The thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck, nestled along the front of the windpipe. The “wings” are actually two side lobes that are connected by a bridge called “isthmus.” The thyroid secretes several kinds of hormones collectively known as thyroid hormones. The two main ones are – triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), they are mainly responsible for regulating your body’s metabolic rate and for regulating many of your bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, digestion and how quickly you burn calories.
Women are more likely to have thyroid issues
The amount of hormones your thyroid makes is usually well regulated. This is why it could be a serious issue if your thyroid doesn’t make enough (hypothyroidism) or if it makes too much (hyperthyroidism). Women should pay particular care to thyroid issues, as they are more likely than men to have thyroid problems. In fact, the risk of thyroid issues for women is approximately 8 times higher than for men.
No matter what gender, people should pay particular attention to the symptoms listed below. While most of these are similar to symptoms of other conditions, it should merit a doctor’s visit if the following symptoms occur together.
Hypothyroidism: here are symptoms that your thyroid doesn’t make enough hormones.
- Appetite and weight changes: watch out for weight gain or an increase in cholesterol level
- Temperature sensitivity: you feel cold all the time
- Fatigue: You get tired more easily and experience muscle weakness
- Changes in appearance: You have dry skin and thinning hair
- Mental symptoms: You’re forgetful and feel down or depressed
- Others: you’re always constipated and experience hoarseness
Hyperthyroidism: here are symptoms that your thyroid makes too much hormones.
- Appetite and weight changes: You’re always hungry or have a larger appetite than usual. Or you experience sudden weight loss, even though you’re eating the same amount of food or even eating more than usual
- Changes in appearance: You notice swelling at the base of your neck. You notice thinner skin, and fine, brittle hair
- Heart rate and heat sensitivity: You experience fast or uneven heartbeat or sudden pounding of your heart (palpitations), tremors (trembling in your hands and fingers), sweating, increased sensitivity to heat
- Tiredness and mental issues: you feel tired, fatigued, or like your muscles are weak. You're experiencing nervousness, anxiety, or irritability. You're having trouble sleeping
- Others: You notice changes in your period, and changes in bowel movements, especially more frequent ones
If you have these symptoms in clusters, visit your doctor and get a simple blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels.
Spiced Halo and how it helps Thyroid issues
Packed with medicinal mushrooms, Spiced Halo helps to improve autoimmune thyroid conditions. Medicinal mushrooms have shown to be beneficial to thyroid gland health, by helping to restore balance to the related hormones and cells (known as cytotoxic T cells).