It has been observed that people suffering from Hashimoto’s are more likely to be prone to depression and develop its symptoms. Studies have shown that high levels of TPO Antibodies are connected with depression, distress, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and anxiety. Hence, people experience significant impairment in their daily life and lose interest in regular tasks because of their depressed moods which are triggered by a Thyroid condition. To get rid of the feeling of apathy, low mood, fatigue and brain fog, identifying the root cause and taking charge of your thyroid dysfunction is a necessity as both excess and insufficient thyroid hormones can cause depression. Therefore, the condition is reversible with proper thyroid treatment. A major check on eliminating the cause and effect of the thyroid is required to beat depression and live a happy life. 

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Factors that Trigger Hashimoto’s and Depression

Toxin Exposure: Exposure to environmental toxins triggers thyroid dysfunction and reduces the body’s ability to detoxify. This directly damages thyroid functionality. Pesticides, lawn chemicals, personal care products, household cleaners, plastics, makeup, and water and air pollution contributes to toxicity.

Nutritional Deficiency: There are certain nutrients which are extremely important for thyroid health such as iodine, vitamin D, selenium, tyrosine, zinc and iron. Deficiencies of these nutrients affect the thyroid gland. Hence, it is very important to keep a check on your diet and ensure that your body is getting enough nutrients which are required.

Stress: Stress is the most crucial factor that invites most health problems. The feeling of stress disturbs the thyroid gland and has an adverse effect on the endocrine gland which is responsible for the body’s metabolism and regulation of other important body functions.

Digestive Issues: Having Gut Problems is a trigger for autoimmune diseases, hence Intestinal hyperpermeability and imbalance in your gut microbiome leads to thyroid dysfunction which is often followed by the symptoms of depression.

Hormonal Imbalance: Hormonal Imbalance disturbs the body's functioning and put stress on the thyroid gland, thus making the condition worse. 

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Measures for a Healthy Thyroid Gland

Reduce Stress: Get hold of your body by reducing the stress and indulging yourself in stress management activities, yoga, meditation or any such thing that makes you happy. Minimising your stress levels will help your thyroid gland to function properly, leading to overall good health.

Healthy Gut: Half of the problems arise in your gut, so make sure that you keep your gut healthy. Opt for the fibre-rich & nutrient-dense diet that has plenty of probiotic-rich foods. Spot the root cause of your gut problem and start working towards it to keep your gut happy & healthy.

Get enough nutrition: Make sure that you never fall short of the nutrients that your body demands. There are certain foods that specifically boost thyroid functioning. These include seaweed and sea vegetables, fish, dandelion, mustard and other dark vegetables, smelt, herring, scallops and brazil nuts.

Limit Toxins: Today’s environmental conditions are full of toxins. In such situations, find a way to minimise toxin exposure by opting for organic products, eliminating plastics, and avoiding smoking.

Eliminating Infections: Hashimoto’s patients often get prone to infections from parasites, and the overgrowth of bacteria and yeasts which may activate thyroid dysfunction and leads to stressful circumstances. Hence, keep a check on your body and eliminate infections before it disturbs the body's functioning.

Exercise: We know the importance of exercising regularly for keeping our bodies healthy. It relieves stress and makes our body functions properly which in turn benefits the overall body health.

Good Sleep: Having plenty of sleep is very important to keep your mind and body healthy. Follow the practises that help you with good sleep like avoiding screen time before going to bed, meditation or having a cup of herbal tea before bed.

As depression is directly connected to your Thyroid Heath, measures should be taken to keep your thyroid gland healthy. Practising stress reliever activities along with taking control of the causes of thyroid dysfunction can help you deal with depression and anxiety. Apart from this, depression is also considered a vital indicator of the inefficiency of converting T4 into the active T3 by the thyroid gland. So, in terms of medication, patients feel better when T3 medication is prescribed. Hence, ensuring the right medication along with working on thyroid health naturally by identifying the root cause of the problem and making some lifestyle changes can keep your thyroid gland and mental health stable.

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Suffering from a chronic disease like thyroid, gut problems, weight issues, autoimmune issues, etc... is not easy. Dr. Gupta is a certified Functional Medicine Physician and his personalized plans have helped thousands of people to reclaim their health back.

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