Research alludes to the fact that the number one cause of weight problems may be an under-active thyroid gland, especially among women. That’s because the thyroid gland controls body temperature and metabolism, and when the thyroid is sluggish, body temperature and metabolism tend to slow down. Some other symptoms of low, or hypothyroid, are fatigue, cold hands and feet, depression, anxiety, constipation, easy bruising, insomnia, dry skin, unhealthy and brittle nails, allergies and asthma, migraines, acne, hair loss and low sex drive.

Do You Have A Thyroid Problem?

Do you think you might have a thyroid problem based on the some of the symptoms mentioned above? Are your thyroid blood tests normal? According to Dr. Wilson, you may have Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome. In order to find out, he recommends that you take your temperature with a thermometer by the following method:

• By mouth
• Every 3 hours
• 3 times a day, starting 3 hours after waking

Do this for several days (women need to NOT do this during the 3 days before their period starts, as the reading may not be accurate then). If your temperature is consistently below 98.6 degrees F, and you have some of the symptoms above, you may very well have Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome.

Coconut oil and certain herbs have been reported to help this condition and to sometimes raise the temperature back to normal without drugs. See our Resource Section for thyroid-boosting all-natural supplements.

Nourishing Your Thyroid

It is important to not stop taking any thyroid medication without consulting your doctor, but there are other things you can do to nourish your thyroid, especially if you suspect a thyroid problem, but it doesn’t show up on the test your doctor performs. Besides consuming plenty of iodine-rich foods and avoiding goitrogens as discussed above, you want to avoid other foods that tax the thyroid like refined grains and sugars. Exercise is also good for your thyroid – any kind. A rebounder can be especially helpful, but all exercise will stimulate the thyroid gland secretion and will help increase the sensitivity of your cells to the thyroid hormones.

Eat only healthy fats and oils like virgin coconut oil, butter (from grass-fed cows, if possible) and extra-virgin olive oil. It may also be useful to supply extra iodine in your diet by taking kelp or bladderwrack extracts or another herbal formula that contains kelp and/or bladderwrack as well as other herbs that can be helpful for nourishing the thyroid gland. Make sure and look for formulas that are well made with a high potency and without toxic fillers.

According to Bruce Fife, N.D. in “Eat Fat, Look Thin,” you can perform this simple test at home to see if you are iodine-deficient: Paint a 1” diameter area of 2% iodine solution (sold in most drug stores) on your skin where it won’t show. If you are getting enough iodine, the red stain will remain for about 24 hours. If it disappears sooner, your body is deficient and is absorbing the iodine. The more deficient you are, the more quickly it will disappear.

Coconut oil, because of its metabolism-stimulating properties, seems to be an excellent thyroid system builder. If you have problems with your thyroid, you want to be sure to include coconut oil and/or coconut products like coconut milk and flakes in your diet.