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Many people diagnosed with a thyroid condition are surprised that such a tiny gland can have such a profound impact on overall heath and well-being. But the thyroid gland plays an enormous role in human health. Throughout life, this busy gland is constantly producing hormones that influence metabolism. When disease causes your thyroid gland to slack off and underproduce thyroid hormone, or overwork and produce too much of it, you’ll know something isn’t right. This Special Health Report will help you recognize the symptoms and find the right treatment before you experience the long-term effects of this common condition.

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland which weighs less than an ounce. When functioning normally, it perches unobtrusively with its wings wrapped around the front of your windpipe (trachea), below your voice box (larynx). Despite its slight size, your thyroid controls the rate at which every cell, tissue, and organ in your body functions, from your muscles, bones, and skin to your digestive tract, brain, heart, and more. It does this primarily by secreting hormones that control how fast and efficiently cells convert nutrients into energy, a chemical activity known as metabolism so that the cells can perform their functions.

How the thyroid gland works.

Just as your car engine can?t run without gasoline, your thyroid needs fuel to produce thyroid hormone. This fuel is iodine. Iodine is found in such foods as iodized table salt, seafood, bread, and milk. When you eat these foods, the iodine passes into your bloodstream. Your thyroid then extracts this necessary ingredient from your blood and uses it to make two kinds of thyroid hormone: thyroxine, called T4 because it contains four iodine atoms, and triiodothyronine, or T3, which contains three iodine atoms. The thyroid?s output consists primarily of T4. Most of the T3 the body needs is created outside the thyroid in organs and tissues that use T3, such as the liver, kidneys, and brain. These tissues convert T4 from the thyroid into T3 by removing an iodine atom.

As the thyroid produces thyroid hormone, it stores it in a vast number of microscopic follicles. When the body needs thyroid hormone, the thyroid secretes it into your bloodstream in quantities needed for the metabolic needs of your cells. The hormone easily slips into cells and attaches to special receptors.

Your car engine burns fuel, but it is you who tells it how hard to work by stepping on the gas pedal. The thyroid also needs to be told what to do. It takes its orders from your pituitary gland, located at the base of your brain. No larger than a pea, the pituitary is sometimes known as the master gland, because it controls functions of the thyroid and other glands in the endocrine system. The pituitary gland signals the thyroid to tell it how much hormone to make. The messages come in the form of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH levels in your bloodstream rise or fall depending on whether there is enough thyroid hormone in your system. Higher levels of TSH prompt the thyroid to produce more hormone, until TSH levels come down to a constant level. Conversely, low TSH levels signal the thyroid to slow down production.

Signs and symptoms of an under active thyroid.

The symptoms and course of hypothyroidism are quite variable. One person may become hypothyroid quickly over a few months, while another develops symptoms slowly over many years, making the condition even more difficult to detect. Generally speaking, the lower thyroid hormone levels fall, the more pronounced symptoms will be. Still, a person with severe disease might not experience severe symptoms. This is particularly true among older people. Following is a list of classic symptoms.

• Constant tiredness
• Cold intolerance
• Loss of appetite
• Weight gain
• Slow pulse
• Enlarged thyroid gland
• Depression
• Dry skin
• Brittle fingernails
• Hair loss
• Constipation
• Joint pain
• Heavier menstrual periods
• High cholesterol

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Sometimes the strongest cravings for food happen when you’re at your weakest point emotionally. You may turn to food for comfort consciously or unconsciously when you’re facing a difficult problem, stress or just looking to keep yourself occupied.

But emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Emotional eating often leads to eating too much, especially too much of high-calorie, sweet, fatty foods. But the good news is that if you’re prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.

The connection between mood, food and weight loss.

Emotional eating is eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Both major life events and the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disrupt your weight-loss efforts. These triggers may include:

• Unemployment
• Financial pressure
• Health problems
• Relationship conflicts
• Work stress
• Bad weather
• Fatigue

Continue reading ‘Weight-loss help: Gain control of emotional eating.’ »

Are you the parent of a student athlete? If you are, your life is probably as hectic as your child’s. But in your daily rounds of carpools, practices and games, have you taken the time to talk to your child about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs? Pro athletes and Olympians aren’t the only ones lured by the promise of a shortcut to increased strength and stamina. Kids in high school and middle school are using these products, too. And your child could be among them.

What are performance-enhancing drugs and supplements?

Performance-enhancing drugs and supplements are used to boost athletic performance, ward off fatigue and enhance physical appearance. They’re also taken to increase muscle mass and strength. But they can cause serious harm. Here’s a look at some of the substances your son or daughter might be using.

• Creatine. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body that is also sold as an over-the-counter supplement. It’s primarily used to enhance recovery after a workout and increase muscle mass and strength. Creatine is popular with athletes who participate in sports in which short bursts of power are required. Examples include football, gymnastics, hockey and wrestling. Side effects include weight gain, nausea and muscle cramps. High doses of creatine have the potential to harm the kidneys.
• Anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone. They build muscle and increase strength, and are particularly popular with bodybuilders and football players. Anabolic steroids can halt bone growth and result in a permanently short stature, so they’re particularly dangerous for still-growing adolescents. Steroids can also damage the heart and liver.
• Steroid precursors. Steroid precursors, such as androstenedione (”andro”) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), are substances that the body converts into anabolic steroids. They are used to increase muscle mass.

The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 made most steroid precursors illegal without a prescription. DHEA is the only one that is still available in over-the-counter preparations. Side effects of steroid precursors are similar to those for steroids.

Continue reading ‘Performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete.’ »

Sex education is offered in many schools, but don’t count on classroom instruction alone. Sex education needs to happen at home, too. Here’s help talking to your teen about sex.

Sex education basics may be covered in health class, but your teen might not hear or understand everything he or she needs to know to make tough choices about sex. That’s where you come in. Awkward as it may be, sex education is a parent’s responsibility. By reinforcing and supplementing what your teen learns in school, you can set the stage for a lifetime of healthy sexuality.

Breaking the ice.

Sex is a staple of news, entertainment and advertising. It’s often hard to avoid this ever-present topic. But when parents and teens need to talk, it’s not always so easy. If you wait for the perfect moment, you might miss the best opportunities. Instead, think of sex education as an ongoing conversation. Here are some ideas to help you get started and keep the discussion going.

• Seize the moment. When a TV program or music video raises issues about responsible sexual behavior, use it as a springboard for discussion. Remember that everyday moments such as riding in the car or putting away groceries sometimes offer the best opportunities to talk.
• Be honest.

If you’re uncomfortable, say so but explain that it’s important to keep talking. If you don’t know how to answer your teen’s questions, offer to find the answers or look them up together.

Continue reading ‘Tween and teen health: – when and how to deal with sex education.’ »