Thyroid disease! The categories include:
Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
Hashimoto's
Grave's,
Thyroiditis
Cancer
Hyperthyroidism
Hashimoto's
Grave's,
Thyroiditis
Cancer
headache
fatigue
pale skin
muscle weakness
irritability
What does all that sound like to you? The common cold! Just like every other illness under the sun. What's not so commonly share, are the more intense symptoms including:
weight gain/loss
increases sensitivity to cold/heat
irregular heartbeat
low or high blood pressure
irregular menstrual cycles
constipation
hair loss
joint soreness and stiffness
depression
Let's touch on the joint stiffness and soreness for a minute. As I type this, my knees are screaming. SCREAMING. I have done absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. This just happens. Why you ask? Because my thyroid is mean. For example, this morning I wanted to cry when I woke up, for no particular reason. My brain doesn't normally come on until I've had my cup of coffee, but this time it took two cups and diffusing peppermint for 15 minute before it started functioning properly. You see, a foggy head is a fairly common symptom. I kid you not, I've been working on this post for over an hour. I cannot concentrate today. I am sluggish, freezing, and really irritable. I am fun to be around.
Anxiety, panic attacks, and severe depression are all associated with thyroid disease. Symptoms can be so horrible for some people that you end up on the verge of being committed. I wish I could say that I'm kidding, but I'm not. People have actually been misdiagnosed with bi-polar disorder. This is SERIOUS business. Your symptoms can mimic psychiatric illness. More info here: Psychiatric Illnesses. This is scary and people are being misdiagnosed every day. The reason? So many physicians rely heavily on black and white results. Just running a basic thyroid panel (TSH) is not enough. T3 & T4 should always be tested along with TSH. Sometimes, even those three are not enough. There are several more blood tests that can performed to check the total health of the thyroid.
Just because your blood work comes back normal, does not mean that your symptoms are going to disappear. In fact, I find this to be a completely unrealistic expectation. Today is a perfect example. My last TSH test came back normal. NORMAL! I was shocked. I'll get into that in a few minutes though. Today, I feel terrible. I honestly don't want to leave my house. I don't really even want to get off the couch. At some point, I will have to because we have plan this evening and I need to get moving.
Many people are on on various medications for thyroid disease. Some people have awesome success with the first one they try. For others, it can be a long and stressful road to find the right medication. Once you find the right one, the trick is getting the correct dosage. Even the dosage your body requires can change at any given time. Hormone levels do not ever stay the same. There are always lows and highs.
I was on a medication for many years called Synthroid. It helped, a lot. I couldn't lose weight though. We'll touch on that in a bit. When we got settled in the south, I found a new doctor. This doctor came highly recommended and I had to wait 7 months to be seen. My first appointment went well. The noncancerous tumors I have on my thyroid glad had not gotten any bigger and I was feeling well. I thought I would just get a refill on my meds and come back in 6 month. That's not at all how it went. I was told that the medication I was on increased my chances of osteoporosis by 50% and that I was more likely to have tooth decay and gum disease. I could also lose a lot of hair. Blood pressure was another issue. What!?!? Why had I never known this before and why hadn't I really researched the med before I began taking it? There was a lot more to the conversation but that's what really stuck out to me. It was decided that because I was a relatively healthy adult (aside from the thyroid issue) that I had the tools to regulate my thyroid naturally. I know what you're thinking. Naturally? This chick is nuts! That's exactly what I was thinking when I walked out of his office. My problem, I didn't know what these "tools" were that I supposedly had.
Moody. Sad. Angry. Tired. Emotional. Crazy. Unbearable. Over dramatic. Stand offish. Those are a few words to describe how I was for a few months. It was a total roller coaster ride for my family. One day I woke up and said ''this needs to change''. I started my research and found that I needed to be taking some vitamin supplements, like months ago. After a few weeks, I was feeling a little more sane. I looked at thyroid specific diets, what kind of exercise I should be doing, what kinds of natural supplement I could take. One evening, I came across an article regarding soy and thyroid function. I was speechless. A vast majority of the things (food, protein shakes, natural supplements) I was putting into my body contained soy. Did you know that soy can inhibit thyroid hormone production? Neither did I. So began the journey to a soy free life. Easier said than done. Soy is in EVERYTHING.
As time went by, I got different recommendations from friends. I read more articles and studies than I care to think about. I tried different snacks like seaweed chip and Brazil nuts because they contain high amounts of selenium. I was very close to going to my doctor and begging to be put back on meds. It was ridiculous. The last thing I really wanted to go back on something that was causing blood pressure problem and lousy mouth health. Who wants to increase their chances of osteoporosis? Not this kid!
This brings me to my essential oil loving friend with some cool info. Long story short, I purchased the thyroid blend, EndoFlex, peppermint, and lemongrass. I didn't have anything to lose and was at the end of my rope with the situation. All natural and soy-free help? I'll take it! Once I received the goods, I immediately began using them. I started by applying EndoFlex to my thyroid twice a day. Call me crazy, but I noticed an improvement with how I was feeling within a few days. After time, I learned about the benefits of using lemongrass on the the thyroid as well as frankincense. A healthier lifestyle all around is what it took. I eat clean (most of the time), take vitamins daily, and use essential oils. Guess what! The normal blood results are a result of the major changes I've made for myself. Guess what else! I didn't have "nomral" results until I added the essential oils. Pretty amazing! One more thing, all that weight, gone! Well, most of it :)
I'm not saying run out an get your hands on some essential oils and all your ailments will be cured! There is a place and a time for modern medicine. If you haven't tried essential oils already for your family, you won't regret it. Just give them a try. Just do you research to ensure you are getting the best of the best. My point to this post to tell you to do your research. Take the time to talk to people. Ask lots of questions. Look into different options. For some people, medication is the absolute best option. For people like me, it's not. If you want to look into healthier alternatives, do it! Don't be afraid to be an advocate for your health or the health of your family. I LOVE finding natural alternatives. That's what got me into my job. My thyroid disease is what led me know what I know now.
Just because your blood work comes back normal, does not mean that your symptoms are going to disappear. In fact, I find this to be a completely unrealistic expectation. Today is a perfect example. My last TSH test came back normal. NORMAL! I was shocked. I'll get into that in a few minutes though. Today, I feel terrible. I honestly don't want to leave my house. I don't really even want to get off the couch. At some point, I will have to because we have plan this evening and I need to get moving.
Many people are on on various medications for thyroid disease. Some people have awesome success with the first one they try. For others, it can be a long and stressful road to find the right medication. Once you find the right one, the trick is getting the correct dosage. Even the dosage your body requires can change at any given time. Hormone levels do not ever stay the same. There are always lows and highs.
I was on a medication for many years called Synthroid. It helped, a lot. I couldn't lose weight though. We'll touch on that in a bit. When we got settled in the south, I found a new doctor. This doctor came highly recommended and I had to wait 7 months to be seen. My first appointment went well. The noncancerous tumors I have on my thyroid glad had not gotten any bigger and I was feeling well. I thought I would just get a refill on my meds and come back in 6 month. That's not at all how it went. I was told that the medication I was on increased my chances of osteoporosis by 50% and that I was more likely to have tooth decay and gum disease. I could also lose a lot of hair. Blood pressure was another issue. What!?!? Why had I never known this before and why hadn't I really researched the med before I began taking it? There was a lot more to the conversation but that's what really stuck out to me. It was decided that because I was a relatively healthy adult (aside from the thyroid issue) that I had the tools to regulate my thyroid naturally. I know what you're thinking. Naturally? This chick is nuts! That's exactly what I was thinking when I walked out of his office. My problem, I didn't know what these "tools" were that I supposedly had.
Moody. Sad. Angry. Tired. Emotional. Crazy. Unbearable. Over dramatic. Stand offish. Those are a few words to describe how I was for a few months. It was a total roller coaster ride for my family. One day I woke up and said ''this needs to change''. I started my research and found that I needed to be taking some vitamin supplements, like months ago. After a few weeks, I was feeling a little more sane. I looked at thyroid specific diets, what kind of exercise I should be doing, what kinds of natural supplement I could take. One evening, I came across an article regarding soy and thyroid function. I was speechless. A vast majority of the things (food, protein shakes, natural supplements) I was putting into my body contained soy. Did you know that soy can inhibit thyroid hormone production? Neither did I. So began the journey to a soy free life. Easier said than done. Soy is in EVERYTHING.
As time went by, I got different recommendations from friends. I read more articles and studies than I care to think about. I tried different snacks like seaweed chip and Brazil nuts because they contain high amounts of selenium. I was very close to going to my doctor and begging to be put back on meds. It was ridiculous. The last thing I really wanted to go back on something that was causing blood pressure problem and lousy mouth health. Who wants to increase their chances of osteoporosis? Not this kid!
This brings me to my essential oil loving friend with some cool info. Long story short, I purchased the thyroid blend, EndoFlex, peppermint, and lemongrass. I didn't have anything to lose and was at the end of my rope with the situation. All natural and soy-free help? I'll take it! Once I received the goods, I immediately began using them. I started by applying EndoFlex to my thyroid twice a day. Call me crazy, but I noticed an improvement with how I was feeling within a few days. After time, I learned about the benefits of using lemongrass on the the thyroid as well as frankincense. A healthier lifestyle all around is what it took. I eat clean (most of the time), take vitamins daily, and use essential oils. Guess what! The normal blood results are a result of the major changes I've made for myself. Guess what else! I didn't have "nomral" results until I added the essential oils. Pretty amazing! One more thing, all that weight, gone! Well, most of it :)
I'm not saying run out an get your hands on some essential oils and all your ailments will be cured! There is a place and a time for modern medicine. If you haven't tried essential oils already for your family, you won't regret it. Just give them a try. Just do you research to ensure you are getting the best of the best. My point to this post to tell you to do your research. Take the time to talk to people. Ask lots of questions. Look into different options. For some people, medication is the absolute best option. For people like me, it's not. If you want to look into healthier alternatives, do it! Don't be afraid to be an advocate for your health or the health of your family. I LOVE finding natural alternatives. That's what got me into my job. My thyroid disease is what led me know what I know now.
