Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ that produces hormones and then releases them into the bloodstream. Your thyroid is located in your neck, just below the larynx. Although the thyroid gland lies just under the skin, it is not or barely palpable from the outside when in good health.
The functioning of the thyroid gland and the secretion of hormones is a complex process. The mineral iodine plays an important role in this. Therefore, it is important to get enough iodine, otherwise the thyroid gland will not be able to produce enough thyroid hormone. Iodine is an essential mineral, which means that your body does not produce iodine itself. Iodine is found in fish (such as salmon, anchovies, and mackerel), seafood, seaweed, and is added to table salt, and therefore also found in bread. If you don't eat bread, it's important to use some Celtic sea salt in your food daily and include seafood in your diet weekly. Eggs and dairy products also contain some iodine.
If you don't get enough iodine, your thyroid gland cannot produce enough hormones. However, it will continue to try, and during this attempt, the thyroid gland will grow. The result of this can be a goiter - a swollen thyroid gland. And when this swelling is so large, it can cause swallowing or breathing problems.
The function of the thyroid gland is regulated by your brain, specifically by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland that stimulates other glands in the body to produce hormones. The hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland. If there is too little thyroid hormone in your blood, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland ensure that the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone. And vice versa. If there is too much thyroid hormone in your blood, they ensure that the thyroid gland produces less hormone. You can compare this to the thermostat in your home: when it gets colder at home than the set temperature, the thermostat turns on. And as soon as the correct temperature is reached, the heating will turn off.
Important organ
The thyroid gland is a very important organ. In fact, you could say that the thyroid gland is the energy distributor of your body and thus determines where the energy goes and when. Every body cell has a receptor for thyroid hormone. This hormone therefore affects all tissues.
The various functions of the thyroid gland include:
- Influencing heart rate and blood pressure
- Stimulating basal metabolism (your burning of calories)
- Regulating your body temperature, especially at night. During the day, this is more the task of the muscles.
- Distributing energy
- Influencing digestion
- Influencing muscle and nerve conduction
- Brain activity, brain development, and psyche
- Growth and development of the body
- Development of the child's brain until approximately the 20thweek of pregnancy
- Influencing the female hormone balance (and thus the menstrual cycle)
- Important for fertility. Influences the ovaries, implantation, and placenta formation
- Temperature regulation
Although the thyroid gland is actually a very small organ (approximately 7 to 11 centimeters), it can cause many complaints when it does not function properly or too slowly. For example, do you sleep a lot, but still feel tired? Are you constantly cold? Do you have (unexplained) overweight or less strength in your legs? Then it could very well be that your thyroid gland is underactive. The thyroid gland produces hormones that are important for various bodily functions, and when this process falters, your body runs on low power.
Signs of an underactive thyroid:
- Weight gain, without eating more or moving less than before
- Fatigue
- Muscle pain and/or muscle weakness
- Joint pain
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and palpitations
- Low libido
- Heavy menstruation
- Fluid retention around the eyes and face
- Depressive and/or nervous feelings
- Constantly feeling cold, especially hands and feet
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
It is also possible that a thyroid gland is overactive. This is more often seen at the beginning of a period of acute stress.
Signs of an overactive thyroid:
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Restlessness, irritability
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Clammy, moist skin
Chronic stress
Chronic stress has a major impact on the functioning of your thyroid gland. This is therefore at the top of the list when it comes to causes of an imbalance. During stress, a different energy distribution occurs in the body so that you can flee or fight. The ultimate evolutionary goal is survival. This reaction always takes precedence and comes at the expense of the energy that was intended for other organs. These are, as it were, put on the back burner for a while. This is not a problem for a short time, but in the long term, there are some consequences.
The consequence is that you are often cold, for example, because the thyroid gland cannot properly maintain your body temperature and/or you gain weight because your metabolism slows down. A hormonal imbalance, disrupted cycle, and fertility problems are also a result of this. Reproduction does not take precedence when there is danger or when the brain signals danger in times of stress. Your brain does not distinguish between real danger or a feeling of psycho-emotional stress.
Possible other causes of a disturbed thyroid function are:
- Not eating or eating too little fish and other seafood. Shrimp, for example, contain ready-made thyroid hormone.
- Autoimmune reaction
- Radiation
- Medication
- Inflammation of the thyroid gland
- Imbalance after pregnancy
Healthy thyroid
For a healthy thyroid, it is therefore important to eat a healthy and varied diet (Brain Food) preventively, with sufficient iodine and selenium. For example, eat 3 Brazil nuts daily and seafood a few times a week. And the most important thing is to be in Brain Balance with sufficient rest and relaxation, so that chronic stress is a thing of the past or prevented. If you have an overactive thyroid, iodine is an additional trigger and you should consult with your healthcare provider.
Do you recognize symptoms yourself and do you want to know if everything is okay with your thyroid? Then a blood test through your general practitioner is a first step. In addition, an orthomolecular consultation with one of our therapists may be interesting for you.
Good to know
If you are using thyroid medication, for example, it is important not to combine this with supplements on your own. You can consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacist or request personalized supplement advice.
