THE THYROID GLAND AND THE COLD SEASON-

How To Brave Through The Cold Season As a Thyroid Patient

If you are in Kenya and its environs, then I'm sure by now you are aware?that the cold season is here with us . It has been quite chilly in the past couple of days and it may continue getting colder as we go along. Thus,?If you are a hypothyroid patient, the cold weather can have a number of effects on your thyroid treatment and can cause many other symptoms such as winter depression,?cold hands and feet, ears and nose more. This makes living with the hypothyroid condition even worse for thyroid patients.

During the cold season, people mostly tend to focus a lot on?the common ailments such as colds and flu. But there are lesser-known health problems that can get aggravated as the temperature falls and thyroid problem is one of them. The seasonal transition can add to your worries by introducing a whole new set of symptoms.

?To avoid any complications and stay healthy, it is important to understand how the weather affects your thyroid gland and what you can do to manage these side effects.

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THE LINK BETWEEN THYROID AND THE COLD SEASON

The Thyroid gland's key function is to regulate the body’s thermoregulation. This is the process of maintaining a normal body temperature. The normal resting body temperature for healthy adults is 98.6 Fahrenheit and 37 degrees Celsius.

A major?common symptom of hypothyroidism is slow metabolism, which makes patients suffering from hypothyroid disease sensitive to cold and harsh weather. It has been discovered that the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels also increase at this time of the year for everybody.?

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that cold exposure affects your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, causing it to rise. This means that People with no history of thyroid problems also witness a slight spike in this hormone during cold seasons

For someone with a normally functioning thyroid, as temperatures drop, TSH levels increase. This then means that?the production of thyroid hormone typically increases slightly to help compensate for exposure to the cold. Thus, if you are hypothyroid, and rely on thyroid hormone replacement medication such as levothyroxine, it is important to note that TSH will rise in response to cold temperatures. Even if you still have a semi-functional thyroid gland or have undergone partial thyroidectomy, it may not be capable of ramping up the production of the hormone on its own to maintain your body temperature, so you need to help it.

High TSH levels mean that your thyroid gland isn’t keeping up with your body’s hormone needs. If you combine that to the already existing hypothyroid condition it can trigger more symptoms or make the already existing symptoms worse. Cold seasons can trigger fatigue, brain fog, feelings of sadness, mood, anxiety depression, and weight gain among other hypothyroid symptoms worse. You may also notice that you feel especially intolerant of the cold, and feel like your hands and feet, in particular, are susceptible to the cold temperatures. All these are common symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.?

With the change in season, you need to change your strategy to manage the level of thyroid hormones and their symptoms.??

TIPS TO MANAGE HYPOTHYROIDISM DURING THE COLD SEASON:

1. GET YOUR THYROID FUNCTION TESTS DONE

The baseline of it all, you must first?get the level of your hormones checked. It is important to check your hormone levels after every 2-3 months?at the least?during this seasonal transition. In the cold weather, our body's demand for the thyroid hormones increases, which is not met naturally by our thyroid gland. Since your TSH will be heightened during this time, doctors?will often increase the dosage slightly during colder months.

2. GET YOUR VITAMIN D LEVELS UP

Since the sun will be very rare during the season, it is important to incorporate a Vitamin D supplement in your daily regimen. Vitamin D helps to increase your serotonin levels (feel-good hormone) and helps you beat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), thus fighting off fatigue, anxiety and depression. If you see the slightest ray of sun during this season, take advantage and spend like?20 to 30 minutes in the Sun.

3. CONTROL CRAVINGS

During the cold weather,?we all agree that our coffee and hot chocolates intake increases. However, it is important to know that?seasonal depression increases the craving for processed and high-carb foods, which can make it difficult for thyroid patients to manage their weight. One needs to be very careful about their dietary choices. Hot beverages are good, but you should not have them in excess. Include more healthy sources of carbs in your diet.

Here fermented Porrdige, or the famous Uji Power, herbal teas?Bone and chicken broth will come in Handy.

4. ADD MORE THERMOGENIC FOODS

To stay warm in the cold season, include more thermogenic foods in your diet. Thermogenic foods are foods that generate heat in the body as they are getting digested and can help to keep you warm. Peppers,(pili pili)?avocado, saturated fats from meats and butter, and coconut oil are some of the thermogenic foods. They may also help you lose some weight. Remember your body needs food to produce energy which will in turn produce heat in the body. Therefore, ensure you eat whole foods like arrow roots, sweet potatoes, green traditional vegetables, legumes for fiber to stay strong and warm. We are blessed to have these foods in plenty.

5.MOVE YOUR BODY

In the cold season, we tend to want to cosy up in our warm clothes and avoid any movement. However light exercises like taking brisk walks, or skipping rope can keep your blood circulating hence generating heat.

FROM THE DOCTOR'S PERSPECTIVE

6. Work with your doctor to readjust your dosage of thyroid hormone replacement medication to get to your optimal level. Many people focus on their numbers being within the normal range. but remember, "normal" does not mean "optimal". The doctor should ensure?

7.?Have a plan in place with your practitioner to schedule automatic changes in the dosage of thyroid medication to coincide with the beginning and end of colder temperatures in future.

8.. Don’t forget that when temperatures warm up again, you may need a slight decrease in your dosage, to avoid being overmedicated and triggering hyperthyroidism.

References, sources?and Credits;

1. Mary Shommon, -?Author of New York Times best-seller, "The Thyroid Diet Revolution: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss" and a number of other books on thyroid disease, hormone health, and weight loss Medically reviewed by?Isabel Casimiro, MD PhD??cold weather and winter thyroid concerns June 2018, healthcentral.com , 8 cold weather tips for thyroid patients -?www.verywellhealth.com

2. timesofindia.com-?Hypothyroidism; tips to manage thyroid symptoms during the cold