What Are Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid nodules are growths in the thyroid gland, which is located in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland releases thyroid hormone, which regulates many of your bodys functions, including metabolism.
Thyroid nodules are very common in adults, and more than 70% of Americans over the age of 70 will have at least one. Most nodules are noncancerous , but some can be cancerous. Thyroid nodules are less common in children and teens, but, if a child or a teen has a nodule, it is more likely to be malignant .
There are several types of thyroid nodules:
- Colloid nodules are benign buildups of thyroid cells.
- Follicular adenomas are also benign.
- Thyroid cysts are balloon-like growths inside of your thyroid gland that are filled with fluid. They are almost never cancerous.
- Thyroid cancers can appear similar to any of the other types of thyroid nodules. An ultrasound and, sometimes, a biopsy are important to determine if a nodule is malignant.
Some nodules may affect the hormones produced by the thyroid gland, causing symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism .
Charlene On Focusing On Day
Charlene Bazarian was 19 years old when she noticed her weight start to climb. In an effort to drop what she thought was the Freshman 15, Bazarian cleaned up her eating and exercised more. Yet her weight continued to climb. I went to several doctors, who each said I was fine, says Bazarian.
It wasnt until her mother, who also has hypothyroidism, suggested that she see her endocrinologist, that things made sense.
What Happens If Hypothyroidism Is Not Treated
Hypothyroidism can become a serious and life-threatening medical condition if you do not get treatment from a healthcare provider. If you are not treated, your symptoms can become more severe and can include:
- Developing mental health problems.
- Not being able to maintain a normal body temperature.
- Having heart problems.
- Developing a goiter .
You can also develop a serious medical condition called myxedema coma. This can happen when hypothyroidism isnt treated.
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Heres What Happens To Your Body When Your Thyroid Is Imbalanced
Thyroid disease is a common condition, affecting an estimated 20 million Americans. Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck that produces hormones vital for bodily functions like metabolism and heart rate.
This disease occurs when your thyroid makes too little or too much of the hormones. Hypothyroidism is the term for too little production of the hormones, while hyperthyroidism develops when your thyroid makes too much.
Thyroid imbalance affects more women than men, with nearly 1 in 8 women experiencing thyroid disease at some point in her life. The condition comes with a variety of symptoms, from weight fluctuation and fatigue to menstrual irregularity and more.
For comprehensive thyroid care, come to Terry Baker, MD, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Dr. Baker is an expert in thyroid conditions, and our team is here to help you understand thyroid imbalance and how its affecting your body.
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Diet And Weight Loss Tips For Thyroid Patients
Losing weight can be a frustrating process for many people with an underactive thyroid. Whether you have hypothyroidism or no thyroid after surgery or radioactive iodine treatment, thyroid function affects metabolism and can make weight loss an uphill battle.
Here are some surprising tips that can help you finally tackle your weight loss frustrations and get on track, as well as several diet and weight loss secrets to help you win the battle against excess pounds.
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Eat A Healthy Breakfast
Dont skip breakfast unless you are doing intermittent fasting. Research shows that people who skip breakfast tend to have a harder time losing weight.
A good breakfast will keep you full and energetic all day long. Your breakfast should consist of 20 to 30 grams of healthy protein. Dont forget to eat whole carbs and healthy fats during breakfast.
How To Fix Your Hormones And Lose Weight
Ive hit a stubborn weight-loss plateau, writes this weeks house call, even though I seem to be doing everything right, like eating the right foods and exercising. How can I overcome that obstacle?
Ive discussed different reasons for weight-loss resistance in past blogs. Many obstacles have nothing to do with what you eat or how much you exercise. Instead, they involve things like nutritional imbalances, chronic inflammation, metabolic challenges, leaky gut, changes in your microbiome, environmental toxins and your genes.
One huge but often-overlooked reason for weight-loss resistance involves hormonal imbalances.
No contest: The monster hormone that causes weight gain, inflammation and chronic disease is excess insulin. Think of this hormone as your fat cell fertilizer! My new book, Eat Fat, Get Thin, discusses how to naturally regulate insulin so you can shift your body from fat storage mode to fat-burning mode.
At the same time, insulin isnt the only player other hormones also affect your weight and health. Three big disruptors are: thyroid, cortisol and sex hormones. I discuss these hormones in-depth in The Blood Sugar Solution, however, lets briefly look at each of them here.
Thyroid
Research shows hypothyroidism, or low-thyroid function, affects one in five women and one in ten men. Unfortunately, in over half of these cases, this condition isnt diagnosed.
A common cause of hypothyroidism is gluten intolerance.
Cortisol
Sex Hormone Imbalances
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How To Lower Your Cortisol Levels
The best way to lower your cortisol levels, move past your plateau and avoid further weight gain, is to lower your stress levels.
If you can learn how to control your stress, it can help you on your weight loss journey. Here are some tips and suggestions of things you can do to stop stress:
- Yoga
- Take time to do the things you enjoy
- Spend time with animals/pets
Danna On Focusing On Health Choices That Are In Her Control
Danna Bowman, co-founder of Thyroid Refresh, always assumed that the weight fluctuations she experienced as a teen were a normal part of life. In fact, she blamed herself, thinking she wasnt eating right or exercising enough.
As a teen, she says the amount she wanted to lose was never more than 10 pounds, but it always seemed like a monumental task. Weight was easy to put on and difficult to take off, thanks to her hormones.
My weight was like a pendulum swinging back and forth for decades, especially after both of my pregnancies it was a battle I wasnt winning, says Bowman.
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Can Thyroid Hormone Be Used To Help Me Lose Weight
Thyroid hormones have been used as a weight loss tool in the past. Starting or increasing thyroid hormone to cause thyroid hormone levels to be elevated is unlikely to dramatically change weight. Studies have shown that excess thyroid hormone treatment can help produce more weight loss than can be achieved by dieting alone, but includes the risk of major negative consequences from the use of thyroid hormone to help with weight loss, such as the loss of muscle protein, loss of bone, and/or heart problems. Furthermore, once the excess thyroid hormone is stopped, any weight loss is usually regained.
Use Stress Relief Techniques
Stressis a leading contributor to an underactive thyroid. Relieving stress can lead to a normal balance in your hormone levels. If your thyroid is normalized, your metabolism will speed up again.
And outside of hypothyroidism, stresshas been linked to obesity in general. This is primarily due to exposure to excessive amounts of cortisol over time.
Here are some practical ways to relieve stress:
- Sleep. A full 8 hours of high-quality sleep is essential for stress relief.
- Turn off technology before bed. Cutting outblue light exposure an hour before bedtime can improve your sleep quality. You can do this by using software that blocks blue light, like f.lux and iristech.
- Use blue light blocking glasses. We also encourage everyone to use blue-light blocking glasses after sunset if using any electronic devices, which helps to reduce cortisol production. Use code PRIMEHEALTH for 10% off of our favorite blue light blocking glasses atRa Optics.
- Meditate. Practicing meditation is another way to alleviate your stress and decrease excessive cortisol production.
- Go outside. Spending time outdoors, especiallyin primarily green locations, can lower your stress and cortisol levels.
Reducing your stress levels is one of the best ways to lose weight with hypothyroidism without medication.
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Combine Cruciferous Veggies With A Dim Supplement For Estrogen Dominance
Since estrogen dominance can be a major contributor to weight gain, eating more cruciferous veggies can really help control excess estrogen.
Cruciferous veggies contain a compound called I3C.
When you eat those veggies, your body converts the I3C into DIM .
And DIM is an antioxidant that helps the body restore balance to estrogen and progesterone levels .
When combined with a healthy diet, DIM supplements support in eliminating weight gain caused by hormones.
So, its a good idea to not only consume cruciferous veggies regularly, but to use a DIM supplement to boost the estrogen-regulating effects.
Genius Estrogen Balance from Amazon is an excellent DIM supplement to go with.
Reduce Exposure To Hormone Disruptors
Toxins are one of the most common reasons why hormonal weight gain occurs.
You see, toxins cause inflammation, which basically throws your body into a state of confusion.
The most common source of toxins is the food we eat.
Food toxins that contribute to hormonal weight include:
- Processed and genetically modified fats
- Processed sugar
- Dyes
- Processed meats
So, if you want to lose weight fast and reverse hormone-related weight gain, reduce your consumption of these foods and ingredients.
This single step will make a tremendous difference in your bodys ability to shed excess pounds.
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How Does Hypothyroidism Affect Your Metabolism
The thyroid hormone helps control the speed of your metabolism. The faster your metabolism, the more calories your body burns at rest.
People with hypothyroidism make less thyroid hormone. This means they have a slower metabolism and burn fewer calories at rest.
Having a slow metabolism comes with several health risks. It may leave you tired, increase your blood cholesterol levels, and make it harder for you to lose weight .
If you find it difficult to maintain your weight with hypothyroidism, try doing moderate or high intensity cardio. This includes exercises like fast-paced walking, running, hiking, and rowing.
Research shows that moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise may help boost your thyroid hormone levels. In turn, this may help speed up your metabolism (
Summary
People with hypothyroidism usually have a slower metabolism. Research shows that aerobic exercise can help boost your thyroid hormone levels. Additionally, eating more protein may help boost your metabolism.
Several nutrients are important for optimal thyroid health.
Get The Right Nutrients And Supplements
Here are the best natural dietary supplements to lessen the severity of your hypothyroidism, promote healthy metabolism, and promote hypothyroidism-related weight loss.
At PrimeHealth, your dietary and supplement plan is always personalized to your needs and personal labs from blood tests.
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Can Obesity Cause Hypothyroidism
We dont think that obesity directly causes hypothyroidism. There are several reasons why people develop hypothyroidism, and most risk factors are not under your control. While obesity is not considered a risk factor for hypothyroidism, the link between obesity and hypothyroidism may be more complex than we think.
Studies have shown a possible relationship between increased BMI and decreased thyroid function. With more excess weight, thyroid function decreases further. The receptors that respond to thyroid hormone also may not respond as well to thyroid hormone in obese people .
We dont fully understand this relationship, and research is ongoing to help us figure it out.
Try A Ketogenic Diet And Intermittent Fasting
Many people with thyroid problems praised the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting. Jill gained 80 pounds and, now in her 60s, found she could not lose a pound. After I started the keto diet with intermittent fasting, Im down 22 pounds so far! Fifty-something Alexandra is down 30 pounds in just two months combining intermittent fasting and a keto diet: This works for me. As an added benefit, my blood sugar and sleep have improved significantly.
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Imaging Tests In Thyroid Disease
A physician may use one or a combination of imaging tests, such as an ultrasound of the thyroid, a computerized tomography scan, or nuclear medicine tests, to diagnose and find the cause of thyroid disorders. Thyroid imaging is reviewed in the National Institutes of Health report on thyroid disease.
With Hyperthyroidism Weight Loss Than Weight Regain Is Common
The researchers turned to the Thyroid Clinic Database at the University Hospitals Birmingham National Health Service Foundation Trust to gather data on all adult patients with hyperthyroidism treated either with antithyroid drugs, radioiodine , or both. Information was collected for patients treated between 2000 and 2014 with three years of followup.1 None of the patients had a thyroidectomysurgical removeal of the thyroidwhich is another treatment option.
In all, there were 1,373 patients, ages 18 to 90 years, who were evaluated, and their weight was tracked over time. During treatment, the men, in general, gain about 17.6 pounds while the women gained a little over 12 pounds. The researchers compared the patients’ weight gain with that of a matched comparison population of nearly 11,000 people who did not have an overactive thyroid.1
At the start of drug treatment, those who were diagnosed as having an overactive thyroid weighed less, on average than the comparison population, Dr. Boelaert says, which was expected. However, after treatment, the patients with hyperthyroidism were more likely than the comparison group to reach a level of obesity. In effect, men were 1.7 times more likely and women, 1.3 times more likely, to gain enough weight to be considered in the obese range.1
When compared with drugs alone, treatment that included RAI was linked with an additional gain of about 1.3 pounds. .1
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Maintain A Calorie Deficit
This may sound obvious but I have to remind you. You cannot overcome hormonal weight gain if you dont maintain a calorie deficit.
Now, Im not asking you to starve yourself. Eating less than 1000 calories a day can damage your metabolism and cause muscle loss.
Maintain a moderate calorie deficit of 300-500 calories. If you cant estimate your total daily calories, use MyfitnessPal app to track your calories for a few days.
Alternatively, you can avoid excess calories by increasing intake of plant-based foods. But as you will see later, you have to avoid certain veggies that hinder thyroid function.
What Is Hypothyroidisms Connection To Obesity
The thyroid is a gland in your neck that produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, or the way your body uses its energy. If you have extra energy , it gets stored on your body as fat. A significant amount of fat storage on your body leads to obesity. Obesity is a chronic disease that can lead to many other health issues.
If your thyroid is underperforming , your body will use less of the energy that you eat as food. That extra energy is more likely to be stored on your body as fat. If you accumulate enough excess fat, you may be considered obese.
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How Is Hyperthyroidism Diagnosed
Contact your doctor if you have symptoms of an overactive thyroid. He or she will check for an enlarged thyroid gland, rapid pulse, moist skin, eye changes, and a slight tremor in your fingers or hand. Your doctor also will do a blood test to measure the amount of thyroid hormone in your blood. This confirms the diagnosis.
Your doctor may do a thyroid scan to find the cause. If your entire thyroid is affected, you have Graves disease. Or the doctor will look for thyroid nodules or an inflammation.
Your doctor also may do a radioactive iodine uptake test. This test measures your thyroids ability to take up iodine. A high uptake of iodine means your thyroid gland may be producing too much hormone. This indicates Graves disease or a hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule. A low uptake of iodine indicates thyroiditis as the cause.