What can Harmful Environmental Chemicals Do to Thyroid Function and Body Weight?

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Achieve Thyroid Levels within a Short Period of Time

Several factors are known to influence thyroid function and health. Thyroid disorders tend to run in families, low iodine intake can depress thyroid activity, and exposure to radiation harms the thyroid.

However in addition to these established risk factors ongoing research reveals toxic environmental chemicals pose a serious threat to your thyroid function and health.

Could daily exposure to harmful environmental chemicals have negative effects on your thyroid?

Like it or not widespread global industrialisation over the last few decades has flooded the planet with a cocktail of dangerous environmental chemicals.

Contamination is widespread, and poses a serious threat to the quality of the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Environmental health experts warn exposure to even very small concentrations or a complex mixture can interfere with reproduction, immune health and nervous system function.

Over time exposure to risky environmental chemicals can lead to a diverse range of health problems such as hypothyroidism, chemical sensitivities, nervous system disorders, even some cancers.

Environmental chemicals and thyroid function

The thyroid is extremely vulnerable to the effects of hazardous environmental chemicals. It should therefore come as little surprise that thyroid problems are escalating as we become increasingly exposed to environmental pollution.

The incidence of thyroid disease, most notably thyroid cancer and thyroid autoimmune disease is increasing substantially.

There is a wide array of environmental chemicals that harm thyroid health. Termed ‘thyroid-disrupting chemicals’ these pollutants have the ability to change the way thyroid hormones act in the body.

They can also directly attack the thyroid, block uptake of iodine in the thyroid, trigger thyroid antibody production leading to an autoimmune thyroid disorder and increase the risk for serious thyroid conditions.

Watch this Video Here from Dr. Justin Marchegiani – Thyroid Toxins Causing Hypothyroidism | LowThyroid Symptoms

Does Daily Exposure to Environmental Chemicals Cause Weight Gain, and Even Obesity?

Emerging research also reveals that everyday exposure to toxins can contribute to weight gain. Termed ‘obesogens’, these potent environmental chemicals have the potential to cause weight gain, even obesity.

Dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds alter a range of processes within the body which in turn can increase the risk of being overweight and obese. According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association even children are at risk.

Researchers found children exposed to high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) are five times more likely to be obese than children with low levels. BPA mimics oestrogen, the main female hormone. This means this compound is capable of having effects similar to oestrogen in the body. In excess oestrogen activity is harmful to both the male and female body.

Exposure to BPA is widespread as this toxic chemical is used in the lining of aluminium cans, baby bottles, printed store receipts, plastic containers and medical devices.

Sure an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle are certainly risk factors for obesity but studies such as this add to the evidence of a possible link between environmental chemicals and spiralling obesity rates.

Watch this Video Here from Dr. Brad Shook - How BPA, Latex and fire retardants affect Thyroid Function

The following list of the most hazardous thyroid disrupting chemicals is a little daunting but gives you an idea of what we are up against. These chemicals are all around us so we need to look at minimising our exposure as much as possible for proper thyroid function.

·         pesticides found in the food and water supply

·         polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in older paints, electrical equipment and building materials

·         heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury

·         dioxins and dioxin-like compounds from the environment

·         phthalates found in vinyl and plastic products

·         polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) flame retardants present in carpets, clothing, soft furnishings, electronics and plastics

·         polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in air pollution

·         bisphenol A (BPA) found in a variety of food and beverage packaging

·         bromides used in oils to stabilise citrus flavoured soft drinks, commercial bakery products, some flours and is also found in pesticides

·         halogens which include fluoride, chlorine, perchlorate and bromide. Halogens compete for the same receptor sites as iodine with excessive intake crowding out optimal iodine activity.

Read the following related articles:

Warnings: 4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid & Why

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5 Important Steps for Hypothyroidism Treatment Success

Hormone Problem? Here’s Your Hormone Imbalance Checklist

Are Iodine Supplements For Thyroid Health Really Safe?

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

5 Best Ways to Protect Yourself from IodineToxicity

Is It Safe To Take Iodine When You Have Hashimotos Disease?

Why these Top 5 Thyroid Blood Tests are Essential?

What Causes High Reverse T3 (RT3) – a Major Driver of an Underactive Thyroid?

Why Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms are Strikingly Similar to Hypothyroidism Symptoms?

Why Testing for Viral Infections Can Solve Your Thyroid Disorder?

Author Bio:

Louise O’ Connor, the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.

The Natural Thyroid Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details, Click on The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com

Why Testing for Viral Infections Can Solve Your Thyroid Disorder?

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Achieve Thyroid Levels within a Short Period of Time

Uncovering a long standing infection could offer a real solution to solving your thyroid disorder. Did you know chronic infections can easily masquerade as hypothyroidism?

In fact, there’s often an overlap between hypothyroidism and symptoms triggered by a lingering viral infection.

This article discusses testing for viral infections. Long standing infections that are active in the body are linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, aka myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a disease of the immune system.

There is a vast amount of research to demonstrate infections are the most likely cause of chronic fatigue syndrome.

How to Test For Viral Infections

There is no single test to diagnose a chronic viral infection, or even multiple viral infections. For this reason medical practitioners usually screen a patient for the main viruses which tend to cause long term problems. Your medical practitioner will also take into account your symptoms and health history.

Antibody Tests Are Usually Used To Check For Long Standing Viral Infections

Termed antibody tests, these types of blood tests are the obvious place to start the search for chronic infections.

Antibodies are molecules produced by the immune system to fight an infection. By doing specific antibody tests you can detect the presence of antibodies to a particular viral infection. When antibodies are discovered it will also reveal whether you were infected recently or in the past.

A stable positive result indicates past infection. In contrast, a high antibody load indicates recent infection, or reactivation of a past infection. The most consistent marker of progression of an infection within the body is a rising antibody titre. This term is used to describe the amount of antibodies that are measured within a blood sample.

Active viruses travel through the blood. These microscopic viruses are ‘non-living’ and they lack the ability to replicate on their own. To ensure their survival these viruses must take hold within the host cell. Left unchecked by the immune system they have the ability to integrate themselves into many cells of the body.

The two leading viruses that trigger chronic fatigue symptoms are Epstein – Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Medical practitioners often test for these two viruses when a patient has fatigue issues. These two viruses often target the central nervous system and liver causing problems.

The tests listed here will help diagnose an infection with the viruses most commonly associated with chronic fatigue symptoms.

·         Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies

·         Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies

·         Hepatitis B virus (HBV)) antibodies

·         Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies

·         Herpes simplex virus (HSV) antibodies

·         Varicella Zoster virus antibodies

A Viral Infection Can Give Rise to a Diverse Range of Symptoms

A virus lodged within the cell continues to replicate and by integrating itself deep within the cell it avoids detection by the immune system. The immune system therefore does not make antibodies to viruses that have become hidden within organs and other tissues of the body.

This makes identifying a viral infection a real challenge. It is possible to have a significant intracellular infection, but still show relatively low antibody levels when you take an antibody test.

A chronic viral infection can cause a range of diverse symptoms depending on the original infection involved. When a virus takes hold in the central nervous system, or enters an organ such as the liver or digestive tract it gives rise to a range of complaints such as fatigue, liver tenderness and neurological problems.

Your medical practitioner may also request a white cell count (WCC) and liver function test (LFT).

Watch this Video below - How are viral infections diagnosed and treated

Read the following related articles:

Warnings: 4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid & Why

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5 Important Stepsfor Hypothyroidism Treatment Success

Hormone Problem? Here’s Your Hormone Imbalance Checklist

Are Iodine Supplements For Thyroid Health Really Safe?

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

5 Best Ways to Protect Yourself from IodineToxicity

Is It Safe To Take Iodine When You Have Hashimotos Disease?

Why these Top 5 Thyroid Blood Tests are Essential?

What Causes High Reverse T3 (RT3) – a Major Driver of an Underactive Thyroid?

Why Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms are Strikingly Similar to Hypothyroidism Symptoms?

Author Bio:

Louise O’ Connor, the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.

The Natural Thyroid Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details, Click on The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com

Why Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms are Strikingly Similar to Hypothyroidism Symptoms?

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Achieve Thyroid Levels within a Short Period of Time

The hall mark symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is overwhelming physical and mental exhaustion which is not made better with rest. It is also gives rise to a long list of debilitating symptoms.

Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms checklist

There are striking similarities between the symptoms of hypothyroidism and those listed for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The two conditions overlap, as both are associated with what is essentially a functional breakdown in the body’s ability to generate energy at a basic cell level.

Chronic fatigue syndrome takes feeling tired to a whole new debilitating level.

Spot the signs…

·         Aching joints.

·         Allergies.

·         Chemical sensitivity.

·         Digestive problems. Including nausea, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea.

·         Fibromyalgia (muscle pain).

·         Food intolerances.

·         Heart palpitations; increased heart rate or shortness of breath with exertion or on standing.

·         Low blood pressure. You may also feel dizzy if you get up too quickly.

·         Neurological symptoms. Poor memory and concentration, muscle twitching, mild electric shock sensations in the muscles and tingling in the joints or muscles.

·         Pain and tenderness of the liver

·         Persistent fatigue.

·         Reduced ability to cope with changes in temperature.

·         Sleep problems.

·         Sore throat and runny nose.

·         Tender lymph nodes.

·         Urinary problems.

·         Vision loss.

How big a role do infections play in the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome?

Some infections, once thought to only cause short lived symptoms may in fact remain active in the body giving rise to a range of diverse symptoms depending on the original infection, or multiple infections involved.

Termed ‘latent infections’, these are not necessarily dormant infections. There is mounting evidence these infections continue to play a major role in disrupting healthy immune system activity.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterised by an immune system that is continually ‘switched on’. It is commonly assumed that some type immune dysfunction is occurring. This is a theory and has not been proven conclusively.

Is it possible the immune system remains activated as it is fighting against some type of latent infection? Many of the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome closely resemble those associated with a lingering infectious illness.

Some of the infections linked to chronic fatigue syndrome include:

·         Barmah Forest virus

·         Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium (linked to Lyme disease)

·         Coxiella burnetii (linked to Q fever)

·         Coxsackievirus A + B

·         Cytomegalovirus

·         Echoviruses

·         Epstein-Barr virus

·         Hepatitis B virus

·         Herpes virus

·         Ross River virus

·         Rubella virus (linked to German measles)

·         Varicella zoster virus (linked to shingles)

·         Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)

Due to the close connection between the thyroid and the immune system an effective treatment plan to recover your thyroid health should include a proper investigation into the possible role infections are playing on your health and vitality.

This is particularly important if you have a thyroid autoimmune disorder.

Of all the environmental factors with a potential to trigger autoimmunity, the most important seem to be viruses, bacteria, and other infectious pathogens. They have long been associated with autoimmune diseases.

Uncovering a latent infection, or even multiple infections may provide the missing pieces of the puzzle to help you recover your thyroid health. Your medical practitioner can request specific blood tests to check for viral infections commonly associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apart from checking for chronic infections there is no single blood test or scan to accurately diagnosis chronic fatigue syndrome. The diagnosis is usually made after all other illnesses are excluded.

Watch this video below - Solutions for chronic fatigue syndrome, low thyroidactivity, digestive disorders & much more

Read the following related articles:

Warnings: 4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid & Why

What is really The Best Cooking Oil for Thyroid Health?

5 Important Steps for Hypothyroidism Treatment Success

Hormone Problem? Here’s Your Hormone Imbalance Checklist

Are Iodine Supplements For Thyroid Health Really Safe?

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

5 Best Ways to Protect Yourself from Iodine Toxicity

Is It Safe To Take Iodine When You Have Hashimotos Disease?

Why these Top 5 Thyroid Blood Tests are Essential?

What Causes High Reverse T3(RT3) – a Major Driver of an Underactive Thyroid?

Author Bio:

Louise O’ Connor, the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.

The Natural Thyroid Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details, Click on The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com

What Causes High Reverse T3 (RT3) – a Major Driver of an Underactive Thyroid?

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Achieve Thyroid Levels within a Short Period of Time

If you are experiencing the typical signs and symptoms of an underactive thyroid but your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, free T4, and even your free T3 appear to be normal you may want to consider checking your reverse T3, which is an inactive form of T3.

This article answers the question ‘what causes high reverse T3’.

Firstly, what does a high reverse T3 mean to your health?

Too much reverse T3 can trigger a range of symptoms associated with an underactive thyroid such as fatigue, depression, hair loss, muscle weakness, low blood pressure, and a slower than normal pulse rate.

The single reverse T3 test is included in the top 5 thyroid blood tests that are most useful to check your thyroid health. Many integrative doctors and Naturopaths now consider the reverse T3 blood test to be essential to effectively diagnose and manage hypothyroidism.

What causes high reverse T3 (RT3)? {There are 5 key reasons}

+ Unrelenting physical and emotional stress.

Ongoing stress and anxiety cause cortisol to soar. Cortisol is the hormone that helps you cope with stress.

There is a flip side to having excessive amounts of cortisol circulating in your blood stream. High cortisol inhibits normal thyroid hormone activity. This leads to an excess amount of reverse T3 being produced.

Health experts propose this is a protective response to slow metabolism and conserve energy during times of prolonged stress. Your body knows it simply cannot survive on high alert for too long. It can lead to burnout.

+ Extreme, or yo-yo dieting.

Cutting calories in an effort to lose weight sparks the body’s hard wired famine response. Your body feels the need to conserve energy when food becomes scarce and it achieves this by putting the brakes on your metabolic rate.

The easiest and quickest way your body can slow your metabolic rate and thereby conserve energy is by producing a massive amount of reverse T3.

+ Low iron is leaving you tired and breathless.

Chronic iron deficiency is a common finding of an underactive thyroid. This deficiency needs to be addressed as a lack of iron impairs proper thyroid hormone metabolism. More specifically, low iron decreases healthy conversion of thyroxine (T4) to more active triiodothyronine (T3).

Adequate levels of iron are especially important to help fight fatigue as this mineral is required by your red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body. When iron is low your oxygenation levels are low and your body cannot utilise T3 at a cell level.

+ Long term exposure to toxins.

Toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial chemicals switch on a physical stress response. Toxins also have serious effects on your thyroid health.

At a cellular level toxins can block the thyroid cell receptors so the thyroid hormones cannot perform their job, and toxins can enter the thyroid causing damage to the actual thyroid tissue.

These factors sabotage day to day function of your thyroid leading to an underactive thyroid. Over time the stress of dealing with toxins and the diminishing function of the thyroid can activate far greater production of reverse T3.

+ Systemic illness is a factor.

It is difficult to recover from reverse T3 dominance when a chronic underlying illness is not addressed. When your body feels under threat by a long standing illness it slows metabolism. Your body hits the ‘hibernation’ button to lessen the impact of a chronic illness.

For example, a latent viral infection may be causing widespread problems. This can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome which is often associated with over production of reverse T3.

If you have low T3 you should get your reverse T3 checked, especially if you have some type of long standing illness. On testing it’s typical to see low T3 and high reverse T3.

Treating excess reverse T3 secondary to a specific chronic illness is best discussed with a skilled healthcare practitioner.

Watch this Video Below Here from Dr.Richard Hagmeyer - How High Reverse T3 Causes Symptoms Associated with an Underactive Thyroid

Read the following related articles:

Warnings: 4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid & Why

What is really The Best Cooking Oil for Thyroid Health?

5 Important Steps for Hypothyroidism Treatment Success

Hormone Problem? Here’s Your Hormone Imbalance Checklist

Are Iodine Supplements For Thyroid Health Really Safe?

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

5 Best Ways to Protect Yourself from Iodine Toxicity

Is It Safe To Take Iodine When You Have Hashimotos Disease?

Why these Top 5 Thyroid Blood Tests are Essential?

Author Bio:

Louise O’ Connor, the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.

The Natural Thyroid Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details, Click on The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com