Once upon a time, a salt shaker fell in love with a girl
Late at
night it would sneak into her bedroom along with popcorn, only to be
discovered by the family later. Sometimes it would jump off the bedside
table and roll under the bed to avoid detection, but they always found
it.
Wait, that’s not right. I’m pretty sure it was the other way around, and it was the girl who was in love with salt . . . they used to call her The Salt Bandit or something. Yeah, that’s definitely it. I should know, because that person is me.
My salt cravings are no mystery – they nourish the adrenals, which tend to be weak in my family. As part of the endocrine system, they’re inextricably linked to another organ we all need to be talking about – the thyroid.
Seriously, we do. According to The American Thyroid Association, one in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime, but about 60% of those affected will never know. (source) The numbers for men are better, but not by much.
For those struggling with low energy levels, difficulty focusing, moodiness or an inability to maintain a healthy weight, the identification of a thyroid issue (if present) is obviously very helpful in getting the most out of life that’s possible.
In this post, I’ll share a simple thyroid testing method you can do at home that many practitioners recommend to determine whether there might be a problem. Please note that this post is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I am simply sharing an at-home observation technique that many practitioners recommend to their patients as part of an overall diagnostic process. It’s essential to work with a qualified, knowledgeable practitioner if you suspect you might have a thyroid issue.
HOW BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE INDICATES THYROID FUNCTION
The thyroid is often called the “thermostat” of the body because it produces the hormone we need to keep warm. It does this by converting a hormone made by the pituitary gland, TSH, into T4 and T3. Unfortunately, when the thyroid is struggling it is unable to keep the body at the right temperature setting. Certain enzymes don’t function as well under colder/hotter conditions, which can set a number of disease processes in motion.
According to the Mayo Clinic, low thyroid can lead to heart disease, depression, infertility, birth defects, myxedema, peripheral neuropathy, and goiter. (source)
Why your thyroid might be off even if you your tests come back normal:
Do you have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, and yet your tests come back normal? According to some experts, the TSH test used to determine thyroid function is not always reliable. Here’s why: The hormone T4 is inactive in the body, so the body converts it to active T3.