The thyroid gland is a small endocrine gland that sits directly under the atom’s apple. Structurally, it looks like a “butterfly” and plays an extremely critical role in your body. It controls body temperature, metabolism, energy and weight. People can develop thyroid disease for several reasons such as genetic predisposition, autoimmunity, toxin exposure, nutrient deficiencies, and infections. It is most commonly seen in women and often times it is diagnosed between the ages of 20-40. Symptoms of thyroid disease include weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, depressed mood, loss of eyebrows, hoarseness of voice, and dry skin. Routine blood work can help identify a thyroid problem and more comprehensive testing can help you learn if your thyroid gland is working optimally. A thyroid ultrasound can help you learn about the size of the gland, if it contains any nodules (growths on the thyroid gland; can have one or many) and/or if there are signs of autoimmunity (your immune system attacking the gland). Generally, a normal thyroid gland should not be felt in your neck, if your neck is swollen or enlarged, it is a good idea to get it check out!
Learn how to optimize your hormones by understanding what they do in your body. An optimal thyroid gland can help ensure that your body temperature is well regulated, have a thriving metabolism where you can easily lose weight, feel energetic and happy. At NES, we help you to learn about these endocrine glands and educate you on how these hormones are working in your body. We also help you understand the connection of how hormones work together and create a treatment plan that is completely individualized to your needs. We test for markers that contribute to the underlying cause of thyroid disease such as nutrient deficiencies (ex. Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin B12/Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin D), detailed thyroid markers such as antibodies (ex. TPO antibody, TGB antibody, TSI) and thyroid hormones (ex. T4, T3, fT4, fT3, RT3).
