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All you need to know about thyroid

Thyroid: All You Need to Know

Do you realize how commonly you hear about someone suffering from thyroid? Despite being so common, you might be quite confused that what exactly is the thyroid? It is essentially a gland present in the human body which performs various vital functions in the body. You might be surprised to know that in India alone, around 42 million people suffer from thyroid-related diseases. And in the United States, the estimates say that this number is around 20 million. In fact, a lot of people aren’t even aware if they are suffering from any thyroid disorder.  But today, you are in luck because we will help you in learning everything about thyroid. You can learn about this gland, its functions, thyroid-related diseases, lifestyle improvements to make, and much more! What is the Thyroid Gland? The thyroid is a gland situated in the front of your neck. It is a small butterfly-shaped gland that helps in performing various vital functions in the body. This gland is part of the endocrine system, and similar to other glands, it helps in creating different hormones for the body. These hormones act like messengers in your body that carry signals to the different parts of the body to regulate various bodily functions. Since these functions are highly essential for the body, there are over 50 hormones in the human body. As for the thyroid gland, it produces three hormones: Tetraiodothyronine hormone which is also known as the thyroxine or the T4 hormone Triiodothyronine hormone which is also known as the T3 hormone Calcitonin hormone What are its Functions? In an overview, the thyroid gland has an effect on different body functions like breathing, heart rate, metabolism, mood, weight, and others. The three hormones it produces execute different tasks that help the gland maintain the body in a healthy state. The T4 and T3 hormones improve your metabolism and make it faster by increasing the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of your body. This generally happens thanks to the help of iodine which increases the efficiency of all your body cells. In infants and children, the thyroid helps develop and grow the brain and other important tissues dependent on this gland. Even during pregnancy, it also helps in the development of the baby’s brain and the nervous system. Talking about the Calcitonin hormone, it lowers the calcium levels in your blood without affecting your bones. Calcitonin does the same by inhibiting the function of osteoclasts which are cells that break down your bones. In other words, Calcitonin prevents the breakdown of your bones and stops calcium from being released in your bloodstream which gets produced during the breakdown of your bones. Calcitonin also lowers the amount of calcium that gets reabsorbed by your kidneys and released into the bloodstream which effectively lowers the calcium levels in your blood. The thyroid gland also communicates closely with the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland releases the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) to control the number of thyroid hormones secreted. This maintains a healthy balance of hormones as it prevents overproduction or underproduction of hormones. Iodine and Thyroid Iodine is a trace element which means that it is required by the body only in minute amounts. It plays a highly crucial part in the functions that the thyroid gland performs. As the two main hormones, T3 and T4 are made in this gland using Iodine. Iodine in the body is absorbed by this gland and the synthesis of the hormones begins which are then released into the bloodstream. Although, the human body is not capable of producing this mineral on its own. Therefore, it is important to have a proper intake of iodine through the food you eat. If your body lacks iodine, your body won’t make enough hormones.  An average adult is recommended to take 150 mcg of iodine daily and the need increases for women who are pregnant or nursing. There are a variety of iodine sources present in food items like eggs, dairy, seaweed, cod, iodized salt, etc.  Thyroid related Diseases An imbalance in thyroid hormones can affect a number of processes in your body. This can lead to various diseases like the ones we will be looking at below: Goiter The Goiter is a condition where the thyroid gland becomes enlarged or a cell of this gland grows more than its normal size which creates lumps. You can face Goiter due to both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism or even when the gland is working just fine. Symptoms of Goiter Swelling of the neck area Pain in the neck area Difficulty in swallowing Coughing Hoarseness in your voice Although, if you are facing issues with your thyroid, you may face more than just the symptoms of Goiter. You can even have the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism at the same time. Causes of Goiter Iodine Deficiency: When your body is deficient in iodine, the thyroid gland produces fewer hormones. Due to this, the pituitary gland sends a signal of producing more hormones. This leads to the enlargement of the thyroid gland in order to complete the request made by the pituitary gland. Hashimoto’s Disease: It is an autoimmune disorder that attacks its own cells. This results in reduced production of the thyroid hormone, which leads the pituitary gland to send a signal to produce more hormones, increasing the gland\’s size, and causing goiter. Grave’s Disease: This is another autoimmune condition where the immune system produces a protein called Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI). This protein then makes the gland produce more hormones along with the TSH and increase in size leading to goiter.  Thyroiditis: Inflammation caused in the thyroid gland can lead to goiter as in the initial stages it leads to hypothyroidism and later to hyperthyroidism. Thyroid Nodules: The thyroid gland can sometimes develop some nodules which can lead to enlargement in this gland. Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a condition that occurs when your thyroid gland is not producing enough of the hormones required for body functions. The symptoms of hypothyroidism

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Why do Most Diets Fail

Why Most Diets Fail?

Thinking about getting on a diet? Does it make you scared to imagine what all you will have to quit eating to get your dream body? If yes, then you got the concept of dieting wrong. So today, it’s time you get familiar with actual dieting.  Diet is a term derived from the Greek word \”diaita\” which basically means the way of life or the way of living. Hence, a diet was not just a pattern of eating to lose weight as we are familiar with it nowadays. Instead, it is the type of lifestyle a person has, which includes their eating habits and lifestyle habits. There are numerous diets around the world, some are more popular than others, but still, they fail to accomplish their purpose most of the time. You must have tried at least one of them to lose weight but got disappointed with the progress you were making as they were not sustainable.  Thus, in this article, we will look at the possible reasons why the trending and fad diets nowadays don’t really work and why most diets fail. More importantly, you will even learn about the best ways to maintain your health and achieve your fitness goals. Trending and Fad Diets To know why diets don\’t work, let\’s analyze some of the trending and fad diets nowadays and weigh the advantages and disadvantages to get a better understanding of where the approach goes wrong. While there are all sorts of diets that you can go for, following are some of the most popular trending and fad diets: Paleo Diet This diet mimics our ancestors who were hunters and gatherers and was prevalent around 10,000 years ago. Mainly a paleo diet means having whole foods, fruits, meat, nuts, seeds, etc. while avoiding any processed food items, dairy, legumes, and grains. Although, this is a controversial diet as most people consider current agriculturally produced food to be comparatively unhealthier since modern agriculture is not considered as good as the one during the caveman era. Advantages Helpful with type 2 diabetes. Reduces inflammation and digestive stress. Helps with weight loss. Disadvantages A very restrictive diet with limited food options. It is sometimes possible to overeat. This diet primarily requires a person to consume meat which is impossible for vegetarians. The absence of grains and other food groups can lead to the loss of certain vitamins and minerals. Keto Diet The Keto diet is one of the most popular currently trending diets because of the relatively faster results that come with it initially. Keto is a low carbohydrate high-fat diet. But as carbs are also important for the body, not getting enough of them will put your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your body doesn’t have enough carbs for energy requirements and instead uses fat for energy. A standard keto diet has 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs. Advantages Reduces appetite which helps in being consistent with dieting. Speeds up metabolism. Helps in weight loss when in a calorie deficit.  Great for type 2 diabetes. Helps in reducing the risk of Alzheimer\’s disease.  Improves symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Disadvantages Very restrictive Can get expensive May lead to loss of muscle mass Not enough energy to workout Almost impossible for Indians as legumes and rice are our staple food Can cause issues with your lipid profile Unsustainable in the long run Low in fiber During the initial weeks, you may experience Keto flu which has symptoms like digestive discomfort, headaches, nausea, and lack of energy.  Intermittent Fasting An intermittent fasting diet is among the most trending ones and almost every other person has given it a shot. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that includes consuming two meals a day and fasting for 12-16 hours every day. Well, it works by putting you in a calorie deficit by excluding one whole meal from your diet. Even though some do pretty well with intermittent fasting, it is not for everyone.  Advantages As it involves fasting for a time period, it is not very restrictive in calories and food items Helps in reducing inflammation It may help in boosting metabolism It may or may not be helpful with type 2 diabetes Can improve heart conditions Helps in weight loss Disadvantages Increases cravings During the initial stages, you can feel headaches, bloating, nausea, etc. In women especially who suffer from PCOS long hours of fasting can worsen insulin resistance Unsustainable in the long run Disturbed sleep 800-1000 Calorie Diet Such a type of diet is used very rarely and under the supervision of a specialized doctor as it has potential risks involved. Here basically, you will be consuming very low-calorie food items aimed at rapid weight loss. Hence, such a diet is used only in the cases of adults who are obese and those who are at a medical risk because of their weight. You should not get on such a diet without consulting a doctor as an average adult male needs 2000 Kcal and a female needs 1600 Kcal a day even with a sedentary lifestyle. Advantages Can help in reducing weight rapidly to manage morbid obesity Can help with diabetes, cholesterol  Disadvantages Too low calories can slow down metabolism Unsustainable for longer periods This can lead to low energy and fatigue Can lead to hair fall, muscle loss, dull skin, and amenorrhea.  High Protein Diet A high protein diet includes higher protein and mostly low carbohydrates. It’s considered a safe option for a shorter period of time. Here, you would be consuming more protein than required. And you will have to avoid highly processed food items and focus on choosing healthy protein sources from plants and animals. Advantages Reduces hunger cravings Can boost metabolism Helps in weight loss Helps in increasing muscle mass Disadvantages Limiting carbs too much can lead to deficiency in some nutrients  Can affect kidneys by creating harmful metabolic waste Can increase ammonia and uric acid levels in the blood. Unsustainable

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All you need to know about PCOS

All you need to know about PCOS

PCOS has become very common in women nowadays and yet we are not equipped with all the important details. It is a condition that affects a majority of women everywhere and can be a risky factor causing other serious illnesses. Here, in this article, you will discover all the details about PCOS and will get a clearer view of how to manage it and improve your health. What is PCOS? Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that can have various symptoms. For example, in some women, PCOS can cause enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges. Although PCOS is common in women of reproductive age, the exact cause is still unknown. Women with PCOS can face some or many of the following issues: Irregular periods Production of male hormones Cysts in the ovaries A PCOS patient can be identified if they have some or all of the above conditions. There are 3 types of PCOS:  Insulin Resistant: Almost 70% of females suffer from this type of PCOS where their body’s response to insulin hormone is affected.  Inflammatory PCOS: In this type of PCOS women have elevated CRP (C- reactive protein) levels suggesting that some kind of inflammation is present in the body. Adrenal PCOS: In this type of PCOS, you might be feeling constant stress and your DHEA levels might also be high. PCOS v/s PCOD v/s PCO You might have heard about PCOS and PCOD terms that are used interchangeably quite a lot. That is because they are referring to the same condition. They just vary in their full form where PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease and PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Both have the same symptoms and similar causes. Another term related to PCOS is PCO which stands for Polycystic Ovaries. Here, the ovaries have partially mature follicles and generally have no symptoms nor does it affect a woman’s fertility in most cases. It is different from PCOS as PCOS is a complex condition that affects a woman mentally, physically, and emotionally.  Symptoms of PCOS There is no definite list of symptoms that a PCOS patient might experience. They may or may not have any symptoms given here. Down below, you can find the most common symptoms seen in PCOS patients: Irregular periods Excess hair growth on the face, chest, tummy, and lower back Chronic acne Hair thinning or hair fall Painful periods Rapid weight gain Infertility or difficulty in getting pregnant Dark skin patches High cortisol levels (stress hormone) So, if you are experiencing some of these symptoms then make sure to consult a doctor. How to Diagnose PCOS? If you are experiencing the above symptoms, then it is important to diagnose them. This simply means to discuss your symptoms with a gynecologist and take their advice. Your doctor might suggest you get an ultrasound of the lower abdomen which can clearly show the size and location of the cyst if it is present. This is not a definitive test for PCOS as there are cases when no cysts are present. So, it is also advisable to get your hormones checked; majorly TSH, LH, Testosterone, Dhea, insulin, etc. How does PCOS Affect your Body?  Having PCOS can affect your body and be a cause of other health issues as well. Some of the common effects of PCOS are the following: Complications with fertility: As PCOS is a disorder affecting the ovaries, it disturbs the process of ovulation leading to difficulty in getting pregnant. Depression and anxiety: PCOS leads to hormonal imbalances and altered brain chemistry which results in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In fact, around 34% of women with PCOS suffer from such issues. Eating disorder: The various symptoms related to PCOS can lead to body image issues in some women which may lead to certain eating disorders. Sleep Apnea: It is a sleep disorder that is more common in overweight women with PCOS. It includes episodes of repeated pauses in breathing while sleeping. Metabolic Syndrome: Women suffering from PCOS are at a greater risk of having metabolic syndrome which is a group of conditions consisting of increased blood pressure, increased sugar levels, abdominal fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels. A person who has this syndrome is more vulnerable to heart diseases, diabetes, and stroke. Endometrial Cancer: This cancer develops in the uterus beginning in the layer of cells that form the lining of the uterus. Having PCOS can increase the risk of getting endometrial cancer due to hormonal imbalances occurring in the body. Is PCOS Curable? As you are now familiar with the symptoms and effects of PCOS on your body and health, the next question arises of how to cure PCOS. And the certain answer to this is that PCOS is not an illness, rather it is a disorder in your ovaries that cannot be changed. Hence, it cannot be cured. However, it can be managed and the symptoms can be reversed with proper lifestyle changes. What can you do to Improve PCOS? So, what can you do to improve and reverse PCOS? Generally, your doctor might prescribe you some medicines and they help in most cases. But, making lifestyle changes will help you the best in the long run. Let’s dig into some sustainable and healthy lifestyle changes that can be made to improve the symptoms of PCOS: Reduce Processed food: Exclude highly processed food like white bread, refined carbs, sugary drinks, and others as they are known to increase insulin resistance. This creates difficulty in losing weight and thus can worsen a PCOS patient’s situation. Low GI food: Having low Glycemic Index (GI) food can improve your insulin levels as they control the sugar levels and thus can help in PCOS. Examples of low GI food include green vegetables, chickpeas, lentils, etc. Healthy Diet: A healthy diet for a PCOS patient should include whole foods, grains, fruits, tons of vegetables, and lean proteins like chicken, and fish. A combination of high fiber, low

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All About Calorie Deficit

Calorie Deficit : Everything You Need To Know

Do you get confused about what exactly is a calorie deficit every time someone mentions weight loss and why do you need to be in it to lose weight? Nowadays, calorie deficit diets are trending everywhere but it is still a complex concept to understand. And so, we are here to help you in understanding everything about calorie deficit diets!  In this article, you will learn what a calorie deficit is and the different factors that are important to get into a calorie deficit and achieve your dream body. What is a Calorie? To better understand calorie deficit and calorie deficit diets, you must first be familiar with the term calorie. Every cell of your body requires energy in order to perform its functions effectively. Hence, a calorie is a unit that is there to measure energy. To be more exact, a calorie is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water from 0 to 1 degree Celsius. For example, 1 gram of carbohydrate is equal to 4 calories. Every food item has some calories but the difference is whether it has any nutritional value or not. The calories present in junk food are empty calories because they do not contain any nutritional value. What is Calorie Deficit? If you are on a weight loss or fat loss journey, then you would have certainly heard about a calorie deficit diet. When you consume fewer calories than your body burns during the whole day, it\’s called being in a calorie deficit. Creating a calorie deficit helps in aiding weight loss, hence it is a crucial thing to do if you want to lose weight or fat. For example, if your daily calorie requirement is 2000 Kcal where you consume1800 Kcal a day depending on your goals. Doing this will create a deficit of 200 Kcal. Now, in order to dig deeper into this topic, you will have to be familiar with the concept of TDEE. TDEE TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. As the name suggests, it is the total energy you need to consume in terms of calories from food to perform your daily bodily functions. This includes body functions such as breathing, digestion, and others even while being at rest. TDEE also considers the extra activity you perform throughout the day. It includes physical activity like exercising, walking, daily chores, and more. To better understand TDEE, let’s look at the different components required to calculate it. BMR: It stands for Basal Metabolic Rate. It is the rate at which your body burns calories to keep the body functioning at rest. It accounts for about 60-70% of the daily calories burned. TEF: It stands for Thermic Effect of Food. It is the energy which is there to digest and process different macronutrients in your diet. TEF can vary from person to person based on the amount of macronutrients consumed. While TEF is different for different macronutrients, the most common estimate for TEF is around 10% of your total calorie intake. TEA: It stands for Thermic Effect of Activity. It is the measure of how many calories you will burn during your training and workouts, or any other extra physical activity that you do on a daily basis. How to Calculate Calorie Deficit? When you calculate your calorie deficit, you have to first calculate your TDEE which includes multiple components. And then, you can create a deficit according to how much you think should be the ideal deficit according to your goals. It\’s better not to go above a deficit of 25-30% generally in order to stay in a healthy deficit. Let’s have a look at the formulas that can be used to calculate the BMR, TEF, TEA, and finally TDEE. BMR For Men: BMR = 10*weight (Kg) + 6.25*height (cm) – 5*age (years) + 5 For Women: BMR = 10*weight (Kg) + 6.25*height (cm) – 5*age (years) – 161 TEF As explained earlier, it is around 10% of your total calorie intake. TEA The thermic effect of activity depends on the intensity of training you are involved in. So, the formulas are also modified according to the different levels of activities: Sedentary: if you have little or no exercise may be because of a desk job, then TEA=BMR*1.2 Lightly Active: Light exercise or playing sports 1-3 days per week, then TEA=BMR*1.375 Moderately Active: Moderate exercise or playing sports 3-5 days per week, then TEA=BMR*1.55 Very Active: Intense exercise or playing sports 6-7 days per week, then TEA=BMR*1.725 Extra Active: Highly intense exercise, training twice a day, playing sports, or having a physical job daily, then TEA=BMR*1.9 TDEE After using all of the above formulas you are ready to calculate your TDEE, which is as follows: TDEE = BMR + TEF + TEA This is the formula used to determine a person’s daily energy expenditure and a calorie deficit can be created using this. Although, these are not the only things a nutrition coach keeps in mind while devising a plan. They take many more factors into account while planning your meals in a way that you get proper nutrition while having fewer calories. Factors Affecting Calorie Requirement By now, you would have guessed that there is no \”one size fits all\” criteria for a calorie deficit. You can’t go into the same deficit as someone else because everyone has different bodies. As for the factors that can affect a person’s calorie requirement, you need to consider the following to calculate a calorie deficit: Age: As a person’s age increases, their calorie requirement decreases.  Sex: Males naturally have a higher calorie requirement than females. Hence, their deficits are different. Height: Height has a direct impact on a person\’s BMR, and the higher the BMR, the higher is the calorie requirement. Thus, it is an important factor while creating a deficit. Weight: Similar to a person\’s height, their weight is also a direct factor of BMR. Hence, it also affects a person’s calorie requirement. Metabolism:

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How Metabolism Affects Weight Loss

Metabolism and Weight Loss: Affects of Metabolism

Have you ever wondered why your friend can eat anything and everything and still look the same? And you might wonder about the relationship between metabolism and weight loss and then continue to blame your metabolism? In fact, if you have ever tried to lose weight you must have heard about having a slow metabolism as well. Thus, further in this article, we will look at what exactly is metabolism and the factors that affect your metabolism. You will also learn the role of physical activity, and lastly, what can you do to improve your metabolism. So, let’s explore everything you need to learn about metabolism and how it affects weight loss. What is Metabolism? Before moving on to the factors affecting metabolism, let’s look at the basic definition of it. Metabolism is the process by which the body converts the food you consume into energy. It determines the rate at which your body burns calories. Since it’s a complex process that combines calories and oxygen to create and release energy, it is broken down into two separate processes: Catabolism: It is the breakdown of food into simpler components, releasing energy. Anabolism: It uses the energy from catabolism to build and repair cells as well as for bodily functions. These both processes come together to make up your metabolism which helps in your daily bodily functions. What is BMR? Your body burns calories even while doing basic functions such as respiration, digestion, nervous functions, and more even while being at rest. And the rate at which your body burns calories to keep the body functioning at rest is determined by BMR i.e. Basal Metabolic Rate. In fact, it accounts for about 60-70% of the daily calories burned because of which BMR can affect weight loss as well.  Slow v/s Fast Metabolism for Weight Loss In the past, you may have heard about having a slow or a fast metabolism. So, let’s see why different metabolism exists. The speed of metabolism varies from person to person and some part of it depends on genetics as well. Hence, you can have a slow or fast metabolism irrespective of your body size. If your body is burning fewer calories than required, then the excess energy is stored in the form of fat. Hence, if you have a slow metabolism with a slower calorie-burning rate, it can result in difficulty in losing weight. While on the flip side, if you have a fast metabolism, your body burns calories at a faster rate which explains why your friend still looks the same even after having literally anything in their diet. Major factors that define how your metabolism is the way it is are lifestyle-related; so you may be able to control how your metabolism works. Metabolism and Weight Loss The reason you are not able to see changes in your weight cannot entirely be your metabolism’s fault. The process of weight loss or weight gain is a complicated one, so there’s no one specific factor that affects your progress.  To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit which essentially means consuming fewer calories than what you burn in an entire day. If you are gaining weight, then it is most probably because you are consuming more calories than you are burning. Metabolism can affect your weight loss as it can be a bit easier to lose for those with a fast metabolism. Because if you have a fast metabolism, you will be burning more calories which can make up for the calories that you consume throughout the day. However, a slow metabolism cannot make you gain excess weight unless you have some sort of medical condition or you are in a calorie surplus. Factors affecting Metabolism and Weight Loss Genetics are just a small part of the reason why your metabolism might be affected. Instead, a major part is played by two types of factors including lifestyle and medical factors which are as follows: Lifestyle factors affecting Metabolism Unlike what you would expect, your metabolism is not only affected by medical factors but also lifestyle factors like the following: Age: With increasing age, BMR lowers and people tend to lose muscle mass which causes their metabolism to slow down. Physical Activity: With regular workouts, you can burn more calories than your BMR and build lean muscle mass which can effectively fasten up the metabolism. Body size and composition: Higher the weight, the higher is the BMR. Hence, it is more likely that a person with a higher weight will burn calories at a faster rate.  Gender: Men have relatively more muscles than women of the same age and weight which helps them burn more calories. Sleep: Sleep plays an important role in keeping your metabolism normal. Lack of sleep slows down your metabolism and can trigger food cravings as well. Stress: Cortisol is a stress hormone that your body produces naturally. An increase in stress levels can increase cortisol levels which can affect your carbohydrate and fat metabolism. While this is useful for basic human survival, it can cause cravings which can cause weight gain due to increased calorie consumption. Medical factors affecting Metabolism Medical conditions can play a significant role in determining the cause behind your metabolism as well. Hence, it is important to be aware of these factors: Hypothyroidism: It happens when there isn’t enough thyroid hormone in the bloodstream which slows down the metabolism. Cushing’s disease: Here, the cortisol levels are high which leads to increased appetite resulting in an effective slower metabolism. Polycystic ovary syndrome: Women with PCOS, particularly with insulin resistance, have a low BMR which leads to a slower metabolism that can hinder weight loss. Pituitary gland disorders: The pituitary gland secretes hormones for the proper functioning of your body. Hence, any disturbance in this process can cause hormone imbalances which can affect your metabolism. Improving your Metabolism for Weight Loss By now we know what metabolism is, what all types are there, and the

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