Cold and Stressed
- Do you often complain of feeling cold when others are warm?
- Do you have poor circulation and are prone to fluid retention?
- Is your hair thinning and are you losing the edges of your eyebrows?
- Do you often find it difficult to concentrate?
- Do you have less and less energy?
- Do you have a hoarse voice?
- Do you wake up unrefreshed?
These symptoms are often signs that stress is causing your thyroid gland (which controls metabolism) to under-perform. It’s your body’s way of slowing you down to conserve energy. This makes weight loss harder than ever.
What to do: Balance your blood sugar levels to keep energy constant by eating less sugar and refined carbohydrates, and eating protein and good fats with each meal. Cut back on alcohol and coffee. Don’t skimp on exercise — it stimulates sluggish thyroid glands.
Try yoga. Head-down poses encourage blood flow and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the thyroid gland.
Protein and leafy greens contain an amino acid called tyrosine, which helps the thyroid produce thyroxine which re-invigorates the metabolism.
Avoid raw cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and kale as they can interfere with thyroid function.
Eat warming foods such as chilli, ginger, green tea, turmeric, cider vinegar, horseradish and wasabi to warm you up.
Consider taking the thyroid- stimulating nutrients iron, zinc, copper, selenium and iodine (found in mackerel, cod, shellfish and seaweeds).