Hypothyroidism Type 2 also known as Sub-Clinical Hypothyroidism

Think of this lens as an introduction to hypothyroidism type 2. While I am not a medical professional, I have done a lot of my own research on health and looked around for what works best for me and others.

Hypothyroidism type 2 is also called subclinical hypothyroidism, since most doctors will not detect it, especially without getting a complete thyroid profile done. Hypothyroidism type 2 is a lot more common than people think, as it can even be induced by poor dieting, nutrition and other factors besides genetics.

To accurately diagnose hypothyroidism (especially type 2) you will need to do a complete thyroid profile and have it looked at by a functional medicine doctor, practitioner or naturopathic doctor. A complete thyroid profile will test for T3, T4, reverse T3 to T4 and thyroid antibodies. By using a complete thyroid profile you can diagnose and determine what is going on with your thyroid. Many doctors will commonly only test T3 and T4, while testing for thyroid antibodies and reverse T3 to T4 will show the health and functioning of your thyroid. If you have to be insistent upon doing a complete thyroid profile or find someone willing to do it.

For me I had my T3 and T4 come back healthy and normal but when I had a complete thyroid profile it showed the health of my thyroid wasn't doing so well. A competent physician will know how to test and diagnose problems with your thyroid. In rare cases you may have an autoimmune thyroid issue called hashimoto's which if you do your thyroid antibodies will be high. If you need help diagnosing hypothyroidism type 2, look for a functional medicine doctor https://www.functionalmedicine.org or a paleo physician http://paleophysiciansnetwork.com/doctors

Depending on the health of your thyroid, other health issues currently going on and what kind of issue you have with your thyroid, treatment will vary. To get proper treatment for hypothyroidism type 2, you will need a functional medicine doctor or naturopath.

While many proclaim to treat thyroid issues naturally through supplements or diet, those can help but generally speaking medication will be needed (such as natural or synthetic thyroid). For me I take active and inactive thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) and am now on naturethroid. Using active thyroid hormone (T3) can be controversial and should be done under medical supervision.

Other treatment options can include taking iodine, raw thyroid, thyroid supplements and bioidentical thyroid hormones. It depends on the individual and the situation for what treatment but for most T3 and/or T4 seem to help the most, diet and other supplements may help as well.

Other health issues may affect your thyroid as well but so far there isn't anything conclusive. Adrenal health, and heavy metal toxicity may also affect your thyroid, if you have MTHFR defects or other hormonal issues that may affect treatment as well. Digestion is an important area to handle as well as it can influence overall health, including thyroid health. For help in treating your adrenals (which can impact blood sugar as well as thyroid function) check out: http://jheldt.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-treat-adrena...

Also for more information and testing and treatment of MTHFR defects, check out my other squidoo at: http://www.squidoo.com/when-and-how-to-test-for-me...

A paleo, GAPS or paleo template diet is generally recommended for someone with hypothyroidism type 2. If hypothyroidism type 2 was induced by diet, it may be needed to fix digestion, adrenals and relax some on the diet restrictions.

Some people do better with a cheat day or meal a week but for most it is not generally recommended. Adding in foods rich in iodine such as iodized salt and seaweed can help as well. I wouldn't recommend cutting calories under any situation as it can directly influence your thyroid.

Matt stone of 180 degree health even recommends for people with a thyroid way out of balance to eat junk food into your diet until health is restored. It is a tad unorthodox but sometimes unconventional solutions work better then conventional wisdom.

Staying hydrated is especially important, and would be better done with electrolyte mix then plain water, this can help all of your internal organs and overall health. I've found off and on success with THC as well, ive heard it can also throw off your blood sugar, so test it out to see if it helps or not.

The cause of hypothyroidism isn't always known. In many cases it may be genetic, whether hypothyroidism or sub-clinical/hypothyroidism type 2. It has been speculated and shown that it may be due to autoimmunity or inflammation (especially with hashimoto's thyroid issues). Diet and lifestyle can worsen your thyroid symptoms and problems as well.

Treating your adrenals can also help thyroid problems as well, and when treating thyroid problems the whole body should be treated. Taking a 23andme test should might show genetic imbalances and problems which may influence thyroid and hormonal levels. Methylation and detoxifaction genes and SNPs (especially MTHFR) should be looked into particularly as they can have a big impact on your thyroid health.

Natural supplements and therapies for those with chronic conditions such as mthfr, methylation, detoxification defects, chronic fatigue syndrome, adrenal, thyroid issues and more. Also for general health and wellness as well as health resources and research.