Thyroid Regulation
Nutrients to Support Thyroid Function
In coaching hundreds of women on “The 7 Essentials System” for healing the body naturally, over half of them have “low thyroids” and many have been diagnosed with “thyroid cancer.”
Indeed, it’s estimated today that 27 million Americans, 80% of them women, suffer from “thyroid disease” (a.k.a. hypothyroidism) and that more than 60,000 were diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid last year. What exactly is causing this epidemic of weak thyroids and how does this relate to breast cancer?
Iodine Deficiency Leads to a Weak Thyroid
First, let’s talk about what causes a weak and poor-functioning thyroid in general. I am not an endocrinologist so for simplicity’s sake, I will focus on the thyroid gland itself rather than all the many connections the thyroid has with other parts of the endocrine system and the body.
Basically, thyroids are weaker these days because the average American diet is extremely deficient in Iodine. It has been estimated that 90% of the world’s population is iodine deficient. As shocking as this may seem, I can tell you that 99% of every man and woman that I have tested in the last 3 years have been Iodine deficient.
Iodine is necessary for the healthy function of all glandular tissues, including the breasts, the uterus, the prostate, the ovaries, and the thyroid. All of these glandular tissues concentrate iodine in order to maintain healthy cell architecture.
So what happens to your thyroid when you don’t have enough Iodine? If there is not enough of this important mineral in your body, the cell matrix will transform into cyst- like structures. It will develop nodules and cysts and the result is fibrocystic breasts, polycystic ovaries and uterine fibroids.
If cyst growth continues and the cysts themselves become nodular and develop hyperplasia (increased cell growth), this can lead to cancer.
Making sure your selenium intake is optimal may give your immune system and thyroid the boost it needs to help it function better. It is especially important for those managing thyroid conditions to ensure their selenium status is adequate.
[Important Note: Thyroid cancer is highly overdiagnosed and one must be extremely careful today taking any cancer diagnosis at face value. Read Sayer Ji article, “Thyroid Cancer Epidemic Caused by Misinformation, Not Cancer,” and Dr. Jeffrey Dach, MD’s article,”Is The Epidemic of Thyroid Nodule ‘Cancers’ A Medical Illusion?“, for more information.]
Thyroid Medication Increases Your Risk of Breast Cancer
Breast tissue has a “trapping” system for iodine, very similar to that of the thyroid gland itself; in a sense, it competes with the thyroid for iodine. Medicating a woman for a low-functioning thyroid is like adding gasoline to a fire since most thyroid medication increases the risk of developing breast cancer, as well as lung cancer. Studies have shown that women taking medication for their thyroid are twice as likely to develop breast cancer.
Iodine is an anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agent. It is also a requisite for the growth and maintenance of normal breast tissue. When there is iodine deficiency, there are changes in DNA/RNA ratios as well as changes in estrogen receptor proteins. You guessed it ─ these changes can lead to Breast Cancer.
Iodine is also necessary for proper immune function, especially since your immune cells are engulfing and ingesting bacteria and other unhealthy cells all the time. As an anti-oxidant, iodine displaces mercury, aluminum, lead, and halides like bromide and fluoride. Bromide is a flame retardant and is found in all electronics like IPads, cell phones and computers as well as clothing, carpeting and furniture.
With all the radiation that we are exposed to these days (especially after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011), maintaining adequate amounts of Iodine in the body is vital for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland and other glandular tissues.
Endocrinologist Dr. Guy Abraham has studied the iodine-thyroid connection for over 25 years and is convinced that iodine supplementation is absolutely necessary to replenish deficiencies.
“The benefits of [Iodine] supplementation within the range used in FDB (fibrocystic disease of the breast) outweigh the risks,”
Dr. Abraham’s said in regards to his recent study of the effects of Iodine supplementation on this condition.
The great news is that when tissues are nourished with enough iodine, depleted cells can revert back to healthy, normal cells. Supplementation with products that contain both iodine and potassium iodide can be very beneficial. In order to determine how much iodine you need to take, do a 24 hour iodine loading test to insure that you will supplement with the proper amounts.
If you have any of these symptoms, consider the possibility of being iodine deficient:
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Nodules on your thyroid
- Hypothyroid
- Polycystic ovaries
- Uterine fibroids
- Breast cancer
- Enlarged prostate
- Prostate Cancer
Hypothyroidism Treatment and Diet Plan : Foods To Eat and Foods To Avoid !!!!!!!!
Breast Cancer prevention includes taking steps to ensure proper thyroid function ─ and a healthy thyroid begins with proper amounts of iodine in the body. Get an iodine screening today and take measures to keep your thyroid healthy, happy and working properly for the health of your breasts and your system overall.
This article was republished with permission from greenmedinfo.com.
There are some excellent natural remedies that have beneficial effects on the symptoms but are not as strong as medicinal doses. If your doctor suggests that such treatments are enough to treat your condition, then you can try them out. Some natural ways are as follows:
1. Follow an Underactive Thyroid Diet : Thyroid glands need various nutrients to function properly. Therefore, an underactive thyroid diet should include all such foods that can provide you with these nutrients. Iodine is essential for healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. It can be obtained from a number of seafoods like sardines, haddock, tuna, mackerel, seaweed, algae, etc. Omega Fatty acids, but not all, are another highly recommended nutritional component in this condition and its common sources are cod, salmon, flaxseed, walnuts, almonds, etc.
Selenium intake has to be increased with the help of whole wheat bread, pasta brown bread, Brazil nuts, poultry, liver, pork, etc. Also High fiber diet like apricots, banana, avocado, asparagus, carrots, etc. are important to get relief from constipation. Along with these foods, drink 6-8 glasses of water as it improves metabolism and also helps in weight loss.
2. Avoid Foods that Suppress Thyroid Function : Goitrogens is one such component that interferes with the functioning of the thyroid gland and slows down the production of thyroid hormone of the body. It is present in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc. Soy, millet, peanuts, etc. are the other foods that contain goitrogens. Hence, they should be avoided. However, these foods can be taken in small amounts after cooking as heat destroys goitrogenic compounds. Refined carbohydrates found in white flour, white sugar and processed foods as well as coffee, soda, tea and alcohol should be avoided in this condition.
3. Take Nutritional Supplements : Vitamin supplements are good as they help the body to utilize food substances and obtain maximum energy. Fish oil supplements also supply the much-needed omega fatty acids. Supplements like zinc, copper and iodine improve the functioning of the thyroid gland. Those who are suffering from underactive thyroid because of selenium deficiency should take supplemental form of this mineral. However, it is advisable that you consult your doctor first, before starting any of these supplements.
4. Exercise Regularly : Get into the habit of doing some gentle exercises for half an hour five times in a week. There are several benefits of exercising in this condition. It can alleviate many of the symptoms. It improves the rate of metabolism and boosts the energy level. This will also help in controlling the weight gain problem. You can also get rid of other problems like loss of appetite, sleeping problems and depression associated with hypothyroidism.
5. Keep a Stress Free Mind : Stress has an adverse impact in the functioning of the thyroid gland. High level of stress can also contribute towards further weight gain. For this reason, there is a need to reduce mental stress. Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, etc. are some excellent ways of relaxing your mind.
6. Undergo Acupuncture Therapy : Acupuncture can be used as an alternative way for treating an underactive thyroid gland. This treatment brings about marked improvement in the functioning of the thyroid gland. It involves insertion of small-sized needles in specific areas of the body to stimulate thyroid function. However, it should be done by an experienced practitioner only.
*** You have to continue with all these natural remedies for an underactive thyroid lifelong. You have to monitor the thyroid hormone levels in the body from time to time. If the test report suggests that the thyroid hormone levels have increased, then you must consult your doctor who will prescribe you with medicines and suggest some lifestyle and diet related changes for your health benefit.
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