If the hormones produced by your thyroid get out of balance, it can lead to weight gain or weight loss. In this article, we discuss five things you can do to naturally manage your thyroid hormone levels.
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Weight loss or weight gain is usually noticeable. It is one of the most common signs that something is wrong with the thyroid. Hypothyroidism occurs when thyroid levels are low.
Your thyroid gland is responsible for keeping your metabolism running, so if your thyroid levels are too high, you have hyperthyroidism. And both can affect your weight.
Although some people may joke that having a thyroid problem that causes weight loss is a good thing, the health risks associated with it can be serious.
When your thyroid is hypo and produces too few hormones, you’ll suffer from fatigue that is crippling – even if you sleep well. This imbalance can also lead to depression.
To get the much-needed feel-good effects from serotonin, you need to keep your thyroid levels accurate. Without them, you won’t get the serotonin you need.
A hyperthyroid imbalance can cause you to feel anxious. You might feel like you have the jitters and can’t sit still. The overabundance of hormones hits your body all at once, impacting your health and ability to function.
A thyroid hormone imbalance can cause weight gain because it can make people feel hungry even if they’ve just eaten, leading them to consume more calories than they need.
A thyroid hormone imbalance can also cause constipation or diarrhea, depending on which type of imbalance you have.
The symptoms of thyroid problems can include insomnia, cognitive problems, or changes in menstrual cycle. If you’ve noticed changes in your weight and suspect that you have thyroid problems, then you need to check your levels.
5 Things To Help Balance Your Thyroid
Here are 5 things you can do balance thyroid hormones:
1) Eat more iodine rich foods, like seaweed and iodized salt.
Iodine helps your thyroid produce hormones.
Note: The mineral iodine is necessary for thyroid function, but too much can actually inhibit your thyroid function. Be careful if you’re supplementing with iodine, which is often found in multivitamins.
2) Eat foods high in selenium.
Foods rich in selenium include Brazil nuts, tuna, and chicken, to support thyroid function. Selenium helps your thyroid work more effectively.
3) Eat more cruciferous vegetables.
These include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, to help improve thyroid function. Cruciferous vegetables contain phytonutrients that stimulate production of thyroid hormones.
4) Get more sleep and exercise regularly.
This helps raise your body temperature. When your body temperature rises it increases thyroid function.
5) Avoid stress as much as possible.
Stress has a direct impact on hormone levels. One way to keep hormone levels balanced naturally is to get plenty of rest and exercise regularly. Stress can interfere with hormone production and lead to other health problems as well.
There are also natural vitamins and minerals that help bring your thyroid into balance.
Get Your Thyroid Tested
Because there are many thyroid disorders (overactive thyroid, underactive thyroid, and thyroid cancer to name a few), it’s imprtant to have your levels checked.
If you are concerned about your thyroid hormone levels, there are test your physician can do to check your levels. This is a recommended starting point. Always seek treatment under a physician’s care, even if the treatments are alternative and natural.
Your doctor can run a TSH test, which is the thyroid-stimulating hormone test, if your thyroid feels enlarged, or if you notice a goiter or thinning hair or eyebrows.
The thyroid peroxidase antibody test checks for autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s Disease, which specifically targets the thyroid function and can lead to weight changes.
For further research you may also want to read:The Three Big Thyroid Killers