The thyroid hormone, the first hormone to evolve in multicellular organisms as they transitioned from the iodine-rich sea to land, has a fascinating evolutionary journey. Its development was...
People often ask why they become hypothyroid. While I can never answer this question thoroughly, I usually give them a possible cause by asking about their childhood. Thyroid function is always...
When you can’t breathe, doing anything is tiring. Since low thyroid function slows down all physiology, it also slows down lung function. Doctors call this dyspnea, or shortness of breath and air...
I specialize in thyroid function, but I am also a mother and a grandmother. As a mother, I want to ensure that my daughter has a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. For this reason, thyroid...
When most people, even most doctors, think of hypothyroidism, they think of the symptoms of myxedema. Myxedema was the original term for hypothyroidism, first described by William Ord in 1878. This...
I associate many negative health symptoms with low energy. Low energy causes depression, anxiety, reduced cognitive function, and certainly carbohydrate cravings. Adequate thyroid and adrenal...
People are aware of the symptoms of low sodium. Migraines, confusion, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, and weakness are common symptoms. It’s normal to need salt after...
Gut or digestive function is essential. It enables us to absorb nutrients so we regenerate tissue and metabolize energy. Our digestion turns what we eat into what we need to make energy and vital...
Since the first diagnosis of hypothyroidism, various mental health issues, namely depression, dementia, and anxiety, have been associated with low thyroid function. Thyroid hormone is essential for...
Thyroid irregularity can cause strange and unexplained pain. I say irregularity because, as I have often explained to my patients, hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a variation of hypo...
Imagine moving through mud. Because of the physical resistance caused by the mud, you have to use a lot of energy to get anywhere. It’s not hard, but it’s thick. It flows all around your limbs....
When your doctor tests thyroid function, TSH is the marker they will use to decide whether you are hypothyroid. They will sometimes also test free T4, the inactive thyroid hormone, but rarely free...
Many people are concerned about getting enough calcium on a carnivore diet because some people feel better without dairy. I address the fear-mongering about osteoporosis and the newly minted condition
Thyroid dysregulation affects blood function. I see alterations to routine hematological parameters with thyroid dysregulation, such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood cell volume, mass and shape, a
