Testing Your Thyroid Function

[FUZO]

TweetTesting Your Thyroid Function

How well do you know your thyroid?

The basal body temperature (bbt) is a highly sensitive and accurate measure of low thyroid function, perhaps exceeding the reliability of available blood tests. The late Broda Barnes, MD., a pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders, developed this test and successfully diagnosed and treated many patients based on it's results.

The BBT test was developed as a simple measure of detecting hypothyroid conditions. It is based on the observation that hypothyroid patients typically run lower than normal body temperatures. This makes sense, since body temperature (heat output) Is a direct measure of the amount of fuel (food and oxygen) being burned by the cells.

In terms of the ultimate objective of measuring thyroid function--that is, determining the ability of thyroxine to enter the cells and influence metabolism--the BBT test is the most logical assessment tool. The BBT is taken immediately upon awakening.

To check your basal body temp, follow these simple steps:

1. Keep a thermometer by your bedsise so you can take your temp before getting out of bed in the morning. (it is important to move as little as possible while taking your temp.)
2. Shake down the thermometer to read less than 92.0 deg ( unless you have a digital, which i recommend.)
3. Upon awakening in the morning, take your axillary (armpit) temp for at least ten minutes.
4. Record your temp.

Repeat these steps for four days. ( menstruating women should record their temp on the second, third, fourth, and fifth days of their periods.) Calculate your average temp for four days. A normal metabolic rate will produce a waking temp of between 97.8 and 98.2 deg F. Temp below 97.8 may indicate, at the very least, subclinical hypothyroidism. Temp higher than 98.6 may reflect hyperthyroidism.

By: Mallet

[bowbow]

TweetMy normal body temp is right around 96 all the time, but they say nothing is wrong with me. All my tests come back in the normal range.