Thyroid Health

What’s up Compton Health Bar fam?! You lil homies staying healthy?  I hope all is well and I am sending you all the best. Today’s blog post is all about the mysterious thyroid—  its role in our bodies, how imbalances in the thyroid affect us, how to balance out the thyroid and support our thyroid’s health. Let’s get straight to it!

The Thyroid & Hormones

The Endocrine System is a series of glands that produce and control hormones. When we talk about hormones, we don’t just mean the more commonly known hormones like estrogen and testosterone. There are many hormones in the body that work to signal various functions. For instance, you may recall learning in health class about how the Pituitary Gland kicks off puberty.  The Thyroid is part of this Endocrine System. The Endocrine System’s glands control hormones in the body that control various important functions— metabolism, temperature, mood, development, sleep, you name it! There is so much information about this very complicated system. For today’s blog, we will focus only on the Thyroid. However, if you are interested in reading more about The Endocrine System and its relation to our Chakras, I encourage you to check this out . The connection between our Endocrine glands and our chakras are fascinating, and I encourage everyone to take a peek at that info.

Back to the Thyroid. It is a butterfly shaped gland located in the throat that produces important hormones. According to this source, “the thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolic rate as well as heart and digestive function, muscle control, brain development, mood and bone maintenance.” So the thyroid’s role in your well being is no joke! 

Let’s take a closer look here. Some of the bodily functions that the thyroid’s  hormones regulate are: 

Metabolism– something to look into if you are eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising but still can’t shed some stubborn pounds. Or, if you can’t seem to gain weight, no matter how hard you try.

Mood – I think it’s easy to make jokes about being moody. But let’s be real. If you have personally dealt with thyroid issues and can attest to struggling with mood swings, then you know it sucks! It’s like having PMS most of the time, not just before a period. It can be so frustrating to feel as though there is not a firm grip on your emotions, However, it can also be reassuring to know that mood swings may be in your control, if you can balance out your thyroid naturally. 

Bone Maintenance– My abuelita had osteoporosis, so you best believe I do everything I can to maintain my bones nice and strong. If this sort of thing runs in yo family as well, it may benefit you to ensure your thyroid levels are healthy.

 

Considering its importance, how can we tell if the Thyroid is functioning as it should, or if it’s out of whack?

Symptoms of Overactive Thyroid

• Nervousness, anxiety and irritability 
• Hyperactivity 
• Mood swings 
• Difficulty sleeping
• Feeling tired all the time 
• Sensitivity to heat 
• Muscle weakness 
• Diarrhea
• Frequent urination 
• Persistent thirst
• Itchiness
• Less interest in sex
• Hair Loss
• Weight Loss

If a thyroid is overactive, it is referred to as hyperthyroidism. Check out this source for more info.

Symptoms of Under Active Thyroid 

• Feelings of being tired
• Feeling cold often 
• Weight gain 
• Constipation
• Depression
• Slow movements and thoughts 
• Muscle aches and weakness 
• Muscle cramps 
• Dry and scaly skin 
• Brittle hair and nails 
• loss of libido (sex drive)
• Pain, numbness and a tingling sensation in the hand and fingers 
• Irregular periods or heavy periods

If a thyroid is under active, then it is referred to as hypothyroidism.  Checkout this source for more info. 

If any of these symptoms seem familiar to you, no worries. You can always check with your doctor to test your levels to be sure. Remember, it is important to be your own advocate as well. Ya homie here, B Money, felt that something was not right. My periods were coming every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks. That shit ain’t normal! On top of that, I felt tired all the time, even if I got a good night’s rest. Also, I was moody AF. (Sorry babe).  The doctors told me everything looked normal. Ever persistent, I tested my hormones with an at home test from Modern Fertility to see what was up (not sponsored, so…Modern Fertility, holla at yo girl). The at home test includes a call with a nurse who specializes in hormones. She explained to me that everything was normal; however, my thyroid was on the high side of normal. That is probably why it never stood out on checkups before. I researched some natural methods to support thyroid health. ¡ Y mira no más!  My periods became normal, which I do believe is an indicator of balanced levels and overall health.

At this point, I want to add that I mentioned this to la mera mera (AKA Mama B Money). When I told her about it , she said to me, “oh yeah two of your tias in El Salvador have thyroid issues. I’m glad you were able to balance it out with foods and yierbitas and not medication.” Yooooo! AMA! Como que like, you could have told me this earlier no?? No shade to mama, though, of course. She really just didn’t think it was relevant to me. So, I want to encourage everyone in da hood —if you are anything like a lot of us in this CHB community,  and you have relatives you’ve never met or hardly see or know very little about in The Motherland— ask your parents and grandparents about them. Ask often. Learn about your family so that you may learn about yourself. 

Ok so we know what symptoms of Hypo- or Hyper- Thyroidism look like. Now, how can we naturally treat them to balance ourselves out?

How to Naturally Balance Out The Thyroid

Herbal Formulas – At Compton Health Bar, we offer an herbal blend that is very creatively called The Thyroid Activating Blend. This is ideal for hypothyroidism or under active thyroid. Some of the active ingredients are:

• Spirulina – high in protein and antioxidants; it also helps regulate the immune system
• Chlorella – stimulates the immune system and promotes detoxification 
• Cholorphyll – helps energy levels, supports immune system and promotes detoxification 
• Moringa – rich in antioxidants and reduces inflammation 
• Matcha Green Tea – high in antioxidants, can promote weight loss and helps energy levels
• Barely Grass – high in iron which can help with anemia and fatigue; also high in folic acid and vitamin C
• Wheat Grass – helps metabolism and energy
• Alfalfa – low in calories and high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
• Sea Moss – reduces inflammation, fights infections, contains minerals essential to our body’s health
• Kelp – high in calcium and iron
• Black Walnut – high in antioxidants and omegas
• Parsley Leaf – rich in vitamins A, C & K, and helps promote bone health
• Sarsaparilla – increases sex drive, relieves digestive problems, improves weight loss

The formula esta bien chingona, and if you are dealing with an under active thyroid, it can offer you great results! Let’s continue to look at other ways we can naturally balance out our thyroid.

Healthy Diet — it all starts con el diet. Are you getting yo greens? What do you put into your body first thing in the morning, en ayunas? Are you hydrated enough? If you are having trouble getting on track, you can always start with The Compton Detox to reset and then introduce Get Yo Greens Mix to ensure your healthy dose of greens every day. Additionally, you can do your best to shop organic, whenever possible. 

Selenium — Selenium is a mineral that is directly related to your thyroid health. Ensuring you have enough of it in your diet can contribute to a healthy thyroid. One Brazil nut contains your entire daily dose of selenium! Selenium is also found in beef, chicken, eggs and fish. It is also a powerful antioxidant. I want to note here that there is such a thing as  too much of a good thing. According to Healthline, “[w]hile selenium toxicity is rare, it’s important to stay close to the recommended amount of 55 mcg per day and never exceed the tolerable upper limit of 400 mcg per day (source).”

Iodine — The thyroid gland actually uses iodine to create thyroid hormones “which help control growth, repair damaged cells and support a healthy metabolism (source).”  Foods high in iodine include:

• Irish sea moss – available at Compton Health bar, you already know we got chu!!  We got it in raw powder form, we offer it in tinctures, there are capsules too. We are living that sea moss life hereat CHB! However you want it, we’ve got an option for you.
• Dairy – cheese, cow’s milk, yogurt; always try to go with organic, grass fed, etc. It is important to note here that dairy does have the potential to intensify inflammatory issues (such as acne). It can also contribute to mucus. Something to keep in mind when looking for sources of iodine. 
• Seafood – especially shellfish. Allergic to shellfish? (Ya homie B Money is). No worries!  Gente que es alergica a shellfish can find refuge in sea moss and other sea algae like kelp. For real! If you are like me, you may understandably wonder if sea algae can negatively affect you the way seafood like fish and shellfish may. Pero you don’t even need to tripas. In essence, sea kelp and sea moss sea vegetables. So those of us allergic to shellfish are in the clear and can enjoy sea vegetables just fine.

 

Tying it all Together

Aight lil homies! There you have it. The importance of the thyroid on our amazingly complex bodies, how you can tell if it is balanced or not, and the best foods/supplements to balance it out.  After reading all of this info, which really only scratches the surface, I want to remind you that we got your back here at Compton Health Bar. If you are feeling overwhelmed or lost, reach out to us! We always try our best to help you navigate through the endless sea of options.  Have you ever dealt with thyroid issues? How about anyone in your family? We’d love to know what you have to say about it in da comments. Hasta la próxima!