Around
fifty-nine million people in the US suffer from thyroid issues (with a great
majority not aware there’s a problem). When the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck
(known as the thyroid) is dysfunctional, it can cause all sorts of problems.
Did
you know that thyroid issues can be changed naturally with diet and lifestyle alterations?
It won’t happen overnight. You will find everything below to be knowledgeable
about this topic. What you do with it us up to you:
ü Carpal
Tunnel: Weakness or tingling in the arms,
wrists, hands, and legs is a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome (a common sign of
undiagnosed thyroid condition). The root cause of the carpal tunnel symptoms is
often misdiagnosed.
Treatment for thyroid-related carpal tunnel syndrome is the
same as it is for stress- or injury-related carpal tunnel syndrome. Ergonomic
improvements, wrist braces, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications
could be helpful.
ü Depression:
Depression and anxiety disorders may
present in an acute manner. Patients may sink into sustained periods
of mild to severe depression. They could experience sudden symptoms such as
panic attacks.
Mood
imbalances are often seen with underactive thyroids. These symptoms may be
accompanied by a general feeling of lethargy, an inability to concentrate, or a
feeling of mental sluggishness.
ü Family
History: Thyroid disease is believed to
have a strong genetic component. You should be watchful if you have a close
female relative who develops an overactive or underactive thyroid condition.
Additional risk factors include a family history of autoimmune disorders (as
well as age and gender).
Women have thyroid problems more often than men, and the
majority of cases appear in patients who are over fifty years of age. Thyroid
disease is more prominent in smokers of both genders.
ü Fatigue:
Feeling exhausted as if eight or ten
hours of sleep a night is insufficient for functioning all day without a nap
can be a sign of this challenge. Fatigue symptoms are usually mild at first
before increasing in intensity.
The key identifier of thyroid-related fatigue is that it remains
unrelieved, no matter how much you sleep you get. This fatigue inhibits
patients’ ability to remain productive in day-to-day life.
ü Hair
& Skin Changes: Symptoms
may include dry hair, loss of hair, scaly skin, or excessively dry
skin. Normal hair growth is dependent on the functioning of the thyroid
gland. Problems can cause balding in men and women (as well as the loss of body
hair).
When the thyroid is underactive or overactive, these
hormones aren’t delivered in the proper quantities as noticeable changes in the
skin become the end result.
ü Menstrual
Abnormalities: Both
hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can disrupt women’s menstrual cycles. Women
with underactive thyroids may experience lighter periods, or miss them
altogether. Overactive thyroids can cause heavier periods, or those that last
longer than normal. The menstrual cycle may shorten, and blood spotting could
occur.
ü Muscle
& Joint Pain: Unexplained
aches and pains in the muscles and joints can be symptomatic of a thyroid
condition. These pains can be unrelenting. It interferes with normal
activities, and inhibits the patient’s ability to perform actions within their
normal ranges of motion.
These symptoms can manifest as muscle weaknesses, which lead
to specific muscle groups suddenly unable to bear normal workloads. Some people
experience tremors in their hands, and swelling and stiffness in muscles and
joints.
ü Weight
Changes: If you’ve tried every diet available
with little weight loss success, you might have hypothyroidism. An
underactive thyroid gland is like miring your metabolism in quicksand (slowing
it down to the point of ineffectualness).
With an overactive thyroid (or hyperthyroidism)
patients cannot gain weight no matter how much they eat. This is because overly
active thyroids push metabolisms to warp speed, which causes the body to burn
calories quickly.
“The human body
has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought
about by its environment. The secret of good health lies in successful
adjustment to changing stresses on the body.” (Harry J. Johnson)
ü
Avoid gluten & A1 casein: Gluten (the glue-like proteins) found in many starchy foods like bread,
oatmeal, and pasta are often responsible for food allergies and declining gut
health. A1 Casein (a mutated protein chain) found in the majority of commercial
cow’s milk and milk products is a detrimental biochemical known to cause
autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and organ damage.
Both
of these proteins can lead to thyroid malfunction, so if you think you may have
either hypo- or hyperthyroidism, avoid high-gluten foods and stick with dairy products like cream and
grass-fed butter which contain little or no A1 casein.
ü
Check your iodine: Iodine deficiency is another
problem due to the bad reputation we’ve given table salt (which has iodine
added.) Iodine is a necessary
building block for the metabolism regulating hormones produced by the thyroid
gland.
Most
of the foods we eat don’t have enough of it to keep us healthy. If you find
that your body lacks this vital nutrient, try adding foods like kelp and
cold-water fish (cod and tuna) into your diet.
ü Consume More Healthy Fats: The definitions of “good fat” and “bad fat” have changed dramatically
over the past few years. What we once considered to be worst foods (butter,
cream, and all saturated fats) are not evil, but only misunderstood. Unsaturated
fats (like vegetable oil and margarine) are known to be the cause of serious
health problems.
ü Cut Out Simple Sugars: If
you have symptoms of thyroid disorder, take a look at your daily sugar intake.
The average person in the US daily consumes over twenty teaspoons of added
sugar (the unnatural sugars like high-fructose corn syrup which food
manufacturers add to their products to make them taste good).
Six teaspoons is the maximum amount of
sugar recommended by the American Heart Association for adults. Sugars
naturally present in fruits and vegetables are far less detrimental to your
thyroid health than the chemically-processed junk that hides in the majority of
processed foods.
Eat Probiotic Foods: A healthy gut can go a long way toward
healing autoimmune disorders. Because hypothyroidism is so often associated
with Hashimoto’s Disease, you’ll want to do everything you can to improve the
environment in your gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic foods such as yogurt,
sauerkraut, Tempeh (fermented soybean), and apple
cider vinegar
promote healthy can help heal your thyroid. (These foods are great for improving
metabolism,
energy levels, and over all good health.)
ü
Find your voice: If you look to the anatomy,
you find the thyroid gland is located in the throat (the center of our
communication). People with hypothyroid tend to hold back what they want to say.
It’s been healing for them to learn to speak their truth. Individuals with
hyperthyroid are talking too much, and can benefit by listening more.
ü
Heavy metal detoxification: Most people are
exposed to more heavy metals (like mercury, aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, and
lead) on a daily basis than we realize. They accumulate in our bones, soft
tissues, and the nervous system. They can be highly toxic if left unchecked.
Heavy
metal poisoning has a long list of possible
symptoms, which include but are not
limited to development of food allergies, neurological disorders, poor
circulation, fatigue, digestive malfunction, insomnia, unexplained muscle
soreness, skin maladies like eczema, frequent headaches, weakening of the
immune system, and autoimmune disorders which can cause hypothyroidism.
If
you believe you need to detoxify your body, include chia seeds, eggs, Brazil nuts, cilantro, alliums (like onions and garlic) and chlorella in your diet. These foods bind to heavy metals, and
allow your body to flush them out naturally through urine, sweat, and bowel
movements. You can also use activated charcoal to purge toxic heavy metals from
your body.
Our bodies use fats from natural
sources (like meat, dairy, and nuts, coconuts, olives, and avocados) and turn
them into hormones. When we consume the wrong fats, our organs are forced to
manufacture these same hormones with the improper tools. The results are mutated
hormones that send bodies into mood swings, metabolic disorders, immune
malfunctions, digestive problems, and reproductive system failure. Pregnant and
nursing women should avoid taking herbs (especially those which affect the
endocrine system).
ü Reduce Radiation Exposure: Because
many types of radiation can both cause and exasperate thyroid disorders, do
everything you can to minimize your exposure. Try to cut down on electronics
usage such as tablets and cell phones. If you have to go in for an x-ray,
request a collar to shield your thyroid during the procedure.
Avoid spending too much time in the vicinity
of major electrical lines and cell phone towers. Instead of plopping down
in front of a television or computer, consider some other relaxing behavior
like Yoga, meditation, or reading a book.
ü Slow down your eating: When you rush while eating, the food
moves so quickly from mouth to stomach that the connection from mind to body is
not strong. Since the thyroid is the master of your metabolism, you want
to eat slowly enough so it can record the message that food is entering the
body. Fad dieting puts a strain on the metabolism. Try to slow down while
eating.
Your food will digest more
efficiently, and your body won’t have to work as hard to obtain nutrients from
the foods you eat. Pay attention to the types of food you consume. Make good
choices to keep your blood sugar steady such as including protein at every
meal. Do your best to eat a variety of wholesome foods that cover the entire
spectrum of vitamins and minerals your body needs to maintain optimum health.
ü Take Adaptogens: Herbs like Panax Ginseng, Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, and Rhodiola Rosea (known as Adaptogens) support the adrenal
glands which work closely with the thyroid. When your adrenals don’t function
properly, your body loses the capability to deal with stress.
The over-abundance of Cortisol, which is often
referred to as the “stress hormone” can lead to thyroid problems as well as
unexplained weight-gain (around the mid-section), inability to lose weight, and
chronic fatigue.
ü Up Your Selenium: Selenium is an antioxidant contained
in foods like shellfish, cold-water fish, nuts, and seeds. The recommended
daily amount of this essential mineral is only 70 micrograms. Over time,
selenium-deficiency can lead to Hashimoto’s Disease which causes the immune
system to attack the thyroid. Signs to look for include unexplained muscle and
joint pain, very dry or brittle hair, and an abundance of white spots on the
fingernails. [i]
“Many
of the women who benefited from thyroid therapy provided added evidence that it
was the thyroid which was responsible. There were the women who, upon being
relieved of their {menstrual} problems, stopped taking medication only to
return in a few months with their original complaints. Thyroid therapy again
overcame their difficulties.” (Broda
Otto Barnes) |
| The big lumpy pink thing in the middle is the thyroid. |
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