Thyroid Foods

Vitamin C is an important part of a healthy diet. Although thyroid and vitamin c are not usually mention together, they are in fact in relation to each other. Here is how  they interact  :

• Our thyroid gland produces hormones ( T3 T4)

• These hormones needs iodine to be effective

• Iodine needs amino acid – specifically tyrosine

• Vitamin C is necessary for tyrosine metabolism

Vitamin C helps support your thyroid

Thyroid problems and diet

When you think of the word diet, you think of “restriction” and “eating less”. Do not get intimated or discouraged when you read about how dieting can help your thyroid condition. We use the word “diet” referring to a specific way of eating. Dieting does not mean eating less.

A hypothyroidism diet is not about calorie reduction. It doesn’t work and you already know that. When your thyroid gland is unbalanced, your body is working a different way and is stocking the energy and the calories.

Food is your fuel. Use the food to your advantage, make it work for YOU. The right food can help optimize your metabolism. The wrong food can harm all your efforts.

Do you need iodine supplements for thyroid gland?

It is possible to get enough iodine through your diet, mostly with seafoods and iodized salt. But if you are cutting down your salt intake and don’t have access to fresh seafoods, you should consider  iodine supplements for thyroid – especially if your thyroid gland is “slow”

The iodine source in Thyromine is from Nori, a red sea plant with a sweet, meaty taste when dried. Very high in protein content, vitamins and mineral salts

You need to get a balanced amount of iodine that’s just right for your needs. Click here to get more information on Thyromine and how it can help you regulate thyroid function.

The Thyroid Diet – The Hypothyroidism Diet

by Mary J. Shomon –> A book that addresses the specific diet needs for thyroid patients. The difficulty to lose weight is a major frustration for people who suffer from hypothyroidism, and The Thyroid Diet goes in dept – in a very comprehensive way – on how to balance blood sugar with the right diet plan to combat insulin resistance.

For some reason, the book cover does not appear every time on this post. You can click on the Amazon link below to see The Thyroid Diet book

READ THE REVIEWS AT AMAZON

Hypothyroidism test – How can I be sure ?

If you think you might be having symptoms of hypothyroidism, it might be time to check in with your doctor.

• medical history : the doctor will go through your medical history and (surgery, medications you are taking) and ask if any of your family members are known to have thyroid diseases.

• physical exam :  the doctor will check your thyroid gland and look for
  symptoms like  dry skin, swelling, , slower heart rate, and slower reflexes

• blood tests : you will need to take two different blood tests. THS and T4 tests

THS blood test

It measures how much of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) the thyroid gland is being asked to make. High levels of TSH means you have hypothyroidism: the thyroid gland is being asked to make more T4 because there isn’t enough T4 in the blood.

T4 blood test

Only a little part of  T4 actually gets into the blood cell. (about 1% – 2% ) This T4 blood test is a simple blood test and measures how much   T4 is in the blood and how much is available to go in the blood.

Hypothyroidism disease is  a condition found in humans and in animals

It is said that about three percent (3%) of the general population has hypothyroidism disease, but many more have simply a “slow” thyroid gland, and are not aware of it.

Women are more likely to have a slow thyroid gland

When the normal balance of hormones is disturbed, it affects all chemical reactions in the body. Untreated hypothyroidism can lead to multiple health problems like fatigue, weight gain or difficulty loosing weight, joint and muscle pain.

Women are more likely to have a slow thyroid gland, especially women over 50 years old. Pay attention to these symptoms and talk to your doctor about them.

photo credit: smellyknee