Selenium: A Key Nutrient In Integrative Thyroid Health
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid" module_class="philly-blog "] As I have been researching and prepping for our upcoming group class Transform Your Thyroid, Transform Your Body, I have become even more fascinated with our Thyroid Gland and Thyroid health. It is truly amazing how subtle nuances in thyroid hormone secretion affect how all of all our body systems function. The thyroid gland requires several important nutrient cofactors to function optimally. As an integrative medicine provider, I often support the thyroid in patients by ensuring adequate intake of these key nutrients. In my opinion, Selenium is an often overlooked and under-appreciated essential component for hypothyroidism.
Importance of Selenium in Thyroid health
Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to help your immune system function properly. Selenium is also essential to optimize thyroid function holistically. It contributes to not only the production of thyroid hormone but perhaps more importantly the conversion of T4 or inactive thyroid hormone to active T3 in the body. In order to feel our best and achieve ideal metabolism in our tissues, we want to make sure we have enough active thyroid hormone. As Integrative practitioners, when we check laboratory values for thyroid function we always include active thyroid hormone or Free T3 to assess this level.
Functional medicine testing to assess Selenium
Unique to integrative medicine, we are able to utilize advanced, cutting edge functional medicine tests to assess nutrient levels on our patients. This test, called the Micronutrient Test, is a 5 to 6 month average of intracellular nutrient levels of 33 key nutrients. Nutrients important to thyroid function including zinc, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin D and selenium and are included on the panel. This is a wonderful test and we are happy to be able to offer it here at our clinic. Please feel free to contact us for .
How to increase Selenium levels naturally
While it is helpful to know your current selenium nutritional status, you can get started today by increasing your intake of selenium through food. Selenium is found in wheat germ, liver, butter, cold water fish, garlic, whole grains and, my favorite, brazil nuts. By eating just 2-3 brazil nuts a day you can meet your selenium needs to support your thyroid health! If you have an allergy or prefer supplementing, recommended selenium dosing in 200mcg daily and safe, effective supplement can be found easily on our online store.
At Philadelphia Integrative Medicine we work with you to identify root causes and integrated solutions to meet you where you are and help you regain balance with the most effective and least invasive strategies. Come learn more about an integrative approach to thyroid health at our next group class Transform Your Thyroid, Transform Your Body: Achieving Optimal Metabolism and Internal Pace on Thursday, March 24, 2016.
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