How to Control Thyroid?

Hashimoto’s is more common than Graves’ disease, but both are referred to as autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD), which has a strong genetic link and is associated with other autoimmune disorders, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and celiac disease.

One of the best things you can do in terms of early detection is to periodically perform a Thyroid Neck Check. This easy test can detect lumps, bumps, and swelling on your thyroid if they're close to the surface. However, many nodules and bumps aren't able to be seen or felt, so if you have other symptoms, you should see your doctor.

The disease process for Hashimoto’s is a spectrum, and not all patients require treatment. Some patients have autoimmune antibodies but retain enough thyroid function without the need for intervention for years

Soy is a controversial ingredient, especially when it comes to your thyroid health. While it's unlikely to have an effect on your thyroid, and research is supporting this more and more, consuming soy in moderation is probably best for your overall health.

Generally, once the body can no longer produce an adequate amount of thyroid hormone for necessary physiological functions, thyroid replacement medication is necessary to correct the hormonal imbalances associated with hypothyroidism.

thyroid disease, it's a good idea to take your thyroid hormone replacement medication—most people take levothyroxine—on an empty stomach and wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you eat. For soy products, it's best to wait four hours after you take your medication. This is because evidence has consistently shown that soy, as well as calcium, fiber, iron, and other foods and drugs, interfere with your body's absorption of levothyroxine.

Selenium is a nutrient found in specific proteins, and the thyroid has the highest concentration of selenium in the adult body. Keeping a balanced level, either through a healthy diet or through supplementation, can help prevent thyroid disease. Even if you're getting enough selenium from the foods you eat, supplementation can still help boost your immune system.

Hyperthyroidism usually is treated with medications, surgery, or oral radioactive iodine. However, these treatments are imprecise and may cause the thyroid to secrete inadequate amounts of T3 and T4 and function insufficiently after treatment

Scientific studies have shown that selenium lowers thyroperoxidase (TPO) antibodies in people with Hashimoto's disease and pregnant women, and decreases symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Moreover, in pregnant women, selenium supplementation decreases the likelihood of developing permanent postpartum thyroiditis.

Since the body absorbs the organic form of selenium called selenomethionine better than the inorganic form known as sodium selenite, it's better to use selenomethionine as a supplement because it's more effective.

You may want to buy some potassium iodide (KI) to keep in your family emergency kit. KI is an over-the-counter supplement that, when taken within the first few hours after a nuclear accident or an attack on nuclear facilities, can help protect your thyroid from the risk of thyroid cancer.

Located between your voice box and collarbones and no bigger than your thumb, your thyroid affects almost every process in your body. "It produces hormones that regulate your metabolism by controlling how many calories you burn, as well as how fast or slow your brain, heart, liver, and other organs work," says endocrinologist Christian Nasr, MD, medical director of the Thyroid Center at the Cleveland Clinic

The takeaway: This little gland plays a role in everything from your mood to your periods to your bone health—even the regularity of your number twos. Read on for all the essential intel.

The reason for this is that your thyroid needs iodine to function, which it normally gets from your bloodstream. However, it can't tell the difference between regular iodine and radioactive iodine, the type that's released from nuclear plants or from radioactive material during nuclear explosions.

Your thyroid pumps out the key hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which are partially composed of iodine. Here's how the gland affect your well-being, head to toe.

In a radiation emergency, the risk of developing thyroid cancer is thought to justify the risk of taking KI. But if you're not directly in the path of a radioactive plume, KI won't protect you from anything

Thyroid hormones influence your heart rate and help control blood flow by relaxing the muscles in the walls of your blood vessels.

Perchlorates are odorless, colorless salts that dissolve in water and are found naturally in certain parts of the United States. They're mainly manufactured for explosives, fireworks, and rocket motors, and they've contaminated the water supplies in areas throughout the nation.

Thyroid hormones influence your menstrual cycle. When they're out of whack, you might have irregular ovulation and periods.

Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that causes your intestines to react abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, and other related grains) is three times more common in people with autoimmune thyroid disease like Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease.

The rate at which old bone is broken down is driven by thyroid hormones; when that process speeds up, bone is destroyed faster than it can be replaced—which can lead to osteoporosis.

Because the thyroid regulates your metabolism (how quickly your body burns through fuel), an overactive thyroid—or hyperthyroidism—is linked to weight loss, while hypothyroidism is linked to weight gain

Got weight gain or unexplained fatigue? That butterfly-shaped gland in your neck may be to blame.

Low thyroid levels can bring on forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and depression. Luckily, these symptoms tend to reverse with synthetic hormone treatment.

Located between your voice box and collarbones and no bigger than your thumb, your thyroid affects almost every process in your body. "It produces hormones that regulate your metabolism by controlling how many calories you burn, as well as how fast or slow your brain, heart, liver, and other organs work," says endocrinologist Christian Nasr, MD, medical director of the Thyroid Center at the Cleveland Clinic. The takeaway: This little gland plays a role in everything from your mood to your periods to your bone health—even the regularity of your number twos. Read on for all the essential intel.