Is your thyroid off balance?

Are you always tired, perhaps also feel the cold, generally overweight with thinning hair, water retention, and have poor skin quality? Have you been told, or suspect, your thyroid blood test (TSH/thyroxine) is out of range? 

You might need support for your thyroid gland. 

The thyroid gland produces thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) which regulate our cells’ metabolic rate (how fast they burn ‘fuel’ – nutrients from foods), maintaining our energy and body temperature levels. If too low, you may experience signs like feeling tired, having a sluggish metabolism, gaining weight, feeling the cold, or thinning hair.

T4 is mostly inactive and must be converted to the more potent T3, mainly in the liver and kidneys. Their production is regulated by a negative feedback loop, whereby if the hypothalamus detects reduced levels of T3 and T4 in the blood, it releases TRH (Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone) which stimulates the pituitary gland to release TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), promoting the release of T4 & T3 by the thyroid gland. This is why we often see high levels of TSH on test results if our thyroid is malfunctioning. Once the levels rise, the pituitary then decreases TSH production

How can we optimise our thyroid functions and thyroxine levels so we can be naturally healthy and productive? How can vitamins, plant extracts and other nutrients in supplements help?

Here are some useful tips to help you support your thyroid gland and energy levels.

• Get your thyroid checked, but if ‘normal’, and you experience these symptoms, consider consulting a holistic practitioner to get more detailed advice and tests. 
• Reduce your stress levels and ensure your sleep routine is good and consistent. Stress can have an effect on overall thyroid function because high cortisol reduces thyroid activity by decreasing TSH. Practice mindfulness, meditation, maintain healthy sleep patterns, exercise, and address emotional trauma with counselling or other therapies. We share some top tips for reducing stress in a blog here.
• Minimise exposure to environmental toxins as a high exposure or accumulation to toxins, coupled with impaired detoxification, may give them the opportunity to disrupt thyroid function. 
• Reduce exposure to halides such as fluoride found in drinking water and chlorine in swimming pools. These molecules have a similar structure to iodine. They can bind to iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, leading to reduced thyroid function. 
• Regular physical activity can improve the cells’ sensitivity to thyroid hormones and improve blood glucose balance. Start with gentle but regular exercise and give your body enough time to rest and recover. 

• Support healthy blood sugar levels by eating a blood glucose balancing diet – good levels of protein, vegetables, lower carbohydrates and sugars.  High glucose and insulin levels increase the destruction of the thyroid gland. 
• Include good food sources of iodine, zinc, and selenium such as seafood, seaweed, and nuts (hazelnuts, macadamia, Brazil nuts). Iodine and selenium are essential for thyroid health. These nutrients support the normal production of thyroid hormones and contribute to the maintenance of normal energy and metabolism. 
• Avoid consuming lots of ‘goitrogenic’ foods that can interfere with iodine metabolism and inhibit thyroid hormone production. These include raw soya, brassica vegetables, pine nuts/peanuts.
• Support your digestive system and microbiome (gut bacteria).  The diversity of microbiome can directly impact thyroid function and hormone levels and place a higher demand on the body’s need for nutrients that are important to the thyroid. 
• A gluten- free diet has been shown to support thyroid function since the gluten molecule closely resembles the thyroid gland and increases inflammation.
• Reduce alcohol. It affects almost all aspects of the functioning of the thyroid gland, affecting the diversity of gut microbiome, and putting an added strain on liver function.   

Thyroid Complex

Prefer a liquid? Try our Nutrisorb® Iodine & Nutrisorb® Selenium – Iodine and selenium support the normal production of thyroid hormones.

Supporting the thyroid gland and its production of adequate levels of thyroid hormones requires good nutrition, regular sleep patterns and reducing stress. Addressing any underlying factors that are contributing to thyroid dysfunction, including unbalanced blood sugar levels and stress levels, will enable your thyroid gland to work optimally.