How to Heal Your Thyroid Naturally

Provided By: Dr. Marianne Pinkston, Wellness 4 Life

A sluggish thyroid is one of the most frustrating health concerns you’ll ever encounter. The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland, located just above the Adam’s apple. In addition to controlling your metabolism, the thyroid is responsible for maintaining healthy hormones in the body. When the thyroid is not functioning as it should be, it can wreak havoc on your entire well being.

    When the thyroid is operating at low levels, you can be left feeling fatigued and depressed. If you feel tired all day, even after a full night of sleep, it may be a sign that you need to get your thyroid checked.  You’ll also notice that you feel cold all the time, regardless of how warm it is outside or how high the temperature is in your house. When the thyroid is not functioning properly, your nails and hair may feel brittle and thin. Hair loss is usually one of the first signs that your thyroid may be slowing down. By far though, the biggest complaint of those suffering from hypothyroidism is that it is very difficult to lose weight. In fact, many people may actually gain weight! The good news is, there are a plethora of natural healing methods available.

“The foods you are eating (or not eating) can make a huge impact on thyroid function…”

   If you are dealing with a slow thyroid, the first thing you want to examine is your diet. The foods you are eating (or not eating) can make a huge impact on thyroid function, so you want to be extra careful about what you put in your mouth. Anything processed will affect your thyroid, so you will want to remove packaged foods from your diet. Gluten and soy products can also slow the thyroid. Also, many cruciferous vegetables can be a nightmare on the thyroid, so limit your consumption of cauliflower, kale, spinach, cabbage, turnips, and mustard greens.

While eliminating foods from your diet can improve thyroid function, there are also foods that can increase thyroid activity. Healthy fats from avocados, coconut oil, fish and nuts can help improve all hormone production in the body, including the thyroid. In addition to healthy fats, sea vegetables are a great way to improve to boost thyroid activity. Try adding kelp flakes to your salad a few times per week. High quality proteins and foods rich in selenium will also contribute to a healthy thyroid.

    If you are suffering from hypothyroidism, be careful about the kind of exercise you’re getting. People with hypothyroidism are unable to recover from stress as easily as those people without thyroid issues. Avoid any kind of intense exercise that places the body under stress. Cardio and short but intense workouts should be avoided. Instead, focus on workouts that nourish the hormones such as yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong.  Proper weight lifting can also provide you with a wave of nourishing hormones.

   Stress management will also play an important role in healing your thyroid. Chronic stress, the kind of stress that stays with you for months, can place added strain on your thyroid. If you find that stress is affecting your daily routine, despite efforts to minimize it, please consider talking to your healthcare provider.  

“Stress management will also play an important role in healing your thyroid.”

    In today’s world, it’s extremely important to limit exposure to harmful chemicals. Toxic chemicals can build up in your body over time and disrupt healthy thyroid functions. To limit exposure to chemicals, you may want to consider making the switch to natural cleaning supplies and beauty products. In addition, if you are still smoking, consider doing everything you can to kick that habit. Each cigarette is flooding your body and thyroid with over 7,000 harmful chemicals.  

    Healing an under active thyroid will take time. While there is no quick and easy fix, with some time and effort, you can gently improve your condition. Don’t allow yourself to get stressed out with huge lifestyle changes all at once. Remember, any change is beneficial and with a little tender loving care you will start to see an improvement over time.    

For more information on Dr.Marianne Pinkston and Wellness 4 Life, visit wellness4lifesa.com.