What is a thyroid? It is a gland that produces hormones which help regulate the body's metabolism and heart rate. However, fluctuations in hormonal secretions result in problems like hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone, which speeds up the body's functions) and hypothyroidism ( too little thyroid hormone, which slows down the body's functions). Amongst them, nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee recently discussed hypothyroidism's symptoms in a video on Instagram. She gave easy dietary options to cure the problem. “Feeling tired, gaining weight, or noticing more hair fall than usual? Your thyroid might be trying to tell you something. While medication like levothyroxine can help manage symptoms, the right nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting thyroid function,” read her caption alongside the explanatory video. She further adds, “In this video, I discuss the essential food groups that can help improve hypothyroidism naturally.”
In the video, she said, “Hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism and it leads to weight gain, a lot of sluggishness, tiredness, and hair fall.” The nutritionist explains the importance of proper diet alongside the medication to lower hypothyroidism in the body. “Whilst Levothyroxine helps to manage the symptoms. But you do need to eat correctly in order to manage the symptoms,” she adds.
According to Anjali, “Foods that are rich in iron, zinc, selenium, iodine and Vitamin D, they really help in managing the symptoms.” She mentions that those foods “also help you to reduce your medication to a large degree if you eat right.”
The foods which help cure hypothyroidism are found in the below as per the nutritionist:
- She emphasised, “Iodine is found in salt, that is one source. Apart from that, you get it in seaweed, in kelp, in fish and eggs, they're rich in iodine.”
- The nutritionist mentioned that Selenium is found in just two Brazil nuts. “If you take two Brazil nuts a day, you have your adequate amounts of selenium that you need,” she said.
- For zinc, you can take pumpkin seeds.
- For iron, you can eat leafy vegetables, red meat, and lentils.
- Vitamin D is best found in the flesh of fatty fish and fish liver oils. Additionally, smaller amounts are also found in egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.
“So these are some of the foods that are beneficial for those with hypothyroidism,” added Anjali.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
