Tag: Iodine

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Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism

Fish and vegetables; hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are conditions that affect the thyroid gland. The thyroid is responsible for releasing hormones that are crucial to many important functions like regulation of metabolism, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature. It also affects cholesterol levels, mood, energy, and weight management. Let’s take a look at the differences between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and what you can do to help improve thyroid health.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism means the thyroid gland is producing too much of certain thyroid hormones (T4 for example). Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include unexplained weight loss, brittle hair, sensitivity to heat, sleep issues, irregular heartbeat, weakness, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. However, these symptoms could also be signs of a more serious condition, so always check with your doctor. Some common causes of hyperthyroidism include an autoimmune condition like Graves’ Disease, and inflammation of the thyroid.

Hypothyroidism

Conversely, hypothryoidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is underactive and does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, weakness, thinning hair, decreased heart rate, dry skin, and depression. The most common causes of hypothyroidism include an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, radiation therapy, inflammation of the thyroid gland, an iodine deficiency, and certain medications.

What You Can Do

Although thyroid issues are common, there are some things you can do to help improve the health of your thyroid and possibly reduce your risk of developing more serious thyroid conditions. The main thing you need to do is take a look at your diet. What you eat affects every system in your body, and proper nutrition is necessary for good health. Getting enough vitamins, minerals, and iodine in your diet is crucial to a properly functioning thyroid, in addition to all other organs and bodily systems. Some of the best foods to get iodine from are fish, shrimp, and other seafood because you also get omega-3’s. Cutting inflammatory foods and drinks out of your diet is also important because inflammation is one of the main causes of thyroid conditions. Inflammatory foods include processed foods, sodas, candy, breads, etc.

Taking certain supplements may also help provide the nutrients necessary for a healthy thyroid. Our product Thyroid Essentials Plus is a great formula containing iodine, selenium, l-tyrosine, and several other ingredients that may help promote thyroid health. Bacopa 320 is another product that is great for overall hormone balancing, including thyroid hormones, and may help promote healthy memory, energy levels, and mood.

Thyroid issues are becoming more and more common, which is likely due to the stress and environmental toxins we encounter each day. Fortunately, proper nutrition and supplementation may help improve some of the symptoms of existing conditions, and may even help lower your risk of developing some in the future. Your health should always be a top priority, and we want to help you feel your best!

You can listen to our Early Warning Signs of a Thyroid Problem podcast episode on our website here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.

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Learn True Health Podcast with Ashley James – Thyroid

Learn True Health Podcast with Ashley James

Dr. Lewis recently had the opportunity to be a guest on the Learn True Health Podcast with Ashley James where he spoke about thyroid issues and what you can do about them. Thyroid issues are becoming more and more common, so learning how to prevent and treat them is more important than ever. You can listen to that podcast here.

Ashley James is a health influencer and she has hundreds of podcasts and lots of information on how to be a healthier you, physically and emotionally. These podcasts and articles can be found on her website here.

Thyroid Issues

It seems as though everyone knows someone who has a thyroid issue, it may be themselves, or a friend or relative, but there’s no denying that thyroid problems have become much more common in recent years. There are many contributing factors like stress, environmental and dietary toxins, poor nutrition, hormone imbalances, etc., but the good news is that you can do something about it. Diet is the biggest thing to consider changing if you’re concerned about thyroid health, but iodine, fish oil, and certain vitamins and minerals are crucial to achieving and maintaining thyroid health.

Iodine

Adequate iodine levels are necessary for the thyroid to function properly, and iodine absorption is often inhibited by fluoride, bromine, and chlorine. These chemicals are commonly found in tap water, and they can bind to the iodine receptors, preventing your body from being able to absorb the iodine it needs. It is often necessary to eliminate these chemicals from your diet before supplementing with iodine so your body can properly absorb it.

Fish Oil

Fish oil should be a part of everyone’s diet/supplement plan due to the many benefits. Fish oil may help balance cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and it may even improve the symptoms associated with certain psychological disorders because it supplies the brain with the fat it needs to function correctly. We likely still haven’t discovered all the benefits of fish oil, but we know it’s incredibly important to your thyroid and overall health.

Vitamins and Minerals

Taking a high-quality multivitamin can be beneficial because it provides a wide-range of nutrients, many of which you likely aren’t getting enough of through diet alone. Vitamin deficiencies are very common today due to stress and environmental toxins that deplete certain vitamins and minerals, and diets that are high in processed food that contains few nutrients. Another big cause of the increasing deficiencies are gut imbalances. When the good and bad bacteria in your gut aren’t balanced, or if you have leaky gut (many people do without realizing it) or digestive disorders, then you probably aren’t able to absorb much of the vitamins and minerals you do eat and/or supplement with. This is why the first steps to healing usually include cutting out fake food (processed, packaged food with long ingredient lists), eating lots of organic fruits and vegetables, and healing your gut through the use of probiotics, celery juice, and supplementation. Fixing these issues can greatly improve your overall health, and may help prevent or lessen thyroid issues.

Be sure to listen to Dr. Lewis speak on Learn True Health Podcast with Ashley James to learn more about thyroid issues and what you can do.