When I work with patients with high reverse T3, they often ask me, ‘so if Reverse T3 doesn’t do anything, why do we even make it?’ And it’s a great question. As far as we know, Reverse T3 has no biological activity and it is considered an inactive metabolite of thyroid hormone. Let me tell you though, Reverse T3 DOES have a very important role and if you struggle with high reverse T3, understanding this is key to getting to the root cause of the issue!
Many of you would know that what led to my interest in thyroid disorders was my personal experience with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. What many don’t know, is that I have also experienced the other end of the thyroid spectrum - Graves’ disease. You can read about my journey navigating the two here.
Aimed at parents of babies aged 3-8 months, this workshop is for those about to start their solids journey, as well as those who have already dipped their toes in the water. Come along and equip yourself with knowledge to take charge of your baby's solids journey and set their nutrition off on the right foot.
Pregnancy is undoubtedly a time of great change, mentally, emotionally and physically. One often overlooked area of change however is how pregnancy affects your thyroid, especially for individuals with pre-existing thyroid disease. Optimal thyroid function is ESSENTIAL for your baby’s health and development, as well as for your health and wellbeing throughout pregnancy. Let’s take a look at why…
One of the most common things I treat in clinical practice is missing periods - Perhaps more concerning though is just how tricky it can be to get an accurate diagnosis. Both PCOS and hypothalamic amenorrhoea can present with similar features, but require vastly different treatment approaches, so being able to address the issue requires an accurate diagnosis from the get go.
As a thyroid naturopath, reverse T3 is a topic I get asked about all the time. In fact, ‘what is reverse T3?’, ‘what causes high reverse T3?’ and ‘how do you lower reverse T3?’ are among my most frequently asked questions. This is because reverse T3 plays an integral role in thyroid health, yet sadly, much confusion and misunderstanding surrounds its existence and role in the human body. In this article, I’ll explore some of the causes of high reverse T3, and what you can do about it.
Thyroxine is one of the most widely prescribed medications worldwide, and yet many patients take this common medication incorrectly, meaning they’re not making the most of their daily dose. Many foods, supplements, medications and other factors can interfere with the absorption of Thyroxine, so being aware of these is essential to optimising absorption and getting the most out of your medication. For this reason, I’ve put together a blog on the topic, exploring some of the common factors that can impair thyroid hormone absorption. Read on for more.
Have you been recently diagnosed with Graves’ disease? As a naturopath specialising in thyroid disorders, many of my patients have thyroid issues such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules, Graves’ disease or a history of thyroid cancer. For many of these patients, learning more about their condition gives them a greater sense of control and autonomy over their health, allowing them to play a more active role in the management of their condition. In this series, I’ll be taking a more comprehensive look at Graves’ disease and how naturopathy can serve as a wonderful adjunct to treatment.
Are you taking Thyroxine but not feeling any better? Is your TSH still high despite increasing your dose? Do you have issues with low T3 or high reverse T3? Perhaps you’re not converting your thyroid hormone effectively! Read on to learn about the factors that might be impairing your thyroid hormone conversion, and thus your ability to benefit from thyroxine effectively.
There are many nutrients that have been researched for their role in women’s health, but one often overlooked nutrient is iodine. Largely recognised for the role it plays in thyroid health, iodine is an oft-forgotten nutrient when it comes to women’s health, and yet this nutrient plays a significant role in processes such as oestrogen metabolism, breast tissue development, ovulation, conception and more…
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is perhaps the most well-known hormone when it comes to thyroid function and is often used in isolation as a screening tool for thyroid dysfunction. Interestingly however, debate has been raised as to just how sensitive TSH testing is for identifying thyroid dysfunction, in particular, in light of research suggesting the current reference ranges used by most labs are too wide. For this hormone, it’s essential to get your results “just right”. Read on for more.
It is well known that stress can have a major impact on our health, but perhaps what is less well known is just how much our stress can impact not only our risk of autoimmune disease but our thyroid function as well. If you've been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, managing stress is ESSENTIAL to any holistic approach to improving your health. Read on to learn why and find out how!
It is well-recognised that many drugs, foods and nutrients interfere with the absorption of thyroxine, and for this reason, most patients are instructed to take their thyroxine first thing in the morning, at least 30-60 minutes before any food or drinks. But is first thing in the morning really the best time to take your thyroid medication? The answer is, it really depends, so let’s explore a little deeper!
Period pain and cramping are often written off as a ‘normal’ part of being a woman - something you might come to expect after years of watching your mum or older sisters pop Panadol or Ibruprofen each time “that time” of the month rolls around. But did you know severe pain and cramping associated with your menstrual cycle is NOT normal? It’s a sign something else might be going on and needs to be investigated…
If you’ve been on the ‘thyroid path’ for a while now, you might be familiar with some of the big names in thyroid health. There’s TSH, T4, T3 and then there’s the thyroid antibodies. But have you heard about reverse T3? Put simply, reverse T3 is an inactive ‘thyroid hormone’, but one that can sometimes wreak havoc when everything else is seemingly functioning as it should be…
Winter - for many families, it’s a time of endless coughs and colds, recurrent chest infections and of course, a serious investment in tissue supplies! The reality though is it doesn’t have to be! Whilst a typical cough or cold once or twice a year is certainly normal, recurrent bouts of infection indicate the immune system is not functioning as well as it should be, leaving you susceptible to bugs and viruses…
Do you struggle with bloating? Perhaps you also suffer other digestive symptoms, like constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence and nausea? If so, you’re not alone. Of the patients I see in clinical practice, I would estimate more than half struggle with bloating or digestive disturbance in one way or another, however many simply learn to put up with the discomfort! This is a sad reality, as persistent bloating is NOT NORMAL and means there is some form of underlying disturbance that needs to be addressed.
When I treat patients with thyroid disorders, one of the first things we do is teach them what the various thyroid function tests mean, so they can be more involved and empowered in their health journey. In this article today, I want to do the same for my readers, as for patients with a thyroid condition, being able to understand your results enables better communication with your healthcare providers and a greater understanding of your health in general.
If you, a family member or a friend were recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, you might be wondering what it is, what it means and where to go from here. I’ve written this blog as an attempt to answer some of these questions for you, as well as to enable you to share it with family or friends who might like to know more about your condition.
The thyroid is a hugely complex, yet incredibly important organ in the body, but sadly, there is a lot of misinformation and confusion about what it is and what it does. Consider this article your Thyroid 101 Guide, where I’ll be covering what the thyroid is, what is does and what it means when the thyroid is not working as it should.
If your Hashimoto’s diagnosis was anything like mine, it might have gone something like this: “We got your blood tests back. You’ve got Hashimoto’s and you’ll be on thyroxine for life”.
Cue full-blown panic! Hashimoto’s disease? Lifelong thyroid hormone replacement? These are pretty big terms to be confronted with, and sadly, a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s can be a scary, unfamiliar and bewildering situation. If this sounds familiar, welcome to my first of many posts on the topic: What to do when diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease.
In my first post on detox, I cleared up some misconceptions about what the word ‘detox’ really means, and gave some practical pointers of how you can reduce your chemical exposure and reduce the burden on your body’s detoxification systems. Here in Part Two, I discuss effective ways you can support your body’s detoxification processes, without jumping on the detox tea bandwagon!
Detox – it’s a bit of a buzz word in the health industry and it’s often thrown about by social media influencers, ‘health gurus’ and celebrities alike. Almost weekly we hear about a new detox tea, juice cleanse, ‘superfood’ or supplement. Its a vague term used in such a wide range of contexts and applications, its hard to know what people really mean when they use the ‘D’ word. This is exactly why before we jump aboard the Detox Train, we must ask ourselves, what does it really mean to detox and what are it’s benefits?
