Last week, I explained my process to manage my hypothyroid diagnosis. My integrated doctor agreed to work with me on a natural approach and guided me in making specific lifestyle decisions. I addressed my thyroid, the butterfly shaped gland which influences hormones and metabolism, on three different levels: diet, environment and lifestyle.
While my blood work verified my condition, my exhaustion and duller moods were inklings of a sluggish thyroid. Despite weight-loss lore, your thyroid isn’t the main metabolic-home-wrecker, but it will influence body temperature. While many doctors measure TSH levels to determine thyroid health, not all measure T3 levels (ask for this in your lab work).
Thyroid Cells
T3, a thyroid hormone, affects almost every physiological process in your body. A diet rich in zinc, selenium and iodine supports T3 and T4, also a thyroid hormone, production. These minerals tend to be scare even in relatively whole food diets because of nutrient depletion in modern soil, compliments of conventional agriculture (no wonder Grandma could walk to school uphill both ways).
Immediately into my diet went sesame and pumpkin seeds for zinc, brazil nuts for selenium and iodine-rich sea vegetables. Sea veggies were my main focus because they detoxify and environmental pollution was part culprit in my condition. And I’m ½ Jewish so hummus runs in my blood. I replaced salt with kelp granules, putting hummus (sesame) in nori wraps, and wakame in miso soup (visuals in my latest NBC clip).
I was already gluten, soy and artificial sweetener-free, dramatically improving my odds. Fermented soy (found in miso soup and tempeh) remained as it doesn’t interfere with iodine absorption like traditional soy.
In addition, I started a daily supplement of kelp. While I believe in food as the way to get your nutrients, I wanted to soak my thyroid in iodine to help it recharge. It was in an extreme situation. While I’ve kept the foods above in regular rotation in my diet , I no longer use a kelp supplement.
Next Monday, I’ll tackle the environmental toxicity that drags down a thyroid. Below is quick miso soup recipe to get you started in fortifying your own thyroid. I provide lots of these health-promoting and quick recipes in my upcoming Truce with Food program. While weight-loss is a focus, you can’t lose weight if you don’t understand your body and its systems. Weight loss isn’t as simple as calories in, calories out (that conversation bores me). Our bodies and lives are much more interesting. You’ll discover that starting Tuesday, March 6 in Truce. Come join me and other women who want to drop weight and the food frustration—and deserve it.
Recharge Your Thyroid Miso Soup
1 cup boiling water
½ teaspoon EDEN instant wakame
1 teaspoon of miso paste (found in refrigerator section)
1 Tablespoon of chopped scallions
- Turn off boiling water and wait one minute (boiling water kills the probiotics in miso)
- Place miso paste into a bowl and pour water over paste
- Stir until it dissolves
- Add wakame and chopped scallions
- Serve
Photo Credit: Thyroid Cells by Ken Berean via flickr.
Comments
Ali,
Can you comment on T4 and T3 Supplementation? Such as with Armour Thyroid, Nature-thyroid, and Cytomel? Please? Thanks! This is big stuff! - Julie
Hey Julie - it is big stuff! And there isn't a one size fits all solution. In fact, I think it's important to realize how effective placebos are in double-blind, independent research studies (many times more effective than drugs themselves). This is important because as individuals, whatever we think will work usually has the best shot at efficacy.
Before supplementing with anything, it's really important to find a doctor you believe in and get blood work done so you know where you stand. I highly recommend a doctor trained in functional medicine. They understand the body as a system, which is important in healing not just treating disease.
If you find yourself low in T3 or T4, then supplementing for trace minerals (zinc, iron, iodine) can make sense. Although it's important to find a supplement brand that is GMP certified, as the supplement industry isn't regulated and many don't contain what they say they do, and worse, contain arsenic, lead, etc.
If my thyroid didn't get better, I was going to go the Armour Thyroid route, making sure it was a high-quality source, even if I had to pay out of pocket. I'm not familiar with nature-thyroid or Cytomel so cannot make an informed decision on those.
Stay tuned the next two weeks because I'll be discussing the environmental and lifestyle factors that blow out a thyroid and are just as important as the food.
Julie,
I have been fighting the "Hypo" battle for over 25 years. In the last 10 years I have yet to have consistent blood test results indicating that i was on a good combination of meds. I have been to countless Md's all of whom claim to be "experts" in the field and ALL had conflicting opinions. I have used Armour Thyroid and Nature-thyroid with no luck. I used Synthroid by itself for awhile and that seemed to be ok earlier in my diagnoses but not now. Most recently I am on Synthroid (375, down from 550) and Cytomel combo (150). Thru my various work, including the Truce program with Ali I am convinced alot of things are causing my condition and the meds just arent the answer. Message me in-box if you want to talk more about it.
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