The thyroid is an extremely important organ and these days, keeping it healthy and working properly is no small task. Many things in our modern environment put a strain on this organ and our fast-paced lifestyles cause us to rely on it more than ever.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the throat. It’s the only organ that you can actually feel just below the skin. It’s not sheltered by bony structures so it’s susceptible to many environmental influences. The main function of the thyroid is to regulate the use of energy in the body. Today, we simply use it more than our grandparents who didn’t live at our break-neck speed. They also didn’t suffer from chronic fatigue, depression and obesity like many of us do today.
In many instances, women put more of a strain on their thyroids than men. One reason is the use of synthetic hormones such as birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Estrogen and estrogenic substances, like soy for example, cause the thyroid to slow down. This is a normal part of the female cycle when the body prepares for the possibility of nurturing a new life. At this time, it is appropriate for the body to slow down and hold onto resources that might be required for procreation. That’s why women’s energy levels flag prior to their period. They can also become mildly depressed or downright cranky! We call that the ‘mother bear syndrome’!
The follow up to this ‘holding on cycle’ is the ‘clean up cycle’, heralded by the beginning of the progesterone phase, and therein lies the rub. Many women never get to that progesterone stage. How can you tell? Some women experience a mid-cycle pain or stitch. This is almost a certain sign that ovulation has not occurred since ovulation should be painless. If there is any discomfort involved, it’s an indication that something has gone wrong with this natural event. This explains, in part, why infertility is a new epidemic.
Men are even less able to tolerate high levels of estrogen, such as those found in soy products and many other foods such as meats and dairy products. These estrogenic compounds slow their thyroids as well as making them subject to the same ‘mother bear syndrome’. (Yes, men are experiencing PMS too!)
Both sexes are assaulted with hormones in the processed foods they eat as well as the chemicals used to grow their foods and clean their houses! What’s a busy person to do if they want to maintain good energy and healthy weight levels? Clean out the old and feed your system better stuff!
Goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid is a condition caused by lack of iodine, a critical nutrient for the thyroid. Adding iodine to table salt has not been such a great idea since along with the iodine, they added aluminum and other chemicals to keep the salt pouring. Now your choice is goiter or Alzheimer’s… let me think? Kelp is naturally high in organic iodine, the kind your body can actually use. Call us crazy, but that would be our choice!
For women, progesterone is the key. It’s a great cleanser and balancer. Use the cream form in Pro-G-Yam 500 Cream so you don’t waste it on the digestive tract that can’t use it. Both men and women can take Hops or Sarsaparilla to clean out old hormones that are stuck and past their expiration date! Men also need Men’s Formula. We let the name say it for us. After all, all men really want is clear instructions!
Cut out the soy, feed your thyroid the nutrients it needs, like those found in TS-II or Thyroid Activator, both of which contains kelp and other thyroid foods, and you’ll improve the health of your thyroid and gain an energy boost while dropping some unnecessary poundage!
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