The native Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii walp, commonly called maca, is a vegetable similar to turnips. Historically, maca is used as a traditional medicine to enhance fertility and sexual desire while also reducing stress. Before consuming this...
Goiter is the medical term used to describe an enlarged thyroid gland. Goiter is most often associated with an iodine deficiency, although there are other possible causes. The symptoms of goiter can make it difficult for you to engage in certain...
A member of the mustard family, maca is a vegetable that may yield health benefits when consumed as a medicinal supplement. Historically, dried maca powder has been used to enhance fertility, sexual libido, endurance and strength; however,...
The endocrine system consists of a group of glands that produce hormones -- substances produced in one part of the body that act on cells in another part of the body. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, produces two major hormones, T3 and...
Lepidium meyenii, commonly known as maca, is a plant native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru. Maca is available in liquid, capsule, tablet and powder form. Studies have shown that maca may be beneficial for certain health conditions such as...
Beets, which belong to the same plant family as spinach, Swiss chard and quinoa, contain a variety of compounds that are gaining attention for their ability to positively impact human health. Beets contain a unique combination of phytonutrients,...
Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. Women over 50 are especially susceptible to hypothyroidism. When left untreated, it may lead to weight gain, joint pain, heart disease and...
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland located at the front base of the neck, and when it becomes enlarged it is referred to as goiter. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that it enlarges when it is not able to produce enough...
A goiter, or swollen thyroid, can have a variety of different causes. One potential cause is an iodine deficiency, which can be related to significant flaxseed consumption. Although iodine deficiency is rare in most developed areas, it is possible...
While goiter does not always have a known cause, some cases stem from under-active thyroid gland production, or hypothyroidism. Low iodine consumption is one cause of hypothyroidism with goiter. Your doctor will examine you to confirm you have...
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that lays across the front of the lower throat. A healthy thyroid produces a hormone called thyroxine, or T4, which is converted to the more active hormone, triiodothyronine, or T3. These hormones work all...
A trace element, iodine is essential to thyroid hormone synthesis in the human body. A lack of iodine can be detrimental to your physical and mental health. It can also affect the health of your baby if you are pregnant. If you think that you may...
A goiter is an enlargement of the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that is found at the base of your neck. The thyroid gland regulates the production of your thyroid hormones, which controls your metabolism. Goiters occur as a result of iodine...
A goiter is simply an enlarged thyroid gland that's caused by a lack of the thyroid hormone. The gland becomes enlarged to compensate for this deficiency. You can usually identify a goiter as a distinct lump in your neck. In milder cases it may...
An enlarged thyroid, or goiter, is a condition in which the butterfly-shaped gland in the base of your neck grows larger. Goiter is usually not painful but can be very uncomfortable. It is caused by various diseases, illnesses and conditions of...
Goiter is the swelling of the thyroid gland, which is a small gland located in the neck. The thyroid gland produces thyroxine and triidothyronine, hormones important for bodily functions such as metabolism and the control of body temperature....
The thyroid is a small gland situated below the Adam's apple in the neck. The thyroid produces hormones that affect the activity of nearly every tissue of the body, from the hair and nails to the heart and brain. Diseases and conditions of the...
Hyperthyroidism is the excessive production of thyroxine by the thyroid gland. This condition results in an auto-immune disorder called Graves' disease. Graves affects women up to 10 times more frequently than men as does thyroiditis, an...
Made from high protein soybeans, soy contains isoflavones, saponins and phytosterols, and is cholesterol-free and low in fat. Soy is found in whole soybeans, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, supplements, soy flour and meat substitutes. A...
Metabolism is a body process in which energy is acquired from ingested food. Chemicals in the body break food down into sugars and acids, which provide energy to the body. This energy may be used immediately or stored in the body for later use,...
Thyroid surgery may consist of a biopsy or lumpectomy, in which only a small portion of the gland is removed, or a lobectomy, in which half of the gland is taken out. More complete removal of thyroid tissue is called a thyroidectomy. Doctors may...
Your thyroid gland is a structure in your neck that helps regulate use of the energy in various foods in your diet, as well as normal brain development in fetuses and newborn children. Kelp, also called Atlantic kelp or bladderwrack, is a form of...
The thyroid, a bow-tie shaped gland located above the collarbone, regulates the body's energy level, pulse and heart rate. Symptoms in men appear if the thyroid produces too much or too little hormone, and if there is a benign or malignant growth...
People with thyroid disease have a variety of symptoms with a variety of causes. The unique butterfly-shaped gland, located in the mid-lower region of the neck, produces thyroid hormones responsible for regulating growth and metabolism. Too much...
Autoimmune disease results when the immune system misidentifies a body cell or tissue and attempts to neutralize it as if it were a foreign substance. Inflammation, one component of the immune response, is common in these conditions and results...
Women who have high levels of thyroid hormone in their blood may have an overactive thyroid gland, a medical condition called hyperthyroidism. Approximately one in every 1,000 women is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in the United States each year,...
Iodine deficiency usually is not a problem in the developed world thanks to the addition of iodine to table salt, but it continues to be a cause of disability worldwide. It can cause mental retardation in children born to mothers who are...
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine organ that lies just below the Adam’s apple. It produces the hormones triiodothyronine, or T3, and thyroxine, or T4. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland regulate the synthesis and...
A goiter is a swelling of the thyroid gland, which is in the front part of your lower neck. A goiter can become large enough to notice visually and sometimes needs emergency medical treatment because it can inhibit swallowing and talking. Goiters...
