Danielle went to the doctor when she could no longer ignore her feelings of depression. Ed and his wife had been trying unsuccessfully to conceive, and he wanted a check-up to rule out an underlying health concern. Two different scenarios with the same diagnosis: thyroid imbalance.

Like Danielle and Ed before they went to the doctor, most people don’t know what the thyroid does – or how important it is to their health. That’s a frightening proposition, particularly since the Thyroid Foundation of Canada reports 30% of Canadians suffer from a thyroid condition, most are women. More alarming, up to half affected don’t know it yet. The bottom line – your thyroid deserves attention. .

a thyroid picture
A butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck that regulates every organ in your body. The gland produces hormones used to regulate metabolism. It also helps control blood calcium levels, which is why thyroid problems are often a factor in osteoporosis. You can’t see or feel a healthy thyroid gland – if you can, see your doctor.

The three major thyroid concerns are: hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), hyperthyroidism (high thyroid function) and cancer. While numbers of thyroid cancer cases appear to be on the rise, experts believe this is the result of improved screening. Be sure to tell your physician if you find a lump on your throat, swollen lymph nodes or a painless lump in your neck, unexplained pain in your ear, tightness or pressure in your neck, breathing problems or trouble swallowing.

Because symptoms of peri-menopause are very similar to hypothyroid symptoms, women in the menopausal age range are easily misdiagnosed. Studies show that women are also at risk of developing hypothyroidism during pregnancy, and need an increase in their thyroid hormone replacement drug in order to protect the pregnancy. Discuss these concerns with your doctor.

keep your thyroid healthy
Remember that an imbalance in one hormone system can wreak havoc on other, seemingly unrelated hormones. Estrogen dominance is a common trigger of enlarged thyroid, and is caused by the normal female cycle and menopause as well as external hormones ingested through meat and dairy or absorbed from body care products. Avoid these false estrogens by consuming only organic meat and dairy products, and steer clear of estrogen-like chemicals such as phthalates and parabens found in shampoos and moisturizers.

Heavy metals like cadmium and mercury are very dangerous to the health of your thyroid. Garden-variety cilantro is a lovely addition to recipes, and is known to help remove heavy metals from your body. (See Spring Clean Your Body, page 23 for more tips on heavy metal detoxification.) Include thyroid-protecting selenium and iodine in your diet, along with copper to support the use of iodine. Use unrefined sea salt to provide thyroid-nourishing iodine as well as over 80 other trace minerals that might be lacking in your diet.

Symptoms of thyroid imbalances can sneak up on you so be sure your doctor includes thyroid health in your regular check-up. You’ll be happy to know Danielle is feeling fabulous, and Ed and his wife now have four lovely children!