People tend not to give a lot of thought to their thyroid gland, and indeed why should they if it is functioning normally, and all is well? The “live for now, worry later” approach is all well and good, but in some instances turning a blind eye doesn’t make problems go away. It’s far better to be aware of things that can create health problems in the future, so that you can take preventative action now. Remember what they say, prevention is better than cure. Your holistic health lifestyle will be maintained far more easily if there’s nothing to cure in the first place.
Your thyroid and your metabolic rate
So, back to your good old thyroid gland – This important little chap is a butterfly shaped organ that can be found towards the base of the neck. It is responsible for issuing various hormones that keep your metabolism functioning at its optimum and also plays a part in the road and development of your brain, right from day one when you become more than just a twinkle in your parents’ eyes.
Given the importance of making sure your thyroid operate efficiently, it’s advisable to be aware of its vulnerability to several toxins that are all around you in your everyday life.
Be wary of Soy and Soy Products
Soy, and soy based products have become more and more common on supermarket shelves, so much so that they have become part of many people’s everyday diets. Whilst in terms of recent research, there are camps that extol the benefits of soy, and camps that warn of a potential danger to thyroid health, you will need to do your own research in order to make your own informed decision as to whether or not you should include it in your own diet.
Concern about Isoflanones
To point you in the right direction with regard to the areas of concern, argument is centered about the Flavonoids that soy and soy products contain – Flavonoids specifically known as Isoflanones. There is enough hard evidence to suggest that for certain individuals, soy can indeed cause problems for thyroid health. This applies specifically to individuals who suffer from
- A deficiency of iodine
- Problems with their immune systems
- Problems with their intestinal systems
- Problems with their liver function
If you believe that these are areas of concern to yourself, then you should have a chat with your family doctor. In the meantime, here’s a link to the whfoods.com website that carries a lot of useful information.
Triclosan – a substance found in many everyday products
Another toxic substance that you can easily come into daily contact, and that could cause problems to your thyroid, as well as other health problems, is a substance known as Triclosan.
Triclosan can be found in many antibacterial products that are on sale in many supermarkets and drugstores; products such as deodorants, hand and face soaps, mouthwashes, and toothpastes.
Old news
The concern about Triclosan is nothing new. There have been reports about its potential adverse effects going back to the year 2007. As well, as potentially being able to alter thyroid function, it is also said to have an adverse effect on heart tissue too.
Studies carried out by the UC Davis School of Veterinary medicine, and as reported on the examiner.com website say that the researchers found “strong evidence that the chemical is of concern to both human and environmental health, and that it may impair muscle function, including the heart’s ability to contract.”
The increase in levels of Triclosan in humans
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a 50% increase in the amount of Triclosan found over all demographics here in the US. The report went on to say that adults over the age of 20, and who enjoy a more affluent lifestyle, have the highest concentrations of the chemical in their bloodstream.
According to information printed by the examiner.com website, the use of Triclosan is under review by the USDA, and the FDA is in the middle of litigation proceedings with the Natural Resources Defense Council. For more information please click here.
Plastic bottles and Antimony
Plastic bottles contain a substance known as Antimony, a substance which is known to leak out of plastic bottles (particularly PET plastic) and into the liquids they contain. According to research carried out by the University of Copenhagen, the levels of Antimony that they discovered in fruit drinks and juices contained in plastic bottles was 2.5 times higher than that which is considered to be safe in ordinary tap water. However, no Antimony level specifications have been drawn to for foodstuffs, so in terms of legality, no legislation exists as yet to compare these findings against.
Tests have only so far been carried out on laboratory rats, where Antimony was found to have a detrimental effect on the tested animals’ thyroid glands. Changes were also found in the liver and pituitary glands in the same animals. At this point in time there is no information about the effect on humans, so concern is at this stage pure speculation.
The fact of the matter is that Antimony is not a substance that you would normally expect to find in the human body, and its long term effects are not known.
Perchlorate contamination in liquids
Perchlorate is an ingredient found in rocket fuel. However is has been found in contaminated surface water throughout the US, and subsequently, has found its way into fruits, milk, and vegetables. It is already known that high dosages of this chemical can bring about hypothyroidism, but more recent studies suggest that it can be harmful to women in lower dosages.
In terms of the effect of Perchlorate on the thyroid gland, it can restrict the amount of iodine that the gland can absorb, which then has an adverse “knock-on” effect with the functionality of the immune system.
The major worry however is for expectant moms, as changes in the levels of thyroxin, may impact on the neural development of fetuses. You can read more about the effects of Perchlorate by following this link to a 2006 article published on new.sciencemag.org
Empowering you to make your own decisions
The normal function of your thyroid gland is fundamental to being able to enjoy a holistic health lifestyle. The toxins that we’ve discussed here in this article are things that you may come into contact with on a daily basis, and that could have a detrimental effect. However, I stress the use of the word “may”. Further research needs to be done. This article is not designed to “scare monger”, but to inform. Being informed empowers you to do your own further research if you are concerned, and to be on the lookout for contaminated products that you may want to avoid.
