When we take tests, particularly medical tests, most of us breathe a sigh of relief when we're told our results are "normal." In general, a "normal" test result is a good thing. But when it comes to tests of your thyroid hormone levels, "normal" doesn't really mean much at all. That's because "normal" thyroid levels can vary quite a bit from person to person. So what's normal for me may not be what's normal for you. And as you will see, when it comes to thyroid hormone blood tests, normal doesn't mean much of at all. 

As we age, we often worry about the declining functionality of our bodies, from our memories to our ability to run after our grandchildren. But something we don't often give much thought to is our sense of smell. That's too bad because it's fairly common for the sense of smell to decline with age. This can lead to decreased quality of life, as our sense of smell plays a major role in our perception of taste. And its loss can even be dangerous – imagine being unable to smell smoke or a gas leak. 

When it comes to general health advice, reducing your stress level tends to be right up there with exercising and eating right. Doctors typically want you to keep the stress hormone cortisol under control. That's because elevated cortisol can affect your immune system, memory, and weight, among other things. Relaxing and managing stress is certainly a good idea, but as with most of our hormones, when it comes to cortisol, one extreme may be just as dangerous as another.