Regain your energy levels, regulate your appetite, and banish brain fog.
Optimize your wellness by supporting your thyroid health. 20 million people have a thyroid condition [1]. Yet, 60% are unaware of it. Support hormonal balance with this guide to thyroid health.
Small But Mighty: What Is the Thyroid?
Big things come in little packages. The thyroid is a small gland nestled in the front of the neck.
This butterfly-shaped gland produces hormones that transform our foods into energy [2]. Cultivate lasting energy by balancing your thyroid hormones!
The Science Stuff: How The Thyroid Works
Remember the Skeleton Dance? The foot bone's connected to the leg bone. The leg bone's connected to the knee bone... It all kinda rings true for hormones, too.
A part of the brain called the hypothalamus tells the pituitary gland to summon hormones for thyroid production. The pituitary regulates how much thyroid hormone is in the bloodstream by adjusting levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
In this never-ending game of telephone, TSH prompts the thyroid gland to produce two key hormones -- T3 and T4. These are the influencers you want to meet.
Meet Your Thyroid Hormones!
Many Mighty Markers turned to us because BPA, phthalates, and other toxic chemicals have disrupted their endocrine system. Endocrine warriors, meet your besties [3].
T3 and T4 hormones support:
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Brain cells that make you a trivia master
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Bone growth that keeps you strong
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Cardio health that keeps you moving
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Digestive functions that remove toxins from the body
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Muscles that power you through those Peleton exercises
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And more
Life is About Balance, and So Are Hormones
Indulging on a taco or five on a Tuesday is NBD. Every meal, seven days per week? You'll feel as stuffed as a gordita!
Too many thyroid hormones can also be too much of a good thing. This condition is called hyperthyroidism [4].
Excessive thyroid hormones speed up the metabolism, which can promote:
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Unexpected weight loss
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Heat flashes and sweating
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Rapid or irregular heartbeat
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Muscle fatigue
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Thinning skin or hair
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Changes in the menstrual cycle
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And more
Just because tacos for every meal is a bad idea doesn't mean you should forgo food. The other extreme can be just as dangerous for thyroid hormones. Underactive thyroid production is known as hypothyroidism [5].
Hypothyroidism slows down the metabolism, which may cause:
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Constipation and abdominal cramping
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Higher cholesterol and weight gain
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Slow heart rate and low energy
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Poor memory and mood
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Dry skin and sensitivity to cold
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And more
Healthy Thyroid, Healthy You
Redirect the communication going on in your body. Hijack the cellular conversation by balancing your thyroid hormones. Try out these tips!
1. Don't Get Salty; Get Iodine!
Tacos may be our chosen power source, but our thyroid gland likes iodine [6]. In fact, the thyroid is the only gland to use it!
Ingest 150 micrograms of iodine daily to promote a healthy thyroid. Reap even more benefits by choosing an organic, iodized salt.
Protect your health by limiting your intake of mass-produced table salt brands, as some use bleach to make their salt appear whiter.
Even better, add these foods into your meal plan:
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Wrap up some tuna in your sushi, sealing your roll tightly with seaweed
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Switch up pasta night with squid ink spaghetti
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Enjoy some iodine-rich cheese with whole-grain crackers
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Whip up some deviled eggs
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Brighten your morning with a Greek yogurt bowl full of fresh fruit
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Cook up beef liver with onions
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Schuck some oysters and throw 'em back
2. Find Your Peace
Stress is a part of life...it shouldn't be your WHOLE life. Reclaim your mind, and your hormones will follow.
Chronic stress disrupts our hormones, causing too many excitatory hormones to circulate, like adrenaline and cortisol.
Tell your stress hormones to cool off. Try out these natural stress busters:
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Take a tranquil stroll in nature
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Escape through a guided meditation
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Do more of what you love
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Deepen your breaths - no need for so much tension!
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Sip on some calming herbal tea
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Get your yoga on!
Learn how to improve your fertility through yoga via our Instagram Live chat with Yoga4Fertility:
3. Know Your Hormone Levels
Education is essential for preventative healthcare. Talk to your doctor about getting labs done for your thyroid hormone levels.
Diagnose and begin treatment for hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism with a blood test.
More in-depth diagnoses may include imaging scans, like an ultrasound or CT scan. Specialists can also use nuclear testing to gauge how well your body is uptaking iodine.
4. Detox from Thyroid Disruptors
Promote hormonal balance. Learn what's inside your body with Million Marker's Detect & Detox Test Kit.
This is the ONLY mail-in test for thyroid-disrupting chemicals, such as BPA, phthalates, parabens, and more.
Detect your personal exposure levels to these hormone disruptors. Then, detox from them by learning which of your products and daily habits are causing these exposures.
Utilize your personalized report as the foundation of your detox journey. Then, add the rest of these tips into your routine to promote the balance your thyroid needs...and that you deserve!
Resources
[1] https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8541-thyroid-disease
[3] https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/thyroid-hormones
[4] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20373659
[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20350284
[6] https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/how-your-thyroid-works