Hey there viewers!
Have you heard your family or friends talk about thyroid, and wondered what it was?
Well, it’s a condition where your thyroid gland located in
the middle of your lower neck, does not produce enough thyroid hormone.
You might have not heard about it a lot, but your thyroid gland is responsible for making
hormones that regulate your energy, metabolism, mood, heart rate and other important functions.
When it is not functioning properly, you will see symptoms like weight gain,
fatigue, depression and dry skin & hair.
According to studies, more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will
develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime.
You will be surprised to hear that an estimated 20 million Americans have
some form of thyroid disease and up to 60 percent of those are unaware..
There are many food items that contain the nutrients your thyroid gland needs
to be healthy and in today’s video we will tell you about 13 such foods.
Iodized Salt
It is one of the most important ingredients for the production of thyroid hormone.
An Iodine deficiency can lead to hypothyroidism
and goiter which is one of the most common thyroid disorders.
Since your body cannot produce iodine naturally,
you should eat foods that contain a good amount of iodine.
And the best way to do that is to consume iodized salt.
The recommended daily iodine intake is 150 micrograms per
day or about half a teaspoon of iodized salt.
You can add it to anything for taste but make sure you control the quantity.
Berries
Berries have have low Glycemic Index, which means they lead to no insulin
spikes and less fat storage which is very beneficial for your thyroid.
They are also high in antioxidants which benefit your thyroid as well.
Research has shown that people with thyroid have higher levels of harmful free radicals.
The antioxidants can kill these harmful free radicals.
Your thyroid will like anything that helps detoxify your body and berries are a great help.
From strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, any berry is good for you.
The choice is yours!
Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
There’s a reason for this saying.
Apples are rich in pectins,
a gelatinous fiber that helps clear your body of heavy metals, especially mercury.
Having metals like mercury in your body can keep
your thyroid from being able to use the iodine it needs.
Studies show that pectins significantly increase the excretion of toxic metals
and can reduce heavy metals in the body by 74%.
If you eat enough apples, your body will flush the bad stuff away.
Chicken and Beef
Chicken and beef are rich in Zinc which is another key nutrient for your thyroid.
If you take in too little zinc, it can lead to thyroid disease.
If you already have thyroid, you can also become deficient in zinc,
since your thyroid hormones help absorb zinc.
And when that happens, you may also experience side effects like severe alopecia,
an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles and makes it fall out in clumps.
Most people in the U.S. usually fulfil their zinc needs through their daily diets.
But if you have a poor diet or a GI disorder that interferes with
your ability to absorb zinc, you might be at risk for a deficiency.
Chicken and beef are a great source as One 3-ounce serving of beef chuck roast
contains 7 milligrams; a 3-ounce beef patty contains 3 milligrams;
and a 3-ounce serving of dark chicken meat contains 2.4 milligrams of zinc.
Yoghurt
Every spoonful of yogurt acts as a protective shield for your thyroid.
It is because yogurt is naturally rich in vitamin D, and not getting enough
of this vitamin puts you at a higher risk of obesity and thyroid diseases.
According to a study, Over 90 percent of people with Hashimoto's, an autoimmune
disease that's the most common cause of hypothyroidism, are deficient in Vitamin D.
Vitamin D also has immunity-boosting and
anti-inflammatory properties which protect your thyroid from damage.
In addition to vitamin D, yogurt is also rich in
probiotics that help balance the good bacteria in your gut.
Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are loaded with a lesser known mineral called Selenium.
It is the essential "on” switch to proper thyroid function converting the T4 hormone into active T3.
This essential mineral also protects your thyroid gland
from inflammatory byproducts of thyroid hormone production.
Many people who have a sluggish thyroid or thyroid diseases exhibit deficiencies in selenium.
Studies have shown that selenium supplementation can be very helpful
in this regard. 80 micrograms per day helped to reduce anti thyroid antibodies in patients.
Although they are a good source of Selenium,
avoid consuming too much selenium, limit your intake to one to three Brazil nuts per day.
Seaweed
Seaweed is rich in iodine.
Your thyroid needs iodine to work properly and produce
enough thyroid hormone for your body's needs.
If you don't get enough iodine, you run the risk of hypothyroidism.
Most Americans have no problem getting enough iodine, since table salt is iodized.
But if you are on a low-sodium diet, you may need to up your intake from other sources.
Seaweeds are chocked full of iodine,
with a 1-gram portion containing anywhere from 11% to a whopping 1989% of your daily value.
But eating a lot of seaweed may be a problem as well as too much
iodine can be just as harmful to your thyroid.
To get seaweed's big benefits without going overboard,
try eating one fresh seaweed salad per week and steer clear of seaweed teas and supplements.
Chickpeas
One of the major problems associated with Thyroid is constipation.
Chickpeas are very high in fiber content than can help control constipation.
Chickpeas are not only high in fiber, they also contain zinc,
an important nutrient for healthy thyroid function.
There are lots of ways to add chickpeas to your meals.
You can eat them in salads or toss them in olive oil along with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower,
then roast them in a 400-degree oven until tender.
Sardines
These nutrient-rich, small, oily fish are excellent for supporting thyroid function.
They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which can reduce inflammation and boost your immunity.
This lowers your risk of developing any thyroid related diseases.
People with Thyroid disorders have difficulty in producing fatty acids that their body needs for
smooth functioning and Sardines help provide the optimum amount of these fatty acids.
Sardines can be difficult to eat plain, so you might want to use them in a recipe.
Just simmer them in tomato sauce, add red pepper flakes and minced rosemary leaves.
Serve over penne pasta and add grated Asiago cheese.
Bone Broth
Bone broth has been made popular in recent times by Kobe Bryant.
And there is a good reason for it.
By eating bone broth, you can kill two birds with one stone.
First, bone broth contains the amino acids glycine and proline that help
repair your digestive lining and improve thyroid disorder.
Second, having thyroid disease can make your bones weak and even fracture it.
Bone broth can help strengthen your bones.
You can eat a cup of bone broth for lunch or dinner for the best results.
Just toss in some veggies and make sure to cook them properly.
Artichokes
Artichoke is one of the most powerful foods for healing thyroid.
It is rich in Iodine, which is the most important element in your thyroid health.
Thyroid is caused when your thyroid enlarges in an
effort to pull more iodine in out of the bloodstream.
So if you have thyroid, a diet high in iodine is the most common treatment.
When consuming artichokes, fresh is always best.
If you purchase canned, bottled, or even frozen artichoke hearts, citric acid is
often an additive, which can be harmful to your health in different ways and should be avoided.
Olive Oil
If you are cooking on a regular basis, make sure you use olive oil.
It is rich in healthy fats and nutrients that help to boost your thyroid hormone levels.
Olive oil also lowers your bad cholesterol, helping you lose
weight and keeping your heart healthy, which is essential for maintaining thyroid health.
Make sure not to overdo the use of olive oil.
You can use up to 10 tablespoons of it per day for the best results.
Oysters
Oysters are one of the best dietary sources of zinc.
As previously mentioned, zinc is critical, and complementary to a healthy thyroid.
In fact your body needs enough zinc to activate production of thyroid hormone.
And in turn, you need enough thyroid hormone to absorb the zinc.
A deficiency of zinc can likely result in a sluggish metabolism and thyroid problems.
Zinc is essential for the production of white blood cells which help your body protect
against pathogens leading to a stronger immune system and a controlled thyroid.
Oysters are also rich in copper,
which is very important for thyroid function and collagen synthesis.
Have you or anyone you know suffering from thyroid tried any of the foods that we mentioned?
Let us know in the comments section below.