Chances are, you have never heard of this particular mineral in relation to health, longevity and overall wellness.

However, recent research has shown a strong correlation between appropriate levels of this antioxidant, immune-supportive and anti-inflammatory trace mineral and optimal thyroid and gut health.

What is this trace mineral?

Selenium...

Selenium & Your Body

As you know, both the thyroid and gut are extremely influential on a number of key functions in the body including:

• Controlling nutrient absorption (aka getting the most out of your food)
• Regulating metabolism (using that food for energy)

Internal deficiencies in selenium manifest in the form of inflammation and oxidative stress, consequently resulting in damage to the lining of the intestinal tract.  This damage is often referred to as “leaky gut syndrome.”

Leaky gut syndrome is a concern due to the fact that the largest part of the immune system in our body is in the mucosal lining in the gut. If that mucous lining becomes compromised, undesirable substances like, pathogens, toxins, and other types of ‘waste,’ are able to pass through the lining of the gut and enter into the bloodstream.

A sufficient amount of selenium protects your gut’s microflora and helps decrease intestinal permeability.

In addition, selenium acts as a facilitator for the production of the body’s active thyroid hormones….

Picture your body as a giant machine with the thyroid being the lynchpin of the operation.

If the thyroid is distressed, your body’s entire operating system becomes shifted out of balance, causing a cascade of consequences including:

Fatigue, weight management issues, muscle and joint aches, depression trouble sleeping and memory loss.

Overall, selenium is something that is severely lacking from the standard American diet...

Here are a few things you can do to ensure that you are getting the right amount of selenium in your day to day life

Action steps:

Integrate selenium rich into your diet on a regular biases. Some easy, whole food, ways to do this are consuming things like:

Brazil nuts, salmon, tuna and grass fed beef.

Make sure that you always always do your due diligence and see what is right for you!

Everything is about balance and consistency....

Now go and do!

POP QUIZ!

What is the #1 reason why you just cannot lose belly fat?

Is it…

a) You overeat?

b) You are addicted to sugar?

c) You have toxic hunger?

Take the quiz above and see if you got the correct answer!  Figuring out the reason you cannot lose belly fat will definitely change the game for you!

Article Sources:

 Bischoff, Stephan C. Et Al., Intestinal Permeability – A New Target For Disease Prevention And Therapy. BMC Gastroenterol. 2014; 14: 189.

 Drutel A1, Archambeaud F, Caron P. Selenium And The Thyroid Gland: More Good News For Clinicians. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013 Feb;78(2):155-64.

Rayman MP1. The Importance Of Selenium To Human Health. Lancet. 2000 Jul 15;356(9225):233-41.

Selenium. Journal Of Toxicology Clinical Toxicology. 1999 ;37(2):145-72.

Schomburg L1. Selenium, Selenoproteins And The Thyroid Gland: Interactions In Health And Disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011 Oct 18;8(3):160-71. Doi: 10.1038/Nrendo.2011.174.