3 Lifestyle Changes to Support Holistic Thyroid Management During Perimenopause

As a Naturopath, I've seen first hand how lifestyle factors can significantly impact the effectiveness of a holistic approach to managing your thyroid health during a danger time such as the hormonal swings of perimenopause.

If you're riding the tide of perimenopause and finding you’re struggling with weight gain, fatigue, gut problems, hair fall, poor mental health, to mention a few, it’s common to also be battling low thyroid function as the hormonal shifts of perimeno upset thyroid function leading to these two health areas becoming intricately linked.

Low thyroid function and perimeno symptoms are very similar, and nutting out which is exacerbating the other is crucial to turning your health around. 

If you’re lost on where to even start, these three lifestyle changes could be game-changers in your journey to better health.

  1. Manage your stress

Stress at this life stage is basically a given.  We have not only ourselves to look after, but usually kids going through their own changes too!  We’re usually trying to juggle it all, and over time we can definitely feel we’re beginning to run thin.  Our patience is thinning, or mental health is strained and no surprise our health is changing too.

There’s a number of holistic approaches you can take to better manage your stress at this time which will help to take pressure off the thyroid and better balance your hormones.

Practical tips to implement:

  • Gentle brisk exercise daily.  It’s not an option, it’s a necessity.  Exercise so easily goes on the back burner but helps in so many ways here: it helps to metabolise cortisol our stress hormone, it helps us sleep better, muscle tone improves thyroid function and energy production as well as improving our blood sugar control - a major problem during perimeno and menopause that also dampens thyroid function.

  • Guided meditation is a great way to actively engage the parasympathetic nervous system helping to mitigate stress on the body

  • Disconnect from electronics and learn something new - learning helps to boost dopamine, a feel good neurotransmitter, and helps to silence anxious ruminating thoughts.


2. Eat for blood sugar control

The inflammation that’s coming from poor blood sugar control is real and it’s causing hormonal imbalance across the whole system.

Easily managed through the food that you eat.  Prioritising protein and essential fatty acids at each meal is the key.

Practical tips to implement:

  • Introduce a protein shake

  • Keep your carbohydrates to wholefood options

  • Include nuts and seeds toasted or as nut butters to spice things up, or make simple healthful treats to quell cravings.


3. Reduce toxic load

Your hormones are easily imbalanced by toxins in the environment including thyroid hormones, blood sugar control hormones as well as your female hormones.  Our bodies are good at detoxing, however the constant bombardment we’re getting from our water, our food, the air, the chemicals we interact with in just household items like furniture, pest sprays, car fumes etc - it’s a lot for our body to process.

Did you know fluorine and chlorine - both in our water - are molecularly similar to Iodine, which is essential to making T4 thyroid hormone.  The thyroid can take these chemicals up instead of our essential Iodine mineral leading to inflammation, toxicity and poor thyroid hormone production causing low thyroid function.

Manage the things that you have control over - EG water, food, household consumables.

Practical tips to implement:

  • Opt for making your own non-toxic home cleaners and personal care products

  • Filter your water.  Whether you use a benchtop jug, a filter fitted to the tap or go all out and filter the house mains, anything is better than nothing

  • Start switching over to glass wherever possible for your food storage and slowly eliminate the plastic use.


Incorporating these holistic lifestyle changes are generally low cost and are something you can start on right now. 

Lifestyle changes can significantly improve the management of your thyroid and perimenopausal hormones particularly when they’re under the strain of this life stage.

If you’re struggling with hormonal balance - thyroid hormones, female hormones, metabolic hormones, I’m here to help.

Book a consultation today, and let's work together to create a comprehensive plan that combines effective treatment with supportive lifestyle changes.


Tash xx


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Why Focusing on Hydration Improves Weight Management During the Perimenopausal Years

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The Role of Physical Activity in Managing an Underactive Thyroid: A Guide for the Perimenopausal Woman