- Sonya Nobbe, N.D.

A few weeks into winter and many people are noticing the cold, fatigue, and weight gain more this year than last. They may write-off the changes to the “winter blues”… but could a more serious health concern be responsible for these changes?
Low thyroid function, also known as hypothyroidism, mimics many other health disorders and is difficult to accurately identify despite its prevalence. Some studies suggest that hypothyroidism may affect as much as 10% of the population, particularly women over the age of 65. The symptoms of hypothyroidism are vague and include intolerance to cold, mild weight gain, fatigue, aching muscles, and constipation. Some less recognized symptoms include high cholesterol, forgetfulness, and wrist pain that mimics carpal tunnel syndrome. Some people have no symptoms at all but identifying the condition might still be worthwhile given that hypothyroidism has been linked to heart disease, arthritis, and depression.
How to best identify and treat a person with hypothyroidism is somewhat controversial. A medical professional may assess the health of your thyroid gland with a blood test that measures Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), a hormone produced by the brain. An abnormally high TSH may mean that your brain is working excessively hard to stimulate the underactive thyroid gland. In Ontario, most laboratories indicate that you do not have an underactive thyroid if your TSH level is below 5. However, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists stated over 5 years ago that this range should be reduced to 3, so that anyone previously considered “healthy” with a TSH between 3 and 5 should be assessed further for hypothyroidism. Other professional associations advise that a TSH hormone test is never adequate for identifying a person with hypothyroidism, and others still advocate for treatment of symptoms no matter what the test results say. This leaves a patient wondering how they might ever find the cause of their symptoms and receive proper treatment.
Many naturopathic doctors will order blood tests for numerous thyroid hormones and thoroughly explore your symptoms to evaluate the possibility of hypothyroidism. One core symptom of low functioning thyroid that you may assess yourself is low body temperature. Use a thermometer to take your body temperature under your arm first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Do this for 10 minutes each morning for 5 mornings.  Menstruating women should start on day 3 of their cycle to avoid misinterpreting the natural rise in body temperature that occurs mid-cycle. If your body temperature is consistently below 97.6˚F (36.5˚C), you may have an underactive thyroid gland.
Part of a naturopathic prescription for optimal thyroid function includes a good diet and healthy digestive tract, since thyroid hormones are dependent on many vitamins and minerals at various stages of production. These include balanced amounts of iodine, selenium, zinc, tyrosine, B-vitamins, and vitamin A. Some foods, including a class known as “goitrogens”, may actually interfere with proper thyroid function, and should be limited in the diet of individuals with a thyroid condition. Raw soybean products, including soy milk and tofu, are goitrogens that interrupt the thyroid’s proper use of iodine. Menopausal women who consume large amounts of soy to help mitigate menopausal symptoms may wish to minimize the negative impact of soy by consuming at least 4 servings of sea vegetables each week, since these vegetables are a good source of iodine. Goitrogenic compounds are also present in a family of vegetables known as cruciferous vegetables, which includes cabbage, kale, broccoli, and brussel sprouts. Some of these compounds may be inactivated by steaming, however the heat will also inactivate compounds that help maintain a healthy estrogen balance.
It is not a coincidence that the foods known to potentially interfere with optimal thyroid function are the same foods that impact the predominantly female hormone estrogen. Thyroid conditions are up to 10 times more common in women than men. This relationship often means that the “problem” of a thyroid condition is not in the thyroid gland at all, but in another system. In this way, thyroid conditions are a symptom of an underlying imbalance that itself requires treatment. A whole-body assessment is necessary to get the thyroid gland back on track.  This is essential for true healing.

Dr. Sonya Nobbe is a licensed naturopathic doctor practicing in downtown Kingston.  She is the owner and clinic director of Kingston Integrated Healthcare, a unique centre with a network of healthcare professionals dedicated to uncompromised integrity in patient-centred care.  You may find more of her articles posted on her website: www.KingstonNaturopath.com.