Recipes of Today

Acai-Prickly Pear-Coconut Oil
Ice Cream, by way of a VitaMix or similar blender: for two people, blend two frozen bananas, two heaping tablespoons of coconut oil, one prickly pear (cactus fruit), half a cup of walnuts, five grams of acai powder, half a cup of ice and half a cup of water. Blend away and enjoy on the spot. For additional thickness add walnuts.

Seaweed Soup, by way of blending (I used a Nutribullet) ~ for one or two people, blend one cup of warm water (120-140 degrees), one cup of chopped broccoli, quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a pinky size piece of ginger, heaping teaspoon of kelp powder, heaping teaspoon of irish moss, half a teaspoon of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt and a tablespoon of coconut oil

– blend away

Acai-Sunflower Seed-Coconut Oil 
Ice Cream, by way of blending: for one
or two people, two heaping tablespoons of coconut oil, two tablespoons of raw sunflower seeds, one frozen banana, pinch of stevia and half a cup of ice water - blend away 

Camu Camu-Cantaloupe Smoothie,
blend 4 brazil nuts, one quarter of a cantaloupe, 4 grams of camu camu powder and one cup of ice water

Longevity Warehouse Hormone Health Smoothie, blend mesquite powder, half a sweet potato, cinnamon, ashwaganda root powder, maca powder, tahini and   dates (longevitywarehouse.com)

Camu Camu-Broccoli Smoothies, camu camu berry powder, broccoli, orange, banana & stevia 
* camu camu berry powder, broccoli,  banana, cilantro & stevia

Goji Smoothie, goji berries, shizandra, coconut milk, macadamia nuts and stevia

Acai Smoothie – Acai powder, cacao nibs, blue berries and apple or pear – stevia optional

Acai Smoothie - Acai powder, plums, blueberries, stevia and prickly pear or red cabbage

The Thyroid Gland

FACTORS THAT AGGRAVATE THE THYROID GLAND

courtesy of: easyhealthoptions.com

• Xenobiotics/xenoestrogens: Environmental chemicals that mimic and disrupt thyroid hormone metabolism and function. They are in plastics, pesticides, cosmetics, prescription medications and more. Examples of problematic medications include synthetic estrogens, lithium, interferon alpha, interleukin-2, amiodarone and thalidomide.

• Sex steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, etc.): Can interfere with thyroid hormone function.

• Emotional stress: Down-regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hormone cascade, including thyroid hormone, inhibits conversion of T4 to T3 (most active) due to low levels of the stress hormone cortisol; thyroid receptors are 50 percent less responsive to thyroid hormone supplementation in the presence of low cortisol. A 1994 study of refugees from East Germany who experienced chronic stress among refugees from East Germany were found to have a very high rate of hypothyroidism. 

• Adrenaline: When produced due to critical illness, it lowers thyroid hormone. Hyperglycemia and metabolic syndrome are much more prevalent in hypothyroidism and are thought to suppress thyroid hormone.

• Heavy metals: May lower thyroid function. Mercury is especially problematic.

• Chronic gut inflammation: Food allergies and intolerance to ingredients such as gluten (the protein found in wheat, barley and rye) and their derivatives add to the autoimmune condition of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Gluten sensitivity affects an estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of the general population.

• Suboptimal nutrition furthers thyroid dysfunction: 
• Iodine; vitamins A, B and D; omega-3 fatty acids; 
• selenium; and zinc can easily be deficient in the diet.

Courtesy of - easyhealthoptions.com

Nutrient supplements important for healthy thyroid function are:

• Selenium: 200 mcg daily; selenium deficiency can exacerbate the effects of iodine deficiency and less so for vitamin A or iron deficiency;  iron, zinc and copper deficiency can adversely affect thyroid hormone metabolism, too. 

• Zinc: An essential element for the basic biochemical reactions of the thyroid gland and hormones. In 2009, it was shown that low serum thyroid hormone levels improved after six months of zinc supplementation. 

• Vitamin D-3: Required by the thyroid gland. In a 2011 issue of Thyroid, low levels of vitamin D were associated with worsened thyroid function in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.  Make sure you are getting sufficient vitamin D3 or 20 minutes of sunlight daily (enough sunlight for your skin to make adequate amounts).

Herbs That Enhance Thyroid Function

• Sea Kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum): Provides natural iodine. Also protects thyroid cells from inflammation. Decreases the risk of autoimmune thyroid disease. 
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• Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus): Provides a natural iodine source. Also, it has anti-estrogen properties, thereby reducing the risk of thyroid gland inflammation by estrogen in both men and women.
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• Hops (Humulus lupulus): Contains xanthohumol, which enhances iodine uptake by the thyroid and represses the activation of the pro-inflammatory molecule NF-kappaB, thereby decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6.
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• Coleus (Coleus forskohlii): Stimulates iodine uptake; boosts thyroglobulin, T4 & T3 production: enhances T3 and T4 secretion. 
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• Brahmi (Bacopa monniera): Provides direct thyroid stimulation by increasing serum T4 by 41 percent but not T3 in lab experiments. 
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• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): Raises serum levels of thyroid hormones by acting directly on the thyroid gland.  (Even raised thyroid hormone excessively in a woman who took too high a dose of ashwagandha.)
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• Guggul (Commiphora mukul): Directly stimulates T3 production by influencing liver enzymes. 
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• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and Sage (Salvia officinalis): Contain carnosic acid (thought to increase thyroid hormone-specific receptors on the nuclei of target tissue cells ).