02/03/2026
Did you know women were not included in research until 1993?
This is because researchers thought women were too complex, complicated, unpredictable, unstable (on a physiological level) aka. our hormones shift too much throughout the month and our lifespan. How inconvenient for them and their data š
This lack of acknowledgment and research has now passed that inconvenience onto women all around the world. Medications/treatments/ongoing research have missed itās mark on supporting women (thank goodness things are starting change)
But, womenās hormones arenāt complicated or inconvenient!
Theyāre actually smart, protective and built to keep us safe.
We are designed to adapt and respond to our internal and external environments (for our benefit not our detriment!)
During pregnancy, for example, the immune system must be smart enough to protect the mother without attacking the baby. This is achieved through shifts in immune responses and carefully regulated signalling. In women with autoimmune thyroid disease, this balance can be disrupted, putting them at higher risk of recurrent miscarriage, as the immune system may mistakenly identify the fetus as āforeignā
Because womenās immune systems and hormones are highly responsive and adaptive, theyāre also more sensitive to disruption.
This is why I emphasise the DRIVING FACTORS. In this modern world we are surrounded by internal/external stressors, whether we like it or not (think endocrine disruptors, environmental toxins, chronic stress) combine this with normal hormonal changes, our system becomes overloaded, meaning the same mechanisms designed to protect us can become overactive.
We also canāt ignore the fact that the thyroid gland is in our throat, which connects to our voice. How many of us do not speak up for our selvesš£ļø, suppress our voice and expression, cross our boundaries or over-sacrifice/give to others before we give to ourselves. And this doesnāt just mean now as an adult, this can stem back to childhood where girls are encouraged to āpeople please/be a good girlā
This is why itās so important to address health from a holistic perspective and ensure women are included in the research!
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