Low thyroid function – or hypothyroidism – is a real problem nowadays…
It is characterized by weight gain, low energy, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, cold intolerance, hoarse voice, irregular menstruation, infertility, muscle stiffness and pain – just to name a few symptoms.
Here’s why that’s a problem…
EVERY cell in your body has receptors for thyroid hormone. The thyroid regulates all metabolic activity in your body.
So, if it malfunctions, then most things in your body will too.
The trouble with hypothyroidism is that it’s often misdiagnosed or mistreated.
Many practitioners think that one drug or supplement can make everything better.
Unfortunately, that’s untrue because…
Hypothyroidism is Mostly An Auto-Immune Disease
90% of people with hypothyroidism are producing antibodies to thyroid tissue.
This is called Hashimoto’s, and it causes the immune system to attack and destroy the thyroid, which over time, causes a decline in thyroid hormone levels.
The worst part is that most doctors know hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease, yet few of their patients do. The reason doctors don’t tell their patients is because conventional medicine doesn’t have effective treatments for autoimmune disease (of any kind).
Why Your Thyroid Is Sluggish
There are many reasons for this, but the thing to remember is that thyroid problems are mainly due to auto-immune related events. Thus, anything that triggers the immune system could be a potential cause.
Some of the irritants include:
– Environmental toxins
– Heavy metals, especially mercury and lead
– Blood sugar problems
– Stress
– Leaky gut
– Specific foods (see below)
Hashimoto’s often doesn’t just target the thyroid either. It’s not uncommon for sufferers to also have antibodies against other parts of their body as well.
The most common side-kick conditions associated with Hashimoto’s are celiac disease, neurological disorders, pernicious anemia, and type 1 diabetes.
So, if you have hypothyroidism it’s important to understand that you don’t have a problem with your thyroid, you have a problem with your immune system attacking the thyroid!
The #1 WORST Food For Your Thyroid
A ton of research has now established a strong link between thyroid disease and gluten. As a general rule of thumb, if you have an autoimmune disease of any kind, you’re best off avoiding gluten altogether.
Why is gluten so problematic for your thyroid?
It’s due to what’s called “molecular mimicry.”
The molecular structure of gluten’s protein closely resembles that of the thyroid gland, which means that when it enters your bloodstream, the immune system flags it as dangerous and sends out antibodies to destroy it.
But with repeated exposure to gluten…
These antibodies can also cause your body to attack thyroid tissue. This means if you have Hashimoto’s and you eat foods containing gluten, (i.e. wheat-based foods like bread, pasta, cereal, etc.) your immune system will attack your thyroid!
One more thing about gluten…
Foods that contain gluten usually inhibit nutrient absorption, damage your intestinal lining, and potentially lead to destructive autoimmune responses down the road.
If you’re unsure of what to do without bread, here’s
an idea…
Try gluten-free breads for sandwiches if you like.
You can also use lettuce, leafy green vegetables, and nori (the seaweed use for sushi) as the “shell” for some delicious wraps.
Try this “Nori Wrap” from my book, The All-Day Energy Diet, and see for yourself the possibilities that lie beyond bread:
Makes 2 servings
2 sheets nori
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 mango, thinly sliced
1 handful alfalfa or pea sprouts
1⁄4 cucumber, thinly sliced
Lay out 1 sheet of nori, moisten with a sprinkle of water, and place within it a desired amount of each ingredient.
Roll up the nori (with ingredients inside) into a wrap and enjoy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
The Missing Mineral For Thyroid Health
You might think I’m going to talk about iodine, since that’s what everyone recommends for thyroid problems.
However, the research shows that increased iodine supplementation (alone) can actually increase the risk of autoimmune disease (of the thyroid and elsewhere).
It appears though that iodine may only pose a problem for people with Hashimoto’s if they are ALSO deficient in selenium.
It’s been shown that selenium protects against the effects of iodine toxicity, and prevents the triggering and flaring of autoimmune disease that excess iodine without selenium can cause.
Selenium is also needed for the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 to its active T3 form.
Clearly, selenium and iodine need to be kept in check, and as with all minerals in the body, balance – not sheer quantity, is what’s important.
Should you supplement with either one?
That you’ll have to discuss with your doctor, but I can say that eating a cleaner, lower inflammatory diet is the most important first step to calming your immune system and relieving its attack on your thyroid.
Additionally, I would recommend adding more selenium-rich foods into your diet, like brazil nuts (1-2 per day is all you need!), crimini mushrooms, cod, halibut, salmon, scallops, chicken, eggs, shiitake mushrooms, lamb, and turkey.
Making sure you get adequate amounts of selenium is important, especially if you’re supplementing with iodine, otherwise, you run the risk of doing more damage to your thyroid.
At the end of the day, there are many reasons why your thyroid could be sluggish. All you can do is do the best you can with the information you now have at your fingertips.
And never give up hope because your body is ready to bounce back for round 2.
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