Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease has become a common problem in women due to lifestyle factors. An estimated 1 in 8 women aged 35 to 65 has some form of thyroid disease with under active thyroid being the most common.

More than one quarter of women in peri-menopause are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in which insufficient amounts of thyroid hormones are produced. It is important to realize that thyroid dysfunction is a complex issue with many variables and many potential underlying causes.

Being informed about your thyroids and their affects on your body is extremely important if you are a woman that falls within this age group, it can benefit your overall health.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland found inside your neck, right under your larynx or voice box. It has two lobes located on each side of the windpipe, connected by a tissue called the isthmus.

Every cell in your body uses thyroid hormones, which is why the symptoms can be so varied. For example thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and body weight by controlling the burning of fat for energy or heat. Your thyroid is also responsible for producing the main metabolism hormones that affect virtually every function in your body.

The three types of hormones are:

• Triodothyronine (T3)
• Thyroxine (T4)
• Diiodothyronine (T2)

Hormones secreted by your thyroid interact with all of your other hormones including insulin and cortisol. They also interact with your sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Being that these hormones are all tied together and in constant communication explains the connection between thyroid problems and their link to so many widespread symptoms and diseases.

Poor thyroid function has been linked to a wide array of serious health conditions from fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome to infertility, autoimmune disease and thyroid cancer.

If you feel that you are doing everything that you can, such as eating right and exercising but continue to have problems in areas such as hormonal imbalance and other symptoms mentioned, your thyroids may be the main factor that inhibits your success.

You may have to look into ways to detox your body as well as change your lifestyle in order to avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals.

A natural thyroid supplement may also be needed for a successful intervention to your current situation.

If everything else you tried has failed, look into how your thyroids are connected to the problem and begin working on it through these methods, you are sure to see healthy results.