ULTIMATE THYROID DETOX
The salt swap that can activate + heal your metabolism gland takes off 8 lbs every week
Growing evidence, including a new Duke University study, shows our “metabolism gland” takes a beating in the modern world. In fact, experts estimate that 40 million of us are in serious need of a thyroid boost. Dr. Oz to the rescue! His arsenal of sciencebacked secrets is proven to jump-start a sluggish thyroid, “so you can burn more fat, feel more energized and wake up your metabolism like never before,” he recently promised on Doctoroz.com. How well do his tips work? Women report using them to totally recharge their health as they shed a pound a day— or more!
Touch your neck at the bottom of your throat and swallow. Feel a little bump touch your fingers? “That’s your thyroid,” Dr. Oz has said. The tiny bump churns out hormones that control a vast number of cellular and organ functions—and when we don’t have enough thyroid hormones, the rate at which we turn calories into energy slows,
as do systems that control everything from hair growth to heart rate. “Stress, everyday toxins, poor nutrition, even chronic dieting can all make it hard for the thyroid to function properly,” notes Kent Holtorf, M.D., head of the National Academy of Hypothyroidism. “No matter what shape you’re in now, there are only upsides to taking better care of your thyroid.”
A SPEEDY THYROID— EASY AS 1-2-3!
Dr. Holtorf gives a big thumbsup to Dr. Oz’s latest thyroid jump-starting strategies, which, he says, are both potent and oh-so practical in the real world…
• Upgrade your breakfast
“One thing you need every morning is 30 grams of protein to fire up your thyroid,” Dr. Oz said. Eggs and turkey sausage or a smoothie with protein powder will do the trick nicely. Turns out, protein is a building block of thyroid hormones—and a high-protein breakfast has been shown to increase levels of thyroid hormones. It also helps keep hunger down all day!
• Skip the rough stuff
When Dr. Oz’s daughter Zoe developed thyroid issues, her dad, author of the bestseller
Food Can Fix It, coached her to trade foods that are often highly inflammatory, like ultraprocessed fare, wheat and dairy, for anti-inflammatory foods, like veggies, fruit, nuts, seafood, spices and healthy fats. Dr. Holtorf explains that inflammatory foods trigger the release of chemicals that block cells’ ability to use thyroid hormones. Dr. Holtorf adds that as inflammation subsides, thyroid hormones perk up nicely, boosting calorie burn by about
500 calories a day!
• Go for the smart salt
Dr. Oz has called iodine “the key ingredient you need for your thyroid.” We can’t make the thyroid hormones without it— and that’s the reason it’s been added to table salt since the 1920s. But many of us don’t get enough of the nutrient. One reason: The popularity of gourmet salt (like kosher salt and sea salt) means up to 80% of what we shake on our food “no longer has iodine added to it,” Dr. Oz reported. Making matters worse, common toxins (which Duke scientists found hiding in even the most common household dust) can prevent iodine from being absorbed. Luckily, adding a little “ordinary” salt back into your diet is typically all it takes to restore production of thyroid hormones. Dr. Oz’s Rx: “A pinch of iodized table salt every day.” Bonus: Selenium is another nutrient crucial to thyroid function, helping activate the hormones. Dr. Holtorf says there’s even evidence it helps fight autoimmune thyroid conditions. The best source? Brazil nuts. Dr. Oz recently tweeted: “Eat two Brazil nuts a day for thyroid health.”
Real-world wow Diagnosed with a slow thyroid, “I was gaining weight and exhausted even after 14 hours of sleep,” recalls Larisa Hull, 38. “It was like always having mono.” After changing doctors, she finally got medication that restored her energy, “but I only lost a little weight, so I started researching.” The Ohio mom switched to an antiinflammatory diet, making sure to get plenty of iodine and selenium. She never looked back. “I’ve kept off 46 pounds for five years with no stress about portions,” she says. “I just stick to foods that do good things for my body—and it changed my life. I feel normal again!”