This one very thing commonly plays a big role in many women’s lives between the ages of 35 and 65, and will affect one in eight women, especially during the menopausal and mid-life period.
Your thyroid.
We always hear about thyroid problems but do you actually know what your thyroid is and what it does?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck, approximately 2-inches in size, sitting just below your Adam’s apple (or Eve’s apple as I like to refer to it for women).
The thyroid is responsible for producing hormones that help regulate your metabolism, protein synthesis, development, temperature, and cardiovascular functions, among others. The three hormones it secretes are T3 (triiodothyronine), T4 (thyroxine), and calcitonin.
Irregular thyroid function is actually more common in women than men. Sometimes the signs and symptoms of thyroid disease isn’t obvious because of other bodily changes that occur as we age, therefore many people don’t know that they have an underactive thyroid and won’t be treated accordingly.
Let’s look at symptoms of the two most common thyroid disorders.
Hyperthyroidism Symptoms (overactive thyroid)
Fatigue
Muscle weakness.
Nervousness / anxiety
Rapid heartbeat.
Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat.
Unexplained weight loss
Hypothyroidism Symptoms (underactive thyroid)
Fatigue
Weight gain
Trouble with concentration / focus
Feeling cold
Itchy / dry skin
Hair loss
An endocrinologist will diagnose if you have a thyroid disorder. Aside from the physical examination, they’ll typically do a blood test to examine the T4 levels in your blood. A normal range is considered to be 0.4 mU/L to 4.0 mU/L. Less than this can indicate an underactive thyroid, while too much can indicate an overactive thyroid.
There’s no one quick and fast solution to maintaining healthy thyroid function, so it’s important to examine our nutrition and find out which foods can help support thyroid health.
As with most things in health, genetics do play a factor, which you can’t control but what about the factors that you can control, such as diet, lifestyle, environment, and stress.
Food plays a powerful role in helping feed or fight our disease. You can easily start incorporating these seven foods into your diet to help regulate and support good thyroid health.
1. SEAWEED
I may get an eye roll here because most people are either for or against seaweed. For me personally, it’s an acquired taste, one which I developed from eating sushi and seaweed salad.
Seaweed is awesome for supporting thyroid health because it’s rich in iodine, which is essential in our diet to help the body produce thyroid hormones. The thyroid cells are the only cells that can absorb iodine. Many people with thyroid issues are deficient in iodine.
A good seaweed snack to eat (for my newbie friends that aren’t a fan of seaweed) is SeaSnax Organic Classic, which you can find at grocery stores or health food stores.
2. BRAZIL NUTS
Many people with thyroid imbalance are also deficient in selenium. Approximately five brazil nuts can almost meet your daily recommended intake of selenium and zinc, which can help stimulate the production of thyroid hormones.
3. EGGS
Eggs contain both iodine and selenium, and also contain tyrosine, which is an amino acid found in protein food sources. Tyrosine is another nutrient that helps stimulate the production of T3 and T4.
4. BERRIES
Berries (think blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries) are high in anti-oxidants, which is great for the body, including your thyroid. Thyroid patients show higher signs of oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, which a daily dose of berries can help to combat!
5. FERMENTED FOODS
This is a category instead of a specific food but fermented foods contain probiotics. Many people which thyroid imbalance also have a gut bacteria imbalance, which makes a daily dose of probiotics crucial.
Fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, other fermented vegetables, unsweetened and plain kefir (from an organic/grass-fed source), plain yogurt (from an organic/grass-fed source), and kombucha.
6. SALMON
Unless you’re a fan of eating liver (which is a super rich source in Vitamin B12), then salmon is a good choice as well! High in B12, wild-caught salmon can help combat the B12 deficiency that many thyroid patients show symptoms of.
7. LENTILS
Lentils are a plant-based protein source but are also a source of iron. Studies show that iron deficiency is liked to imbalanced thyroid function, so skip being diagnosed with anemia and thyroid disease and chow down on some lentils!
Be sure to take care of your thyroid health, and as always, consult with your doctor before taking any supplements or foods, especially if it will interact with any medications.
Comentários