It could be a beautiful Indian summer fall day, but if you have a sluggish thyroid your mood may already be taking a beating.  Fall and spring are often difficult times if you have a struggling thyroid gland.  Large fluctuations in temperature pose a unique stress to the thyroid system. 

It could be a beautiful Indian summer fall day, but if you have a sluggish thyroid your mood may already be taking a beating.  Fall and spring are often difficult times if you have a struggling thyroid gland.  Large fluctuations in temperature pose a unique stress to the thyroid system. 

Thyroid hormone adjusts itself once every seven days (the half life of the hormone).  While the liver has some ability to slightly modulate the rate at which T4 is converted to T3 on a daily basis, the basic production of thyroid hormone changes more slowly.  When daytime high temperatures vary 25 – 40 degrees over a period of a few days, the thyroid system really struggles to keep up.

The Northern states have been through a tough fall this year from the thyroid point of view.  The first and most obvious symptom is just feeling jolted by the weather changes.  Other symptoms include feeling more sluggish, more tired, and your mood starts to suffer.  The desire for sweet tasting food increases and you may put on a few pounds. 

If you have a borderline thyroid status entering the fall season, it is not uncommon to find yourself in a mental funk, even feeling depressed.  Extra nutrient support for the thyroid is vital during this time.  Heading into the holidays with a sweet tooth raving and an unstable mood is setting the stage for bottoming out in the winter months.