Thyroid awareness

The thyroid is not simply a hormone deficiency or excess; it is closely bound up with your metabolism, energy levels, weight, mental health and reproductive health.

Research has found that around 10% of people worldwide have some kind of thyroid problem. The worrying part is that women are at roughly 5 to 8 times greater risk than men.

In Bangladesh most people take swelling in the neck, severe fatigue or rapid weight change for ordinary physical weakness. As a result more than 50% of patients in this country remain outside proper testing and treatment.

Thyroid problems can occur at any age, but are most common in women of reproductive age, 15 to 45 years. Unhealthy eating, excess processed food, lack of exercise, long-term mental stress and irregular lifestyles are now driving an alarming rise among younger women and adolescent girls too.

One diet plan never works for everyone

Thyroid patients do not share the same physical problems or nutritional needs, so a single diet plan never works for everyone.

Dieting from the internet without understanding the type of condition can make the problem more complicated rather than easing it. Many believe medication alone will fix the thyroid; others start crash dieting to lose weight. Yet what about those who are underweight because of hyperthyroidism?

The wrong diet or excessive restriction can leave the body severely malnourished. Eating the wrong food (excess goitrogenic food taken without understanding the type of thyroid condition, for instance) can further upset hormonal balance and bring on very dry skin, marked irritability, hair loss and severe weakness. So it is essential to build the right nutrition plan by analysing your blood test reports, symptoms and lifestyle.

The thyroid and reproductive health

Thyroid hormones directly affect ovarian function, the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Thyroid imbalance can cause irregular periods and reduce egg quality, creating difficulties in conceiving.

But having a thyroid condition does not mean infertility; with the right medical treatment and scientific diet management to keep hormones under control, a healthy pregnancy and a normal life are entirely possible.

Misconceptions and the nutritionist’s role

A great many misconceptions about the thyroid circulate in this country. Following a gluten-free diet blindly after watching a video on YouTube, Facebook or Google, cutting out leafy vegetables entirely, or taking random supplements or iodine tablets from the market can do the body serious harm.

This is exactly where a certified dietitian or nutritionist can guide you correctly and safely, on scientific grounds. Hormones can be kept under control through lifestyle modification and a balanced diet chart built for your type of thyroid condition.