This is a great question! I’m so glad we get to talk about it on this blog. The whole concept of genetic issues is fascinating. Do your genes doom you? I think that most people overestimate the power of genetics and underestimate the power of lifestyle. It is my belief (based on years of functional medicine practice and study) that genetics play about a 10% role in the health you are experiencing. The good news is that around 90% is a result of the lifestyle choices you are making. That can be good or bad news, depending on how you choose to live your life!
Since this post is about the Thyroid, let’s dig into that, specifically. The above statement about 90% being lifestyle and 10% being genetic applies to the Thyroid as well. That means that if you mom, grandmother, sister, etc. had a thyroid condition, you may be genetically pre-disposed to have that issue also. There simply isn’t anything you can do about your genetics. BUT… You can use that 90% that is under your control to make good decisions that will help you whether or not you have a diagnosed thryoid condition.
Let’s dive a bit deeper. If you know your mom or other close biological relative has an issue, you will want to have your Thyroid gland properly evaluated. By that, I mean a full panel. Not just a TSH viewed throught the lens of the “Standard Lab” ranges. I routinely see people who have had that evaluation, are told things look “fine” and in fact, they are not fine. Here’s a quick chart of what I believe to be a proper thyroid evaluation
That gives you a true picture of your Thryoid. If, you see indications that the Thyroid is struggling, then you begin to ask “Why?” and “How?” Is this an autoimmune issue? 90% of the time, the answer is Yes. Is this a situation where we aren’t making or converting enough of the proper thyroid hormones? If so, are there missing nutrients. It’s not as simple as thyroid problems = thyroid hormones. That’s, unfortunately, how it goes most of the time.
Back to the question of heredity. If you do indeed have an genetic issue (mom, grandma, aunt Sally, etc. You know that you need to make lifestyle choices that foster health and make the expression of that genetic issue less likely. Another way to say that… If you have a relative that has an issue, your decision are super important. They can mean the difference between you having an issue and not having an issue with your Thyoid.
Since 90% of Thyroid disorders are autoimmune, we’ll talk about that. If you have that genetic tendency, you want to do everything you can to stop it from showing up. I find there are some common triggers that allow autoimmune conditions to show up. Here they are:
Gut Dysfunction. This is very common. “Leaky Gut” or Intestinal permeability leads to a situation where particles leak into the bloodstream and overstimulate the immune system. If a certain protein in Wheat, called Gliadin, leaks through, this looks an awful lot like thyroid tissue, so we start to see the body turn on the thryoid gland and start to break it down. This is the autoimmune piece of the puzzle. There are other foods that contribute to this problem, but wheat and gluten are a big issue. I always say that “If you have, suspect you have or don’t want to have thryoid problems, you should give up gluten.” I have written other articles on this. You can click here to read my latest blog that talks about gluten and the thryoid. It’s not just about avoiding gluten, but about repairing the gut dysfunction if present. There are several ways to assess this so that the right approach can be used. Sometimes a test like an organic acids test, a GI Map or Comprehensive Stool analysis really helps dial in the issue. Sometimes I can just have a good conversation and take a good history and we know how to approach the situation.
STRESS… This is a big one! Stress can be a major life change, chronic, everyday worries about things like finances or things like a pregnancy that put added stress on the body. Stress depresses our immune system, depletes certain nutrients like B vitamins, and vitamin C, lowers stomach acid and can trigger the other gut issues we talked about above. It can also start to effect the liver and gallbladder so that now toxins are not clearing like they should, which leads us to…
Infections/Toxins – If we lower our resistance to infection, we can allow things like viruses and bacteria to set up shop. This is again related to the health of the gut, and many of those organisms set up shop in the digestive environment. Toxins like flouride are also part of this equation. Environmental pollutants and things like fragrance additives and things like parabens in cosmetics can cause issues and trigger underlying issues.
If you know or suspect you have a thyroid issue, you will want to make sure you are doing all you can to address the above issues and life a healthy lifestyle focused on a nutrient-rich, whole food diet, good movement like regular exercise and a toxin-free enviornment.
I hope you found this article helpful, and you feel encourged by the amount of control you do have over your health!
To your health,
Dr. Jeni
