How to keep your thyroid healthy
What is Thyroid?
The thyroid gland lies in the front of your neck just below your Adam’s apple. It is made up of two lobes, on either side of your windpipe, joined by a small bridge of thyroid tissue called the isthmus. The thyroid secretes two main hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones released by the thyroid affect nearly every part of your body from your brain to your skin and muscles. They play a crucial role in controlling how your body uses energy, a process called metabolism. This includes how your heart beats and even how you burn calories.
How to keep Thyroid healthy?
Eating fresh vegetables and fruits will help you maintain thyroid and overall health. You should also eat vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants, such bell pepper, cherries, tomatoes, blueberries, and squash. Iodine is an essential nutrient your body must get from food. This mineral is needed in very small amounts for your thyroid to function normally. The best natural source of iodine is seafood found in saltwater lima beans, green peas and corn. Table salt is also a source of iodine because it has been supplemented with it.
Taking vitamin A as supplements has been found to regulate thyroid metabolism. Healthy Fats Plant oils such as olive oil, linseed oil, canola oil and coconut oil contain healthy fats that help enhance hormone production in the thyroid gland. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds and cashews are also rich in healthy fatty acids that protect the thyroid gland and keep it functioning normally. Complex carbohydrates such as those found in whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice, fruit and vegetables help to balance blood sugar or glucose levels for more steady energy production in the body. These foods also help to improve and balance thyroid hormone levels
Bromine is dangerous as it competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine. If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not hold on to the iodine that it needs. And iodine affects every tissue in your body — not just your thyroid. Soy is also harmful despite its popularity of being a healthy food; thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid and hormonal dysfunction
Over-active Thyroid and Under-active Thyroid
Over- active thyroid, or Hyperthyroidism, is a disorder in which your thyroid gland produces and releases more thyroid hormone than your body needs. The body speeds up as a result. Women are five to ten times more likely to develop hyperthyroidism than men.
Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid disease, is a common disorder. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. With Hashimoto’s, your body produces antibodies that attack and destroy the thyroid gland.
Why should I get Thyroid Profile Test?
The usual blood tests done for thyroid profile test. A blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm and sent off to the laboratory for analysis. The importance of thyroid gland is often understated. It is the main participant in regulating body energy and heart functions. These tests can help detect any abnormality so that Thyroid diseases can be prevented and cured.