(And Here’s How to Take Back Control!)
If you’ve been dealing with hypothyroidism, chances are you’ve been told medication is your only option. Maybe you’ve been prescribed levothyroxine, your TSH levels were deemed “normal,” and you were sent on your way, even through you know don't feel right. Your hands and feet are still cold, your skin is dry, your hair has been falling out and you're tired all the time.
Here’s the truth your doctor didn't tell you about while they were writing your prescription:
Your thyroid is not the problem—it’s a symptom of deeper dysfunction.
Thyroid health doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s deeply connected to your gut, liver, stress response and hormones. If these upstream systems aren’t functioning properly, your thyroid will struggle and you'll feel symptoms, no matter how much medication you’re on.
What’s Really Driving Thyroid Dysfunction?
Conventional medicine often overlooks the upstream factors that impact your thyroid.
Let’s break down the most common root causes:
Chronic Stress: When you’re stuck in fight-or-flight mode, your cortisol levels spike, leading to inflammation and hormone imbalances that disrupt thyroid function.
Liver Congestion: Up to 70% of T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) converts to T3 (active thyroid hormone) in the liver. If your liver is congested from toxins, gut infections, or poor detox pathways, this conversion slows, leaving you fatigued and foggy.
Estrogen Dominance: Excess estrogen competes with thyroid hormones, amplifying symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, and mood swings.
Gut Dysfunction: Infections like H. pylori, parasites, and dysbiosis trigger inflammation that interferes with thyroid hormone production and absorption.
Mineral Imbalances: Selenium, zinc, and magnesium are critical for thyroid health, but deficiencies often go undetected without testing.
The Role of Functional Lab Testing
This is why functional testing like the HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) and GI-MAP are so critical. These tests provide a comprehensive look at hidden stressors including mineral imbalances, food sensitivities, dysbiosis and intestinal health markers that contribute to thyroid imbalances. Foundations my 90 day group coaching program integrates these tools to uncover your unique health story and craft a targeted, effective plan of action.
Uncover Hidden Stressors with Functional Lab Testing
Here’s the key to breaking free from thyroid dysfunction: Stop guessing and start testing.
In Foundations, we use:
HTMA Testing: Identify mineral imbalances that are impacting your thyroid. Minerals like iodine, potassium, selenium, magnesium, and zinc are critical for thyroid hormone production and conversion.
GI MAP Testing: Detect hidden gut infections, parasites, and dysbiosis that may be triggering inflammation and liver congestion.
These tests provide a roadmap to address your unique root causes, so you can finally get the answers you’ve been searching for.
3 Action Steps to Support Thyroid Health Naturally
Now that you know some of what’s driving thyroid dysfunction, here’s how to start healing from the inside out:
Reduce Chronic Stress
Your stress response has a profound impact on your thyroid. To break the cycle of stress and inflammation:
Prioritize Nervous System Regulation: Practice daily gratitude, meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to shift out of fight-or-flight mode.
Set Boundaries: Reduce overwhelm by saying no to commitments that drain your energy.
Get Consistent Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to allow your body to repair and restore.
Support Your Liver Health and Open Drainage Pathways
An overburdened liver can’t detoxify hormones or process thyroid medications effectively.
Help your liver do its job with these tips:
Eat Liver-Supporting Foods: Incorporate cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts), beets, and bitter greens.
Use Castor Oil Packs: Apply a castor oil pack to your abdomen 3-4 times per week to reduce inflammation and support drainage.
Hydrate with Minerals: Add a pinch of Celtic sea salt or Redmond’s Real Salt to your water for optimal hydration and mineral balance.
Detoxify Excess Estrogen
If estrogen dominance is contributing to your thyroid symptoms, focus on:
Daily Raw Carrots or Ground Flax Seeds: These bind to and help eliminate excess estrogen.
Eliminate Endocrine Disruptors: Switch to non-toxic personal care products, glass containers, and organic produce to reduce exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Open Drainage Pathways: Sweat it out with light exercise or sauna sessions and support regular bowel movements with fiber-rich foods.
Conventional vs Functional Lab Ranges for Thyroid Hormones
One of the reasons thyroid dysfunction is so often overlooke Yin conventional mesicine is the difference between how lab results are interpreted. Conventional doctors typically rely on standard reference ranges based on the average population. This includes lots of less than healthy people in the range too, which means many women with thyroid symptoms fall into the "normal" category even when their thyroid function is far from optimal.
Functional Medicine's reference ranges are much tighter and based on people who are at optimal health. Functional medicine takes a more nuanced approach, using narrower ranges to identify imbalances early and address symptoms before they become debilitating.
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)
Traditional Range: 0.4–5.0 µIU/mL
Functional Range: 1.4–2.2 µIU/mL
Why it matters: A TSH of 4.5 might be flagged as “normal” by conventional standards, but functional medicine sees this as a red flag. A higher TSH suggests that your thyroid is struggling to keep up with your body’s needs, even if your levels aren’t officially classified as hypothyroid yet.
Free T4 (Thyroxine)
Traditional Range: 0.82 - 1.77 ng/dL
Functional Range: 1.4 - 1.8 ng/dL
Why it matters: Free T4 is an inactive thyroid hormone that your body must convert into T3. If your T4 levels are on the low end, it may point to inadequate thyroid production or conversion issues.
Free T3 (Triiodothyronine)
Traditional Range: 1.81- 4.4 pg/mL
Functional Range: 3.3–4.4 pg/mL
Why it matters: Free T3 is the active thyroid hormone responsible for regulating metabolism, mood, and energy. Even if your TSH and T4 levels look "normal," low T3 levels could explain persistent symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
Reverse T3 (rT3)
Traditional Range: 9.2 - 24.1 ng/dL
Functional Range: <15 ng/dL
Why it matters: Reverse T3 is like the “brakes” on your metabolism. When rT3 levels are elevated, it competes with Free T3 for receptor sites, effectively slowing down your thyroid function. Functional medicine often includes rT3 in assessments, especially for women experiencing stress or chronic illness.
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb)
Traditional Range: <35 IU/mL
Functional Range: <9 IU/mL
Why it matters: Elevated TPO antibodies are a sign of autoimmune thyroid conditions like Hashimoto’s, even if your TSH and T4 levels look normal. Functional ranges catch inflammation earlier, allowing for intervention before symptoms worsen.
Additional Considerations: How Fluoride Impacts Your Thyroid
One of the lesser-known contributors to hypothyroidism is fluoride exposure. Found in tap water, toothpaste, and certain foods, fluoride can interfere with your thyroid function by:
Blocking Iodine Absorption: Your thyroid needs iodine to produce hormones, but fluoride competes with iodine, disrupting this essential process.
Suppressing TSH Levels: Fluoride has been shown to lower thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), reducing the thyroid’s ability to function properly.
Increasing Toxic Burden: Excess fluoride contributes to liver congestion, which is critical for converting inactive T4 to active T3.
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