The thyroid gland has a butterfly shape and is found in the frontal part of one's neck. This gland produces and secretes many hormones into the bloodstream and influences many bodily systems, including metabolism.
Hypothyroidism describes a situation where the thyroid gland is malfunctioning
Here are answers to some prominent questions asked: What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is about endocrinologist irregularities that find their source in the stimulating hormones of the thyroid gland, the pituitary gland, or the hypothalamus.
Studies show that hypothyroidism contributes to a wide range of issues: over-sensitivity to cold and stress, menstrual irregularities, constipation, digestive disorders, metabolism problems, and more. By treating the thyroid, we can hormonal balance, using both medication and holistic treatment.
What Else Causes Hypothyroidism?
Congenital Under activity – Some people are born without a thyroid gland or have a dislocated thyroid gland. In Israel, all newborns are checked for this.
Brain Dysfunction – In cases of a deficient pituitary gland or hypothalamus, there is usually secondary damage to the thyroid gland performance.
Medical Care – Certain medical prescription treatments will also negatively affect the performance of the thyroid.
Infection – The thyroid gland is influenced by body infection. Hashimoto, thyroiditis infection is an autoimmune disease, common in Israel, that also negatively affects the thyroid’s optimal functioning.
Over Activity of the Thyroid
Those being treated by prescribed medication like radioactive iodine, often suffer from thyroid underactivity, as a side effect of the dosages.
Signals and Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
There is a wide scope of signs that one is developing Hypothyroidism. These stages of development may happen over several years time, making it difficult for the one suffering to realize that a chronic problem has emerged
Women experience these signs more often than men.
Here is a list of common signals of Hypothyroidism:
Severe headaches . Sensitivity to cold . Constipation . Digestive disorders .Fatigue . Weakness . Swelling of the face . High cholesterol .Unexplained weight gain , Hoarseness . Depression .Menstrual Cycle disorders, Menstrual excess bleeding . And other symptoms …
Failing to investigate these signals by evaluating hormonal balance, is likely to lead to a severity in these symptoms.
Nutritional Tips for Hypothyroidism
Refrain from eating raw calciferous vegetable, Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower.
Refrain from excess soya products that affect the absorption of iodine.
Refrain from processed foods containing excess salt, fats, sugar.
Oatmeal is a beneficial nutritional supplement for hypothyroidism. Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, satiates and contributes to health and energy.
Celiac sufferers should ascertain the product is gluten-free, as Celiac disease is often connected to thyroid performance.
Chia seeds are an excellent source for Omega 3 fatty acids and fibers, protein, minerals and vitamins that assist in absorbing medication and
reducing bodily infections. It is important to drink sufficient water with chai seeds in order to compensate for their expansion in the stomach.
What are the characteristics of the disease?
When we talk about signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism we see a wide variety of characteristics. These depend on the degree of lack of the thyroid gland and most of them also develop slowly and even over several years. People suffering from hypothyroidism will initially have difficulty noticing the symptoms, but as time goes by, they start to feel them more and more. We learn that the disease is more characteristic of women than men. Among the various symptoms we see:
Headaches – Sensitivities to cold – Change in bowel movement and constipationProblems related to the stomach and/or metabolism -Tiredness – Weakness – Swollen face – High cholesterol – Weight gain – General weakness – Muscle spasms – Hoarse voice – Depression – Menstrual bleeding – Brittle hair – Irregularity of the cycle.
How long does the thyroid last?
In practice, hypothyroidism is considered a chronic condition that lasts throughout the patient’s life. But at the same time, there are individual cases in which the hypoactivity is temporary, a good example is a situation in which the thyroid gland is caused by subacute inflammation, for example after childbirth. This will pass after several weeks and/or months. If holistic evaluation and treatment is done before a person starts medicine or at least before they have taken medicine for 6 months, there is a good chance that the person could either get off of their thyroid medicine or maybe never even have to start taking thyroid medicine.
How is hypothyroidism diagnosed?
Diagnosing hypothyroidism should be done professionally by a doctor. The diagnosis is usually made by a special blood test to check the levels of hormones in the thyroid gland. Sometimes the thyroid is detected in routine blood tests but not always. Therefore, in cases where the patient complains of one of the symptoms mentioned above, specialized blood tests are done and checking other signs in the body, like the deep tendon reflexes. The blood tests show the hormones that affect the functioning of the thyroid gland – T3, T4. In situations of hypothyroidism we see that hormone levels are usually low.
The importance of working with a medical doctor who has a holistic approach and many years of experience.
The thyroid gland dominates many broad aspects of our lives. Hypothyroidism directly affects our quality of life. Therefore, in cases of the thyroid gland, we would like to contact a doctor who has a lot of experience in the holistic approach to the thyroid gland. He will order tests and send you to specialists if needed.