The thyroid is critical to the proper functioning of your metabolism. In fact, there are only three major hormones that control your metabolism. They are the thyroid hormone, insulin and cortisol. One of the most commonly-diagnosed problems with thyroids is an underactive thyroid. An underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism. This condition can lead to weight gain, but it also comes with other negative symptoms that detract from the quality of life.
● Loss of muscle strength ● Dry skin ● Constipation ● Puffy eyes/face ● Chronic fatigue ● Memory loss ● Ultra-sensitivity to cold ● Hoarseness ● Thinning hair ● Depression
Note that you may not have all these symptoms. A professional diagnoses is necessary if you suspect you may have hypothyroidism.
How to Naturally Support Your Thyroid
There are a number of things you can do to support the healthy function of your thyroid.
Supplement With Thyroid Support Nutrients
It’s challenging to get all the nutrients you need to naturally support your thyroid everyday. Taking a thyroid supplement helps to ensure you’re getting enough iodine, zinc, selenium, copper and L-Tyrosine on a regular basis. Each of these nutrients are needed by your thyroid to function properly.
Alter Your Diet
Certain foods have been linked to thyroid issues. You could do well by avoiding them as much as possible. One of the foods to avoid is gluten. If you suspect hypothyroidism, it’s a good idea to try to avoid gluten. There are lots of gluten-free foods, so this one will be easy to implement. Another diet change to make to support your thyroid naturally is eat unprocessed foods as much as you can. Processed foods often contain pesticides, especially canned vegetables. Whenever possible, make homemade meals using organic, pesticide-free ingredients.
Exercise After Meals
Since insulin is related to your metabolism, it will help your thyroid if you make it a habit to exercise after each meal. If you eat a meal that raises your insulin levels, the exercise will bring insulin levels back down to a manageable level. The exercise doesn’t need to be strenuous to be effective. A brief 10 or 20-minute walk will suffice.
Avoid Stress
Stress causes your body to release harmful hormones like cortisol. Cortisol causes your body to retain fat and it is detrimental to a healthy metabolism. Try meditation or another stress-relieving activity.
When you get to know and support your thyroid health naturally, you can help alleviate symptoms and restore a properly functioning metabolism. Try a combination of all these tips to support thyroid health naturally.
A bad night’s sleep can be frustrating for many reasons, but we rarely consider its impact beyond the associated fatigue or the sluggish day of work. Sleep deprivation is associated with both short and long term health concerns, and the evidence is only mounting. From a very basic standpoint, poor sleep makes us less cognitively sharp and therefore at a greater risk for careless mistakes. This is consistent with many studies finding that self-reported sleep problems, short sleep duration, fatigue and daytime sleepiness are all linked in some way to workplace injuries due to accidents.1 Nevertheless, what about the health
Do you feel down, blue or downright depressed in the winter? Feelings of fatigue, craving comfort foods or malaise are not your imagination. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects billions of people around the globe. Those who live in climates where there is not a lot of sun for several months out the year are particularly affected. Although your friends and family may playfully refer to your despondent mood as a “case of the winter blues,” for you it doesn’t feel light-hearted at all. In fact, SAD is a serious condition that can lead to disruption in your daily life or
Nature offers many compounds that may be beneficial for alleviating digestive disorders such as IBS, IBD, cancer, ulcers, acid reflux and others. A few of the more widely studied and successfully used natural supplements include: DGL, boswellia, mastica, curcumin, and fiber. DGL (De-glycyrrhizinated licorice) Traditionally, licorice has been used throughout history by many cultures for various diseases. It is a key component in syrups and herbal teas and is useful for treating cough and cold symptoms, as well as for a host of gastric issues, the latter due mainly for its demulcent or soothing properties. Unfortunately, while being highly effective
Back
