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Tired? It Might Be Your Thyroid
(Taken
from Dr. Williams click here)
Millions of Americans who experience exhaustion, chronic fatigue and an
inability to concentrate have an undetected condition called hypothyroidism (a
fancy way of saying you've got an underactive thyroid).
Basically, what causes hypothyroidism is the lack of the mineral iodine in our
diets. Iodine is essential for the thyroid gland's production of the hormone
thyroxin, which regulates numerous functions, most importantly metabolism.
An inadequate intake of iodine can result in a wide variety of ailments,
including fatigue, poor blood circulation, low sex drive, and irregular
menstrual cycles -- all classic symptoms of hypothyroidism. (For a complete
discussion of hypothyroidism and your health, see the November 1999 (Volume 8,
number 5) issue of ALTERNATIVES. For back issue ordering instructions,
click here.)
Doctors routinely overlook the thyroid as a contributing factor to health
problems. To determine if your thyroid is underactive, here's an easy test you
can do on your own. It's practically foolproof.
Hypothyroid self-test
Here's how you do it:
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1. |
Place an oral thermometer by your bed. Make sure to shake it down to at
least 96 degrees. |
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2. |
When
you wake up the next morning, immediately place the thermometer in your
armpit and leave it there for 10 minutes before getting out of bed. Just
relax and remain still during the test. (Note: Men and postmenopausal women
can do the test any time. Women in their menstrual years get the most
accurate readings on the second or third day after menstrual flow starts). |
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3. |
Record the temperature. |
A reading of anywhere
between 97.2 and 98.2 degrees is considered normal; temperatures below 97.2
generally indicate you have a thyroid imbalance.
Natural ways to rebalance your
thyroid
If you detect a problem, there are a couple of things you can do to rebalance
your thyroid gland. The most effective way is to supply it with the iodine
necessary for an increase in hormone production. (Note: Never ingest
antiseptic or topical iodine. To learn more about the source of supplemental
iodine that I highly recommend,
click here.)
You should also avoid certain foods that tend to lower thyroid function. These
include turnips, mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, rutabaga, Brussels sprouts,
bok choy, cress, cauliflower, and kohlrabi.
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