4 Natural Ways to Recharge Your Thyroid, Boost Energy, and Mood
Great news: There’s an easy way to enjoy these lovely spring days feeling cheery and revitalized. Your thyroid becomes sluggish over the winter from working hard to keep your temperature steady and immune system strong. Here are four natural ways to recharge your thyroid that can help you feel happy, full of pep, and ready for more fun!
Say Hello to the Sun
Finally, there are more hours of sunlight every day! And taking advantage of the milder weather to head outdoors and soak up 20 minutes of sun daily can restart a sluggish thyroid in as little as 72 hours, boosting your pep and focus by 25 percent, British studies suggest. Explains endocrinologist Dan Kim, MD, your skin makes vitamin D-3 when it’s exposed to UV light, and this key nutrient ups the production of a thyroid-energizing hormone called TSH.
Treat Your Skin
While applying moisturizer, give your face a gentle massage, and you’ll increase the production of tiredness-taming thyroid hormones by as much as 55 percent, suggests a study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. That’s because facial massages stimulate a branch of nerves (the parasympathetic nervous system) that keep the thyroid energized.
Have a Picnic Lunch
“The stress hormone cortisol causes the thyroid to release inactive hormones the body has trouble using,” says Richard Shames, MD, author of Thyroid Mind Power (Buy on Amazon, $9.98). But a daily 30-minute stress break curbs cortisol by up to 68 percent, Utah State scientists say, which increases thyroid function and energy in 10 days.
Savor Spinach Dip
Leafy greens are finally popping up in supermarkets. And their rich stores of carotenoids recharge your thyroid, boosting its hormone release by 22 percent. Italian researchers report this restores focus, energy, and happiness in a week if you enjoy one cup daily, like blended into a creamy dip.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
