Category: Health

Source:

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/iron-thyroid-health/

“Iron Toxicity

One needs to be careful when supplementing with iron to avoid a toxicity problem. ….

“How Does Iron Relate To Thyroid Health?

…[I]ron is necessary to help deliver oxygen to all of the areas of the body, and this of course includes the thyroid gland.  Iron, along with other minerals, is important for thyroid hormone synthesis.  Even though selenium is the main mineral involved in converting T4 to T3, iron also plays a role in this.  Iron is also important for the formation of cortisol, and in other articles I’ve spoken about how the adrenals can affect thyroid health.  Earlier in this article I also stated how iron is important for optimal immune system health, which is important for those people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis…..

“Food Sources of Iron

There are two forms of dietary iron.  One form is heme iron, which is about 10% to 30% absorbable and is found in foods such as meat, fish, and poultry.  Nonheme iron is the other form, which is only 1% to 10% absorbable and is found in plant based foods, such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, and grains.  So heme iron is more absorbable, which is one reason why vegetarians are more susceptible to having an iron deficiency.  Dairy products also have some iron, although it’s a very small amount and is poorly absorbed.”

Source: First for Women

“Escape the thyroid/tiredness fat trap”:

“…. Scientists have discovered that internal inflammation prevents the body from optimally metabolizing iron–a nutrient that plays a critical role in the production of thyroid hormones.  As Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, Ph.D., a researcher at the Department of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, explains, “The iron-regulating hormone <i>hepcidin</i> is like the knob that controls the spigot.” When iron levels are low, hepcidin levels drop, opening the spigot so iron can flow into the thyroid and activate metabolism-revving hormones.  When the body has the iron it needs, the faucet is turned off and excess iron is stored for future use.  But inflammation hinders this process–it keeps hepcidin levels elevated, trapping iron in cells so the body can’t metabolize it.”

[Solution]:

“….The key to thyroid health is enjoying iron-rich and anti-inflammatory foods. …. As the body starts burning stored fat, the benefits multiply. “When you lose weight, it regulates your iron metabolism,” says Tussing-Humphreys.  “And your hepcidin levels are decreased by as much as 75 percent.” As iron balance is restored, stubborn pounds melt away even faster — and it’s easier to keep off lost pounds for life. ….. Food pairings that rev iron metabolism: …. Hummus + Red peppers, Nuts + Strawberries, Beans + Salsa .”

Other Iron Rich foods:

Source:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/iron-rich-foods?page=2

“Iron-Rich Foods

By Mary Anne Dunkin,

Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD> on October 02, 2014

Spinach may not give you superhuman strength to fight off villains like Popeye’s nemesis Bluto, but this leafy green and other  foods containing iron can help you fight a different type of enemy — iron-deficiency anemia….. As a result, you may feel weak, tired, and irritable….. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men do not have enough iron in their body. The solution, in many cases, is to consume more foods high in iron.

Your body absorbs the most iron from heme sources. Nonheme iron is from plant sources.

Iron-Rich Foods

Very good sources of heme iron:

• 3 ounces of beef or chicken >liver, clams, mollusks, mussels or oysters (3.5 milligrams)
• 3 ounces of cooked beef, oil canned sardines or cooked turkey (2.1 milligrams)
• 3 ounces of chicken, halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, tuna, ham, veal (0.7 milligrams)

“Iron in plant foods such as lentils, beans, and spinach is nonheme iron. This is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Our bodies are less efficient at absorbing nonheme iron, but most dietary iron is nonheme iron.

Nonheme iron:

• Breakfast cereals enriched with iron, one cup of cooked beans, one-half cup of tofu, one ounce of pumpkin, sesame, or squash seeds (3.5 milligrams)
• kidney beans, chickpeas, or split peas, one cup of dried apricots,one medium baked potato, one medium stalk of broccoli, one cup of cooked enriched egg noodles, one-fourth cup of wheat germ (2.1 milligrams)
• One ounce of peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, roasted almonds, roasted cashews, or sunflower seeds, one-half cup of dried seedless raisins, peaches, or prunes, one cup of spinach, one medium green pepper, one cup of pasta, one slice of bread, pumpernickel bagel, or bran muffin, one cup of rice (0.7 milligrams)

How to Get More Iron From Your Food

Some foods can help your body absorb iron from iron-rich foods; others can hinder it. To absorb the most iron from the foods you eat, avoid drinking tea or coffee or tea or consuming calcium-rich foods or drinks with meals containing iron-rich foods. To improve your absorption of iron, eat it along with a good source of vitamin C — such as orange juice, broccoli, or strawberries — or eat nonheme iron foods with a food from the meat, fish, and poultry group.”

I learned a new expression “aged in” which is what happens when you turn 65 and get your retirement benefits.  Apparently you get a deluge of mail (and email) trying to get your business.  I am at that ‘in between’ stage where I am not eligible for any benefits and have no significant source of income.  I am in the category where I can spend all my money on health care or take the risk of uncovered illness with tax penalties.  It is a full time job just to manage to save as much money as possible without succumbing to risky investments.  I had reduced what I purchased to only what was absolutely necessary, but loosened the purse strings to buy some luxury items, like the first new jeans and shirts I had purchased since 2008 when I lost my job.  So I am NOT feeling sorry for myself, but I am aware that I am spending more of my time trying to manage what money I have left to extend as far as possible. I am sure that I am not alone.  I always thought of myself as smart and self-sufficient, yet here I am questioning whether I should withdraw everything and sit on the less than 1 percent interest or risk 1/3 on the chance that I might be able to get a monthly income that I can live on.  The exception to my plan was $750 month health care premium.  I am sure that it will just keep going up. OMG. What can we do? Stay as healthy as possible — and keep moving.