Women are more sensitive to thyroid problems and variations in their thyroid hormone levels. So we’ve created an overview of how to keep your thyroid in check. 

Staying lean and keeping up your activity level reduces your odds of developing a thyroid disorder. Building muscle tissue via weight training is one of the best ways to fight the slowing metabolism that interferes in healthy thyroid function. If you’re gaining weight despite a healthy diet and active lifestyle, then a thyroid test is in order. If you're feeling light headed, developing dry skin, have cold hands, or losing hair, then it almost certainly is your thyroid to blame. 

A lack of iron can leave you feeling constantly tired. It also interferes with the proper function of your thyroid. Your body absorbs more iron from meat than it does other sources, so the easiest fix is to eat red meat, pork and poultry. If you’re vegetarian, you’ll need to increase your iron intake through other foods rich in iron, such as beans, spinach and iron-fortified cereals and breads. 

An iodine deficiency increases your odds of developing a thyroid disorder. The rollout of iodized salt helped eliminate goitre in the West. However, we've increased the average person's intake of sodium. This increases one's odds of developing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. This means you need to get iodine from sources other than iodized salt. You can get it from seafood like saltwater fish and sea vegetables like kelp. You may even be able to get iodine from plants grown in iodine rich soil and some dairy products. 

We also need to watch our zinc intake. Zinc is used by the body to convert thyroid hormone T4 to T3, the form readily absorbed by the body. For this reason, a zinc deficiency contributes to hypothyroidism. Eating food rich in zinc like meat, legumes and seeds, or taking a mineral supplement may be enough.

Up to a third of women develop a thyroid disorder over their lifetime, but people often ignore warning signs like weight changes, exhaustion or poor thermal regulation of the body. The first reason not to ignore these symptoms is that problems will only grow worse with time. Second, the longer it is untreated, the greater the toll on the rest of your body. 

Note that a thyroid test could save you from getting unnecessary psychiatric treatment. It is sad to see so many women diagnosed with depression when they're gaining weight and feeling tired when the root cause is poor thyroid function. On the flip side, an overactive thyroid can trigger anxiety as well as a fast heartbeat and rapid weight loss. 

Thyroid problems can mean expensive medical bills. If you want to look into private health insurance options, visit iSelect. Good health coverage means you'll be able to get tested when you think things are out of whack. You won't have to wait to see an endocrine specialist if something is wrong and you won't have problems getting medication if necessary.