The Thyroid: A Small But Important Gland

January is Thyroid Awareness Month. You might remember hearing Oprah discuss her thyroid problem. What is the thyroid? It is a butterfly-shaped gland located below the Adam's apple (near the collarbone) that makes hormones to control the function of your heart, brain, liver, kidneys, skin and other organs. If the thyroid doesn't produce enough of the hormone, you can gain weight, feel sluggish and have dry skin. Producing too much of the hormone can cause racing heart, sleep disturbances and weight loss.

Some people with thyroid disease take a thyroid replacement drug and find they struggle to lose weight. High-fiber diets are known to inhibit absorption of thyroid replacement medicine for some people. But that does not mean they should abandon high-fiber food. The solution is to take thyroid medicine at least an hour before eating in the morning, so its absorption is not impaired.

Read more about the signs and symptoms of thyroid disease here.