OpenRoad Driver Volume 11 Issue 1 | Page 73

Volume 11 Issue 1 » 73 THINGS TO ENCOURAGE Second, we must provide for the thyroid what it needs to function optimally. • Iodine. Our bodies do not make iodine, so it must be obtained from our diet. TIP: The best sources of iodine are sea vegetables, so enjoy kelp, nori and wakame. Seafood, pastured milk and eggs, navy beans and baked potatoes are also good sources of iodine. • Selenium. This mineral is needed to convert T4 to T3. TIP: Good sources of selenium include brazil nuts, liver, seafood and shellfish including oysters, mussels, crab and lobster. • Coconut oil. This seems to aid thyroid function. TIP: Incorporate coconut oil as a medium-chain fatty acid to support thyroid function. • Rest. You will probably be surprised to find your temperature and pulse climb after you rest. TIP: When you are tired, have a rest. Even if it is only for 15-20 minutes. • Weight train. This builds more mitochondria, our cellular engines, which in turn boosts metabolism. • Fuel mix. Establish the right kind of fuel mix – the right ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates – at each meal and snack to allow for optimal metabolism at the cellular level. Our cells burn fuel cleanly only when the ratio is right for our biochemistry. For example, cells can’t function optimally if they are starving for protein and fats, while swimming in excess carbohydrate. TIPS: Just like a truck needs a different fuel mix than a sports car, the fuel mix that is right for one person will be wrong for someone else. There is no one-size-fits-all. People whose ancestry is from colder climates probably need a higher ratio of animal foods to plant foods compared to those from the tropics. The best way to determine your ratios is to log your meals, and take your temperature and pulse half an hour after your meal. If your food choices and ratios were good for your biochemistry, your temperature and pulse will go up. If you need help with this, contact me at [email protected]. TIP: Incorporate weight training into a regular exercise program. A trained professional can help establish the proper program for you. VRENI GURD w a s t h e t o p g r a d u a t i n g s t u d e n t i n P H E f r o m t h e Un i v e r s i t y o f To r o n t o in 1992, and is continually furthering her education in exercise, nutrition and h e a l t h . A s a C . H . E . K . 3 p r a c t i t i o n e r a n d h o l i s t i c l i f e s t y l e c o n s u l t a n t , Vr e n i ’ s c u r r e n t Va n c o u v e r p r a c t i c e i n v o l v e s h e l p i n g c l i e n t s f e e l b e t t e r t h r o u g h p o s t u r e c o r r e c t i o n , corrective exercise, metabolic typing, and nutrition and lifestyle counseling. [email protected] www.wellnesstips.ca