, so I recommend finding an easy, relaxing night-time routine to help you get a better, more restful sleep (and also support your thyroid).
Hypothyroidism in women is diagnosed so often but the root cause isn't investigated enough. If you think you’re living with a slow thyroid, advocate for your health and do whatever you can to find that true cause.
If you need help with getting to the root cause of your slow thyroid, then please
reach out to me.
.
Phone: (314) 226-3137