Why the Thyroid Matters

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, but its influence is vast. It regulates metabolism, energy, heart rate, temperature, mood, and more. When it’s out of balance, the effects ripple through every system of the body.

Millions of people live with thyroid disease — many undiagnosed — often mistaking symptoms for stress, aging, or anxiety. Women are disproportionately affected, and yet the signs are frequently minimized or misunderstood.

Awareness changes that.

Why This Series Is Personal

For years, I didn’t know anything was wrong with me.

Looking back now, the signs were there — unusual weight changes, bulging eyes, a racing heart, overwhelming anxiety. I pushed through, assuming it was just life. It wasn’t until a co-worker, an RN and now one of my closest friends, noticed my neck and urged me to get my thyroid checked that everything changed.

I was diagnosed with thyroid disease and a goiter. I initially lived with hyperthyroidism, which was treated with radioactive iodine — a treatment that ultimately led me into hypothyroidism, where I live now.

This series is rooted in that journey — not as medical advice, but as lived truth.

What Living With Hypothyroidism Can Look Like

Hypothyroidism doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Often, it slows life down quietly.

From my perspective, living with hypothyroidism has meant navigating:

• Weight challenges that require patience and consistency

• Thinning hair and increased skin dryness

• Sensitivity to cold

• Brain fog and mental fatigue

• Anxiety without an obvious trigger

• Muscle and joint pain

• Tingling in the hands and feet

It has required me to care for my body more intentionally — with gentler rhythms, consistent treatment, and a deeper respect for rest. Maintenance is not vanity. It’s management. And management is wisdom.

What You’ll Find in This Series

This Thyroid Awareness series is designed to educate, affirm, and empower. You’ll find:

• Clear explanations of thyroid function and disease

• Personal reflections from lived experience

• Insight into hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, goiters, and related conditions

• Practical guidance for living well with a thyroid disorder

• Faith-centered reflections on caring for the body without shame

Each entry builds toward a deeper understanding of how the body works — and how to honor it with grace.

A Gentle Word Before You Continue

This content is educational and reflective, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment. If your body has been whispering — or shouting — something isn’t right, you deserve to be heard.

You are not imagining it.
You are not weak.
You are not alone.

An Invitation

If you’ve felt disconnected from your body…
If symptoms have gone unnamed or dismissed…
If you’re learning how to live well in a body that requires more care than before…

You are welcome here.