You may be aware through my blog and others, that diet plays a huge role in maintaining good thyroid function. The same can also be said for good supplementation of vitamins and minerals, even if your diet is squeaky clean. For example, taking a 200mcg selenium supplement daily has many benefits such as aiding hormone conversion from T4 to T3 and reducing thyroid antibodies by about 21%. Anyone who suffers low thyroid cannot ignore their selenium intake and would do well to supplement. But what I want to write about today is not what you can do to aid thyroid function, but what you might be doing that is hindering your thyroids good work.
Yes, its not just about eating well, supplementing well and all that jazz, you need to be aware of what could be inhibiting hormone secretions, conversions and uptake. Because...build as much thyroid hormone as you like, release into your blood stream at will, but if you are struggling to convert T4 to T3, and use the associated energy then you are no better off than the rest of us.
In general it pays to look after your liver (as discussed HERE) because it works hard for your hormone conversion so try to avoid a huge toxic burden on it, and regardless of how you manage that, it is always good practice to detox with a good liver tonic regularly. I use one with milk thistle extract and it is very powerful, I always feel energised and refreshed after a good liver detox.
But what I wanted to share today is some information about fluoride. The stuff that helps make up your toothpaste, is possibly in your water supply and in your dentist treatments. Some people believe it is good for dental health, some believe it is a poison. But regardless of your thoughts it is important to know that it will inhibit your thyroid function and therefore, I believe, should be avoided.
In days gone by fluoride therapy was used as a way to control overactive thyroid glands as it prevents the uptake of iodine - which is the building block for your thyroid hormones. A relatively small dose was used over several months to good effect but what I found of interest is that the levels prescribed in the 1950s are the same as is now found in fluoridated water areas suggesting that people are now inadvertently slowing down their own thyroid gland.
And its not just the water from your own tap you need to be wary of, processed food and drinks have been found to contain fluoridated water, conventionally produced fruit and vegetables may have been sprayed with pesticides containing fluoride, even the pans you cook in may be increasing your fluoride consumption. The non-stick Teflon coating we are all used to seeing is made from a fluorinated chemical and has been shown to contaminate food cooked in it with fluoride, again increasing our everyday consumption.
So what to do? It can seem like a minefield, I know, but it is worth tackling whether or not you have an existing thyroid condition to ensure your own good health.
- I started my journey slowly and I am still working on reducing our fluoride intake.We have a water filter jug but I know it is not suitable for removing fluoride so it is on my 'to-do' list. I am perhaps a little lax on this particular item since in 2004 the Scottish parliament voted against fluoridation of our water supply but in other areas of the UK and all over the world this is not the case. Have a look here at WIKI for your country's water status.
- We try to eat organically where possible and where we can afford it (local box schemes are often cheaper than over-priced supermarket fruits and veg). Some fruits and vegetables have higher levels of pesticide residue and these are known as the 'dirty dozen'. If I cannot get these organically, I don't get them at all. And in the same thread there is the 'clean fifteen' which we buy non organic without too much concern. Have a look HERE, take a note and stick it on your fridge door.
- We use a fluoride free toothpaste. These do not seem to be available in any supermarkets I visit so instead I buy mine from our local health food shop. There are some interesting flavours like fennel or aloe vera but I like original mint.
- Finally, one by one we are getting rid of our non stick pans and replacing them with stainless steel ones. I have one, seldom used pan left to replace now.
So that, my friends, is that. I hope you have found this useful and can start to take action as part of your own thyroid therapy. Until next time, share your story and say hello at www.facebook.com/mythyroidtherapy
