Happy World Thyroid Day!

Happy World Thyroid Day!
25th of May 2015

Thyroid diseases are common and have a tendency to often go undiagnosed, and women are 10 times (!) as likely as men to have a thyroid problem. Did you know depression may actually be symptom of untreated thyroid disease instead of ‘just’ being a mental disorder?

What is the thyroid, and why is it important?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of your neck. It’s fairly flat, so you normally can’t feel it (unless there’s a problem!). The main job of the thyroid is to put out thyroid hormones, which are a pair of chemicals that float through your bloodstream and controls how your body uses energy.

Like a car, we need fuel to run. Most cars use gasoline as their fuel. Gas gets burned in the engine, which ultimately turns the wheels of the car so you can drive where you need to go. The speed of the car depends on how much gas is let in the engine to be burned. The more gas, the more the engine revs. The carburetor, or the fuel injectors are the parts of the car that control the amount of gas going to the engine, telling the engine how high to rev. In the same way, the body needs fuel for you to do things. Not only to get out of your car or exercise, or whatever – it also needs energy to keep the heart beating, and the lungs breathing!

The thyroid’s hormones regulate vital body functions, like:
• Breathing
• Heart rate
• Central and peripheral nervous systems
• Body weight
• Muscle strength
• Menstrual cycles
• Body temperature
• Cholesterol levels
• and a whole lot more!

Symptoms of problems with the thyroid:
• Enlarged thyroid gland
• Inability to tolerate heat
• Infrequent, scant menstrual periods
• Irritability or nervousness
• Muscle weakness or tremors
• Sleep disturbances
• Vision problems or eye irritation
• Weight loss
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• Dry, coarse skin and hair
• Fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Frequent, heavy menstrual periods
• Hoarse voice
• Inability to tolerate cold
• Weight gain
• Enlargement of the thyroid gland