Eat Selenium Rich Foods for a Healthy Thyroid
July 2, 2015 / Thyroid Health / Source: Health
Selenium? If you are like me, I had absolutely no clue about selenium prior to having been diagnosed with any thyroid issues. So, to give a quick overview, our bodies need selenium to help our thyroid gland function properly. Plus, when our bodies are deficient of selenium we may experience pain in the muscles and joints, white spots on the fingernails, and unhealthy hair. It is also thought that over time a selenium deficiency may lead to Hashimoto's disease. Therefore, it is recommended that we get around 70µg (micrograms) of selenium each day.
One of the best sources of selenium is nuts, but you can also find it in blackstrap molasses, eggs, garlic, wheat germ, mushrooms, onions, sesame seeds, and shellfish. I personally find nuts to be the easiest option as they are easy to grab and take anywhere you go. They are a great snack or you can throw them in a salad or stir-fry. The nuts with the highest amount of selenium are brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts. A small handful of most nuts is enough to meet the daily requirement; however, you only need to eat one or two Brazil nuts to get your daily requirement. So, grab some nuts, but be careful not too eat too many...a little goes a long way!
For additional information regarding selenium check out the following links:
Selenium: The Missing Link for Treating Hypothyroidism?