Why you should pay close attention to that small gland on your neck
Are you gaining weight for no reason or having a difficult time losing those excess pounds despite diet and exercise? Are you more exhausted than usual? Are you intolerant of cold temperature? Is your cholesterol level high? Perhaps you have noticed that your hair, skin, and nails are rough, coarse, dry, and generally unhealthy. Do you suffer from constipation, irregular menstrual cycle, aches, and pains? Do you notice puffiness and swelling around your eyes, face, hands, and feet? Is low sex drive a problem? Have you been feeling depressed, restless, moody, and sad?
If you have been experiencing some of these symptoms, it’s time to pay close attention to that tiny butterfly shaped gland located in your neck area. Approximately the size of two thumbs, this ‘small but terrible’ hormone-producing gland controls and affects all organs and cells in the body. It has the ability to regulate the way we burn energy in the form of calories—a process called metabolism. It regulates growth, development, temperature, mood, and more bodily processes.
The role of the thyroid gland is often overlooked when dealing with medical conditions. Furthermore, the influence of one’s environment is almost never taken into consideration when managing a dysfunctional thyroid gland.
The hormones T3 (Triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine) are produced by this gland to ensure that all body organs function properly. Unfortunately, the production of these hormones, as well as the conversion of T4 to its active form T3, is impacted by one’s lifestyle and environment.
These are some lifestyle and environmental factors that inhibit the proper production of thyroid hormones and prevent the conversion of T4 to the active form T3: Stress, trauma, low calorie and low carbohydrate diet, exposure to toxins like pesticides, mercury, cadmium, and lead. Cigarette smoking also wreaks havoc with hormone production and regulation.
Here are some lifestyle and behavior modifications you can do to take care of your thyroid health.
Moderate exercise. Exercise is medicine but too much intense exercise is detrimental to thyroid function. This will make weight loss among individuals with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) more difficult to lose weight. Engaging in regular moderate intensity exercise will improve the sensitivity of cells to the thyroid hormones.
Rest and recover. Get seven to nine hours of sleep to support recovery. Engage in activities for relaxation and stress relief such as meditation, prayer, yoga, art, music, reading, journaling, and the like. This will bring down your stress hormone production, which causes imbalance of thyroid hormones.
Sun exposure. Vitamin D promotes proper production of thyroid hormones—10 to 20 minutes of sun exposure will also help you get your daily dose of vitamin D. If sun exposure isn’t possible, consult your registered nutritionist dietitian for proper guidance on supplementation.
Food and nutrition. To ensure proper production of thyroid hormones, whole food and plant-based sources are highly recommended.
Iron. Dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, cashew, nuts and seeds, sundried tomatoes and tomato paste, oyster and white mushrooms, prune juice, oats, coconut milk, and dark chocolate Also abundant in animal meat, which must be consumed in moderation and lean cuts.
Iodine. Iodized salt, banana, prunes, corn, beans, nori, seaweed, potato, strawberries, and cranberries, as well as fish and other seafood
Zinc. Peanuts, cashew, almond, pine nuts, chia seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, legumes, oysters and red meat
Selenium. Brown rice, banana, cashew, oatmeal, mushrooms, spinach, Brazil nuts, animal meat
Vitamin C. Guava, citrus fruits, malunggay, peppers, papaya, pineapple, mango, melon, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato juice
Vitamin A. Tomato, malunggay, sweet potato, carrots, mango, watermelon, papaya, peppers, spinach, lettuce, and kale. It is also abundant in egg, fatty fishes like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
Treat your thyroid right by adapting these practical lifestyle changes and eating nutrient-rich food.
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