Thyroid hormones are the catalysts of the body. They control growth, metabolism, and repair. If your body does not produce enough of the hormone, you will feel constantly tired, gain weight, lose hair, feel cold among many other symptoms. This is a condition known as hypothyroidism.
While there are treatment procedures by the best hypothyroidism experts in Salt Lake City, combining your medication with proper diet could restore thyroid activity hence reducing the symptoms and dependency on medication.
Here are the nutrients you should consider improving your thyroid health.
Iodine-Rich Food or Iodized Salt
Iodine is the main ingredient of most thyroid hormones. Low levels of this mineral in the body could trigger hypothyroidism. The good news is since it is just a missing ingredient, supplementing your diet with iodine could get your hormone levels up to the acceptable range.
You could either use iodized salt to supplement the deficit or consume iodine-rich food, such as:
- Seaweed
- Fish
- Dairy
- Eggs
Since too much iodine can damage thyroid glands, it is safer to get all of your required iodine from eating the right foods rather than reaching for supplements.
Selenium
Selenium is another essential mineral that triggers that activates thyroid hormones. Without the right concentrations of selenium, your body will not use the thyroid hormones even if your body produces enough.
Apart from just activating the hormones, selenium is an antioxidant that protects the thyroid gland from free radicals.
- Just like iodine, selenium is toxic in high concentration. You should avoid supplements at all costs. Instead, focus on consuming foods rich in the mineral, such as:
- Brazil nuts
- Sardines
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Tuna
Zinc
Zinc is another mineral that also activates thyroid hormones in the body. According to current medical understanding, zinc helps the body control TSH levels. TSH is the hormone that signals the thyroid gland to release more hormones.
The good thing is zinc is available in most foods available to the general public. Once again, you should steer clear of supplements and focus on zinc-rich meals, such as:
- Oysters and other types of shellfish
- Beef
- Chicken
A Healthy and Diverse Diet Will Supply These and More
In most cases, a healthy and diverse diet could be all you need to get the right trace mineral concentrations for your hypothyroidism. Avoiding supplements unless prescribed by a doctor is a great move since the wrong dosage of the above minerals could prove catastrophic.
Moreover, getting your trace minerals from food opens your body up to the other health benefits of each of the foods you consume. Your body will not only benefit from managing the hypothyroidism but also from the overall health benefits of eating diverse.
Since hypothyroidism isn’t always a case of nutrient deficiency, you have to talk to a physician once diagnosed with the condition so that you can find out why you have the condition.
With a complete diagnosis, you can come up with a perfect treatment plan that will either reactivate your gland to secrete their own hormones or find a way to fill up the deficit and keep your body working as normally as possible.
