3 Household Dangers that are Leading to your Thyroid Disfunction
While some thyroid conditions are genetic, you may be surprised to find out that there are environmental toxins that can lead to thyroid dysfunction. Fortunately, there are things that you can do that will help cleanse the toxins from your body. This article will help you understand some of the most destructive toxins and what you can do to fight against them.
1. Bromine.
You may not have heard of bromine before, but this is something that you will likely come across every day. Bromine is a common additive that you can find in your food and in the products that you use around your home. It can be found in enriched flour, baked goods, citrus-flavored sodas, plastics, and pesticides.
Bromine can be stored in the thyroid’s iodine receptors, which can displace the necessary iodine. (1) The bromine can become concentrated in the thyroid, and it will interfere with its iodine uptake. It could also lead to alterations in the body’s cellular architecture and blood supply, as well as lead to a reduction in your levels of T4 and T3. (2)
Start reading labels and stop buying any food products which contain enriched flour, potassium bromate, and brominated vegetable oil.
2. Chlorine.
Every time that your skin comes into contact with chlorine, it absorbs this chemical. You may not have thought of this as a big deal except that the chlorine can be stored in your thyroid. As the chlorine enters the body, it will displace the iodine. When chlorine lowers the levels of iodine in the body, this will hurt your body’s ability to produce the necessary thyroid hormones. The more chlorine that is absorbed in your body, the lower the iodine levels, leading to such issues as hypothyroidism and low thyroid levels. (3)
Discontinue the use of all household cleaning supplies containing chlorine bleach and replace them with natural cleaning agents like baking soda, vinegar, or borax.
3. Fluoride.
Fluoride was added to the American public water systems back in the 50s as a means to help with dental health. The problem is that this may not be as effective as you were told it was. Some studies show that fluoride may not be very effective at all. There is some evidence that it can increase cavities in children. (4) Even worse, there are plenty of studies that show fluoride is an endocrine disruptor. As such, it impacts not only your thyroid function but also your other glands that produce hormones. (5)
In the past, fluoride was used as a treatment for an overactive thyroid—hyperthyroidism. This treatment was due to fluoride’s ability to reduce hormone production in the thyroid. (6) Some studies show hypothyroidism is more prevalent—twice as much—in areas where fluoride is added to the water supply when compared to areas where it is not. (7)
Buy fluoride-free toothpaste instead or make your own at home with mint oil, baking soda, and coconut oil. You'll also want to drink purified fluoride free water. So, make sure your water filtration system removes fluoride and other contaminants.
What you can do about it today.
The good news is that you can do things to minimize your exposure to these halogen elements. In this section, you’ll get a close look at these simple fixes.
1. Purifying the Bath, Shower and the water you drink
Chlorine has been added to most public water supplies in the US, so it's important to filter these chemicals out of the water you bath in. Even if you simply take a shower, the chlorine in the water gases off and you inhale it directly into your lungs. You can easily install a screw on KDF filter for your shower, bath and faucet, which will eliminate any chlorine from your water.
2. Change Your Toothpaste
There is an FDA poison warning on your toothpaste for a reason. You should consider switching to fluoride-free toothpaste, whether it’s from a name brand or if you make your own homemade toothpaste by mixing baking soda, coconut oil, green leaf stevia and peppermint oil together.
3. Take Supplements
Macro minerals like magnesium can inhibit the absorption of fluoride into the body’s cells and help you eliminate these chemicals from the body. (10)
The essential mineral iodine also helps remove bad halogens from the body through the urine. Iodine is actually a potent antioxidant, neutralizing toxins on contact. (8) nascent iodine is far more beneficial to detox the body than any other form of iodine due to the patented electromagnetic process and we carry it at the office!
