We are used to thinking that iodine is contained exclusively in marine life: fish, algae, shrimp, mussels, etc.
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Starting September 1, at the initiative of the Ministry of Health of Russia, it is planned to expand the list of products enriched with iodine (including seasonings, pastas, flours, etc.). Now in Russia the salt is iodized, but not all of it. As well as some dairy and bakery products. And buying fortified products is a personal choice for each person.
Why it is necessary to include them in the diet was explained by academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professor and independent chief nutritionist of the Russian Ministry of Health, Viktor Tutelyan:
“Almost all residents of Russia experience a deficiency of certain microelements, and in a number of regions, deficiency states of some microelements reach 60%,” said academician Tutelyan. – Until 1990 all our salt was iodized. There was even a corresponding resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers. This was necessary then and is vitally important now: there is very little iodine in our soil, water and, consequently, in animal meat. In some regions it is critically low. While in the USSR we had iodized salt, there were much fewer problems with thyroid diseases. Iodine deficiency especially affects the mental abilities of children and adolescents under 18 years of age; Their cognitive functions largely depend on the supply of iodine. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, since thyroid hormones affect all organs and systems in the body and if they are deficient, the entire body will suffer. Therefore, it is very important to iodize foods. After all, not everyone in our country still uses iodized salt. But it seems that this is the simplest way to get rid of iodine deficiency.
WHO HAS THE STRONGEST DEFICIENCY
Our permanent expert, doctor endocrinologist Zukhra Pavlova, author of the book “The Deception of Substances”, has spoken more than once about iodine deficiency. These are the factors that contribute to this:
1. Region of residence with iodine deficiency, which is almost all of Russia.
2. Insufficient amount of iodine in food.
3. Pregnancy. And in general, women are more likely to be iodine deficient: this is the curse of gender…
– It is very important to control the iodine content in the diet of a pregnant woman: if the fetus is formed in a state of iodine deficiency, the fetus may suffer from serious malformations of the nervous system, decreased intelligence and deterioration of cognitive functions . Unfortunately, this condition will be difficult to correct, warns Dr. Pavlova.
4. Lack of selenium in the human diet, without which the functioning of thyroid hormones is impaired:
“Selenium participates in the work of enzymes, deiodinases, which convert the negative thyroid hormone, thyroxine, into the active hormone, triiodothyronine,” explains the doctor.
5. Bad habits: smoking and alcohol. They destroy many trace elements and vitamins in the body, including iodine.
6. Excessive consumption of goitrogenic substances (that alter the metabolism of thyroid hormones), for example, phytic acid contained in soybeans or cruciferous vegetables. Soy and cruciferous vegetables are very healthy, they protect against cancer, but it is still not necessary to eat them every day. Well, or compensate for the missing iodine.
7. Take oral contraceptives (they very often reduce the amount of iodine in the body).
8. Age. Also, this time we are not talking about older people: iodine deficiency conditions are more common in adolescents and young people.
WHY DOES THE THYROID SUFFER WHEN THEY LACK IODINE?
– When there is a lack of iodine, the first reaction of the thyroid gland is to enlarge to become larger. To more powerfully absorb all the iodine found in food, explains Zukhra Pavlova. – When the functioning of tissues and their blood supply is altered, fibrotic nodes or formations such as cysts also form. They can be large and small, there may be many of them or there may be one node, but even he is capable of synthesizing many hormones.
Nodules in the thyroid gland can form for other reasons: severe stress, poor nutrition, disruption of circadian rhythms. But the main root cause remains iodine deficiency.
WHERE ELSE TO GET IT EXCEPT SALT?
We are used to thinking that iodine is contained exclusively in marine life: fish, algae, shrimp, mussels, etc. In fact, iodine is found in “earthy” green salads, liver, and walnuts.
– Therefore, eat fish and green salad more often; In autumn, eat ripe persimmon after breakfast or lunch. And all year round: a couple of nuts a day. And yes, iodized salt should be added to dishes prepared on the plate, and not to those cooked over the fire, recommends the endocrinologist.
There is only one exception when you should not get carried away with products with iodine: if a person has hyperthyroidism. In such patients, this element will provoke the progression of thyrotoxicosis, so it is better to completely exclude products with iodine from the diet. But, as a rule, if a person is registered with an endocrinologist, he knows the peculiarities of his diet.
