Hashimoto S Thyroiditis Diet Basal Temperature Charts Measure Thyroid Function As Well As Ovulation.
Basal temperature is frequently measured by women wishing to discover when and if they are ovulating normally. Women also use this to discover the best time to have sex and there are various products that promise success.
Keeping a basal temperature chart can be a very informative exercise and is a far cheaper alternative than expensive hormonal tests. Strangely enough, although it is so 'low tech' the humble temperature chart can reveal a great deal more useful information than many laboratory tests. One of these outcomes is the diagnosis of previously unsuspected thyroid problems. Despite being quite common, thyroid disease can often remain undiagnosed for many years and can be a source of general health, psychological and reproductive problems. Clinicians other than Endocrinologists seem to be generally tuned out to the possibility of thyroid problems despite its prevalence and importance.
Women suffering from thyroid problems have reduced fertility. The thyroid gland is the controller of our metabolism and its normal functioning is critical to the health of our bodies. In some ways we can think of the thyroid as the conductor of the orchestra of the body, in the sense that it sets the correct time and rhythm. One of its critical functions is to control body temperature. Low thyroid function is characterized by tiredness, weight gain, feeling the cold, depression, slowed reflexes, coarsening and dryness of the skin and deepening of the voice especially when tired.
My first experience of diagnosing hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) happened thirty years ago when I was asked to counsel a woman who was both infertile and depressed. She had been receiving treatment for her conditions from both a psychiatrist and fertility specialist. When she arrived I noticed that she had a large goiter and asked who was treating her thyroid problem? She in turn said "What thyroid problem"? Neither specialist had observed this most obvious symptom because it was not in their area of specialization!
Another case came when I was jointly advising an infertility client with a naturopath. In this case I observed low temperatures on the basal temperature chart and asked whether the thyroid function had been tested. The naturopath had no idea that these low temperatures indicated a thyroid problem so was pleased that we had shared the information as a learning experience.
Low thyroid function can be caused by iodine deficiency, which is correctable by supplementing the diet. If the temperature is only slightly low and no other symptoms are present then the condition might be cured by eating seaweed and eating Sushi is a great way of doing this. However low thyroid function is often the result of an inherited autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's thyroiditis and must be treated with medication by a Specialist.
It is important to recognise the early signs of thyroid disease as it can lead to both infertility and miscarriage. When a woman is hypothyroid it is still possible for her to become pregnant. If she does, maternal antibodies against the thyroid can cross the placenta and destroy the baby's thyroid gland. Babies affected in this way are born with hypothyroidism, which causes a condition known as cretinism. If not treated at birth, the child will have deformed growth and mental retardation.
The other extreme of thyroid disease is the overactive thyroid. The symptoms are loss of weight, feeling hot, profuse sweating and eyes that appear to be about to pop out of their sockets. This is a potentially very dangerous illness and needs immediate treatment. However it is not usually picked up in basal temperature charts.
hashimoto s thyroiditis diet.