World Thyroid Day: Tackling thyroid issues!

Featured 11th-May-2022

In this fast-paced world, many people are becoming more and more health conscious and are making lifestyle changes to cope with stress and keep unwanted ailments at bay like switching to a healthy diet to exercising regularly. While these ‘good’ lifestyle changes do help to build immunity to a great extent, after all, we are humans and do fall sick.

But when it comes to thyroid issues, most tend to overlook the same for the simple fact that they may be completely oblivious to the problem! Why you may ask. Well, while most ailments have very prominent symptoms, like fever, cough and cold, the symptoms of thyroid are not that obvious. In fact, people with symptoms of thyroid often mistake them, or blame them to be part of their lifestyle!

For example, if someone has sudden mood swings like losing their temper often or getting depressed, they blame it on their hectic work schedule! Similarly, if someone puts on weight or loses weight suddenly, they blame it on their diet.

So, this World Thyroid Day, we’ve put together the most common symptoms that indicate that you might have a thyroid issue. But don’t worry just like any other ailment thyroid is treatable!   

But before we get to the symptoms, let’s tell you the role the thyroid plays in your body:

The thyroid gland releases hormones that control metabolism, basically the way your body uses its energy. The thyroid's hormones regulate vital body functions, including-breathing, heart rate, body weight, muscle strength, nervous systems, menstrual cycles, cholesterol levels and much more!

Not surprisingly, most symptoms faced with thyroid issues are related to its functions! So, without wasting any time, let’s get to it!

Basically, there are two types of thyroid issues:  

1)   Hyperthyroidism- The most common symptom being sudden loss of weight!

2)  Hypothyroidism- The most common symptom being sudden gain in weight!

Here are the symptoms that are common in both cases:

·       Mood swings

·       Fatigue

·       Insomnia or loss of sleep

·       Irregular menstrual cycles

·       Nervousness

·       Swelling of the eyes

If you experience any of the above symptoms, there are chances that you have an issue with your thyroid gland. But as they say, every problem has a solution. So, here are the things that can be done:

  • Consult your neighbourhood doctor who will ask you to run some tests to diagnose the same and accordingly suggest the way forward.

  • Drink plenty of water as it helps in controlling body temperature. Water keeps your skin hydrated and eliminates fatigue and speeds up your metabolism.

  • Have a controlled diet that’s low on sugar and fats, but high on protein.

  • Exercise every day, including cardiovascular workouts and weight training. Doing yoga is equally beneficial.

  • Last but not the least, avoid smoking or alcohol as they suppress the thyroid gland functions and block the hormones.

So, now that you are aware about Thyroid and what might be a symptom of it, take care of yourself and consult a doctor if you are facing any.

Stay fit, stay happy!