subject: Is Your Thyroid Making You Fat? There Is A Link Between Low Thyroid And Weight Gain [print this page] If you are like a lot of people, the resounding answer to that question is YES! Your thyroid plays a huge part in your metabolism. If your thyroid is not working properly, many of your other bodily functions will be out of sorts.
So, what are the signs of a low thyroid?
* Lethargy and weakness
* Hair loss
* Weight gain
* Insomnia
* Constipation
* Edema around eyes, face, hands, legs or feet
* Fullness in the throat area
* Melancholy
* Dry or rough skin
* Poor recall, forgetfulness, dementia
* Anxiety and tremors
* Heavy menstrual periods
* Low basal temperature (Cold hands and feet and an intolerance for cold)
* Muscle and joint pain
* Immune system problems
The Thyroid and Weight Gain
Regrettably, sometimes when people go to their doctor for assistance they are told their thyroid exam results were within the "regular" range of traditional medical values. Their thyroid might be on the low side of normal but not enough to merit action.
And Then Comes Cortisol...
When your body is stressed it creates cortisol (it is your body's stress survival hormone). Cortisol commands your body to maintain energy (sugar) circulating in the blood so just in case you unexpectedly need a burst of energy it will be there available to use. (That's part of the flight or fight in a individual's makeup.)
High cortisol levels keep your cells from absorbing insulin and sugar from the blood, but it may also prevent your cells from absorbing the T3 thyroid (triiodothyronine) your body requires to keep working as it should. That may be the reason your blood test will show your thyroid is working fine, however you nonetheless have all the signs of low thyroid function.
Elevated cortisol levels not only make your body insulin resistant (think type 2 diabetes) it may similarly makes your body resistant to your T3 thyroid hormone. It's a dual whammy and a vicious cycle. The more your cortisol levels climb, the more resistant you become and the more resistant you come to be the more stressed your body becomes and the more cortisol it will produce.
So What Can You Do to Reduce Your Cortisol and Boost Your Thyroid?
For people with "regular" thyroid levels and all the indicators of hypothyroidism (low thyroid) there are several steps you can take to improve the quality of your life. Supplemental nutrients such as selenium and iodine, along with other vitamins and minerals, will put you on the way to feeling better and losing weight. Of course with any thyroid treatment, the progress will not be immediate. It will take time, but some symptoms should improve within the first few weeks.
by: Joyce Gordey
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