The thyroid is an important gland in the endocrine system, and it helps to regulate the production of hormones throughout the body. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid produces hormones too slowly, and the result is fatigue, weight gain, the feeling of being cold all the time and brittle nails as well as hair loss.
Many Los Angeles County patients suffer from hypothyroidism, but aren’t aware of it because the symptoms can imitate those associated with other illnesses and conditions. However, San Dimas residents can proactively work to boost their thyroid function and minimize the symptoms of hypothyroidism by following these simple tips.
How Can I Boost Thyroid Function?
Make sure that you enjoy a diet rich in iodine. Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of hypothyroidism. While it is rare for people in the United States to have an iodine deficiency because the amount of iodized salt in the diet, there are foods that people can eat in order to increase the amount of iodine that they have in their system.
Foods that offer plenty of iodine include milk, eggs and other dairy products such as low fat ice cream, low fat yogurt and low fat cheese. Shellfish, saltwater fish and soy sauce also are good sources of iodine.
Avoid foods that will slow down the thyroid naturally. These foods, when eaten raw in particular, actually block the thyroid gland and prohibit it from producing hormones for the body. Foods that should be avoided include pears, corn, pine nuts, cabbage, peaches, spinach and peanuts. If you decide that you want to enjoy some of these foods, do so in moderation and try to cook them whenever possible. Cooked foods will not block the thyroid.
Develop an exercise routine that works for you. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy a gym membership and spend hours there every day. Simply walking around your block or at a local park can give you the exercise you need in order to boost thyroid function.
Ideally, you should do light exercise every day, but you should definitely exercise at least 40 minutes per day, three days out of the week. This is the best way to help boost your thyroid function, and at the same time it will help you improve your general physical health.
If you are finding that your symptoms are not decreasing, and you believe that you are still struggling with a slow thyroid gland, it might be time to see a general surgeon in order to explore your options. A general surgery expert can help diagnose the thyroid issue that you are having as well as provide you with treatment options that might work for you.
In many cases, patients are able to control their hypothyroidism with medication that helps to speed up hormone production and simple lifestyle changes. In order to find out more information about thyroid disease and boosting thyroid production, contact your trusted general surgeon today.
