5 Signs you have an underactive thyroid
1. Fatigue – An underactive Thyroid creates very specific fatigue symptoms. Look out for:
- Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, a lack of strength and not able to exercise on a regular basis.
- A heavy or tired head, particularly in the afternoon, as well as brain ‘fog’. Your brain is particularly sensitive to thyroid hormone levels.
- Falling asleep as soon as you sit down without anything to do.
- Relying on caffeine to get through the day.
2. Weight Gain
Easy weight gain and difficulty losing weight even on a specific weight-loss program both point to an underactive thyroid. According to Charles Poliquin, there is a link between fat around your ribcage and underactive thyroid.
3. Dry Skin and Hair
People with an underactive thyroid tend to have perpetually dry, rough skin that doesn’t respond well to moisturizing. They may also get dry, course hair, and in some cases, may suffer from hair loss.
4. Sensitivity to the Cold
Feeling the cold more than others, or than you have previously, is one sign of low thyroid function. People with Hypothyroid are slow to warm up and don’t sweat with mild exercise.
5. Low Basal Temperature
At Mullen Health, we ask our patients to record their temperature each morning before getting out of bed. If their temperature comes back consistently at 36.5 degrees or less, this is suggestive of an underactive thyroid and a slow metabolism.
While these signs are some of the more common symptoms of hypothyroidism, there are some less common symptoms you may not be aware of:
- Constipation
- High cholesterol
- Depression
- Craving carbohydrates and sugary foods
- Thinning of the outside of the eyebrow
So what should you do if you suspect you might have an underactive thyroid?
Get tested – but do it properly. Ask your Naturopath for a referral to have the following:
- TSH
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Thyroid Antibodies
- Reverse T3
I’d also recommend doing the Basal Body Temperature test I spoke about earlier.
If you have any more questions, you can call us to book a FREE 15 minute chat with one of our Naturopaths to see how we can help you. Call now on (02) 4961 4075.
Yours in health
Peter Mullen
Do you want to find out how natural health can help treat your thyroid condition and discover some of the super foods to eat and diet principles to follow to help balance your immune system?
Click here to access our free guide – Natural Remedies for Thyroid Health.
