HEATHER, athlete and personal trainer: The thyroid is the largest gland in the neck and is responsible for regulating your body’s metabolism and energy levels. The three most common thyroid problems are underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and thyroid nodules.

Symptoms vary with each condition. But people who suffer from hypothyroidism often feel cold and lack energy. Other symptoms include, but aren’t limited to: weight gain, slowed thinking and depression. People afflicted with hyperthyroidism often feel hot and have lots of energy. Other signs of the disease include weight loss, irritability and exhaustion.

Both diseases often are misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia or depression because their symptoms mirror those of other disorders.

However, if you are diagnosed with a thyroid problem, find a practitioner who will work with you. Incorporate exercise into your thyroid treatment plan to help increase your metabolism and energy levels and to assist in regulating your insulin levels.

It is extremely difficult for the average healthy individual to begin and maintain an exercise program.

As a thyroid patient, it is even more critical for you to utilize exercise to improve your health. Begin by finding an exercise activity that interest you such as walking, dancing or yoga. As always, I advocate the benefits of strength training as well.

My clients with thyroid disease have seen incredible results with weight loss, increased muscle tone and increased energy levels.

However, as you embark on your new exercise program, realize that whatever modality you choose, you are going to feel fatigued at first. You must take gradual steps in increasing your exercise, intensity and frequency. An exercise professional can help develop a program that best fits your needs, experience and current treatment protocols from your physician.

Most important, stay abreast of the latest research. The field of endocrinology is one of the least understood and finding a good physician who specializes in this area can be challenging - even in a big city like Philadelphia.

Finally, if you feel that this subject does not affect you, be aware that a recently released study by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ concluded that millions of Americans, once considered to have normal thyroids, should be tested and possibly treated for abnormal thyroid function. The AACE’s guidelines double the number of people who have abnormal thyroid function, bringing the total to 27 million - roughly the number of people with diabetes and cancer combined.

So, if you’re experiencing signs of a thyroid problem, get yourself checked.

Here are some area doctors who specialize in endocrinology and may be of help:

BARBARA, arts, educational & cultural consultant:
Many Americans suffer from thyroid imbalance, and I am one of them. Several years ago, I was feeling rundown, sleepy, depressed, overwhelmed and irritable.

My sleeping habits were poor. And every day after work, I would go home and go to bed. I shared my symptoms with my doctor who ordered blood tests and a subsequent visit to a specialist called an endocrinologist.

The endocrinologist determined that I had calcium in my urine and problems with my parathyroid glands. After a biopsy, I learned that one of my parathyroid glands might be cancerous. Surgery was recommended to alleviate the threat of cancer.

I am a singer and the thought of throat surgery frightened me. My colleague had had the same surgery, and it damaged her vocal chords. I was concerned that the same thing might happen to me.

However, my husband convinced me that detecting cancer at an early stage was paramount, and I had the surgery. During the process, half of my thyroid and two of my parathyroid glands were removed.

My symptoms improved after surgery, and I started taking a Synthroid-type pill daily. I felt better and began doing things I hadn't done before. However, thyroid awareness and management is an ongoing endeavor. Although my surgery went well, not everyone with thyroid disease needs or opts for it.

The complexity of thyroid problems can prevent proper diagnosis and treatment, and far too many physicians lack the understanding and the expertise necessary to treat this disorder.

If you think you have thyroid disease, see a doctor. If you know you have a thyroid imbalance, become proactive with your personal thyroid management plan. The key is to do your own research. There is lots of patient information available online and at bookstores. Here are some recommendations taken from the book, “The Thyroid Solution,” by Dr.Ridha Arem, Chapter 18, Living a Thyroid-Friendly Life: Healthful Choices Day by Day.

Important Points to Remember:

ELLEN, journalist and anti-athlete: I drank a quart of Pepsi the other day. It was the final moment of realization that my thyroid disease is, once again, out of control.

I am hypothyroid, which means my thyroid gland does not produce enough hormone to keep my system running well.

I’m not sure why it takes me so long to determine that I am having a “thyroid storm,” as some people call it. It may be because I had been hyperthyroid, which means I had too much hormone, and I “burned out” my gland. When I feel like I have lead in my bones, it just isn’t natural for me to think that a little piece of me, in my neck, can take me so far down.

When I start drinking Coke or Pepsi, that is the final sign. I never drink that stuff. It usually makes me jittery. But I had to drink it when I was pregnant to keep from sleeping during a trial I was covering as a reporter at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. That probably was when my thyroid went bonkers. I wasn’t diagnosed for five more years. I drank a lot of coffee and soda in those days. And I got very fat.

Once diagnosed, I lost about 10 pounds and started on a fitness program and lost another 10. I gained it all back and more after my mother died five years ago.

I have learned, for me, that stress, particularly the loss of a loved one, a move or a family crisis throws off my thyroid levels. That leads to a series of symptoms that feed on each other and push me to the point that I am lethargic - not my usual MO. During this time, I normally skip my medication because I forget about it. It all sounds a bit crazy and by the time the Pepsi bottle comes out, it is. I am still trying to figure out why I don’t do a better job of self diagnosing. But this is part of the disease. Unless you have a lovely goiter (a lump on your neck), like I do, or unless your doctor finds nodules, the symptoms of thyroid disease are invisible and that can make you feel crazy. A blood test will show if the disease has surfaced. It took three blood tests for my disease to show up even though the doctors could see the goiter. So here’s some advice from a time-tested thyroid warrior:

1. If you are symptomatic and your blood tests show that you are hypothyroid, ask your doctor to give you the synthetic replacement hormone, usually in the form of Synthroid. If your doctor won’t do this, get a second opinion from an endocrinologist.

2. I’ve had doctors tell me that thyroid malfunction has nothing to do with fertility. Get a second opinion.

3. Some people have difficulty absorbing the synthetic hormone. Another drug will help by supplementing Synthroid. It’s called Cytomel. If your doctor will not prescribe it, get a second opinion. Cytomel saved my life.

4. If you think that you will lose weight by faking thyroid disease to get these drugs, you are fooling yourself. You may lose about 10 pounds with Synthroid. But the real weight loss will come with the energy that follows as the mental confusion, forgetfulness, memory loss and sad feelings abate. You will also stop drinking calorie-loaded foods, like Coke, just to stay awake. I have to work out at least three times a week to keep off weight even when everything is working well.

5. The most helpful Web site I’ve found is about.com. However, it is not a site written by doctors. So, check out the information with your doctors.

6. While I love my family doctor and come from a long line of general practice doctors, my experience is that they really don’t know how to treat this disease. If you are very sick, like I was, your primary physician will get you to a specialist. However, if you are having trouble getting pregnant or just feeling strange AND you have an irregular thyroid blood test, get to a reputable endocrinologist. Otherwise, you will spend years, like me, wondering if you are nuts and drinking way too much soda.

7. Even if you are well cared for by your doctors and feeling good, you are kidding yourself if you don't think that you have to start a fitness program. Whatever trigger you have - pregnancy, loss, overwork, sleep loss, work crisis - will come at you from time to time and throw off your system. The nature of this disease is such that it’s likely you won’t be able to catch a thyroid crisis without the help of a journal, a trainer, or in my case, a really patient spouse who can point to behavior changes even before you are ready to admit to them. One of the first signs, for some of us, is that we stop exercising.

8. If you are in perimenopause or menopause, you must talk with your doctor about eating soy foods to help with that life transition. Recent studies show that soy products interfere with the thyroid medicines.

9. Some doctors forget to tell you two basic keys to making sure your medicine works: Take your synthetic hormone - there are two different major brands - on an empty stomach and don’t eat for about an hour afterward.

10. Don’t take your Synthroid with calcium-enriched orange juice or any other calcium products. They block the absorption.

I know there are other thyroid patients out there with tips. Hit “Add your comment” below and help us all get better!

Philly's own Eagles are out of it; still, lots of us love the Super Bowl and all the hype and the parties it brings. This year's Big Game is Sunday, just days away.

If it’s your turn to host the Super Bowl party, try reworking the party-at-home fare this year by thinking of alternatives to the usual heavy-fat and sugar-laden dishes.

So many people are on restricted diets these days. Why not offer a variety of foods that meet varied dietary needs. Salt-free, sugar-free, low-carb, no-carb, vegan.

I know it is easier to buy chips and pretzels, but here’s a menu that will wow your friends, and keep ’em healthy at your Super Bowl party.

Mexican Meatballs

1 pound lean ground chicken, turkey or beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
Salsa
Salt and pepper (optional)
Mix lean ground meat and taco seasoning. Shape into 1-inch balls. Brown in skillet. Place on paper towel to drain. Reheat in oven. Serve with chilled or heated salsa. Makes 25 meat balls.

Mini Heroes

1 container Pillsbury Dinner Rolls
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 (6oz.) package Healthy Choice turkey or smoked ham
1/2 cup Healthy Choice non-fat pizza cheese
Place rolls on sprayed or non- stick baking sheet. Stretch rolls to form a 4-inch circle. Combine mustard, meat and cheese. Place mixture in center of roll, dividing equally. Fold roll over in the center and press edges with a fork to seal. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Serves 8.

Salmon Pinwheels, or vegan pinwheels (if you make veggie substitutions)

6 fat-free flour tortillas
1 (6 oz.) container salmon flavored fat-free cream cheese (or soy-based cream cheese)
1/2 cup salmon, flaked, boned and skinned or 1/2 cup veggies
2 green onions, chopped
Combine cream cheese, salmon (or veggies) and onions. Spread each tortilla with mixture and roll. Place in airtight container and refrigerate. Before serving, remove and cut tortilla into inch-size pieces. Makes 36 pinwheels.

Barbara’s Own Fruit Picks

Fresh fruit, washed, cubed and drained (pineapple, melon, grapes and strawberries work well)
Colored or fancy toothpicks
Ginger ale (optional)
Coconut (optional)
Arrange assorted fruit pieces on a tooth pick (that’s usually 3-4). Repeat the process until you run out of fruit. If desired, drizzle ginger ale or sprinkle coconut on the fruit picks. Arrange them on a plate or in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until partytime.

Non-Alcoholic Cocktail

Margarita mix (bottled)
Tonic water
Lime or lemon (cut into eighths)
Sugar (optional)
Cherries (optional)
Pour 1 part margarita mix into a shaker. Add 1 part tonic water. Add a twist of lime or lemon and lime. Add a bit of sugar and shake. Pour into a wine glass and garnish with a cherry or an orange slice.

Add your favorite wings, crackers or hot bread, and a large salad of spring mix and other salad greens, along with your favorite dressing. Enjoy your guests and enjoy the game.

Recipes were taken from "The Four Ingredient Cookbook," by Linda Coffee and Emily Cale. __________________________________________________________

JULIE, personal trainer and former athlete and coach: For those who opt to eat out on Super Bowl Sunday, there are healthy options on those sports bar menus too. Most offer a variety of salads. In some cases, fans may find treats such as mussels or portabella vegetable sandwiches on some menus.

ELLEN, anti-athlete: As we count down to the Super Bowl, many of us are preparing Super Feasts for the Super Game. At our house, we spend about a week putting the adjective “super” in front of everything. It’s a little lame, but it can get one through the hype of the season.

Super Sunday and the Super Week leading to the Super Bowl can also be a time for Super Fitness. We’ve all made our resolutions that often involved eating less and exercising more. So, why does Super Bowl time, when we are truly celebrating Super Athletes and Super Coaches, have to mean sitting on our ample rear ends and eating more than we did at Christmastime? Why do we Super Size the Super Bowl rituals?

Much is being written these days about “super sizing.” Author Greg Critser writes in his new book, “Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World,” that movie theaters’ practice of “super sizing” their treats began the blimping of Americans. We may want to eat four bowls of popcorn, but we won’t go back to the lobby concession stand four times because we don’t want anyone to think we are a human garbage truck. But we will buy a tub of popcorn and two sugar-laden sodas in one fell swoop and eat all of it. You’ll notice that fast-food restaurants have used super sizing for such a long time that we feel deprived unless we have something with two all-meat patties and special sauce.

In his book, Critser cites some science that shows that humans presented with super sized portions will eat 30 percent more than they usually would.

The author traces interesting history on why he believes we Americans have allowed ourselves to become the world’s fatheads. The sobering message is that “over nutrition,” as gluttony is politely referred to, is creating epidemics of diabetes and harming the health of children, according to the book. It makes you rethink any possible upside to guacamole dip.

I am all for keeping your life the right size and not super sizing yourself into illness or an early death. But this is the Super BOWL!! Small is beautiful; less is better. But not now. We want wretched excess. More is better. It’s simply a question of what kind of more you will offer yourself and your family this week. Let’s have more activity, more time together and more upbeat conversations. We can super size those. And as Barbara points out, when it comes to food, we can make more good choices about what we eat and revel in how Super Smart we are on game day.

Give us your tips on how to super-size your Super Bowl plans and still stay fit. Just click on the "Add your own" link below and give us a sentence or two. The five top entries will win a Daily News T-shirt. There are two designs available - one sporting the motto "Making Enemies Since 1925" and the other using the Girl Scout advice to "Make New Friends."

The best idea will earn a gift certificate for $25 of spa services as well as the T-shirt of your choice. Let's see some super ideas!

Here's a challenge from Daily News staffer Theresa Johnson: Guess how many miles you'd have to run to burn off this Eagle-sized dish.

This is the fabulously rich macaroni and cheese that Wilma McNabb serves up for her son, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Mrs. McNabb says this recipe easily feeds four football players, so I figure it ought to serve 8 non-football-players, generously. Use the comments link below to tell us 1) Your guess as to how many miles you'd have to run to work off the calories in one of those 8 servings, and/or 2) any suggestions for working off those calories if you're not an NFL quarterback. Winners get a Girlfriends T-shirt and a spotlight in this space in the days to come.

1 box (2 pounds) elbow macaroni
1 block Swiss cheese (8 to 12 ounces)
1 block cheddar cheese (8 to 12 ounces)
2 bags shredded cheese (either taco or pizza style)
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 stick butter, cut into pats

1 deep-sided, 9-by-13-inch aluminum casserole pan

Boil the macaroni for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the stove when al dente, then allow the pasta to sit in the warm water for another 10 minutes. It will continue to cook and soften.
Drain pasta. Place a layer of pasta on the bottom of the aluminum pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put about half the chunks of cheddar and Swiss cheese on the macaroni , then add a bag of shredded cheese . Repeat the layering process with more pasta, the rest of the chunk cheese and the second bag of shredded cheese. The layers should fill three-quarters of the pan.
In a bowl, whisk two eggs, then add a cup of milk. Pour this mixture over the top of the macaroni and cheese layers. The liquid should be visible but not overflowing.
Mix the remaining two eggs and add another cup of milk. Add slowly to the casserole until the liquid is visible above the pasta layers.
Cut the sticks of butter into tablespoon-sized pats and place "strategically" around the top of the casserole.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until butter and egg are golden brown. If it still looks milky or liquid on top, bake for a few more minutes.

JULIE, personal trainer and former athlete and coach: People ask what my New Year's resolution is. I tell them, my resolution is to not make any. In my brief time on the planet I can't count on one hand those people I know who have kept any. I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but why do resolutions have to take place at the beginning of the year? Why not all year long?

The minute we tell ourselves we can't have something anymore, the worse we want it. No matter how we try and justify our reasons for change people will ultimately do what they want to do. Perhaps MODERATION is more the way to go rather than denying ourselves that dessert or that extra Heineken.

When I hear the word resolution instantly I think of food or drink or diet or more exercise. Why can't it be, compassion or consideration, how about volunteerism. These things don't pop into most psyches during the year; why would they in the New Year?

I have found if I don't make any resolutions I WILL make changes no matter what they may be in due time, when I am ready. And that is okay with me. If I wish each year that I can become a wiser more gentler and compassionate individual, this would be a good thing.

ELLEN, journalist and anti-athlete: At our house, we try to live our life day by day. So a resolution for a whole year feels contradictory.

But in the fitness category, the anti-athletes in the group need to make a resolution and use it as a compass.

In 2003, I resolve to spend more time with my family and put more effort into my fitness program. I hope the two will converge.

So out with the old; in with the new.

For me, that’s quite literal. My other girlfriends made so much fun of my decade old sneakers that I went out and bought a new pair at John’s Sneaks, a discount athletic shoe store in Ardmore.

Those who do want to take it day by day can visit hazelden.org and sign up for the daily email. Their daily thought on New Year’s Day quoted Charles Schultz, creator of Peanuts, who once said, "This year I’m going to dread one day at a time."

I’m sure he was kidding. But the satire does remind me that I do want to have fun this year. Fun is definitely a priority. We’re not going to dread one day at a time here at the Girlfriends.