Hypothyroidism

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Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland produces hormones that travel to nearly all the body parts through the bloodstream.

Hypothyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid doesn’t create and release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow down. Also called underactive thyroid, hypothyroidism can make you feel tired, gain weight and be unable to tolerate cold temperatures.

The role of thyroid hormone:

Thyroid hormones control the various functions of our body like metabolism, body temperature, digestion, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, cognitive function etc. Deficiency of the thyroid hormone slows down the body functioning and reduces our BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TEE (Total Energy Expenditure), so people with underactive thyroid are likely to have slow metabolism and thus gain more weight. It is more common in women than in men.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:

Irregular periods, infertility, cold intolerance, dry skin, hair loss, constipation, muscle weakness, depression, muscle stiffness, slow heart rate, fatigue, slow weight loss etc.

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Nutrition planning:

Iodine is required by the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. So, include iodine rich food like sea food, iodised salt etc.

Include foods rich in Omega 3 like flax seeds, fish, chia seeds etc.
Have a fiber rich diet. Include a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Include food rich in selenium and zinc (tuna, eggs, chicken, legumes): it supports the thyroid function.

Too much consumption of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts etc) and foods containing soy (tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, nutrela soya chunks etc) interfere in the iodine uptake and in the absorption of thyroid medication. But they can be consumed in moderate quantity if cooked well.

Limit the intake of processed food, sugary foods and high calorie foods.
Limit consumption of alcohol.
Eat a well-balanced quantified diet that will minimize the symptoms and help you in maintaining a healthy weight.

Workout for Hypothyroidism:

Working out for 3 hours in a week helps in improving both physical and mental health and raises our quality of life. It helps in losing weight, improving strength and lifts our mood.

Meditation: Helps in improving the mental health, reduces anxiety and depression.
Aerobic exercises: Walking is a very good slow paced aerobic exercise. Water aerobics helps in reducing joint pain.
Strength training: It is helpful for fat loss and muscle gain. It helps in improving metabolism and reducing the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Medication is important, but these lifestyle changes support healthy thyroid functioning and reduce the intensity of symptoms.

References:

https://www.webmd.com/women/features/exercises-underactive-thyroid

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2895281/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7282437/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31618176/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324156951_Thyroid_Diseases_and_Diet_Control

Amrita Bhatia
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