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Thyroid

Thyroid Health: Largely Overlooked, Critical for Normal Body Function

by Mark Becker | October 6, 2015

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, can have a dramatic impact on a wide range of bodily functions. It is made up of two halves, called lobes that lie along the windpipe (trachea) and are joined together by a narrow band of thyroid tissue, known as the isthmus. Thyroid hormones help all the organs work well. They control how the body uses food for energy. Thyroid function is often an overlooked area of health. Retailers can truly separate themselves by employing staff who understand thyroid health. They can further separate themselves by dedicating sections to products that promote thyroid health.

According to The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, at least 30 million Americans have a thyroid disorder and half or 15 million suffer in silence and are undiagnosed.1 Furthermore, women, especially those over 35, are as much as 10 times as likely as men to have a thyroid problem.

Thyroid hormones impact metabolism, including how fast or slow the brain, heart, muscles, liver and other parts of the body work. Simply put, if the body works too fast or too slow, it just won’t feel right. For example, if you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, you might feel tired and cold. Or, if you have too much thyroid hormone, you might feel nervous or hot.

The thyroid is controlled by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland constantly checks the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood. It then communicates to the thyroid to make more or less hormone so the body will operate at peak efficiency.

The estimates vary, but approximately 10 million Americans have hypothyroidism, a condition where the body does not produce sufficient thyroid hormone. Women, especially those older than 60, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. This condition upsets the normal balance of chemical reactions in the body. It seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but, over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, including obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease. Symptoms of underactive thyroid include:

• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to cold
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Depression
• Slow movements and thoughts
• Muscle aches and weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Dry and scaly skin
• Brittle hair and nails
• Low sex drive
• Pain, numbness and a tingling sensation in the hand and fingers
• Irregular or heavy periods

Interestingly, the thyroid gland can also be overactive and make excessive amounts of the thyroid hormone. This is known as hyperthyroidism. When the thyroid gland is overactive, the body’s processes speed up and you may experience the following, among other symptoms:

• Nervousness
• Anxiety
• Rapid heartbeat
• Hand tremors
• Excessive sweating
• Weight loss
• Sleeplessness

Hypothyroidism

Retailers need to understand how nutrient intake impacts the thyroid and they need to stock their shelves with functional foods and dietary supplements that will normalize thyroid activity. Many people with hypothyroidism experience intense fatigue and brain fog, which prompts reaching for non-nutritional forms of energy like sugar and caffeine. People with hypothyroidism must avoid sugar and caffeine, as well as refined carbohydrates, including white flour, which the body treats like sugar. Retailers should recommend the following for those with hypothyroidism:

Address adrenal fatigue: There is a significant connection between the thyroid and adrenal glands. That said, it’s uncommon to have hypothyroidism without some level of adrenal fatigue.

Be aware of goitrogens: These are substances that suppress the function of the thyroid gland by interfering with iodine uptake. Goitrogens include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach, strawberries, peaches, watercress, peanuts, radishes, soybeans, among other foods.

Consume fats: If you’re getting insufficient fat and cholesterol, you could be exacerbating hormonal imbalance, which includes thyroid hormones. Natural, healthful fats include olive oil, avocados, flaxseed oil; fish oil and nuts, among others.

Eat gluten free: Gluten contains gliadin, a protein that is foreign to the human body. Gliadin looks very similar to transglutaminase, an enzyme needed to form chemical bonds throughout the human body.2 While present in many organs, the thyroid possesses a higher concentration of this enzyme. When the immune system attacks gliadin, the antibodies also attack the thyroid.3 As the immune response continues, the thyroid suffers damage for up to six months after gluten consumption.

Increase protein: Protein transports thyroid hormone to all tissues and can help normalize thyroid function.

Supplement your diet: While nutritional deficiencies may not be the cause of hypothyroidism, not having enough of these micronutrients, minerals and antioxidants can aggravate symptoms: vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, zinc, copper, vitamins A and B, glutathione and iodine.

Take probiotics: 20 percent of thyroid function depends on a sufficient supply of healthy gut bacteria. Supplementing with a quality probiotic is highly recommended.

Hyperthyroidism

As previously mentioned, the thyroid gland can also make excessive amounts of the thyroid hormone. The most common causes for hyperthyroidism are a chronically inflamed thyroid and an autoimmune condition called Grave’s Disease. Both inflammatory and auto-immune disorders are caused by an over-active and under-coordinated immune system. Retailers need to understand that the following must be addressed with any inflammatory and auto-immune disorder.

Anti-inflammatory diet: Anti-inflammatory foods help to modulate the immune system so as to not over-inflame when stimulated. To effectively de-inflame, it is crucial to completely avoid man-made foods, many of which are loaded with sugars. Fish oil supplements with EPA and DHA significantly impact inflammation in the body. Other great anti-inflammatory foods include berries and non-denatured, whey protein from grass-fed cows. This protein source is also loaded with L-glutamine and enhances cellular glutathione stores which are both necessary for rebuilding the gut and de-inflaming the body.

Cruciferous vegetables: Vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage and kale, among others, contain goitrogens in their raw state. Goitrogens block thyroid hormone production and will help to slow down the thyroid. Unlike people with hypothyroidism, anyone with hyperthyroidism will greatly benefit from eating raw cruciferous vegetables.

Dysbiosis: This is an overpopulation of antagonistic organisms in the gut that damage the intestinal wall allowing food particles to easily pass over and end up in the bloodstream. When undigested food particles are recognized by the immune system and tagged as foreign invaders in the body, the immune system then unleashes an assault of inflammation causing a systemic allergic reaction.

Food allergens: Similar to hypothyroidism, avoid gluten containing grains such as wheat, barley, rye and oats, among others. Also avoid soy products, different nuts, and eggs. Finally, all processed and man-made foods need to be avoided at all costs.

Vitamin D: Helps coordinate the immune response by allowing the body to recognize between foreign and self proteins. This reduces inflammation and auto-immune reactions.

Retailers need to commit to creating thyroid health awareness as part of their in-store health and wellness dialogue. Thyroid health and the natural solutions associated with this gland are often overlooked as viable options to many of your customer’s health issues. Retailers should always consider thyroid health as a possible answer for specific wellness challenges moving forward. VR

References:

1. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

2. Griffin M1, Casadio R, Bergamini CM. Transglutaminases: nature’s biological glues. Biochem J. 2002 Dec 1;368(Pt 2):377-96.

3. Naiyer AJ1, Shah J, Hernandez L, Kim SY, Ciaccio EJ, Cheng J, Manavalan S, Bhagat G, Green PH. Tissue transglutaminase antibodies in individuals with celiac disease bind to thyroid follicles and extracellular matrix and may contribute to thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid. 2008 Nov;18(11):1171-8. doi: 10.1089/thy.2008.0110.

Mark Becker is an account manager for Vivion, a raw materials distributor, based in Vernon, CA. He has worked as a natural products sales and marketing executive for 15 years. Becker has written more than 300 articles and has hosted or been a guest on more than 500 radio shows. He obtained a bachelor’s in journalism from Long Beach State University and did his master’s work in communications at Cal State Fullerton. For almost 30 years he has participated in numerous endurance events, including more than 150 triathlons of Olympic distance or longer, 102 marathons and numerous other events including ultramarathons and rough water swims from Alcatraz to the mainland. He has relied on a comprehensive dietary supplement and homeopathic regimen to support his athletic, professional and personal endeavors. Follow Mark Becker on Facebook at Facebook.com/marklbecker and on twitter at Twitter.com/becker_mark. For more information, access www.vivioninc.com or www.EnergyatLast.com.

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