How To Improve Your Thyroid Condition
It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from a thyroid condition and 12 million of them are unaware they have a thyroid problem. Women are 5 times more likely than men to have thyroid problems and 1 out of 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder at some point in life.
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that influences a variety of bodily functions and greatly influences your mood and energy levels. The thyroid gland is sometimes called the body’s thermostat because it controls energy flow. Hypothyroidism, also called low thyroid, means the gland isn’t producing enough hormones to do its job. This shortage of thyroid hormones also makes you feel sluggish at every level.
Low Energy and Low Thyroid
You may be feeling sluggish in the morning and have trouble with your memory, concentration and focus. Your metabolism and digestion may move slower, which causes weight gain, constipation and even high cholesterol. Your hands and feet may feel colder than normal and your hair and skin may feel more dry and coarse (your hair may even fall out). You may start feeling depressed, anxious or moody or experience really bad PMS, cramps or periods. you may have muscle pains and feel more bloated. You may even find that the outer third of your eyebrows are gone. These are all signs of low thyroid.
Most of these symptoms may sound like a normal part of growing old. It’s not unusual for a woman between 30 and 50 years old to feel tired, bummed out, and a little bit overweight. This is why thyroid health is often ignored by doctors. Most doctors specialize in acute illness, but they often fail miserably when it comes to addressing subtle changes in your body that affect the quality of your life.
In many cases, doctors assume a woman is simply going through perimenopause or suffering mild depression. “It’s all too common for a doctor to hear ‘tired, moody, forgetful’ and offer the patient a prescription for antidepressants,” explains Richard Shames, M.D., of San Rafael, California, a thyroid specialist.
Thyroid disease puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infertility. Pregnant womenwith undiagnosed or inadequately treated hypothyroidism have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and severe developmental problems in their children.
What Causes Low Thyroid?
Chronic thyroid problems can be caused by many factors, including what you eat, what you don’t eat, your environment and your stress levels.
Your stress levels, or cortisol levels, are probably the biggest influencers on your thyroid gland. There is an intimate interaction between stress hormones and thyroid function. Studies have shown that chronic stress suppresses thyroid function. So the more stress you are under, the worse your thyroid functions.
Another important factor that leads to hypothyroidism is exposure to environmental toxins, like pesticides. Pesticides act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function. Heavy metals, like lead and mercury, can also disrupt thyroid function.
Another factor leading to hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency. Not giving our bodies the nutrients that are important for a healthy thyroid will also slow your thyroid down. Since the body does not make iodine, it relies on the diet to get enough. Some people can maintain adequate iodine through their diets by using table salt that is fortified with iodine, but most of us are trying to limit our sodium intake.
Many medications also slow down the thyroid and also cause iodine deficiency. Pain medications, antihistamines and antidepressants are thought to slow the thyroid down, as well as all medications that make you feel sleepy or slow.
What To Do
There are a number of things you can do to boost your thyroid function. Thankfully, most of them do not involve medications, although some people choose a prescription too. Here is my five step plan to boosting your thyroid.
1. Focus On The Cause
The first thing you should do is identify the underlying causes of your thyroid conditions or hypothyroidism. Food allergies, gluten intolerance, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, and stress are all factors that need to be focused on and tested.
2. Eat Better
The second thing you can do to support your thyroid is eat foods that are high in iodine, zinc, omega-3 fats and selenium. Eat more low fat cheeses, undenatured whey protein, eggs, low fat yogurt and ice cream, saltwater fish, seaweed (including kelp, dulce, nori), shellfish and soy sauce.
At the same time, you should avoid foods that slow your thyroid. These foods are called goitrogens, which are chemicals that lower thyroid function. Even though they are very good for you, you should really only eat these foods once every four days or so. They include almonds, cauliflower, broccoli, pears, turnips, Brussels sprouts, corn, mustard, pine nuts, cabbage, kale, spinach, peanuts, canola oil and soy products.
3. Reduce Stress
The third thing you can do to strengthen your thyroid is reduce your stress. Meditation, guided visualizations and yoga are certainly helpful, but so is a general positive outlook on life. Trust that you have the strength to improve your health. There will be bumps in the road but when you expect a healthier life for yourself, you begin to live it.
4. Exercise
The fourth thing you can do for optimal thyroid function is exercise. Doing my bounce and shake or even walking every day will give your thyroid a boost.
5. Supplement
Supplementing is the best way to keep your thyroid running at an optimal rate and to keep your weight under control. You should choose very potent high quality supplements with high levels of iodine, selenium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B, D, E and at least 2 grams of vitamin C. Omega-3 as well as amino acids can also help regulate the thyroid. High quality formulas that combine many of these vitamins and minerals can be very helpful too.
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