Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck, just below your adam's apple. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland do everything from maintaining your heart rate to regulating your body temperature to controlling your body weight. 
Millions of people worldwide suffer from thyroid dysfunction and several don't know about it. This is primarily because people don't tend to link the common symptoms first with a thyroid disease. Some people suffer from mood swings, trouble with memory, weight gain or fatigue, all of which they look upon individually as a problem and hence not piecing together the puzzle of their real medical condition. Here are a few insights that'll help you cope:
How does the thyroid gland work?
About 85% of the hormone produced by our thyroid gland is t4, which is an inactive form of the hormone. After t4 is made, a small amount of is converted into t3, which is the active form of thyroid hormone. T3 is then converted to free t3 or reverse t3. It is the free t3 that forms the base of thyroid functions. 
What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, accounts for 90% of all thyroid imbalances. The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism develop slowly, often over a number of years, which is why it is often missed from regular treatment charts. For instance, fatigue and weight gain are often attributed to stress, lifestyle changes and natural ageing process. But as time goes by, some of the symptoms show a higher level of manifestation like muscle weakness, elevated blood cholesterol, thinning hair, puffy face, hoarse voice and slowed heart rate. 
If left untreated, hypothyroidism may lead to goiter (enlarged thyroid), increased memory problems, low blood pressure, decreased breathing and in extreme cases, unresponsiveness and coma. 
This disease may also occur in newborns, infants and children. Symptoms include excessive sleepiness, poor muscle tone and constipation. It is important to diagnose and treat it early, as in severe cases it may lead to mental and / or physical retardation. In children and teens, it can result in stunted growth, and delayed puberty.
What is hyperthyroidism?
It's the opposite of hypothyroidism, which means in this case the thyroid overproduces hormones. Common symptoms include lack of sleep, weakness, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and hand tremors. While genetics are partially responsible for it, it is also triggered by autoimmune disorder. Hyperthyroidism can be treated with medication, radioactive iodine (not the first or best choice as it harms white cells too) and surgery. Keeping a focus on your calcium and sodium intake is crucial to curb the disorder.
Treatments: 
Conventional treatments rely mainly on drugs and surgery. Alternative treatments involve diet and lifestyle changes. Taking multivitamins, going gluten free, getting a good night sleep, and reducing stress is all said to help heal your thyroid gradually.

Thyroid Dysfunction and Treatment

If you are suffering from hypothyroidism, it is important for you to deal with the condition so that your daily life and activities do not get affected. Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland becomes under active and does not produces sufficient amount of hormones. This affects the metabolism rate of your body. Hypothyroidism has several symptoms which include fatigue, constipation, dry skin, muscle cramping, hoarse voice, depression, sudden gain of weight and brittle hair and fingernails.

Here are some important tips which you should follow in order to deal with hypothyroidism and for its treatment:

Go Gluten and A1 Casein free: Common allergies and food intolerance, which occur today are because of wheat and dairy products because of the hybridized proteins of A1 casein and gluten. These may lead to a leaky gut, as a result of which inflammation of the thyroid gland takes place. This affects the thyroid s functioning. You should avoid grain and gluten in your diet. Try to consume dairy products coming from A2 cow s milk.
Avoid BPA: Bisphenol A or BPA is present in plastic bottles. These are capable of disrupting the endocrine system and also affect the thyroid gland. You should avoid drinking from plastic bottles and drink water from glass, stainless steel and plastic bottles which are BPA free.
Check your iodine levels: In case your iodine levels are low, you should use an organic liquid supplement. Kelp is ideal for this purpose.
Heavy metal detox: You need to detoxify your body and eliminate traces of harmful metals from your organs and cells. For this, you may use a combination of milk, turmeric, chlorella, cilantro and thistle, which are ideal for a metal detox.
Increase your selenium intake: It is important for you to consume sufficient amounts of selenium in your everyday diet, but you should not consume them in excess. You should eat food items containing selenium in good amount such as salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, mushrooms, onions and beef.
Take adaptogen supplements: You should lower your cortisol levels and improve thyroid functioning by taking supplements such as tulsi and ashwaganda.
Remove silver fillings: If you have amalgam fillings, you should consult a dentist and get the fillings removed.
Lower your carbohydrate intake: You also need to reduce the amount of sugar and grains in your regular diet. Instead, take healthy fats. Consuming too much carbohydrates leads to increased estrogen, which affects thyroid negatively. Choose healthy fats like coconut oils, avocado, wild salmon, hemp seeds and flax seeds. These will help in balancing your hormone levels.
Hypothyroidism usually occurs from common causes such as toxicity due to radiation and metal exposure, deficiency of iodine and selenium, food intolerance and hormonal imbalance due to stress and excess carbohydrates.

Hypothyroidism - 8 Tips To Help You Deal With It!

Thyroid disorders are conditions that affect the thyroid gland, which is a butterfly-shaped gland in front of the neck. There are specific kinds of thyroid disorders that include:

Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
Goiter
Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid Cancer
Epidemiology, Incidence, and Prevalence
It has been estimated that about 42 million people in India suffer from thyroid diseases.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces an insufficient amount of thyroid hormone. It can develop from problems within the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, or hypothalamus. 

Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include:

Fatigue
Poor concentration or feeling mentally "foggy"
Dry skin
Constipation
Feeling cold
Fluid retention
Muscle and joint aches
Depression
Prolonged or excessive menstrual bleeding in women
Common Causes of Hypothyroidism

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of the thyroid gland)
Thyroid hormone resistance
Other types involving inflammation of the thyroid, such as acute thyroiditis and postpartum thyroiditis
Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism refers to the excessive production of thyroid hormone, a less common condition than hypothyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are usually related to increased metabolism. In mild cases, there may not be apparent symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include:

Tremors
Nervousness
Fast heart rate
Fatigue
Intolerance for heat
Increase in bowel movements
Increased sweating 
Concentration problems
Unintentional weight loss
Common causes of hyperthyroidism

Graves' disease
Toxic multinodular goiter
Thyroid nodules that overexpress thyroid hormone (known as "hot" nodules) 
Abnormal secretion of TSH
Thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland)
Excessive iodine intake
Goiter: A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland, regardless of cause. A goiter may be associated with hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or a normal thyroid function. 

Thyroid Nodules: Nodules are lumps or abnormal masses in the thyroid. Nodules can be caused by benign cysts, benign tumors, or less commonly, by cancers of the thyroid. If nodules are excessively large, they may cause symptoms related to compression of nearby structures. 

Thyroid Cancer: Thyroid cancer is more common among adult women than men or youth. About 2/3rd of cases occur in people under age 55. There are different kinds of thyroid cancers depending upon the specific cell type within the thyroid that has become cancerous. Most cases of thyroid cancer have a good prognosis and high survival rates, especially when diagnosed in its early stages.

Investigations

Blood tests are done to measure levels of thyroid hormones. Blood tests are also done to identify antibodies against thyroid tissue, such as titers of antithyroglobulin, antithyroperoxidase, or TSH receptor-stimulating antibodies.

Treatment

Thyroid disorders can be treated with medications or, in some cases, surgery. The treatment will depend on the particular disease of the thyroid.Medications can be given to replace the missing thyroid hormone in hypothyroidism. Synthetic thyroid hormone is given in pill form by mouth. When hyperthyroidism is present, medications can be used to decrease the production of thyroid hormone or prevent its release from the gland. 

Thyroid Disorder - What All Should You Know 

Thyroid is one among the many glands in the endocrine system, whose secreted hormones regulate and maintain various metabolic activities. Thyroid problem, in generic terms, refers to a situation where there is an abnormal secretion of the thyroid hormone. The secretion can either be abundant, causing what is known as hyperthyroidism, or insufficient which, in turn is known as hypothyroidism. Both of these conditions are detrimental to health affecting not only your body weight but also the growth of bones and hair. Though different branches of medicines are constantly dabbling with this problem, homeopathy is the most preferred choice.

Some of the reasons for it are:
1. Treats severe sweating, problems in menstruation and constipation
One of the most important advantages of homeopathy medicines is that each one of them is equipped to treat a host of ailments. The condition, hypothyroidism is symptomatic of excessive sweating on the head, constipation and problems in menstruating in women. All of these can be cured by the intake of calcarea carbonica.

2. Cures paleness of skin, tendencies of fainting and hair fall
This is another characteristic of hypothyroidism, wherein you suffer from pale, yellow skin and are unable to bear extreme cold temperatures due to the lack of vitality and body heat. &nbsp; at the same time, women in their menopause tend to suffer from excessive hair fall. In all of these situations, a homeopathic medicine called sepia officinalis is extremely beneficial in curbing these.

3. Does not create overt reliance on medicines
Hyperthyroidism is a condition that is marked by nervousness and anxiety. Though allopathic medicines have always been preferred to others, it must also been considered that in their attempt to cure, they end up creating an overt reliance of medicines in the patients.

4. Suits everybody
The primary reason for preferring homeopathy to others is their complete lack of any side-effect. Both allopathy and ayurveda may or may not work on certain individuals. However, that is not the case for homeopathy as it does not adopt any artificial means to cure thyroid problems, rather uses natural means to regulate the secretion of the thyroid gland.

Best ways to balance hormones naturally-

1. Eat healthy fats (including coconut oil and avocados)
2. Supplement with adaptogen herbs
3. Balance your intake of omega-3 to omega-6 fats
4. Improve gut health &amp; heal leaky gut syndrome
5. Eliminate toxic kitchen, beauty and body care products
6. Exercise (especially interval training)
7. Reduce stress &amp; get more sleep
8. Watch your caffeine &amp; alcohol intake
9. Back off birth control pills
10. Supplement with vitamin d3


Homeopathy in Thyroid: A Wise Choice

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland that regulate a number of metabolic processes in the body. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are two common thyroid disorders that affect how we create and use our energy. Though these conditions have no cure as such, they can be managed effectively with a few simple home remedies.
1. Include marine phytoplankton in your diet: Sea vegetables such as phytoplankton are rich sources of electrolytes and nutrients such as iodine that is essential to regulate thyroid activity. Some sea vegetables you can try are sea weed, kelp, arame, hijke, kombu and nori.
2. Eat cooked greens: Green vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower are rich sources of vitamins and minerals but if you are suffering from a thyroid problem, it is best to avoid eating them in their raw form. This is because these vegetables contain goitrogens that can disrupt the thyroid functioning if eaten in large quantities.
3. Get some vitamin D: A deficiency of vitamin D in the body can be one of the key factors triggering your thyroid problem. An easy way to deal with this is to expose your body to the early morning sun. Exercising outdoors in the early morning can help boost immunity and regulate calcium metabolism. Exercises like walking can also help stimulate the thyroid gland.
4. Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps detoxify the body and aids in maintaining an acid alkaline balance. It also promotes weight loss by increasing metabolism and helps regulate hormone production. To benefit from this, mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water with a little honey and drink on a daily basis.
5. Detox from heavy metals: Heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead can accumulate in the fat cells, bones and nervous system. If left unchecked, this can become extremely toxic. This accumulation of heavy metals can also lead to hypothyroidism. Hence, if you suffer from thyroid abnormalities, it is a good idea to detox your body. Including chia seeds, brazil nuts, onions, garlic and cilantro in your daily meals is an easy way of doing this. 
6. Cut back on sugar: Excessive sugar consumption may be promoting your thyroid problem and hence it is best to avoid all forms of processed sugar when suffering from a thyroid problem. If possible also cut back on foods that are rich in natural sugars.

Thyroid Disorder - 6 Ayurvedic Natural Remedies to Treat It

The body has multiple chemicals called hormones, which regulate many of its functions. Increased or decreased levels of these hormones affect various functions including metabolism, growth and sexual functions. Thyroxin produced by the thyroid (situated in the front of the neck) is one such hormone, which has a significant role to play in metabolism.

Graves  disease is one of the main causes of hyperthyroidism, where there is excessive production of thyroid hormones. Graves  disease is an autoimmune disorder, wherein the body reacts against its own tissues. It is very common in women than men, especially after 20 years of age. Family history also has a strong correlation in developing Graves  disease. The high levels of thyroid hormone increase the rate of metabolism, thereby altering weight, mental energy levels, physical stamina, and also mood.

Thyroid hormone is related to metabolism and more amount of it lead to higher metabolism. This causes the following symptoms.

    Intolerance to heat
    Excessive sweating
    Nervousness and anxiety
    Inability sleep, as the mind is always excited
    Increased appetite (sometimes despite weight loss) due to higher metabolism
    Irregular menstrual cycles
    Palpitations (rapid, loud heartbeat)
    Irregular heartbeats (tachyarrhythmia)
    Fine tremors of the extended arms
    Breast enlargement in men, known as gynecomastia
    Extreme moodiness, causing irritability and anger
    Inability to focus and concentrate
    General fatigue and shortness of breath with any exertion
    Increased frequency of bowel movements

In addition, the eye symptoms are quite diagnostic including:

    Protrusion of the eyes (exophthalmos), giving an impression that they are going to fall out
    Double vision
    Excessive tearing
    Increased irritation in the eyes

Diagnosis: The first symptom would be the presence of an enlarged thyroid gland (front of the neck above the collarbone), and the some of the above symptoms would be present.
In addition, tests to check for thyroid gland functioning including T3 and T4 levels would reveal increased amounts of hormone in the blood stream.
As a confirmatory test, the radioactive iodine uptake test also is done, which will indicate increased uptake by the thyroid gland. This indicates that the gland is functioning at an increased pace and requires additional iodine for the production of thyroid hormones.

Treatment: There are two approaches to it, one to control the symptoms and the other to control the thyroid gland per se.

    Beta blockers are very useful in controlling rapid heart rate and anxiety.
    Prednisone may be used to control eye irritation and swelling
    Antithyroid drugs are used to control the production of thyroid
    Radioactive iodine is given orally to control excessive thyroid production
    In severe cases, thyroid gland may be surgically removed partially or completely

Graves  disease is not life-threatening and once symptoms are controlled, the patient s quality of life improves drastically.

Graves' Disease - Things You Should Know About It

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