4 Effortless Ways to Recharge Your Thyroid and Boost Energy

Summertime at last! But if your energy hasn’t quite reached fun-in-the-sun levels, you’re not alone: Millions of women experience a 40 percent drop in thyroid function this time of year due to a gland-sapping diet, increased activity, and fluctuating weather. Thankfully, these four ways to boost your thyroid — and your pep — are easy. Just…

Be Lazy About Showering

That picnic in the park left you feeling a bit sweaty. But instead of jumping in the shower as soon as you get home, relax inside for another hour first. The reason? Your body’s thyroid hormone doesn’t function without enough vitamin D. And since your skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, showering too quickly interrupts that process before your skin has time to work its magic.

Sip a Virgin Margarita

You’re guzzling water, but if your H2O is fluoridated, it can make your thyroid sluggish, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. Fluoride depletes the body’s stores of iodine, a mineral key to thyroid function. Opting for fluoride-free bottled water and toothpaste lowers exposure. Also smart: using iodized salt (load up that margarita glass rim!) and taking a multivitamin that contains iodine.

Cue Up This

Canadian scientists say listening to an hour of “background music” (tunes with a tempo of about 60 beats per minute) doubles your energy in 72 hours. Calming music spurs the release of serotonin, a hormone that prods the thyroid to boost energizing hormones. Tune into an easy listening radio station or put on a Carpenters album!

Kick Off Your Shoes

Ditching your shoes at the door after a fun day outside reduces household dust by up to 60 percent. That’s key since dust can harbor chemicals (phthalates) that slow thyroid function when inhaled, reveals a study in Environmental Science & Technology.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.