The thyroid gland is located in the neck and produces thyroid hormones that are involved in regulating body temperature, metabolism and growth. In you suffer from hyperthyroidism it means your thyroid produce too much thyroid hormones. Common signs of hyperthyroidism are nervousness and anxiety, hyperactivity, weight loss or a goitre in the throat. Women are much more likely to have hyperthyroidism than men and it is more frequent in white and Asian people. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is having a condition called Graves’ disease.
Conventional treatment for hyperthyroidism includes:
- Thionamides
- Beta-blockers
- Radioiodine treatment
- Surgery to remove some or all of the thyroid gland.
There a number of things that can be done to support your thyroid and manage the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. As there is a link with autoimmune disease and thyroid health it is a good idea to support your bowel health, remove pathogens and re-balance the gut microflora. There is also a contentious link between thyroid health and gluten sensitivity – so it might be wise to avoid gluten – and heavy metal toxicity – so it might be wise to avoid heavy metals and see an environmental medical specialist about checking your body load of heavy metals. There are also contentious links with soy consumption and thyroid health, so it might be wise to reduce your soy consumption. London nutritionist Steve Hines can help you make the right choices about these foods and toxins and support your thyroid health.
