A high thyroid level, a condition more commonly known as overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, occurs when your thyroid gland generates excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. The National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service reports that this health problem affects about 1 percent of Americans, and is particularly common in women. If you are considering altering your diet to help treat your high thyroid level, review all possible risks and benefits with your doctor first.
High Thyroid Level
The prevalence of hyperthyroidism, notes the American Academy of Family Physicians, is about 2 percent for American women and 0.2 percent for American men. The symptoms associated with this condition largely depend on your age, how long you have had this condition, the level of excess hormone production in your body and the presence of other health problems that you might have. Among the most common conditions associated with high thyroid level are weight loss, irritability and an inability to tolerate heat.
Dietary Approach
A helpful dietary approach to treating high thyroid levels involves certain dietary inclusions or exclusions. According to certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," some of the most helpful foods to include in your diet to treat this health problem include peaches, mustard greens, spinach and turnips. Foods and beverages that you should consider avoiding if you have an overactive thyroid gland include soft drinks, dairy products and coffee.
Highlighted Food
Mustard greens may be one of the most effective foods in treating your hyperthyroidism. Nutritionist and biologist George Mateljan, author of "The World's Healthiest Foods," states that mustard greens contain substances known as goitrogens, which may depress your thyroid function and help treat your overactive thyroid. Mustard greens possess a pungent taste and contain numerous phytonutrients, including the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin and carotenoids. You can eat mustard greens raw in salads.
Additional Information
If you have a higher than normal level of thyroid hormone in your body, discuss all possible treatment strategies with your doctor, including complementary and alternative measures. Although natural treatments such as nutritional therapy are often helpful and safe, they are not without their own set of risks. Certain foods historically used in treating this health condition -- such as peaches, spinach, turnips and mustard -- may require a larger body of scientific research evidence to determine their true efficacy.
References
- National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service; Hyperthyroidism; April 2008
- "American Family Physician"; Hyperthyroidism: Diagnosis and Treatment; Jeri R. Reid, MD, and Stephen F. Wheeler, MD; Aug. 15, 2005
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2007
