I’ve never had low thyroid problems until just recently when my adrenals became very stressed. The thyroid and adrenals are closely associated, so my thyroid has shown a little distress. I’m working on both. And it seems I’m not alone. According to the United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, an estimated 27 million Americans suffer from thyroid disease and 13 million people go undiagnosed. Besides stress, the following are the most common causes of thyroid problems:
- Deficiencies of iodine and selenium.
- Food sensitivities to gluten and A1 Casein/dairy)allergy
- Toxins—especially heavy metals and radiation exposure
- Hormone imbalances—cortisol too high from stress, too many carbs, not enough fat in the diet
Symptoms of Low Thyroid
- Depression
- Poor memory, absentmindedness
- Feeling of deep gloom for no apparent reason
- Irritability for no apparent reason
- Chronic fatigue and weakness
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- Hair loss or coarse, dry hair
- Dry, rough skin
- Intolerance to cold
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Decreased sex drive
- Constipation
- Muscle aches and cramps
- Fluid retention or puffiness
How You Can Improve Thyroid Function
- Avoid all gluten and dairy. These foods can cause leaky gut syndrome which can contribute to inflammation of the thyroid gland. Only consume dairy from goats or sheep.
- Avoid all plastics with BPA.
- Increase your iodine if you are low. Take kelp tablets or liquid iodine. Watercress is one of the best vegetable sources of iodine. Studies show that watercress helps the thyroid.
- Increase selenium. Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium.
- Do a heavy metal detox. You can use a combination of Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Chlorella and Cilantro.
- Ashwagandha can help reduce stress and support the adrenals and thyroid. See Vitality Renew.
- Avoid sugar, refined carbs and starches.
- Join my weight loss pilot program The Watercress Diet.
Juices That Help the Thyroid
Juices with the following vegetables are good sources of iron, B vitamins the body needs for hormone creation, Vitamins C and D, beta-carotene, chlorophyll and magnesium.
- Watercress
- Spinach
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Turnip greens
- Beet greens
Excerpts from The Juice Lady’s Remedies for Thyroid Disorders
Juice Recipe:
Watercress Lemonade Thyroid Booster
- 2 apples, green is lower in sugar
- 1/2 lemon, peeled if not organic
- 1 handful of watercress
Juice all ingredient, stir and enjoy!
Serves 1
From The Juice Lady’s Remedies for Thyroid Disorders {eoa}
Cherie Calbom, M.S., holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. Known as “The Juice Lady” for her work with juicing and health, she is the author of 32 books, including her latest book The Juice Lady’s Guide to Fasting. She and her husband offer juice cleanse retreats throughout the year, 30-Day Detox online and Garden’s Best Juice Powder. “What You Can Do When Your Healing Doesn’t Come” is one point from her teaching “7 Keys to Your Supernatural Healing.” You can connect with Cherie at juiceladycherie.com.
This article originally appeared at juiceladycherie.com.