Midlife
can be a woman’s halftime celebration. Not only can it be an
opportunity to reflect on and rejoice in the life you’ve
lived, but it is also a good time to plan your strategy for the future. This
report will help you determine the conditions for which you are at greatest
risk and do your best to avoid them. It will also help you to better manage
chronic conditions that may erode your quality of life, and to deal with
physical changes that are more bothersome than serious. It is designed to give
you the information to make the choices today that will ensure you the best
health possible tomorrow.
Maybe
you’re feeling tired and having trouble concentrating —
or perhaps you’ve noticed changes in your hair or weight, or just
feel blah. You might easily attribute these issues to other health problems, or
to simply getting older. But these symptoms can be signs of a sluggish thyroid.
The
thyroid is butterfly-shaped gland in the neck. It produces the hormones that
regulate metabolism. Low levels of thyroid hormone can cause a range of
symptoms including fatigue, constipation, dry skin, brittle nails, hair
changes, aches and pains, and feeling down. Untreated, an underactive thyroid
(hypothyroidism) can increase the chances of developing high cholesterol, high
blood pressure, and heart disease.
Women
are more likely than men to have problems with their thyroid, particularly as
they get older. In some women, the onset of thyroid trouble is so gradual that
it’s hardly noticeable; in others, symptoms come on
abruptly over the course of a few weeks or months. These include:
Fatigue
- You may feel unusually tired and have less energy.
Cold
intolerance - You may feel chilly even when others around you are comfortable.
Appetite
loss, weight gain - When metabolism is dragging, you need fewer calories so
your appetite may decrease - at the same time, you are
using fewer of the calories you do eat, so more are stored as fat.
Cardiovascular
effects - Low levels of thyroid hormone can lead to high blood pressure as well
as elevated levels of total and LDL cholesterol. Over time, an underactive
thyroid can compromise the ability of the heart to pump blood effectively.
Mental
effects - Hypothyroidism and depression share many of the same symptoms,
including trouble concentrating, memory problems, and loss of interest in
things that are normally important to you.
Other
signs and symptoms - Hypothyroidism can cause symptoms throughout the body,
from constipation to muscle aches and pain around the joints. Skin, hair, and
nails may become dry and thin.
If
you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor. She or he will examine you for
signs of hypothyroidism, and may recommend blood tests to check thyroid
function.
Hypothyroidism
is usually treated with a daily dose of synthetic thyroid hormone, taken as a
pill. This medication works exactly like your body’s
natural thyroid hormone. It may take some time to find the right dose for you.
Once you do, symptoms usually improve dramatically. Your doctor will check your
thyroid function usually once or twice a year to be sure that your dose of
medication remains optimal.
Excerpt
from: Harvard Medical School, Healthbeat
Magazine
No comments:
Post a Comment