7 All Natural Thyroid Boosters to Help Your Thyroid and Your Weight

Since one of the functions of your thyroid is controlling metabolism, there seems to be a big connection between the increased rate of thyroid symptoms and problems in America and the increase in weight control problems. The following natural thyroid boosters are ideas that have been shown to help boost thyroid function, and hence help increase metabolism and make it easier for you to lose weight as well as maintain a normal weight.

Thyroid Booster #1: Reduce Iodine Blockers in the Diet

Besides eating iodine-rich foods, it is important to reduce your intake of goitrogens (iodine blockers) like peanuts and soy. All raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, turnips, kale, and cauliflower are also goitrogens. Make sure and cook them before eating them in significant amounts.

Soy products are probably the worst goitrogen offenders, first of all because cooking does not destroy the anti-thyroid substances in them. Second of all, studies show they are in 70% or more of all foods on our grocery shelves in the form of soy oil, vegetable oil, texturized vegetable protein, soy flour, soy protein isolate, etc. We have been told for quite a while now that soy is good for us, so you may find it hard to believe that soy can actually promote weight gain by interfering with thyroid function. However, there are many studies to back up this claim, so we highly recommend that you follow this suggestion to avoid all soy products, except small amounts of fermented soy like natural soy sauce, tempeh and miso.

Thyroid Booster #2: Reduce Refined Foods and Vegetable Oils

Refined grains and sugars, as well as being bad for you in many other ways, put too much stress on the thyroid and can interfere with good thyroid function. In addition, vegetable oils have been proven to fatten up animals, but also cause them thyroid and other problems, including cancer. So if you want to have a healthy thyroid, reduce your consumption of all vegetable oils -- this includes canola, corn, and soy. This also means not eating out or eating packaged foods very much, as restaurants and packaged foods often contain some of these oils.

Thyroid Booster #3: Add Natural Sources of Iodine to Your Diet

Some natural sources of iodine that seem to be well used by the body include unrefined sea salts, kelp, bladderwrack and other seaweeds, eggs, butter, and most sea-foods, especially cold-water deep-sea fish. Fish sauce is also a rich source of iodine if properly prepared, and is often used in Thai cuisine. It may also be useful to supply extra iodine in your diet by taking kelp or bladderwrack extracts or another herbal formula that contains seaweeds as well as other herbs that can be helpful for nourishing the thyroid gland.

Thyroid Booster #4: Add Minerals and Vitamins that Support Thyroid Function

Zinc, chromium, selenium and manganese are all minerals that have been shown to support the thyroid. You can add more minerals to your diet in a natural form that will help support your thyroid gland by using a whole food based greens supplement and/or coral calcium which contains trace minerals like zinc and selenium.

One of the most beneficial vitamins for the thyroid gland is vitamin A, although B, C and E vitamins complexes are also important. Those with hypothyroid often have problems converting beta-carotene to vitamin A, so it is important that you get some real vitamin A. Never take synthetic vitamin A, as studies have shown it to be toxic at higher levels.

Many, if not most of the vitamins you find in the stores today are isolated nutrients that come from synthetic sources. This is generally because these vitamins cost less to manufacture than vitamins from living food sources. However, vitamin supplements that are synthetic do not provide all the co-factors necessary for your body to fully utilize that supplement. So, these products may bring much needed nutrients to your body in the short term, but over the long term will likely cause other problems in your body. Although they are difficult to find, it's worth it for your health to seek out only 100 percent whole food supplements and super foods.

Thyroid Booster # 5: Get More Exercise, Especially Rebounding

Exercise is also good for your thyroid -- any kind. A rebounder can be especially helpful, but all exercise will stimulate the thyroid gland secretion and will help increase the sensitivity of your cells to the thyroid hormones. If you are too tired to get much exercise, you might want to think about adding coconut oil to your diet or perhaps some good super foods to help boost your energy levels so that you feel like exercising.

Thyroid Booster #6: Add Virgin Coconut Oil To Your Diet

Coconut oil, because of its metabolism-stimulating properties, seems to be an excellent thyroid system builder. If you have problems with your thyroid, you want to be sure to include coconut oil in your diet. Remember how we told you that animals got fatter when eating vegetable oils? Well, these same farmers then tried giving their animals coconut oil to see if that would fatten them up without the same problems their animals experienced on vegetable oils. Guess what? It made the animals more active and more lean instead! So add coconut oil to your diet today!

Thyroid Booster #7: Stop Using Fluoride in Your Water and Toothpaste

According to Cherie Calboun in "The Coconut Diet", a growing body of evidence suggests that fluoride may interfere with proper functioning of the thyroid. This means that if your water is fluoridated, it may be extremely helpful for you to buy a water filter that filters out fluoride. If you're not sure, check with your water supplier -- about 50 percent of America's tap water is fluoridated today. You also want to avoid fluoride toothpastes, since some of it inevitably will be ingested.

Although none of these suggestions should take the place of your consulting a health care practitioner, many have found that by incorporating them into their lifestyles, their thyroid symptoms got better and it became easier to lose weight.- Karen Pijuan

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Since my dad's battle with thyroid cancer - which by the way, he's winning - I've come to appreciate that tiny gland that regulates metabolism. Of course, cancer isn't the only disease that can attack the thyroid - a fact I was reminded of when I received an e-mail from a reader named Ronald concerning his daughter who suffers from Hashimoto's thyrioditis.

For those not familiar with this condition, Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease where the body's own antibodies attack the cells of the thyroid. Women between the ages of 30 and 50 are the primary target. And, worst of all - there is no cure.

Inside Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

The symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis can look a lot like other diseases, and can include tiredness, forgetfulness, depression, coarse dry skin, slow heartbeat, weight gain or loss, constipation and intolerance to cold. But Hashimoto's also has some of its own distinct symptoms: difficulty swallowing food or liquids and the feeling of tightness in your throat. There might also be a bump (called a goiter) in the front of your neck. But the only way to know if you actually have Hashimoto's thyroiditis is with hormone and antibody blood tests that look specifically for the disease.

One thing you don't want to do is ignore these symptoms. Left untreated, this disease can lead to high LDL cholesterol levels and heart disease, clinical depression, low libido and a higher risk of giving birth to babies with defects like cleft palate.

If you've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, your doctor may prescribe replacement thyroid hormones. If you do walk out of the doctor's office with a prescription, fill it and make sure to take the replacement hormones. Why am I so emphatic about this when I usually opt for natural alternatives? Because every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism.

Of course, that's not to say that natural remedies won't help manage your symptoms.

What Not to Eat

What you eat can have a huge impact on Hashimoto's. Start by eliminating stimulants and chemicals. Some of the more obvious ones are caffeine, sugar and preservatives. The first two tax the adrenal glands, causing imbalances throughout the body. Preservatives and artificial sweeteners like aspartame can cause further stress to the brain so it's critical to greatly reduce or eliminate your intake of these substances.

It's also a good idea to avoid some otherwise healthy foods because they can depress thyroid activity. These include broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soy, beans and mustard greens. And avoid iodine-rich foods like kelp. While iodine is important to thyroid function, it can have a negative affect if you're suffering from Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

This condition has also been linked to celiac disease. Keep a journal of what you are eating for a week to see how products containing gluten (bread, pasta, etc.) affect you. If it seems to be a problem, cut out any foods that contain gluten for a month and see if it helps.

Tackle Symptoms with Supplements

What about supplements? They can be tricky in folks with this condition since many otherwise safe supplements can interact with your thyroid medication. Check with your doctor before trying any of the following remedies.

There is some evidence that the Ayurvedic herb bacopa can help stimulate the thyroid. It's also helpful for mood and cognition, which can be negatively affected in those with Hashimoto's.

Niacin can also help treat the high cholesterol levels that accompany this condition. Just be aware that niacin can cause flushing and even hot flashes in some people. To avoid this uncomfortable side effect, try taking the niacin with 900 mg. of nettles - and take it just before bedtime so that any flushing will occur while you're asleep. When used as therapy for a specific problem like high cholesterol, the dose is much larger than normal - 1,000 to 2,500 mg. daily. But because of the risk of liver inflammation at these doses, medical supervision is essential.

Other vitamins and minerals are also important. Calcium (1,000 mg. per day) and magnesium (200 - 600 mg. per day) help many metabolic processes function normally. Supplemental essential fatty acids (1,000 to 1,500 mg. three times per day) are also important since they are necessary for hormone production.

One Last Thing . . .

There are some supplements you should not take if you suffer from Hashimoto's or even garden variety hypothyroidism.

Far too frequently, people with low thyroid levels consume seaweed or iodine supplements in the hope that it will help. However, while iodine deficiency does indeed cause low thyroid levels, taking iodine won't help if you're not deficient - and the vast majority of people living in the developed world get plenty of dietary iodine. In fact, excessive iodine intake can occasionally cause hypothyroidism. This is a classic case of "more is not better."

Soy can also have a big impact on the thyroid. When given to people with impaired thyroid function, soy products reduce the absorption of thyroid medication. In addition, some evidence hints that soy isoflavones may directly inhibit the function of the thyroid gland, but this may only be significant in people who are deficient in iodine.

Finally, iron supplements may interfere with thyroid hormone absorption. Bottom line, it you want to combine natural and conventional medicine to treat Hashimoto's, check with your health care provider before you self medicate.

This Just In . . .

It was terribly sad to learn recently that actor Patrick Swayze suffered from pancreatic cancer. But a timely new study by the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York has found that Resveratrol - a compound found in red wine - can kill those deadly pancreatic cancer cells.

During the study, the researchers treated human pancreatic cancer cells with Resveratrol, either alone or in combination with radiation. They found that the wine compound disrupted the activity of the cancer cells' mitochondria, the energy-producing centers needed for cells to function. Resveratrol also impaired certain cancer-cell proteins that thwart chemotherapy by pumping drugs out of the cell.

When it was combined with radiation, the compound bumped up the production of cell-damaging substances called reactive oxygen species - potentially making the cancer cells more destructible. And, in fact, the cancer cells treated with the combination were more likely to self-destruct.

Although this research is preliminary, Resveratrol could prove to be a potent weapon against this deadly disease for the nearly 30,000 Americans diagnosed each year. It's also proving to be an effective cancer preventative for a wide variety of cancers. Look for a standardized Resveratrol supplement. The typical dose is 10 mg. per day. If you are undergoing radiation or chemotherapy, check with your oncologist to see if a higher dose - 20 mg. or more - might make your treatment even more effective.

References:

Bell DS, Ovalle F. Use of soy protein supplement and resultant need for increased dose of levothyroxine. Endocrine Practice. 2001;7:193-194.

Kar A, Panda S, Bharti S. "Relative efficacy of three medicinal plant extracts in the alteration of thyroid hormone concentrations in male mice." Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2002;81:281-285.

Sun W, Wang W, Kim J, et al. "Anti-cancer effect of resveratrol is associated with induction of apoptosis via a mitochondrial pathway alignment." Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 2008;614:179-186.

Takami HE, Miyabe R, Kameyama K. "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis." World Journal of Surgery. 2008 Feb 28 [Epub ahead of print].

Valentino R, Savastano S, Tommaselli AP, et al. "Prevalence of coeliac disease in patients with thyroid autoimmunity." Hormone Research. 1999;51:124-127.

By Bonnie Jenkins

12 Critical Symptoms of Hypothyroid You Should Know Before It's Too Late

Hypothyroidism occurs if your thyroid gland, which is located on your neck, is under-active and is unable to produce the hormone needed by your body to function normally. This causes your body to also be under-active in a lot of ways which becomes worse as it progresses. If you have this condition, you will feel the following symptoms of hypothyroid although most of these are vague at the outset. You should watch out for symptoms such as:

• Feeling tired often - Your energy tends to be low and you may be weary and sleepy throughout the day.
• Weight gain - This symptom of hypothyroid may be the trickiest. If you try to lose weight and you're doing the right things such as exercising and eating the proper diet, and you still continue to gain weight, you can suspect hypothyroidism.
• Goiter - Swelling of the neck that happens when your thyroid gland in its present state tries to produce enough hormones but comes up short. The strain on your thyroid as it tries to compensate leads to this swelling.
• Swelling of the skin especially around the eyes and cheeks - This makes you look thick and puffy.
• Hoarseness of the voice - Your voice becomes raspy and throaty, all of a sudden.
• Unable to tolerate cold - You may be very uncomfortable in a cold environment and may feel cold even if your surroundings are warm.
• Loss of hair and thin and brittle fingernails
• Slowed pulse - This symptom of hypothyroid relates to the over-all slowing of your body as mentioned, which makes your heart rate slow also.
• Difficulty in bowel movement - You may be constipated most of the time if you have hypothyroidism.
• Feeling of depression
• Forgetfulness - You may become forgetful and the way you react to things may also be delayed.
• Menstrual irregularities - If you are a woman, symptoms of hypothyroid may include having a heavy period or bleeding in between periods.

If you have any of the following symptoms of hypothyroid pointed out above, you should consult with a doctor immediately because it is important that treatment be started as early as possible if you have the disease.

By Jane Jack Collins

9 Common Causes for Thyroid Problems

How you sleep, how easy it is to wake up, and how much energy and stamina you have during the day is directly related to the levels of the thyroid hormones. The thyroid is heavily involved in so many more processes in the body as well!

Hypothyroidism is a common health condition in the U.S. and means that the thyroid gland is not active enough. It may cause symptoms such as weight gain, tiredness, pale and cold skin, constipation, high cholesterol levels, weakness, and joint pain. The opposite condition is called Hyperthyroidism in which the thyroid gland is too active. This may result in symptoms such as weight loss, tremors, heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat, difficulty sleeping, and so forth. But naturally, the thyroid is a sneaky organ and your symptoms typically won't be "textbook" as described or all occur at the same time. It could be something as subtle as noticing you just can't make it through a day without coffee anymore.

The blood work performed by doctors is typically a "basic" or "expanded" thyroid panel, and can include variety of measurements. Normal values are constantly changing. As a physician, I am only interested in the optimal, ideal specific range of these values, whereas many outdated laboratory values have a great range and a different motivation and view point for what's normal.

Here's briefly how the thyroid gland works and don't worry, I won't bore you with science! The thyroid is like middle management in the corporate world. His office is located in the throat, wrapped around our windpipe as two lobes. His big time boss is the brain, who works up at corporate headquarters. That's how body works - the brain is the master control of every organ, tissue, muscle, and cell in the body. The thyroid's upper management is the pituitary gland, whom he also takes orders from. Thyroid manages many functions of the corporation especially the customer service teams, but instead of sending out memos all day from his desk, he sends out hormones. Hormones are the messages that act out what the brain commands. So he send out hormones (messages) to his customer service team to go out into the body and check in with every single cell (customers). They stop at every cell to see if its doing okay - does it need more nutrients? More oxygen? Anything? More important than that, the hormones get to call on some large important customers. For example hormones help the heart utilize cholesterol. His best customer service representatives are T3 and T4 and are his right hand team. For that reason, T3 is the most active thyroid number measured. This is certainly not the complete picture, just an overview of what the thyroid does.

Did you know that there's a real definition of "being healthy?" It's the definition adopted by all major medical textbooks, including Gray's Anatomy (the textbook that's the corner stone of the entire medical profession, not the television show). Being healthy is the ability to function at one hundred percent mentally, physically, and socially. This definition tells me that health is more than just the physical body, it's all encompassing. And health is about function. Nowhere in that definition did it discuss how someone feels. It's about how well the body works beneath the surface and adapts for you.

Here are 9 causes of thyroid levels that are off on your blood work, and what further steps might you want to explore:

1) Environmental Factors. The body is shutting down because it's exhausted. The two most common examples of environmental factors affecting the thyroid gland are high stress levels and a lack of sleep. Sleep is literally the body's time to heal itself and depriving ourselves of that has a much greater effect than we realize. High stress levels will cause excess cortisol in the body, which is a hormone linked to increased risks of heart disease (and other conditions) and keeps your body in the "flight or fight" response mode. These are the two first things that I recommend all of my patients to address. Here are some tips for sleeping well and lowering stress:

a. Deep breathing exercises

b. Use of essential oils like lavender

c. Eliminate tvs, cell phones, etc. in the bedroom

d. Yoga, meditation, or stretching to promote a calm, clear mind

2) Gastrointestinal Function. Not only does our digestive system break down food to use as nutrients, it also contains almost 80% of our immune system! Food Intolerances are a common cause of digestive problems and there is a strong link in the research to Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease with thyroid imbalances. Many people with suspected gluten intolerance also have many other hidden undetected food intolerances that mimick similar symptoms.

3) Toxicity. A common sign of toxicity in the body can be bags underneath the eyes. Liver is our main organ responsible for detoxing the body and preventing any garbage from hanging around to destroy our tissues. If a need for detoxing exists, it can involve dietary changes, adding more vegetables to the diet in the form of Juicing in order to make the internal body conditions inhospitable for toxins, infrared saunas, and acupuncture to balance energy meridians corresponding to these organs. One of my tips is to drink a mug of warm water with half a fresh squeezed lemon every morning 15 minutes before breakfast. It gets the liver active and ready to work!

4) Hormonal Imbalances such as pregnancy, contraceptive use, estrogen / hormone replacement therapy, or bowel dysfunctions. Too much estrogen will increase the activity in the thyroid gland. Estrogen is also used as a medication for which the effects are over played and risks minimized. Research and results on Hormone Replacement Therapy now show that it does not protect anyone from incontinence, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and so forth but it actually increases your risk for cancer. Other natural ways to resolve a hormonal imbalance, especially around menopausal age are acupuncture or a physician grade nutritional supplement prescription.

5) Consumption of soy products and non-organic dairy. Soy and non-organic dairy both will increase estrogen in the body and therefore affect the thyroid gland. I would recommend anyone (regardless of your health condition) to eliminate both of these items from your diet. Remember, both of these are very sneaky and hidden in many processed foods.

6) Constipation. Too many toxins being recycled in our bowels from lack of elimination will put extra estrogen into system. My favorite, most effect and natural solutions for constipation are acupuncture, dietary changes like eliminating sugar and grains, probiotics supplementation, food intolerance testing, other lab measurements that could enlighten the reason for constipation.

7) Nutritional Deficiencies such as B12 or Iron deficiency. Some of the signs of nutrient deficiencies are similar to symptoms of hypothyroidism. Reasons that one could have nutrient deficiencies could include lack of nutritional dietary habits or heavy metal toxicity (which is actually much more common than it sounds). Hair analysis is the best long term blueprint of the body to assess for heavy metal toxicity or nutrient deficiencies.

8) Immune System Dysfunctions such as adrenal problems which increase cortisol in the body, increase your risk for heart disease (among other conditions) and keep your body in constant "flight or fight" panic mode. Adrenal problems are typically measured with easy, at home saliva testing.

9) Chronic Candidiasis which may cause symptoms such as white patches in mouth, memory problems, issues with sugar handling, gas and bloating, mucous in the stool, and cold hands or feet. Ask your doctor about an easy blood test to see if you have an acute or long term candida problem. Solutions for candidiasis may involve dietary changes, detoxification, and using natural herbs or supplements to resolve candida imbalance

By Dr Kristen Bobik