Nutrition and diet play very important roles in thefunctioning of the body, which is why the diet of every individual should be ashealthy and balanced as possible. However, people usually begin to pay moreattention to this when their health is already impaired or endangered, or when somehealth problems start to appear. Still, it does not necessarily mean that it istoo late for the changes to have a beneficial effect on the health in suchsituations. The change in the diet is one of the methods of dealing with anumber of problems, and thus with the problems of underactive thyroid as well.
What this diet is all about
Just like with any other diet, it is important to be wellinformed about the foods that should be avoided and foods that should beconsumed in greater amounts. This condition is caused by the inability of thepituitary gland to produce the hormones responsible for controlling metabolismin sufficient amounts. Besides this, the pituitary gland produces thyroidhormones from iodine, which it absorbs from food. This means that in order toproduce more of these hormones, it is necessary to increase the intake ofiodine-rich foods, as well as to avoid the foods that prevent the production ofthese hormones. And that is the whole point of the diet.
Foods not to avoid and foods to avoid
Foods that should not be avoided include foods rich iniodine (sea salt, eggs, dairy products, seafood, ice cream, cheese, sushi), foodsrich in vitamins A, B, C, E, K, and zinc. Vitamin E helps in better absorption ofiodine, while zinc improves the functioning of the thyroid gland. These two nutrientsdo not have to be consumed through food only, since dietary supplements arealso a good source. Protein-rich and fiber-rich foods should also not beavoided. As for protein rich foods, almonds, walnuts, lean meat, whole grains andgreen leafy vegetables are the best natural sources, and the reason why thisnutrient is important lies in the fact that protein promotes the growth of themuscles, affects the metabolism and hormonal system.
When it comes to foods that should be avoided, as it hasalready been said, those that contain elements that block the production ofnecessary hormones need to be avoided. Foods rich in isoflavones are on thislist and soy products are very rich in them. This is why tofu, soy milk, soysauce and other soy products need to be excluded from the diet, no matter howhealthy they might be for other people. Broccoli, cabbage, turnips, andBrussels sprouts are also on this list. Caffeine and alcohol do not affect theglandular system in a positive way, which is why tea, coffee, drinks rich incaffeine, and alcohol need to be eliminated as well. Foods rich in fluoride, chlorineand saturated fats and calories should not be consumed either.
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