Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy spring feeling as refreshed as the world around you? May! Recharging a tired thyroid, the gland that acts as batteries for your body, speeds up metabolism to boost energy, mood, and motivation. Also, a healthy thyroid reduces the risk of certain diseases.
Skip the gym.
Vigorous workouts deplete the gland, but research on the Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences found gentle activities like walking improve thyroid function up to 76 percent in 12 weeks. Moving at a moderate level for 30 minutes three to five days a week strengthens the gland without causing strain. Plus, studies show the vitamin D you get from the sun nourishes the thyroid and increases energy.
Get away from stress.
A daily 30-minute rest and relaxation break, like swinging on a porch swing, can reduce the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that depletes your thyroid. Utah State Investigators report that relaxation is key to doing so.
Upgrade your toast.
Swap white bread for whole wheat bread and you’ll get up to more nutritional selenium for the thyroid Per portion. In a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Endocrinology, the researchers said that selenium-rich foods can improve thyroid function. Bonus: whole wheat bread contains magnesiumand ample reserves of this nutrient reduce the risk of thyroid slowdowns.
Try a tropical ‘shot’.
Drinking 1 to 2 ounces of aloe vera juice daily helps protect the intestinal lining from damage that hampers thyroid health, notes Taz Bhatia, MD. Additionally, Italian research suggests that aloe compounds improve gland function by 49 percent in nine months. Try: Nature’s Way Aloe Vera Leaf Juice (Buy from Swanson Vitamins, $8.36).
Savor this spice.
new research in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine found that enjoying ½ teaspoon of ginger a day boosts the thyroid so effectively that it reduces fatigue and brain fog within a month. It also prevents oxidative stress, a process that damages cells and sabotages thyroid function.
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This article originally appeared in our print magazine, women’s world.
