On Life As A Picky Foodie

What do you know about your thyroid?

Do you know where it is?  Do you know what it does?  Do you know how much of your day-to-day ability to function it is responsible for?

Did you know that ten times more women suffer from thyroid disease than men?

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid.  They put me on medication and I felt a lot better.  I was able to shift my weight, I had tons more energy, it was as if a fog had been lifted from my brain.  (oh, and my hair stopped falling out – always a good thing).

However, a few months later, I suddenly was unable to sleep.  For six nights, I lay in bed, my heart racing, my brain jumping from thought to thought unable to latch on to any one thing.  During the day, I was a zombie; at night, I became more and desperate.  I was nauseous, my head was pounding and I would burst into tears for no reason at all.  When I finally went to the doctor, he immediately took me off my thyroid pills.  That night, I slept.  The next morning, all of my symptoms had disappeared.

This little gland, which is located in your neck, is responsible for an inordinate amount of things:  it regulates your body temperature, your metabolism, it assists in the function of hormones and the proper workings of your body’s main organs. 

If your thyroid is out of balance, chances are, everything is out of balance.  You might feel as if you’re living under a heavy fog, you may be listless and unable to do much, your meals food might sit in your stomach as if they’re not getting digested – and let’s not even talk about pooping.  You might be moody or depressed, your skin might be dry and itchy, and you might suffer from aches and pains. 

Have I managed to convince you of the importance of a properly functioning thyroid?

Unfortunately, most doctors don’t know all that much about it.  The tests they do are not thorough enough and, in my opinion, the allopathic treatments are comparable to whacking a tuning fork with a hammer.

(by the way, I’m not saying or implying that you shouldn’t take medication if that is what you feel is right for you.  That is your decision.)

In my case, I decided I didn’t want to be dependant on a pill that could have such a strong effect on me.  (As I researched it more, I also discovered that at times, the pharmaceutical companies have created shortages of certain thyroid medications to boost demand – price hike anyone???)

I did, in fact, manage very well over the past few years.  However, pregnancy and breastfeeding have meant that certain herbs are not an option and so I needed to find additional ways to support my thyroid.

A few weeks ago, I went to see a new Naturopath.  The first thing she told me was that I needed to cut out all Omega 6 oils – otherwise known as PUFAs (Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids).  Apparently, as little as a teaspoon a day can suppress the thyroid.

Now if you are familiar with me and my recipes, then you know that nuts and seeds are a big part of my diet.  What do you think they are especially rich in?  Yup, PUFAs. 

I was shocked.  With all the thyroid research I have done, I have never found mention of this “little” detail.  When I got home, I searched the Internet for PUFAs and thyroid function.  Guess what I discovered?  In the nineteen-seventies, they used Omega 6 oils as a thyroid suppressant.  WTF???

In America, and increasingly in the Western world, thyroid disease is an epidemic.  So is depression and so is weight gain, heart disease, cancer – all symptoms or consequences of thyroid disorders.  Do you know what else is high in PUFAs?  Processed food.  Soy oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil are all abundantly used in pre-packaged and fast foods.  Even raisins are often processed with sunflower oil! 

It isn’t hard to connect the dots…

So if you’re unusually tired, if you’re unable to shed extra weight, if you’re depressed, if your body temperature is out of whack, if you have dry or brittle skin or finger nails, if your hair is falling out, if you’re constipated, if your periods are irregular of especially heavy, if your brain feels like it’s a little funny, if you’re unable to concentrate – consider getting your thyroid checked.

Smelly Cats

There was a girl in my high school class who stank.  This girl was a good friend of mine for a time, and it wasn’t because she was dirty or neglected, but now that I know what I know about health, I can say with some degree of certainty that this girl stank because she was eating things that her body didn’t know how to process or digest.

Another classmate would hiss to me in the hallways “she’s your friend, YOU tell her!”  But I never did, because how does one sixteen-year old tell another that they smell?

This girl never suffered: she had boyfriends and a social life, but she stank and everyone knew it. 

Body odour is just one of the many side-effects of eating food that doesn’t work for us.  It can emanate from any part of our bodies -- our feet, genitals, mouth, underarms – and is a pretty accurate barometer of how well our diet is feeding our bodies.  The simple rule of thumb is if you smell funny, chances are, something’s up.  Diet is not the only possible cause of body odour.  Hormonal changes, thyroid imbalances, bacterial overgrowth and stress can all contribute to temporary funkiness in the scent department.

Unfortunately, many of the options available out there don’t actually get to the root of the problem, but rather, they only offer a temporary solution, thereby making us dependant on industrial mouthwashes, soaps and deodorants. 

Many people try to combat odour with anti-perspirants.  Most contain aluminum.  According to the National Cancer Institute, what this does is form a temporary plug within the sweat ducts that stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface.  And while that might sound like a good thing in terms of curbing odours, in practice, chances are this will only aggravate the problem rather than solve it long-term. 

Our skin is our largest organ.  It protects us from pathogens, regulates temperature and provides insulation, amongst other things.  In addition, we remove toxins through our skin.  In other words, if we clog up those pores with aluminium and all sorts of other chemicals, we are, in fact, stopping the natural process and trapping toxins inside us.  That doesn’t sound very healthy, does it?

Similarly, most mouthwashes contain alcohol, which dehydrates the mouth and feeds the same nasty bacteria that can cause halitosis in the first place. 

So what can you do?

First of all, try to pinpoint the cause of the odour.  Have you recently been through an upheaval at work, health-wise, in your personal life?  Have you been travelling or eating out more than usual?  Have you been put on a new medication or started a new vitamin or supplement? Have you had an upset stomach or other medical condition?

Once you know the origin of the problem, you can help yourself in many many ways. It’s important to seek medical attention if needed.  Other remedies include: switching to all-natural beauty products that won’t clog your pores (so that your body can resume using your skin in the way it was intended), drinking more water to help flush out those toxins, dry-brushing your skin before you shower, and exfoliating. 

You can also make your own – deodorant, perfume, mouthwash.  It’s easy, quick and incredibly satisfying. 

And then of course there’s the role diet plays in all of this.  Our bodies metabolize different foods in different ways -- why wouldn’t that affect how we smell?  Personally, I smell differently when I eat meat, and when I drink alcohol.  What about you? 

If you’re concerned about body odour of any kind, consider what foods and lifestyle triggers might be affecting you negatively.  And if you need help either in identifying the culprit or figuring out what to do about it, shoot me an email at Gabriela@thepickyfoodie.com so we can set up a session to discuss it.

With love and lavender

Gabriela

P.S.  Still suffering from that runny nose / cough / chill that doesn't seem to let up?  It’s February and everyone seems to be wrestling with some sort of bug.  As we sniffled our way through Friday Night Dinner, DW and I sipped my potent Cold-And-Flu Elixir.  You can find the formula for this bug-busting potion in this week’s Friday Night Dinner Blog.