If you’re familiar with my healing journey, you know I’ve been affected by Hashimoto’s as well as Lyme: Two diseases known to cause symptoms such as lethargy, mental fog, joint and muscle pain, poor sleep quality, and many other issues that interfere with daily living. And according to Dr. Izabella Wentz, Borrelia burgdorferi — the Lyme-causing bacteria transmitted by infected black-legged ticks — could trigger chronic conditions such as Hashimoto’s.  This may be true in ...

The thyroid gland may be located in the neck, but inflammation and infections in other parts of the body — the mouth included — can trigger an autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. After all, the mouth is the first part of the digestive tract and one of the most important, as the oral cavity harbors more than 700 bacterial species that colonize surfaces such as the oral mucosa as well as the soft and ...

Thyroid disease affects the body in many ways, but eye problems are a lesser-known symptom of having an overactive or underactive thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism, for instance, can sometimes cause the skin around the eyes to swell (known as periorbital swelling) — and other eye-related symptoms may include blurred vision, eyelid abnormalities, watery eyes, grittiness, and eyebrow hair and eyelash loss. Additionally, those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroid disease) are more likely to develop dry eye ...

How and where we store our levothyroxine (such as Synthroid), liothyronine (Cytomel), and desiccated thyroid meds (like Armour Thyroid and NP Thyroid) may seem unimportant, but improper storage could actually alter the effectiveness of our medications and cause a worsening of thyroid symptoms. As such, how we take our thyroid medications each day isn’t the only thing we need to be mindful of as women with thyroid disease and Hashimoto’s: We also need to ensure ...

The glandula thyreoidea, more commonly known as the thyroid gland, is a tiny butterfly-shaped organ that sits just below the Adam’s apple in the front of the neck. It produces three types of hormones, including triiodothyronine (more commonly known as T3), tetraiodothyronine (abbreviated as T4 or thyroxine), and calcitonin (a hormone produced by the C cells in the thyroid). Sometimes our thyroids produce too much of these important hormones, and other times they don’t produce ...

As wonderful as the winter holidays can be, the holiday season is a major source of stress for many of us — especially those with thyroid issues and other chronic illnesses. From concerns about celebrating safely amidst COVID-19 to other seasonal stressors such as shopping for loved ones, budgeting for gifts, preparing healthier alternatives to our favorite holiday foods, and prepping our homes for guests, holiday stress is very real. This added stress negatively affects ...