Thyroid health plays a critical role in how we feel on a daily basis, yet it’s often overlooked until symptoms become disruptive. If you’ve been struggling with unexplained fatigue, weight fluctuations, or difficulty focusing, your thyroid may be out of balance. At Vida Revival, Dr. Diana Alavi combines conventional diagnostics with integrative therapies to help patients get to the root of these issues and restore energy, metabolism, and overall well-being.
Let’s take a closer look at how the thyroid works, how imbalances can affect your body, and how bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help bring your health back into balance.
What Is the Thyroid and Why Does It Matter?
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. Though small in size, it has a big job: regulating your body’s metabolism by producing hormones that control how quickly your body uses energy. These hormones, mainly T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), influence everything from your heart rate and body temperature to your weight, digestion, and mood.
When the thyroid produces too little or too much hormone, it disrupts many systems in the body. This can result in either hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), each with its own set of symptoms and challenges.
Common Symptoms of Thyroid Imbalance
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is far more common, particularly in women over 40. Symptoms often come on gradually and may include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Difficulty losing weight or unexplained weight gain
- Cold intolerance
- Constipation
- Depression or low mood
- Hair thinning or dry skin
- Brain fog and memory issues
- Irregular or heavy menstrual cycles
In contrast, hyperthyroidism symptoms may include:
- Rapid weight loss
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Anxiety and restlessness
- Excessive sweating
- Heat intolerance
- Tremors
- Insomnia
Both types of thyroid imbalance can cause significant disruptions to your quality of life, yet these symptoms are often misattributed to aging, stress, or other common issues.
The Connection Between Thyroid, Energy, and Weight
Because thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, even a mild imbalance can affect your ability to burn calories efficiently. With low thyroid function, your body slows everything down—your energy levels drop, and your body begins storing more fat. You may find yourself gaining weight despite eating well and staying active. In turn, the fatigue that comes with hypothyroidism can make it even harder to stay motivated to exercise or manage stress, creating a frustrating cycle.
Likewise, excess thyroid hormone can rev up your metabolism too quickly, leaving you feeling anxious, jittery, or depleted. While some may associate hyperthyroidism with weight loss, the truth is that it can leave the body in a state of imbalance, burning through nutrients too quickly and leading to long-term health issues if left untreated.
Why Conventional Testing Isn’t Always Enough
Standard thyroid screenings often focus only on TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), which doesn’t always tell the full story. A person can have “normal” TSH levels while still experiencing all the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction.
At Vida Revival, Dr. Alavi takes a broader, more personalized approach. This includes full thyroid panel testing, which measures:
- TSH
- Free T3
- Free T4
- Reverse T3
- Thyroid antibodies (for autoimmune thyroid disorders like Hashimoto’s)
Dr. Alavi also evaluates your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle to determine whether your thyroid function may be contributing to chronic fatigue, weight struggles, or other health concerns.
How Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Helps
When thyroid hormone levels are imbalanced, restoring them to optimal ranges is essential for long-term wellness. One integrative option available at Vida Revival is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
BHRT uses hormones that are chemically identical to those the body naturally produces. Unlike synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones are derived from natural sources and are designed to more closely mimic your body’s own hormone structure.
For thyroid imbalance, BHRT may include:
- T3 and T4 hormone replacement tailored to your exact lab values and symptoms
- Combination therapy when needed (as some patients don’t convert T4 to T3 efficiently)
- Adjunct hormone support, such as for adrenal health or sex hormone imbalances that often coexist with thyroid dysfunction
The goal of BHRT isn’t just to get your lab numbers into a certain range—it’s to optimize how you feel, support your energy, and promote long-term metabolic health.
A Whole-Person Approach to Thyroid Healing
Because thyroid issues rarely exist in isolation, Dr. Alavi’s care also incorporates complementary strategies to support your body’s healing:
- Nutritional support: Key nutrients like iodine, selenium, and zinc are essential for thyroid hormone production and conversion.
- Stress management: Chronic stress affects the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which can suppress thyroid function. Incorporating mind-body practices can support hormone balance.
- Sleep optimization: Poor sleep disrupts hormone regulation, metabolism, and energy levels.
- Gut health: The gut plays a major role in nutrient absorption and hormone metabolism. Addressing inflammation or dysbiosis may help improve thyroid function.
- Movement and recovery: Gentle, regular exercise and restorative practices like yoga can help stimulate metabolism without depleting already-low energy stores.
What to Expect From Treatment at Vida Revival
If you’re dealing with symptoms of thyroid imbalance, your first visit at Vida Revival will include an in-depth consultation and diagnostic workup. Dr. Alavi will take time to understand not just your labs, but your whole experience: your energy levels, mood, lifestyle, and wellness goals.
From there, she will create a personalized plan that may include:
- Bioidentical thyroid hormone replacement
- Nutritional and supplement recommendations
- Stress reduction strategies
- Lifestyle modifications for long-term support
Ongoing monitoring helps ensure that hormone levels are optimized, not just normalized, and that you’re feeling consistently better with each step of your journey.
Support for Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village
If you’re tired of feeling tired, or if weight changes don’t match your habits, it’s worth taking a closer look at your thyroid health. At Vida Revival, Dr. Diana Alavi offers compassionate, comprehensive care that blends science and integrative therapies to uncover the root cause of imbalance. For more information, call us today at 818-232-8432.
With the right diagnosis and personalized treatment—including options like bioidentical hormone therapy—you can regain your energy, rebalance your metabolism, and feel like yourself again.
Serving Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village, and surrounding Los Angeles County communities. Schedule your consultation today to explore a better path to wellness.