Five Ways to Heal your Thyroid in Winter

We are in the thick of winter, and if you think that your hypothyroid or low thyroid symptoms (fatigue, brain fog, dry skin and the feeling that you will never feel warm again, ever) have a connection with the cold weather, your hunch may be right. A European Journal of Nutrition study published in 2011 connected cold weather with deficiencies in iodine, a crucial element the body needs to produce thyroid hormone. The study recruited approximately 400 healthy adults living in Brussels, Belgium, and reported that iodine concentrations in the body rose in spring and summer months and dropped in the fall and winter months.

In addition a 2012 study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology reported findings that suggested that Inuits living in remote areas of Greenland had higher levels of thyroglobulin, a protein the thyroid gland uses to produce thyroid hormone. They concluded that the higher levels were consistent with increased thyroid activity in the cold. James V. Hennessey, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says “So temperature plays a big role in this, TSH levels are somewhat higher in the winter than in the summer because the body needs to generate more thyroid hormone to regulate the temperature control within the body.”

The gist is that your thyroid has to work harder in winter than in summer and it could use a boost. You can’t do much about the weather, but here are a five quick and easy ways to heal your thyroid and feel better.

Eat foods that are rich in iodine and selenium. Iodine and Selenium are both responsible for healthy thyroid functioning. Iodized salt and seaweed are great sources of iodine and brazil nuts and eggs are wonderful sources of selenium. I keep a small bottle of brazil nuts in the same place as I store my vitamins so I remember to eat one everyday.

Cook with coconut oil often. Metaphorically and literally, the oil transfers the warmth of the tropics into your body. In addition to boosting thyroid function and metabolism in the long run, the oil also raises body temperature to increase thermogenesis almost immediately. Additionally, it is heat stable and tastes yummy. Make sure you use high quality, organic Virgin coconut oil.

Eat fewer cruciferous vegetables, especially in the raw form, in winter. Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts are wonderful sources of antioxidants and have cancer-preventing properties, but they are also goitrogenic in the sense that they can interfere with the synthesis of the thyroid hormone. Cooking the vegetables deactivates the goitrogens Obtaining the highest credit repair score you can is simply a matter of good financial management. to an extent, so you can continue to eat them in moderation.

Go gluten free. Gluten or other inflammatory foods such as dairy and soy can cause the body to attack the thyroid in an autoimmune outbreak. Thyroid disorders, both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are strongly linked with celiac disease. A study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology reported that patients with thyroid disorder had an increased propensity for celiac disease.

Speak your truth. Holistic doctors emphasize the importance of communicating and creatively expressing your inner thoughts and feelings in maintaining the vitality of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland resides in close proximity to the voice box, in the throat chakra, also known as the fifth chakra and according to Dr. Christiane Northrup, “Spiritual and emotional issues that can block energy in the fifth Chakra are the struggles between speaking versus listening, pushing forward versus waiting, and being willful versus compliant.”

The takeaways: As you cook up a coconut-oil-gluten-free storm in your kitchen, snack on crispy seaweed, a brazil nut or two and reflect on the significant relationships in your life. If you feel that you often ‘gulp’ your words for the fear of disrupting harmony, emphatically and gracefully start stating your truth, starting today, starting now. The warmth will return and not only thaw your temporary subzero thyroid situation, but also help you live the rest of your life with grace and verve.

Sources:

Chris Kresser; Selenium: The Missing Link for Treating Hypothyroidism
Dr. Christiane Northup; Thyroid Disorders
Everyday Health; Is it the Weather, Hypothyroidism or Both?
Laura’s Gluten Free Pantry: Healing Hypothyroidism Naturally
European Journal of Endocrinology; Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders and Celiac Disease
Dr. Andrew Weil; Is Broccoli bad for the Thyroid?
Image Credit; freedigitalphotos.net