Thyroid and Weight Gain

Is your thyroid making you gain weight?  Have you ever wondered if you have trouble losing weight because your thyroid is under active?  Almost 10% of us have this problem, and many more of us have many of the symptoms of low thyroid, even though our blood test show our levels to be in the normal range.

Excess Cortisol May Be the Underlying Cause

Cortisol is your body's stress hormone.  The more stress your body is under the higher your cortisol levels will go.  Often you can tell by looking at a person just how high their cortisol level is.  People with high cortisol levels will typically have significant belly fat, and often have a puffy face, hands and feet or thinning hair.

When your cortisol levels are high your body keeps sugar (energy) circulating in the blood so just in case you need a sudden burst of energy it will be there ready to be use.  (That's part of the fight or flight in a human's makeup.)  It does this by making your cells less able to absorb insulin.

The problem is, when the cells become less able to absorb insulin they often have trouble absorbing T3 thyroid, as well as a whole host of other things.  When your cortisol level goes up, you begin to suffer from insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) and often have the symptoms of hypothyroidism – even though your thyroid levels are within the normal range.

How to Naturally Lower Your Cortisol and Raise Your Thyroid Levels

There are a number of things you can do to lower your cortisol levels, optimize and balance your thyroid production, and increase your cells' ability to absorb:

Things You Should Avoid Don’t eat foods if you are allergic - even if you have only a slight allergy as this will increase the stress on the body and your cortisol. Food and drinks high in starch and sugars - these would raise insulin levels and so would also raise cortisol.  This would include wine and other alcoholic beverages. Caffeinated food and drinks, such as chocolate, sodas, coffee and tea.  (Some clear sodas such as 7up and Sprite have no caffeine; however the citrus flavored oil they use may suppress the metabolism.) Herbal stimulants, such as bitter orange or ephedrine.

How  to Reduce Cortisol and Raise Thyroid Levels Take Vitamin C, shown to reduce cortisol levels, 1 to 2 grams daily. Take half in the morning and half in the evening. Take Cod Liver Oil (1 Tablespoon Daily) to improve your body's ability to absorb vital nutrition. (Cod Liver Oil makes cell walls more penetrable by insulin, and other nutrients.) Add selenium and iodine, along with other vitamins and minerals known to support the thyroid such as NOW Food’s, Thyroid Energy.  (Take WITH food and start with 1 capsule daily and gradually increase the dose.) In addition have regular servings of Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. Begin at 1 tablespoon and then work up to 3 tablespoons a day. You can cook with this brand and use it in smoothies and shakes. (It tastes wonderful!) Reduce Caffeine and Carbohydrate intake. Exercise to use your blood sugar, stimulate the thyroid and relieve stress. Go to bed earlier - more rest will reduce stress, and lower cortisol levels.

Related Posts Insulin Resistance And The Cortisol Connection Get Rid Of Belly Fat And Get Rid Of Love Handles Which Is The Healthiest Diet To Follow Is Cortisol Causing Your Belly Fat?

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