IF YOUR THYROID IS UNDER-ACTIVE, SHOULDN’T YOU JUST START THERE?

With complex chronic illness, one of the biggest challenges is knowing where to begin.

We may be aware of lots of different problems: sluggish thyroid, unhappy liver, ramped up immune system, tired adrenals, dodgy gut . . .

We may understand that most, if not all of these issues, are connected in a web of interconnections.

So where should we begin? Should we start with the gut? The brain? Our hormones? Infections?

Each of these answers tempts us, putting forth some sound reasoning.

A common approach is to want to start with the thyroid. Thyroid dysfunction is incredibly common. And when you’ve suffered with a smorgasbord of amorphous symptoms, discovering that you’re thyroid is slow (or fast, for that matter) can seem at first like the missing piece. It can explain so much and becomes a welcome scapegoat.

But what if your body is making your thyroid under-active intentionally? I’m not saying it feels good, or it’s pleasant, or that it doesn’t come with potentially serious issues like an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a strong association with arrhythmias.

But you see when the body is dealing with immune insults from chronic infections, smoldering biofilms, environmental toxins and dietary antigens, it may get to a point where the best strategy is to turn the thermostat down to prevent further damage, especially when our anti-oxidant capacity is tapped.

Makes sense, right?

Quite a conundrum. Sorting out the thyroid could possibly ease the arrhythmias. But would likely piss off the liver, potentially triggering new symptoms like headaches, rashes or hormone fluctuations.

And if the eosinophils get tipped any higher, you could potentially end up with full blown atopic illness, not to mention a possible worsening of the arrhythmias.

If I move my pawn to C5, I could take the bishop but then my opponent would probably take my queen.

When playing chess, there’s no clear order of operations. Mainly moves and counter-moves. In a complex system like the human body, though, it’s more like tugging on the string of an interconnected web, not knowing quite what the effect will be or how to evaluate it.

But if we can zoom out and use a more strategic approach, we can start by supporting the immune system to be more accurate and effective. This includes supporting the liver by clearing out sources of inflammation and helping it repair. This first step alone could have profound benefits for the thyroid.

We go through a step by step process, in order. Like trouble-shooting a Hoover. Like remodeling a house . . .