In the body, the thyroid acts as a set of internal batteries. When the gland is fully charged, it works at peak efficiency to keep you slim and revitalized.
But the strain of a go-go-go schedule or other body-burdening factors like chronic inflammation, mineral deficiencies, or illness can take its toll. Over time, these stressors deplete the power and raw materials that fuel the thyroid’s production of key metabolism hormones.
To make matters worse, stress also depletes the minerals needed to recharge the thyroid. The body can refuel the gland with the raw materials it needs to run optimally, but doing so requires large stores of selenium and magnesium.
The problem is that these minerals are also needed for the production of the stress hormone cortisol. After years of struggling with chronic stress, many women simply no longer have the mineral building blocks they need to get their metabolism going again.
Trying to diet away the resulting pounds only pulls the body deeper into a weight-gain cycle. Many diets focus on a huge restriction of calories — but this approach ends up stressing the body further.
In fact, research shows that extreme dieting increases perceived stress levels by as much as 90 percent. After just a couple of days, your brain starts to register a problem — hunger — and it decides that it’s time to pack on some weight and hold on to it.
This makes weight loss even more difficult, so we tighten the reins on our diet further — and end up getting pulled deeper and deeper into a vicious cycle of stress, weakened thyroid function, and weight gain.
The Good News
It is possible to quickly dial back stressors and get the thyroid functioning at its peak again. One study found that women who followed a thyroid-revitalizing plan lost 42% more belly fat than dieters who didn’t focus on revitalizing the gland.
As the thyroid is recharged, the benefits multiply. Because the gland regulates functions ranging from hormone balance to digestion, when it’s rebooted, everything improves.
Many women feel noticeable increases in energy, mental clarity, and mood while also reporting improved immunity, less joint pain, fewer sugar cravings, and deeper, more restorative sleep.
These combined effects not only help you look and feel years younger — they will set you on an upward spiral of success that will help you keep off lost pounds for life.
Restoring thyroid function helps the body release stored fat and supercharges energy — plus delivers benefits like fewer cravings, improved sleep quality, and freedom from pain.
The key to success is learning eating strategies that flood the body with thyroid-nourishing nutrients that dial down stress levels.
Here are 3 quick tips to reboot your thyroid:
Pile on Lean Protein
Eat at least 4 oz. of lean protein at each meal (poultry, fish, legumes, or eggs). These protein-packed foods prevent blood-sugar spikes and supply the body with the essential amino acids and mineral that fuel thyroid health.
Eat Plenty of Fruits and Veggies
Include fruits and vegetables at every meal which provide iron, iodine, and magnesium needed for the production of metabolism-boosting thyroid hormones.
Nix Processed Foods and Sugars
Eliminate as many processed foods as possible from your diet which increase thyroid-damaging inflammation.
