The Thyroid
The thyroid is a small gland in the front of your
neck. The thyroid releases hormones that control
metabolism, and if this process becomes
interrupted it can lead to heart disease,
osteoporosis, infertility and, even coma and death.
Women over 50 are the most likely to have
hypothyroidism.
The thyroid produces two main
hormones thyroxine (T-4) and triiodothyronine (T-3),
which are responsible for:
- Maintaining the rate at which your body uses
fats and carbohydrates
- Aids in control of body temperature
- Aids in regulation of the heart rate
- Aids in regulation of
protein
- Aids in regulation of calcium that is
released into the blood
Hypothyroidism is The Most Common Thyroid
Disease
Thyroid disease can cause your thyroid to
use energy more quickly (hyperthyroidism) or more
slowly (hypothyroidism) than it should.
Hypothyroidism accounts for 80% of
thyroid disease cases. In hypothyroidism, your
thyroid gland is not active enough, leading to:
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Sensitivity to cold
- Muscle weakness
- Pale, dry skin
- Sluggishness
- Constipation
- Depression
- Swelling of your joints
- A puffy face and hoarse voice
- Brittle fingernails and hair
The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an
autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto thyroiditis,
which may be caused by a virus, bacteria, genetics,
or a combination of environmental factors. Thyroid
surgery, radiation therapy for cancer and certain
medications (such as lithium) can also lead to
hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is generally diagnosed using a
blood test that measures your levels of
thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Conventionally,
hypothyroidism is treated by taking a synthetic or
natural thyroid hormone daily.
Thyroid disease affects 27 million Americans.
Foods Can Affect the Thyroid
Naturally occurring substances known as
goitrogens exist in certain foods and are known to
interfere with thyroid function. Foods that contain
goitrogens include:
-
Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower, kale, turnips, etc.)
- Millet
- Peaches
- Peanuts
- Radishes
- Soybeans and soy extracts
- Spinach
- Strawberries
If you're healthy, there's no need to limit
goitrogen-containing foods, however if you have
hypothyroidism some health care practitioners
recommend against excessive consumption of these
foods.
That said, because research studies showing a
link between goitrogenic foods and thyroid hormone
deficiency have yet to be conducted, you probably
don't need to eliminate these foods entirely, just
eat them in reasonable quantities.
Generally speaking, the food that could be most
problematic would be soy. This is because soy exists
in many forms in most processed foods. So if you eat
a lot of processed foods, you could be inadvertently
consuming a lot of soy. Therefore, people with
hypothyroidism may want to limit their intake of
processed foods.
Cooking is also known to help inactivate
goitrogenic compounds in foods, so if you enjoy
cruciferous veggies but are concerned about your
thyroid, eating them cooked may be preferable.
As for foods that may HELP your thyroid function,
those rich in
selenium, iodine and animal-based omega-3 fats
may all be beneficial. |
