How Poor Air Quality can Affect You?

The thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck. It significantly affects general health and wellbeing and is essential for your body’s metabolism. Unfortunately, millions of people throughout the world experience thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Statistics suggest that thyroid disorders are one of the most common endocrine disorders and affect nearly 4.2 crore Indians.

How does the thyroid gland function?

The thyroid gland makes hormones that control various aspects of the body’s metabolism, such as heart rate, body temperature, and the rate at which energy is used by the body. Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are released into the bloodstream to do this. These hormones are essential for preserving the body’s homeostasis, or overall equilibrium. The body’s metabolism runs more efficiently when the thyroid is in good health. However, thyroid abnormalities can result in a number of different health problems.

Common thyroid disorders

There are several thyroid disorders that can affect the body’s metabolism and overall health. The most common include:

• Hypothyroidism
  This occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. 
• Hyperthyroidism
  This occurs when the thyroid gland makes high levels of thyroid hormone.
• Goiter
  This is a condition that causes the thyroid gland to become enlarged, resulting in a visible swelling in the neck. This may occur due to a variety of factors, including an iodine deficiency, autoimmune disorders, and certain medications.
• Thyroid nodules
  These are small lumps that can form in the thyroid gland. Most thyroid nodules are benign (non-cancerous), but some rare ones may be cancerous.
• Thyroid cancer
  This is a cancer that affects the thyroid gland.

Warning signs of thyroid disease

Depending on whether the body is producing too much or too little thyroid hormone, different indicators of thyroid disorders might be seen in different people. Thyroid issues are more common in women than in men. Around 1 in 8 women may experience thyroid issues at least once in their lives. Some women are more prone to thyroid issues than others, depending on factors including age, body type, and the level of thyroid hormone in the body. Here are some of the signs and symptoms that could indicate a thyroid abnormality:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Sensitivity to heat and cold
• Significant weight gain or weight loss
• Change in the appearance
• Feeling miserable
• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Digestive issues
• Dry skin
• Menstrual irregularities
• Fertility issues
• Thinning hair

While these symptoms may not necessarily indicate thyroid problems, you must still speak to your doctor for further testing and diagnosis. Thyroid disorders can often be diagnosed through a blood test that measures the levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body. This helps take the required medical action and reduces your risk of suffering from thyroid complications.

Facts about your thyroid

Here are some essential things to know about your thyroid gland:

• A TSH test is the most accurate way to diagnose a thyroid imbalance.
• Stress can worsen thyroid disorders.
• A thyroid imbalance must be addressed before and during pregnancy.
• Thyroid disorders can be emotional.
• Thyroid disorders usually require lifelong treatment.
• Women are more prone than men to have thyroid issues.
• Most thyroid disorders cannot be prevented.

Treatment of thyroid disorders

Treatment for thyroid disorders typically involves medication to correct hormone imbalances. Surgery might be required in some complex cases to remove all or a part of the thyroid gland. Thyroid imbalance is serious and can have a significant impact on your overall health and well-being. You must take charge of your thyroid health without any delay and seek specialist care. Consult doctors at our Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes for a detailed evaluation, management and care of your thyroid. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent long-term health complications. Do refer this link for further details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/endocrinologydiabetes/thyroidclinic.html

Cannot stop munching on that pack of chips? Love bingeing on your favourite gulab jamuns? Do you love indulging in your favourite cuisines? Be it a celebration or a regular day do you tend to overeat often? Overeating has both short-term and long-term health repercussions. Despite the fact that it makes you feel even worse later, people also use food to deal with stress and other unpleasant feelings. Even though it may seem like you’re caught in a never-ending cycle, binge eating disorder is curable. You may learn to regulate your eating and form a positive connection with food with the correct guidance and support.

When you frequently take more calories than your body requires to maintain normal physical function, it is a sign of an overeating habit. The habit does not, however, develop overnight. People who struggle with overeating frequently engage in the behaviour on several occasions. Over a period of time this can damage your health.

What happens when you overeat?

The signal from your brain informing your stomach that you are full takes around 20 minutes to reach your stomach. When you consume food after you reach this stage of fullness, you are overeating. A heavy meal can have both short-term and long-term effects on your organs, weight, and sleep. Find out what really happens to your body when you overeat:

• Overeating causes the stomach to expand beyond its normal size to accommodate the excess food. This discomfort can make you feel tired, sluggish or drowsy.
• Your organs must work harder when you eat too much.
•  The stomach secretes hydrochloric acid to digest food. Heartburn may arise from this acid backing up into the oesophagus after an excessive meal.
• Your stomach may also produce gas, leaving you with pain, discomfort and a full feeling.

Dangers of overeating

When you eat a lot, you end up with a heavy, sore, stuffed belly. Everybody experiences this occasionally. Large calorie intake is exhibited by individuals with binge eating disorders. That may completely wreck your system. The way the body functions is altered by this eating disorder. Here are a few long-term physical effects of binge eating disorder. 

• Weight gain
  When you binge eat, you frequently gain weight. Overweight people make about two thirds of patients with the disease. When you eat a lot of food quickly and don’t work off the calories through exercise, you may gain excess weight. Being overweight or obese also increases your risk of several chronic diseases.
• Heart disease
  Your heart has to work harder to pump blood to your body and lungs if you are overweight. High blood pressure, excessive cholesterol, and high blood sugar are all risks associated with being overweight, especially in the area around the abdomen. Your risk of heart attack and stroke is increased by all of these factors.
• Type 2 Diabetes
  Type 2 diabetes is more likely to occur in overweight people than in other people. That happens when your body is unable to produce or utilize insulin sufficiently to maintain a healthy level of blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes can result from binge eating disorder.
• Depression
  People with binge eating disorders are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Many individuals who binge eat do it to elevate their mood. This might make you feel guilty and encourage further bingeing.
• Sleep problems
  Research shows people with binge eating disorder are more likely than others to have trouble sleeping and suffer from sleep apnea. This sleep condition causes you to have frequent pauses while breathing.
• Joint problems
  Your joints can be harmed by the extra weight brought on by binge eating disorder. It might result in osteoarthritis. Your joints’ cartilage starts to erode at that point. Any joint, including the fingers, hips, and knees, may experience this.
• Fertility and pregnancy problems
  Binge eating disorder can also impact your fertility. Instead of following a normal cycle, periods might be erratic. During pregnancy, overweight women are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and high blood sugar, both of which are harmful to the mother and the unborn child.

Smart ways to avoid overeating

While everyone may feel tempted occasionally, here are some simple yet effective tips to stay away from overeating:

• Pay attention to your portion sizes.
• Avoid processed and deep-fried foods.
• Eat more salads and stir fries.
• Eat fresh fruits as snacks.
• Avoid distractions when you eat, such as watching screens or talking on the phone.
• Eat slowly and chew your food well.
• Stay hydrated.
• Plan your meals ahead. 

If you are suffering from an eating disorder or are overweight or obese, we highly recommend meeting our dieticians at the Department of Nutrition Therapy. A personalized diet plan is very helpful in correcting your eating habits and will help improve your health. Please find below the website link for more details: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutritiontherapy.html

Does the skyline look hazy to you? Do you see the Mumbai smog? For most of the last few weeks, the air quality has remained in the ‘poor’ category in Mumbai. This has adversely affected the health of many people especially vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. According to the network of monitoring stations that make up the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), an AQI (Air Quality Index) of 0-49 is regarded as “good,” 50 to 99 as “satisfactory,” and 100 to 199 as “moderate.” AQI above 400 ‘severe’ and above 500 is considered ‘severe+’.

How Air pollution harms your health?

Exposure to toxic substances can have both short and long-term consequences. Chest pain, breathing difficulties, coughing, throat irritation, airway inflammation, lung tissue destruction, impaired lung function, asthma, and an increased risk of respiratory infections are just a few of the negative impacts of breathing in low quality air. Around 3 million premature deaths worldwide are attributed to air pollution, the most of which are caused by lung cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute respiratory infections.

Particulate matter includes toxic substances including sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. They cause swelling by irritating the bronchial passages. Breathing gets more difficult as the tubes get smaller. People with pre-existing respiratory health conditions have trouble breathing and the poor air quality makes matters worse for them. The poor air quality is also leading to chronic infections and allergies amongst school going children.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases — including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma deteriorate your quality of life and may also lead to fatalities in extreme cases. Further with increasing age, your lungs, just like your heart, joints, and other parts of your body, age with time. They can become less flexible and lose their strength, which can affect their breathing capability. You must adopt healthy lifestyle habits to maintain the health of your lungs, and help them work optimally.

Our health expert, Dr Tanu Singhal, Consultant Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases specialist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai suggests that she has been seeing an increase in viral infections among both children and adults in the past two weeks. Exacerbation of conditions like asthma and allergies is the most common ailment she is attending to at this duration. People with a milder form of respiratory infections are at risk of developing severe forms of the infection due to poor air quality, she said. She also warned against self-medicating, except in allergy cases, for minor coughs and colds as taking antibiotics for viral infections does more harm in the long run without providing any immediate relief.

Health precautions

Here are some simple and helpful tips to protect you and your family from the poor AQI and air pollution:

• Check the air quality
• Avoid exercising outdoors when pollution levels are high
• Try to stay indoors if possible
• Wear a mask if stepping outdoors
• Invest in an air purifier
• Quit smoking
• Don’t burn wood or trash

If you or a loved one are facing a breathing difficulty, chest discomfort or wheezing do not hesitate to seek care at our Department of Pulmonary Medicine. Our pulmonologists can help manage your symptoms with prompt diagnosis and care. Call 022 42696969 for appointments. Please visit the below website for more details: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/pulmonarymedicine.html