How to Test for Hypothyroidism (Low Thyroid)

Hypothyroidism is a disease that affects the thyroid. It is a very common disease in the United States, especially in the upper states. One of the main reasons for this is because of the lack of sunlight during the winter which is needed for the skin to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is required to help the body make thyroxine, a thyroid hormone. Other reasons are heavy metal toxicity, unhealthy diets, overweight and stress.

The thyroid gland is the main gland that controls metabolism. It is also responsible for regulating certain cellular chemical reactions and oxygen levels within cells. Because of these features, people with hypothyroidism will have low energy levels and weight problems. To keep your thyroid healthy, avoid eating junk food and fast food. Instead eat more organic plant-based food. Organic food is usually produced under strict regulations. These regulations don’t allow synthetic chemicals to be use to grow the food. Therefore, it contains little or no harmful environmental toxins, such as pesticide, herbicide and metallic aluminum.

How to test for hypothyroidism

• Barnes Basal Temperature Test: This is a simple test that can determine if you have low thyroid by measuring your body temperature. Before going to sleep put a standard thermometer near your bed. When you wake up, immediately place the thermometer in your armpit for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, it is important lie still and be relax. Once you are ready look at your thermometer. If it reads below 97.8 °F, you may have low thyroid. If it reads above 98.2 °F, you may have an overactive thyroid.
• TSH Blood Test: This test measures the levels of TSH in the blood. TSH is a hormone made and released by the pituitary gland. TSH helps stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine. If your TSH level is high, you may have low thyroid. TSH test can sometime be misleading because it doesn’t directly measure thyroid hormones. You may want to have additional tests to measure T3, T4 and thyroid antibody levels. TSH test is less convenient because your doctor will need a sample of your blood so he/she can send it for testing.

Related Posts:

• Metabolism: Increase Energy Lose Weight
• Energy Tips: Keeping Your Blood Sugar Constant

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...