12 Things That May Be Impacting Your Thyroid, According To A Functional Medicine Expert

Your thyroid hormones determine the function of every single cell of your body: The hair on your head, mood, immune system, energy levels, digestion, metabolism, and sex drive all hinge on the delicate balance of the queen of all hormones. For this reason, these same areas of your health suffer when your thyroid hormones are out of balance. There are many underlying reasons for thyroid problems, but the two I see most often in my patients are:

Almost all thyroid cases are due to variations of one or both of these problems. And the shocker here is that neither of these two issues are inherently thyroid problems. In autoimmune thyroid problems, your thyroid wants to work but falls victim to the immune system, and in low T3 syndrome, your thyroid is working like a champ, but it is not being activated in your liver or gut.

To manage both of these hidden thyroid problems, mainstream medicine recommends a synthetic T4 hormone such as Synthroid or Levothyroxine. But does this get to the root cause of why there's an issue in the first place? Hardly. So let's dig deeper and discover potential root causes for these two very common thyroid problems, and what to do about each:

What to do: Be consistent with activities of calm, like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. These activate your body's parasympathetic nervous system, which can make you feel more zen.

What to do: True vitamin A, called retinol, is only found in animal products like fish, shellfish, fermented cod liver oil, liver, and butterfat from grass-fed cows. Plant carotenes, a precursor to vitamin A, are found in sweet potatoes and carrots, but the conversion rate to the usable retinol is very weak. In fact, research suggests that just 3% of beta-carotene gets converted3 in a healthy adult. So, be sure to eat some of these animal-based sources, if possible.

What to do: Eat a variety of nuts and seeds like Brazil nuts, as well as oysters.

What to do: Consider taking with supplements and vitamins with known antiviral properties, like astragalus7, bee propolis8, L-lysine9, zinc10, or vitamin C11. Always consult with your doctor before taking new supplements.

What to do: Continue getting iodine in your diet, but pay attention to how much you're consuming (the recommended daily allowance for adults is 150 mcg13). Sea vegetables, like dulse, nori, kombu, and arame are all rich in iodine. Getting your iodine levels tested is a good idea to know where your starting point is.

What to do: Check with your doctor and get a blood test to find out if you have iron deficiency. Make sure you're getting plenty of iron-rich foods and pairing them with vitamin C when necessary. If that's not enough, consider adding an iron supplement as well.

What to do: The best way to get bioavailable copper16 is by eating grass-fed liver and oysters. Sesame seeds, mushrooms, potatoes, and even baking chocolate, are other good sources.

What to do: Depending on your individual hormone problems, solutions will vary. Talk to your doctor and get blood and lab work done to find your personalized course of action.

What to do: Avoid artificial sweeteners and opt for natural sugar substitutes, like raw honey, fresh fruit, or maple syrup.

What to do: Talk to a doctor or gastroenterologist to find out the best plan of action for supporting your gut. Eating a high-fiber diet, taking a quality probiotic, getting plenty of sleep, and reducing stress are just a few ways to promote a healthy gut.

What to do: Go to the doctor and get tested if you think you may have a gluten allergy. In the meantime, consider eliminating grains with gluten from your diet, and instead opt for gluten-free options.

What to do: Work with a doctor or addiction specialist who can help you quit smoking.