Thyroid disturbances are a common part of our practice - in particular subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.  We wanted to post this blog to explain the thyroid function and review the current medications available for hypothyroidism.

What is a thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits below the Adam’s apple on the front of the neck. Its function is to produce hormones known as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) which act in the body to stimulate the metabolism of fats, proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins; increasing the body’s basal metabolic rate and energy. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone and is able to create metabolic responses whereas T4 must first be converted in the body to T3 in order to have an effect. The thyroid produces these hormones in response to Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) released from the pituitary gland. Health concerns arise when the thyroid gland becomes over active which is called hyperthyroidism or under active known as hypothyroidism. There are many reasons that the thyroid will malfunction and it is always recommended to see a health care professional for further assessment.

Symptoms of Hypothyroid

·         sensitivity to cold temperatures
·         mild weight gain
·         fatigue
·         constipation
·         enlarged neck
·         dry skin
·         hair loss
·         muscle cramps
·         heavy and irregular menstruation
·         difficulty thinking or concentrating

The most obvious sign of severe hypothyroidism is a goiter. A goiter is a severe swelling of the thyroid gland in the front of the neck.

Symptoms of Hyperthyroid

·         sudden and unexplained weight loss
·         increased or irregular heartbeat
·         nervousness
·         irritability
·         tremors (especially in the hands)
·         increased sweating
·         abnormal menstruation
·         increased sensitivity to warmth
·         more frequent bowel movements
·         enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
·         fatigue
·         difficulty sleeping
·         muscle weakness

Treatments for Hypothyroidism

Synthroid

Synthroid is the most common prescription medicine for hypothyroidism and is a synthetic form of thyroxine (T4) called levothyroxine. It acts to replace the function of the thyroid by increasing the amount of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. This leads a decrease in TSH from the pituitary gland as it signals that the thyroid gland is working properly again. As this only supplements the body with the inactive form of thyroid hormone (T4), it must first be converted to T3 in order to play a part in the metabolic processes of the body. The dosage of Synthroid varies from person to person depending on remaining thyroid function, symptoms and ability to convert T4 to T3. There are foods, vitamins and minerals that Naturopathic Doctors can use to help support the body in this conversion process.  These should all be utilized under the guidance of a trained health care provider. TSH is monitored every 4-6 weeks during the process in order to find to the right balance and dose.

Natural Dessicated Thyroid

Natural dessicated thyroid was commonly used for the treatment of hypothyroidism from the early 1900’s until the discovery of synthetic T4 in the 1960’s. Dessicated thyroid is made of dried porcine (pig) thyroid tissue and it contains both T4 and T3 therefore supplementing the body directly with the active form of thyroid hormone. This will benefit those who are not able to readily convert T4 to T3 and they may see a greater decrease in symptoms as well as TSH. One argument that is commonly used against dessicated thyroid by pharmaceutical companies and conventional medicine is that there is a variation between each batch of medication and it cannot be regulated the same way as the synthetic compound. This may be true, but the variations will be slight and if your health care practitioner is following up and monitoring properly then there should be no adverse effects from the dessicated thyroid. 

Naturopathic physicians in BC have the option of getting certified in prescriptive authority allowing them to access either one of these medications.  If you think you could benefit from dessicated thyroid contact a local Naturopathic Doctor with prescriptive authority.

In conclusion, both medications are effective at treating hypothyroidism and it should be the patient’s decision which one they prefer or feel better taking.  We have also seen great benefit in combining diet and lifestyle treatments and supplements with these medications to improve overall quality of life and reduce symptoms.

Open can and scoop out thick coconut cream into a medium sized stainless steel bowl.  Ensure you avoid the liquid, as you only want the cream.  Pour the liquid into a glass jar and put in the fridge.  This coconut water can be added to any smoothies - we especially like it with mango.

Coconuts

Coconuts have a bad reputation of being unhealthy because of their high saturated fat content when in fact they are high in fiber, nutrients and minerals and offer many health benefits. The fats in coconut are unique from other oils since the body utilizes them as an immediate source of energy rather than being stored as fat.  This allows for an increase in metabolism and is why coconut is a great adjunct for weight loss.  Another advantage of coconut is that the oil has fewer calories than other fat sources. 

Adding coconut into your diet can help maintain blood sugar, prevent heart disease and stroke, enhance the immune system, help prevent bone loss, increase energy and metabolism for weight loss, promote healthy skin, relieve muscle cramps and decrease inflammation. 

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is great to cook with since it has a high heating point which means that it can withstand heat without being broken down into harmful byproducts.  For example, olive oil has a low heating point so it is not ideal to cook with because it will smoke easily.  When you heat olive oil you lose most of the health benefits along with producing free radicals or oxidants that can have negative effects on the body.  With coconut oil this does not happen as the constituents are very stable at all temperatures which makes it ideal to cook with.

Coconut oil is also great to use in baking and on popcorn as a substitute for butter.  It is important to note that unsweetened applesauce is another excellent substitute for butter in baking.  You will see in many of our baking recipes we use coconut oil and applesauce.

As for brand of coconut oil we prefer Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut oil.  If you buy it in bulk it is a lot more affordable.  For shredded coconut it is important to purchase unsweetened, unsulfured (no sulfites) coconut to ensure there are no refined sugars or preservatives.  

Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is another baking essential and can be used as a substitute for white or brown sugar.  It is better than these other sugars because it is naturally occurring and is not highly processed and therefore has little effect on blood glucose levels.  Coconut sugar also has a much higher mineral content than white or brown sugar giving your body nutrients that it requires for daily functions.  It is one of our favourite sweeteners.

Coconut flour

Coconut flour is more difficult to bake with however, we always stock it in our pantry and it comes in handy to make pie crusts.  Coconut flour is very dry and non-binding so typically to counteract this effect eggs have to be added - almost 1 egg per 1/4-1/2 cup of coconut flour.  We don't like to use that many eggs in baking so we tend to use it less than other gluten free flours but we are still experimenting with this flour since it does add a great taste, is high fiber and works for people on a low grain diet.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk has many natural occurring nutrients unlike cow’s milk which needs to be fortified because of the poor, unnatural diet that the cows are fed.  Coconut milk is great in curries served with vegetables, tofu and rice or rice noodles.  We have also made “whipped cream”  with coconut milk which makes a delicious frosting for cupcakes, on a pie or even in homemade hot chocolate.

The best canned coconut milks are Organic or Regular Thai Kitchen or Organic Western Family brands (full fat ones).  You want to look for the ones without any preservatives so the best ones only have: coconut, water and guar gum (which is a natural thickener, fiber).  There are some coconut milks that just contain coconut and water which is even better but won't work for the coconut "whipped" cream recipe but work in everything else.

Recipes of how to integrate coconut into your diet will follow this post soon.  

See an amazing article on coconuts – “The Fat That Can Make You Thin” by Bruce Fife, ND:
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article10065.htm

For more information on the health benefits of coconut visit:
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/