Hypothyroidism, known as hypothyroidism, is a common endocrine system disease characterized by decreased thyroid function, leading to insufficient secretion of thyroid hormones in the body. This disease significantly impacts the quality of life of patients and requires timely diagnosis and treatment.
There are various causes of hypothyroidism, which may originate from thyroid abnormalities such as thyroid inflammation, thyroid damage after surgery or radioactive iodine therapy, or defects in the pituitary or hypothalamus leading to decreased thyroid function.
Patients often exhibit symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and decreased memory, severely affecting their daily life and work.
When diagnosing hypothyroidism, doctors typically combine the patient’s symptoms and signs, perform blood tests to determine the level of thyroid hormones. Once diagnosed, patients need to undergo appropriate treatment to restore normal thyroid function.
It is worth noting that the treatment of hypothyroidism requires long-term adherence, and patients should follow medical advice, undergo regular check-ups, and adjust medication doses promptly. Moreover, maintaining good lifestyle habits and mindset also helps improve treatment effectiveness and alleviate symptoms.
01
What symptoms appear in the body after hypothyroidism develops?
Firstly, hypothyroidism patients often feel fatigued and weak, as if their bodies are restrained by invisible shackles, unable to unleash vitality. This is due to insufficient thyroid hormone secretion, resulting in a decrease in the body’s metabolic rate, reduced energy expenditure, leading to a sense of fatigue.
Secondly, hypothyroidism patients often experience abnormal changes in body weight. On one hand, due to slowed metabolism and reduced calorie expenditure, patients are prone to weight gain; on the other hand, the weakened regulation of thyroid hormones on fat metabolism leads to fat accumulation in the body, further exacerbating weight issues.
Additionally, hypothyroidism also affects the skin health of patients. The skin becomes dry, rough, loses luster, and may even exhibit symptoms like peeling and itching. This is because thyroid hormones have a regulating effect on the growth and differentiation of skin cells, and hypothyroidism causes abnormal metabolism of skin cells, leading to skin problems.
Furthermore, hypothyroidism also influences the emotions of patients. They may feel low, anxious, or even exhibit depressive symptoms. This is due to the weakened regulatory effect of thyroid hormones on the nervous system, causing emotional instability in patients.
Lastly, hypothyroidism may induce a range of cardiovascular symptoms, such as slowing heart rate and increased blood pressure. This is due to the weakened regulatory effect of thyroid hormones on the cardiovascular system, leading to abnormal cardiovascular function.
02
Is it safe for hypothyroidism patients to drink soy milk?
Hypothyroidism patients do need to pay special attention to their diet. Due to insufficient thyroid hormones, the metabolic capacity of patients may decrease. Therefore, in food choices, they should try to avoid foods that may affect the synthesis of thyroid hormones. While soy milk is a nutritious and easily digestible beverage, considered a healthy choice for most people.
However, soy milk is not entirely harmless for hypothyroidism patients. Soy milk contains a certain amount of phytoestrogens, substances that may have a certain impact on the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Although this impact may not be significant, for hypothyroidism patients, any factor that could affect the condition should not be overlooked.
In addition, individual differences among hypothyroidism patients should also be considered. The severity of each person’s condition and individual characteristics vary, leading to differences in tolerance to soy milk.
Some patients may not experience adverse reactions after drinking soy milk, while others might experience worsening conditions.
In conclusion, hypothyroidism patients should try to avoid foods that may impact their condition, including soy milk. However, this does not mean that hypothyroidism patients cannot drink soy milk at all; they should consume it in moderation based on their individual circumstances.
03
Doctor’s advice: Protect the thyroid, avoid 3 things, eat 2 fruits more
Avoid 3 things
Firstly, it is recommended to avoid excessive consumption of foods such as high-iodine foods, spicy foods, and greasy foods. High-iodine foods like kelp, nori, and other sea products, while iodine is an essential element for thyroid hormone synthesis, excessive intake may disrupt thyroid function and even induce thyroid diseases.
Spicy foods like chili, Sichuan peppercorn, their spicy components can stimulate the thyroid, increasing the burden on the thyroid, which is detrimental to thyroid health.
Greasy foods can lead to fat accumulation, affecting the normal operation of the endocrine system, thereby adversely affecting the thyroid.
Eat more of 2 fruits
Conversely, two fruits have a positive impact on thyroid health, namely apples and kiwis. Apples are rich in dietary fiber and vitamins, promoting gastrointestinal motility, aiding in detoxification, and reducing the burden on the thyroid.
Kiwis are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants, enhancing immunity, helping resist the invasion of thyroid diseases.
04
Can hypothyroidism develop into thyroid cancer?
From a medical perspective, there is a fundamental difference in the mechanisms of occurrence between hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer. Hypothyroidism results from reduced thyroid function, insufficient thyroid hormone secretion, impacting overall metabolism; whereas thyroid cancer involves malignant proliferation of thyroid cells, with no direct correlation to hormone secretion levels. Therefore, from an etiological standpoint, hypothyroidism does not directly lead to the occurrence of thyroid cancer.
However, it is worth noting that while hypothyroidism itself does not transition into thyroid cancer, patients with thyroid diseases do have a certain risk of developing thyroid cancer.
This is because thyroid diseases may alter the structure and function of thyroid tissue, providing a potential environment for the growth of cancer cells.
Additionally, hypothyroidism patients often need long-term use of thyroid hormone medications for treatment, and prolonged medication exposure might also have adverse effects on thyroid tissue.
Therefore, for hypothyroidism patients, although there is no need to overly worry about the development of thyroid cancer, they should remain vigilant, undergo regular thyroid examinations to promptly detect and address any anomalies that may arise. Additionally, maintaining good lifestyle habits and mindset is also one of the important measures to prevent thyroid cancer.
