Symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism (myxedema) occurs, as already mentioned, with a decrease in thyroid function. Hormones of the thyroid gland affect the increase in energy metabolism, but if hormones are not enough, it causes a metabolic disorder and a disruption in the functioning of the internal organs as a whole.
There are primary and secondary hypothyroidism . Primary hypothyroidism occurs with congenital abnormalities of the thyroid gland, occurs as a result of inflammatory processes, operations on the thyroid gland, and so on. With hypothyroidism, the secondary thyroid gland does not change, and pathological processes occur in the departments of the endocrine system that affect the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Symptomatology of hypothyroidism: edema appears, on the part of the gastrointestinal tract - constipation, the skin becomes dry, fatigue and drowsiness increase, the person becomes listless. Even in appearance you can judge about the disease - the face becomes puffy, bags under the eyes appear, the lips and cheeks acquire a cyanotic shade, the skin becomes dry, cold, and at the same time is scaly. Appears shortness of breath and nasal congestion, as a result of a strong swelling of the neck. Hair loss is noted. Functions of almost all organs decrease, brain activity worsens, the problem of excess weight appears, the glands work.
In the absence of proper treatment, the patient may even fall into a coma - there will be convulsions, consciousness will start to get confused, then complete loss of consciousness and death.
Nutrition for hypothyroidism.
With proper nutrition, hypothyroidism should limit the amount of easily digestible carbohydrates and fats consumed, and vice versa, increase the amount of protein foods, as well as the amount of vitamins and minerals.
It is necessary to try to exclude the reception of sweet and flour, especially muffins. It is necessary to force oneself to refuse to use the products serving the source of cholesterol as food, these are products of animal origin, such as animal fats, fatty meat and fish, brains, fish caviar, offal, butter, sour cream. Of the fats you need to limit the intake of only animal fats, and as for vegetable fats, they are beneficial to the body, and some, for example, olive oil, contribute to lowering cholesterol.
Hungry will not have to sit, as it is necessary to increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber, which include complex carbohydrates. Why complex carbohydrates? Because they are very slowly absorbed and therefore serve as a long guaranteed source of energy for the body, and vegetable fiber has the property of absolutely not split in the intestines, and therefore qualitatively cleanses the gastrointestinal tract. These are products such as vegetables, fruits and various cereals, of which the buckwheat porridge is most useful.
To reduce swelling in patients with hypothyroidism, it is recommended that you limit yourself to taking liquids and table salt, since salt has the property of detaining fluid in the body.
Very characteristic for patients with hypothyroidism are constipation and for controlling them are very effective sour-milk products: kefir, yogurt, varenets, etc., and dried fruits: prunes, dried apricots, figs, dates. Also very useful for the purification of the gastrointestinal tract are fresh juices-beet, carrot, and apple.
To improve the metabolism in the diet of patients with hypothyroidism, it is necessary to include, in addition to the products mentioned, cottage cheese, cheese, lean meat and fish, that is, products serving as a source of protein, vitamins and mineral salts.
If a patient with hypothyroidism had obesity, then in this case it is necessary to adopt the diet number 8, which has a lower energy - 1800 kcal. In the most difficult cases, the energy value can already be 1200 - 600 calories, but in this case, the doctor's control is mandatory, and, as a rule, such a diet is used only in the hospital. These diets consist, basically, of the same products that were already named above, that is, products that can provide the body with protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral salts.
The main method of treatment of hypothyroidism is medication, which consists of replacement therapy with thyroid hormones. But in combination with it, proper nutrition, undoubtedly, gives a positive result in the fight against this disease and is able to significantly improve the patient's condition.