Interpretation of Thyroid Hormone Tests

In my previous post, I wrote about the symptoms and the probable causes of Hyperthyroidism. In order for the physician to diagnose properly a thyroid problem, evaluating the symptoms together with blood testing must be done. A typical thyroid test result shows  hormones levels, which were measured through the testing of blood. Below is a sample of a Thyroid test result and a diagram for its interpretation.

There a few factors why thyroid hormone level should be measured and interpreted:

• Doctors depend on these thyroid hormones for proper diagnosis. Based on the normal values, thyroid hormones will be classified as Normal, High or Low, which will interpreted as Hyperthyroid, Hypothyroid or other types of thyroid problems.
• Hormone levels will determine the proper prescription of drugs and dosage.
• Hormone levels will show if the condition improves or worsen with taking of the necessary drugs.

Though we have our doctors to help us analyze our condition, I believe that we patients should also have a better understanding of our condition. Being knowledgeable on our disease is one way of curing ourselves aside of course from having a proper diet and healthy lifestyle. There is really power in knowledge!

An overview on Graves Disease

Hyperthyroidism has many types, one of the most common is Graves Disease. In fact the data shows that 60 - 90% of all cases of hyperthyroidism was caused by this condition.  First discovered by Irish physician Robert Graves in the 19th century, Graves disease is an auto-immune disease where the thyroid is producing excessive hormones. It has a hereditary component affecting mostly female (five times common than the male population). A patient suffering from hyperthyroidism can experience a wide range of symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms for Graves Disease:

 

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• Rapid Heart rate or Palpitations (Tachycardia)
• Enlarged Thyroid gland (Goiter)
• Weight Loss
• Potruding eye balls
• Insomnia
• Tremors
• Irregular and scant menstrual flow
• Frequent bowel (Diarrhea)
• Excessive sweating
• Nervousness, agitation
• Anxiety and Panic Attacks]
• Depression

It is possible that a person suffering from Graves disease will experience only one or more of the symptoms mentioned above. Some of the symptoms may be directly or indirectly points to Graves disease as the caused. Physicians will also require blood testing or ultrasound to have a clear diagnosis. Thus, the presence of these symptom will make the diagnosis easier and less complex.

If you have experienced any of the symptoms above, it is best to consult your doctor. Graves disease when left untreated may lead to Thyroid storm(I'll blog more on this soon), which can be very fatal.

Understanding the Thyroid Hormones

Hormones are substances produced in one organ transported to another organ through body fluids where in they produce an effect. Thyroid gland secretes such hormones to perform different functions depending on what organ the thyroid sends them to. There are two types of hormones that the thyroid gland produces the Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). The most active of the two hormones is T3 while T4 only gains it's potency only after it is converted to T3.  A hormone produced in the pituitary gland is called Thyrotropin or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). It stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). TSH is regulated by hypothalamus gland, a part of the brain responsible for regulating body temperature, thirst and hunger.

Each hormones have their own functions in the body. Thyroxine (T4)  increases the heart rate, the basal metabolic rate and improves brain development. Triiodothyronine (T3)  increases the body's ability to consume oxygen for the production of energy, increases the metabolic rate and stimulates the rate of protein synthesis in the body. While TSH plays a vital role in managing the efficient functioning of the human body.

Photo from Google images

Imbalances in the thyroid gland are detected by these hormones. It is a must to measure the levels of these hormones to know the condition of the thyroid. Here are some of the basic test to evaluate the function of the thyroid gland:

T4 Test -  Thyroxine is most attached to a protein called thyroxine-binding globulin. To see the levels of both free and bound thyroxine, this test is appropriate.

T3 Test - A test that measures both bound and free triiodothyronine. T3 has a greater effect on the way the body uses energy than T4, even though T3 is normally present in smaller amounts than T4.

Free Thyroxine (FTI or FT4) - A direct measurement of free or unbound thyroxine.

Free Triiodothyronine (FTI or FT4) - A direct measurement of free or unbound triiodothyronine.

TSH Test - A test that initially test the thyroid function is TSH.

These tests were done through blood testing and may be done throughout the day without fasting. It is best to consult your doctor first before subjecting yourself through these tests.

Are you getting enough sleep?

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 Sleep is a luxury nowadays. People are so caught up with their busy lives that they don't get enough sleep. According to the statistics release by Philips Index for Health and well-being, there are 35 percent of people who classified themselves as poor sleepers. People who experience sleep deprivation are increasing in numbers that various studies were made to gain awareness on the huge impact it has in people's lives.

Sleep problems are of two types either Intrinsic or Extrinsic. Nightmares, Night terrors, Bed wetting and Snoring are examples of intrinsic sleep problem. While Extrinsic are tose of  bedtime reluctance, anxiety-related insomnia, inability to sleep alone and environmental and social problems that get in the way of sleep.

How much sleep do we need? Based on the study of Dr. Blunden, an Australian sleep researcher, babies must have have 14 to 18 hour, toddlers needs 12 to 14 hours, grade school kids should get 10-12 hours while adolescent needs 9-11 hours. However, adults must only sleep for 7-9 hours per day.

What are the negative effects of sleep deprivation? Inability to get enough sleep can greatly affect our physical and mental health. A few years back, I was suffering from disease-related insomnia, I had difficulty sleeping. As much as I want to sleep, my mind was so overactive. It was so frustrating to lie in bed with eyes closed but could still hear the sounds around. My lack of sleep affects me in so many ways. I became moody, emotional, depressed, anxious, uneasy, and irritable. Physically, I became sickly due to poor immune system. Other effects of poor sleep are inattentiveness, lack concentration, poor memory and motor coordination.

What can we do to get a good night's sleep? We can form habits in order for us to sleep well. Dr. Sarah Blunden developed a  "Sleep hygiene" for those who suffer sleep deprivation or for anyone who wants to have a good sleep. Here are some of her suggestions:

• Do not watch TV or play computer games one hour before bed.
• Do not eat/drink caffeine, high sugar or high spicy food three to four hours before bedtime
• Do not exercise vigorously one hour before bed.
• Finish eating two or three hours before bed.
• Make sure the bedroom is comfortable.
• Try and keep regular bedtimes and wake times.
• Deal with worry and stress through relaxation techniques.

Sleep problems is a serious matter that we need to recognized. We can't just ignore it and must be properly manage. Good thing there have been studies and researches that can aid in the awareness in the importance of sleep on people's health and well-being.  Let us use all these information to get a quality sleep in order for us to maintain a good quality life.

Yoga Poses for Thyroid Health

Aside from being a stress reduction technique, Yoga is an excellent alternative form of healing. There are vast health benefits that we can get from practicing yoga. Yogis found out that there are certain poses that are actually good for the thyroid glands.  The following are some of the Asana yoga poses for thyroid:

1.) Sarvanga Asana - Also known as the Shoulder stand, it stimulates the thyroid gland and para-thyroid glands and is good for the circulation of the blood in the chest, shoulders, upper back and the neck.  This pose will make you lie on your shoulder, pushing your body over the head and then straight up. Helps the blood transport to the throat that stimulates and nourishes the thyroid glands. The shoulder stand is the most effective yoga posture for hypothyroidism.

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2.) Matsyana - Also known as the Fish pose, it normalizes thyroid function, and pituitary gland. This pose able to stretch the neck and strengthen and tone the nervous system. Good also for the kidney, stomach and intestine, and pelvic organs. It should be undertaken directly after the shoulder stand. You need first to lie your back on the floor, rest your body on your elbows and arch the back. Tilt your head so that it touches the floor. The neck is stretch and tone, thereby stimulating the parathyroid glands.

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3.) Halasana - The Plough Pose, stretches the neck and helps boosts digestive functions. In this position, rise to a shoulder stand and bring your feet down, over your head, touching the floor.

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4.) Sun Salutation - It is a sequence of twelve graceful positions linked by a continuous flowing motion accompanied by five deep breaths. Each cycle will tone the muscles and the various organs that stimulates the endocrine glands. The blood will be pushed to the region and will nourish it. It is a perfect work out for the entire body too.

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Apart from its health benefits, Yoga has an overall good effect on whether, Physically, Mentally and Emotionally.  Yoga is indeed a great way to prevent and cure diseases.

Physical Exercises and Hyperthyroidism

It is as important to overhaul your diet as well as to engage in a fitness / physical activity when you have hyperthyroidism. I have written in a previous post that Hyperthyroidism is caused by negative emotion such as stress and anxiety.  If you are someone with a lot of stress, you need to have stress relief techniques in order to spare yourself from having this thyroid condition or any stress related disease for that matter. Exercise is one natural technique in maintaining low level of stress in your life. However for hyperthyroid, it is generally recommended to avoid any form of active exercises. Why? Strenuous exercise can make your heart beat faster (palpitation), your breathing harder and make you even more "hyperactive". 

Instead, here are some alternative forms of exercises that is more appropriate for hyperthyroids:

  

Qigong - is a 2000 year old series of bodily movements that gives more emphasis on how to feel and move energy within the body. Not really a highly aerobic exercise but still helps in toning the body.  Also, it strengthen the immune system, reduce stress and  improve balance and posture.

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Tai Chi -  is a fitness program that was developed to promote energy flow within the body. Through slow flowing movements, Tai Chi strengthen and tones muscles, increases balance and coordination, improves flexibility, ruduces stress, boosts energy and enhances well-being.

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Yoga - is an ancient indian practice which helps in releasing tension and aiding in deep breathing. Yoga is perfect for hyperthyroids because it normalizes the function of the thyroid, pituitary, pineal, and adrenal glands by stimulating it. It bends and stretches the neck, strengthen and tones the nervous system. Yoga stimulates the thyroid gland to work at peak efficiency. It helps improves the pituitry gland's function as it is stimulated. Some of its benefits are reduce stress, sound sleep, reduced cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, sense of well being, reduced anxiety and muscle tension, increased strength and flexibility, and slowed aging process.

Photo courtesy by Google images

  

I was enrolled in a Yoga class for a while. I was surprised to see a big difference in me after doing it. Most of the symptoms were gone. My heart rate becomes normal, no difficulty in breathing, slept well and felt light. If you intend to heal, there are many alternative methods to choose from. Best if you incorporate these different alternative methods to speed up your healing process and eventual cure. You just have to decide what works  for you.

Ten powerful foods for Hyperthyroidism

On my previous post, I wrote about Allergenic foods that could trigger Hyperthyroidism.  This time let me share about the foods that can help improve your hyperthyroid condition.  It is not enough to avoid these allergenic foods, increasing the amount of natural food in your diet can also be very helpful.   In fact, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, recognized the power of food and he believed it can be use as a natural medicine. During his time, herbs were used as medicines may be due to all the vital nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and medicinal properties they possess. How about for hyperthyroidism? Are there actually particular foods to heal it? Based on Svetla's Life's manual for Graves disease & Hyperthyroid, there are 10 foods that can aid your healing of hyperthyroidism. They are foods that contain naturally occurring substances such as Goitrogens and Iso-cyanates, which help restraining the thyroid from producing too much hormone. Here are the ten power foods for Hyperthyroid:

·    Broccoli 
·    Radish
·    Brussels sprouts
·    Cabbage
·    Cauliflower
·    Kale
·    Mustard greens
·    Rutabagas
·    Turnips

I believe that we can approach healing in many ways one of which is through natural method. Natural foods are abundant everywhere. They are present for a reason we only have to look for their medicinal properties and maximize their use. Even the synthetic medicines in the modern times were made out of the compounds rooted from these natural substances. Hippocrates didn’t came up with the quote “thy food shall be thy medicine” if there’s no truth to that.

 Making healthful dietary changes for a start is a big step in our healing. It will require much effort, I know, but it will be all worth it in the end. Let’s make eating healthy natural food a lifestyle. Like Hippocrates, we can testify that natural food is indeed the best medicine after all.

                                                                                                                 

Hyperthyroidism - Foods to Avoid!

Hyperthyroidism, like most diseases, has got a lot to do with the food we eat. Though it's a given that eating unhealthy foods is a no-no, there are "Allergenic foods" that can trigger hyperthyroidism. 

Since we are dealing with thyroid problem, you have to specifically choose various foods based on its Iodine content. It is known that the higher the iodine content, the greater the production of thyroid hormones in your body which is over producing already. The thyroid gland removes iodine from the blood (which comes mostly from the food we eat) and uses it to produce thyroid hormones. Another type of food to avoid is stimulant foods. These types of food can worsen your palpitation (tachycardia) and sleep deprivation, which are two of many symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Having such symptoms in your everyday life can be a struggle so you don't need more stimulation in your system.

Here are the list of some foods that you need to avoid:

 Foods with high iodine content  (values expressed in parts per million)

    Iodized salt (54 ppm)

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Seafoods 

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                                                     Kelp (1,020 ppm)                                                        
                                                     Clams (20 ppm)
                                                     Shrimp (17ppm)
                                                     Sea bass (13 ppm)
                                                     Squid (39 ppm)

Meat and Poultry 

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                                                        Beef liver (325ppm)
                                                        Turkey (132 ppm)
                                                        Chicken (67 ppm)
                                                        Stew meat (66 ppm)
                                                        Hamburger (44 ppm)

  Dairy

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                                                         Cheddar cheese spread (27 ppm)   

                                                         Butter (26 ppm)     

                                                         Mozzarella cheese (13 ppm)

        
Stimulant Foods

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                                                                 Coffee
                                                                 Black Tea
                                                                 Sodas
                                                                 Chocolates
                                                                 Alcohols

It is very difficult to removed all of  these offending foods in one's diet. I, myself, did have a hard time staying away from seafoods, chocolate and coffee. I mean who can stay away from chocolates forever, right? But my desire to feel better was greater than my love for chocolates. It took a lot of self-discipline to actually not give in with my cravings. I just put in mind that  in order to get rid of this thyroid imbalance, I really need to make healthful dietary changes as well as lifestyle changes in my life.

Hyperthyroidism - a disease caused by negative emotions

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism back in 2006 when I had my pre-employment medical check-up. The doctor said that my heart beat was faster than the normal rate. I was really scared that I might have a heart problem so I went through an ECG test (Electrocardiograph) to check if there is indeed an abnormality with my heart. The test result showed that my heart was perfectly fine. Aside from heart palpitation, among the symptoms present in me were loss of weight and fatigue so my doctor send me for a blood test.  True enough there is a problem with my thyroid gland. I was suffering from Hyperthyroidism.  

Thyroid Gland

  

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is overactive producing  an excessive amount of thyroid hormones that circulates in the blood. What are the cause of this disease? Based on Svetla Bankova's book "Life manual for Graves Disease & Hyperthyroidism", there are psychological characteristics of people who are most likely to develop this disease. The root of all this characteristic is having a negative emotion.
 

When I evaluated myself, I found that I was going through a lot of stress, anxiety and over fatigue from different aspects of my life. I was UNHAPPY.  There are a lot of issues in my life. I hated my previous job. I feel overwhelm with family matters. I went through a break-up. I was living an  unhealthy lifestyle. All these are too much negative emotions. It's true that diseases are messages that we need to listen to. But often times, we just get rid of the sickness but not really addressing what's the underlying cause. We should not just take the pill but need also to evaluate ourselves. Let's get rid of all the negative emotions, try to live a healthy life and trust God to take control of our lives.

An intro to my journey towards healthy living

My journey towards healthy living started when I had a health condition called "hyperthyroidism". I was in my early twenties when I was diagnosed with the said condition. I could not accept it at first because I thought I was too young to have any form of disease. The quality of my life together with my symptoms worsen as days go by. My life is a total mess. I thought I have gone crazy. After a year of taking medications, I realized that I need to do something to cure myself. I don't want to depend long term on pills nor having radiation for treatment is an option. I need to be cured permanently. My quest for healing began. I research non-stop on my condition and found very helpful sites, blogs and literatures on Hyperthyroidism. During my quest, a lot of things were revealed to me. I discover a deeper understanding on my condition. I became open to the world of health and wellness. My eyes were open to a whole new approach of healing my condition. I decided to put up this blog to remind myself of my quests for healing , health and wellness. As you keep on reading you'll find out  everything that I did to become better and healthier person. I'm far from being healthy as I want to be so my quest continues... Come quest with me!