Your thyroid controls your metabolism, the process your body uses to transform food to energy necessary for living and functioning. If your thyroid is compromised a host of issues can arise so you can follow these holistic practices to support your thyroid.
I work with a lot of women with compromised thyroid health and one of the main things they come to me for is help losing belly fat. Stubborn belly fat is one of the many symptoms someone may experience if their thyroid is compromised. Others may include hair loss, fatigue, low mood or depression, constipation, difficulty concentrating, cold intolerance, etc. The thyroid is a gland that produces hormones that are tied to just about every system of the body.
We are going to focus mostly on the gut today since the gut converts 20% of inactive thyroid hormone to active thyroid hormone. Also, about 2/3 of thyroid disease is autoimmune in nature and since 70% of the immune system is in the gut, this is where a lot of autoimmunity begins. So it feels natural to really hone in on supporting the gut to support the thyroid.
First, let’s discuss foods we want to work to eliminate.
There are a few foods that should be eliminated or avoided. The main two are soy and gluten. Soy blunts thyroid conversion. Soy contains protease inhibitors. We need protease as it’s an enzyme that breaks down protein, and unbroken proteins can provoke the immune system. Soy also contains oligosaccharides which are unrecognizable to the body, which can also provoke the immune system. Since autoimmunity is an overactive immune system that attacks your body, these things are no good.
Gluten can exacerbate small intestine permeability and we want this lining in tact so food molecules cannot leak from the gut. If that happens the immune system may identify these particles as a threat to the body and create antibodies. Plus, some of our important nutrients can escape, bad stuff can be let in.. It’s a wreck.. We want the lining of our gut in tact. This is essentially how people get Celiac disease, which is autoimmunity.
We also want to avoid anything that we may feel we do not tolerate well as it generally can create inflammation in the lining of our gut. A few other known food irritants may include processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, alcohol, nightshades, beans and legumes.
Now let’s discuss foods we want to try to really incorporate.
We want to include a wide array of micronutrient dense foods. We want to “eat the rainbow,” which means eat loads of different colored fruits and vegetables. Foods with naturally occurring zinc, selenium and iodine can support thyroid function and thyroid hormone conversion (from inactive T4 to active T3.) Shellfish and seafood like oysters are a great source of zinc and iodine. Just three Brazil nuts supplies your daily recommended amount of selenium.
Prebiotic containing fibrous foods keep our bowels moving, and help us poop each day. This is vital to thyroid function. Fruits and veggies are great sources of fiber. They are also a great source of antioxidants which help combat free radicals and inflammation in the body.
Another food that is great for the gut are fermented foods with good bacteria. Things like sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, apple cider vinegar are all so great for our gut.
There’s a few supplements we can take as well.
We are all about supporting the lining of our gut so we can take collagen or eat high collagen foods like bone broth. Supplementing with glutamine can be healing as well. Improving digestion can also be helpful of improving gut health and taking plant based digestive enzymes may help with that. And increasing our healthy array of good bacteria can also be helpful. Taking 50-100 billion CFU’s of probiotics may also help you. The last thing for supplements would potentially be fish oil to get more omega 3 fatty acids if you aren’t eating fish a few times a week. When shopping for fish oil you want to make sure your EPA and DHA are equal to the amount of omega 3’s, or close to it.
In terms of exercise, these would be my recommendations.
If you are experiencing issues with your thyroid you are likely tired. I know you really want that belly fat gone, but understand that pushing yourself to do more exercise isn’t the answer. Your body perceives exercise, particularly intense cardio, as stress. We want to heal your body, not make it more stressed out. The best activities for you while allowing your body to heal are walking outside in nature, and lifting weights. Walking outdoors and focusing on deep breathing can help you de-stress, bring calmness into your mind and body, boost your mood and get you some vitamin D. As you feel up to it, lifting weights can also help. It boosts your anabolic hormones (your building hormones) and can be quite restorative. You can also link breath with movement when lifting, keep the intensity down and make it almost like yoga. Exercise is important.. it actually helps you covert T4 to T3.
The most significant changes will likely be environmental and lifestyle changes.
Your thyroid is closely tied with your nervous system. If you are chronically stressed out, you are in a sympathetic state and it will be challenge to help your body heal. If we can get you into a calm, parasympathetic state, your body will be able to properly rest and digest. Breath work, meditation, journaling, playing games such as 겜블시티 파워볼, calming and relaxing activities you can do are going to be great for this.
Sleep is another huge holistic practice to support your thyroid. Deep sleep is when our body creates growth hormone which is crucial for cellular repair. Sleep is when restoration happens. Protect your sleep like it is your job. Make protecting your sleep a priority, and if you struggle, try simple relaxation techniques or consider products from dispensaries edmonton for additional support.
You can also take steps to avoid chemicals and toxins like parabens, plastics, heavy metals and pesticides. These things can interfere with our endocrine system and cause inflammation. Looking at your household and beauty products, food storage containers, organic vs non-organic produce and products, even what is in the water we drink and bathe in may be helpful.
If you are experiencing serious problems with your thyroid, working with a health care professional is my recommendation. However, doing these holistic practices to support your thyroid can be useful for anyone. To learn more about thyroid health, listen to my interview with Dr. Jillian Teta on my podcast here.
If you need help with a workout program as you are following a protocol to support your thyroid, join online personal training with me.
Your Coach,
Kyra