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thyroid function

5 Tips To Help Support Low Thyroid Function

When it comes to managing your thyroid function there is no one magic bullet. Low thyroid function affects everyone in different ways. Low thyroid function is linked to an array of symptoms like :

  • Fatigue.
  • Weakness.
  • Weight gain
  • difficulty losing weight.
  • Coarse, dry hair.
  • Hair loss.
  • Dry skin.
  • Cold temperature intolerance
  • Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches.

If you or someone you know is suffering from low thyroid function, here are 5 tips to consider.

1.Digestive Habits Improve Thyroid Function

Have good digestive habits like chewing thoroughly and not being distracted while eating. Support the break down of food in your stomach by drinking lemon water. Proteins, vitamins and mineral are broken down for absorption in the stomach.

You may not think to start with looking at your digestion when dealing with low thyroid function, but this is the first place you should start. If you not absorbing important vitamins and minerals that your thyroid needs this can be a major underlying reason your thyroid function is low.

2. Protein & Fats Improve Thyroid Function

Protein is very important for our thyroid function and overall health.  Bone broth and salmon are two great sources of protein if you are experiencing low thyroid function.

Eat healthy fats, we have all heard this, but it really is a basic to health. Our bodies can become overwhelmed by polyunsaturated fats and oils that can interfere with our inflammation and hormonal responses in the body. These imbalances in fat can have a direct impact on our thyroid health. Food sources of omega 3 fatty acids and other health fats are, avocados, fish and Chia Seeds. 

3. Cutting out gluten Improves Thyroid Function

There is a strong link between both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease with gluten intolerance.

Reducing or eliminating gluten can be quite difficult for many people. Once gluten has been eliminated from the diet it can take up to six months to have the desired effect our immune systems. That is why gluten elimination should last at least 3 to 6 months

4. Iodine Absorption Improves Thyroid Function

Getting enough Iodine is a good place to start. Great food sources include from fish, sea vegetables and sea salt to the diet on a weekly basis.

Some foods inhibit the absorption of iodine. Foods with this property are called goitrogens. If the problem is low thyroid function then it may be useful to avoid or limit goitrogens in our diets. Examples of foods that act like goitrogens are soy, millet, flax, peanuts, caffeine and canola

The following foods are also goitrogrens. Consider cooking or steaming all foods on this list as cooking breakdown the goitrogens: (all dark leafy green vegetables) spinach, arugula, broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, collards, kohlrabi, mustard greens, bok choy, brussels sprouts, turnips, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, sauerkraut, kimchi, horse radish

Many pesticides used to grow our food also can inhibit iodine absorption. Reduce pesticides by buying organic, properly cooking foods and washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly. A great resource is to look up the dirty dozen and clean fifteen for a list of what to buy organic. If you are on a tight budget consider buying organic for any animal-based products.

5. Lifestyle tips Habits Improve Thyroid Function

Get adequate sleep because lack of sleep puts stress on the body. Usually somewhere between 7 to 8 hours per night is best.

Exercise moderately. Both no exercise and excessive exercise are hard on the thyroid gland. Many people with low thyroid function will report continued weight gain. This can be frustrating resulting in a lack of motivation to continue exercising.

No exercise is not healthy on the body but over exercising with low thyroid function can be stressful on the body as well. Consider activities such as yoga, dance or movement classes to keep on track. As you continue to balance your thyroid function you can add more exercise or movement into your life.

Meditation and deep breathing have been shown to help balance the thyroid and adrenal glands. As a meditation and yoga teacher I had to add this in. We often don’t take time to listen to our bodies signals and if we take couple moments each day to listen to ourselves, we may be surprised by how our bodies are sending us the information we need to help ourselves. Only you can listen to yourself in this way, don’t make your body have to send you big signs where you must listen.

Do something you enjoy every day. Take a bubble bath, read, go for a walk. Whatever you enjoy! Don’t deny yourself, we only experience this moment once so enjoy it whenever you can.

If you’re looking for support, give our office a call at 780-455-2112, and our team will help you schedule an appointment.

healthy eating lifestyle

HEALTHY EATING IS A LIFESTYLE

Hi I’m Dr. Kent Ferguson (click here to watch video), chiropractor @ Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic. Why is healthy eating as a lifestyle so important?  Well, it’s because the statistics are sobering. The typical Canadian diet far exceeds the daily recommended intake levels in calories from sugars, solid fats, sodium, refined grains, and saturated fat. The typical Canadian diet is also lacking in the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, and oils. The result is obesity and experts project that by 2030, in Canada alone, half of all adults will be obese.

So what do people commonly do when the weight begins to pile on? The answer is they go on a diet – and that is what gets them into trouble. What people should consider instead is a change of lifestyle.

When you make the life changing commitment to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle you open yourself up to a world of better health, more energy, and better focus. Your body will heal faster and you will feel better.

A healthy eating lifestyle involves a regular diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fresh fish, along with lots of water. Healthy eating as a way of life is far healthier than temporary diets that are out there and more effective too.

Making significant lifestyle changes related to food can be very difficult for many people to accomplish for various reasons. One of the most common reasons is lack of knowledge to understand the best first steps to take. That’s where a Holistic Nutritional Practitioner can be helpful.  A Holistic Nutritional Practitioner can help you develop a diet to meet your needs that is specific to you.

If you or a loved one is in need of additional dietary guidance, check out our website @ www.ocwc.ca or give us a call @ 780-455-2112.  Our helpful staff will work with you to find a time a time to meet our Holistic Nutritional Practitioner Karlien Bester

For more health and lifestyle information, follow our clinic on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Take care.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utZRqRGpZCQ[/embedyt]

8 Wonderful Ways A Healthy Diet Benefits Your Life

It’s hard to turn on the television or cruise the internet without being bombarded with headlines about "Americans don’t sleep enough" or "one third of adults are obese."

While stress, heredity, and smoking are all factors that play into a person’s well being, one of the biggest is a healthy diet. Choosing to eat healthy benefits the body in a number of key areas. Still gobbling up the pizza and slurping down the diet soda, unconvinced? See if these eight points about a healthy diet change your mind.

1. Strengthens and improves muscle function

Healthy muscles carry us where we want to go. The right foods, along with proper exercise, build and maintain muscle mass, maintaining strength and mobility.

2. Promotes a longer life

Feeding your body what it needs can add years to your life. Reducing stress is one way to promote health, and a healthy diet is another. Foods rich in minerals and vitamins build up every cell in your body, preparing it to fight illness and stay alive longer.

3. Enables richer years

An individual who is healthy maintains a higher level of physical activity and brain function than their less healthy peers. A stronger body provides a richer life with more unique experiences.

4. Makes you prettier

If you won’t eat healthy for your insides, maybe a better outside will motivate some dietary changes. We all want to be physically attractive. Healthy foods contribute to clear skin and shiny hair that no amount of high priced beauty products provides. Fueling the body with rich omega fatty and other healthy foods nourishes skin, hair, and nails.

5. Makes you smarter

Research shows certain dietary choices power up your brain to function at a higher level, and help everyday brain function. Introducing "brain foods" into your diet aid with memory retention and problem solving skills.

This is one of the best reasons to commit to a healthy diet of vitamin-rich foods, as a healthy brain allows a much more active and independent lifestyle, from working longer to being able to drive.

6. Decreases your injury risk

A high-functioning body with strong bones and muscles maintains balance, handles heavy loads, and holds up under stress better than its weaker counterparts. Muscles and bones lacking calcium and protein over time grow weaker.

This, unfortunately, causes the body to be less stable and more prone to injury. Falls, slips, and twists end up with more serious injuries if a person’s body isn’t strong and healthy.

7. Fights bad genes

If you are already worried about the cancer that runs on mom’s side or the heart attack risk that runs on dad’s side, take heart. While you can’t change your DNA, you can use a healthy diet to combat some of your genetic disposition to disease.

Ingraining a healthy diet into your life, as well as exercise and regular doctor checkups, helps minimize the risk of falling victim to your family’s predisposed illnesses.

If you end up with an illness, whether or not from heredity, a healthy diet….

8. Prepares you to fight illness

A nutrient-rich diet boosts a person’s immune system to be able to fight off infection and illness. When a person falls victim to a disease or other medical condition, their diet helps them fight it off so it hopefully doesn’t get worse and is cured quickly.

A healthy diet is integral to a long, happy life. Deciding to eat healthy and maintain that commitment consistently may seem like a big change in lifestyle at first, but it will benefit you and your loved ones in ways that are practically immeasurable.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.