These days, most people are suffering from hypothyroidism problem. Not all people realise how influential the thyroid is in the body. Most people prefer taking pills as a solution to this disorder. But what should be the lasting solution for this disorder? Before moving to solutions and other aspects, first, you need to understand what is thyroid and how it works. There is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck which is called the thyroid. It secrets two hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) which influences the functioning of your physical functions including metabolism, growth, development, and more.
The thyroid is one of the biggest and most significant parts of the endocrine gland in the body. Being the part of the endocrine system, the thyroid is liable for creating hormones which are essential for the management of metabolism, growth, and other biological functions. The movement of these two thyroid hormones is controlled by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which is produced by the pituitary gland. Further, this TSH is influenced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), which is produced by the hypothalamus, a part of the brain.
Common Causes of Hypothyroidism
The common reasons for hypothyroidism involve autoimmune disorders where your immune system badly hits your thyroid gland, postpartum hypothyroidism and iodine need in some instances. Furthermore, an unhealthy lifestyle is also a reason of hypothyroidism, where your food habits involve the excess of refined foods, your sleeping pattern is not proper, and the high-stress level, due to these situations the T3 and T4 hormones are not ready to respond to TSH efficiently. The pituitary gland keeps on secreting TSH to counter the unresponsiveness of T3 and T4 in the endurance to incite thyroid functioning.
Common Symptoms of Thyroid
Lethargy, fatigue and low energy levels are common symptoms. Besides, the following are some other notable symptoms:
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Increased Weight: Hypothyroidism doesn’t allow the thyroid gland to get signals to secrete sufficient hormones for your metabolism in order to meet the required level, and the food you eat will not be converted into needed energy. In this situation, consumed food leads to get transformed into fat, because it is not transformed into energy. And this situation promotes weight gain, which is a common situation in people experiencing hypothyroidism.
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Restless Digestive System: This is also a common symptom of hypothyroidism. People with irregular thyroid hormone levels experience illness and indigestion.
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High Cholesterol: Higher cholesterol can also be a symptom of hypothyroidism. When your body is not producing enough energy, the heart’s pumping function also gets affected, which influences the cholesterol levels. So, if your cholesterol level is disturbed, you must get your thyroid test done before any other medication.
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Hindered Mental Capacity: Besides the above physical symptoms, if a person having disturbed thyroid functioning can also have a change in the mental capacity, increased mood swings are very common. With disturbed thyroid levels, thinning of hair, and a myriad of skin troubles are common.
Lasting solutions to manage Hypothyroidism
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Avoid soya products: In hypothyroidism, it is recommended to avoid soya products. Soya is a goitrogenic food, which interrupts the production of thyroid hormones. Soya foods like tofu, soya chunks, soya champs, soya beans, soya bean oil and more, these foods must be avoided.
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Include cruciferous vegetables in your diet: Cruciferous vegetables are recommended to be used in the diet plan for thyroid. This category includes vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and broccoli. Make sure you never take these vegetables in a raw form, if you are suffering from hypothyroidism. You must take these in a cooked form.
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Eliminating refined/processed oils: The usage of refined foods, primarily refined oil is not good for your health, especially when you are suffering from hypothyroidism. Refined oil stops the transfer of nutrients from one cell in your body to another. Instead, you can use coconut oil, this is the best oil in hypothyroidism.
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Try to stay away from stress: Stress is the major factor which disturbs the hormonal balance in your body. Increased stress level results in irregular functioning of hormonal glands, including thyroid. Enhanced sleep rejuvenates your body and promotes recharge it.
Apart from the above things, you must switch to using rock salt and get iodine from other sources like different seeds, green leafy vegetables and more.
Conclusion
Intake of calcium-rich foods is very essential for individuals who take thyroid medication. It can be enhanced by adding calcium-rich foods in your diet like foxnuts, ragi millet, dairy products such as curd and paneer help maintaining the balance. Besides medicines, a healthy lifestyle is very important to cure any disease.