Symtoms of hypothyroidism is a misspelling of the word : symptoms
Hypothyroidism is a condition in witch the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. It is a very common condition and many people are never diagnosed. Your thyroid regulates the metabolism, so if it is not producing enough hormones, the symptoms are generally associated with your body “slowing down”. Some symptoms include :
- Fatigue and weakness
- Dry skin and dry hair and hair loss
- Weight gain and difficulty losing weight
- Intolerance to cold temperatures
- Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
- Depression and irritability
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Memory loss
- Decreased libido
- Constipation
You could have only one of these symptoms or many of them, the symptoms depend of how long your body has been dealing with the condition.
More women than men suffer from a “slower” thyroid gland and hypothyroidism. And also, women with thyroid issues have bigger problems with weight gain then men.
Usually, we are not aware of this problem before a series of side effects reveal themselves, and weight gain is one of the first side effects of the “imbalances” in the hormones.
This is one of the reasons why menopause, weight gain and thyroid problems usually appear together.
Why women more then men ?
- Women tend to diet more often then men. The “yo-yo” effect of not eating then eating again undermines metabolism functions and unbalances the thyroid gland.
- Women tend to “keep it all inside” when they are stressed. Stress demands more from adrenal glands which interferes directly with thyroid hormones.
- The balance of hormones in a woman’s body is a little more delicate. Your thyroid needs the right support.
If you have a “low thyroid” condition, a specific diet could help support thyroid function and even help you lose weight.
Diets are never “one size fits all”. You will have to adapt the diet recommendations to your specifics needs and your body’s reaction.
The same goes for a low thyroid diet. Some people have to stay away completely from high glycemic foods and some people do very well including them once in a while with other foods.
Low Thyroid Diet – The Basics
- Iodine – necessary mineral for thyroid support. We usually get enough through iodized salt ( normal salt table) but added sources of iodine like through sea foods and a dietary supplement could be necessary.
- Low glycemic foods – low glycemic foods are foods that will help control the production of insulin by our bodies. A “sugar rush” is not only produced by ice cream and candy. Here are some example of high glycemic foods : carrots, corn, bread, white rice, potatoes
- Lean protein – such as seafoods, white meat poultry, eggs
- Fiber - high fiber foods are not just All-Brans and cereals. Include also in your low thyroid diet foods like lentils, apples, kidney beans,broccoli, green leafy vegetables
If you suffer from hypothyroidism or simply have a “slow” thyroid gland, it is possible that you are having problems keeping your body weight down.
A normal low fat, low calorie diet is not an appropriate way of eating if you suffer from hypothyroidism. What you need to do is nourish your thyroid gland the right way and stop eating the foods that are harming it.
Once detected, hypothyroidism is easily treatable. An appropriate diet has been found to be very effective to treat the condition : eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong foods.
Once you control your hypothyroidism, you will start losing weight.
Posted
on July 3, 2010, 06:42,
by Thyroid Foods,
under
Thyroid Foods.
What foods are bad for your thyroid ?
Goitrogen is a substance present naturally in certain foods. It can cause difficulty for the thyroid gland to produce hormones.
Peanuts can block iodine utilization
photo credit: gabrielsaldana
Peanuts have high nutritional value, but they should be avoided or at least limited if you have thyroid disease.
Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can include digestion problems, insomnia, hair loss but the two most common symptoms would be general fatigue and rapid weight gain with difficulty loosing the extra weight. You know you have to eat well and exercise, but… you are so tried ! How do you exercise when you are so tired ?
For some people who suffer from hypothyroidism, exercising can be very difficult and exhausting. Light workouts like walking, cycling, swimming, Pilates and yoga are good choices for hypothyroidism. You want to improve blood circulation and improve your health overall.
But for some hypothyroidism patients, it can be hard to just get out of bed. What can you do to improve oxygen circulation when you are so tired ?
Breathing exercises :
- Breath in slowly, counting 5 seconds.
- Hold your breath 5 seconds
- Breath out slowly with an “FFFF” sound on 5 seconds
Take a short pause and repeat, counting 6 seconds and adding a second each time. Please pay attention to the 3rd step (breathing out slowly) After holding your breath, you will instinctively want to exhale rapidly. The “FFF” sound will help you muscle your diaphragm and help control the air coming out.
Please do not disregard these exercises because of their simplicity. They are good for anybody and you can feel the effects immediately.
Your doctor might be prescribing thyroid medication, but if your thyroid is running poorly, you might just be deficient in iodine.
Women are limiting their intake of salt (iodine is added to table salt) and eating more soy products and cruciferous veggies (known to “block” iodine). Women are consuming less iodine and this is one of the causes for hypothyroidism.
150 mcg (daily) of iodine is recommended for women. This can be easily found in a vitamin supplement.
