Many doctors won’t take you seriously when you complain about being tired or experiencing brain fog. They’ll tell you to get more sleep and send you home with nothing more than a medical bill or a prescription for sleeping pills. If you bring up unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight, you'll be told "calories in, calories out." When in reality your metabolism is slow because your thyroid isn't functioning optimally. 

Western medicine has a history of overlooking women’s health issues, and hypothyroidism is more common in women. Many women report that doctors simply don’t listen to their concerns. Hypothyroidism can also be triggered by pregnancy or having a baby—times when you might experience some of those symptoms anyway. Doctors might write off your worries and say your symptoms "come with the territory." Even outside pregnancy or postpartum, the first diagnosis might be depression—which causes many similar symptoms. In other words, you have an uphill battle to begin with when it comes to getting a hypothyroidism diagnosis.

Did your doctor tell you that a body temperature below 98.6 degrees is "normal" and not to worry? It's been well-established by thyroid experts like Dr. Broda Barnes and Dr. James L. Wilson that low body temperature is a clear indicator of slow metabolism and low thyroid function. Some consider low body temperature more accurate for determining thyroid function than lab testing because temperature better reflects the metabolic rate inside the cells in our body. If your doctor refuses to listen to your symptoms and ignores low temperature, be prepared to get a second or third opinion until you find a doctor or practitioner who recognizes low body temperature as a hypothyroid symptom that's affecting your health.

Your body, and your thyroid, require specific minerals to make thyroid hormones and use them efficiently. Without the right minerals, your thyroid can’t do its job—it has no way to give you energy and regulate your metabolism.  When you don't get enough minerals, your thyroid may slow down, leading to hypothyroidism and the dreaded symptoms that come along with it.The thyroid requires iodine—it’s one of the most crucial minerals your body needs to keep your thyroid functioning properly. Without it, your body can’t make thyroid hormones.