Balance Your Thyroid With the Right Foods

Some foods are great for your thyroid function; others, not so much. If your thyroid is out of whack, try to eat more of the following thyroid-boosting foods.

• Deep-sea fish: Fish like Pacific salmon, herring, sardines, and anchovies are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and iodine, both of which are essential to efficient thyroid function. 
• Monounsaturated fats: Olive oil, avocados, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds are chock-full of monounsaturated fats, which are good for your thyroid as well as your heart. 
• Selenium-rich foods: Whole grains, wheat germ, and Brazil nuts are great sources of selenium, which helps convert the metabolically inactive form of thyroid hormone to the active kind. 
• Zinc-rich foods: The zinc found in beef, lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, green peas, and boiled spinach helps stimulate the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), a substance released by the pituitary gland that spurs your thyroid gland into action.