Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ that produces hormones and then releases them into the body via the bloodstream. Your thyroid is located in your neck, just below the larynx. And although the thyroid is therefore located just under the skin, it is not or barely palpable from the outside when in good health.
The functioning of the thyroid and the secretion of hormones is a complex process. The mineral iodine plays an important role in this. That is why it is important to get enough iodine, otherwise the thyroid is unable 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 is therefore also in bread. If you do not eat bread, it is important to use some Celtic sea salt in your food every day and to put seafood on the menu weekly. Eggs and dairy products also contain some iodine.
If you don't get enough iodine, your thyroid cannot produce enough hormones. However, it keeps trying, and during this attempt, the thyroid will grow. The consequence of this can be a goiter - a swollen thyroid. And when this swelling is very large, it can cause swallowing or breathing problems.
The functioning of the thyroid is regulated from your brain, by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small hormonal gland; it stimulates other glands in the body to also 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 starts producing more thyroid hormone. And it works the same way in reverse. If there is too much thyroid hormone in your blood, they ensure that the thyroid 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 again.
Important organ
The thyroid is a very important organ. You could actually say that the thyroid is the energy distributor of your body and thus determines where energy may go and when. Every body cell has a receptor for the thyroid hormone. This hormone therefore influences all tissues.
The various functions of the thyroid include:
- Exerting influence on heart rate and blood pressure
- Stimulating basal metabolism (your calorie burn)
- 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 up to approximately the 20th week of pregnancy
- Influencing the female hormonal balance (and thus the menstrual cycle)
- Important for fertility. Has an influence on the ovaries, implantation, and formation of the placenta
- Temperature regulation
Although the thyroid is actually a very small organ (approximately 7 to 11 centimeters), it can cause many complaints when it functions poorly or too slowly. For example, do you sleep a lot but remain fatigued? Are you continuously cold? Do you have (unexplained) overweight or less strength in your legs? Then it may just be that your thyroid is underactive. The thyroid produces hormones that are important for various functions of the body, and when this process falters, your body runs on a low setting.
Signs of an underactive thyroid:
- Weight gain, without eating more or exercising less than before
- Fatigue
- Muscle pain and/or muscle weakness
- Joint pain
- Tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations
- Low libido
- Heavy menstruation
- Fluid retention around the eyes and face
- Depressive and/or nervous feelings
- Being continuously cold, especially hands and feet
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
It is also possible that a thyroid is overactive. We see this more often at the beginning of a period of acute stress.
Signs of an overactive thyroid:
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Restlessness, irritation
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Clammy, moist skin
Long-term stress
Long-term stress has a major influence on the functioning of your thyroid. It is therefore at the top of the list when it comes to causes of an imbalance. During stress, a different energy distribution is created in the body so that you could flee or fight. The ultimate evolutionary goal is survival. This reaction always takes priority and comes at the expense of the energy intended for other organs. These are, as it were, put on a lower setting for a while. This is not a problem for a short time, but in the long term, there are some consequences.
The result is that you are often cold, for example, because the thyroid cannot properly maintain your body temperature and/or that you gain weight because your metabolism slows down. A hormonal imbalance, disrupted cycle, and fertility problems are also the result of this. Reproduction does not take priority if there is danger or if the brain signals danger in times of stress. After all, your brain makes no distinction between real danger or a feeling of psycho-emotional stress.
Other possible 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
- Imbalance after pregnancy
Healthy thyroid
For a healthy thyroid, it is therefore important to eat healthily and variedly (Brain Food) preventively, with sufficient iodine and selenium. For example, eat 3 Brazil nuts daily and seafood a few times a week. And most importantly, be in Brain Balance with sufficient rest and relaxation, so that chronic stress becomes a thing of the past or is prevented. If you have an overactive thyroid, iodine is actually an extra stimulant and you should consult your practitioner.
Do you recognize symptoms yourself and do you want to know if everything is fine with your thyroid? Then a blood test via your GP is a first step. In addition, an orthomolecular consultation with one of our therapists might be interesting for you.
Good to know
If you use thyroid medication, for example, it is important not to combine this with supplements on your own. You can discuss with your practitioner or pharmacist or request personal supplement advice.
