The Thyroid Lifestyle
This article is written as part of a system for creating optimal thyroid function. In some people this is automatic and doesn’t need to be refined. In many of us, we must ‘train’ our body to use thyroid hormone optimally. That requires ideal nutrition, supplementation to baseline or above, optimization of workouts and food intake, sleep, water intake, etc. This is the lifestyle side of the equation.
PEAK HEALTH = LIFESTYLE MEASURES + BIOCHEMISTRY + MOVEMENT/EXERCISE + MENTAL
The morning routine:
This may be the most important part healthy thyroid function, along with sleep.
Wake time:
Pick a time. A time you can wake up everyday at. Ideally in the 5 or 6 o’clock hours. And you must commit yourself to getting up at this time every single day. No questions asked.
Note: if you are taking a thyroid hormone medication or supplement, This will fit right into your routine. You can add this to the same time you wake up at. Keep the body in a rhythm.
Move right away in the morning:
You must get the heart rate up to stimulate the body to get going. Dopamine (we will cover shortly), Cortisol and Thyroid hormones all rise in the morning. I have found when you stimulate all 3 together right away in the morning, all 3 function more smoothly and optimally. Getting up and moving right away in the morning is a great way to increase body temperature (thyroid function) and increase cortisol and get the body in rhythm.
Depending on if you are taking thyroid supplements or prescription hormones, breakfast time can vary. I am a big fan of eating breakfast in the first 60 min of waking and before drinking coffee. Coffee suppresses hunger, even though it does boost dopamine. Protein is a better dopamine optimizer than coffee, which is why I find it best for thyroid function to eat protein before drinking the coffee.
Food intake during the day:
The thyroid responds to calories. Yes, physiology has always stated carbs support thyroid function, but in clinical practice we have found meal frequency is equal, if not better at improving thyroid function than carbs. Plus, most people with a thyroid problem don’t want to eat carbs when trying to improve their thyroid for obvious reasons.
Sleep:
Must be maximized in order to have proper thyroid function. If you aren’t sleeping well, your thyroid is not working well. It is that simple.
How do you know if you aren’t getting good sleep?
Under 7.5 hours of sleep.
Snoring. You 100% are not sleeping well if you snore.
Tossing and turning during your slumber. This is easy to identify. If you sheets and blankets are torn apart, you are not getting good sleep.
Waking up during the night to pee or do other things.
Sleep quality and quantity is necessary to have optimal thyroid function. Your body must fully shut down and revitalize at night in order for the ‘energy’ hormone to optimally turn on and function in the way you want it to.
Begin to incorporate these things into your life and your thyroid function will improve.
Get Optimized!
-Dr. Kurt