It’s no coincidence that thyroid conditions are on the rise and weight is a hot topic for so many!
You’re part of a food system that creates mineral deficiencies.
If your metabolism is slow, you’re fatigued and you suspect or know you have a thyroid condition…
…selenium, iodine & zinc are crucial for optimizing your health.
Even if you don’t have these symptoms all the time, minerals are still important for so many functions in your body.
I recently had a case where a client of mine who had been super fatigued and plateaued with her weight for some time upped her iodine and finally got a shift in her energy and weight!
The kicker?
She had been taking the Upgraded Peak Thyroid formula I recommend for base mineral support, but it wasn’t enough!
I also suspect she needed iodide vs potassium iodine to replenish her iodine.
Women in particular often need the iodide form of iodine!
You can’t assume you’ve “checked the box” on a mineral just by taking a multivitamin.
You have to monitor symptoms and adjust till you feel better.
Same goes for checking the “eating healthy” box.
How do you know the healthy foods you’re eating are really giving your body what it needs?
The soil your food is grown in lacks minerals and certain foods you eat could be depleting them.
These depleting foods are known as “anti-nutrients”, I’ll get to them in a minute.
I believe the “anti-nutrient” impact has been blown out of proportion but they are worth a mention…
…because when many folks go on a mission to eat healthy they load up on veggies.
Most of the time raw in the form of impressive salads, because salads = health food!
Unfortunately, after eating raw veggies many end up with gas, bloating or stomach pain then decide veggies are rabbit food and go back to their old style of eating.
If this has happened to you, there’s no shame, I’ve done it a few times before taking note that portion is key and cooking them is always better for digestion.
While the debate is still out as to whether coffee or tea inhibits more than calcium or iron absorption, I have to think that it’s possible.
That’s an easy solution, don’t take your vitamins when you drink your coffee or tea.
Take them before or after.
What’s not being talked about is the tannins in wine!
Dinner is the biggest meal for most and wine seems to be a habit to pair with it.
Something to ponder in terms of it’s effect on nutrient absorption.
I digress…
So what are these “anti-nutrients”?
- Goitrogens – found in cabbage family foods and inhibit iodine absorption
- Phytic acid and lectins in legumes, whole grains, and seeds have the potential to inhibit absorption of calcium, zinc, manganese, iron and protein for a few hours after consumption.
- Oxalates in dark leafy veggies, tea, beans, nuts and beets bind to calcium and prevent it’s absorption
- Saponins found in legumes and whole grains can interfere with nutrient absorption in general
- Tannins in coffee, tea, wine and specific herbs can decrease iron absorption.
The good news is, you can minimize phytic acid, lectins and saponins by rinsing these foods, pressure cooking, sprouting, and fermenting foods.
Oxalates, goitrogens and tannin effect can be minimized by taking your minerals away from them, eating them in moderation and watching portions.
Or ensure you get the minerals by supplementing with them!
How do you know if you’re deficient in these minerals in the first place?
The gold standard is white blood cell testing using the Spectracell Micronutrient test.
Next is red blood cell analysis like that of the NutrEval or Metabolomix by Genova.
You can target your red blood cell levels of iodine, selenium and zinc as well as magnesium.
Iodine is most accurately tested using a 24 hour urine collection study, which no one jumps at the chance to do, so we go with blood instead.
Say you just want to supplement with them, fine by me!
I often have clients test one mineral at a time and see how they feel.
In the case of hypothyroid-like symptoms of a slow metabolism and fatigue – iodide form of iodine is my number one go to and I use Acceleradine by Accelerated Health more often than not.
If after 2 weeks, energy levels haven’t increased and bowel function hasn’t improved then I’d add on selenium if the predominant symptom is slow metabolism.
Or zinc if fatigue is more of a factor.
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Iron metabolism has a deep connection with zinc, selenium and iodine so it’s also wise to ask your doc or order…
- a CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- iron and TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity)
- Ferritin (iron stores in the liver)
- B12 and Folate to ensure complete iron metabolism
If blood draws aren’t your thing, you could opt for hair mineral analysis testing…
…or consider pairing Acceleradine with Upgraded Peak Thyroid by Upgraded Formulas.
You’ll hear a lot of hype about not overloading the system with iodine.
Yes, in some cases that’s true.
Everyone is individual and this is where you don’t know till you test out varying levels of iodine.
Sound scary?
That’s what docs like me are here for, keeping you out of trouble and providing guidance.
If you’ve been diagnosed with Graves disease, a hyperactive thyroid condition iodine could be an issue so consult with a professional.
Had reactions to iodine based contrast with imaging?
Do not use potassium iodide, that’s in Upgraded Peak Thyroid and many other iodine supplements.
Use Aceleradine or any other iodide product instead as these are a different molecule than what you may have reacted to.
Of course, always consult a professional on this subject.
As in the case I mentioned earlier, observing your symptoms and tweaking little things like selenium, zinc, and iodine can go a long way to improving your metabolism and energy.
Can you just eat mineral rich foods?
You can and in some cases this works.
If you’re tired, weight won’t budge, you’re not feeling like yourself and you’re eating healthy it’s time to test or do a trial of increased minerals.
I highly recommend using them one at a time to see if there’s effect.
For selenium…
- low level intervention 3-4 Brazil nuts a day
- liquid selenium with Upgraded Formulas Selenium
- capsule selenium (L-selenomethionine) 200 mcg maximum
For zinc…
- low level intervention with oysters, mussels – 3 oz
- liquid zinc with Upgraded Formulas Zinc
- capsule zinc – zinc picolinate or bisclycinate (for a sensitive stomach) – start with 15 mg and work up to 50 mg maximum
Always take capsule forms of minerals with food, especially zinc as you need sufficient stomach acid production for absorption.
This may be why some of you have noticed stomach pain with zinc.
Nevertheless, I’m happy to do a complimentary consult on minerals or hit reply and ask any questions you’d like on minerals.
Here’s to happy mineral sleuthing!
Here’s to your health,
Dr. J
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