Abnormal thyroid – one of the most common health disorders specially in females!

Thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located in the neck below the Adam’s apple.

It’s a pretty small gland only about 4-6cm.

Some of the top key functions of thyroid gland.

It is one the most important glands that performs so many so many important tasks in our body

It acts on nearly every cell of the body!

The thyroid produces hormones that affect your metabolism & digestion that is processing of proteins, fats and carbohydrates etc.

• It transforms the food you consume into energy.
• How fast or slow your brain, heart, muscles, liver and other parts of your body work.
• Growth and development of the human body.
• Thermal control – body temperature
• Helps decrease serum cholesterol.
• Nervous system activities & brain development
• Regulates muscle tone, bone growth.
• Reproduction that is childbirth & infertility issues
• Regulates the rate at which calories are burnt, affecting weight loss or weight gain.

Some of the most possible Causative factors of abnormal thyroid

• Poor gut health. e.g., leaky gut syndrome or a lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria.
• High levels of inflammation due to poor and unhealthy diet.
• Food intolerance or allergies
• Tumour, cyst or Injury to the thyroid gland
• Recurrent Infections
• Around menopause or after a childbirth
• Vit B1, B6 and 12 deficiencies
• Toxicity – exposure to pesticides, toxins, viruses etc.
• Glandular diseases such as diabetes
• Hormonal imbalance
• Excessive smoking, alcohol and use of harmful chemicals
• Systemic disease that affects other body parts or whole body
• High levels of stress
• Being overweight or obese
• Lack of enough sleep and rest
• Genetic susceptibility
• Use of birth control pills
• Lack of physical activity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Older age

Common symptoms of hypo and hyperactive thyroid

• Goitre – enlarged thyroid.
• Anxiety, nervousness, depression, mood swings, irritability
• Hair falling or thinning or brittle hair.
• Loss of libido, Infertility, difficulty conceiving, threatened miscarriage risks.

Top foods and good diet to support healthy thyroid.

Lifestyle adjustments, plus GOOD food choices can have a positive impact on improving health etc.

Consider taking them as per your peculiar signs and symptoms, as even herbs or dietary supplements are not always safe.

Make sure to avoid any ingredient or food you are allergic or intolerant to!

• Increase vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Diet – iodine rich foods – add extra only if your deficient, consume more seaweed, dulse, kelp, raw dairy, certain wild-caught fish like tuna, fermented grains, brownish sea vegetables, yogurt, milk, eggs & plenty of water.
• Include beans and legumes in your diet like lentils that contain vitamins and minerals needed by thyroid to make thyroid hormone.
• Eat more selenium rich food e.g., Brazil nuts, spinach, yellowfin tuna, halibut, sardines, grass-fed beef, turkey and beef liver etc.
• Zinc and B vitamins foods e.g. proteins, green peas, asparagus, chickpeas, cocoa, Brussel sprouts, sesame seeds, pistachios, mushrooms etc.
• Coconut Oil helps improve thyroid functioning.

Use extra-virgin organic coconut cooking oil.

Add two tablespoons of coconut oil to milk and drink it in the morning along with your breakfast every day.

You can also add it to your smoothies.

• Siberian Ginseng is very useful for stimulating adrenal and thymus glands, which support the functioning of the thyroid gland.

It also helps alleviate fatigue, one of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism.

• Ginger root is a good source of zinc, magnesium and potassium, with anti-inflammatory properties that can help improve thyroid functioning.

Take it in moderation.

Drink a one or two cups of hot ginger tea.

One general rule of thumb to avoid foods that are too white, e.g. white bread, white rice, white pasta, white sugar etc. and eat brown rice and whole grain bread & pasta instead.

• Limit your meat intake particularly red meat.
• If you do – make sure to have lean preferably grass-fed, to have more natural ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fats, and poultry is skinless.
• Limit processed, pre-packaged food, sugar and its substitutes.
• Use caution when selecting fish. Fish that is high in mercury may be bad for your thyroid function!
• And finally, Excessive intake of calcium supplements have been linked to abnormal thyroid levels, according to few research.

For your particular health problem(s), or to change your medications it is strongly suggested to avoid self-medication and consult your GP / health provider or Mind & Body Holistic Health Clinic.

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