12/30/2017
Thyroid Awareness Month
Always tired?
Do you ask yourself, “Why am I so tired?” Do you feel like no matter how much sleep you get, you’re still tired all the time? As the National Sleep Foundation puts it,
Most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but too few of us actually make those eight or so hours between the sheets a priority. We’ve forgotten what being really, truly rested feels like. To further complicate matters, stimulants like coffee and energy drinks, alarm clocks, and external lights — including those from electronic devices — interfere with our circadian rhythm, or natural sleep/wake cycle.” (1)
Of course, getting a good night’s sleep is important for having plenty of energy, but there’s more to the story than just sleeping well. If you’re always struggling to keep your energy up, things like your diet, hormonal balance, exercise routine, the amount of mental stressors in your life and your genetics are all relevant factors to consider.
All of these influence your hormone levels in one way or another, and many can make it difficult to sleep at night and to deal with everyday sources of stress, leaving you exhausted.
Luckily, there are plenty of lifestyle tweaks that you can put into play in order to fight fatigue and reclaim your energy. If you are tired all the time, it is important to make sleep — high-quality sleep — a priority. But if you are reaching that eight hour threshold and still feeling exhausted, your low energy level may be an indicator of an underlying problem. Let’s find out why you’re always tired.
Twenty million Americans suffer from thyroid disease, and 60 percent of these people are unaware of it (!), according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. (2) Thyroid disease is especially a threat for women and older adults.
Thyroid disease can cause a wide variety of symptoms including:
fatigue
moodiness
muscle and joint pain
weight gain or loss
vision problems
poor work performance
changes in body temperature
and changes in appetite
A thyroid disorder can show up in many different forms because the thyroid gland is considered a “master gland,” one that secretes hormones that in one way or another impact almost every bodily function. For example, the thyroid gland is responsible for regulating body temperature, heart rate, production of protein, and also helps control your metabolic rate and energy levels.
Thyroid Disease Causes:
How are thyroid disorders caused? There are believed to be four main contributing causes of thyroid disease, which may be the reason you feel like you’re always tired:
Hormonal imbalances caused by stress and diet
Food intolerances to things like gluten and dairy
Radiation and toxicity exposure
A nutrition deficiency in iodine or selenium
Natural Treatment for Thyroid Disease
A thyroid disease may be causing you to feel sluggish. Here are some of the ways you can help recover:
Go gluten — and mostly dairy-free (especially from A1 casein cows).
Avoid toxins and heavy metals like BPA (Bisphenol A) found in plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
Have your iodine and selenium levels checked and then include more food sources of both, or taking supplements if need be.
Detox your body of heavy metals by using products like milk thistle, turmeric, chlorella and cilantro, plus considering having metal fillings removed from your teeth
Consume adaptogen herbs and superfoods like maca powder, ashwagandha and tulsi
Adjust your diet to have a lower carbohydrate intake, but include plenty of lean protein and healthy fat sources (especially foods like coconut oil, coconut milk, avocado, grass-fed beef, wild fish, chia, flaxseeds and h**p seeds)
The Oasis Institute offers specialized testing including blood analysis to detect your thyroid level and provides dietary and lifestyle coaching to assist you in obtaining optimal health. Call for a consultation today and start your New Year with renewed energy clarity and a new you.
The Oasis Institute Integrative Medicine & Age Management Specialists Expert Healthcare Dr. Muñoz has been in the Aventura, Florida area for over 35 years and is highly regarded by his colleagues and patients. The Oasis Institute is a state of the art 5 star facility offering access
