Top Risks for Thyroid Disorders
What you will notice (if you know of any of these celebrities) is that it is a manageable and easily treatable condition. What is harder is actually getting diagnosed properly, and getting treated properly to restore your optimal thyroid level.
Why does the thyroid matter?
It gives you energy! It is more or less responsible for your metabolism. It affects so many systems in the body; without the thyroid, they have trouble functioning too.
What happens if the thyroid is out of balance?
Most commonly, people will experience hypothyroidism. Other conditions are hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid activity), Grave’s Disease, and Hashimoto’s. If left untreated, a number of complications can result, including infertility and an increased risk of cancer. Properly addressing imbalanced thyroids can lead to life-changing improvements, as it affects so many body functions!
Top 12 Increased Risk Factors for Thyroid Disorders
- You are a Woman (10x more likely than men)
- You are over 30 Years old…and the risk increases with age
- You had Mono (Epstein-Barr Virus)
- You have had Herpes
- You have a Family history of thyroid disease
- You have a Family history of any autoimmune disease
- You have diabetes (type 1), arthritis, or another autoimmune disorder
- You are currently pregnant
- You are post-partum
- You are near menopause
- You have been treated with radioactive iodine
- You have been exposed to radiation to your neck or upper chest area
If you said YES to any of the above items, and you don’t know if your thyroid levels are in the right range, we would suggest that you get your thyroid levels tested. And not just the basic testing- the advanced testing.
What symptoms are associated with thyroid disorders?
Those with Hypothyroidism may experience symptoms like:
- Occasional Anxiety
- Dry skin & hair
- Hair loss
- Weight gain
- Brain Fog (slower thinking, memory difficulty)
- Fatigue
- Heavier and/or more frequent menstrual periods
- Goiter (swelling in the front of the neck, caused by enlargement of the thyroid)
- Slightly higher blood pressure
What should I do about it?
Test.
But not just anywhere. Test at Progressive Medical Center. Normal doctors may only test for one or two components of thyroid function (we test for more). They will also draw the “acceptable range” of lab results very broadly (we draw it narrowly). What does that mean?
Well, if your personal “normal thyroid level” is typically at the high-end of the “normal” scale, but is currently at the “low end” of the “normal scale,” the doctor would simply say you’re within range and offer no treatment solution. At Progressive, we believe this is misguided. We believe in creating optimal health so you can thrive!
At Progressive, we not only test for more elements of thyroid function, but we also test for ingredients necessary for the thyroid to function, and the body support systems around the thyroid that assist in its ability to function optimally. We understand that the “average” range may not be YOUR range of normal, and we will work with you to identify your custom thyroid level.
Treat.
Further, we provide natural solutions that can, in many cases, rebalance thyroid hormone levels back to normal, stable levels for prolonged periods of time without ongoing medication. For more severe cases, we prefer to recommend natural and gluten-free treatments (a simple pill 2x/day) for those who will benefit.
You see, common medications prescribed by traditional doctors are synthetic thyroid hormones that are only effective in a small set of thyroid conditions, and they never help to restore thyroid function. We prefer to heal the patient, rather than create a dependency.
We suggest annual testing for those without a demonstrated disorder and testing every 3-6 months for those with an identified thyroid imbalance.
If you said yes to any of the risk factors above, if you are suffering from fatigue, or if you have had trouble identifying what is causing you to feel sub-optimal, give Progressive a call today to see if we can help you to feel your best again!