Weekly
Healthy Advice From VÄXA
Women:
It's Time to Get Acquainted With Your the Thyroid
Hormones
can't live without them, but sometimes living with them makes
you feel like youÂ’re possessed with an evil spirit that forces
you to eat too much, break out with skin blemishes, feel exhausted
every minute of the day, and cry at a commercial about dog
food. The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly shaped gland
located at the base of your neck that controls the body's
metabolic hormone production, as well as the regulation of
tissue growth, blood pressure maintenance, and the growth
and development of the skeletal and nervous systems. Unfortunately,
women are between five to eight times more likely than men
to develop thyroid problems, especially during periods where
hormones are extremely active such as during pregnancy, perimenopause,
and menopause.
There are two main types of thyroid problems: hyperthyroidism
and hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism results when the thyroid
over-produces the metabolic hormone. Some of the symptoms
include:
-
Fast or irregular heartbeat
-
Irritability and nervousness
-
Unexplainable weight loss
-
Insomnia
-
More
The
majority of women, however, experience hypothyroidism - the
condition where the thyroid gland excretes too little metabolic
hormone. Some of the symptoms include:
-
Lethargy
-
Weight gain
-
Depression
-
Trouble concentrating
-
Infertility
-
More
Many
women that are suffering from thyroid problems aren't aware
of it because they often attribute the symptoms to other conditions.
If you feel that you might be experiencing thyroid problems,
you should inform your healthcare provider to learn what options
you have for treatment. |
