Signs of Thyroid Dysfunction Women Often Confuse With Simple Tiredness

Located just under the larynx, the thyroid is a tiny gland, but it has a crucial function and it is responsible for a number of bodily functions. The thyroid gland produces hormones which are responsible for regulating the metabolism. There are a number of issues which can be caused if the thyroid is not functioning properly.

Nevertheless, there are certain thyroid disorders which can be mistaken for other conditions like fatigue or simple tiredness. The most common thyroid conditions are Goiter, Thyroid Nodules, Hashimoto’s Disease, and Graves ’ disease.

Graves’ Disease

This is the most frequent thyroid disorder caused when the thyroid is overactive. It occurs once the thyroid gland is attacked by the immune system, and it starts producing excess hormones. This condition usually develops from the age of 20 to 30, but it can develop at any age as well. Some of its symptoms are irregular heartbeat, vision problems, irritability, fatigue and lack of energy.

Hashimoto’s Disease

This is the most frequent disorder caused by underactive thyroid. It usually develops in middle-aged women, the immunes system attacks the thyroid and as a consequence it does not produce enough hormones. Some of the symptoms are intolerance to cold, weight gain, depression, fatigue and simple tiredness.

Thyroid Nodules

These are growths which develop on or in the thyroid. They are benign in most cases and they are filled with solid or fluid. Only few of these nodules turn to be cancerous. These nodules can sometimes be linked to Hashimoto’s disease, and people can easily mistake the symptoms, believing they have normal fatigue.

Goiter

This thyroid disorder is non-cancerous and it is usually triggered by iodine deficiency. It can be triggered by an over-active thyroid. Women over the age of 40 are most likely to have this type of thyroid disorder. Since goiters are usually linked to other thyroid disorders, people can feel fatigue.

There are twenty million people in America who are afflicted with a thyroid disorder of a kind and it is estimated that another 13 million Americans go undiagnosed. People are usually undiagnosed because they think their symptoms are caused by weight gain, everyday tiredness or simple fatigue.

The problem is that some symptoms which can happen as a result of an overactive or an underactive thyroid are dismissed as an everyday problem. For instance, fatigue is a symptom of hypothyroidism, but it is also a very frequent symptom nowadays. Weight of gain is also a very frequent problem and people usually think it is because of unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.

When these symptoms occur alone, there is not much to be worried about, but when they are couple with one another or more than two symptoms occur at once, it is a cause of concern.

Natural Treatments for Thyroid Problems

There are a number of natural ways which can help you keep your thyroid healthy. First, eliminating gluten can help you since wheat might lead to thyroid inflammation, thus impeding its function. It is also vital to avoid BPA, since it damages the endocrine system.

Detoxing the body of heavy metals is also an excellent way to keep the thyroid healthy. You can do this by incorporating milk thistle, turmeric, chlorella and cilantro to your diet. Another great way of promoting the thyroid is by taking selenium, which can be found in Brazil nuts, salmon, onions, beef, and sunflower seeds.

Last but not the least important, reduce the intake of carbohydrates and eat healthy fats instead. Carbohydrates increase the estrogen and that has a negative impact on the thyroid. Some healthy fats are avocado, coconut oil, almonds, coconut milk, hemp seeds, flax, and chia seeds.