January is thyroid awareness month.   

Most of us have heard about thyroid glands, but we may not realize the importance of the gland or that we may have symptoms of this disease. 

The thyroid is a gland in the neck in charge of your metabolism and creating new proteins. The gland is part of the endocrine system, which directly affects almost every single organ. Thyroid problems begin to occur when the thyroid gland produces too much hormone or not enough.
Today, some 30 million Americans are affected by thyroid disease. 

There are several illnesses and diseases related to the thyroid, including hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, and goiter, and thyroid cancer. 

Some symptoms associated with these conditions are fatigue, depression, constipation, mild weight gain, dry thinning hair and dry skin.  

The only way you can really determine for sure if you have thyroid disease of any type is to have a blood test that measures your thyroid hormone levels. 

It is highly recommended to get tested if you are a senior over 60, have family members diagnosed with the disease or believe you have symptoms.