Keep your Thyroid Healthy with Iodine

Iodine is an important element that is essential for the normal development and growth. The thyroid gland stores most of the iodine, almost 60%. This element has numerous health benefits and it is vital for the thyroid gland to work normally and, consequently, it improves the body’s metabolic processes. At the same time, iodine eliminates the toxins and helps the system synthesize minerals like silicon and calcium. The iodine deficiency can lead to severe conditions such as fatigue, depression, coarse skin, mental retardation, decreased fertility, poor perception levels and abnormal weight gain.

The most beneficial sources of iodine are the marine animals and plants (brown seaweed kelp, cod, canned tuna, sea bass, lobster, shrimp etc.), spinach, garlic, soybeans, lima beans, sesame seeds and summer squash. You can also consume iodized salt instead or regular salt. The main health benefits of iodine are:

Boosts the Energy Levels

Iodine helps the body utilize the calories efficiently and transform them into energy. At the same time, this element prevents the conversion of calories into excess fat, thus promoting weight loss.

Strengthens the Immune System

A proper quantity of iodine is able to boost the immune system. This substance is able to eliminate the free radicals and, at the same time, to promote the antioxidants’ activity and help your body fight against health problems like cancer and heart diseases. Various studies conducted on rats have even demonstrated that iodine protects the brain cells and fills the cell membranes with fatty acids so as to leave the free radicals aside.

Prevents Cancer

Iodine’s primary health benefit is that it has anti-cancer properties. Numerous researches have shown that when injected with iodine, the cancer cells shrink and some of them even die. Moreover, iodine promotes the growth of new and healthier cells. Iodine has been tested on the carcinoma cells that cause breast cancer and the result was that this substance can induce the automatic cell death. Iodine can also prevent thyroid cancer and can even cure it if it’s in the initial stages.

Detoxifies the Organism

Iodine can help you eliminate the harmful toxins such as mercury, fluoride, biological toxins or lead. So, iodine is extremely beneficial in detoxifying your organism. Furthermore, it has antibacterial properties and it can kill the Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that can cause various stomach diseases including gastric cancer.

Combats Hypothyroidism

This condition occurs when the thyroid gland is under-active and it progressively slows down the bodily processes. Because of this disease, your body won’t be able to control the chemical balance. Hypothyroidism leads to weight gain because your organism will not be able to burn off the food calories. This disease is also characterized by leg swelling, fatigue, cramps, constipation, trouble concentrating and dry skin. Increasing the iodine intake can keep you safe from this condition and can also boost the hormonal activity helping you get rid of the extra weight.

Iodine is beneficial in many other cases and it can help you have healthy teeth, hair and nails and fight against the fibrocystic disease and the goiter disorder.