One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime. Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that regulates metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate. It produces a hormone that influences every cell, tissue and organ in the body.
Sometimes, it can produce too little or too much of the hormone, and if left untreated, can result in heart problems, osteoporosis, and infertility.
Here’s how to keep it regulated from the start.
Twenty million Americans have some sort of thyroid disease, but 60% are unaware they have it! Two common problems are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
“When your thyroid is underactive, patients can feel tired, they can gain weight, their body’s normal metabolic processes move more slowly. Conversely, if your thyroid is overactive, your body is racing at a faster pace than what it’s supposed to,” said Dr. Anand Shivnani, a physician in radiation oncology at Texas Oncology-McKinney.
Simple lifestyle changes can keep your thyroid on track.
If you have hypothyroidism, consume a diet high in iodine, like eggs, meat, seafood, dairy, and cooked vegetables.
The opposite goes for hyperthyroidism, as raw, cruciferous veggies will slow the hormone synthesis.
Other low-iodine foods include coffee or tea, fruit, oats, potatoes, and honey.
Acupuncture may help trigger response to your treatments and your immune system, while yoga and meditation improve blood flow and reduce stress.
Now there are more options than removing the entire thyroid. A hemithyroidectomy involves removing half or one lobe of the thyroid.