How indoor air quality affects your thyroid health; know from expert

Indoor air quality affects your health in a multiple ways. Here is how it can have a significant impact on your thyroid function.

We are regularly exposed to unhealthy air. This daily exposure to outdoor pollution, heavy metals, wildfires, indoor air pollution, synthetic fragrances and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can significantly impact our health, especially over time. Infections, lung cancer, and chronic lung disorders like asthma or thyroid issues can all be caused by or made worse by poor indoor air quality. Indoor air quality (IAQ) and wellbeing are closely related. Humans frequently spend their time indoors. A higher quality of life, a decreased chance of respiratory infections, and a lower risk of developing a number of chronic ailments can all be attributed to the availability of clean, healthy air to breathe.

How indoor air quality affects your thyroid health ? Know from expert (istockphoto)

Women's Health Educator and Integrative Health Practitioner, Sara Hainsworth, shared how indoor air quality impacts our thyroid health in her recent Instagram post.

Indoor air pollution:

Indoor air pollution is described as pollution originating from inside the home or infiltrating the home via windows, gaps, air conditioning units, etc. Examples of indoor air pollution include outdoor and indoor smoke, mold, allergens, bacteria, artificial fragrances, chemicals and toxic cleaning products, etc.

Indoor air quality and Thyroid health:

Air pollutants interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and disrupt thyroid hormone action. Air pollution particles can induce cell death and the self-destruction of tissue commonly seen in autoimmune disorders Exposure to harmful air pollutant can lead to an imbalance or deficiency in Thyroid Hormones. Flame retardants (commonly found on children's pajamas and furniture)can also lead to Thyroid imbalances. Exposure to air pollution in early pregnancy may interfere with mother's thyroid hormone function through pregnancy (when the need for thyroid hormone is greater), affect thyroid levels in the unborn child and potentially cause premature birth.

Practical first steps to improving indoor air quality include:-

• Removing shoes before walking through the home
• Opening windows regularly for proper ventilation
• Dusting regularly
• Checking for mold replacing house filters
• Using an indoor air filter

Tips to protect or restore Thyroid function:

• Eat a metabolically-supportive diet to ensure that you are pooping, peeing and sweating daily
• Eat organic, when possible
• Avoid potential glyphosate exposure
• Filter your water and add minerals back in when necessary
• Use liver-supportive herbs like milk thistle and dandelion, Castor oil packs and magnesium

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