Are you exhausted, have memory lapses, thinning hair, body aches, irritability, depression, sleep problems, low sex drive, constipation and/or weight gain?
These could be symptoms of other diseases, but you might also have an under active thyroid. While you should definitely see your physician if you are having these symptoms, here are a few natural alternatives you can do to help yourself today.
Start by making sure you get enough rest, exercise and Vitamin D. If you can exercise just 30 minutes a day for 3-4 days a week you will see a significant rise in your energy levels and help combat the effects of stress.
Vitamin D helps the thyroid gland deal with unwanted stress. Ideally you should try to get Vitamin D from foods such as shittaake mushrooms, sardines, salmon, tuna and halibut. If none of these foods appeal to you can choose to take a Vitamin D3 supplement. The minimum recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D is 400iu, although it is probably good to get up to 1000iu of Vitamin D. Vegetables like Brussels sprouts and broccoli contain a wealth of nutrients such as magnesium and mood boosting B complex vitamins all good for a sluggish thyroid. It’s important to note that these vegetables also have compounds that block the body’s ability to form thyroid hormones so steam them at least 3 to 5 minutes before eating to reverse this effect.
Switch from Iodized table salt to sea salt because it has more minerals that help the thyroid gland make T3, an active thyroid hormone, and helps promote optimal thyroid functioning. Also consider a gluten-free diet, as it has also shown benefits towards better thyroid function, research shows a link between wheat allergies and thyroid disease.
One of the main triggers of hypothyroidism is chronic stress. When your body is under stress, a stress hormone called cortisol is released and this hormone can compromise the function of thyroid cells. Two other chemicals that can affect your thyroid are Triclosan and Perchlorate. Triclosan is a chemical that is found in toiletries like soap, deodorants and lotions, clothing, towels and cutting boards. Perchlorate comes from the ground water and is found in almost all leafy greens and water rich produce like watermelon.
To combat Triclosan and Perchlorate you can choose to drink bottled water, wash your vegetables and fruits with a vinegar and water mixture (recipe below) and to check the ingredients on your household products.
All products with Triclosan must be labeled by the FDA. Here is a list of a few common household products that contain Triclosan:
- Clearasil daily face wash
- Dentyl mouthwash
- Colgate Total product range
- Pepsodent
- Softsoap
- Dial
- Right Guard deodorant
- Sensodyne Total Care
- Old Spice
- Mentadent
Just making a few changes like changing your table salt, being careful about how you wash your food and becoming more aware of your personal hygiene products, can help a sluggish thyroid gland work more efficiently by treating the symptoms naturally and feel more rested in a more natural way.
Fruit and Vegetable Wash
1 tbsp lemon
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 cup of tap water
Put in a spray bottle, and shake. Spray on all fruits and vegetables, the vinegar will kill most pesticides and the lemon will give everything a nice smell. This wash is a cheap and easy way to clean without harmful chemicals.
– Jeannine Nystrom
Jeannine Nystrom specializes in rehab exercise therapy, is a licensed massage therapist, certified stretching therapist, certified personal trainer and esthetician. As someone who had multiple injuries when she was younger that limited her living a healthy normal life, she was thrilled to find someone who was able to teach her how to self help with stretching and massage, getting back into shape and living a balanced life.
She owns a studio and day spa in Juno Beach, Florida and teaches all of these practices to her clients so they too can have a total holistic body and live a more balanced life.
Visit Jeannine’s website at http://www.totalholisticbody.com