When you’re driving a car with no gas in the tank, you’re not going to get very far. Granted, the car will run on fumes for a few miles, but getting to your destination will be futile. Your thyroid is no different in terms of regulating your metabolism.
According to the Canadian Thyroid Association, about 200 million people in the world have some sort of thyroid disease and over 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder.
Our thyroid is essential for many reasons, the main one is regulating our weight and helping with weight loss. However, with so many thyroid disorders being misdiagnosed, it’s become even more essential to keep it healthy and try to prevent any harm from coming to it. Read on to find out more about the thyroid and how to boost its function.
How Does the Thyroid Function: The thyroid hormones in our body regulate our metabolism and all of our organ functions. They directly affect our heart rate, cholesterol level, energy, muscle, body weight, and skin and hair texture. It also affects our memory, mood and other important bodily functions.
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So if our thyroid is not functioning properly, every system in our body will slow down. One of the main disorders that cause this is called hypothyroidism. Those who feel tired or sleep a lot suffer from this disorder. They typically have slow digestion and significant weight gain. They may also experience dry skin, slower thinking and hair loss.
Lightspring/shutterstock.comSigns of Hypothyroidism: There are many different symptoms of an underactive thyroid. Many people do not even show any signs. But, if you experience two or more of the following symptoms, you should consult your doctor immediately.
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Feeling Cold: If you live in a country that has very cold temperatures, then this might not be the best symptom to go off. However, if the temperature is warm and you are still feeling cold, or if the temperature is cold and your body is not adjusting to it at all, you may have a thyroid disorder.
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Dry Skin, Brittle Hair and Split Ends: If you find that your skin is dry in several different places on your body and that your hair has become very thin with split ends, you might have a thyroid disorder. If your hair begins to fall out, it might be a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor.
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Unexplained Fatigue: We all get exhausted at some point. Whether it’s a long day at work, or juggling school and work, our bodies do need a break. However, if you find that you’re losing energy at a time in the day that you’re usually energetic, it could be hypothyroidism. It’s best to monitor this situation and see if it keeps occurring.
nd3000/shutterstock.comPoor Memory: This symptom is in direct correlation with unexplained fatigue. Naturally, when we become tired, our brain functionality is not working at its best. So trying to remember things while trying to stay awake is not sustainable, hence why we begin to have poor memory. This may be caused by a thyroid disorder.
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What is Slowing the Thyroid Down: Before you can boost your thyroid function, you need to first understand what is causing it to slow down. Hypothyroidism is a very complex disorder that can stem from a number of different causes.
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The first cause could be an autoimmune response against the thyroid. This can cause the thyroid to fail in producing enough thyroid hormone, which will directly slow it down.
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Another common cause could be an increase in toxic levels, typically mercury. People who have cavity fillings are more prone to a thyroid disorder because of the mercury in the fillings. Also, people who eat a lot of ocean fish, which contains large amounts of mercury, may see their thyroid gland function reduced.
3drenderings/shutterstock.comThose who are constantly stressed have a higher chance of developing a thyroid disorder. Because the stress hormone cortisol could interfere with the conversion of the thyroid hormone into the active form which regulates the metabolism.
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If you’re someone that has a diet consisting of soy-based foods and beverages, you might want to think about reducing it or possibly removing it from your diet. Soy-based foods have the ability to hinder thyroid function.
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Power Your Thyroid: If you have experienced any of those symptoms, it’s time to take action. The first thing you need to do is Eliminate Thyroid Disruptors for 14 Days. You need to remove any foods that may be hindering your thyroid. The most common foods are flaxseed oil, peanuts and peanut butter, high mercury fish, corn, and alcohol and caffeine. This will allow your thyroid to get its strength back.
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The next step is to substitute all the foods you have removed from your diet with foods that have anti-inflammatory effects. The most common foods that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients are vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds, non-mercury fish and meat, eggs, milk, and sweeteners.
AutumnHoverter/shutterstock.comWhile one part of this plan requires you to be very calorie conscious, studies have concluded that eating one “cheat meal” per week is essential for those suffering from an under-active thyroid.
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The reason behind this is that it prevents the body from starving while dieting; it also keeps your thyroid hormone high and boosts metabolism.
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