Iodine is a nutrient that is found in various foods and is needed for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. In order to be fully healthy, everyone should have sufficient amounts of iodine. But because some people do not get enough iodine from their diets, everyday sources such as tap water and salt are required. Deficiency can cause physical problems including hypothyroidism, goiter, and cretinism. There are ways to reduce the risk of deficiency by adding iodine-rich food to your diet, taking nutritional supplements or drinking Kelp tea.
What Is Iodine?
Iodine is a naturally occurring element that is essential to the production of thyroxine, which is the hormone that regulates the metabolism and growth in children. In adults, it helps with concentration, memory, and mood. In addition, it can help to protect against illness.
The main sources of iodine are saltwater fish and sea vegetables. Other sources include dairy, soybeans, spinach, eggs, and seaweed. The thyroid gland will take up iodine from food or supplements before storing it in one of two ways: iodide or thyroglobulin molecules. Iodide can be used to make thyroid hormones while thyroglobulin is needed for protein synthesis in cells. Iodine can also be found in breast milk if a mother has adequate levels in her body during pregnancy.
The Importance Of Iodine :
It's important to maintain an adequate amount of iodine in your diet, but it's also important not to rely on only one source of iodine. When you consume too much salt or too many iodized table salts, you may actually become deficient in iodine--this is because these sources contain only a small amount of available iodine.
The best sources of dietary iodine are edible seaweeds like kelp or nori which are rich in cesium and iodide ions. Natto and soybeans also provide decent levels of both nutrients (cesium and iodide), as well as other minerals such as selenium and copper that play key roles in thyroid function.
How To Treat Iodine Deficiency :
If you're not getting enough iodine in your diet, then it's important to take steps to increase your intake. Add iodine-rich foods like seaweed and seafood to your diet. You can also take a supplement that includes iodine.
Iodine is also found in kelp tea, which can provide a boost of iodine if you don't have access to other sources of the nutrient. Another option is adding iodized salt to your diet. Research shows that replacing table salt with iodized salt helps reduce the risk of deficiency by as much as 70 percent.
How To Prevent Iodine Deficiency :
- Drink water that has been filtered, boiled, or treated with a filter.
- Avoid eating salt to reduce the amount of iodine you lose through perspiration.
- Eat foods with high iodine content including seafood, dairy products, eggs, and vegetables such as cabbage, kale, and sea vegetables such as dulse and nori.
- Use Kelp tea in place of table salt to reduce the risk of deficiency.
Conclusion :
Iodine deficiency is a serious medical condition that affects people of all ages and can lead to serious health problems.
This article discusses the importance of iodine, how to treat iodine deficiency and how to prevent iodine deficiency.
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