info@nabillahfarooq.com
Be Fit – The Prophets Way Inc. Be Fit – The Prophets Way Inc.
  • Login
    [miniorange_social_login]

    Login with your site account

    Lost your password?

  • Cart

    0
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Work with me
    • Courses
    • Success Stories
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Work with me
    • Courses
    • Success Stories
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Hormones
  • ​Foods and Nutrients to Help Your Thyroid.

Hormones

05 Jul

​Foods and Nutrients to Help Your Thyroid.

  • By NabillahF
  • In Hormones
  • 0 comment

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that releases hormones. Thyroid hormones help your body regulate a few things – not a big deal – just the metabolism of ALL cells. And this is critical for maintaining healthy body weight and having the energy to live your life.

(Yes, your thyroid IS a big deal!)

“It is estimated that 200 million people in the world have some form of thyroid disease. In Canada, there is a staggering number of people affected. Recent studies indicate that 1 in 10 Canadians suffer from a thyroid condition of one type or another! Of those, as many as 50% are undiagnosed!” ~ Thyroid Foundation Of Canada.

When you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, it’s called hypothyroidism. This can result in the slowing down of your metabolism and cause difficulty losing weight; and even weight gain. Some of the other symptoms can include fatigue, forgetfulness, dry hair and skin, constipation, muscle cramping, and feeling cold.

An underactive thyroid can be diagnosed from a blood test from your health professional.

How does the thyroid become underactive?

There are many reasons why your thyroid may become underactive. The most common is autoimmunity, where the immune cells attack other cells in the body. In this case, the cells of the thyroid gland.

It can also be the result of low levels of iodine, which is an essential mineral. Combining that with high levels of goitrogens (food substances that inhibit iodine from getting into thyroid) and you can be at risk for an iodine deficiency.

TIP: Iodine-deficiency is not very common in the developed world, so supplements are likely not necessary, and may exacerbate certain thyroid issues. Check with your healthcare professional before taking supplements, and always read the label.

Foods and nutrients for your thyroid

Enough iodine from food – Iodine is naturally found in fish and seafood. Other foods that contain iodine are navy beans, potatoes, and eggs. Sometimes levels of natural iodine depend on the amount of iodine in the soil. Iodine is also added (i.e., fortified) to some foods.

TIP: During pregnancy and breastfeeding iodine requirements increase by up to 60%, so pay attention to eat enough iodine-containing foods.

Enough selenium from food – Some people recommend selenium (another essential mineral) to support the thyroid. A recent review of several clinical studies showed that there is not enough evidence to recommend selenium supplements to people with certain thyroid conditions. Because of this, it’s best to stick with selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts, mushrooms, meat, and fish.

Claim Free Thyroid Supporting Recipe

Reduce goitrogens – Goitrogens are plant-estrogens that prevent the iodine in your blood from getting into your thyroid where it’s needed to make thyroid hormones. Goitrogens themselves are not that powerful, unless they’re eaten excessively, or are combined with a diet already low in iodine. They are found in “cruciferous” foods such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Goitrogens can be deactivated by cooking the foods they’re found in. Because these cruciferous vegetables are very nutritious, you may choose to cook them instead of eliminating them altogether.

Enough protein – One of the common symptoms of thyroid issues is the inability to lose weight. If this is the case, one thing you can eat more of is protein. Protein has a “thermogenic effect” because your body has to spend energy metabolizing protein; this means that calorie-for-calorie, carbs will promote weight gain more than protein will.

Gluten-free – Try going gluten-free. There is evidence of a link between underactive thyroid and gluten sensitivity. There may be a “cross-reactivity” where the immune cells that are sensitized to gluten can attack the thyroid cells by mistake; this is essentially how autoimmunity works and can affect more than just your thyroid. You might request getting tested for celiac disease if you are experiencing thyroid issues.

Lifestyle upgrade – Weight gain and difficulty losing weight are very common when it comes to thyroid issues. In this case, it’s important to get enough regular exercise, enough quality sleep, and reduce stress.

Conclusion

If you have concerns about your thyroid, then ask to be tested. That along with testing for celiac disease can help to confirm your best plan to move forward in good health.

Foods to support your thyroid include iodine- and selenium-containing foods, cooked cruciferous foods, and gluten-free foods. Don’t forget to eat enough protein to help boost your metabolism. Also, consider reducing the amount of raw cruciferous foods you eat.

Supplementing with iodine or selenium should be done with a health professional’s advice.

And regular exercise, quality sleep, and stress-reduction are all part of the holistic approach to supporting your thyroid.

Do you or someone you know have concerns about your thyroid? What diet and lifestyle factors have you gotten the most benefit from? Let me know in the comments below.

  • Share:
NabillahF
NabillahF

You may also like

The Truth Behind Artificial Sweeteners

  • February 23, 2021
  • by NabillahF
  • in Autoimmune
You probably know the negative health effects of eating too much sugar, especially “added sugars” like in soda pop,...
Are you stressed, tired, craving sugar, can’t sleep?
February 12, 2021
​How Do I Know if I Have a Leaky Gut?
August 11, 2020
Why Your Body Needs Good Bacteria
February 23, 2020

Leave A Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Autoimmune
  • Blog
  • Gut health
  • Hormones
  • Skin Care
  • Weight

Recent Posts

The Truth Behind Artificial Sweeteners
23Feb,2021
Are you stressed, tired, craving sugar, can’t sleep?
12Feb,2021
​How Do I Know if I Have a Leaky Gut?
11Aug,2020

Tags

weightloss;hormones;guthealth

Get in touch

+ 1 (647) 622 0828

info@nabillahfarooq.com

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Useful Links

  • About me
  • FAQs
  • Contact
  • News
  • Success Stories
  • Privacy policy

Social Links

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Newsletters

Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox. We promise to not send you spams.

© 2020 Be Fit–The Prophets Way Inc. Powered by canhosting.ca.

  • Home
  • About
  • Life Coaching
  • Events
  • Contact
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.AcceptPrivacy policy