A Healthy Boost from Nature

Need A Healthy Boost from Nature?

When our thyroid is functioning properly, we feel good and can get a lot accomplished.  But what happens when you’re not feeling well all the time, or you seem to be gaining weight for no reason? 

You may be lacking iodine in your diet.  Iodine is critical to healthy thyroid function.  Let’s explore how the body is affected when you have an iodine deficiency. 

Iodine Deficiency Worldwide

The National Institute of Health indicates that iodine deficiency is more prevalent in certain populations. 

During pregnancy, women need more iodine than usual.  Pregnant women need approximately 220 mcg to 250 mcg of iodine compared to the normal 150.  Women also need 290 mcg of iodine during lactation (National Institutes of Health, 2019). 

Vegans and vegetarians, as well as populations of certain geographical regions such as South Asia, New Zealand or Europe, are also at risk of iodine deficiency due to the lack of iodine in the soil (National Institutes of Health, 2019). 

Iodine is an important mineral because it’s the only mineral the thyroid uses to make hormones.  Without these hormones, the thyroid doesn’t function properly which causes consequences to the body.  Let’s look at the thyroid for a minute to understand why an iodine deficiency might be a problem for you.

The Thyroid

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits right below the voice box.  It produces the hormones (T-3 and T-4) that get released into the bloodstream to make their way through the body. 

There is only one way that the thyroid can make T-3 and T-4 hormones and that is from extracting iodine from the blood.  When these hormones are not at the proper levels several bodily functions can be affected (Robert M. Sargis MD, 2019). 

When we think of the thyroid, metabolism is usually the first thing that comes to mind.  The thyroid hormones manage the chemical process that breaks down the foods we eat and turns it into nature’s energy to help fuel our body. 

When thyroid hormones are out of balance, several things can happen:

Weight Gain

When we’re healthy the thyroid helps us burn calories.  When the thyroid can’t produce enough hormones, weight gain will be one of the first things you may notice. 

The usual culprit for weight gain is a poor diet and not enough exercise, but if you seem to be gaining weight for no reason, it could be that the thyroid is not producing enough hormones and may need more iodine to function (Burgess, 2018).

Fatigue

When you feel like you just don’t want to get up and do anything, it could mean that the metabolism is not working correctly.  Being tired does not necessarily mean you have an iodine deficiency as there are many causes of fatigue such as not getting enough sleep.  If the tired feeling can’t be explained though, the culprit could be low iodine levels (Burgess, 2018).

Slow Heart Rate

Poor thyroid function also affects the heart.  If the thyroid is not producing enough hormones, the heart beats more slowly.  This can cause dizziness or make you feel sick.  In extreme cases, it can cause fainting. 

An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) also causes a rise in cholesterol, increased fluids around the heart and eventually causes heart failure (American Thyroid Association, 2019). 

Hair Loss

Thyroid hormones also have the responsibility of renewing hair follicles.  It is natural to lose hair, but normally hair falls out and then grows back from the same hair follicles.  When thyroid hormones are low, hair doesn’t grow back like it should.  If there is an iodine deficiency, you may notice thinning hair or bald spots (Ryan Raman, 2017) 

Being Cold

When the thyroid is not working properly, you tend to feel cold all the time due to the lower production of energy.  Because the metabolism is not at its peak, it can’t keep you warm.

Dry Skin

New skin growth is also regulated by thyroid hormones.  When there is an iodine deficiency we tend to sweat less (Gibinski, Powierza-Kaczynska, Zmudzinski, Giec, & Dosiak, 1972).  Sweat helps to not only keep your skin moist, but it also releases metabolic waste.

Trouble with Learning and Memory

Low thyroid hormones can also make it difficult to learn and remember.  Growth and development of the brain requires thyroid hormones.  Iodine plays an important role for women during pregnancy and for the baby in the early years of development due to its effect on the brain. (Disorders, 2000).

Iodine Food Sources

There are natural ways to get more iodine in the diet.  These food sources all contain iodine:

• Fish- Cod, tuna, and shrimp are all high in iodine.
• Seaweed- Seaweed such as kelp has a high iodine content
• Dairy- Milk, yogurt and cheese
• Whole grains
• Fruits and Vegetables- Fruits and veggies contain iodine, but the amount depends on the iodine in the soil where they are grown.
• Iodized salt- Iodized salt is readily available, however, the sodium in processed foods does not contain iodine.

There may be multiple reasons not to eat these foods such as food allergies or sensitivities or a plant-based diet.  If you are not getting enough iodine through diet, then supplements are a good alternative.

5 Awesome Iodine Supplements

Finding a good supplement is important.  There are many products available over the Internet.  Because herbal supplements are not regulated, companies can mislead you with how much and how pure ingredients are in a product. 

Detoxification Works has exceptional manufacturing processes for their supplements.  They use quality ingredients that are created with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). 

Detoxification Works is also an FDA registered facility which means that the FDA inspects their manufacturing facility regularly to make sure they are creating their supplements in an ethical way. 

Below I listed some of their supplements that will not only help get the thyroid functioning by including iodine but also help to cleanse the body or even help with reaching weight loss goals.

Organic Seaweed Cleanse

A seaweed supplement such as Organic Seaweed Cleanse offers iodine and so much more.  Organic Seaweed Cleanse contains spirulina a nutrient-dense alga that has a lot of benefits for the body including vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, and B vitamins. 

A seaweed cleanse can help get the body back on track flushing out the harmful substances that accumulate through the diet.  Kelp is iodine-rich and can help get the thyroid producing more hormones, so your body functions the way it should.   

Pro Slim Complex

Losing weight is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions that we make.  This means eating better and exercising more.  Pro Slim Complex is an excellent complement to weight loss goals.  Pro Slim Complex helps with weight loss and fat burning. 

This supplement combines iodine with B6 a natural energy creator.  Choline and Chromium contribute to a healthy metabolism.  Pro Slim also contains green tea extract which is not only an immune system booster but also helps with slimming down.

 If your goal like mine, is to lose weight after the holiday food fest, Pro Slim Complex can help you reach that goal and get you ready for the summer. 

Green Coffee Bean Slimming Aid

To rev up weight loss, Green Coffee Bean Slimming Aid can come to the rescue.  Packed with green coffee bean concentrate, it also contains kelp to help with thyroid function, cayenne to help with fat burning, and cinnamon and chromium to help stabilize blood sugar. 

Green coffee bean extract can help decrease fat to help with weight loss and may even help stabilize glucose levels in the blood.  Green coffee bean extract contains antioxidants and can give you an energy boost.

Menopause Support

Ladies, if you’re going through menopause,  Menopause Support gives you an alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy.  This supplement is made up of several natural ingredients that can help with menopause symptoms, including:

• Kelp to help with thyroid function and weight
• Wild yam to help with estrogen replacement
• B vitamins for energy

What makes this supplement unique is that it contains sage.  Sage has antioxidants and is an anti-inflammatory agent.  Why does sage work so well for menopause?  Because studies have shown that sage can help reduce hot flashes, night sweats (Bommer, Klein, & Suter, 2011). 

Sage can also help with bloating, which makes it a good choice for PMS symptoms as well.  Girls, you won’t have any more excuses to be grumpy, because sage helps elevate mood too!

Pro Meal

We often dread exercising when we’re tired.  Pro Meal can help by giving an energy boost for your workout and the nutrition the body needs without the fat and calories.  It’s nature’s energy in a powder. 

Pro Meal is a delicious meal or snack and only contains 89 calories. Stocked with vitamins and minerals including iodine, and it can keep you feeling satisfied and full for hours to help with fitness and weight loss goals. 

Iodine plays a huge role in our health and is crucial for the thyroid to function properly.  Iodine deficiency disorders affect over 2 billion people worldwide (Biban & Lichiardopol, 2017). 

An unhealthy diet, diet restrictions, and soil depletion are likely contributors.  Iodine is nature’s energy and is essential to thyroid function.  By using good quality organic supplements, you can get your body functioning at peak level, feel more energetic and get your metabolism running like a race car!   

References

American Thyroid Association. (2019). Iodine Deficiency. From American Thyroid Association: https://www.thyroid.org/iodine-deficiency/

Biban, B., & Lichiardopol, C. (2017). Iodine Deficiency, Still a Global Problem? Current Health Sciences Journal, 103-111.

Bommer, S., Klein, P., & Suter, A. (2011). First time proof of sage's tolerability and efficacy in menopausal women with hot flushes. Advances in Therapy, 490-500.

Burgess, L. (2018, February 12). What are the signs of iodine deficiency. From Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320891.php

Choi, B., Park, S., Lee , D., Jin, Y., Yang, S., & Suh, J. (2016). Green coffee bean extract improves obesity by decreasing body fat in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 635-643.

Disorders, I. C. (2000). The role of iodine in brain development. Proc Nutr Soc.

Gibinski, K., Powierza-Kaczynska, C., Zmudzinski, J., Giec, L., & Dosiak, J. (1972). Thyroid control of sweat gland function. Metabolism, 843-848.

Green coffee bean extract has anti-diabetic benefits. (2013, April 11). From Diabetes.co.uk: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2013/apr/green-coffee-bean-extract-has-anti-diabetic-benefits-91144231.html

National Institutes of Health. (2019). From Iodine: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/

Robert M. Sargis MD, P. (2019, January 22). Thyroid Gland Overview. From Endocrine Web: https://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-thyroid

Ryan Raman, M. R. (2017, November 11). 10 Signs and Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency. From Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/iodine-deficiency-symptoms