Your thyroid can be more problematic if you don’t avoid these 5 things

If you are a thyroid patient, you know it can bring with it a whole lot of issues. Balance is key when it comes to the functioning of the thyroid gland. Shaped like a butterfly, it is a small gland but don’t let its size fool you! From metabolism and heart rate to brain function and gut health — it controls the rate at which every cell, tissue, and organ in the body functions. 

The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the base of the neck. On account of thyroid management, it is necessary to discuss the need to maintain the lifestyle of people with thyroid disorder because it is now becoming increasingly frequent and affects all ages. And there are certain things that can push thyroid management off track. 

So to help control thyroid disorder and keep symptoms at bay, avoid doing these 5 things:

1. Not limiting certain foods with thyroid

If you are struggling with thyroid, it is time you check your diet because you’re not allowed to eat everything. There are certain foods that can interfere with your thyroid medication or otherwise affect your health. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale contain goitrogens–which interferes with the iodine absorption of the thyroid gland and aggravates hyperthyroidism further. 

Not just cruciferous vegetables but soy products, gluten found in wheat, bread, and pasta, processed foods such as snacks, biscuits, and frozen foods which are high in sodium and foods rich in fiber are certain foods that can mess with the thyroid gland and make the condition more severe. 

2. Alcohol and smoking

Alcohol and smoking don’t play well with your thyroid! In a study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, it was found that alcohols tend to have a noxious effect on the activity of the thyroid gland by suppressing the ability of the body to use the thyroid hormone. Preferably, you must cut down the consumption of alcohol completely for better thyroid functioning.

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On other hand, smoking has a variety of toxins that may also affect your thyroid. 

3. Not managing your weight

You can gain too much weight or lose too much weight all of a sudden due to your thyroid gland acting up. A study published in October 2016 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that people with hypothyroidism weigh 10 pounds more on average than people without hypothyroidism, and they tend to be less physically active. Being overweight makes the thyroid worse. Therefore, it’s important to manage a healthy weight. 

4. Over exercising

Exercising can help you manage your weight thus can reduce the complications related to the thyroid. But are you sore? Are you fatigued? Are you able to sleep well? Well, these problems you are facing might be due to over exercising. And sorry to break it on you. There’s really no benefit to overdoing anything, there’s a chance of getting hurt if you push yourself too hard.

5. Missing your thyroid medication

If you have just begun taking thyroid medication, give it time to work. If you don’t take thyroid medication for your thyroid disease, you can experience a number of serious long-term effects. Some of the effects of skipping or discontinuing your thyroid medication are obvious while others are subtle or can even remain unnoticeable for years. But you can experience blood pressure irregularities, depression, fatigue, menstrual irregularities, weight gain, hair loss, etc if you skip thyroid medication. 

According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), taking thyroid medication before bed is also alright, but you should take it at the same time each night. The most important thing is to take your medication daily and consistently, and not to miss any doses.

Ladies, a small step can ensure better management of thyroid. So be careful!