TYLER TOLMAN BLOG
Mushrooms And Seaweed For Thyroid Health
Mushrooms And Seaweed For Thyroid Health
I just want to say how much I love mushrooms, and more importantly, knowing about the many mushroom health benefits!
I try to eat some everyday because they have so many beneficial properties that you can’t get anywhere else. I’ve used mushrooms as medicine to help countless people over the years so I want to share some of my own experiences working with mushrooms as well as what the research is saying.
When mushrooms are combined with seaweed, you get a powerful combination of nutrients that are fantastic for thyroid health in particular.
Mushrooms and Seaweed in the Treatment of Thyroid Gland Balancing
Many people these days have issues with their thyroid either being Hypo (low function) or Hyper (over active), and both of these imbalances have a massive affect on overall health.
One of the key roles of the thyroid gland is to regulate metabolism, so thyroid issues often lead to problems with weight control. The thyroid also looks after our body temperature and regulates the regeneration of our cells keeping us young and healthy.
One of the best foods for the thyroid gland just happens to be a combination of mushrooms and seaweed.
There are so many mushroom varieties to choose from – crimini, enoki, oyster, portobello, shiitake or white button. All mushrooms are loaded with essential nutrients because of their high content of Vitamin D, selenium and many other anti-oxidant qualities.
Selenium is a mineral that can’t be found in most fruits and vegetables but is present in mushrooms. It helps with liver enzyme function, inflammation and decreasing tumor growth rates. Vitamin D in mushrooms has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
For the seaweed, the best type is from Nori Wraps (vegetarian sushi rolls are perfect!). You can buy these Nori sheets in packs and make your own sushi, or just shred the Nori sheets and add them to a salad, smoothie or soup. You can also buy Atlantic Dulce flakes and add them to pretty much any meal. It’s so simple!
Seaweed contains high amounts of iodine and vitamin B12 which is exactly what the body needs to regulate a healthy thyroid gland.
I have worked with many clients who were taking the drug Thyroxin and other medications for their thyroid. I was able to help them to get off their medication and get their thyroid operating in a balanced way again.
My father, Don Tolman, had three of his clients actually REGROW their thyroid gland, after having it surgically removed, by simply eating 2 cups of mushrooms per day, either lightly cooked or fresh in salads, and eating some seaweed.
Mushrooms as an Immune Regulator
Mushrooms have a ton of benefits besides boosting thyroid health.
Our immune systems do a great job of protecting us, but some conditions are actually caused by inflammation because the immune system is OVER active.
Allergies are a great example of this.
Then you’re in a dilemma between wanting to boost immunity but keep the inflammation processes down. Mushrooms are the answer! This is because they accelerate the secretion of salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA). sIgA can boost immunity without causing an inflammatory response.
A study found that just by eating one cup of cooked button mushrooms everyday for a week, sIgA secretions increased by 50%. Even better the sIgA secretions stayed at those kind of levels for a week even after they stopped eating the mushrooms. Mushrooms are also known to contain phytochemicals like beta-glucan which is a super immune boosting compound.
This is all great information for the elderly or immune compromised, but remember you can’t just eat one cup of mushrooms and expect it to work forever, the results are only there if you keep eating mushrooms as a regular part of your diet.
Mushrooms in the Treatment of Cancer
Mushrooms also have a whole bunch of anticancer properties, from specialised lectins that prevent cancer cells from growing and dividing, to specific enzyme inhibitors that protect against breast cancer.
Plus, mushrooms are super high in selenium which has been identified as a key trace mineral in the treatment of cancers. An analysis of seven studies published last year in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention showed that the higher the level of selenium (measured in blood serum) the lower the risk of bladder cancer.
Just 100 grams of raw crimini have 47% of your daily needs, cooked shiitakes have 45% and raw white button have 17%.
Great Source of Vitamin D - Your Inner Sunshine
Mushrooms are the highest plant source of vitamin D available. You can actually buy a mushroom kit and grow your own… and by putting them in the sun just before picking them you boost the amount of Vitamin D even more. Eating just three mushrooms can get you your daily requirement.
I eat mushrooms almost daily, so go get yourself a variety of mushrooms. Eat them fresh, sauté them or make a burger with a big mushroom instead of using beef. Do whatever you have to do to get some in you as part of your regular diet.
Thanks for reading!
