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Living with Hypothyroid
Is it cold? Or is it just me? The thyroid gland is the thermostat for the body by regulating the hormones that use energy and burn calories. If your thyroid isn't working properly it can make you feel more than just cold.
Common symptoms of low thyroid function are:
- Fatigue, weakness
- Inability to handle cold
- Weight gain
- Loss of appetite
- Dry skin
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Depression
- Constipation
- Lifeless hair
- Difficulty concentrating, poor memory
It is estimated that this condition affects millions of people, most of which are women, generally between the ages of 30 - 50. In it's most extreme, low thyroid can become Hashimoto's disease, where the body's immune system actually attacks the thyroid gland.
We have received many calls lately from customers that have recently been diagnosed with low thyroid, or hypothyroid, from their doctor. The question is usually "Are there are healthy, natural ways to improve thyroid function?" The answer is YES! Natural solutions include adding coconut oil or milk to your diet, as well as increasing your iodine intake from healthy foods.
(Another article on our website that you might find useful is, 5 Steps To A Healthy Thyroid, which includes a couple interesting self tests, if you're curious.)
Natural Solutions
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil stimulates natural thyroid function. Most people are immediately alarmed because of the bad hype coconut oil received years ago, which still hangs over the name. But money oriented negative hype is exactly what it was. This bad rap originated from the vegetable oil industry who felt threatened because of the incredible benefits coconut oil offers. Even though hydrogenated vegetable oil has many known detrimental effects, it is cheap to manufacture, offering a much higher profit margin for vegetable oil manufacturers.
Health experts agree that at least 30% of your daily nutritional intake should come from healthy fats. (Emphasis is on the word "healthy"). Coconut oil is a perfect way to fulfill this nutritional need.
Yes, coconut oil is high is saturated fat, but don't let that scare you. Not all saturated fats are alike. Because of the structure of coconut oil, the body burns it faster, and it is more easily digested than other fatty acids. Plus, it assists in giving energy to the liver and lymph system.
One of the powerful anti-viral and anti-microbial benefits of coconut oil comes from lauric acid. This fatty acid promotes healthy bones and aids in brain development. People who consume coconut oil experience less sickness, balanced weight control, proper cholesterol levels, and better digestion. Lauric acid benefits include relief for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
Coconut Oil Promotes Weight Loss
Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid. It does not circulate in the bloodstream like other fats. It goes directly to the liver and is immediately used to produce energy, rather than be stored as fat, speeding up the body's metabolism. So, if you're one of the many thyroid sufferers dealing with stubborn weight gain, this powerful oil can help promote weight loss, not encourage it.
The recommended daily dose for an adult is 2-3 tablespoons per day, preferably taken with meals. Coconut oil is shelf stable and doesn't need to be refrigerated. It is not destroyed by heat and will not become a trans fat when heated, so it's fabulous for cooking. If you're not aware of the detrimental health effects of vegetable oils, read our article on vegetable oils/trans fats: Trans Fat and Vegetable Oils
What about Coconut Milk?
Looking for the benefits to your thyroid using coconut without using oil? Try coconut milk. Coconut milk is a great dairy-free alternative for people who are lactose intolerant. What we're referring to is not the liquid that is inside a coconut. Coconut diluted milk is the cream that is pressed from the flesh of a coconut. You can generally find it in stores in the ethnic foods section, or you can make it yourself. Try to avoid "thin" or "light" versions as they contain less lauric acid.
To make coconut milk, take the white meat from the inside of the coconut (peel off the brown skin attached to the meat), cut it into small pices and put it in the blender. Add enough boiling water to cover all the meat. Blend until finely grated. Cover a bowl with cheesecloth and pour the mixture into the cheesecloth. Squeeze it to extract as much of the liquid as possible. This should yield one to two cups of coconut milk per coconut used. Discard the coconut meat, and refrigerate the coconut milk. It will only last 1-2 days, so drink up!
This yummy milk can be added to smoothies, soups or your favorite curry recipe. At the end of this article is one our favorite soup recipes using coconut milk, Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup, also known as Tom Ka Gai.
Iodine
Iodine is required by the body to help form the thyroid hormone. Recent studies show more than 50% of the population has low iodine levels. Iodine is important as it helps to increase cellular metabolism, metabolize fat, and protect the body from the affects of radiation.
Too little iodine can cause goiter and low thyroid problems. Certain foods, in high amounts, can act as goitrogens, meaning they suppress thyroid function and inhibit the body from correctly absorbing iodine. Following is a list of foods that, if eaten in RAW amounts of more than 4 cups a week, can decrease thyroid function and stimulate the growth of the thyroid gland. The good news is that these goitrogenic foods are heat sensitive, so cooking them lowers the detrimental effects on the thyroid, and de-activates the iodine blockers.
- Spinach
- broccoli
- Cabbage
- Brussel Sprouts
- Mustard Greens
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Lima Beans
- Rutabaga
- Turnips
- Sweet Potatoes
- Kohlrabi
- Radishes
Other foods that may also act as goitrogens are millet, canola or rapeseed oil, peanuts, pine nuts and soybeans or tofu. Soy is very high in iodine blockers. Please see our website article on the dangers of soy: Soy: Health or Hype?
Other iodine blockers are:
- Chlorine - added to water supplies
- Fluoride - added to water supplies
- Bromine - a dough conditioner used in baked goods and bottled drinks
Foods like seaweed or sea vegetables known under the names of Dulce, Arame, Kelp, Wakame, and Nori (most commonly known as the wrapping for sushi rolls) are naturally high in beneficial iodine and help to remove heavy metals from the body. A favorite way to add a little zing to soups and salads, and increase iodine intake, is to make Japanese sea salt, called Gomashio. It tastes great and is simple to make. (Recipe below)
We hope you will explore some of these effective and healthy solutions for underactive thyroid. Once again, nature has provided an array of solutions that are proven to help lessen the fatigue, depression, aches and pains, chills, weight gain, and sleeplessness this condition brings. And unlike drugs, which only alleviate the symptoms, natural solutions go to work at the root cause, offering you the potential for permanent relief.
For more thyroid information, please read about Fulvic on our website. It's one of the most powerful tools available for detoxing the thyroid. We have many customers who have reversed thyroid problems using fulvic, one of which is Jody Ahrens, CEO of Vital Earth Minerals. You can read how she did it at: Jody's Story
RECIPES
Tom Ka Gai also known
as Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup
¾ pound of boneless
preferably organic chicken breasts
3 tablespoons coconut
oil
37 ounces of coconut
milk (2 - 14 oz cans)
2 cups of chicken stock
or 2 cups of water
2 tablespoons minced
fresh ginger root
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon cayenne
pepper
½ teaspoon ground
turmeric
2 tablespoons thinly
sliced green onion or scallions
1 tablespoon chopped
cilantro
- Slice Chicken into
thin strips and cook in oil for about 3 minutes until chicken turns
white.
- In your soup pot,
bring coconut milk and chicken broth (or water) to a simmer. Reduce
heat. Add ginger, lime juice, cayenne powder and turmeric. Simmer
until the chicken is done for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with
scallions and fresh cilantro and serve hot.
Makes
about 6 servings
Gomashio
Use five teaspoons of sesame seeds to one part sea
salt. Toast the sesame seeds lightly in a wok or pan till they just
start to pop like popcorn. Take your sesame seeds and salt and perhaps a
little dried sea vegetables, a pinch or two. Use a mortar and pestle to
grind all the ingredients and seal together in a small glass jar.
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