By Devan Lucier, Grace Cottage Family Health AGNP
One of the first health promotions for 2018 is National Thyroid Awareness Month. That’s appropriate, considering how vital your thyroid is for all of your body’s functions.
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck (just below the Adam’s apple). I have heard this gland compared to a car engine because, just as the engine controls when and how fast the car runs, likewise, the thyroid gland produces hormones that control everything that happens in your body. These hormones determine your adrenaline and dopamine levels, and therefore, your responses to fear, excitement, and pleasure. They also control metabolism–how fast your heart beats, how calories are burned, how your body uses food, and a number of other important actions. If your thyroid is not working right, all kinds of things will go wrong.
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