Your Metabolism Isn't Broken

Feeling like fat loss isn’t for you? Frustrated on a diet? Wondering why it seems so easy for others, while you're left feeling stuck? Wondered why SHE can eat like a horse, and you’re nibbling on lettuce leaves like a rabbit scared that you might see a donut and gain weight?

I feel you. I’ve been there. I understand. I struggled with with thyroid health for years, even after making significant lifestyle improvements. Despite maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting sufficient sleep, my metabolism remained frustratingly slow. The stubborn body fat, especially around my midsection, negatively impacted my self-confidence and self-image.

I battled with my thyroid health for years, well after I had “healed my gut” and overcome disordered eating. It felt like I was shouting into a void, searching for answers that no one had. Doctors assured me my metabolic rate was just “below average”. …but nothing was “wrong”. It felt like something was significantly wrong to ME. I felt limited, unable to reach my full potential because of my metabolic health.

I was nearly convinced my metabolism was irreparably broken. However, over the last decade i’ve learned that, multiple factors were quietly undermining my thyroid function. Past surgery, a history of bulimia, a major head trauma, and periods of severe calorie restriction had all played a role.

Recognizing these factors was the first step in addressing them, and breaking the vicious cycle. Now, let’s work together to understand and address what might be affecting your metabolism. It's time to talk about how you can shift your metabolism to work for you, instead of against you.

Your metabolic function: Understanding Thyroid Health

To understand metabolism, you have to understand the thyroid. The importance of the thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped organ in the neck, often goes unnoticed despite its crucial role in regulating metabolism, energy, and mood. Understanding the intricate relationships between thyroid, gut health, hormone levels, and nutrient balance is essential for maintaining optimal bodily function and achieving your fatloss goals without starvation diets.

Unfortunately most doctors only test for TSH, which is the stimulating hormone and not actually the active form of thyroid hormone necessary for your metabolic function. Because of this so many people go mis-diagnosed or undiagnosed.

Your Metabolism is Not "Broken"

Often, people believe that a sluggish metabolism and stubborn body fat means their body is "broken." However, it's crucial to understand that the thyroid slows down as a defense mechanism when the body is deficient in essential micronutrients, minerals, or experiencing a prolonged calorie deficit. It's the body's way of conserving energy. It is supposed to slow down! It’s a part of your innate survival mechanism. Instead of fighting it, lets learn to work with it.

One of the reasons it took me SO LONG to get my metabolism functioning optimally, was how I afraid I was of food. I was terrified that eating more, meant more body fat. My body would maintain easily around 1500-1600 calories, even though I knew my ideal maintenance calories should be 500-800 calories more.

The Gut-Thyroid Connection

The relationship between the thyroid and gut is intricate and vital. Thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in regulating gut motility, integrity, and nutrient absorption, ensuring the efficient assimilation of the food we consume. It is a two way street - your thyroid hormones play a role in the integrity of the gut, and your gut modulates the conversion of thyroid hormones.

What can downregulate the thyroid and conversion of thyroid hormone?

• Calorie deficit

• Micronutrient deficiencies

• Inflammation

• Stress

• Pressure on the liver (alcohol, medication)

When you have low thyroid hormone, your gut suffers. When your gut suffers, you get compromised tight junctions or “leaky gut” which increases pressure on the liver and inflammation further downreguatling the thyroid. Its a very aggressive cycle.

To break it there is a 3 step process I use with my clients

1. Support the gut lining

2. Increase micronutrients and conversion factors

3. Reverse diet up to maintenance calories

Slow Transit Time, estrogen and the liver.

When thyroid hormones are low, they slow gut motility meaning that digestion is sluggish and transit time increases. A slow transit time in the digestive system can adversely affect hormone detox, and create a rise in estrogen levels, leading to increased body fat storage.

Elevated estrogen drives up Thyroid Binding Globulin (TBG), binding active thyroid hormones and making them ineffective. This will also present as an estrogen dominance in both men and women.

The liver and gut are central to thyroid hormone conversion. The active form of thyroid hormone, T3, is converted from T4 primarily within these organs. An imbalanced gut microbiome and liver function can disrupt this process, leading to hypothyroid symptoms. If your liver health is compromised it is likely due to one of these three things or a combination of all three

1. Toxic stress (alcohol, environmental factors, smoking, medication)

2. Overburdened gut to liver axis (poor gut health, leaky gut)

3. Not enough detox support (micronturient and amino acids deficiency)

Detox is another conversation in itself, but the bottom line is that you want to clean up your diet, eat less processed food, more whole foods and focus on supporting a healthy gut.

Key Micronutrients for Thyroid Health

For robust thyroid health, it's essential to consume adequate amounts of:

Iodine: Found in seaweed, fish, iodized salt and dairy.

Selenium: Present in Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, and fish.

Zinc: Abundant in legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Iron: Found in lean meats Vitamin D: Available through sunlight exposure and foods like fatty fish

Molecular Mimicry, Hashimotos and Wheat

In cases of Hashimoto's disease, a form of hypothyroidism, molecular mimicry is a concern. The body may mistake gliadin, a protein found in wheat, for thyroid tissue. This confusion can exacerbate autoimmune responses, further impairing thyroid function. It's one of the reasons why individuals with Hashimoto’s are often advised to avoid wheat-containing foods.

In conclusion, maintaining thyroid health transcends just focusing on the gland itself. It's intertwined with various other systems, including the gut and liver, highlighting the importance of a holistic health approach. Ensuring a diet rich in diverse, nutrient-dense foods, coupled with an understanding of the body’s intricate processes, lays the foundation for optimal thyroid function and overall well-being.

**Disclaimer**: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.