What is the thyroid?

• The thyroid gland is a small organ that’s located

in the front of the neck, wrapped around the
windpipe (trachea)→ ಶ್ವಾಸನಾಳ.
• It’s shaped like a butterfly, smaller in the middle
with two wide wings that extend around the side
of your throat.
What does the thyroid do?
• Thyroid gland plays a major roles in growth,
development and body temperature of body.
• Thyroid hormones helps to regulate functions
of many vital organs such as heart, brain,
kidneys and liver.
• It makes hormones that helps to control
metabolism.
What is metabolism?
• Metabolism is a process where the food you take into
your body is transformed into energy.
• This energy is used throughout your entire body to keep
many of your body’s systems working correctly.
• Metabolism is the reason some people can eat a lot
without gaining weight, while others seem to need less
to accumulate fat.
• The speed of your metabolism is commonly known
as metabolic rate.
How does thyroid affect the
body?
• The hormones produced by the thyroid control
your metabolism with the two main hormones
— T4 (thyroxine, contains four iodide atoms)
and T3 (triiodothyronine, contains three iodide
atoms).
• These hormones affect every organ —
influencing your heart rate, digestion, weight,
energy levels and mood.
• When your thyroid doesn’t work properly, it
can impact your entire body.
Thyroid hormones: T3 & T4
• It is located in front of the neck and is
responsible for the production of thyroid
hormones.
• These hormones play an important role in
regulation of your weight, energy levels,
internal temperature, skin, hair, nail
growth, and more.
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
• The thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is produced by the
pituitary gland.
• TSH helps the thyroid gland to release T4 and T3.
Hyperthyroidism.
• When the thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, your body
uses energy too quickly. This is called hyperthyroidism.
• Symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can include:

Experiencing anxiety, irritability and nervousness.

Having trouble sleeping.
Losing weight.
Having an enlarged thyroid gland or a goiter.
Having muscle weakness and tremors.
Experiencing irregular menstrual periods or having your
menstrual cycle stop.
Feeling sensitive to heat.
Having vision problems or eye irritation.
Hypothyroidism
• If your body makes too little thyroid hormone, it’s called
hypothyroidism.
• Symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can
include:

Feeling tired (fatigue).

Gaining weight.
Increase in cholesterol level.
Muscle weakness.
Feel down or depressed.
Having frequent and heavy menstrual periods.
Thinning hair.
Experiencing an intolerance to cold temperatures.
Diagnosis
• The most definitive ways to diagnose a thyroid problem is
through blood tests.
• Thyroid blood tests are used to diagnose thyroid disorders
associated with hyper- or hypothyroidism.
How to support a healthy thyroid?
• Movement is important: exercise is important especially for
hypothyroid patients, whose metabolisms have slowed down. We can
do lower-impact workouts, such as
Walking
Yoga
Strength training
• Eating well: Focus on eating nutritious food. These should include
fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, beans, whole grains, and lean proteins.
• Water importance.
• Avoid foods that are no nutritious or full of
empty calories. Skip and reduce processed foods
(anything in a bag or box), candies, sodas, and
junk foods.