Your thyroid is a lovely gland that produces hormones called T4 & T3. These hormones are responsible for regulating the metabolism of almost every cell in our body! If our thyroid is struggling then it can impact quite a range of systems - energy, cognition, mood, sleep, reproductive cycles, fertility, digestive function and bowel motions, weight regulation, immune function, hair quality and growth… the list goes on!
The good news? You can take steps to support your thyroid naturally. Let’s dive into how!
What Your Thyroid Needs to Thrive
To make thyroid hormones, we need:
- IODINE - Seafood & seaweed
- SELENIUM - Brazil nuts are a great source
These are two of the most important nutrients but the nutrient density in the food is only as good as the nutrient density of the source/soil. Unfortunately in Australia there is limited iodine and selenium in our soil. This is why sea-sourced food is great for iodine & Brazil nuts should ideally be sourced from outside Australia for their selenium content.
Other important nutrients for thyroid function:
- TYROSINE - Chicken, turkey, beef, fish, pork
- ZINC - Oysters, meat
- VITAMIN A - Cod/beef liver, fish egg
- VITAMIN D - Sunshine
- VITAMIN B12 - Cod/beef liver, meat, fish, egg
- IRON - Meat, poultry, fish
- COPPER - Cod/beef liver, oysters, mushrooms
- MAGNESIUM - Nuts & seeds, avocado, cooked spinach
What to Avoid for a Happy Thyroid
While nourishing your thyroid is important, it’s equally crucial to avoid things that can disrupt its function:
- RAW FOOD GOITROGENS - Goitrogens can inhibit iodine uptake and are found in foods such as leafy green veggies, soy, millet, sweet potato. Goitrogens aren’t a problem though if you cook these foods & have unprocessed forms.
- CHRONIC STRESS - Chronic stress can significantly mess around with your thyroid function, communication of the thyroid & the brain plus also impact communication with the thyroid & adrenal glands and ovaries! It can also increase risk of autoimmune thyroiditis.
- CHEMICALS - So many household and industrial chemicals are endocrine disruptors - this means they mess around with our hormones, including thyroid hormones. Swap your cleaning products, personal care, make-up, perfumes, tupperwear and cookware for endocrine-friendly versions!
Your Thyroid Deserves Love
If you suspect your thyroid may be impacted, then it’s important to get tested properly. The ‘gold standard’ GP test is TSH, which unfortunately is not actually a thyroid hormone - it just tells us the communication between the brain and the thyroid. To really understand what is happening, we need to look much deeper.
If you need further support, book an appointment with one of our naturopaths so we can really get to the bottom of it for you! Your health is worth it. Let’s give your thyroid the care it deserves!
