We recently wrote about the role of selenium in protecting our thyroid and repair from autoimmune antibodies. Let’s look now as some other nutrients that can be useful in reducing inflammation caused by thyroid damage.
Selenium in thyroid function and repair
The thyroid tissue has the highest concentration of selenium in the body. Glutathione peroxidase enzymes are the most abundant antioxidants in the thyroid. These are the protector of our thyroid cells and they are made of selenium and protein. This nutrient is there to protect our thyroid as explained in our previous blog, but it is also helpful when our thyroid is already damaged.
Nutrients for thyroid function
A simple google search can bring up a lengthy list of nutrients that are purported to be essential for thyroid hormone production and optimal thyroid function. But how essential are these and what do they do? Sometimes it sounds like if you just open your mouth and take a whole pile of these, your thyroid will just spring into action. So while this might get a little too science-y, here’s the story of thyroid hormone production.
3 steps to reduce your risk of diabetes
Almost ¼ million Irish people have diabetes, and a further ½ million of us are pre-diabetic. This is particularly shocking when you consider that most cases are preventable and that it can have serious long-term health consequences. It’s not all bad news though! There are some easy ways to identify if you are at risk and some simple dietary changes that can reduce your risk in as little as three months. Read on or watch Heather share her tips on Virgin Media’s Weekend AM.
Iodine is essential for thyroid function
Iodine is essential for thyroid function. It is taken up into the thyroid gland from the bloodstream where it joins to thyroglobulin within the thyroid tissue to form thyroid hormones. Three iodine molecules join to form T3 or tri-iodothyronine and four molecules are added to form T4 or thyroxine. These hormones are then released from the thyroid gland back out into the bloodstream where they have wide reaching effects on every system in our body.
