cortisolconnection

3 Thyroid Pitfalls

To optimize your thyroid health, ❌ STOP doing these 3 things:

❌ Stop over-exercising

❌ Stop under-eating

❌ Stop over-caffeinating

Do you know why?

Because all of these things are perceived by your body as 💥stress💥

That means they trigger your adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which causes T4 to convert more into reverse T3 (inactive) and less into active T3 👎

I get it—anybody struggling with thyroid concerns knows that you can be tempted to do all of these things just to try to combat the energy drain or weight gain.

But what if instead…

You could calm inflammation and address underlying issues related to thyroid health (like toxins, infections, or nutrient deficiencies) so you could feel good without these temptations?

That’s what I help my patients do.

Interested in working together?

🥾 Take the first step through the link in our bio.

It’s Rarely JUST a Thyroid Problem.

Rarely is a thyroid problem JUST a thyroid problem ❌

The thyroid is part of the larger endocrine system—which includes hormones produced in the brain, adrenals, ovaries, and pancreas too.

Here are 3 hormones that influence (and are influenced by) the thyroid:

🍭 Insulin

Both overactive and underactive thyroid can disrupt glucose metabolism and contribute to insulin resistance. The reverse is also true, with insulin resistance being associated with conversion of T4 to reverse T3 (inactive thyroid hormone) rather than active T3.

😩 Cortisol

Underactive thyroid contributes to higher cortisol levels (a stress hormone) because of reduced cortisol clearance. Also, high levels of cortisol are associated with reduced T4 production and higher levels of reverse T3 (inactive thyroid hormone).

🌸 Estrogen

The hormone cascades connecting the brain to the thyroid and the brain to the ovaries work together. Both overactive and underactive thyroid can disrupt the menstrual cycle and irregular periods or fertility challenges.

It’s because of these connections that it’s so important to take a holistic approach when optimizing thyroid function.

Like ❤️ if you learned something and follow 🚶‍♀️ for upcoming posts on how to optimize your thyroid function!

References

Gierach M, Gierach J, Junik R. Insulin resistance and thyroid disorders. Endokrynol Pol. 2014;65(1):70-76. [link]

Saei Ghare Naz M, Rostami Dovom M, Ramezani Tehrani F. The Menstrual Disturbances in Endocrine Disorders: A Narrative Review. Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2020;18(4):e106694. [link]

Sinha SR, Prakash P, Keshari JR, Kumari R, Prakash V. Assessment of Serum Cortisol Levels in Hypothyroidism Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus. 2023;15(12):e50199. [link]