Healing a damaged thyroid isn’t as difficult as you may think. There are many foods that balance your thyroid, and for purposes of this recipe, it will focus mainly on foods that help with hypothyroidism (and not to mention, chronic inflammation!).
The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that regulates how much or how little energy you take in at any given moment. In return, every cell in the body is affected. It is responsible for distributing many different hormones throughout the body, and also helps regulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism, respiration, body temperature, brain development, blood calcium levels, menstrual cycles, the heart and nervous system and skin integrity.
If you suffer from underactive thyroid, you may experience unexplained weight gain, fatigue, dry skin and hair, and a hard time concentrating. The opposite goes for hyperthyroidism, where you experience unexplained weight loss, high blood pressure, rapid heart beat and diarrhea.
Cranberries, which make up the majority of this smoothie, are a great source of natural iodine – just four ounces of cranberries provides over 400 micrograms of iodine, which is more than 267% of your daily recommended intake! Iodine is critical for production of thyroid hormone.
Ginger is high in magnesium, which helps stabilize thyroid hormone T3, and cilantro is great for flushing toxic heavy metals and viral waste.
Vitamin C is also useful for keeping the thyroid healthy, as the adrenal gland has the highest concentrations of vitamin C in the body, and this is needed to help the body better respond to stress. Without enough vitamin C, the body relapses into chronic adrenal stress, which in turn affects how the thyroid functions.
Essentially every ingredient in this smoothie is useful for helping reduce chronic inflammation. Consuming smoothies, such as this, loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and crucial phytonutrients will be sure to keep inflammation at bay.
Cranberry Citrus Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
– 2 cups fresh or frozen organic cranberries
– 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
– 2 oranges, peeled and diced
– 1/2 lemon, juiced
– 1/2 cup cilantro
– 1/4 cup Atlantic Dulse
– 1 inch fresh ginger root
– 1 tbsp. hemp seeds
Method:
Stick all of the above ingredients in a blender (like the Vitamix, grab one here!), and pulse-blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth. Add some ice for a cool treat. Enjoy!
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