If you’re sick and tired of dieting, please read this

Have you tried many different diets, exercised yourself into the ground and still struggled with your weight. Do you find that you lose a little weight only to put it back on plus a few extra pounds. Then to top it off you come away from the whole experience feeling tired and exhausted, constipated and bloated, and your hair and skin have become dry and lack lustre!

This is a story I hear time and again from women all over the globe. This vicious cycle makes you feel down right depressed. However in most cases it is not that you are lazy or that you don’t have the willpower, for an estimated 40% of the populations the cause may be your thyroid health.

The thyroid is a small gland located at the base of our neck and is the shape of a butterfly. The thyroid gland releases hormones. We all know that hormones have a significant impact of our health, mood and body, especially the effects of oestrogen in a women’s cycles. However many people do not realise that the thyroid hormones play just as important a role in our health and in fact play a very significant role in every function of the body.

The thyroid hormones are what regulate our metabolism. The metabolism is the bodies register of speed and heat. For example the thyroid hormones help the body to warm up in a cool climate. They also help the body to digest food and remove waste in a timely manner. If the thyroid is underactive all the functions of your body begin to slow.

The symptoms of low thyroid function can be many and varied for each person. Each person may have a different variety and degree of these which is why it can be such a difficult problem to diagnose. If you notice that you suffer from 2 or more of the conditions below (to any degree) it would be worth further research into the health of your thyroid.

The symptoms of low thyroid function can include:

·       Fatigue and tiredness

·       Constipation

·       Overweight

·       Difficulty losing weight

·       Cold hands and feet

·       Irregular, heavy periods

·       Infertility

·       Severe menopause symptoms

·       Fine brittle hair

·       Dry skin

·       Reduction in hair on outer 1/3rd of eyebrows

·       Weak and easily fatigued muscles

·       Food sensitivities

·       Hayfever

·       Recurrent infections

·       Post natal drip

This list is not exhaustive but includes the most common underactive thyroid symptoms. If you feel that you are suffering from an underactive thyroid, there are several steps that you can take to get back on top of your health, lose weight and feel amazing again.

Firstly, find out what the cause of your underactive thyroid is. This may include some blood tests from your doctor (but be aware that these are not always highly accurate). As well as checking levels of stress, antibodies, vitamins and minerals (including iodine), complete hormonal profiles and gut and liver function tests. These tests can be completed by a health care professional.

Secondly, your food choices are vital to helping improve your health. There are certain foods that inhibit thyroid function and must be removed from your diet. While other foods provide vital nutrients that are essential to help the body make the necessary thyroid hormones as well as improving digestion, waste clearance and improve energy.

Lastly is ensuring that you are also making the correct lifestyle choices to support healthy thyroid function. This includes the correct type of exercise (it is important not to overdo it). Finding ways to reduce stress, as well as making sure that you get adequate sunshine to ensure optimal levels of Vitamin D for both your health and mood.

Ensuring that all three pillars are in balance will help make the weight loss and maintenance process a breeze in comparison to the traditional calorie controlled diets.