Why Does Winter Make My Thyroid Problems Worse?

If common sense rules, then would it not make sense to gain a couple extra pounds of fat for insulation for the winter months? So why are people looking to blame the cold air on their thyroid problems?

Is there even any truth behind this kind of thinking?

There is some evidence that people with thyroid problems will suffer more as their thyroid gland is asked to perform in overdrive. Since your thyroid controls your metabolism, it plays a role in keeping you warm in colder climates. Some of these people already have either a weak gland, or a breakdown in the conversion and utilization of the hormone to a usable form. With this extra load, more problems may spring up.

Could it be that people with thyroid problems should all move to Florida to avoid the weight gain, hair loss, nerve damage, aches and pains? Problem solved, right?

This would be one way of changing their environment to help aide their thyroid in healing. But we should really look at that solution a little different than just an ends to a means, such as:

1. Since we acknowledge that we can make changes in our environment to make changes to our health of our thyroid, then we should look to make other/better changes
2. We can treat our thyroid with things beyond drugs and surgery
3. We can use our body as a barometer as to how well or poor things we are doing affect our thyroid health

Now we can develop a strategy that allows us to take preventative measures, eliminate all things that are harmful for our thyroid and form habits that are thyroid friendly.