To
get the most out of every day it is more important than ever to educate
yourself about the value of optimal nutrition and eating for health.
The Natural Thyroid Diet
advocates a variety of fresh, natural foods that supply a wide range of
nutrients to help you reach your full health potential.
Here
are 4 healthy thyroid diet recommendations:
Thyroid Diet Recommendations #1 - Eliminate thyroid damaging
foods.
It may surprise you to learn that everyday foods may be sabotaging your
thyroid. For my money, the most damaging are: artificial sweeteners, Canola
oil, soy oil, hidden soy and corn (maize) ingredients and high fructose corn
syrup (HFCS).
Soy
and Canola oil are often deceptively labelled as ‘vegetable oil’. This is very
misleading as oil is not normally found in vegetables.
Thyroid Diet Recommendations #2 - Avoid gluten. It’s common to
experience significant improvements in symptoms when you eliminate gluten from
the diet. Gluten is the protein component of grains such as wheat, rye, barley,
triticale and oats.
Gluten
irritates the lining of the digestive system and can trigger systemic
inflammation. Take care when selecting ‘gluten-free’ foods as food
manufacturers often use corn (maize) and soy ingredients as substitutes for
gluten containing grains.
Watch
these 2 videos on how to eliminate gluten from your diet
Thyroid Diet Recommendations #3 - Choose organic fruit and
vegetables whenever possible. Conventional produce can harbor multiple
pesticide residues. Organic food = less thyroid disrupting pesticides and
herbicides. Organic farmers also take a firm stance on biotechnology that
modifies the genetic make-up of a plant by saying ‘NO to GM foods’.
If
possible visit a local farmers market to stock up on healthy organic produce
for the week. Healthy and nutritious food has the greatest potential to nourish
your thyroid.
Thyroid Diet Recommendations #4 - Don’t go raw! Sure, there are
good reasons to enjoy some raw food in your diet however I don’t agree with
embracing a 100% raw food diet.
When
you have a thyroid issue it’s best to emphasis foods that are warming and
nourishing. In short, stay away from hyped-up and restrictive diet
recommendations.
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
For
some people avoiding gluten is a very serious issue as their immune system
reacts abnormally to gluten.
Termed
coeliac disease, this digestive disorder is associated with inflammation and
damage to the lining of the small intestine. This then leads to a range of
health problems.
Coeliac
disease is one of the most common inflammatory conditions affecting the
digestive system. A gluten free diet is advocated for life for those diagnosed
with this digestive problem.
Individuals
with coeliac disease are so sensitive to gluten that they are not able to eat
any foods containing gluten as even a minute amount will prompt a swift immune
reaction.
The
prevalence of coeliac disease is increasing worldwide. It affects people of all
ages, both male and female. Until recent times it was considered a genetic
disorder that was discovered during childhood.
A
genetic predisposition for developing this problem does exist. However environmental
factors play a key role in triggering coeliac disease at any age. This
digestive problem can be set off by a stressful event, such as a major
infection, injury or surgery.
If
a person is unaware their poor health is due to Coeliac disease and they continue
to consume gluten containing foods the lining of the digestive system becomes
severely damaged. Over time, this leads to low intake of essential nutrients
and a further decline in health due to malnutrition.
Going
Against The Grain
These
days highly refined wheat is the most common source of gluten as it is used in
a wide variety of foods found in supermarkets. To meet ongoing demand wheat is
grown on an industrial scale.
Along
with the development of modern agricultural methods there has also been
selective breeding of wheat. Wheat crops now yield a much higher ratio of
gluten. The modern, hybrid wheat varieties may be contributing to the higher
prevalence of coeliac disease worldwide.
Dr.
William Davis is a respected cardiologist and author of ‘Wheat Belly: Lose
the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back To Health‘. He believes
aggressive breeding methods and genetic manipulation have turned wheat into a
‘Frankenwheat’.
Watch
these 2 videos on how to make the right food choices for naturally treating
coeliac disease
After
iodine selenium is the next most important mineral affecting thyroid function.
Several studies have shown that coeliac disease is associated with an increased
risk of developing an autoimmune thyroid disease. This is due to low selenium
intake or poor absorption of selenium.
The
thyroid is particularly sensitive to selenium deficiency because the selenium
dependent enzymes are vital to assist activity of the thyroid hormones,
including activation of T4 to T3.
Selenium
also plays a role in protecting the thyroid gland itself as this mineral boosts
glutathione activity. Glutathione is naturally produced by the body using
selenium and a combination of three amino acids sourced from dietary protein –
cysteine, glycine and glutamine. Glutathione acts as a potent antioxidant and
is highly active within the thyroid to help protect this important gland.
Long
term undiagnosed coeliac disease causes damage to the digestive system. This
leads to malabsorption of essential nutrients which over time is linked to poor
health due to malnutrition. A specific diagnostic test is used to confirm
coeliac disease.
The Natural Thyroid Diet
guidelines recommend excluding all gluten foods as part of a holistic strategy
to recover your thyroid health.
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
Western
societies are now consuming an increasing amount of soy that is unfermented and
highly processed.
The
reason?
Food
manufacturers favour soy as a cheap and versatile ingredient. It’s added to a
wide range of human food products and is also routinely used in the animal feed
industry.
You
really need to become a vigilant label checker to discover if a food contains
some type of soy ingredient.
Soy
is now found in bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers, margarine,
chocolate, sauces and soups. Soy is also used to make soy milk, baby formula,
soy protein shakes, soy cheese, soy ice cream, vegetable stock, texturised
vegetarian soy protein, soy flour, soy protein bars, soy lecithin and soybean
oil.
Soy
protein products and infant formulas often contain soy protein isolate. This is
not something that you can make in your kitchen. This soy ingredient is made in
high tech chemical processing plants.
The
extraction process utilises high temperatures and the soybeans are bathed in
hexane, a toxic chemical solvent. This happens despite hexane use is prohibited
when processing organic soy foods.
The
safety of soy based infant formula is hotly debated as these products naturally
contain a class of plant compounds called isoflavones. The primary isoflavones
are genistein and daidzein. These isoflavones are referred to as phytoestrogens
because they are found in plants (phyto) and they have the ability to mimic
estrogens in the body.
It
is well recognised infants are sensitive to estrogen exposure as they progress
though different developmental stages. This makes infants more likely than
adults to be vulnerable to the estrogen-like effects of the phytoestrogens
found in soy.
There
is also research to show that genistein and similar isoflavones can compete for
iodine when iodine stores are low. Further, infants fed soy containing formula
in early life have a higher risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease.
For
infants fed soy formula their rate of exposure to phyotestrogens is much higher
which may a negative impact on both their thyroid health and hormonal balance.
Soy +
Asian cultures
In
Asia, small quantities of whole bean soy products are considered a traditional
staple of the diet. From the simple soybean comes a variety of foods including
tofu, natto, miso, tempeh, and boiled soy beans (edamame). These foods are
prepared using traditional methods to make these otherwise inedible foods
nutritious.
Soybeans
like other beans, nuts, and seeds contain naturally occurring enzyme
inhibitors. Termed phytic acid or phytates, these compounds make soy difficult
to digest and also have the potential to bind to minerals in the digestive
system. In this way phytic acid acts as an ‘anti-nutrient’ to prevent the
absorption of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc.
Soybeans
contain a much higher phytic acid content than most other grains and legumes.
If you have been over doing soy products you may be low in these minerals.
Does
soy harm the thyroid?
An
incredible amount of hype has accompanied the meteoric rise of soy as a popular
‘health’ alternative. Once reserved as a staple for vegetarians’ soy is finding
its way into the shopping baskets of more conventional consumers in various
forms, usually disguised as a refined soy ingredient.
When
it comes to thyroid health processed soy foods and foods containing soy
ingredients should be strictly avoided in a thyroid diet. Soy is goitrogenic, a
term used to describe many foods and environmental compounds that have a
serious potential to block normal thyroid activity and should be avoided in a
thyroid diet.
Highly
processed soy products are not normally manufactured using the phytic acid
reducing techniques used in traditional cultures such as soaking or long slow
cooking. This makes these foods harder to breakdown in the digestive system.
Overt time this can lead to digestive distress and lowered micronutrient
intake.
This
is not good news for thyroid health as the thyroid is particularly sensitive to
nutrient deficiencies. For example; iodine, zinc and selenium are three
minerals critical to aid ongoing thyroid hormone activity.
Globally
soybean oil has become the most widely used dietary oil. This soy derived oil
is routinely used in margarine and shortening. It is also used in salad
dressings, mayonnaise, frozen foods, commercially baked goods and simulated
dairy and meat products. Soy oil along with palm oil and canola oil is often
deceptively referred to as ‘vegetable oil’ on food labels.
Food
manufacturers label dietary oils as ‘vegetable oils’ to make them sound
healthy. However this is far from the truth. They are neither nutritious nor
healthy.
The
long term consumption of these oils has the potential to harm the thyroid and should
be avoided in a thyroid diet. As more of these oils are incorporated into the
thyroid cells their goitrogenic effects becomes more obvious.
The
biggest shift in farming methods occurred over the last century, particularly
with the introduction of ‘monocultures’. These are large scale farming areas
dedicated to a single crop. Soy crops are monocultures favoured by
multinational agribusiness to supply a growing demand.
As
traditional farming methods are lost and the modern monoculture system of
production emerges there is an increasing susceptibility of crops to insects
and disease. This then pushes up the use of toxic agricultural chemicals.
Large
soy plantations are viewed by environmentalists as a growing menace. Intense
soybean cultivation threatens fragile ecosystems and is taking a significant
toll on deforestation of the globe.
Soy +
genetic engineering
Genetic
engineering is the process of using biotechnology to transfer specific traits
or genes from one organism into a different plant species. The result is a
genetically modified (GM) food. The safety and potential long term health risks
of these ‘frankenfoods’ is regularly questioned.
Soy,
canola and corn are the most prevalent GM ingredients and are used in many food
products. The first genetically engineered soybeans were planted in the USA in
1996. Now more than 90% of the USA soy crop is GM.
As
the GM industry grows there has been a corresponding demand for food labels to
clearly state if GM plants or microorganisms have been used in production. In
the European Union all food, and any ingredients directly produced from a GM
source must be labelled even when the GM ingredients may be undetectable in the
final product.
The
‘Roundup Ready’ soybean controversy
The
GM soybean known as the Roundup Ready (RR) soybean was developed by the biotech
giant Monsanto based in the USA. This crop variety was developed to make it
resistant to the Roundup herbicides products which are toxic to conventional
soybean plants. Apart from the issue with genetic engineering this GM soy is
contaminated with pesticide residues which can easily find their way into the
food supply.
Watch
this video below about the foods that should be included in a thyroid diet
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
A
synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), known as levothyroxine, is the most widely prescribed drug to
treat hypothyroidism.
If
you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism it means your thyroid is
underactive. Your thyroid is either not producing adequate amounts of thyroid
hormones or the thyroid hormones are not working effectively in the body.
Concerns
have recently been raised about the potential hazards of this thyroid drug. A
new Italian study has revealed a significant link between the levothyroxine
medication and an increased lung cancer risk.
The
study titled ‘Levothyroxine and lung cancer in females: the importance of
oxidative stress’ was recently published in the Reproductive Biology and
Endocrinology journal.
The
research was carried out exclusively with a population of Italian women as the
majority of levothyroxine prescribed in the Italian regions was for women.
Levothyroxine
+ oxidative stress
Reactive
oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen derived free radicals. These compounds are
continually produced within the body as part of normal ongoing processes.
Oxidative
stress is a term that refers to the imbalance that occurs when the body’s
natural defence systems are overwhelmed by the activity of reactive oxygen
species (ROS). Excessive oxidative stress due to over activity of ROS attack
can result in the stimulation, and progression of cancer.
In
this new Italian study the researchers propose the levothyroxine drug induces
greater thyroid hormone activity with the potential to generate increased
activity of ROS.
Due
to the rich oxygen state of the lungs, the lung tissue is highly susceptible to
damage by ROS. A major trigger for the development of lung cancer is excessive
oxidative stress within the lung tissue.
The
Italian researchers state there are some limitations to their findings.
However, this is not the first study to reveal a link between standard
hypothyroidism treatment and oxidative stress. A study published in the Journal
of the Italian Medical Association Panminerva medica revealed
levothyroxine prescribed at a dose of 75 micrograms per day for hypothyroidism
caused oxidative stress.
Measuring
oxidative stress is not normally performed to adjust an individual’s
levothyroxine dose. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4) and
triiodothyronine (T3) are routinely checked to make any necessary adjustments
to the medication.
Any
side effects are considered temporary and are usually dealt with by reducing
levothyroxine intake. Increased oxidative stress is not normally considered a
factor when there are noticeable adverse side effects.
Safer
alternatives to levothyroxine medication?
The
new Italian research also raises important questions regarding alternative
thyroid medications. One of the main drawbacks of giving T4 in isolation is
that the T4 may not convert sufficiently to T3. This can lead to T4 ‘backing
up’ and causing excessive T4 activity.
This
can easily occur when zinc and selenium levels are low in the body as these two
minerals assist conversion of T4 to T3 to meet the body’s ongoing demand for
T3.
Low
T4 to T3 conversion also occurs in response to cutting calories, toxicity and
stress. The researchers propose combination T4/T3 therapy or single T3
preparations may be safer options to treat hypothyroidism.
Smoking
+ levothyroxine risk
There
is no doubt smoking dramatically increases lung cancer risk. Smoking was recognised
as a stand-alone risk for this new Italian study so smoking risk was adjusted
for.
Despite
this, the relationship between levothyroxine and lung cancer was still
significant. Their research also showed smoking and levothyroxine therapy did
increase lung cancer risk more than ageing.
This
study raises serious concerns for women who take levothyroxine and smoke.
Should a warning become mandatory to notify individuals that taking thyroxine
and continuing to smoke can significantly increase lung cancer risk?
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
The
thyroid produces two main thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine
(T3). Production of your thyroid hormones is governed by another thyroid
hormone produced in the pituitary gland located deep within the brain. This
thyroid hormone is called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
While
TSH is considered a thyroid hormone it is not actually produced in the thyroid.
Once released by the pituitary TSH travels to the thyroid via the bloodstream
to stimulate production of the thyroid hormones.
When
levels of T4 and T3 fall, the pituitary secretes more TSH. Conversely, as T4
and T3 levels rise the pituitary secretes less TSH. Normally this feedback
system ensures your body has adequate amounts of both T4 and T3. When TSH is
high it is a clear indication your body is suffering from inadequate thyroid
activity.
A
healthy thyroid gland manufactures far greater quantities of T4 than T3. While
T4 does have some effects, it is considered the ‘storage’ form. T4 is converted
to T3 by the body when a greater thyroid response is needed. This means T4 is
on standby, ready to be quickly converted into the active T3 when it is
required to boost the metabolic rate.
Thyroid
disease results from an underactive or overactive thyroid that produces too
little or too much of the thyroid hormones. Knowing how your thyroid works
helps you understand your thyroid problem. It also helps you understand why
it’s vital to get more than TSH tested. The widely held belief that TSH is an
accurate marker of thyroid health is misleading.
Below
Here are 2 videos for you to understand more about thyroid hormones.
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
If
you have hypothyroidism and are worried about your bone health, or have been
told you have osteoporosis you will definitely want to read this article to
find out why healthy parathyroid glands keep your bones strong.
The
parathyroid glands are endocrine organs. They play an important role in the
body’s complex hormone system to keep you fit and well.
‘Para’
means near, or next to which explains the name given to these four glands
that are attached to the rear of the thyroid. In fact, the tiny
parathyroid glands are so closely situated to the thyroid that they share the
same blood supply.
Although
the parathyroid and thyroid glands have similar sounding names each gland produces
different hormones, each with their own specific functions.
Strong bones need healthy parathyroid glands
When
it comes to bone health, the most fundamental nutrient is calcium. This mineral
plays a critical role to safeguard against osteoporosis, which leads to weak
and fragile bones. The bones are a vast reservoir for calcium as it is an
essential building block to maintain healthy bone structure.
The
parathyroid glands keep your bones strong by ensuring your body gets the
calcium it needs to maintain bone strength. Optimal calcium balance is also
crucial for muscle function and healthy nervous system activity.
As
you may already know, bone is a dynamic, living tissue. Healthy parathyroid
gland activity supports the normal process of bone breakdown and bone building.
Steady and balanced bone turnover is a normal process that benefits lifelong
bone health.
To
help regulate levels of calcium the parathyroid glands make ‘parathyroid
hormone’. This hormone is often termed a calcium-regulating hormone.
When
blood calcium levels drop extra parathyroid hormone is released into the
bloodstream. This draws calcium from the bones and stimulates greater uptake of
calcium by the kidneys. The net effect is an increase of calcium in the blood.
When
blood calcium levels get too high the parathyroid glands respond swiftly by
reducing parathyroid hormone production. This keeps calcium stored in the bone
and puts a halt to bone breakdown.
Strong bones need a well-functioning thyroid
The
thyroid plays an important role in building bone health by producing a
plentiful supply of calcitonin. This thyroid hormone is also termed a
calcium-regulating hormone as it helps block excessive bone breakdown.
When
blood calcium levels rise, the thyroid releases greater amounts of calcitonin
to bring blood calcium levels back down to normal. Parathyroid hormone and
calcitonin work in sync to regulate calcium balance. By having two hormones
with opposing actions, the body can closely regulate calcium concentrations.
The vitamin D – parathyroid connection
The
link between vitamin D
and healthy bones was made many years ago when it was realised that sunlight,
or taking cod liver oil boosted vitamin D which in turn helped prevent a soft
bone disorder in children called rickets.
Today,
vitamin D is seen as vital for overall health and strong bones.
Calcitriol
is a calcium-regulating hormone produced from vitamin D. When blood calcium
levels drop, parathyroid hormone triggers the kidneys to make greater amounts
of this active form of vitamin D. Calcitriol increases blood calcium levels by
increasing absorption of calcium from the digestive system.
A
drop in vitamin D is associated with higher production of parathyroid hormone.
This has the potential to increase bone loss. Maintaining optimal vitamin D can
therefore have a protective effect to guard against excessive bone turnover.
How do you check parathyroid health?
If
you are worried about your bone health or have been told you have osteoporosis
it is a great idea to check your parathyroid health.
A
blood test that specifically measures parathyroid hormone levels is the main
way to diagnose a problem. Medical practitioners and pathology labs routinely
abbreviate the words parathyroid hormone to ‘PTH’. The PTH test is usually done
along with a check of blood calcium levels.
Problems
can occur if the parathyroid glands are either producing too much or too little
parathyroid hormone.
Hypoparathyroidism
is characterised by low levels of parathyroid hormone. On the other hand, when
the parathyroid glands are overactive these glands produce an inappropriately
high amount of parathyroid hormone.
When
parathyroid hormone levels are high the rate at which bone is lost exceeds the
rate at which new bone is being formed. This leads to bones becoming weak and
susceptible to fractures. This is the reason hyperparathyroidism is linked
to the development of osteoporosis.
The
parathyroid glands are tiny and are normally only the size of a grain of
rice. This makes visual identification of a problem tricky. Your medical
practitioner may request a scan to help diagnose a problem with one or more of
the parathyroid glands. A bone density test may also be performed to assess
bone health.
The
25-hydroxycholecalciferol, or 25OHD blood test is the most accurate way to
measure how much active vitamin D is in the body.
Are environmental toxins also taking a toll on parathyroid
health?
Like
or not we are exposed to a wide range of environmental toxins in the air we
breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. As mentioned above the thyroid
and parathyroid glands share the same blood supply.
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click onThe-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
