Maintaining A Healthy Thyroid Through Diet
When a person suffers from a thyroid condition it is often left undiagnosed until the problem becomes very serious. The reason for this is that many of the symptoms associated with a thyroid condition are the same as symptoms for many other conditions.
Hyper thyroidism is the result of over activity in the thyroid. The thyroid over produces the hormones T3 and T4 which regulate body temperature, metabolism, and many other organs and functions within the body. When people are suffering from hyper thyroidism they may experience such symptoms as irregular heart rate, heat intolerance, and weight loss.
There are many other symptoms that result from a hyper thyroid condition but none of the symptoms specifically point to the thyroid gland as the cause of the symptoms. It is only after blood tests are conducted to ascertain the level of TSH in the blood that one can be properly diagnosed with a thyroid condition.
There are many measures that one can take to insure that they maintain a healthy thyroid gland and reduce the possibility of over or under production of the hormones produced by this gland. The easiest method to help the thyroid is through a change in diet.
The thyroid gland can be significantly affected by some of the foods that are in an individual’s daily diet. The use of polyunsaturated oils has gained in popularity over the past few years for many individuals watching their weight. However these oils block the production of thyroid hormones and can lead to hypo-thyroidism.
Most of the foods that people eat are treated with chemicals. Some vegetables are sprayed with chemicals when they are in the field. They are sprayed with chemicals after being picked to preserve them or ward off insects. Many of these chemicals produce negative effects for the thyroid when they are eaten.
An individual suffering from hypo thyroidism needs to include foods in their diet that will stimulate the production of the T3 and T4 hormones. These diets include foods that are rich in protein and fatty acids, iodine, selenium, fiber and vitamins. By avoiding fast food, sugar, and refined foods an individual is not only making their body healthier but also making their thyroid healthier as well.
The important of a healthy and well balanced diet has positive effects on the well being of an individual and addresses many issues. For a person with a thyroid condition eating six small meals per day instead of the standard three will assist in helping the nutrients and proteins to be absorbed into the body in a smooth and seamless manner. In addition eating several small meals instead of three helps many people to lose weight because they do not develop the hunger that comes between three small diet meals.
There are several books available that outline the types of diets that are available to help an individual lose or gain weight and address their thyroid at the same time. It is important that when one is considering a drastic change in diet that they speak to their physician prior to starting the plan. A physician can help by providing options that will help to increase the proper functioning of the thyroid and insure a safe treatment plan.
