January is Thyroid Awareness Month and I’m partnering up with Paloma Health to spread the word on thyroid health.
Disclosure – I received a free at home testing kit from Paloma Health but was not compensated for this post and all opinions are completely my own.
Did You Know?
- 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid condition in her life
- 12% of the US population has a thyroid disorder and 60% doesn’t even know about it
(Statistics per Paloma Health website )
What is a Thyroid?
The thyroid, which is found at the base of the neck right under the voice box, is a gland that produces hormones that help regulate your body’s metabolism, growth and development.
The thyroid produces 3 hormones –
- Triiodothyronine, called T3
- Tetraiodothyronine, called thyroxine or T4
- Calcitonin (involved in calcium and bone metabolism)
Sometimes our bodies need more thyroid hormones, and sometimes they need less. To make the right amount, the pituitary gland tells the thyroid whether to release more or less hormones into our bloodstream.
Thyroid Health Conditions
If your thyroid gland isn’t working correctly, it can cause a hormonal imbalance.
Hyperthyroidism = an over-active thyroid
This is when your thyroid makes and releases too many hormones. This can make a lot of the processes in your body speed up, leading to rapid weight loss, increased heartbeat and increased sweating.
Hypothyroidism = an under-active thyroid
This means your body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones to keep your body running normally. As your body slows, this can affect body temperature (you feel colder), tire more easily, skin gets dry and you become forgetful.
If a thyroid disorder is left undiagnosed and untreated it can put you at risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and fertility issues.
#ThyroidCheck Campaign
The wonderful team at Paloma Health are focused on getting the word about Thyroid Awareness!
Online Education Hub –
They have an amazing website full of great resources where you can learn about thyroid disorders, download helpful guides and even show you how to perform a self-exam of your thyroid.
At Home Testing Kits
During the month of January, Paloma Health is offering a “Buy One, Give One” sale on their at home thyroid testing kits. Meaning if you buy at a home testing kit, you can send one to a friend for free.
The at home kit is painless and can be fully completed in the comfort of your own home. A simple finger prick test is sent to the lab and you’ll receive a comprehensive report along with your results.
They also have an online risk assessment to determine where you fall on the thyroid risk spectrum.
