Of late, to my bewilderment, many Indian women I come across in the USA seem to be under treatment for thyroid.  Thyroid diseases fall under the category of autoimmune diseases. I read about the thyroid problem in women extensively.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system attacks itself by mistake. When I looked for more information I found that thyroid disease and systemic lupus erythematosus are the most common autoimmune diseases found in women. The latter sounds so terrifying that I did not read any more on it. However, Thyroid disease in women of childbearing age was my subject of concern.

The thyroid gland is one of the most important glands in the body and plays an important role in the body’s metabolism. It also secretes hormones like thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin while regulating body heat and bone growth. The thyroid gland works together with the pituitary gland.  For some reason, untreated thyroid problems are quite common in women following pregnancy.  A good number of women suffer from thyroid problems at some stage of their life time or other.  Any problem with the thyroid is usually seen in weight loss, fatigue, memory loss, depression etc.  Hashimoto’s disease, or hypothyroiditis and Graves’ disease are two types of thyroid diseases found more in females than males.  While in the former, the thyroid gets destroyed by the immune system the latter is a medical condition in which excessive amount of thyroid hormone is produced.

A change in the menstruation pattern can be caused by thyroids.  Any abnormality in the thyroid can lead to irregular or heavy periods or even stop menstruation at all.  The link between the two is not well-established and understood.  Many thyroid related And many period problems go undiagnosed and unknown.Very early menarche that starts before 9 and delayed menarche after 15 can be related to thyroid changes.  McCune-Albright Syndrome (scary name) is a rare disease that occurs at the juncture of early periods (precocious puberty) and hyperthyroidism (high levels of thyroid).  Delayed periods in adolescence can be because of hypothyroidism or under active thyroid.

Hypothyroidism puts a break on all bodily functions and have symptoms like that of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Thyroid treatment in women with PMS relieves them from PMS problems too.In older women, the activity of the thyroid reflects on the ovulation. It can stop egg production at all for some and cause cysts in a few. Thyroid deficiency during pregnancy affects the fetal growth. But luckily, taking thyroid medication while pregnant is not unsafe.

After pregnancy, thyroid changes leads to postpartum thyroiditis. A condition of painless inflammation of the thyroid gland develops in mothers 4-12 months after childbirth. The main symptom of this disease is an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism.  The story does not end there.  In the early 40’s or before during on the onset of menopause women may find themselves suffering from hyperthyroidism.  This is the time when women have mood swings, insomnia and lack of periods. Problems during menopause can thus be cured by treating hyperthyroidism.

-Aparna K V

Tags: natural, weight loss, homeopathic, medicine, diabetes, acupressure, acupuncture, obesity, remedies, herbs

Ginger Spiced Health

Ginger is a rhizome which functions as a root as well as a stem to store the nutrients for the plant. This rhizome is a medicinally active form which has been used in India and other Asian countries since time immemorial to add flavor and spice in food. This culinary component is actually a herb with medicinal value and this is exploited in this article.

The main components of ginger which gives it a characteristic flavor and pungent taste are essential oils like zingiberone and poly phenols like gingerol and zingiberol. When heated or cooked for a long time, gingerol is converted to zingiberol. This reduces the pungent taste of ginger and also adds a sweet aroma to the food. Some dried ginger also called ‘sunth’ is an important ingredient in many Asian dishes.

Some therapeutic actions of ginger

1. Ginger is an important digestive agent a sit increases the secretion of saliva by stimulating the salivary glands. Thus right from the time food is chewed, the action of ginger starts to enable the process of digestion. This can be explained. As the saliva secretion is stimulated, the food is acted upon by amylase and other enzymes which are present in saliva to digest the proteins.
2. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory agent. Hence it is used to treat disorders of the bowel where inflammation takes place like inflammatory bowel disease. Some types of diarrhea, specially in children is also cured by ginger.
3. Arthritis is another inflammatory disease affecting the joints. By acting as an anti inflammatory and reducing the autoimmune symptoms of the illness, ginger helps in reducing pain and swelling in arthritis.
4. Muscle spasms are also reduced by ginger. This is helpful in treatment of dyspepsia and diarrhea.
5. Nausea and motion sickness are also improved by ginger. Perhaps this is the reason why travelers commonly keep ginger drops or ginger candy in their travel bags. The antinauseatic action is also helpful for pregnant ladies who experience gastric irritation and nausea sensations during the first trimester and sometimes even later.
6. Cough and congestion are also readily improved by consistent use of ginger. The phlegm in the lungs is readily removed or pushed out of the lungs due to the expectorant action of ginger.
7. Asthma patients also feel a relief when ginger is used regularly. This is because the bronc ho spasms are reduced and there is a dilatation of the bronchi reducing the constrictions.
8. Sometimes fever is also reduced and controlled by the increase in body temperature on consuming ginger and aiding perspiration.

Honey and ginger

Honey is another natural product which aids in passing on the benefits of ginger to the body. It diffuses and sometimes dissolves the active constituents of ginger and helps in faster relief of symptoms of diseases when ginger is consumed with honey. Typically ginger is grated and squeezed into honey. Typically, one teaspoonful of ginger secretions is mixed with one teaspoon of honey for added benefits. Another alternative of consuming honey-ginger mix is to prepare tea concoction and add ginger while boiling. Then honey can be added as a sweetener.

Some preparations of ginger

• Ginger pickle
• Ginger jam or marmalade
• Gingerale or ginger squash
• Lemon ginger syrup
• Ginger in tea
• Ginger in pulses, vegetables and curries
• Ginger candies
• Ginger mouthwash

Tags: weight loss, diabetes, chinese, obesity, homeopathic, diabetes, alternative, Ayurvedic, acupuncture, acupressure

A girl and her parents are in for a handful from her tumultuous teens. Puberty is a difficult time that brings a lot of physical and mental stress in young adults, especially in girls. Girls also start their menstruation during then and the emotional drama begins.

For earlier generations, those of our mother and grandmother, menses would generally start by the age of fourteen or fifteen. To one’s shock and dismay the girls of the generation-next jump to womanhood by the age of ten or eleven. It is like childhood is slowly getting absorbed into adulthood. Though the appearance of the First Red Spot is an occasion for celebration the amount of physical and emotional stress that awaits the girl is not negligible.

So said, any young girl reading this should not interpret that having menses is the most difficult experience that one has to go through in her life span. Menstruation is not an illness but an activity of the body. It is the sign of fertility, of womanhood and is a green signal to human existence on earth. Motherhood is universally agreed to be the most beautiful experience on earth which cannot be compromised with anything else. This article provides an insight into the various problems faced by women during menstruation.

Irregular Periods

A girl need not get regular periods after menarche or the very first one. It can take up to two years after the first time to develop a regular menstrual cycle. The typical cycle of an adult female is 28 days, although some can be as short as 22 days while some others 45. If the period pattern has not settled in three
years after menarche one should consult a doctor.

The ‘Problems’
The Menstrual problems, though called so are not always problems but bodily reactions to various changes inside. Normally, these conditions do not require any serious medical attention. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is the precursor to menses and is the most common concern. Most of the women have some symptoms or a combination of a few or all of them, be it emotional or physical.

• The most common external symptom of period is acne or break outs. It can be on the face or on any other part of the body and can be bothersome from a week before the period.
• It is perfectly okay to feel disinterested and tired before and during the period. Insomnia or change in appetite is also a part of menstrual cycle.
• Women tend to have mood swings, anxiety, depression or aggression along with physical stress during those days. A work out or a relaxing walk would do the trick for some while complete rest aids some others.
• Some women experience backache, headache or abdominal pain during their menstrual cycle. Joint pain or muscle pain also occurs to some women.
• Pain around the breasts, swelling, soreness or heaviness also occurs to some women. These conditions do not require any treatment under normal conditions.
• Abdominal cramps are the worst among the menstrual pains that really bother all activities. These are caused by the involuntary contractions of the uterus muscles.

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