Another scoop on salt - why you should avoid iodized salt when trying to lose weight.

Trying to get into a healthier physical form can require big lifestyle changes.  We usually only think about exercising more often and eating a more balanced diet, but sometimes we don’t know what affects our weight loss  journal.  Many people get upset and frustrated when nothing seems to work long term, but sometimes the answer is within our bodies all along!  Most importantly, making sure your thyroid hormones work correctly can fundamentally change how you can achieve your ideal weight.

High or low metabolism: the potential answer to your weight issues

First, we need to talk about basic biology.  The thyroid is a gland shaped like a butterfly that's located on the lower front side of your neck.  It's primarily responsible for producing several hormones that regulate your body temperature, growth and development, and plays a vital role in your metabolism .

As you may know from countless health, fitness and wellness circles, your metabolism controls your body's energy use and creation.  There are two main processes involved in this cycle.  Anabolism maintains body tissues and is responsible for energy storage, while catabolism takes care of breaking down components to energize your body .  Therefore, if you have a high metabolism, your body can consume more energy than what you consume.

Many people agree that genetics have a lot of say in how these processes work.  Still, you do have some control over some variables that affect your metabolism.  If you want to increase your chances of succeeding in losing weight, you may want to find out if your thyroid isn’t getting  enough iodine or you’re consuming too much of it.

What is iodine, and where can you find it?

Iodine is a mineral that humans cannot produce by themselves, but we can find it in seawater and some rocks.  It's also commonly found in dairy products and seafood, but we primarily consume iodine through table salt.  Nowadays, there are very few cases of iodine deficiency in the United States due to how often we use iodized salt to season our  meals at home and dining out.

Your metabolism needs iodine to function correctly.  However, a high amount of this mineral can lead to dangerous effects on your health, including thyroid gland inflammation and even thyroid cancer.  This rings particularly true when you already have detected other thyroid problems like hyperthyroidism.  Overall, any changes in thyroidal activity can lead to metabolism issues that make losing weight even more difficult.  If working out and eating healthy isn’t getting you anywhere, perhaps you need to consider your salt consumption.

How to prevent excessive iodine consumption in your diet?

If you're already showing symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, you may want to ask your doctor about the benefit of adopting a low iodine diet .  If you want to make sure your iodine levels are appropriately controlled, one of the easiest ways to do so is by quitting table  salt and, instead, choosing Himalayan salt when cooking at home.  You can usually find high-quality Himalayan salt in regular groceries stores or search at a specialized cooking store.  It has little to no processing and, since it's evaporated from water sources found in the Himalayas, it's devoid of any trace metals and  minerals.

Following a low iodine diet can get very tricky when dining out.  The good news is that some restaurant chains in the U.S.  don’t use table salt to season their meals, like the ones we’re listing below.  However, you should always study their menu beforehand and contact the site directly to make sure they can accommodate your dietary needs. 

• Genghis Grill
• Panera
• Chipotle
• Taco Bell
• In & Out Burgers

PS: If you're interested in losing weight and getting back into your prime shape this year, for a limited time I am extending the invitation for my System Minus 45 Natural Weight Loss Program (which is based on fine tuning and resetting your metabolism, as opposed to calorie counting or workouts) -- for only $1 for the first month: Learn More about the program and how it works.