THE need to eat nourishing foods in order to
enjoy unbroken cycle of good health cannot be overemphasized. While some people
make do with all sort of
supplements, experts advise that we get the larger percentage of our
nutritional needs from the food we eat.
Apart from vitamins and minerals,
another important nourishment we must derive from our foods is iodine, a trace
element that is naturally present in many foods. It could also be added to
others, while it is also available as a dietary supplement.
When a woman is pregnant, the foetus requires
iodine for proper development of the skeleton and the central nervous system.
And even after the baby is born, as an infant, he still needs this
all-important mineral for the development of the brain; otherwise the growing
baby might develop cretinism – a thyroid-hormone deficiency resulting in
stunted physical and mental growth.
Consultant nutritionist, Dr. Florence Okwusi,
says iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of preventable mental
handicaps, and it is needed for normal metabolism of cells.
She says, “Humans need iodine for normal thyroid
function and for the production of thyroid hormones. Without enough iodine, the
thyroid cells and the thyroid gland become enlarged, and that is why we
encourage people to take diets that are rich in iodine.”
She also says iodine deficiency happens more
often in women than in men, and is more common in pregnant women and older
children.
Indeed, scientists at Linus Pauling Institute,
Oregon State University, USA, contend that globally, iodine deficiency is now
accepted as the most common cause of preventable brain damage!
As humans, our bodies need sufficient quantity
of iodine for our thyroid gland to function optimally. The thyroid gland
controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how
sensitive the body is to other hormones.
Iodine plays a huge role in regulating our
immunity to diseases; and for women, it can help in staving of certain breast
conditions which, though are not necessarily dangerous but can be painful and
inconvenient.
According to experts at Washington University
School of Medicine, one of such breast issues is fibrocystic breast disease – a
non-cancerous condition in which a woman has painful lumps in her breasts. They
warn that although fibrocystic breasts are not dangerous, the condition can
make the detection of breast cancer more difficult.
The other one is mammary dysplasia, a common
condition marked by benign changes in breast tissue. These changes may include
irregular lumps or cysts, breast discomfort, sensitive nipples, and itching.
As important as iodine is to human existence, it
is present in the soil; and where the soil is iodine deficient, people who eat foods
harvested from such soils will develop diseases that result from iodine
deficiency, such as fatigue, high cholesterol, lethargy, depression, and
swelling of the thyroid gland (goiter).
That is why many countries – including Nigeria –
have embarked on salt iodization programmes in a bid to reduce the possibility
of iodine deficiency.
But then, we’ve also been warned to minimize our
salt consumption in order to reduce incidence of high blood pressure, heart
disease and stroke. Yet, when you don’t have enough iodine in your body, it
affects the way your thyroid gland (found in the neck) functions. It can lead
to quite a lot of diseases, such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto’s
thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer.
Experts at Harvard School of Public Health warn
that symptoms of thyroid disease include weight loss or gain, hot flashes,
fatigue, constipation, dry skin, etc. Therefore, you need just the right quantity
of iodine to keep healthy; and when you derive it from natural sources (as in
your foods), you are certain that you can’t overdose on it. Some iodine-rich
foods include the following:
Baked
Potatoes
Nutritionists advise that if you want to enjoy
the iodine content of this root crop, you should bake your potatoes instead of
frying it. This is because all the dietry staples such as fibre, vitamins and
potassium are contained in the skin. When you bake therefore, you are able to
retain the essential nutrients.
Milk
Apart from the calcium and the Vitamin D present
in milk, it also a good source of iodine. Take it with tea, oats, or as a plain
beverage – hot or cold. Yoghurt and cheese are other dairy products that also
give iodine.
Cod Fish
Apart from being a rich source of protein,
calcium, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin E, cod fish also features an
abundance of iodine. Salmon and tuna are other iodine-rich fish.
Shrimp and
Lobster
Generally, the seafood is a great source of
iodine, but the shrimp and lobster are the richest of them all if you must get
this mineral in reasonable quantity. They are available all the year round, whether
fresh or dried. However, eat them in moderation because of their high calories.
Baked
Turkey Breast
Again, sensible cooking is what will enable you
to get your required iodine content. Bake – instead of frying – your turkey
meat.
Boiled
Eggs
For an adult, depending on body weight, one or
two large hard boiled eggs will do – except if you already have high
cholesterol level; for children one year and over, just one egg will do at any
time. It makes an excellent combination with oatmeal.
Bananas
A medium-sized banana is all you need to get
your daily requirement of iodine. That doesn’t mean that you can’t eat more of
it as pleases you, though.
Go Green
Green, leafy vegetables are healthy sources of
nutrients and vitamins that are essential for you to maintain good health.
Also, try seaweed, as it’s the best source of iodine.
Source:
iodinedeficiency.wordpress.com
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