10 October 2013 www.womanthismonth.com 70 September 2013 www.womanthismonth.com www.womanthismonth.com 71 September 2013 Epidemiological studies estimate that over 200 million people have been diagnosed with an active thyroid disorder of which 80 per cent are middle-aged women. Have you got yourself checked yet? Though the thyroid gland can be host to a variety of diseases, the most commonly seen conditions in women are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Now before I confuse you with more medical terminology, let’s start with the basics. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine organ that is located on the anterior part of the neck and is one of the many glands that produce hormones into the body. The main ones produced by the thyroid are known as T3 and T4. These are responsible for a variety of bodily functions, mainly regulating the body’s metabolism. In simple words, this is the rate at which the body uses energy to regulate the normal functions of the body. And ladies, the bad news is that any alteration in the body’s metabolism, as seen with thyroid disorders, can affect your sleep, skin, hair, waistline and mood. What is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism (or an under active thyroid) is a condition wherein the thyroid is sluggish and doesn’t produce enough hormones to maintain bodily functions. It is most commonly due to an autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s disease. The term autoimmune means our body’s immune cells accidentally attack our own cells and in this case our thyroid. There isn’t a specific reason as to why this occurs but researchers suggest that genetics and recurrent viral infections can play a part Other causes include exposure to radiation, iodine deficiency, certain drugs, thyroid surgery, treatment for hyperthyroidism and it’s sometimes seen with pregnancy. Researchers argue that stress and environmental toxins contribute to hormonal dysfunction. Symptoms of hypothyroidism: • fatigue, lethargy and weight gain • dry skin and scalp with associated hair loss • cold intolerance • decreased appetite • constipation • muscle pain, joint pain, weakness in the extremities • depression and mood swings • menstrual abnormalities The good news is that hypothyroidism is a manageable condition and requires lifelong replacement of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine for most people. However, if it is left untreated, symptoms may progress and can ultimately lead to serious complications including coma. Hence, it’s imperative to schedule a doctor’s appointment and get tested if you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms. What is hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroidism (or an over active thyroid) refers to a condition that occurs when the thyroid produces excess amounts of hormones and leads the body into a state of metabolic overdrive. It is most commonly caused due to an autoimmune disorder known as Graves’ disease. Our body’s own immune system attacks the thyroid cells and stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormones. Other causes include thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid, post infection or pregnancy), non-cancerous lumps of the thyroid (known as toxic or multinodular goitre) and excessive intake of thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism: • weight loss with increased appetite • heat intolerance, excessive sweating • anxiety, irritability and difficulty concentrating • rapid heart rate • increased frequency of bowel movements • tremor of hand • menstrual abnormalities • bulging of the eyes • skin thinning along with hair loss • fatigue and insomnia It is a condition that is very well controllable with a wide range of medications and in some cases surgery. Left untreated, it can lead to many complications such as heart problems, osteoporosis and a condition known as thyrotoxicosis (or thyroid storm), which is a sudden intensification of symptoms that can lead to potentially fatal outcomes. Expert advice Thyroid disorders are a global phenomenon these days; more and more women are being diagnosed every day. Dr Saeed Khalaf, consultant endocrinologist at the Salmaniya Medical Hospital, helps us understand the risks of these common disorders. “Even till this day too many thyroid related issues go unnoticed. Symptoms are overlooked or misinterpreted as pure signs of stress or depression. Thyroid disorders have always been common. It’s just that people are more aware and there are better screening and diagnostic methods today,” Dr Khalaf explains. The risk factors: • gender and age • family history • surgery or radioactive iodine exposure to the thyroid • pregnancy • smoking • iodine deficiency, excess iodine supplementation • various drugs and medications • over consumption of soy products • raw goitrogenic foods like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and turnips • highly stressful life events • nutritional deficiencies • infections • use of artificial sweeteners Environmental factors, diet and stress contribute to thyroid disease. However, women can overcome this. “Some of the risk factors are avoidable, reversible and manageable. Women should be proactive and be more aware. Controlling stress, diet and environmental factors are beneficial to the overall health of women,” he states. According to the expert, the potential complications of untreated hypo hyperthyroidism are numerous. Hypothyroidism can lead to goitre, increased cholesterol levels, heart problems, mental health issues, impair fertility, cause birth defects in children and lead to a severe but rare complication known as myxedema coma, which requires immediate medical attention. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, can lead to heart problems, osteoporosis, eye problems, red swollen skin and a severe complication called thyrotoxicosis, which is a sudden intensification of symptoms, leading to a fever, a rapid pulse and even delirium. Immediate medical care is necessary in this case as well. LIFESTYLE | wellbeing Is Your Thyroid the CULPRIT? by SUSMITHA S AROLI letters Taking a big step Reading an article about a woman and knowing how she got past the boundaries of life is an inspiration for every girl and woman around the world. The September edition of Woman this Month, showcasing Shayma Amin’s powerful and strong personality, has given me a slight but amazing idea of how women are supposed to be and how they can be. This article isn’t only about how we should be thinking and acting outside the box. It showed me how powerful women can be, how everyone can make a difference, and how to fight the downside of life. I have this big and steadily growing dream about working for the UN and this article and many such articles posted by your magazine keeps inspiring and motivating me to follow my dreams and not worry about failure and to just keep ‘pushing the boundaries’! Madushi, by email. Across the border I love Woman this Month. It is so interesting. I aim to become a fashion designer one day and the magazine actually suits my taste a lot! I live in Pakistan and look forward to your publication on issuu.com every month. Nur, by email. Make time for yourself First of all, let me congratulate the Woman this Month staff, especially Elma, for a very informative, imaginative and most of all chic and stylish magazine in Bahrain. Bravo! I am now an avid fan of your magazine. The change in your magazine layout is very impressive in each edition and I’ve always wanted to write to you. In your September edition, I read a piece regarding thyroid disease. I always thought I was like superwoman, even when I started getting extremely tired, gained weight and had difficulty in breathing. I hadn’t taken it seriously until I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue with shortness of breath and subclinical hyperthyroidism. When I Googled thyroid diseases, I found that I had already experienced all the symptoms, but I ignored them by telling myself that they were just signs of ageing. Now, I am struggling with hormonal changes. I feel this experience is worth sharing as most of the women have the same mentality of being a superwoman. We are doing so many things at the same time. We think of others first before ourselves. Though there are circumstances that are really unavoidable, we have to stop to hear the echoing voice inside our body and feel the need to change. We have to understand that change of age demands a change of lifestyle. We should get regular health checkups and remember to follow up! Maria, by email. WRITE IN AND WIN This month’s star letter will win a month’s membership at Sheraton Fitness Centre worth BD175. To win this, send us your views and opinions on our October 2013 edition either by email to [email protected], by fax to 17 813-700 or by post to PO 20461. 50 September 2013 www.womanthismonth.com www.womanthismonth.com 51 September 2013 Shayma Amin has always known her mind. This straight-talking 33-year-old comes from a family of strong-minded women, each remarkable in her own way. After finishing high school, Shayma was awarded a full scholarship to study petroleum engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, a five-year programme which she completed in three and half years. At 22, she joined the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) as petroleum engineer before moving to the company’s international desk as business analyst in charge of business development. Shayma is now Kuwait’s national representative at the OPEC secretariat in Vienna, a post that confers on her a diplomatic status. We caught up with her as she readied her bags for her new assignment. Woman This Month (WTM): How do you perceive yourself? Shayma Amin (SA): I’m a very stubborn person and I use that to my advantage. Whenever I’ve been told that I cannot do something, I’ve reached out and accomplished that very thing. I’m very competitive and function well under pressure. I believe in speaking my mind. WTM: What made you opt for petroleum engineering? Do you think you’ve accomplished what you set out to achieve? SA: I was 11 years old when the Kuwait War happened and as we were flying over my country, all I could see through the window was burning oil fields. It was a sight I would never forget. Later, I started telling my family that I would do something to revive the oil fields in my country when I grew up. Fortunately, the more people doubted me, the more determined I was to prove myself. I’m very proud to be where I am today; it just proves that there are no limitations. Women tend to mentally impose limitations on themselves. WTM: How do you keep yourself motivated? SA: I’m a person who needs constant challenges and new experiences. Despite having the technical skills at KUFPEC, I opted for an international role, which involved networking and dealing with people abroad. This is because I’ve never enjoyed being in a comfort zone. In any event, women have to work twice as hard as men in order to be taken seriously in the oil and gas industry. WTM: Who was your role model as a child? SA: At home, it was my mother, who brought up three children single-handedly after my father’s passing. She taught us that we didn’t need a man to take care of us and that education was our main weapon in life. Also, my aunt Qamriya Amin is stronger than any man I know. She heralded the women’s rights movement in Kuwait in her own way back in the 1960s, before anyone in the region had heard of it. She was a motivational speaker and started the Girl Scouts in Kuwait. She lost her husband, three brothers and son in quick succession and then was diagnosed with cancer, but she fought back every misfortune. WTM: What has been your biggest challenge so far? SA: On the career front, the challenge was to prove myself in a male-dominated work sphere, regardless of my youth and gender. The initial years were difficult but luckily the job involved a lot of travelling and dealing with foreigners. I made the best of what I had. On the personal front, I was married at 17 and I have a six-year old boy. Given my travel schedule, the challenge is to spend quality time with my son and make him aware of the importance of what I do so that he understands my commitment to him and my job. WTM: Do you think gender stereotypes are finally beginning to fade in your country? SA: Let’s say it’s a work in progress. Kuwaiti women are doing very well as entrepreneurs. On the career front, things are gradually looking up for women, as their participation in the workforce rises. Ultimately, it all depends on how motivated a woman is and how badly she wants to succeed. You need to be thick-skinned and you should be intent on proving yourself. WTM: What does it take for a woman to break the glass ceiling in the Arab world? SA: First of all, you need loads of self confidence and self-belief. Secondly, you can’t excel at something you don’t feel strongly about. So listen to your inner voice and do what truly inspires you. You must pursue your passion rather than opt for a profession that’s considered prestigious, well paid or culturally acceptable. WTM: What do you consider your single biggest achievement? SA: As a working mother, I don’t believe in being scarred by guilt for the time I spend at work, away from my son. At a very young age I’ve made him understand what I do, why I do it and why my work is important to me. My son is now very proud of me and he respects me as a mother and as a career woman. WTM: What is your ultimate dream in life? SA: I want to touch more lives by mentoring young girls and women. I’d like to be more active in the public sphere, but I’m aware that I will need to polish my Arabic speaking skills to make that happen! g by SImI KAmbOj Single mum and fiercely independent career woman, Shayma Amin has been nominated as Kuwait’s representative at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headquarters in Vienna. The self-made Kuwaiti shares her journey with us. Pushing the Boundaries people | interview 2011 mEED interview Bahrain Edition BEAUTY | FASHION | HOME | WELLBEING | PARENTING | LOCAL ISSUES September 2013 | Issue 127 | BD1 / SR10 www.womanthismonth.com woman this month SEPTEMBER 2013 ı THE FASHION ISSUE ı www.womanthismonth.com HOME SUBSCRIBERS COPY ISSUE 127 SHAYMA AMIN Her path to success health listen to your body WAYS TO GET YOUR KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL Autumn/Winter 2013 Trends THE FASHION ISSUE INTERIORS The seasonal makeover HAIRCARE qUESTIONS ANSWERED 10 Write Here Write Now STAR LETTER www.womanthismonth.com 13 September 2013 Autumn Winter Be ready for a season full of attitude. From strong and ladylike to rebel and punk styles, you will find out that the AW 2013 collections will make history in your wardrobe. WTM picked the main trends of the season especially for you! Have fun and enjoy your days of shopping. Follow the trends: 14 Modern Diva 16 Blue Tones 18 Country Chic 20 Boy Meets Girl 22 Deep Prints 24 Drama Heroine 26 Fashion Rebellion 28 Grey Matter 30 Material Girl 32 Into the Wild 2013 Mulberry
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