The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 04-26-2020 | Page 15

NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020 ❚ 15
HEALTH QUARTERLY / ADVERTISING SECTION
‘It Impacts Weight, Sleep
And Mental Health’
What You Need to Know About Your Thyroid
M
ichele Adams is quick to say,
“I don’t want to throw anyone
under the bus,” but it took her
being hit by a car for her thy-
roid disease to finally be diagnosed.
Adams has always been an active
person, but for a few years, she had
felt tired and had a constant tightness
in her throat. She was diagnosed with
post-nasal drip but did not feel relief
after a year of treatment.
“I thought this exhaustion, hoarse
voice and lump in my throat were just
my new normal,” Adams said. “I’d
accepted it, and I shouldn’t have.”
During this time, Adams went on a
bike ride in northeastern New Jersey
— something she still does frequently.
However, on this day, Adams was
struck by a car as she was biking.
The incident resulted in an MRI scan.
Adams was not seriously injured, but
doctors noticed something unexpected.
The scan revealed nodules in her lower
neck, which suggested thyroid disease.
“I now realize I had symptoms of a
thyroid condition for years,” Adams
said. “I’d had it up to here with not
feeling like myself. Once I had the MRI
results, I knew to seek out a thyroid
expert, and I found an endocrinologist.”
WHAT YOU PROBABLY DO NOT
KNOW ABOUT YOUR THYROID
Thyroid disease is more common
than diabetes and heart disease, but
more than half of Americans with thy-
roid disease are unaware, according
to the American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists (AACE). This lack of
awareness can endanger a person’s
health and well-being.
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped
gland located low in the front of the
neck below the Adam’s apple. It pro-
duces thyroid hormones that influence
almost every cell, tissue and organ in
the human body.
Common signs of thyroid diseases:
n Unexplained changes in weight
n Depression, anxiety or irritability
n Changes in memory or ability to
concentrate
n Joint or muscle pain or weakness
n Fatigue or trouble sleeping
n Fast or irregular heartbeat
n Irregular menstrual periods
Cheryl Rosenfeld, D.O., is a thyroid
expert and AACE member. Rosenfeld is
PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
The first step to ensure your thyroid
gland functions properly is to speak
with a health care provider.
also the physician who treated Adams’
thyroid disease.
“If the thyroid does not function
correctly, it can affect every possible
aspect of a person’s life,” Rosenfeld
said. “Remember that thyroid conditions
can cause changes in mental health,
including depression. I’ve also spoken to
patients who’ve experienced an inability
to concentrate, which seriously affected
their performance at work.”
Several disorders can arise if the
thyroid produces too much hormone
(hyperthyroidism) or not enough
(hypothyroidism).
Other thyroid diseases include:
n Nodules
n Thyroid cancer
n Graves’ disease
n Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
n Thyroid eye disease
Undiagnosed thyroid issues can also
place a person at increased risk for
heart disease, osteoporosis, infertility
and other serious conditions.
Visit thyroidawareness.com to learn
more about thyroid health.
— Provided by Family Features
Valley Hospital
Earns Newsweek
World Ranking
T
he Valley Hospital has been named one
of the world’s best hospitals by Newsweek in
its World’s Best Hospitals 2020 list for a second
consecutive year.
Created by Statistica in collaboration with GeoBlue,
the World’s Best Hospitals 2020 ranking lists the 1,500
best hospitals in 20 countries (and one city-state): United
States, Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy,
Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark,
Norway, Finland, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Singapore,
India, Thailand, Australia, and Brazil.
Valley was ranked as the 155th best hospital in
the U.S. and the third best hospital in New Jersey for
2020.
“We are honored to be considered among the best
hospitals in the world,” said Audrey Meyers, president
and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health
System. “Valley is committed to providing high-quality
care and service to our patients and their families
through our specialized programs and distinctive
technologies, as well as through our partnerships with
Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute and the
Mount Sinai Health System. This recognition is a testa-
ment to the innovative work of our doctors, nurses, and
staff in delivering an exceptional patient experience.”
The 1,500 hospitals recognized on the World’s Best
Hospitals 2020 list were selected based on recom-
mendations from medical professionals, patient survey
results, and medical performance indicators.
Women’s Health:
Be Mindful of Your
Health, and Help Others
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
skills aren’t enough, reach out to family and friends
and/or a therapist or psychiatrist, if necessary.
Dr. Scheller advises that we should validate our
children’s and young adults’ feelings of grief over
everything they are missing out on and over how much
life has changed. As adults, we understand that things
could always be worse, but kids might process it dif-
ferently. It is important for each of us to have a sense
of purpose and meaning in our lives. In order to feel
connected to something larger than yourself and to
find strength in difficult times, both experts suggest
focusing on helping relatives and elderly neighbors, to
the extent possible while observing social distancing
norms. Encourage children to do the same; sending
cards of thanks and encouragement to health care
workers can brighten the days of both the senders
and the recipients. These, of course, are all healthy
behaviors that will hopefully continue when “normal”
life resumes.