Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/915948
COMMUNITY FORUM Do you have a comment about an article you read in thrive? Email BMHAskThrive@nyp.org and let us know if we can print your name and submission. See previous issues at www.nypbrooklynmethodist. tncmdigitaleditions.com. H Y P O T H Y R O I D I S M A N D M E N O P A U S E HI THERE. I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU COULD INCLUDE AN ARTICLE ON HYPOTHYROIDISM IN THE MENOPAUSE YEARS. I LOVE YOUR MAGAZINE, AS IT IS SO INFORMATIVE! THANKS SO MUCH. BEST, ENID R. Thanks for writing, Enid. I recommend taking a look at the Spring/Summer 2016 issue of Thrive where we ran an article about thyroid disorders that included hypothyroidism ["Meet the Body's Energy Executive," pages 18 –21]. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is under- producing hormones and it shares many symptoms with menopause, including fatigue, weight gain and irregular menstrual cycles. If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism, speak with your doctor about undergoing a simple thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test. —Edmund Giegerich, M.D., Chief of Endocrinology and Vice Chairman of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital M U S I C A N D M E N T A L H E A LT H I LISTEN TO MUSIC A LOT—WHEN I WORK OUT, ON THE WAY TO THE OFFICE, BEFORE I GO TO BED—YOU NAME IT. I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT MY LOVE FOR MUSIC MIGHT ACTUALLY BE CONTRIBUTING TO MY HEALTH FROM THE ARTICLE "SOOTHING SOUNDS" [THRIVE, FALL 2017]. I FIND THAT LISTENING TO MUSIC HELPS ME PREPARE FOR THE DAY, POWER THROUGH MY WORKOUT OR RELAX BEFORE SLEEPING. JERRY I S S M O K E L E S S S A F E ? I RECENTLY DECIDED TO QUIT SMOKING AND STARTED USING VAPORIZERS INSTEAD. I THOUGHT I MADE A GOOD CHOICE, BUT AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR ARTICLE "5 REASONS TO STOP SMOKING NOW" [THRIVE, FALL 2017], I WANTED TO ASK IF SMOKELESS OPTIONS LIKE VAPORIZERS ARE ACTUALLY SAFE TO USE. THANKS, MATTHEW M. Unfortunately, vaporizers still introduce large amounts of nicotine into the body, which can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and some cancers. I recommend quitting all nicotine products as soon as you can. For more information about the dangers of smokeless nicotine and tips for quitting, look at the Fall 2015 issue of Thrive ["Saying ' No' to Cigarettes May Not Be Enough"]. —Rameen Miarrostami, M.D., Pulmonologist, NYP Brooklyn Methodist F IN D A D O C T O R 718 . 49 9.C A R E ( 2 27 3 ) 31 R E A D E R L E T T E R S