The butterfly-shaped gland in your neck secretes two hormones (T3 and T4) which regulates your metabolism. When this gland fails to secrete enough of these crucial hormones, you have a condition known as hypothyroidism.
Some of the signs and symptoms are chronic fatigue, pains in the muscles and joints, irregular menstrual cycles, depression, insensitivity to cold, constipation, fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, goiter and depression.
But many skilled practitioners don't know about the root causes of hypothyroidism which are:
-Stress
-Adrenal fatigue
-Heavy metal toxicity
-Oestrogen dominance
-Reverse T3
If they understand these underlying causes, they can proceed with a natural way to treat hypothyroidism.
As with other cells of your body, your thyroid gland needs minerals and vitamins to function properly. So what are the main sources of these nutrients?
But first a word of caution about goitrogens. They inhibit iodine metabolism which is important in the formation of thyroid hormone. It is advisable for those who have started natural therapy to avoid these foods for a while. Though eating goitrogenic foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels, sprouts, radishes, spinach, strawberries, peanuts, soy-based foods etc. does not lead to thyroid problems, those who have the condition should take these foods in moderation after they have managed their condition by taking thyroid hormones.
Iodine-Rich Foods
T3 and T4 are the only hormones in humans that contain iodine.The lack of this has an adverse impact on all the tissues in your body.
If you have an underactive thyroid gland, you should increase the iodine intake in your diet. Excellent sources of iodine are seafoods, seaweeds, iodized salt, sushi, nori, sea kelp, saltwater fish and dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Other foods rich in iodine are eggs, lima beans, asparagus, mushroom, garlic and squash.
Selenium-Rich Foods
One of the minerals that helps to regulate thyroid function is selenium. Brazil nuts, tuna, cod, salmon, beef, meat, chicken, mushrooms, whole unrefined grains, dairy products, halibut and sunflower seeds are sources of selenium.
Tyrosine
The thyroid needs tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid, to produce hormones.
Many of the same foods that are high in both iodine and selenium such as tuna, cod, sea kelp, dairy products, banana and avocado are good sources of tyrosine.
Zinc
Zinc is another mineral needed in the process of hormone production in the thyroid. Lack of zinc has a negative impact on the thyroid. The sources of this mineral are sardines, cow's liver, lamb, fresh oysters, soybeans, turkey, beef, peas, pecans, whole grains, walnuts, maple syrup, ginger root, summer squash and asparagus
Copper
An imbalance of copper and zinc in the body can have an adverse impact on thyroid health as these two minerals work together to produce hormones. Good sources of copper and zinc are cow's liver and summer squash. You could also get copper from lobsters, oysters, crab, beef, mushrooms, dark chocolate, barley, beans, nuts and sunflower seeds.
Iron
Anemia or iron deficiency is commonly present in patients who have hypothyroidism. To increase the intake of iron, they should take green beans, lentils, red meat, romaine lettuce, parsley, thyme, turmeric, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, organ meats, oysters, clams, spinach, lentils, blackstrap molasses and white beans.
Vitamins
Vitamin C is needed to metabolize tyrosine while vitamin E metabolizes selenium. Patients with hypothyroidism suffer from Vitamin B deficiency. It is essential in cell metabolism. Sources rich in Vitamin E and B are whole grains, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products and leafy greens. Fruits are a high source of Vitamin C.
Protein and Fibre
Protein and fiber help to ease the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Good sources of protein are seafood, fish, beef and eggs. Leafy vegetables, green beans, various fruits, whole grains and nuts contain fibre.
To summarize briefly, a diet to enhance thyroid production would include mainly seafood, fish, lean meat, leafy greens, whole grains, diary products, eggs and fruits. It is advisable to exclude carbohydrates, soy, and cruciferous vegetables which contain goitrogens.
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