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Living with a thyroid condition can be challenging. However, there are steps you can take to manage your thyroid health and improve your quality of life.
Whether you’re dealing with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, changing certain aspects of your lifestyle can make a big difference. But, before we get to those changes, here is a quick refresher on the difference between these two conditions that affect your thyroid function.
The thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck. As part of the endocrine system, the thyroid gland helps regulate the body’s metabolism by producing two thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Any change in thyroid hormone production can affect how your body functions.
An overactive thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, resulting in hyperthyroidism. In contrast, an underactive thyroid doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone to meet your body’s needs. The medical term for this is hypothyroidism. Click here to learn more about the differences between these two thyroid conditions.
Now, let’s look at five things people with hypothyroidism can do to help relieve symptoms and support healthy thyroid function and overall health.
You may have heard about the benefits of regular exercise. Not only does physical activity improve overall health, but it can also help manage thyroid conditions. Get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, along with strength training twice a week. Regular physical activity helps promote weight management, reduce stress, and regulate metabolism.
It’s also important to rest when your body needs it. When you exercise, you are applying stress to your body. But this is a good kind of stress, as it creates changes from the inside out. Don’t forget that more intense workouts put more stress on your body. Too much stress, whether from exercise or other aspects of your life, can negatively impact your thyroid hormone levels. So, take a rest day when you need to. This allows your body to recharge and come back down to baseline. Just be mindful that too many rest days in a row may make it hard to get back into your exercise routine. On rest days, you can switch out moderate or high-intensity activities for low-intensity ones, like leisurely walking.
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If you are struggling with hypothyroidism, you’ve probably felt sluggish and tired too often. Still, you likely continue to push yourself to meet all your commitments, and sleep is frequently the first thing to go. Long-term sleep deprivation can harm thyroid hormone production, so here’s your permission to sleep!
How long you sleep and the quality of sleep are two aspects to consider when aiming to improve sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Implementing a few new aspects of sleep hygiene into your nightly routine can help improve the quality and length of sleep.
Consider implementing a “wind down routine.” This routine includes setting a bedtime and committing to start winding down about an hour before that time. Winding down consists of:
- Turning off lights and electronics
- Taking a warm shower
- Getting into bed
- Adjusting the room temperature to keep it on the cooler side
- Reading or listening to calming music 20 minutes before sleep
Besides a wind-down routine, consider removing electronics and other radiant light sources that may make sleeping harder. And be sure to address any sleep disorders like sleep apnea with your health provider. Sleep disorders can affect not only your sleep but also your thyroid health.
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Autoimmune thyroid disorders like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease result in chronic inflammation inside the body. You can’t necessarily see this type of inflammation, as opposed to external inflammation from an injury. But you certainly can feel chronic inflammation through your symptoms.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods is one way to help reduce inflammation. Anti-inflammatory foods include:
- Whole foods
- Herbs and spices like turmeric and ginger
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- High fiber foods
- Omega-3 fatty acids like fish
Try to avoid highly processed and sugary foods, as these tend to cause inflammation.
An elimination diet called the autoimmune protocol diet (AIP) is popular among people with autoimmune diseases. The AIP diet focuses on eating nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods while eliminating foods that trigger inflammation. Many individuals find that following the AIP diet improves their thyroid symptoms, especially Hashimoto’s symptoms.
Navigating the food and nutrition world can be tricky. Consider partnering with a thyroid-savvy certified nutritionist or dietitian. They can help you develop a personalized plan that meets your health needs.
If you are struggling with hypothyroidism, managing stress is of particular importance. When you are stressed, the adrenal glands get priority over thyroid regulation. Excess cortisol – the stress hormone – can also interfere with converting T4 into the active thyroid hormone T3, making everything sluggish.
Practicing mindfulness has been shown to increase happiness and decrease stress. And who doesn’t want that? Managing stress better can improve our body’s ability to deal with daily stressors.
Mindfulness activities include deep breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation. Here are some tips to help you add them to your daily routine:
- Start your day with a mindful morning that can include stretching, breathing exercises, or quietly making your morning beverage.
- Break your day up with a 15-minute mindful walk in the afternoon.
- Try out a 5-minute guided meditation before bed to help relax.
Find activities that help you relax and unwind. And while it is easy to skip mindfulness activities, make them a priority. Not only will reducing stress improve your thyroid health, but it will also help improve your health.
If you’re taking medication to manage your thyroid condition, make sure to adhere to your hypothyroidism treatment plan. This could include regular follow-up visits, taking your medication, and regular lab draws.
Take your medication as directed by your healthcare provider. If you feel your medication is causing side effects or not working, talk to your provider about your concerns. They may need to switch your thyroid medication or adjust your dosage. And if part of your treatment plan includes holistic measures like diet and physical activity, stick to those recommendations as well.
If any part of your treatment plan is no longer working, be honest with yourself and your healthcare professional. Maybe the physical activity goals are too lofty, or it is hard to prepare certain foods in a way that tastes good to you. Letting your provider know your challenges allows them to adjust your goals and find additional resources to help you achieve optimal thyroid health.
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Optimizing your thyroid levels with thyroid hormone replacement medication is usually the first step in minimizing symptoms.
Managing a thyroid hormone deficiency requires a multidimensional holistic approach. By implementing these five strategies into your daily life, you optimize your thyroid health. Remember—consult with your healthcare provider before starting your journey.
If you want to partner with a provider who regularly incorporates holistic approaches into thyroid treatment plans, check out Paloma’s membership. Paloma specializes in comprehensive hypothyroidism treatment. Our membership provides end-to-end thyroid care, including convenient, at-home thyroid testing, telehealth visits, and a personalized plan. Learn more about Paloma’s membership today!
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