10 Healthy Practices for Thyroid Health
If you’re experiencing unexplainable weight gain or weight loss, cold hands and feet (or burning up like a furnace), extreme exhaustion, nervousness, anxiety, depression, uncontrollable cravings, hair loss, menstrual irregularities and/or infertility, look to the THYROID GLAND!
When your thyroid is off, be in hypothyroidism (low functioning), hyperthyroidism (high functioning) or an autoimmune thyroid condition, you feel it in a major way. Although seemingly small, this butterfly-shaped gland is certainly not insignificant.
Sitting at the base of your neck right below your Adam’s apple, the thyroid gland produces hormones that affect every single one of your 50-100 trillion cells. Primarily, the thyroid is responsible for regulating your metabolism, which means that it has a direct hand in how well you burn food for fuel, thus your energy AND body composition. It also regulates your body temperature and works hard to keep you warm on those cold winter days.
Detox on a daily basis - the more you’re able to eliminate toxins - be it in your diet, water supply, home, office, bedroom or personal care products - the better. The thyroid gland is incredibly sensitive to and affected by chemicals AND given that nearly 60% of your thyroid conversion (from inactive T4 to active T3) happens in the liver, supporting your detox pathways on a daily basis is essential to healing.
How? By incorporate detoxifying foods, drinking warm FILTERED lemon water in the morning, sweating every day, dry brushing 2-3 times a week, oil pulling in the morning, using more natural kitchen, personal care and cleaning products, upgrading your pillows, etc. There’s SO much you can do to tackle this one!
Take a probiotic - 20% of the thyroid conversion (mentioned above) happens in your gut. Support good gut flora by taking a high-quality probiotic and eating a gut-friendly diet. Click here for more details.
Incorporate daily stress management - whether it’s journaling, deep breathing, yoga, meditation or spending time outside (connecting to Mother Nature), managing your stress levels is essential. Less stress = less cortisol = balanced thyroid and adrenal hormone production.
Eat a protein-rich breakfast - having 20-30g protein at breakfast - i.e. veg-heavy smoothie or egg dish - within the 60-90 minutes of rising helps stabilize your blood sugar and lower your stress levels for the entire day. This also supports the adrenal glands which work hand-in-hand with your thyroid to balance the hormones that play a role in your weight, hunger, cravings, energy and mood.
Avoid low carb diets - ever since the Atkins Diet was released in the 80’s, low carb diets have been associated with fast weight loss; thus, if/when you have weight to lose, carbs are often the first to go. I say, “not so fast”! Why? Because carbs are your body’s preferred source of fuel. When you cut this macronutrient too low (as seen in Atkins or keto protocols), it requires extra energy (that you don’t have) to burn fat for energy. This is a BIG stressor on the body.
Now, this is not your permission slip to eat all the pasta, bread and chips you want. That will only lead to more weight gain, exhaustion, cravings and thyroid disruption. Instead, I recommend loading up on your healthy carbs such as vegetables, fruit and legumes, with a modest amount of whole grains. Sweet potatoes and winter squashes are especially nourishing in winter. Click here for insight on what I (as a Nutritionist) eat on a daily basis.
Eat from the sea - sea vegetables such as nori (the green stuff that sushi is rolled in), dulse, kelp and kombu, and wild-caught fish are great sources of B vitamins and iodine - essential nutrients for thyroid hormone production and energy. Wild-caught fish also provides blood sugar balancing protein, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, immune-boosting vitamin D and metabolism-boosting selenium. Click here to learn the best fish choices.
Speak your truth - located at the base of your neck, thyroid gland dysfunction is often associated with a suppressed voice. Are you holding back on sharing your opinion to avoid conflict? Trying to be more easy-going by just going with the flow (rather than doing what you really want to do)? Giving to everyone else, but not sticking up for YOUR needs?
Try flexing your voice muscle more often. How? By speaking up when you have something to say (even if it’s unfavorable), saying “no” more and speaking louder. Singing is a GREAT exercise for the thyroid, even if it’s just you, in the shower or car belting it out to Celine Dion!
Be mindful of caffeine + sugar intake - coffee, energy drinks, candy and other sugary treats can be overly stimulating and put you on a blood sugar rollercoaster for the day. This drives the stress pathways and adrenals and can easily affect the thyroid gland too.
I recommend limiting coffee to just 1 cup per day, opting for a low-toxicity grind or even better, switching to matcha green tea for that extra energy boost. When sugar cravings hit, try turning to high-quality dark chocolate for satisfaction rather than a sugary treat - this is a win-win because dark chocolate is a known dopamine (aka mood) booster!
Gentle exercise - similar to the low carb movement, there’s also this push for “no pain, no gain” workouts for weight loss. Although helpful from time to time, high-intensity interval training, sprints and heavy lifting are also STRESSFUL on the body, especially when you’re already depleted and chronically exhausted.
Listen to your body when it comes to working out: if you find that what you’re doing leaves you feeling completely drained for the rest of the day/next day (or two), it’s NOT working for you. Perhaps you do more gentle movements such as walking, yoga and pilates until you heal and can afford to burn yourself out (*in moderation*) with these aggressive techniques.
Get to bed earlier - the hours of sleep before midnight count for double. Why? Because certain hormones are released earlier in the night. For example, growth hormone, which plays a large role in weight loss and muscle composition, starts getting released around 9pm. Interpretation: even if you sleep 7-9 hours, if you’re not getting to bed at least an hour or two before midnight, you’re missing out on an important window of opportunity for restoring and repairing the body. Bottom line: the earlier you get to bed - preferably by 10pm - the better.
This not only affects the hormones, but also improves detoxification, brain power, energy and mood. Plus, trying to lose weight after not sleeping well at night is nearly impossible.
Supporting your thyroid is a practice that requires daily attention. By eating a nutrient-dense and blood sugar-stabilizing diet, incorporating stress management, cleaning up your products, taking time for rest, and speaking your truth, you will start rebalancing your hormones. Although this process can be slow-moving - and may require medical intervention - within a few months of taking consistent action, you should notice better (and more stabilized) energy and moods, fewer cravings, stronger hair and nails, and improved progress towards your personal weight goals.
Want more personalized guidance? Click HERE to book a One-On-One Coaching Session with me.
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