Have you ever noticed that you’ve been gaining weight lately even though you are following a diet? Is your hair starting to fall in clumps? Having trouble sleeping these past few days but don’t know why? It is high likely that all these symptoms point to thyroid problems. There are different types of thyroid problems that can affect our health such as hyper-, hypo-, Grave’s disease, or Hashimoto’s even just to name a few. These thyroid issues affect millions of people all over the world. When your thyroid isn’t functioning well, it can affect the rest of your bodily functions thus putting you at risk from various health problems.

Although there are thyroid medications that can be administered to you depending on your thyroid issue, it may help that you choose the right foods to add to your diet to help support thyroid function. If you are not sure which ones to include in your diet, you can start with these ones.

Sea vegetables

Iodine is probably the most vital mineral that your body needs in order to have a healthy thyroid. Without it, the thyroid gland can swell up just to raise the amount of iodine it needs from the blood. Fortunately, you can correct this problem by consuming sea vegetables like kelp, wakame, kombu, and nori just to name a few. You can eat seaweed when you have sushi or maki or when you dip these seaweed vegetables in a rich broth or soup.

Cruciferous vegetables

You’re probably of two minds when it comes to eating cruciferous vegetables because of the mixed reviews that you are getting. But vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli and the like are all nutrient dense and are actually good for your thyroid. There are many ways for you to prepare these veggies such as eating them raw, blending them in smoothies, or toss them in salads. Incorporate salads to your meals to help with your thyroid function.

Wild-caught fish

Another type of food that you should be including in your diet is wild-caught fish. Fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids which play a role in your thyroid function as well as hormone production. Fish like cod, salmon, sardines, and mackerel are good options to add to your diet. You can grill or roast them if you like or bake even for a delicious meal while still reaping their health benefits.

Brazil nuts

Selenium is a mineral that is good for your thyroid function and one of the best sources of it is Brazil nuts. Selenium helps convert thyroxine to T3 which is its active form. It may be that you are avoiding foods that have selenium especially when you have Hashimoto’s but it is needed in producing glutathione to reduce the amount of thyroid antibodies that are present in your body.

Fermented foods

Taking care of your gut health can help you deal with your thyroid problem since most of thyroid issues that we suffer from are autoimmune diseases. When our immune system, which is found in the gut, is compromised, your thyroid can act up. Eating fermented foods like yogurt, fermented vegetables, kefir, and kombucha can populate your gut with friendly bacteria. Having a healthy immune system can help your thyroid glands function better. 

These are just a few food recommendations that you might want to consider when you want to help your thyroid function better. Eating a healthy diet that can deliver important minerals to your system will make your thyroid work normally once more.