To Paleo or Not to Paleo

As popularity in the Paleo (short for Paleolithic) diet has grown, so have questions from my clients about its merits. Many of my clients are nutritionally savvy – they’ve done a lot of their own research on hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, and adrenal fatigue, and come to me to help them sort out the contradictions and confusion and give them a supportive program with which they can start putting one foot in front of the other. And there is a lot of confusion about the benefits of going Paleo.

Hypothyroidism and Hair Loss

When you have a sluggish thyroid, feeling crappy and tired and irritable is difficult enough. But seeing your brush and bathroom sink filled with hair is devastating – it’s a visible manifestation of your imbalance. No one wants to lose hair, no matter what the cause. And we’re not just talking scalp loss. Many people with hypothyroidism also see thinning of the outer third of their eyebrows.

TSH = Thyroid Stimulating Hooey

I wish I had a dollar for every time one of my clients said, “My doctor tested my TSH and he/she said that my thyroid is fine, but after reading your symptoms list, I’m thinking that I still have a thyroid problem.” Really, your doctor said that your thyroid is fine? Then why are you so exhausted and moody? Why is your hair falling out and your estrogen high? Why are you putting on weight? Why are you having a hard time losing weight despite your best efforts? 

The Long and Pathetic List of Hypothyroid Symptoms

If you experience several of these symptoms listed here, you may have an underactive thyroid, including adrenal dysfunction. (Many integrative and functional medicine doctors now claim that the symptoms of hypothyroidism and adrenal dysfunction are largely indistinguishable.)