My Quest for Healthy Living-Part 3

Are you constantly tired, suffer from depression, dry-scaly skin, hair loss, low libido, intolerance to cold or always cold, anemic, decreased memory, swollen hands or feet, constipation and weight gain? I suffered for years with many of the above symptoms and visited many doctors having my thyroid checked regularly. Since my levels were not quite below the "normal" mark but at the bottom, no doctor would diagnose me with hypothyroid (low-thyroid). I even had an endocrine specialist roll his eyes at me and basically insinuate that I was crazy since no endocrine issues ran in my family. Over the years I have self-treated my low thyroid by taking iodine/kelp, homeopathic tinctures, iron for the anemia and supporting my adrenal glands and liver functions.As I mentioned in a previous post, every function of our bodies is interconnected to something else, so if one organ is not functioning properly then it can cause other systems to be out of balance. Especially as women, our endocrine system, comprised of the adrenal, thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary gland, pineal gland, ovaries, pancreas,  gastrointestinal tract and hypothalamus, secrete hormones through our circulatory system signaling each other. So sometimes a hormonal imbalance or what may appear to be peri-menopause or menopause symptoms, could simply be low thyroid since one does effect the other.Through this journey, I had to re-evaluate my diet as well. My first step was to eliminate all stimulating foods such as caffeine as to not rev-up my adrenal glands unnecessarily. I cutback on carbohydrates and my husband and I have been trying some Paleo meals recently. The complete elimination of sugars is my goal, some days are better than others.I have also been monitoring my acid versus alkaline foods in my diet to aid my gastrointestinal tract's health, in addition to papaya enzymes, Bragg's apple cider vinegar and aloe vera juice for healing.The key is to find the root of the imbalance and treat the body as a whole. Also, find a doctor who listens to you and supports your desire to get to the bottom of the issue and you both agree on an approach to treatment. I was finally and officially diagnosed with low thyroid and since I do not believe in synthetic or "drugs" to treat my body, my doctor, who also promotes taking the natural path when possible, has placed me on a desiccated thyroid from bovine. I already feel more like myself day by day. As women in the middle years of our lives, having accumulated years of stress, poor eating or drinking habits, lack of time to care for ourselves, slowed metabolism and hormone imbalances, we must reclaim our health.Below is an excellent link to a site that specializes in Women's Health, focusing on the thyroid and hormone imbalances.http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/thyroid-health/most-common-symptoms-of-low-thyroid-function.aspx