Take this simple quiz to see if you may have low thyroid function:

1. You’re convinced that winters have become much colder than they used to be, and the summers hotter!
2. The dryer has shrunk all of your clothes.
3. The ability to balance your checkbook is a thing of the past.
4. Your memory has given out. Post-it notes rule your life.
5. You’re sure that everyone is out to get you or is trying to drive you crazy.
6. Everyone around you seems to have an attitude problem.
7. You’ve revised your definition of a great night in bed to eight hours of medication-free sleep.
8. Your friends have started to roll their eyes whenever you start to say something.
9. Your husband and children are suddenly agreeing to everything you say; or, alternatively, your husband and children have turned into complete idiots.
10. You don’t care where your husband goes anymore (or with whom), just as long as you don’t have to go with him.
11. You have stopped trying to hold your stomach in, no matter whom you run into.
12. You’ve given up every bad habit you used to have and you still don’t feel well.
13. Almost everything hurts, and anything that doesn’t hurt doesn’t seem to work.

In all seriousness, if you answered yes to even one of these questions, you’ve experienced firsthand how important a healthy thyroid is to a sound mind and body. Though there are many other possible explanations for any of these phenomena, all of them could be explained by thyroid dysfunction. As you’ve begun to see, the thyroid affects everything from emotional equanimity, which keeps us from flying off the handle at the slightest little thing, to mental functions like being able to concentrate and remember things, to countless physical effects, from energy level to weight to immune function.

The following tips can help you optimize or restore your thyroid function:

• Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located underneath your Adam's apple. It serves a vital function by converting iodine from the foods you eat into thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for weight regulation, fertility, growth, metabolism, energy and regulation of your body temperature. If your thyroid isn’t working properly, these body functions also won’t work properly. You must have enough iodine in your diet for optimal thyroid function. Most table salt in the U.S. is supplemented with iodine so don’t cut salt out of your diet entirely, or if you do, take supplemental iodine. Kelp (from seaweed) is a good iodine supplement and can be found at any health food store.
• When making food choices, skip things that are rich in chemicals and highly processed. The right balance of fat, protein, and complex carbohydrates is critical to thyroid function. The percent of each should be approximately:
  37% complex carbohydrates (mainly vegetables)
  37% protein
  26% fats

The key to eating for optimal thyroid support is eating all three key elements—fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates—at every meal. Eating too much or too little of any one of these things will get you into trouble. Stay away from low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets, as they cause swings in blood sugar levels. But don’t cut back completely on carbohydrates because complex carbs are an essential component of a healthy diet. They are critical to brain function, as your brain can’t use proteins or fats for fuel—only carbohydrates.

• Even with the best of diets, you may be deficient in certain nutrients needed for optimal thyroid function. A good preventative measure is to take a good multivitamin and mineral supplement. To make and utilize thyroid hormones, you also need adequate levels of the following nutrients: Calcium, Chromium, Coenzyme Q10, Copper, Folic acid, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Omega-3 fatty acids, Selenium, Tyrosine, Vitamin A, Vitamin B (including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Zinc.
• Fatty acids are also critical to function of the thyroid, which effects oxygenation of cells, healthy skin and hair, metabolism and lipid regulation, hormone formation, and muscle function. They are anti-inflammatory and instrumental in digestive and intestinal health and immune function. Fatty acid imbalances and deficiencies are common in societies like ours that consume a lot of processed foods, simple carbohydrates, and hydrogenated fats. Essential fatty acids are vital for nerve and brain function because fatty acids constitute 70% of our brain and nerve tissue. It’s important to eat enough Omega-3 oils found in fish oil and flaxseed oil.

Kathryn R. Simpson, M.S. is a former biotech executive turned bio-researcher and author. Her books include The Perimenopause & Menopause Workbook , The Women’s Guide to Thyroid Health , and the upcoming The Adrenal Workbook (New Harbinger 2011). Her website is www.HormoneResource.com.