Goiter has become a matter of national concern in the Philippines due to its high prevalence in the country. On December 11, 2006, the Presidential Proclamation No. 1188 was signed declaring every fourth week of January as Goiter Awareness Week to intensify public awareness on the prevention and control of Goiter and other Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).

In light of this, we listed 4 things you can practice to reduce your risk of Goiter and other IDDs (Healthcentral, 2017).

1. Get enough iodine.

The most common cause of goiters is lack of iodine in the diet. Iodine is an essential part of your diet. Your body needs about 150 micrograms of iodine a day. If you don’t have enough iodine in your body, you cannot produce enough thyroid hormone which,in essence, could lead to Iodine Deficiency Disorders.

To prevent iodine deficiency, make sure to consume adequate amounts of iodine every day. Iodine can be found in a variety of food, but it is particularly abundant in shrimp, seaweed and other shellfish. Try to eat these iodine-rich foods more often; and at the same time, use iodized salt instead of the ordinary table salt to reduce the risk of iodine deficiency.

2. Avoid excess iodine consumption.

Yes, you read it right! While consuming adequate amounts of iodine is good for your health, too much iodine could cause things to go sideways.High levels of iodine in your body could lead to serious complications like thyroid gland inflammation and thyroid cancer.

Make sure to regulate your iodine consumption. Lessen your iodine intake if you think you’ve been consuming too much of it. You don’t want yourself getting into bad shape.

3. Stop smoking.

It’s a well-known fact that smoking is dangerous to your health, but it could also put you at a greater risk of thyroid diseases.

Cigarette smoke has a variety of toxins that cause increased excretion of iodine and ultimately, affect your thyroid’s performance. For instance, thiocyanate disrupts iodine uptake, which in turn blocks the production of thyroid hormones. Low levels of thyroid hormones increase the risk of hypothyroidism.

In order to avoid such cases from happening, quit the habit of smoking. It’s never too late to change your ways. It might be difficult at the beginning but take it slow and you’ll eventually get rid of the bad habit.

4. Do the Thyroid Neck Check.

There are treatments that could reduce the size of your goiter; so as much as possible, the goiter must be detected early to prevent it from getting any larger.

You can periodically examine yourself by performing a Thyroid Neck Check to see if there are any lumps, bumps, and swelling on your thyroid. To do this, you must first tip your head back and then drink water. As you swallow, feel your neck if there are any bulges below the Adam’s apple and above the collarbone. If you feel any bulge, see a doctor promptly.

There are times when these symptoms aren’t visible or felt, so if you feel uneasy about it, go visit your doctor and have your neck checked. It’s always better to be sure.

That wraps it all up! Just take note of these 4 simple things and practice them. Together, let us safeguard ourselves from acquiring Goiter and any other IDDs. #NO1DAFLendero