healthy body tips

The thyroid is a small gland located under the skin and muscles in the front of the neck, right where a bow tie to rest. It is red brown with left and right halves (called lobes) that look like the wings of a butterfly. It's light like a butterfly, too, and usually weighs less than an ounce.

As small as it is, however, the thyroid has an enormously important job to do, especially for adolescents. That makes hormones that help control metabolism and growth. To do its job, the thyroid needs a chemical element called iodine that the body absorbs from the food we eat and water you drink. The body contains about 50 milligrams of iodine. About 1 / 5 to 1 / 3 of the tender (10 to 15 milligrams) is stored in the thyroid. The thyroid iodine combines with tyrosine (an essential amino acid) to produce important hormones.

Thyroid hormones are released from the gland and travels through the bloodstream to the cells in your body. Help control the growth and structure of bones, sexual development (puberty), and many other body functions. By helping your cells convert oxygen and calories into the energy they need to function properly, these hormones are important in determining if your body is mature as it should. Thyroid hormones also directly affect how most of your organs function. So if your thyroid is not functioning properly, can have problems in many other parts of your body.