Simple Keys to TOTAL HEALTH

For 80% of women who are tired and heavy, a sneaky thyroid glitch is to blame. Here’s help!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos has said she’s tried every diet out there: nocarb, high fat, frozen foods…but nothing worked. As it turns out, Nia was struggling to slim because of a thyroid disorder — and thankfully, the condition was eventually diagnosed.

Nia’s not alone: Up to 80 percent of women are affected by thyroid problems yet most don’t realize a gland glitch is to blame for their stubborn pounds, fatigue and brain fog. This is especially true when it comes to type 2 hypothyroidism, a newly discovered disorder that goes undiagnosed in 4 out of 5 sufferers.

Unlike hypothyroidism, in which the body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone, women with type 2 produce normal amounts of the hormone but their cells can’t use or absorb it, explains thyroid specialist Kent Holtorf, M.D., medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group in Torrance, Calif. If you suspect that you may have a thyroid glitch, he advises asking your doctor for several tests to assess your gland function: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, reverse T3, free T4 and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). If your results point to type 2 hypothyroidism, the following strategies can help restore your vitality.

AVOID THIS TOXIN

Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many plastic products like water bottles, food-storage containers and plastic liners in many canned foods, blocks thyroid receptors on cells, preventing thyroid hormone from being used. To limit your exposure to BPA and similar toxins, opt for jarred or frozen products in lieu of canned; and use water bottles and food containers made of glass, bamboo or stainless steel.

MAKE EASY DIET TWEAKS

Experts advise limiting your intake of soy, which can block the body’s ability to absorb and use thyroid hormone. Also smart: loading your plate with foods rich in selenium, a nutrient that helps the body produce thyroid hormone, says Dr. Holtorf. Top sources include Brazil nuts, yellowfin tuna, turkey, chicken, eggs and spinach.

CONSIDER THIS Rx

A time-release T3 medication eliminates symptoms for 80 percent of sufferers, says Dr. Holtorf. That’s because the medication lasts longer in the body, enabling the body to absorb the amount of the T3 thyroid hormone it needs to ease symptoms. He advises asking your doctor to refer you to a compounding pharmacy for the drug.

“Before I was diagnosed with thyroid disease, I didn’t understand why I could hang out with my girlfriends and just suck on a toothpick all night

and gain weight.”

Nia Vardalos, 54