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When striving for a healthier lifestyle, it’s important to recognize the link between your thyroid and weight gain. This understanding is crucial for reaching and sustaining an optimal weight. The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that looks like a butterfly. If it is not functioning at its best, the weight will not come off.
In this blog, I will cover what it takes to have optimal thyroid levels. It starts with proper thyroid levels testing, a diet to support thyroid health and knowing how to improve it.
The thyroid gland is important for weight management. It produces hormones that control your basal metabolic rate and energy usage. When the thyroid is not slow, it can cause an increase in body weight, brain fog, hair loss, dryness, high cholesterol and thyroid disease.
One symptom of hypothyroidism is excess fat anywhere on your body, despite exercise and a healthy diet. This can have all of a sudden or over a long period of time.
Healthy thyroid hormone levels of, TSH, Free T3, and Free T4, will help you maintain a healthy weight. TSH, or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, oversees the production of T3 and T4, impacting metabolism control. Imbalances in these hormones can manifest as extra weight gain, fatigue, and other symptoms. Interestingly, shedding excess weight can positively impact thyroid function.
Weight loss reduces the metabolic demands on the thyroid, potentially aiding in restoring hormonal balance. However, a holistic approach to weight loss that addresses lifestyle factors and thyroid health simultaneously is essential. The amount of weight gain from low thyroid function can vary between individuals because of genetics, diet, autoimmunity, and overall health. Understanding the link between your thyroid and weight gain is important for creating personalized and successful weight loss plans.
Improving thyroid weight gain problems by eating the best foods to heal the thyroid involves a strategic selection of foods. A diet rich in nutrient-dense options can provide substantial support to the butterfly shaped gland.
Eating foods high in iodine, such as seaweed, is a good place to start. Also including selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts in your meals is also beneficial. Additionally, incorporating zinc-packed choices like pumpkin seeds into your diet can contribute to overall health.
However, it’s crucial to be mindful of certain foods that may worsen with a thyroid disorder. Sometimes, experts recommend limiting foods like broccoli, cabbage, soy, and raw goitrogenic items. Goitrogenic substances can make the thyroid gland bigger, causing a condition called a goiter. They can also lead to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis which is when your immune system tries to attack the thyroid gland.
Some people have a thyroid weight gain problem due to a low TSH, low Free T3 or an attack against their thyroid gland. Many times, this is simple to improve by supplementation, proper diet and thyroid testing.
Improving thyroid health is a comprehensive process that encompasses various elements. Key components include nutrition, stress management, proper testing, and lifestyle adjustments.
Ensuring you are getting enough essential vitamins and minerals for thyroid function is important. These include iodine, selenium, and zinc. These nutrients support the health of your thyroid. Make sure you are consuming enough of them in your diet.
Regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and stress reduction techniques contribute significantly to overall thyroid health. Your adrenal health often depends on your thyroid gland. If the adrenals are slow, many times the thyroid gland is too.
Understanding the best vitamins for thyroid function is imperative. Iodine aids in producing thyroid hormones, while selenium facilitates the conversion of T4 to the more active T3. Additionally, vitamin D and B vitamins are essential for overall metabolic health and thyroid function.
Before you start taking a thyroid supplement, I highly suggest proper comprehensive thyroid testing. You do not want to stimulate your thyroid gland if that is not the reason for the weight gain. Any test kit orders come with a free protocol from me so you know what to do.
Understanding the intricate connection with thyroid weight gain is vital for achieving and maintaining a healthy body composition.
By testing all thyroid levels and incorporating holistic support, you can begin a successful journey to improved well-being and greater confidence in your body composition.
If you like videos, here is a link to a funny but real thyroid video perfect for any woman with a thyroid weight gain struggle.
I have been working in the field of holistic health and wellness for over 30 years. Nutritionally Yours has a functional medicine medical doctor on staff. Nutritionally Yours offers a wide variety of at-home blood test kits, nutrition test kits at, home health test kits, nutrition, naturopathic, metabolic and weight loss appointments Monday – Friday 9-4 EST.
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