Hypothyroidism. What are the primary symptoms? How is it diagnosed and assessed by clinical psychologists? What are the physiological causes? What are the best treatments? Are there any particular beneficial nutritious diets? Are there any elimination diets?

Over recent years hypothyroidism has emerged as one of the most misdiagnosed and misunderstood medical conditions. Far too often, hypothyroidism is diagnosed as another medical condition with similar symptoms. Many individuals now have to symptoms such as prolonged low energy levels, fatigue, loss of blood pressure, breathlessness, muscle stiffness, joint stiffness, cold sweats.

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include pale, dry, itchy skin and cracked skin on the hands besides eczema, psoriasis and red skin on the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands. As well as this there is dry, coarse and brittle hair. Some loss of hair occurs on the under arm and in the pubic hair region. Where the nails flake and split easily there is hypothyroidism.

Frequent and severe muscle cramps accompany muscle stiffness, rheumatic joint pain, enlarged calf muscles and carpal tunnel syndrome. What is more, pins and needles and numbness in the nervous system frequently occur. With poor immune system response many frequent chronic infections are likely to occur. Therefore, any healing of infections takes prolonged periods of time.

Among women, periods may cease and become heavy and irregular. Lack of libido and sexual responsiveness may begin. Worsening PMT and infertility are also common symptoms. Since all of this is due to there being an underactive thyroid gland, these symptoms can be treated by women following particular diets which are nutrition rich for periods of 3 months and more.

Many more signs and symptoms manifest hypothyroidism in the cardiovascular system such as slowed heart rate, raised blood pressure and raised cholesterol level. Much of the respiratory system is also affected with signs and symptoms being breathlessness, lumps in the throat, excessive production of mucus, dizziness. Some digestive system signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are constipation, diarrhoea, IBS, loss of appetite and frequent dairy products intolerance.

Psychological symptoms of hypothyroidism include forgetfulness, slow comprehension, worsening memory, struggling with words, sadness, melancholy, loack of confidence, anger, not caring about anything, irritability, easily crying, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, paranoid and suicidal and morbid thoughts besides many characteristics of depression.

Particular distinctive miscellaneous signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include feeling cold and having acute sensitivity to heat, shaking, sleeping heavily but still waking exhausted, falling asleep during the day, exhaustion, lethargy, being clumsy, weight gain, ankle and hands and face puffiness.

Because the thyroid gland is sensitive it is the first organ susecptible to the start of any serious autoimmunity disorder. With hypothyroidism affecting the metabolism any Vitamin A derived from the beta carotene in vegetables is not metabolised into the liver. Because of this, the autoimmune system ability to fight disease and infections is now damaged and weakened.

Most cases of hypothyroidism are gradually recognised. Many individuals have to endure years of discomfort and pain. Only by thyroid tests can the condition be recognised. By diagnosing and assessing the functioning of the endocrinal gland, adrenal hormone reserves can be checked to see if enough thyrone is being released and circulated into the bloodstream.

From the neurological perspective, there is one region of the inner brain known as the hypothalamus where the endocrine gland is located. When the hypothalamus sends hormones to the pituitary gland it produces adrenalcortisonethyroid hormone. Resulting from this is the cortisol production essential to our daily survival as this hormone instructs the pituitary gland to stimulate thyroid production.

From the air we breathe in being mixed together with hydrocarbon sugars produced from food digested by enzymes the result is glucose. Glucose is blood sugar which fuels the body. From this, blood sugar produces the chemical energy we require to live. At this stage, energy release throughout the body cells is controlled by the mitochondria which is passed instructions from the hormone release from the thyroid. Even then, the thyroid is dependent on cortisone hormone release levels from the hypothalamus

Since the body metabolism has to be balanced with the thyroid levels for the human body to produce energy levels correctly treatment for hypothyroidism is straightforward. However, the difficulty is in recognising the underlying endocrinal gland disfunction. Dessicated animal thyroid supplements provided in the diet soon restore thyroid hormone levels. By adding cortisone supplements the thyroid hormone can be boosted and restored.

Besides thyroid supplements, particular diets can be followed which stimulate the production of the thyroid hormone. Such as watercress, parsley, coconut oil, bananas, avocadoes, royal jelly, potato and salt with proteins from wheat, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, pulses and nuts.

Instead of including the above listed foods in the particular diet, include selenium found in fish, shellfish, citrus fruit, avocado, whole grain, brazil nuts. Every one of these also beneficial for the proper functioning of your thyroid. Also include iodine is particularly recommended to provide vital mineral and vitamin supplements from fish, fruit and even 100mg of kelp.

While using medical treatment may not be as beneficial as any of the natural treatment diet items, using hydrocortisone administered in daily doses of 10mg taken four times at 2.5mg doses over 21 days is effective at boosting low levels of thyroid hormone.

Another effective medical treatment is prescription thyroxene administered in the form of tertroxin which is molecule based natural dessicated thyroid at 20mcg or one tablespoonful. Hypothyroidism treatment requires careful diagnosis, medication, throid supplementation and careful elimination diets.