Hashimoto S Thyroiditis Diet Healing Hypothyroidism With Iodine and One Other Essential Element.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland fails to produce adequate levels of thyroid hormone. It is usually caused by disease within the thyroid gland itself, but in rare cases it can arise from disturbances in the hypothalamus and pituitary or result from a general resistance to thyroid hormone. Even doctors sometimes confuse hypothyroidism (low thyroid) from hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), so be sure you know your thyroid hormones are low from a blood test.
In it early stages, hypothyroidism often eludes diagnosis. The symptoms of hypothyroidism can affect almost any organ. They are nonspecific in their early stages and do not necessarily occur in any sequence. These symptoms may include brittle nails, thinning hair, joint pain, muscle pain, muscle cramps, pale skin, dry skin, headaches, and, in women, heavy periods.
As the disease progresses, there may be hoarseness, swollen ankles, carpal tunnel symptom, constipation, shortness of breath. In advanced cases there is a lack of mental acuteness, loss of balance, and sleep apnea. In one study, 43 percent of people with hypothyroidism developed carpal tunnel syndrome and 46 percent suffered some degree of shrinking in the muscles. About 25 percent of people who have hypothyroidism develop other immune-mediated diseases, such as chronic autoimmune hepatitis, lupus, pernicious anemia, Sj�gren's syndrome, or vitiligo. High cholesterol also common with the condition and contribute to increased risk of atherosclerosis. People with deficient thyroid hormone production who are also diabetic are at special risk of developing anemia.
he most frequent cause of hypothyroidism is an attack on the thyroid by the immune system known as Hashimoto's disease or Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Both of these conditions are manifestations of hyperthyroidism. In these conditions, the immune system develops antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (TG), both components of thyroid cells. Generally the onset is slow and results in progressive destruction of the thyroid gland. Ironically, the immune destruction of the thyroid leading to hypothyroidism may begin hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid produces excessive quantities of thyroid hormones.
Destruction of the thyroid can also result from the iron storage disease hemochromatosis, and from leukemia, sarcoidosis, thyroid cancer, or tuberculosis. It can occur in AIDS as a direct result of infection with Pneumocystis carinii and it is not unusual as a side effect of treatment with various chemotherapy drugs, interferon, lithium, or the heart drug amiodarone. Extreme iodine deficiency, which is rare outside South Asia and few isolated areas of Central Europe, is another possible cause.
Hypothyroidism caused by disease in the thyroid gland itself is sometimes accompanied by an enlargement of the gland known as goiter. This condition responds to dietary restrictions that are not necessary in all cases of hypothyroidism.
Since iodine is almost always available at adequate levels in the modern diet, iodine supplements and the use iodine-rich foods such as bladderwrack and kelp are of limited benefit by themselves in treating hypothyroidism. People whose thyroids have not been surgically or chemically destroyed may benefit from supplementation with selenium and zinc. Selenium deficiency lowers the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase activity in the thyroid gland, thus allowing hydrogen peroxide produced during thyroid hormone synthesis to destroy cells.
Selenium supplementation reverses this effect-but selenium without adequate amounts of iodine makes hypothyroidism worse. Do not take selenium unless you also use iodized salt on a daily basis or take an iodine supplement.
Even better than a selenium supplement are selenium-rich foods. Go for nuts, especially Brazil nuts, and also brown rice, or shellfish.
hashimoto s thyroiditis diet.