Mary's Thyroid Journey Part 1 Diagnosis

Hypothyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid doesn't create and release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow down.

The body's control of the thyroid levels helps stabilize mood. Patients with hypothyroidism may experience symptoms of depression, restlessness and anxiety. Studies have also found that people with bipolar disorder often have abnormal thyroid function.

Although nuts can be a good source of antioxidants and healthy fats, walnuts can interfere with the absorption of thyroid hormone. Avoid eating them around the time that you take your thyroid medication.

Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed with a TSH blood test, which stands for “Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.” If you have high levels of this hormone found in the blood, you may have hypothyroidism.

T4 (thyroxine) is a type of thyroid hormone. If there is too much or too little T4 in your blood, it can indicate thyroid disease.