Just after my declaration to begin my journey towards getting my health back in 2012, I had a visit with an Oriental medicine professional.   After much perusal of my health information and lab reports, he diagnosed me with Hashimoto's thryoid disease.

What is Hashimoto's?

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hashimoto's disease is a disorder that affects your thyroid, a small gland at the base of your neck, below your Adam's apple. The thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system, which produces hormones that coordinate many of your body's activities.

In Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, your immune system attacks your thyroid gland. The resulting inflammation often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Fatigue and sluggishness
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Constipation
• Pale, dry skin
• A puffy face
• Hoarse voice
• An elevated blood cholesterol level
• Unexplained weight gain — occurring infrequently and rarely exceeding 10 to 20 pounds, most of which is fluid
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in your shoulders and hips
• Pain and stiffness in your joints and swelling in your knees or the small joints in your hands and feet
• Muscle weakness, especially in your lower extremities
• Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
• Depression

This explains a lot of my symptoms, most importantly to me, my weight gain.  Heavy sigh... Like or any other woman in midlife needs another cause for weight gain.

My first mission is to get my immune system and the inflammation to calm down.  My course of treatment is supplements, acupuncture, lymphatic drainage massage, changing to an anti-inflammatory diet including avoiding gluten at all costs. (Fortunately, I went gluten free last year).

All of this is a testament to Know Your Numbers - meaning get regular check ups with blood work and age appropriate exams.  The numbers are a starting point for action.

Have you had a check up with blood work? Do you know your numbers?  If not, don't wait any longer - your health may depend on it!