Thyroid and Your Weight
Your thyroid is one of the most powerful glands in your body. It lives in your neck, just below your Adam’s Apple. You can feel it by placing your thumb and fingers over the front surface, just beneath the Adam’s Apple. If you swallow, you can feel the gland move along with the Adam’s Apple.
So what does the thyroid do?
The thyroid gland manufactures four different basic compounds, only one of which is the active thyroid hormone. This hormone, called T4, or thyroxin, travels to all parts of your body and affects every one of your trillion or so cells.
But your thyroid cannot make any thyroid hormone unless sufficient levels of iodine are present. You can have the healthiest thyroid in the world, but if your body is starved of iodine, it will be impossible for your thyroid gland to make the necessary thyroid hormones.
Or if you are continuously exposed to iodine leeching agents like fluoride, chlorine or bromine, then your thyroid will not work. Fluoride is in the water supply. Chlorine is found in thousands of chemicals and swimming pools. Bromine is present as a food additive in wheat products like pasta.
Fluoride, chlorine and bromine displace iodine from the body. It is simple chemistry that these other chemicals (called halides) kick out iodine from chemical reactions leaving your body devoid of iodine.
Without iodine your thyroid gland becomes useless
The thyroid controls many body functions. One of the primary functions of the thyroid is metabolism regulation. It does this by affecting the mitochondria inside cells. The more thyroid hormone that circulates, the more your metabolism increases. Your metabolic rate determines whether you gain or lose weight.
Think of your body as an engine. Metabolic activity generates heat. The higher your metabolic rate, the warmer your engine. Too much activity leads to overheating. Too little activity leads to a cold engine.
Body temperature is the key
This is why Dr. Jonathon Lee many decades ago recommended that you measure your body temperature. Body temperature is a fabulous way of determining your metabolic status – and therefore, your thyroid status. If your body temperature is low, then almost by definition, you are hypothyroid (under active thyroid).
Simple physiology dictates that if you are having trouble losing weight or continuously gaining weight despite what appears to be good habits on your part – diet and exercise; then it is reasonable to conclude that the problem lies with your thyroid gland.
If your thyroid cannot function properly because it does not have the necessary fuel (iodine) to manufacture thyroid hormone then your body metabolism slows down, your body gets cooler, you feel “cold-natured”, frequently get cold hands and feet, require blankets to sleep (even in the summer), get muscle cramps at night and worst of all – gain weight.
Supplement with iodine
This is not rocket science. Give your body what it needs – iodine. Most of the world’s population has been proven to be deficient in iodine. It is likely you are, if you haven’t started gaining weight yet.
The good news is that the process is reversible and solvable. Simply supplement with iodine. If your body is merely deficient in iodine, supplementation will work. If your body has an overabundance of fluoride, chlorine and bromine, iodine (in sufficient doses) will overcome the halide chemicals.
So start revving up your metabolism and get on the iodine train. This is the safe and effective way of getting your thyroid back on track. There is basically no upper limit on the amount of iodine you can take. And you don’t have to worry about prescription thyroid hormones getting out of control which potentially could have serious adverse effects.
Andrew Jones, M.D
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