Stay active to beat underactive thyroid

Located at the bottom of the neck, behind the Adam’s apple is a butterfly shaped gland called the thyroid gland.

CHENNAI: Lying in bed, tossing and turning for hours and not being able to sleep, followed by the unpleasant sound of your  alarm bell — a reminder that you are stepping into another new day, tired and sleep-deprived. Fatigue, zero motivation, mental fogginess, inability to concentrate and  disturbances in problem solving skills too, follow suit. Any attempt to loose the increased kilos on the scale, is met with failure. All courtesy — undiagnosed underactive thyroid.

Located at the bottom of the neck, behind the Adam’s apple is a butterfly shaped gland called the thyroid gland. It is a bit like the accelerator pedal in the car. It secretes two hormones thyroxine (known as T4) and triiodothyronine (known as T3).Together, these hormones regulate the body’s metabolism, controlling the rate at which we burn energy and also how quickly the reactions happen. Underactive thyroid is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. Women have 10 times more risk than men for developing hypothyroidism and this risk increases with age.

However, the root cause of thyroid can be managed by changing our lifestyle. The thyroid gland is impacted significantly by stress. Stress can be both physical or mental with impact on both emotional and cognitive areas.Stress could be self-induced and unintentional, yet, driving the gland to be overworked. Running a marathon, family dynamics, GI distress, new relationships and job deadlines can be considered as stressors. Stress and anxiety can truly put a pause on this metabolic gland. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to interrupt the stress/inflammatory response and break the cycle, including exercise, getting sufficient, sound sleep and incorporating mindful relaxation like meditation, yoga and breathing exercises, into your daily routine.

LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS 

• Getting smart about your sleep: Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid affects the quality of your sleep. A regular sleep schedule makes it easier to fall and stay asleep. It is important to have seven to eight hours of quality sleep. Having a relaxing pre-sleep routine is important to facilitate good sleep. The body does better when you sleep in a calm, comfortable ambience.  
• Eat right: A dietary change could cripple the fatigue/brain fog and help in suppressing the imbalance. Focus on a balanced nutritious diet with no processed foods in your diet. Protein-rich foods transport the thyroid hormone to all the tissues. Omega-3 rich foods found in fish, animal products, flaxseeds and walnuts control cell growth and immune function improving the response to the thyroid hormones. It is important to include micronutrients and vivitamins in your diet with a help of rainbow colour of fruits and vegetables.
• Plan exercise Stress has a negative impact on the immune system. Exercise can relieve symptoms associated with hypothyroidism and improve the cardiovascular health and muscle mass. Regular walking or playing a sport could help elevate your mood, and keep a check on your weight.  
• Relaxing right: It is important to identify ways to unwind. Taking time to reflect or meditate can help both — the mind and body to relax. In turn, this reduces the stress and increase of thyroid. A simple deep breathing exercise or yoga is an energiser. A positive attitude could help one recover from the untimely assaults of nature, leading to a path of holistic approach of healing.