More than 30 million people suffer from thyroid disease and
about half, 15 million, don’t realize they have it.
The thyroid can be thought of as the master gland of
metabolism. The butterfly shaped gland is located in the base of the neck, just
below the Adam’s apple. When the thyroid isn’t properly functioning, it affects
weight, depression and energy levels. It
also affects the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin. As you can imagine, if the thyroid gland
isn’t working properly, then neither are you!
Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber, http://www.thyroidawareness.com/about-your-thyroid
breaks the thyroid down into a manageable analogy by comparing the thyroid to a
car engine.
A car engine sets the pace of a vehicle, just as the thyroid
gland sets the pace at which your body operates. While the engine produces
energy for how fast the car moves, the thyroid manufactures energy, or thyroid
hormones, which prompt cells to move at a certain rate.
In order to make the vehicle run, it must have gasoline,
just as the body needs fuel to be able to move.
The body doesn’t use gasoline, but rather iodine, which ends up
producing two much needed hormones called thyroxine, or T4 and triiodothyronine
, or T3.
Although you may have the engine and the gasoline in place,
the car is unable to move along unless you press the accelerator, right? Well,
the body is very similar because it also needs something to tell it how fast to
go. This master gland is located in the
brain and is referred to as the Pituitary gland. This pea-shaped master gland sends messages
to the thyroid in the form of thyroid stimulating hormone, better known as
TSH. TSH levels rise and fall depending
on how much of the hormone is produced.
Someone who is battling fatigue and/ or weight issues might
be experiencing symptoms of a poorly performing thyroid gland. Although thyroid disease is predominately
found in women, many men suffer from the disease, as well. You may want to consider a thyroid evaluation
if a parent, sibling or child suffers from a thyroid disease or if you have
taken the prescription medications Lithium or Amiodarone. Finally, if you have had head or neck
radiation and are experiencing some of the symptoms listed above, you may also
have an increased risk of thyroid disease.
Having a blood test at The Medical Foundation that determines
your TSH levels can be instrumental in diagnosing whether or not you are
suffering from hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a condition where your
thyroid is being overactive and hypothyroidism is where your thyroid is under
performing and may be causing you to feel sluggish.
As part of our new Direct Access Testing program called,
Your Direct Test, visit our website at www.YourDIrectTest.com
and order the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test for $35.00.
If you are currently taking corticosteroids, lithium,
dopamine or other various thyroid medications, you will want to have your blood
drawn for the test before you take your medication for the day.
You may notice blue paisley ribbons in the community as a
way to gain awareness and advocacy for thyroid disease, because January has
been noted as the month of observance.
The blue paisley was chosen to represent thyroid disease because of its
resemblance to cross-sections of thyroid follicles.
To learn more about the thyroid and its functions visit the
Thyroid Disease Awareness page on Facebook www.facebook.com/ThyroidDiseaseAwareness
or the American Association of Clinical Endrocrinologists website, www.thyroidawareness.com.
