#1 Get away from second hand smoke or e-cigs.
There are many “thyroid bombs” and nicotine is one of them. Smokers have lower serum TSH and higher Free T4 and Free T3 levels than non-smokers, which makes it look like you don’t have thyroid disease even when you do. Ecigs and regular cigarettes are a culprit.
#2 Drive older vehicles.
Brand new cars are off-gassing for months. The gas they emit is bromide, and it’s the bromide and that competes with natural iodine in your thyroid gland. You’re gland take ups the bromine preferentially (it’s a bit of a bully), thus preventing the iodine from being absorbed.
No iodine means no thyroid hormone.
New cars can make many people hypothyroid, and that will make you feel fuzzy in the brain, irritable and possibly gain weight or impact hair quality. It could also produce anxiety or sudden phobias. If you’d like read my other article, CLICK HERE to be taken to: Are You Taking a Medicine that Causes Anxiety.
#3 Reduce HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.
We all make this compound in our cells as part of cellular metabolism but some of us make too much and it causes pain and fatigue. It’s a free radical. You can reduce it with supplements of Catalase and Glutathione. Some people have gray hair and/or vitiligo as a result of excessive peroxide which is an oxidizer.
Hydrogen peroxide blocks normal production of melanin, and the vitiligosupport.org site even mentions “hydrogen peroxide” on the home page. There are even catalase-based creams that you can apply to the skin with the intention of reducing epidermal levels of peroxide (allowing for noticeable repigmentation). Taking Catalase internally is an option, as in the form of a dietary supplement is another option.
Peroxide is thought to be the ‘secret poison’ that drives some autoimmune conditions too, like Hashimoto’s and I made a VIDEO about that exact topic. Full disclosure, I’ve been fascinated with this enzyme for years, and actually formulated my own brand of Catalase, which I recommend to support general antioxidant health.*
#4 Careful in swimming pools and jacuzzis.
If you spend a lot of time enjoying these activities, then consider taking an iodine capsule (about 6.25mg) once or twice a week to restore lost iodine. The iodine is normally taken up by your thyroid gland. The pools and hot tubs have chlorine in them. The chlorine competes for the same receptor spot that the iodine does, but chlorine usually wins!
No iodine means no thyroid hormone.
This is just my opinion, not to be construed as any type of medical advice, and I’m not a doctor so please ask your own doctor if this natural mineral is a good idea for restoration if you like to swim or hot tub a lot! The chlorine in the pool competes with iodine (in the same way bromine does, see above!) and I’m worried it may suppress iodine uptake to the point where you become hypothyroid.
#5 Change your toothpaste.
Use a fluoride-free brand because fluoride is a bully, just like chlorine and bromine. Read above… it’s the same exact deal!
It competes with iodine in your thyroid gland, which will almost always absorb fluoride over iodine. When this happens it blocks production of thyroid hormone.
No iodine means no thyroid hormone.
#6 Take a break from fermented foods.
Foods like tempeh, tofu, blue cheese, parmesan, salami, alcohol, kombucha and sauerkraut. These foods either cause you to release a lot of histamine, or they contain it. Histamine a known trigger for autoimmune disorders. These can cause loads of digestive problems and fatigue for susceptible people, especially if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease.
#7 Stop eating candy and soda.
Blood sugar swings cause terrible imbalances with your sugar and insulin levels. You’ll never get well if you’re consuming sugar, or soda which is very high in sugar. It is simply not physiologically possible to offset the imbalance that results with your hormones. High insulin (needed to neutralize the sweets and sugar) is a known risk factor for cancer, diabetes and pain. Not only that, chronically high insulin makes you overweight and tired in the long run. If you have an interest in balancing blood sugar, please refer to my Amazon best-seller, “Diabetes Without Drugs.”
#8 Minimizing consumption of goitrogenic foods and beverages.
Eating that will reduce your ability to absorb iodine which reduces thyroid levels and starves the reproductive organs of healthy iodine. Avoid foods that are goitrogenic unless you cook them. For example, juicing raw kale every morning is a no-no in my book. Cooking it daily is fine and incredibly healthy. See the difference?
Watch out for superfood green powder drink mixes that contain goitrogens. Some common ones include alfalfa, broccoli, cauliflower powders and if you drink this every day it may backfire and cause fatigue. If you’re interested in a green superfood drink mix that is goitrogen-free, I have one!
It’s called Thyroid Greens.
This custom formula is literally patented in the United States now! I’m very proud of that, and you can drink it without fear that you will be consuming goitrogens (which suppress iodine uptake). I developed it to help myself create more energy.
#9 Digest your food.
I didn’t say eat your food, I said “digest.” You see, the problem is that the food you eat isn’t always broken down completely. This partial digestion is due to years of insult from a bad diet, which reduces secretion of digestive enzymes and increases zonulin.
So I suggest you take digestive enzymes to help you completely break down all the food you eat. Pancreatin, pepsin, bromelian and others exist in supplemental form which reduces the amount of ‘circulating immune complexes’ that trigger autoimmune flare-ups.
If you’d like to learn more about autoimmune conditions, you may want to take 10 more minutes because I’ve written a fascinating article entitled, We All Have Some Degree of Autoimmune Disease.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
