How’s Your Thyroid Doin These Days?????

Enquiring minds want to know!  The thyroid gland can be a finicky one.  Often times, we are dealing with issues caused by a testy thyroid, but have no idea.  That’s why we’re talking about it today.  The woes and blows of the Thyroid Gland.

Thyroid Disease Explained

Your thyroid creates and produces hormones that play a role in many different systems throughout your body. There are several different types of thyroid disease, including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

 

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid gland is a small organ that’s located in the front of the neck, wrapped around the windpipe (trachea).  The thyroid is a gland. You have glands throughout your body, where they create and release substances that help your body do a specific thing. Your thyroid makes hormones that help control many vital functions of your body.

Pitfalls of The Thyroid Gland!

If your body makes too much thyroid hormone, you can develop a condition called hyperthyroidism. If your body makes too little thyroid hormone, it’s called hypothyroidism.

What does the thyroid do?

Your thyroid has an important job to do within your body — releasing and controlling thyroid hormones that control metabolism.  Think of your metabolism as a generator. It takes in raw energy and uses it to power something bigger.

T3-T4, Down Set…What?

The thyroid controls your metabolism with a few specific hormones — T4 and T3.

These two hormones are created by the thyroid and they tell the body’s cells how much energy to use.

As the hormones are used, the thyroid creates replacements.

The Pit Gland…

This is all supervised by something called the pituitary gland.  This gland is located in the center of the skull, below your brain. The pituitary gland monitors and controls the amount of thyroid hormones in your bloodstream.

This hormone is called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). The TSH will be sent to the thyroid and it will tell the thyroid what needs to be done to get the body back to normal.

What is thyroid disease?

Thyroid disease is a medical condition that keeps your thyroid from making the right amount of hormones.

Your thyroid typically makes hormones that keep your body functioning normally.  This is called hyperthyroidism.

These two main disorders can be caused by a variety of conditions.

Who is affected by thyroid disease?

Thyroid disease can affect anyone — men, women, infants, teenagers and the elderly. It can be present at birth and it can develop as you age (often after menopause in women).

Thyroid disease is very common, with an estimated 20 million people in the Unites States having some type of thyroid disorder.

You may be at a higher risk of developing a thyroid disease if you:

• Have a family history of thyroid disease.
• Develop a medical condition (these can include pernicious anemia, type 1 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome and Turner syndrome).
• Take a medication that’s high in iodine (amiodarone).
• Have had treatment for a past thyroid condition or cancer (thyroidectomy or radiation).

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

What causes thyroid disease?

The two main types of thyroid disease are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Conditions that can cause hypothyroidism include:

• Thyroiditis:

• This condition is an inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid gland. Thyroiditis can lower the amount of hormones your thyroid produces.

• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:

• A painless disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the body’s cells attack and damage the thyroid. This is an inherited condition.

• Postpartum thyroiditis:

• This condition occurs in 5% to 9% of women after childbirth. It’s usually a temporary condition.

• A non-functioning thyroid gland:

• Sometimes, the thyroid gland doesn’t work correctly from birth. This affects about 1 in 4,000 newborns.

Conditions that can cause hyperthyroidism include:

• Graves’ disease:
• In this condition the entire thyroid gland might be overactive and produce too much hormone.
• Nodules:
• Hyperthyroidism can be caused by nodules that are overactive within the thyroid.

What common symptoms can happen with thyroid disease?

There are a variety of symptoms you could experience if you have a thyroid disease. Unfortunately, symptoms of a thyroid condition are often very similar to the signs of other medical conditions and stages of life.

This can make it difficult to know if your symptoms are related to a thyroid issue or something else entirely.

Symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can include:

• Experiencing anxiety, irritability and nervousness.
• Having trouble sleeping.
• Losing weight.
• Having an enlarged thyroid gland or a goiter.
• Having muscle weakness and tremors.
• Experiencing irregular menstrual periods or having your menstrual cycle stop.
• Feeling sensitive to heat.
• Having vision problems or eye irritation.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can include:

• Feeling tired (fatigue).
• Gaining weight.
• Experiencing forgetfulness.
• Having frequent and heavy menstrual periods.
• Dry and coarse hair.
• Having a hoarse voice.
• Experiencing an intolerance to cold temperatures.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTS

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Physical exams.

Blood tests

One of the most definitive ways to diagnose a thyroid problem is through blood tests.

• Hyperthyroidism.
• Hypothyroidism.

• Thyroiditis.
• Graves’ disease.
• Hashimoto’s disease.
• Goiter.
• Thyroid nodule.
• Thyroid cancer.

Should I exercise if I have a thyroid problem?

Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. You do not need to change your exercise routine if you have a thyroid disease. Exercise does not drain your body’s thyroid hormones and it shouldn’t hurt you to exercise.

Can I live a normal life with a thyroid issue?

A thyroid problem is often a life-long medical condition that you will need to manage constantly. This often involves a daily medication.

How Elite is Helping…

We have an incredible product known as NP Thyroid.  Tomorrow we will post several patient testimonials about their specific experiences taking NP Thyroid.  It is an alternative to regular thyroid prescriptions that often come with their own list of possible side-effects.  Tune in tomorrow for MORE…

Tip of the Day…

BOOST MUSCLE MASS DEVELOPMENT

by Eating Lean Protein

The equation is simple:

The more muscle mass you have, the ,ore calories you burn in an idle state.

Easy right?

A protein-rich diet will have to be coupled with a well-structured and efficient workout program.

That way, your weight loss results will skyrocket.

Some of the foods that you can eat to get your daily dose of protein are eggs, lean meats, fish, oats, cottage cheese, lentils, and chicken.

 

Credits: healthline.com