Thyroid Health & You

By Martha M. Christy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or information storage
system without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations
in a review.

Disclaimer – This book is designed to be used as an educational tool only. Any medical attention
or treatment should not be delayed when professional help is needed. The author, publisher,
distributor, or those whose names appear in this book shall have no liability or responsibility for
any loss or damage caused (or allegedly caused) by the information presented in this book.

Copyright © 2010, Martha M. Christy

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 Table of Contents

Introduction 4

What Is Your Thyroid and What Does it Do? 5

What’s Good & Bad for Your Thyroid 6

The Bad Things for Your Thyroid 6

The Good Things for Your Thyroid 8

Nourishing the Underactive Thyroid 10

Nourishing the Overactive Thyroid 10

Iodine: The Nutrient Your Thyroid Can’t Do Without 11

The Thyroid Function Blood Tests 12

TSH Test 12

Total T4 / Total Thyroxine / Serum Thyroxine 12

Free T4 (Thyroxine) Test 13

Total T3 / Total Triiodothyronine 13

Free T3 / Free Triiodothyronine 13

Additional Thyroid Tests 14

In Conclusion 15

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Introduction
As a young woman I always had health issues, but never understood why. Days would go by with feelings

of fatigue and pain.

Finally, I took the time to educate myself on the workings of the human body and discovered that the

thyroid controlled many more critical body functions than I had realized. Reading about this amazing

gland, I realized many of the health problems I had could actually be associated with my thyroid and the

symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Even though my doctor told me that my thyroid tests showed “normal thyroid function,” I discovered that

making simple changes to thyroid-friendly food and lifestyle choices made a difference.

By learning about natural ways of taking care of my thyroid, including the right foods to eat and other

simple tips, I not only feel better in general, but I also have significantly more energy, and am slimmer and

much more active than before, with better endurance.

That’s why I’ve written this little “survival guide,” so that you can have the same tips I learned to help your

thyroid function at optimal levels. I hope these suggestions help you, too and here’s to feeling your best!

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Chapter 1
What Is Your Thyroid and What Does It Do?

W e all know that we have a thyroid gland, but

how many of us know what it does in the body or
just how important it is to our overall health and
well-being?

Taken from the Greek word for Shield, the Larynx

thyroid is one of the most important glands in the
body, producing key hormones that protect and
control critical body functions including immune
system strength and function, metabolism and Thyroid
energy production, weight loss, blood calcium Gland

levels, body temperature, bone health and

much more. Trachea

If you’ve got a thyroid problem, you’ll feel it.

Bloating, cold hands and feet, unusual fatigue, unexplained weight gain and reduced immune resistance
are all symptoms of a low-functioning thyroid, while an overactive thyroid can make you feel nervous,
hyperactive and hot even when the room is cold, and it can affect appearance by causing protuberant
eyes.

Located in the neck area near the larynx, the thyroid is composed of two lobes called the Lobus Dexter,
(right lobe) and the Lobus Sinister, (left lobe). As a whole, your thyroid gland is so important to feeling
good that the more you know about it, the better you’ll take care of it.

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Chapter 2
What’s Good & Bad for Your Thyroid?

Believe it or not, thyroid disease affects as many as 27 million

Americans and more than half are undiagnosed--that’s why it’s so
important to learn how your thyroid works and what it needs to stay
healthy and functioning at optimal levels.

So, with that said, let’s find out what experts say about what’s good and
bad for your thyroid health.

THE BAD THINGS FOR YOUR THYROID

1. Fluoride

That’s right, the stuff in your toothpaste can be very bad for you. Watch out for fluoride, because what is
good for your teeth may be bad for your thyroid.

Historically, fluoride was actually used as a treatment for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) because it
represses and slows thyroid function, which counteracted the hyperthyroidism. But you can imagine just
how bad flouride’s ability to slow down the thyroid is for a healthy person----who wants to repress thyroid
function if your thyroid’s healthy? If fluoride can promote
hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), why wouldn’t you
avoid it?

So think seriously about drinking only purified non-

fluoridated water and pick up a natural, non-fluoride
toothpaste at your health food store. Your thyroid will
thank you!

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2. Smoking

The average smoker probably hears this twenty times a day, but it’s true. Smoking is a detrimental habit
to the body and it’s terrible for your thyroid health. Cigarette smoke contains a specific toxin (thiocyanate)
that is linked to thyroid disease.

The common cigarette smoker is much more likely to develop thyroid problems and even Hashimoto’s
disease, a serious autoimmune disease that also causes hypothyroidism, (an underactive thyroid). So
give your thyroid a break and kick the habit once and for all.

3. Soy and Other Goitregenic Foods

Although it’s considered by many to be a health food, like all good things too much is not good for your
thyroid. Soy is considered by many experts to be in a class of foods known as goitregens, or in other
words, foods that promote an enlarged thyroid (known as a goiter). Goitregens are also considered to
slow thyroid function, and to sometimes trigger thyroid disease.

Processed soy foods such as soy milk, nutritional soy powders, and soy meat alternatives are usually
considered to be the biggest culprits, so when eating soy try to eat less and stick to natural forms like
miso or fermented tofu which may be less likely to interfere with your normal thyroid function.

Other goitregenic foods include:

Brussels sprouts
broccoli
rutabaga
turnips
cauliflower
cabbage
kale
kohlrabi
mustard greens
radishes
spinach
peaches
strawberries
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 millet
peanuts

4. Caffeine

Everyone loves that morning coffee, but it could be bad for your thyroid. Research reports and studies

indicate that caffeine appears to markedly change levels of critical thyroid hormones in animals and that

chronic caffeine use may interfere with pituitary gland function by decreasing its response to the thyroid

hormone, TSH, which is needed for pituitary health. So, to protect your precious thyroid health, minimize

your intake of caffeine-containing foods and beverages.

THE GOOD THINGS FOR YOUR THYROID

We’ve talked a lot about what’s bad for your thyroid----so what’s good? Let’s take a moment to study

some of the best things you can do to help support your thyroid so it can be at its best.

1. Get Enough Iodine

Iodine is one the most important nutritional elements to your thyroid.

Without it, your thyroid simply would cease to function properly.

Historically, people who lived in areas where foods were grown in iodine-

poor soils often developed hugely enlarged thyroid glands called goiters.

Iodized salt was developed specifically to eradicate this widespread

thyroid-related health problem, but there are other ways to get the iodine

you need, such as nutritional iodine supplements, or by eating iodine-rich

foods like kelp and edible seaweeds. We’ll talk some more about the

importance of iodine further on in the book.

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2. Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises can help the body by improving oxygen circulation, which in turn helps keep the

thyroid functioning at optimal levels. This is especially effective for people who suffer from

hypothyroidism. The following breathing exercise is simple and quick, and can give your thyroid a little

more needed oxygen as you move through your day:

1. Breathe in slowly, counting to 10.

2. Hold your breath for 5 seconds.

3. Breathe out slowly making “FF” sounds for 10

seconds.

3. Herbal Therapy

Herbs are a great resource for helping to keep your thyroid healthy. Ginseng, which strengthens and

energizes the body, can be used as a replacement for caffeine, and black walnut is known for having a

high iodine content, which is critical to good thyroid health

4. Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

Taking vitamins and minerals on a consistent basis can be very

helpful for your thyroid. Vitamins A and C are antioxidants that

can help to maintain normal thyroid and adrenal functions,

while essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6, flax

oil and flax seed help maintain thyroid health. B-Complex

helps improve your cellular oxygenation, energy and prevent

high stress levels, all of which are good for the thyroid.

Calcium / magnesium, silicon and zinc protect the thyroid glands and, of course, a natural iodine

supplement made from kelp is always helpful.

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5. A Thyroid-Healthy Diet

When creating the perfect diet for your thyroid, do your best to stick with Iodine rich foods that can help to

nourish the thyroid. Sea vegetables such as kelp, edible seaweeds like nori or wakame are rich in natural

iodine. Fish is also an excellent source of thyroid-protecting nutrients and fatty acids.

Foods that are rich in zinc are beneficial like oatmeal, free-range chicken and beef, seafood, bran, tuna,

cooked spinach, nuts and seeds. You can also benefit from foods rich in copper like eggs, yeast, raisins

and free-range organ meats.

Foods that contain the amino acid tyrosine are helpful. Examples are beef,

chicken, natural soy foods (in small amounts) and edamame.

Ginger is one of Mother Nature’s best medicines and is known to be helpful for

digestion, stomach complaints and cholesterol levels, which are critical to

good thyroid function.

If your doctor has determined that you have abnormal thyroid function, the following food list can help
guide you to the diet that’s right for you.

NOURISHING THE UNDERACTIVE THYROID (HYPOTHYROID)

The most essential nutrients for an under active thyroid gland include all of the amino acids, beta-
carotene, iodine (preferably from sea kelp in liquid form), iron, vitamin B complex, zinc and vitamins C
and E.

Eat foods like fish and chicken, egg yolks, molasses, cheese and parsley. Good fruits are apricots
and dates.

NOURISHING THE OVERACTIVE THYROID (HYPERTHYROID)

Essential nutrients for an over active thyroid gland consist of a multivitamin / mineral complex, essential
fatty acids, Vitamin B complex and lecithin.

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Eat foods that tend to suppress thyroid activity like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips and
spinach. Strawberries and peaches are good fruits for an overactive thyroid.

Chapter 3
Iodine: The Nutrient Your Thyroid Can’t Do Without

As you’ve been reading you have probably noticed the word iodine more than once. That’s because
iodine is one of the most essential nutrients in enabling the thyroid to produce the all-important thyroid
hormones that regulate your metabolism, energy levels, body weight, body temperature, blood calcium
levels and much more.

Iodine is a key factor in the thyroid’s ability to produce two key hormones essential to body functioning.
These two critical hormones are called: Triiodothyronine (or T3), and Thyroxine (or T4).

A deficiency of iodine can cause hypothyroidism and even brain disorders or goiters (enlarged thyroid).
Historically, iodine deficiencies were seen in areas that had once been covered in glacial ice, such as the
northeastern United States. As the glaciers moved, they scraped away minerals in the underlying soil
surface, and when man came on the scene and farmed these often mineral-poor soils, the crops they
produced were poor in iodine-rich minerals. Iodized salt was developed in the 20th century to combat the
often widespread health effects of dietary iodine deficiencies.

Besides Food, Where Do I Get Iodine?

As I mentioned, one of the most common ways to get additional dietary iodine is through the use of
iodized salt. But now that the problems with excess sodium are widely recognized, natural iodine
supplements (particularly liquid iodine for better absorption), as well as kelp and edible seaweeds are
becoming better sources for assuring that you get enough iodine in your diet.

Whichever form of iodine you choose, be sure to get enough vitamin A in your diet, because without
sufficient vitamin A your thyroid gland cannot produce thyroxin (the hormone that helps the thyroid
absorb iodine).

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Chapter 4
The Thyroid-Function Blood Tests

There is more than one test to determine thyroid function. Thyroid blood tests primarily measure the
levels of thyroid hormones circulating in the blood, which give your doctor a variety of information on how
well your thyroid is functioning. The tests can also help to signal or identify thyroid-related diseases.

Below is a list of the most common thyroid blood tests and a chart for interpreting the ranges of numerical
results that will be given when you get the results of the blood tests back from your doctor (make sure to
ask for a copy of these results).

1. TSH Test
This test measures the amount of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) circulating in your blood. This test is
generally used to identify underactive thyroid function (hypothyroidism) or overactive function
(hyperthyroidism).

Interpreting The TSH Test: Keep in mind that before 2003, the
normal range for TSH was approximately 0.4 to 6.0, but as of
2003 endocrinologists recommended that the range be
changed to 0.3 to 3. If your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
(TSH) is below 0.4, your doctor could determine that you have
a hyperthyroid condition, while above 6.0 could indicate
hyperthyroidism.

2. Total T4 / Total Thyroxine / Serum Thyroxine

This test is used to measure the amount of circulating thyroxine (T4) in your bloodstream. The scores on
the Total T4 test can also signal hypo or hyperthyroidism, and can sometimes indicate a problem with the
pituitary gland. T4 levels can also be elevated due to pregnancy and other abnormal estrogenic states
such as the use of birth control pills.

Interpreting the Total T4 (total thyroxine) Test: The normal range is approximately 4.5 – 12.5.
But if you have a low reading and high TSH, your doctor could consider this as an indication of
hypothyroidism. A low reading and a low TSH could indicate a pituitary problem.

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3. Free T4 (Thyroxine) Test
Levels of Free T4 in the blood are usually lower when thyroid function is depressed (hypothyroidism).

Interpreting the Free T4 (thyroxine) Test: The T4 test normal range is 0.7 to 2.0. If your results
are less than 0.7 then you might be considered to have hypothyroidism by your doctor.

4. Total T3 / Total Triiodothyronine

This test is to determine whether your T3 is stable. Elevated T3 causes hyperthyroidism and lowered
causes hypothyroidism.

Interpreting the Total T3 (total triiodothyronine) Test: Normal range is approximately 80 to 220.
Less than 80 could indicate hypothyroidism to your doctor.

5. Free T3 / Free Triiodothyronine

For the Free T3 test, your normal range is 2.3 to 4.2. But if it’s less than 2.3 your doctor might consider it
an indication of hypothyroidism.

Test / Name Normal Range Interpretation

"TSH" Test -- Thyroid 0.4 to 6 Under .4 can indicate possible hyperthyroidism. Over 6 is
Stimulating Hormone considered indicative of hypothyroidism.
New Range Note: the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
0.3 to 3 revised these guidelines as of 2003 to .3 to 3.0. However, many
labs and practitioners are not aware of these revised
guidelines, so your test may appear normal when in fact your
results do not reflect the new range.
Total T4 / Serum 4.5 to 12.5 Less than 4.5 can be indicative of hypothyroid when TSH is
thyroxine also elevated. Over 12.5 can indicate hyperthyroidism. Low T4
with low TSH can sometimes indicate a pituitary problem.
Free T4 / Free Thyroxine 0.7 to 2.0 Less than 0.7 is considered indicative of possible
- FT4 hypothyroidism.
Total T3 / 80 to 220 Less than 80 can indicate hypothyroidism.
triiodothyronine _____ ______________________
_____________
2.3 to 4.2 Less than 2.3 could be indicative of hypothyroidism to your
Free T3 doctor.

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Additional Thyroid Tests
Below are other tests for more specific thyroid conditions that might be performed by your doctor if he
feels that they are indicated.

1. Thyroglobulin Antibodies / Antithyroglobulin Antibodies

The Thyroglobulin antibodies test can indicate hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or Graves’ disease
(an autoimmune disease that can cause hyperthyroidism).

2. Thyroglobulin (TG) test

Thyroglobulin or TG levels can be used by your doctor to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for

thyroid cancer and for monitoring the cancer following treatment. Radioactive thyroid scans may also be

done to determine the presence of thyroid cancer.

3. Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulins (TSI) / TSH Stimulating Antibodies (TSAb)

This test can help monitor TSI levels to help predict a relapse of Graves disease.

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In Conclusion
Your thyroid is critical to your health and well-being, so it’s a great idea to take care of it in every way that

you can. Take note of what you’ve just read and follow common-sense approaches to your diet. Try your

best to eliminate excess caffeine, alcohol, and stress. Get plenty of rest, eat foods rich in iodine and your

happy thyroid will reward you with a lifetime of healthy living!

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