Just like the furnace in your house, your thyroid is used to regulate your body’s temperature. Hyperthyroid means your thyroid gland is functioning too low and you will be cold along with all the systems of your body. Your body’s systems will work at a reduced state because the enzymes of the body need to be at 98.6 degrees F to work properly. Once your body temperature is below this normal range, it will negatively effect all other systems, glands, and organs. The reverse, when your thyroid gland is functioning too high will result in the body temperature alternative between hot and cold. This is known as hyperthyroid, Graves, and Hashimoto’s. In any of these conditions, the immune system is stressed and this will lead to major health disorders.

The best scenario is a balanced thyroid gland with normal thyroid hormone secretion. Let’s take a look at some of the major influences on thyroid functions where it’s important to know that the thyroid gland is effected by many other glands, organs, and systems.

The nervous system is the first major influence that includes the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, and spinal nerves that control every other organ, gland and system in the body. The master hormonal gland that controls thyroid function is called the hypothalamus.

The immune system is next and when overly active is called autoimmune. Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s are autoimmune thyroid diseases. An underactive immune system can cause thyroid cancer. Read the rest of this entry »