The Best Article Directory

A thyroid imbalance means that the thyroid gland is not working properly, and this can affect many different aspects of your health. It is a fairly common problem, suffered by thousands of people.

When the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, it is called hyperthyroidism or an over active thyroid. When too little thyroid hormone is produced, this is called hypothyroidism or an under active thyroid. Because the thyroid hormone acts like a messenger that regulates the functions of the body, a variety of symptoms are experienced. Your heart rate, temperature, appetite, energy levels, muscle strength, growth, fluid balance and blood sugar levels are just some of the body’s functions that can be affected.

People with hyperthyroidism, an over active thyroid, may experience hot flushes, palpitations, increase in appetite, weight loss, insomnia, shortness of breath, diarrhea and an enlarged thyroid gland, among other symptoms.

A person with hypothyroidism, an under active thyroid, may experience fluid retention, irregular menstrual cycle, brain fog, general fatigue, low body temperature, constipation and weight gain. These symptoms show that insufficient thyroid can affect every part of the body. Because digestion isn’t carried out properly, nutrients from the food you eat are not absorbed into the blood stream, leaving you feeling lethargic, lacking energy and foggy in the head.

Stabilizing thyroid function may take time for some patients, because the correct balance needs to be found. Medication is the most common treatment given by doctors, in the form of thyroxin, or T4, for hypothyroid patients and anti-thyroid medication for hyperthyroidism. However, there are steps that you can take to help yourself to manage your symptoms and aid your recovery.

Hyperthyroid patients should focus on eating larger quantities of green vegetables, especially cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, mustard greens, spinach and kale. Also beneficial are beans, peas and other legumes. Eat more calories to help with your weight loss by increasing your intake of good carbohydrates like whole grain breads and cereals. Increase your calcium intake to reverse the possible weakening of your bones, and eat more lean protein to help to build up your muscles again.

You should always limit extra sugar and saturated fats, but pay particular attention to this while you have a thyroid imbalance. Also avoid stimulants like coffee, cola drinks and alcohol which may affect your immune system. Take probiotic supplements or eat live-culture yogurt every day to maintain healthy intestines to aid absorption of nutrients.

If you have an under active thyroid, increasing iodine is going to help. Kelp, a rich source of iodine, can be eaten or taken as a supplement. Foods that are high in iodine include bananas, garlic, oatmeal, iodized table salt, radishes, parsley, potatoes, seafood, meat, yogurt and eggs.

Patients with hypothyroidism are often lacking in other substances besides iodine. Supplement your diet with selenium, tyrosine, zinc and vitamin A, C and E. Foods that boost your immune system will also help, so eat lean beef, sweet potato, mushrooms and blueberries and drink green tea. Regular, moderate exercise has been proven to boost your immune system, and will also help you feel better.

Would you like to learn more about hypothyroidism and weight gain? Read other articles at hypothyroidism diet

Yerba Mate is a special tea from Argentina which, ironically, is never really referred to as “tea”. Anywhere you go in Argentina or Uruguay, you will find yerba mate. Teachers, students, professionals, businessman, bus drivers, etc. everyone always has mate. What’s more is that mate is not just for drinking, but much more…

Yerba mate is almost a common type of tea in the U.S. nowadays. It is growing in popularity. It’s interesting though that Americans have begun to drink it like other teas; from the bag.

In order to make traditional mate, three things are needed: a gourd, cup or “mate”, a metal straw called a “bombilla”, and some loose tea called “yerba.”

Again, yerba is a type of tea. Yerba grows in South America. When mate is drank for the first time, the taste can often be very strong or bitter. Many say that mate has a smokey taste to it. In Argentina, it is common to include the stems of the yerba plant in the bags of loose yerba.

To start, fill your mate about two thirds full of yerba. Next, place your hand over the top and shake the mate upside down so that the loose poweder falls through onto your palm. Brush you hand off and then pour some warm water into the mate to wet the yerba. Then, put your thumb over the drinking end of your bombilla or metal straw and put the straw into the wet yerba. Make sure to insert the straw at an angle.

Then, fill the mate with hot water (not boiling) by pouring the water directly over the bombilla. Some frothy bubbles should form, which is very good. Now it’s time to drink. But know that mate isn’t really for quenching thirst; it’s a social thing. It is for bonding with our friends and family.

In a group of mate drinkers, the custom is as follows: There is a server. The server prepares the mate and then begins to pass it counter clockwise in a group. When the mate is handed to you, you take it and drink the entire contents before handing it back to the server, so that he may fill it up and hand it to the next person. You can drink it all in one long sip, or within a few minutes. An important thing to remember though, is not to say “thank you” when you hand it back, unless you mean to say that you do not want anymore.

When you’ve been drinking the same mate for a while, you’ll notice that pretty soon the yerba starts to float. This means that the yerba is ready to be dumped out. It is “lavada” or “washed” and can be simply dumped out so that new yerba can be added.

As I said earlier, drinking mate is more social that it is practical. It’s about taking time to listen to each other and relax and enjoy time with the people you care about. If you are ever in a situation where someone offers you mate, don’t refuse! You may not like the taste at first, but give it a chance, and not only will you learn to like it, but you will make some new friends in the process.

Want to find out more about Yerba Mate, then visit Silvio Mcvay’s site on tea culture Argentine Tea Sets to discover the world of tea.

If you are the one responsible for food and drinks at your next party then you know that it can get expensive. One beverage that is often times at the top of the list is coffee. If you happen to be lucky enough to own a K Cup Coffee brewer then here are three tips that can help you save money when purchasing coffee for your next big bash.

One way is always check the Sunday coupon ads in your local newspaper for the K Cups you would like to purchase. Often times people have a tendency to overlook sales ads and feel that it is too much work for the money that is actually saved. But in reality you can actually save a lot of money utilizing this method.

If you find that clipping coupons is not for you then you also have the option of searching the internet for discounts on K Cups. Finding deals online is extremely easy as long as you conduct your search using the right keywords. Use words like “K Cups best price” or “K Cups sale” this will result in you landing on websites that are offering the best deals. One of the benefits you will find when purchasing your coffee online is that many retailers will offer you free shipping when purchasing more than one box at a time.

The third option for saving some money when purchasing K Cup coffee is to join a online coffee club. Websites often give you discounts when signing up for their monthly coffee program. One particular program offered by Caribou Coffee is offering and incredible deal. If you sign up for their cafe express coffee club, now through April 1, 2010 you will save $2.50 off of any Caribou K Cup boxes. They will also send out monthly personalized order reminder emails fourteen days before the order ships allowing you to make any changes to your order. This ensures that you will not run out of coffee while purchasing your K Cups at a great price.

As you can see these are three great tips for saving some money on your next coffee purchase. So put these tips to use and begin saving money today.