The 5 Best Superfoods You Need For Thyroid Health

There is a widespread epidemic that is taking over the world and most of us don't know about it. Experts have claimed that almost 30 million Americans have a unique kind of thyroid disorder. It is concerning that almost 50% of them have not been diagnosed. In other words, 12% of Americans have a health condition and they don't know about it. Globally, around 430 million people have been projected to suffer from this kind of thyroid disorder. It is only odd that there is not much information available regarding this health condition. This is because both the patients and doctors take the common symptoms to be other conditions. The deficiency of iodine is a common cause beyond thyroid dysfunction. The unique thing about this nutrient is that it is available from our food sources, but our modern diet severely lacks it. Taking a proper diet may sound like a simple remedy for improving thyroid health, but the fact is that this strategy works. This is believed to be the solution to this unique kind of thyroid condition and getting your gland working properly again.

10 Signs of Thyroid Disorder

1. Mood Swings – Frequently feeling anxious and sad
2. Brain Fog – Difficulty in concentrating or with basic cognition
3. Fatigue - Frequent exhaustion without concern how much sleep you are getting
4. Changes in Appetite – Changes in your taste or preferred foods
5. Pool Quality Sleep – Finding it difficult to sleep or the feeling like sleeping all the time
6. Temperature Sensitivity – You are regularly feeling too cold or too hot.
7. Irregular Bowel – Constipation, diarrhea, gas, or bloating
8. Reproductive Problems – Miscarriages, premature births, or infertility
9. Menstrual Changes – Increased or decreased ramps, changes in the duration of periods, and flow.
10. Chronic Pain – Muscle or joint pains without any specific reason.

Functions of Thyroid

Triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4) are thyroid hormones that are produced by our thyroid gland. The gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in our lower throat. The gland helps in the regulation of our metabolism, blood pressure, and body temperature. It is a part of the endocrine system and may be small in size, but it is still a very important part of our body. The fact is that the thyroid gland affects our entire body because all the cells and organs use thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism (slightly rare) – This is the name of the condition where our thyroid is producing an excess amount of hormones. This condition is also called overactive thyroid. This problem could cause:

• Loss of weight without any apparent reason
• A feeling of anxiety or jittery
• Finding it difficult to relax
• Shortage of focus
• Tiredness
• Rapid heart rate
• Nail, hair, and skin deterioration
• Significant increase in appetite
• Heart disease
• Irregular sleep
• Irritability
• Heat intolerance

Hypothyroidism (commonly occurring) – This condition results when your thyroid generates too few hormones. In this case, it is also called a sluggish or underactive thyroid. Initially, there may be no symptoms at all, but gradually they keep worsening. Because of deficiency of these hormones, you can suffer from the following:

• Depression
• A content feeling of tiredness
• Obesity
• Muscle weakness
• Joints pain
• Hair, nail, and skin deterioration
• Poor focus and memory
• Heart disease
• Cold intolerance

Hashimoto’s Disease – This is an autoimmune disorder. In this case your immune system malfunctions and releases antibodies for attacking the thyroid tissue. After some time, our thyroid gland wears down and cannot work effectively. Most of the patients suffering from hypothyroidism have been found to test positive for such antibodies. You must maintain a strong and healthy immune system and keep inflammation throughout your body under control to ensure that these antibodies don't attack your thyroid. Our thyroid gets stimulated through signals received from the hypothalamus in our brain. The pituitary gland informs our thyroid gland for producing hormones or to hold production. If the signals are false/blocked, there can be severe repercussions across our body system.

What are the Common Causes Behind Thyroid Disorder?

• Deficiency of iodine or other nutrients
• Plummer’s disease – These are benign lumps that stimulate the production of thyroid hormone.
• Graves – Genetic autoimmune disease which can stimulate the production of thyroid hormone.
• Mental, emotional, and physical stress – Affecting the thyroid functions.
• Pregnancy – Triggering thyroid dysfunction.
• Environmental Toxins – Believed to cause thyroid dysfunction.
• Thyroiditis – This is inflammation that causes too much thyroid hormone production which can flood our blood.

Thyroid malfunction could affect everyone including kids, infants, and adults. If newborns are suffering from it, early testing and treatment show proper response. It can also help in preventing improper mental development. You can find synthetic hormones which can help in putting your thyroid back on track (thyroid drugs are 4th in the list of the highest-selling drugs in America). But most patients should have a thyroid in the first place to be able to use synthetic hormones. So it is important that you make every effort to prevent the destruction of the thyroid.

Top Foods for Thyroid Health

1. Seafood (shrimp, scallops, tuna, salmon, and sardines)
2. Seaweed
3. Coconut oil
4. Eggs, cheese, and yogurt
5. Baked potatoes (having skin)
6. Cranberries & juice

Foods to Avoid for Thyroid Health

1. Refined gluten grains
2. Soy products
3. Hydrogenated oils (don't eat fast foods and processed foods)
4. Sodas, excess coffee, and alcohol
5. Refined sugar

There are no current cures for autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s. They can cause severe damage to our thyroid, which further leads to hypothyroidism. Almost all autoimmune diseases require that you should be careful about your food and lifestyle. You should know that it may not be possible to fully reverse the damage caused to your thyroid, but it can help in slowing the progress of damage and easing the symptoms. When you make a good choice of foods and habits, it will benefit your thyroid and body. All our bodily systems are linked and require each other for proper functioning. When you choose the best foods for your thyroid, they will also benefit your gut, brain, and heart. Via St Luke Health | Music Source: PurplePlanet