WHAT IS HYPOTHYROIDISM?

Hypothyroidism, also called low thyroid, is a condition that happens when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones. These hormones come from the thyroid gland, which is an endocrine gland located below the Adam’s apple on the neck.  Some people don’t have enough thyroid hormones to fight off sickness and others don’t have enough hormones to achieve optimal functions. When the hormone levels are dangerously low, it is hard to live at all because they are also necessary for the production of energy.

CAUSES OF LOW THYROID

There are several potential root causes of hypothyroidism, such as:

• Some patients don’t have enough iodine. The thyroid hormones need appropriate iodine levels to be effective in the body.

• If there is enough iodine in the patient’s diet then the culprit may be an autoimmune disease that destructs the thyroid gland. An example of this would be Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

• Low adrenals can also cause hypothyroidism. You may have enough thyroid hormones, but the low adrenals don’t allow them to function properly.

• Toxins, especially an increased mercury burden, may interfere with thyroid hormone production.

SYMPTOMS OF LOW THYROID

• Low energy levels

• Constipation

• Depression

• Dry skin

• Hair loss

• Weight gain

• Anxiety

SOLUTIONS FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM

The specific thyroid hormones that are usually checked are T3 and T4. The pituitary hormone TSH can also indicate how the thyroid is functioning. The TSH test is the most common exam done to check the thyroid function.

However, there are three problems with the TSH test:

1.  Only TSH levels above five is considered abnormal. This is questionable, as many doctors believe that optimum TSH levels are around 1.5 and everything above this is suggestive of low thyroid.

2.  Sometimes the TSH test can show normal results, but the T3 and T4 thyroid hormones are actually low because of a pituitary gland malfunction that produces TSH.

3.  The TSH test, T3 and T4 hormones could all show normal results but a patient may still be experiencing symptoms of low thyroid?other substances can block the thyroid hormone receptor site, thus preventing it from working properly.

Basically, in order to balance the thyroid, the specific issue first has to be identified.

We make sure that you have enough (but not too much) iodine and selenium in your diet.  If these are not the issue, treating the adrenals and autoimmune processes are much more complicated.  The root cause of the complication must be found and addressed so that it can allow the thyroid to go back to normal.

HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR THYROID PROBLEMS

Many conventional doctors give patients the synthetic hormone Synthroid. However, this medication doesn’t actually treat the real issue at hand. It is simply addressing the thyroid complication that has happened due to another imbalance somewhere else. On top of that, many doctors and patients believe that synthetic Synthroid is not an optimal solution because it only provides the T4 hormone instead of the hormone that really works, T3.

Dr. Kalitenko doesn’t give synthetic hormones to relieve the problem. He prefers to use natural thyroid hormones: both T3 and T4. He looks at every angle of the issue in order to solve the problem and deal with any hormone imbalance. Looking at the whole body as a puzzle, he can find which pieces are missing or damaged. Addressing the root cause can relieve the problem long-term instead of treating symptoms long-term.

BENEFITS OF THE HOLISTIC APPROACH

When the true cause of the issue is understood and focused on, the thyroid will be back up and running, and able to produce both T3 and T4. This is so much better for the body and the patient’s well-being. We don’t want to prescribe pharmaceutical drugs for someone’s entire life; we want to find the source of the problems and fix them with natural solutions. That way, our patients can get back to their normal lives and feel better than ever.

Balancing and correcting your hypothyroidism (and its root cause) may give you the support you need to help:

• Be more energetic

• Optimize your weight

• Enjoy better sleep

• Get rid of anxiety and/or depression

If you live in the New York City or Long Island, NY area and would like to know more about what we can do for the hypothyroidism that you or a loved one needs to deal with, give us a call or visit us at our Brooklyn, NYC and Long Island location. We are easily accessible from any borough in NYC, whether you’re from Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, or the Bronx.