Saturday, March 20, 2010

Yoga for Flat Stomach – 3 Simple Poses

 Weight Loss Diet Information


Yoga for flat stomach can be performed by anyone, anywhere, anytime. The main purpose here is not to boast your flexibility but to condition the body as best as you can. Yoga will help you develop discipline and self-control, loosen up after a stressful day at school or the office, and more importantly, it will successfully aid you in your weight loss efforts.

Here are the 3 best yoga exercises you can do to achieve all that and more:

Prishth Naukasana (The Reverse Boat Pose)
For these yoga for flat stomach poses, you might want a yoga mat to pad your body from the hard floor. First, lie face down on the floor. This primary position is also referred to as Advasana or the Reverse Corpse Position. Your next move would require you to simultaneously stretch out your arms and legs so that your abdomen is the only part of your body that is touching the floor. Stay in that position for as long as you can.
This pose will put a little pressure on your abdomen, which will help tone the area as time goes by. On top of all that, this yoga for flat stomach pose will also help in the proper function of your liver, pancreas, and other close by organs. This only means regulated blood sugar levels, improved digestion, and better looking abs.





Marjariasana (The Cat Pose)
You’ve probably seen or heard of this yoga pose in the past. First off, hunker down on your yoga mat on all four limbs. Inhale. Pull in your ab muscles, butt, and tailbone as you exhale. Make sure that as you pull in, you press down on your hands to gain more stability and force. Coiling your back will also help you get to the position more effortlessly.

By doing this yoga for flat stomach pose, you’re toning different muscle groups (especially your abs), strengthening ligaments and joints, increasing mobility and blood circulation, and building strong arms at the same time.

Supta Udarakarshanasana (The Lying Abdominal Twist Pose)
It sounds difficult, I know, but give it a try anyway. This pose is actually quite undemanding. Simply lie flat on your back, put your palms down, and rest your arms on each side. Touch your left sole to your right thigh as you take a breath of air. As you breathe out, twist your right leg toward the direction of your left hip, pull it closer to the floor with your left hand, and then twist your head to the right. Breathe in and out at a regular pace while keeping that position. Do this over and over a few times and then move on to the other leg.
Aside from burning fat in and around your hips, legs, and abdominal area, you will also experience increased metabolism, good posture, and proper digestion.


Together with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, these simple yet effective yoga for flat stomach poses will help you get that sexy tummy in no time.

Summer diet-busters: Eat This Not That Alternatives

Summer means tasty treats at the ballpark, barbecue and church picnics, but it’s a cruel coincidence that ice-cream sundaes, Italian sausages and creamy potato salad are served during swimsuit season. Play your cards right and you can have summer flavor without the fat. Stephanie Middleberg, a certified dietitian-nutritionist with Nu-Train, scanned our list of summer favorites and told us what to ax and what to eat instead. And don’t worry, this summer’s menu won’t be boring. (Yes, you can still have a beer while you watch the Mets.)

AT THE STREET FAIR

Skip the sausage. The average Italian sausage can run you from 425 TO 500 CALORIES with all the trimmings, it’s heavy on grease and comes with a bulky bun.

Grab the chicken skewers. “The chicken kabobs served at street fairs are always tasty, and one skewer is about 140 CALORIES,” says Middleberg.

AT THE PICNIC

Skip the potato salad. Potato salads vary, but a cup of the average homemade version means about 350 CALORIES (180 FROM FAT) and has up to 57% of your daily cholesterol. And who stops at a cup?

Grab the baked beans. If they’re vegetarian, baked beans verge on pretty darn healthful. “A cup of baked beans is 150 CALORIES AND 1.5 GRAMS OF FAT,” says Middleberg. “And beans have fiber and protein, so they’re going to keep you fuller longer.” Other options: cole slaw (especially vinegar-based), chickpea salad and bean salad.

AT THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Skip the ice-cream cake. There’s nothing tastier at a summer birthday party, but a slice of cake from Carvel is 240 CALORIES — and the serving size is a piddling ½ cup, so you could end up eating more than 600 CALORIES without thinking twice.

Grab the ice-cream novelties. “A good old-fashioned ice-cream sandwich is about 160 CALORIES, but then you’re done,” says Middleberg. Of note, the Skinny Cow versions are largely fat-free.

AT THE BALL PARK

Skip Carl's Philly cheese steak. Delicious, gooey cheese steaks can easily approach 900 CALORIES per sandwich.

Grab a roast-beef sandwich. “They have a Boar’s Head,” Middleberg says of the food court at the Yankees’ new home. “So get a roast-beef sandwich on rye with mustard, no mayo. People don’t think of roast beef as a healthy choice, but [at about 350 CALORIES a sandwich] it’s second to turkey — not that high in sodium or saturated fat. It’s a clean option.”

AT THE FAIRGROUND

Skip the funnel cake. Middleberg pegs the carnival classic at between 700 AND 1,000 CALORIES.
Grab a crepe. Opt for a fruit-filled crepe; with only 300 CALORIES, it’s a trendy dessert you’ll easily find.

AT CITI FIELD

Skip the peanuts. The Mets’ new home has its own Shake Shack, but you’ve decided to be good and just have some peanuts. Bad idea, says Middleberg. Without an actual meal to eat, portion control is difficult. When you’ve gradually eaten an entire bag of nuts by the bottom of the ninth, you’ll have consumed more than 750 CALORIES.

Grab a regular-size hot dog. “Watch the condiments,” says Middleberg, “but mustard is fine. A Nathan’s hot dog has just under 300 CALORIES. Not a big offender.” So yes, you can have that beer.

AT THE BAR

Skip the mega-margarita. Frozen drinks pack a notorious amount of sugar, even if you make them at home. Combine 4 ounces of Bacardi frozen-margarita mix (180 CALORIES), 2 ounces Jose Cuervo (ABOUT 140 CALORIES) and 1 ounce of triple sec (ABOUT 100 CALORIES), and you’re gulping more than 400 CALORIES before dinner even starts. What’s more, your home version is a couple sizes smaller than the one you’ll get at Caliente Cab or Dallas BBQ.

Grab a "classic" margarita. If you’re not averse to the taste of tequila, cut out the mix and you’ll halve the calories, says Middleberg. Drink your tequila and triple sec with lime juice on the rocks. Less intense options: Sangria will usually keep you under 200 CALORIES a glass, or embrace flavored vodkas. For instance, Belvedere Black Raspberry and soda is only 50 calories per cocktail.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Skip the Mister Softee milk shake.

According to Mister Softee, 2 cups of the variety of soft serve you’ll find in most NYC trucks means 170 CALORIES, 80 FROM FAT. (Also 6 grams of saturated fat.) P.S.: Your no-whip Starbucks Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino counts as a milk shake. It’s 440 CALORIES.

Grab an alternative. “There are a couple things you can do here,” says Middleberg. “One, get a kiddie cone and you cut the calories in half — especially in a sugar cone, which is only 20 CALORIES.” Other options: choose an all-natural frozen fruit bar (Edy’s Strawberry Whole Fruit bar is only 80 CALORIES) or an Italian ice. Popsicles might still be sugary but, Middleberg points out, they’re fat-free.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Bananas? For Fibromalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Helps Prevent HIV


While there's no perfect diet for everyone with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, certain nutrients can help with our symptoms. We talk a lot here about supplements, which are a great way to make sure you're getting consistent daily amounts, but it's also important to make sure you're eating the right foods. I'm starting a Food of the Week series to look at the nutritional value of different foods and see how beneficial they might be.

Inside the Banana
Bananas are probably best known for being rich in potassium -- there's about 400 mg in a medium-sized one.  If you complain about nighttime leg cramps, your doctor will probably tell you to eat a banana before bed.  Why is that?  Potassium is important for muscle function, including contraction.  It's crucial for cardiac, skeletal and digestive health.  Potassium is also an electrolyte, which means it helps conduct electricity around your body.

Those are all good reasons for us to get enough potassium.  If you have problems with absorption, sweat a lot, eat high amounts of salt, or have frequent diarrhea, you may be at risk for potassium deficiency.
But potassium's not the only important thing inside a banana peel -- this fruit also contains magnesium and malic acid, which many doctors recommend for our muscle pain and tenderness.  They also help your body produce energy. Do you think you need to eat fish to get essential fatty acids?  You might be surprised to learn that bananas contain both Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Bananas vs. Potassium Supplements
Potassium supplements, in doses higher that what's in multi-vitamins, come with several warnings and should only be taken under your doctor's supervision.  If you're on NSAIDs or ACE inhibitors, they can interact badly with your medication.  It's generally considered better to get potassium through natural sources.
Food sources of potassium don't come with the same dangers.  Along with the banana, you can get potassium from apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, peas, beans, potatoes, fish and beef liver.

Possible Drawbacks
If you're on a low-carb or diabetic diet, a banana may not be the right choice for you -- they've got about 25-30 carbs, or 2 diabetic exchanges. For a snack, however, you might be able to combine a banana with a good source of protein such as peanuts or peanut butter.

Benefits of Bananas
Bananas are a quick, easy, portable snack that can help your muscles function properly, support heart health, aid digestion, prevent dehydration and more.  They're a simple way to get a boost of the nutrients that help alleviate symptoms without taking more supplements and possibly getting into dangerously high amounts.  In addition, banana allergies are rare.
 Resource: http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/03/17/bananas-for-fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

Helps Prevents HIV
It has been recently found that Bananas are rich in a sugary protein called BanLec, a Lectin which attaches to the HIV Envelope and protects the body from being able to get the virus through sexual transmission. It clings to the binding of the sugar rich HIV envelope when it enters the body and does not let go. It would take several mutations for the virus to get loose from the Lectins, which by that time, your body would have grown immune to that certain strand from the BanLec in your system.

BanLec has had such a huge success in preventing the transmission of HIV that there are many countries considering using it as an injection that would go right into the anus or vagina and could protect a person for up to three years. Another possibility, although not as popular due to the lack of condom use, is to add it to the spermicide already in condoms, this would make them more effective at not only killing sperm but also in the prevention of, at least HIV if not other STDs, something that has never been done before. It has also been said that the power of the BanLec is twice as strong as many of the antiviral HIV medications that are given to patients currently.
Resource: http://www.ecanadanow.com/health/2010/03/16/bananas-can-help-prevent-hiv/

10 (Really Healthy) Reasons to Have Sex Tonight!

You eat right, watch your weight and exercise daily. But there’s one important step you may be forgetting – making love. Not only is it a lot of fun, it does a body good too. See Sexercise and The Orgasm Workout for more health benefits

Think of all the health advice you’re bombarded with daily: Eat more vegetables, stop smoking, exercise, get more sleep, use sunscreen, floss, boost your fiber, don’t text while driving. Protective? Sure. Fun? Not so much.

But here’s one suggestion that’s hardly drudgery: Have more sex. Yep, you read that right. Romping regularly in the sheets really does a body good.

“Having sex benefits us in [many] psychological and biological ways,” says Irwin Goldstein, M.D., director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, Calif.

How so? Well, for starters, sex makes you feel alive and connected to your body and to someone else's, says sex educator/counselor Ellen Barnard, M.S.S.W., of A Woman’s Touch in Madison, Wisc.

But it pays some big-time physical dividends too: Having sex reduces stress and helps you sleep better and live longer. It’s even good for your heart.

Of course that’s as long as it’s safe, consensual and you’re somewhat selective. Not that we’re judging, but risky, casual encounters introduce hazards like sexually transmitted diseases.

“If you live an unhealthy lifestyle, having more sex isn’t going to overcome that,” Barnard says.

That means the occasional nooner won’t erase a lifetime of bacon-double-cheeseburgers and unfiltered cigarettes.

But if you’re healthy enough to have sex, then doing the deed regularly can only make you more so. Here are 10 ways sex could improve your health:


1. Sex makes menopause easier to handle.Menopause is the time when a woman’s sexual appetite dries up with her estrogen, right?

Not really: The “use it or lose it” credo is established fact, says Barnard.

“Regular penetration with lubricant, 2-3 times a week by anything – including a vibrator or fingers – fights vaginal atrophy and improves the flexibility and thickness of the skin inside the vagina,” she says.

Slack off during menopause or perimenopause (the time before menstrual periods cease) and “you’ll see a much quicker acceleration of loss of flexibility and thickness of that skin,” Barnard says.

Other research suggests that regular sex may reduce hot flashes. In a small study, middle-aged Nigerian women who had sex at least once a week had fewer hot flashes than women who avoided it.

2. Sex relieves pain.This one’s proven too, especially when orgasm is involved.

A climax releases endorphins, natural pain-relievers that can blunt all kinds of pain from menstrual cramps and arthritis to whiplash, back pain, even labor contractions and migraines.

A study of 83 women with migraines, done at Southern Illinois University, found that nearly half of those who climaxed during sex reported that their headaches disappeared.

Why? In the throes of orgasm, pain tolerance jumps dramatically, according to Beverly Whipple, Ph.D, R.N, co-author of both The G Spot (Holt Paperbacks) and The Science of Orgasm (The John Hopkins University Press), who has measured the effects in her lab.

“When women had orgasms, their pain thresholds went up over 108%,” she says.

And it’s not a distracter or anesthetic. “It’s an analgesic,” she says, and even better than Motrin.

Unfortunately, relief is short-lived – 10 minutes at best. Which is the perfect excuse to lure your mate back for another round.
 


3. You’ll live longer.Sex may help you live longer, but what’s interesting is how: For women, quality counts; for men, it’s all about quantity.

In one of the best-known studies on sex and longevity, involving nearly 1,000 middle-aged British gents, those who had at least two orgasms a week had half the mortality risk of those who reported just one a month.

And a Swedish study found that men past their 75th birthdays were the ones who stayed sexually active; those who died before 75 had holstered their pistol long before.

For women, frequency has no bearing on longevity – the sex has to be good.

In one 25-year-long North Carolina study published in 1982, women who said they enjoyed sex lived longer.

The findings suggest that it’s orgasm, not just sex, that’s important for women’s health, Barnard says.

4. It’s good for your heart. "Dissatisfaction with sexual activity” is linked with peripheral artery disease, a condition that boosts the risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke by up to seven times, according to data from the Women’s Health Initiative, a multi-year study by the National Institutes of Health.

Of course, that hardly proves an unhappy sex life will give you a heart attack. But researchers know that stress, anger and depression are huge markers for heart disease. Plus, when we’re in emotional turmoil, we hardly feel like making love.

But we should. Sex helps men and women cope with stress by lowering blood pressure, a notion that’s solidly backed by research.

Even simple caresses are known to slow women’s heart rates and reduce the stress hormone cortisol in anxious situations.

In a 2006 small study of 67 women done at Switzerland’s University of Zurich, those who got a neck and shoulder massage from their husbands or boyfriends before encountering a stressful situation had lower heart rates and cortisol levels than women who just talked with their partners or had no contact at all.


“We know that improving your mood and reducing stress lead to healthier cardiovascular status, and we know those things come from sexual experiences,” Barnard says. “For that reason, sex is good for your heart.”

5. It counts as exercise (sort of).
Having sex – even lots of it – is unlikely to get you in shape for a triathalon, especially if your partner is driving most of the action. But it’s no slouch either.

The energy spent in sex is said to equal "walking several flights of stairs or washing windows,” Goldstein says.

Unfortunately, few calories are spent in sexual activity, because – at least in the U.S. – it’s a seven-minute event.

“So the calories burned are not that great,” Goldstein says.

But regular sex keeps your pelvic floor in shape, says Barnard. And that’s important because a toned pelvic floor means big orgasms.

6. It prevents cancer.
For guys, anyway, there’s iron-clad evidence that regular sex (with someone they love or just by themselves) lowers the risk of certain cancers.

According to a 2003 Australian study, twenty-something guys who ejaculated five or more times a week cut their risk for getting prostate cancer later in life by a third.

Another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that for every three ejaculations a man had during the week, his prostate cancer risk dropped up to 19%.

That’s because ejaculation is a workout for the prostate, explains sex and relationship expert Laura Berman, Ph.D., author of The Book of Love (DK Publishing, 2010).

“The prostate contracts during orgasm and ejaculation, and that keeps it in good shape,” she says.

Plus, it “keeps the plumbing clean.”


7. Sex improves immunity.Don’t skip your H1N1 vaccine for a lost afternoon in bed, but research suggests some – but not too much – sexual activity may help boost immune function.

In a small 1999 study of 112 students at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, those who had sex once or twice a week had 30% more infection-fighting immunoglobulin A (IgA) in their saliva than students who made love less frequently.

Interestingly, it may be possible to get too much of a good thing: Randier students had IgA levels on par with their celibate compadres.

8. Sex helps you sleep.Ever gone wild with your man only to have him roll over and snore afterward?

It’s because of a potent combo of strenuous exertion and feel-good brain chemicals, like oxytocin and endorphins, released during orgasm, Berman says.

“You relax, get calmer, disconnect from the worries of the day and it makes it easier to drift off,” she explains.

9. Sex can make you happier.
If just touching and hugging gets oxytocin flowing to your brain, orgasm makes it surge. That’s like being hooked up to happy drugs and explains why having sex can put us in a great mood and even guard against depression.

Oxytocin, knows as the “bonding hormone,” makes moms fall in love with their newborns. It also makes us feel more connected to the person we’re making love to.

According to a 2008 Arizona State University study, when women were sexual and affectionate with their partners, they felt better and were less stressed the following day. Which led to more sex.

Preliminary research from the State University of New York at Albany even suggests that semen may contain some antidepressant compounds.


In that study, women exposed to more semen (because they didn’t use condoms) scored lower on depression scales than those who either had less sex or used condoms more frequently. Still, you might want to wait for the follow-up studies before tossing out your Paxil.

10. It improves fertility.
But not in the way you might think. Having frequent sex regulates menstrual cycles, which makes conception easier. Plus, having an orgasm, especially after your partner finishes, may even boost the odds of getting knocked up.

“During orgasm, the uterus dips down into the vagina and vacuums up sperm, so orgasm may actually assist with fertilization by helping sperm get into the uterus [and] the egg,” says Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of “The Dr. Oz Show” and co-author of YOU: Having a Baby (Free Press, 2009).

And because semen contains prostaglandins, once you reach your due date, having sex (an old folk remedy) is often suggested to kick-start labor.

“When we need to induce labor, we put prostaglandins in the vagina,” says Terry Hoffman, M.D., an ob/gyn at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “Sex puts them there naturally.”

Resource:   http://www.lifescript.com/Life/Sex/Nookie

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Womens Guide to Thyroid Health

The thyroid can cause a lot of problems for women, including weight changes and depression. Lifescript asked thyroid expert Elizabeth Pearce, M.D., to explain why. Plus, find out how to stay healthy...
Ever wonder why you don’t hear much about guys and thyroid problems? Although men have the gland, they’re less likely to develop problems with it. In fact, about 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid condition in their lifetime.

So what issues should women watch out for? Lifescript asked Elizabeth Pearce, M.D., a clinical endocrinologist and associate professor at Boston University School of Medicine, for answers.

Read on to find out how diet, pregnancy and smoking can all affect your risk of thyroid disease.

What’s the biggest thyroid issue women face?The most common is hypothyroidism, when the thyroid doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. Without this hormone, your metabolism slows and you may gain weight, feel sluggish and tired, and get depressed. Your periods may become irregular and you may have dry skin and nails.

About 10% of all women have an underactive thyroid; the condition affects about only 3% of men.

What increases the risk of thyroid disease? The types and frequency of thyroid disease's forms vary around the world, based on the amount of iodine in the diet.

Smoking also increases risk.

Don’t we get enough iodine in our diets from iodized salt? Overall, Americans have been getting enough iodine since salt iodization was started in the 1920s. But the amount in the American diet has decreased by about half since the 1970s. That’s partially due to a decline in the amount of [iodized] salt we eat.
But there’s also less iodine in certain foods than before, particularly cow’s milk and bread. That’s because iodate dough conditioners are used less often by many bread manufacturers.

Also, federal legislation in the 1980s limited the amount of iodine in cattle feed, which may be one reason why milk has less iodine.

In fact, 30% of the salt we purchase for household use in this country isn’t iodized. Most sea salt, for example, doesn't contain iodine. In addition, most of the salt we eat is in commercially processed foods and many commercial food processors use non-iodized salt.

Why is iodine deficiency a concern? Iodine deficiency is a huge problem in some countries, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Because iodine is needed to make thyroid hormone, which is needed for brain development, iodine deficiency can cause brain damage in unborn babies.

In the U.S., the American Thyroid Association has recommended that all pregnant or breastfeeding women take a prenatal vitamin that contains 150 mcg of iodine daily.

Why do some women have thyroid problems after pregnancy too?As many as 1 in 10 women develop postpartum thyroiditis – inflammation of the thyroid within several months after giving birth.

When the thyroid gets inflamed, it can leak out hormone, so you become a little hyperthyroid [when the gland overproduces thyroid hormone]. Then, when you run out of thyroid hormone, you may become hypothyroid until your gland heals.

Symptoms can be very subtle. Some women lose weight; others feel anxious. You might blame these things on being a new mom. But if the diagnosis is missed, it’s not usually critical. If it’s really mild, you just watch it. The whole thing resolves within several months in most women.

If it’s severe, you may need treatment for the symptoms.


In most women, the hyperthyroid and hypothyroid phases last several weeks. But not all women experience both phases. About 5% of women will be left with permanent hypothyroidism.

It tends to recur in subsequent pregnancies and it’s also more common in women with autoimmune diseases.

So should all pregnant women get a thyroid test? The concern is that low thyroid hormone in pregnant women may be associated with lower IQ in their children.

Universal thyroid screening in expectant women has been controversial. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists suggests that all pregnant women should be tested. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that asymptomatic women should not be tested. The Endocrine Society recommends testing if a woman has symptoms of hypothyroidism or if she has anti-thyroid antibodies, a family history of autoimmune disease or other risk factors for hypothyroidism.

Why the controversy?There are three reasons: One, getting your thyroid tested is costly.

Two, healthy pregnant women often have thyroid blood test results outside what’s considered normal (due to physiologic changes during pregnancy). Most labs can’t provide normal, trimester-specific reference ranges, so inappropriate interpretation and treatments are possible.

And three, we don’t know if hypothyroidism treatment improves outcomes in babies; that’s being studied.

The American Thyroid Association and Endocrine Society have convened task forces that will update their testing and treatment guidelines pregnancy within the next 1-2 years.


How do you know if you have hypothyroidism? It’s tricky, because many of the symptoms are vague and can be easily blamed on lifestyle. Fatigue, for instance, may be the result of being busy, not just an underactive thyroid. Weight gain may come from eating too much or not getting enough exercise.

You need to get a TSH test – a blood test that measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone in your blood. If your thyroid isn’t making enough thyroid hormone, your pituitary will make more TSH, which tells the thyroid to make more of its hormone.

How is hypothyroidism treated?You take a synthetic version of thyroid hormone in a pill to replace what your body isn’t making.

Can your thyroid go in the other direction, becoming too active?Hyperthyroidism is much less common than hypothyroidism, affecting just 1% of the U.S. population. It’s also more complex and difficult to diagnose and treat.

In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid is making too much thyroid hormone, which can cause shakiness, heart palpitations, insomnia and weight loss.

How do you treat hyperthyroidism? Depending on the cause, it can be treated with anti-thyroid medications, radioactive iodine or surgery to remove the thyroid.

There are two anti-thyroid drugs that can be used to treat hyperthyroidism: PTU (propylthiouracil) and methimazole. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that, of the two medicines, methamizole should be the first treatment in almost all cases, because PTU has been implicated in rare cases of liver failure.


Whatever you do, if you have hyperthyroidism, make sure you have an experienced [doctor] taking care of it.

Why are we hearing a lot about thyroid cancer lately?The U.S. incidence of thyroid cancer rose from 3.6 per 100,000 people in 1973 to 8.7 in 2002. In 2009, estimates show about 37,000 new cases diagnosed and 1,630 thyroid cancer deaths.

A lot more people are getting CT scans and ultrasounds, so maybe we’re catching more thyroid cancer. But the true incidence may be growing. There might be environmental reasons, such as changes in radiation exposure or diet.

Though it’s a common cancer, it tends to be very treatable. Exact treatment depends on your age, the size and type of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to other organs. Thyroid cancer tends to be more common [as women] age.

If you have thyroid cancer, you may have the thyroid surgically removed and there may or may not be additional treatment with radioactive iodine.

What can women do to keep their thyroids healthy? Not much, other than not smoke. If you live in the U.S., you can assume you’re getting enough iodine in your diet. Unless you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, you shouldn’t have to do anything.

You should be aware of what the front of your neck feels like. If you feel any new lumps, which could be thyroid nodules, tell your doctor.

Most thyroid nodules aren’t cancerous, but they still need to be checked out. They also don’t always cause symptoms. Many people really have no idea they have one until a doctor feels it or it gets picked up on imaging.


So when you have a check-up, should you ask for a TSH test?If you have symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, you should definitely have a TSH test. However, experts disagree about routine testing in people without symptoms.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says there’s no evidence for routine screening. The American Thyroid Association, on the other hand, says every adult should start routine TSH screenings every 5 years starting at age 35.

Do You Have Thyroid Disease?
Always cold or hot? Heart racing a mile a minute? Whether underactive or overactive, thyroid disease can make your body feel out of whack. Knowing the symptoms can help your doctor diagnose the problem and get you feeling better fast. Do you know what to look for? Find out with lifescript's quiz.

The information contained on www.lifescript.com (the "Site") and Body for Blondes is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for advice from your doctor or healthcare professional. This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Information and statements provided by the site about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Lifescript does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, third-party products, procedures, opinions, or other information mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by Lifescript is solely at your own risk.