The thyroid is a small but very important butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck, which secretes the hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine that help the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat. Reduced function of the gland is called hypothyroidism, and excess hormone secretion is called hyperthyroidism. Thyroid problems are rising, especially among women, and autoimmune disorders — faults in the body’s immune system — are blamed as a cause.
Some foods help improve thyroid function, such as those rich in iodine, vitamin C, zinc, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, pyridoxine (B6) and selenium. Iodine is found in sea fish, spirulina, milk, eggs, shrimp and iodised salt; vitamin C in amla, guava, lemon, green chilli, orange and potato; zinc in beef, liver, chicken, pumpkin seeds, mustard and eggs; thiamine in wholemeal bread, brown rice, oats and peanuts; riboflavin in milk, yoghurt and dairy; niacin in brown rice, pomegranate, chicken and tuna; pyridoxine in liver, brown flour and rice, oats, walnuts, ripe banana, mango and sweet potato; and selenium in mushrooms, eggs, garlic, onion, fish, chicken, tomato, tuna, broccoli, milk and dairy.
Some foods hinder thyroid hormone production and can reduce the effectiveness of medication, such as soybean, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, radish, betel leaf, cigarettes, alcohol and excessively fibrous foods. Hypothyroid patients gain weight quickly and may feel palpitations, sudden heat and restlessness, while hyperthyroid patients lose weight and may have raised blood pressure, diarrhoea and reduced memory. Both types of patients need a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit, and fish, meat, eggs and skimmed milk as needed; tea, coffee and sugar should be dropped because the metabolic rate is raised, though green tea may be taken, and regular walking or exercise is advisable.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report