TT 101 : The Basics

Hey babes in babes land. Have you ever thought about your life without a thyroid?  No?  I promise you, without genetics and this soft little gland, your world would be a whole lot different. It’s pretty impressive what that squishy honey does for your bod.

Oh wait. What is a THYROID, you say?  I said the same thing once.  Over the next handful of days,  let me provide you with a little more information. Maybe more than you ever intended on having. But it’s good for you. Like apples, or champagne. Trust me.
Knowledge is power!

Let’s start here  ——>
SEPTEMBER is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month.
Which means someone, somewhere, decided this would be the perfect time of year to take your thyroid into a little more consideration and spread awareness about disease. I think three-hundred and sixty five days, on and off, is cool – But I’ll take whatever I can get.
Someone find me a soap box!

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thy·roid

ˈTHīˌroid/

noun

1. 1.

   a large ductless gland in the neck that secretes hormones regulating growth and development through the rate of metabolism.
2. 2.

   a large cartilage of the larynx, a projection of which forms the Adam’s apple in humans.

   
   Thyroid hormones support nearly every body system. In humans and other backboned animals, the iodine-containing hormones guarantee proper development of the brain, skeleton, and organs. Yet, too much or too little derails the body’s delicate balance causing goiter and other health troubles. These distinct regulators work alone or in cooperation with other hormones to generate energy, control cell oxygen use, and moderate many other life processes in both males and females.

   
   Almost all body functions carried out in nearly every tissue rely on thyroid hormones. Their actions and influence are so wide-ranging that vertebrates cannot live without them. Among other things, thyroid hormones specifically affect brain development; heart rate; lung function; blood function; bone growth; steroid hormone production and breakdown; sugar, fat, and protein breakdown; and some immune processes.

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Well. When they put in terms like that, it sounds discussing and terrifying; but if yours works, ENJOY that little bastard! Broken down into phrases that make more sense to me, this lumpy butterfly controls how you gain or lose weight. It decides whether or not you could sleep all day or stay up all night. Sometimes you sweat like a pig and other times you freeze like a popsicle. Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. And for us creative folk, watch out! Creative blocks happen more often than not.
Those are just some relatable basics.

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OK. Since it’s 2016 and more than half of the world has the attention span of a squirrel, I am going to stop right here. I don’t want to ruin your day with too much reading. I hope you enjoyed Thyroid Topics 101.
Tomorrow, I’ll show you where your thyroid is located even if you already know.

Or decide to look it up on your own. Onward!

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