At Peak Integrative Medicine, we don’t make this analogy just because we are located in Schuylkill County, the heart of the coal region in Schuylkill County. We recognize how the Thyroid is a health indicator for many of our patients, just the way the canary is an indicator of the health of the air in a coal mine.
A Canary’s Sensitivity To The Environment Around It
Canaries were utilized in coal mines because of their great sensitivity to environmental changes, especially the presence of toxic air and gases like carbon monoxide. Long before the gases reached levels that were hazardous to people, the canaries would display indications of distress when these chemicals were present in the mine, such as getting sick or even passing away.
What Your Thyroid Is Telling Us About Your Health
Similar to this, it is possible to consider the thyroid gland in the human body as a sensitive indicator of your health. It is quite susceptible to changes in a variety of parameters, including as stress, toxicity exposure, and nutrition. The thyroid gland frequently responds to imbalances or health problems in the body, and these responses might show up as variations in thyroid hormone levels.
When the thyroid gland is not operating at its best, this might be a sign of more serious health issues such as autoimmune conditions, nutrient deficiencies, or chronic stress.
An Example Of Your Body & Thyroid Responding To The Environment
If you are experiencing large amounts of stress at work or from lack of sleep, anxiety attacks, or a variety of factors, your thyroid function slows. When your thyroid function slows, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormone levels fall. This can result in a hormone imbalance that impacts your body’s health and daily function. This is typically seen through:
- Weight Gain
- Fatigue
- Frequent Bowel Movements
- Enlarged Thyroid
- Hand Tremors
- Heat Intolerance
- Restlessness
- Sleep Problems
- Hair Loss
Many more symptoms can come from thyroid health issues. How your thyroid function results in different symptoms depends on your body and a variety of factors within your own personal health.
Why Does Your Thyroid Function Slow From Stress?
Your body is simply responding as it is designed to respond. When you are stressed, it typically means your body needs to preserve energy and slow down other functions that increase stress and uses resources for survival. This is your body and thyroid (the canary) responding to external factors.
Fear, worry, and stress indicate a need for survival. Energy is vital for survival, so your body stores more and more fat, which is the result when the body makes less T3 and T4 hormone levels. You will also see increased hunger, and all of this is for your survival.
Assessing Your Thyroid At PEAK
We recognize your thyroid is associated with your body and health the same way a canary is in the coal mine. We have also seen patients who have health problems with their thyroid gland, and tests indicate everything is healthy. That is why it is important to look at the big picture of your health. If your thyroid is indicating there is a problem in your body, performing tests and looking at a wide range of potential causes is vital for an effective diagnosis.
Evaluate Your Overall Health With PEAK
It’s crucial to remember that while the thyroid function might offer insightful information about one’s health, it only makes up a small portion of the picture. Similar to the canary, it can signal a problem, but to fully identify the issue and choose the best course of action, a thorough evaluation of general health and other diagnostic tests are frequently required. Contact us at PEAK to evaluate your health and perform screenings and tests so we can help guide you in your health journey.