DEAR THYROID^TM

It’s going to come as a shock but this How To Kick Your Thyroid’s Ass will not actually involve food (at least in that direct sense).  I’m putting my nutritional extremism aside for one day because we have some other things to chat about.   (Crazy I know.) ,  Mainly, I’m referring to the various ways we can make our environments and lifestyles more conducive to thyroid health (and really, just better health in general).  In following the theme of the statement released by The Endocrine Society, it seems like an appropriate time to become more aware of the toxins we come in contact with everyday, in order to eliminate and avoid them and potentially gain better health and prevent future damage. ,  Because, really, all this stuff is just killing our thyroids even faster.   So here’s what we’ve gotta consider:

1. Avoid Non-Stick Cookware

Teflon, the major chemical used in creating non-stick cookware has been linked to all sorts of immune system dysfunction, including, among other things, obesity, thyroid disease and high cholesterol. ,  The specific chemical used to make Teflon, PFOA, has been linked to a startling array of terrible health complications including the death of the human body’s immune cells, and lower total counts of those proteins that help fight infection and bacteria.  It’s also known to affect thyroid function in otherwise healthy people and cause high cholesterol and obesity in children.  The scary thing with PFOA is that it never (never!) breaks down, so this chemical will always exist and cannot be destroyed, once created by manufacturers.  Teflon is not the only source of PFOAs but it is widely used and something we can eliminate from our homes immediately by switching our cookware. ,  Aside from pots and pans, other sources include food packaging (especially, though not limited to, the fast food variety), the inside of microwaveable popcorn bags, stain-resistant coatings on carpet and furniture and clothing, and other non-stick surfaces.   The really scary thing, however, is that food sources are also often times contaminated with PFOA.  Fruit and vegetables, fish and meat, bread, and milk were all found, in various states and supermarkets to contain the chemical.  It’s invading our systems — both our bodies and our planet’s ecology — and we should and can take precaution to remove them from our homes at the very least.

• Major Study of Teflon Chemical in People Suggests Harm To Immune System, Liver, Thyroid
• Endocrine Disruptors In Common Plastics Linked To Obesity Risk
• Risk Assessment of PFOA
• PFOA, according to The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.
• Bill To Ban PFOA in Food Packaging Rejected

2. ,  Use Only Purified Water

Two major pollutants are being pumped into our water systems. ,  I’m pretty convinced they’re gonna end up making us all really sick: chlorine and fluoride. ,  Chlorine and fluoride are chemically related. ,  They both block iodine receptors and therefore cause a decrease in absorbed thyroid hormone. ,  This means, over a period of years and years of exposure to chlorinated and fluorinated water, thyroid dysfunction occurs. ,  Chlorine also causes an imbalance of the essential flora that covers our bodies: mouth, eyes, ears, intestines, skin, etc. When this flora is imbalanced, symptoms occur (from which you probably recall in This Is Not (Necessarily) About Vaginas). ,  Chlorine is found in most all paper products (it’s used for bleaching) — toilet paper, paper towels, etc, is used in wipes and diapers for babies (whose brilliant idea was that?), and also keeps swimming pools disinfected of course.  Every time we wash our hands, shower, or clean dishes, we’re being exposed.

Fluoride happens hidden in alot of products, or marketed to us as healthy. ,  Toothpaste is the most obvious source of fluoride, though it’s also in sodas and other drinks due to the fact that these companies use unpurified water to make their products. ,  Fluoride also contaminates our food sources: the water that farmers use to feed crops contains the chemical. ,  Great right? ,  Oh, and also, the water many foods are processed, washed, or canned with is unfiltered, which means we’re absorbing both chlorine and fluoride upon eating.  But if that weren’t enough, if not purchased organic, some foods are doused with pesticides that contain fluoride to kill bugs.  And get this: fluoride was once even used to treat hyperthyroidism — meaning, its thyroid-slowing effects are well-known even though our government approves it for use in the municipal water supply.

• Hidden Fluoride in Our Food
• Fluoride And The Thyroid
• Why is Chlorine Added to Tap Water?

3. Avoid Plastics

Plastics contain a brand of man-made chemicals called xenoestrogens, which mimic the body’s natural hormones. They are known to cause hormonal disruption and have been linked to various diseases and ailments ranging from endometriosis and infertility to decreased sperm count, cancer, and androgyny in certain amphibians and other animals. ,  And, as I’ve said before, thyroid dysfunction is a hormonal imbalance.  It makes sense to me to not aggravate this condition, whether it be in the form of thyroid hormones or otherwise (in this case, estrogen). This information is especially pertinent for women because most non-organic beauty products contain xenoestrogens.  It sounds weird to think of plastic polymers in your shampoo or lipstick, but indeed, they are.  In order to avoid and eliminate plastics, the easiest places to start are the kitchen and bathroom.  Most of us cook with plastic utensils or store our food in plastic bags or containers.   Buying natural cosmetics and bath products also reduces your chances of exposure.  It’s impossible to avoid all plastics at this point, but we can at least make the effort.

• The Art of Beauty
• How To Identify Plastics In The Home
• 10 Ways To Identify and Reduce Plastics In Your Home

So the moral of the story is that choosing a natural, from-the-ground approach to life is healthiest. ,  Avoiding manmade chemicals and toxins can better help to ensure our body’s normal processes and functions. ,  Buy organic whenever possible — for everything you purchase — and use less and less processed and pre-made goods — whether they be beauty products, food, or household items.  It’s very clear, as evidenced in the statement from The Endocrine Society, and now all of these resources (and thousands upon thousands of others) that the human body cannot tolerate the pollutants we have created in the name of invention and convenience.   Our thyroids and immune systems are proof enough.

Until Next Week,

Love Always,

Liz

Have a question, comment, story, love letter, or rant/rave to send me?: Liz@DearThyroid.com

Tags: enviornmental causes of thyroid diseases, How To Kick Your Thyroid's Ass, Liz Schau thyroid nutrition writer, nutritionally managing thyroid symptoms, thyroid nutrition, thyroid nutrition and health tips

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