What is Your Thyroid, and Why Should You Care?
The thyroid gland is a part of the endocrine system. This gland stores, produces, and releases hormones into the body. These hormones perform essential functions such as regulate the body’s metabolic rate and also have a role in bone, brain, and muscle tissue development. The gland depends on iodine primarily to function. If a diet is lacking iodine, the thyroid gland becomes incapable of producing multiple hormones which are necessary for the body to function.
General Thyroid Functions
The thyroid gland’s overall function is hormone regulation. Due to this, many different aspects of the body are impacted due to thyroid malfunction or failure. The functions that are impacted by thyroid malfunction are:
- breathing
- heart rate
- central and peripheral nervous systems
- body weight
- muscle strength
- menstrual cycles
- body temperature
- cholesterol levels
Thyroid Function Relating to Beauty and Wellness
The thyroid gland can impact your whole body if it is not functioning properly. If the thyroid isn’t given the proper nutrients, a person may quickly gain or lose weight, they may lose muscle mass, and their cholesterol levels can become unstable. Other impacts of thyroid malfunction can cause hair loss, missed menstrual periods, dry skin, trouble sleeping, fatigue, and many other symptoms.
Thyroid function can also significantly impact an individual’s mental health. The physical degradation of the body due to thyroid failure has been found to cause anxiety, depression, nervousness, and mood swings.
How to Ensure Thyroid Health
The thyroid makes many hormones, but the two most important ones are Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). The thyroid relies on iodine to manufacture these two critical hormones. Iodine can be found in seaweed, shrimp, codfish, potatoes, dairy products, and of course iodized salt.
The thyroid also needs a substantial amount of selenium, iron, calcium, and zinc to function at maximum capacity (Thyroid Central).
- Vitamin D can be synthesized from unprotected exposure to the sun.
- Vitamin E is found in wheat germ, walnuts, asparagus, and avocados.
- Selenium is found in mushrooms, tuna, liver, shrimp, and cod.
- Iron is found in red meat, liver, pumpkin seeds, and spinach.
- Calcium can be found in dairy products, kale, broccoli, oats, and nuts.
- Zinc is found in red meat, liver, mushrooms, spinach, and asparagus.
A diet that includes each of these elements will help to promote maximum thyroid function. If you think you have a deficiency, taking a supplement can help bring your body back into balance.
Summary
The thyroid gland is critical to regulating the overall health of the mind and body. Without a healthy thyroid gland, you suffer inside and outside. In order to keep it functioning well, make sure to get a diet rich in iodine, selenium, iron, calcium, and zinc to function.
