Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - North Mississippi - (Page 42)

Your road map to detect, inspect or dodge a potential hazard—a thyroid disorder GEAR GET IN N estled below your voice box, your butterfly-shaped thyroid gland looks quite innocent. But proceed with caution. Weighing in at less than an ounce, it’s a potential hazard. Think of it as your body’s accelerator. If it’s not up to speed, your thyroid can leave you feeling exhausted, depressed or just plain stupid. You’re too wiped out to get off the couch—at 2 p.m. on a leisurely Sunday. You can’t concentrate, and your boss is nagging about the report that was due last week. You can’t remember last night’s dinner conversation or whom you promised to meet for lunch today. It’s tough to connect with your husband and kids when you feel wiped out. But your thyroid also can shift into overdrive. Picture yourself sitting in a car that’s idling quietly at a stoplight—until you ﬂoor the accelerator. You feel all revved up, and you didn’t even order a double shot of espresso in your café latte. As your thyroid pumps out excess hormones, your metabolism revs up. Seriously, who can complain about weight loss without dieting? But an overactive thyroid produces unwanted symptoms as well, from excessive sweating and nervousness to insomnia and hand tremors. While thyroid disorders are generally easy to treat, they’re also easy to miss or misdiagnose. So before you get caught in one of health’s common speed traps, use this road map to detect, inspect and dodge possible trouble. By Lori K. Baker ILLUSTRATION BY PHOTOLIBRARY 42 Vim & Vigor · SUM M ER 2 011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Through Thick and Thin
Power and Possibilities
Girl Talk
Say What?
Action Plan
Like This? Try That
George Clooney
A Day in the Life of Your Heart
Unexpected Heroes
Unexpected Heroes
Get in Gear
Get in Gear
A Real Lifesaver
A Real Lifesaver
In Case of Emergency
In Case of Emergency
Heal Better
Heal Better
Back to Bed
Back to Bed
The Clinic at Walmart
The Clinic at Walmart
Top Notch
Top Notch
Catch the Spirit
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2011 - North Mississippi