The thyroid is a small gland that is part of your endocrine system. It's responsible for making hormones that control your metabolism (how your body makes energy, burns fat).When your thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone, you may experience symptoms of sluggish metabolism. These include fatigue, weight gain (and can't lose weight), constipation, cold hands and feet, dry skin, nails and hair, muscle pain, and insomnia. To treat these symptoms, you might be prescribed a thyroid hormone medication, which is the number-one most prescribed drug in the U.S. Are there any dietary recommendations that can help with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's disease? Because Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, gluten can be an irritant (cause inflammation in the gut and thyroid gland). Iodine-rich foods such as seaweed can also inflame the thyroid gland and make the condition worse. Other food sensitivities include dairy, eggs, sugar, and processed carbs. The most important factor to keep in mind is to make sure you work with a functional medicine practitioner who can find the causes of the autoimmunity.Nikolas R. Hedberg, DC, joins host Lisa Davis to explain what hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's are, as well as the best way to approach thyroid disease.
