For people with an under active thyroid, an iodine weight loss plan may hold the answer to shedding those unwanted pounds.
Thyroid and Weight Gain
The thyroid gland functions to maintain the body's metabolism. When functioning properly, the thyroid helps you burn fat. However, an under active thyroid can result in:
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Unhealthy nails
- Unhealthy and thinning hair
- Loss of sex drive
- Impotence
- Irritability
- Unhealthy teeth
Iodine is the main element in thyroid hormones. An under active thyroid causes a deficiency of this hormone in the body that makes it hard to lose weight. Surprisingly, iodine makes up less than a hundred thousandth of a percent of your body weight, so as you add this trace mineral to your diet, make sure to do it under your doctor's supervision.
Iodine Weight Loss
If your doctor has diagnosed you with an under active thyroid, follow his instructions on taking care of yourself. Even under a doctor's care, many who suffer from under active thyroid continue to put on unwanted weight because calories are being burned at a slow rate. This reflects back on diet. If this is the case for you, talk to your doctor about iodine weight loss.
Studies show that iodine is a necessary element for the thyroid to optimally function. Upping your iodine level will increase your body's metabolism. This in turn helps you shed those unwanted pounds.
If you have an under active thyroid and still can't get rid of the extra weight even under the care of your doctor, you may want to take another look at your diet. A good diet is necessary if you want to lose or maintain your weight and you have an under active thyroid. Physical exercise is another factor that plays an important role for those suffering from this disorder. If you want to lose, you have to move.
Iodine Intake and Doctor's Supervision
When you increase your iodine intake through diet, it should be monitored by your doctor. Too much iodine is not good for your body either, and it takes very little to help balance things out. Iodine can be found in the following foods:
- Table salt
- Yogurt
- Cow's milk
- Eggs
- Strawberries
- Mozzarella Cheese (part skim)
- Kelp and other sea vegetables
- Fish and shellfish
Over the years, food processing has increased the level of iodine in foods. Consider the addition of potassium iodide to your table salt. This significantly increased iodine intake in people's daily diets. Likewise, additives in iodine-based dough conditioners often used in commercial bread-making also up the iodine level found in many types of bread.
Talk with your doctor to help formulate a diet plan that will coincide with your thyroid medication to help you lose weight. No matter what form of iodine you choose to supplement your diet, it's also important to get the right amount of vitamin A. Without enough vitamin A, your thyroid gland cannot produce the hormone necessary for your thyroid to absorb the iodine.
Thyroid Diet
If you struggle to lose weight because of an under active thyroid, you can turn to books like Is Your Thyroid Making You Fat for more information. This book offers advice on the following dietary changes and information:
- Low-glycemic
- High-fiber
- Lower-calorie diet
- Optimal timing of meals for maximum hormonal impact
- Thyroid-damaging foods to avoid
- Helpful herbs and supplements, including iodine and more.
This book and others like it offer not only eating plans, but recipes to help make the transition to the thyroid diet and to finally losing that unwanted weight.
Other books that may help include:
Finding Balance
If you don't have enough iodine in your diet and suffer from under active thyroid, you will gain weight. Increasing this trace mineral in your diet can help normalize an under active thyroid gland, but this must be combined with the right about of vitamin A. Finding the right balance will lead to weight loss because it will help your metabolic rate to return to normal.
