Let’s learn about the thyroid!
Exploring the Thyroid: A Vital Player in Fertility and Reproductive Health!
Did you know that your thyroid plays a crucial role in your fertility journey? Let's dive into the fascinating connection between the thyroid and reproductive health!
Thyroid 101
The thyroid, a butterflyshaped gland in your neck, produces hormones that regulate your body's metabolism, but its influence goes beyond just that! Think of it as your body's thermostat, turning your internal dial up or down to set your energy expenditure, metabolism, growth, and reproductive functions. It does this in conversation with your brain, your breath, your heart rate, your nervous system, body temp, muscle strength, skin health, and hormones that govern our womb health.
THS
The brain releases thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) through the pituitary gland. In the medical world you’ll hear it called T3 tri-iodo-thy-ro-nine and T4 thyroxine. If your liver is functioning well, then T4 actually makes T3 through a conversion process in the body. Always interconnected! These physiological processes are never solo or individualized. The body creates this beautiful loop of responding to the stimulus and producing whatever amount of thyroid hormone will help regulate the body
Hormone imbalance
When TSH is imbalanced, it can impact your body’s ability to have a regular cycle, interfere with ovulation, prevent implantation, or maintain a growing pregnancy because the thyroid is the regulator of your hormones in your body.
If there’s TOO MUCH thyroid stimulating hormone, you’re not making enough T3 or T4s. That seems wonky, but look at the language, TSH is about stimulating your thyroid to do something. So if the body is low in T3s or T4s, the body knows it needs more, and stimulates the thyroid to do that job.
If there’s TOO LITTLE thyroid stimulating hormone, you are making TOO much T3 or T4
Testing TSH levels is problematic
Yes, you can do blood work to check your levels and many practitioners will take you there. However, there’s so much variance not accounted for when measuring results, that you have to ask, are you getting a real picture of your thyroid health, is this the best way to evaluate and create treatment protocol for a thyroid issue? Or is there something else going on that we need to pay attention to?
thyroid hormone levels tend to go up at night and down during the day
different labs may yield different results
if you’re taking pharmaceuticals and you switch brands
biotin and other supplements can interfere with TSH levels showing falsley low levels
you take varying dosages of your pharmas
you become pregnant
Certain foods, like walnuts, soy, and foods high in fiber, can interfere with the absorption of your thyroid medication
Hormone Regulation is key
What we’re really looking at with thyroid health is overall hormone regulation. Since you’re thyroid is like your hormone mainframe, we can look to other areas of the body, and it’s systems to investigate what the root cause of this mainframe malfunction really is. A lot of my clients are under immense amounts of chronic stress, so treating the hormones alone, aren’t going to help. We have to continue to see the body as whole, not individualized parts for long-term healing with sustainable results!
So, are you ready to work with a Clinical Herbalist?
Apply to work with me 1:1 in my 3, 6, or 9 month holistic healing coaching program Journey to Pregnancy. Apply today!
