Hypothyroid Diet – Foods That Help and Foods To Avoid
Posted: Monday, September 11, 2006
by Alison Cassar
http://whydoifeeltired.com
Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) can remain undetected for years. People commonly have the symptoms of hypothyroidism even though their blood tests indicate that their thyroid function is ‘normal’. This is because standard pathology tests for thyroid function can have difficulty detecting ‘sub clinical’ cases of hypothyroidism. The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are chronic tiredness, constipation, feeling the cold and dry skin. If you are in a high risk category for thyroid dysfunction - have a family member with a thyroid condition (especially your mother); are at the menopausal age; have experienced lots of stress in the past two-three years; or have hormonal imbalances - then it’s important that you support your thyroid, even if the tests tell that your thyroid is ‘normal’. One of the best ways to support thyroid function is with diet.
These include:
Tyrosine-rich foods. The amino acid tyrosine combines with iodine to make the hormone thyroxine. These foods include meat, fish, turkey and chicken breast, low fat milk and yogurt, almonds, avocado, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, lentils. Supplements of tyrosine should be taken on an empty stomach or with other carbohydrate foods so that it doesn’t have to compete with other amino acids.
- Iodine-rich foods. Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones. Ideal food sources include Celtic sea salt, seaweed (sushi, nori rolls), salt water fish and sea food. Iodized salt is available but should be used in small amounts once or twice a week along with a good quality Celtic sea salt. Iodine supplements are usually in the form of kelp tablets. Consult your health practitioner before using these, because the wrong dose can unbalance your thyroid.
- High quality protein. All of our body’s glands and hormones are made from protein. Try to eat high quality lean protein at every meal.
- Selenium-rich foods – meat, chicken, salmon, tuna, seafood, whole unrefined grains, brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, dairy products, garlic, onions and black strap molasses.
- Supplements of Vitamin B complex and essential fatty acids because they help to balance the entire hormonal system.
- Sunlight – while not a food, its important to get a daily dose of safe sun. Light stimulates the pineal gland, which in turn positively affects the thyroid as well as all the other endocrine glands.
These include:
- Soy products. Isoflavones are hormone-like substances found in soy products. High consumption of soy products have been found to suppress thyroid function in some people and can even cause or worsen hypothyroidism. In particular, an isoflavone called genistein, appears to reduce thyroid hormone output by blocking the activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones.
- Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mustard, rutabagas, kohlrabi, and turnips. Isothiocyanates are the category of substances in cruciferous vegetables that have been associated with decreased thyroid function. They appear to reduce thyroid function by blocking thyroid peroxidase, and also by disrupting messages that are sent across the membranes of thyroid cells. Cooking these vegetables does make the isothiocyanates less available. Also, because they are so good for us in other ways, only restrict this group if you have been actually diagnosed with hypothyroidism or have strong symptoms.
- Low progesterone goes hand in hand with low thyroid, so avoid foods that promote oestrogen dominance. This includes any animal product that has not been produced organically (chicken, eggs, dairy, beef, lamb, pork, etc.). All of these foods are available organic.
- It is believed by some researchers that chlorine and fluoride (found in most tap water) block iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, eventually leading to hypothyroidism.
- Gluten is linked to thyroid dysfunction (both hyper and hypo thyroid) so if you have any digestive problems or any one in your family with a gluten sensitivity, it would be worth dramatically reducing your gluten intake.
Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.
Alison Cassar is a naturopathic practitioner and nutritionist and runs a busy clinic in Sydney, Australia. Her particular interest is chronic tiredness as it’s a very common presenting symptom in clinic. Her website and e-book www.whydoifeeltired.com explores the many causes of tiredness as well as solutions and prevention.
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More commentsI was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 3 years ago. I take Naturethroid or Westhroid thyroid medicine. It's really helped me keep my weight down. Others that I know on Synthroid seem to have more trouble losing weight. I do cardio almost everyday, 45 minutes to an hour. I also eat very clean organic protein. No soy, corn, dairy or wheat. I will have brown rice, brown rice flour etc. I suggest getting to a doctor, I go to a Naturopath, who can figure out if you have any digestive or food allergies. I'm also on Evening Primrose Oil which has helped my skin and hair. I am also on Thyroforte by Evergreen which has helped me decrease my medication from 3 1/2 pills a day to 2 pills. My thyroid made me miserable for a long time so I wanted to share my experience to hopefully help someone not go through this.hey i got diagnosed with thyroid 6 years backand i m on synthroid and i have major issues with my weight. i go to gym regularly n workout for good 30 to 45 mins and more sometimes but even loosing a pound seems so hard. i have been gaining weight little by little every year n no matter what i do it just gains. i m so frustrated n every time i tell my doctor he tells me to workout more n eat well and i do eat well. i eat very healthy, no wheat, corn,soy anything. but i do eat yoghurt or milk rest.What do you do for a workout routine? I hate to break this to you, but 30 minutes or even 45 minutes is not really enough if you're trying to lose weight while fighting hypothyroidism. A good program should include 75 to 90 minutes at least 4 or 5 times a week. It might take some time to get to this point, but try going from 45 minutes to 60 minutes, etc. Within each workout, start with a short 10 to 15 minute cardio warm-up, then 30 minutes weight training circuit (trying not to sit during this time), then finish with 30 to 45 minutes cardio. The weight training circuit should emphasize major (larger) muscle groups. Squats, deadlifts, chest presses, etc are all good. Bicep curls won't help much. A program like this will have significant impact on the effectiveness of your weight loss results.
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism over a month ago. My doc has prescribed thyroxine 12.5 mcg which i take daily.
I seem to be suffering with breathing difficulties which although started before i got diagnosed but lately seem to have worsened. I have to make such an effort to breathe sufficiently, as if there is some heavy weight preventing me from breathing in fully.
Has anyone else experienced something similar??? And did u manage to find anything that actually helped?
I would really appreciate yr comments as I am desperately trying to find what to do!!!I experienced this about 5 or 6 yrs ago. I worked hard to get more cardio over the years and now this is completely gone. I was able to notice significant improvements in breathing within one season or several months of consistent effort. Your results will vary depending on your age, how often you work out, etc.
This article contradicts itself.
My doctor says my thyroid is normal but my symptoms tell me otherwise. My eyebrows have almost 1/2 disappeared, my weight has not gone down even though I exercise 4 times a week for 1 hour doing cardio and weights. I am on diet all the time but I do not see any change to my health. My Dr does not prescribe anything for me and I am very depressed when I look at myselfIve had the same problem with worse symptoms . It has taken 7 months of arguing & going through 4 doctors to finaly see a specialist , who has confirmed I have hypothyroidism & is finally doing the correct blood tests ( out of intrest I have asked for a copy of my previouse numorouse blood tests to be printed & given to me , only to find out 3 of the 4 drs had looked me in the eye & lied saying blood tests had come back fine & it was all in my head & i need to see a shrink & go on strong antidepressants !!!! ...when in fact they came back as abnormal , with drs comment at the top of each page 'tell patient normal ' ) All I can say is if things get worse , dont let the dr fob you off , & demand copies of your blood tests . GOOD LUCK
I was diagnosed at the age of 35 and began taking synthroid then. I dropped 30 lbs in 3 months with no alteration of diet or exercise. The fatigue has been my major struggle, although many other symptoms have been present even WITH the medication...many symptoms I did not even realize were related to my thyroid. At 38 I became pregnant and had a healthy full term baby...that's when my thyroid REALLY went haywire. The symptoms are too numerous to list. At times I thought I would die. I did have trouble with the breathing at that time for a little while as you describe Angela. It sounds like your dr has started you out on the absolute lowest possible dose and will probably re-check your levels in 3 months. At that time, he will probably increase it. Until he/she gets your levels right, you will not feel any better. Even then, as was mentioned above, it can take up to 3 months for you to feel the full effects of the corrected dosage.
Since the birth of my child, the worst symptom I experience is burning in my spine. Don't know if it's thyroid related or maybe due to the epidural??? Recently, the burning/itching has spread to the joints in my shoulders and now my right knee. It's obvious to me that this symptom is going to continue to spread to all my joints in time if I don't get a handle on it. I had no idea I was supposed to be avoiding certain foods. In an effort to lose weight, I began to eat a lot of vegetables, especially cruciferous. I make (and eat) a vegetable soup that contains tofu, cabbage, celery, carrots, tomatoes, etc. almost every day. In addition when I'm not eating my soup, I eat broccoli and cauliflower several times a week. AAAAaaargh!!!! Maybe if I stop eating these things, my joint pain will subside. Thanks for your article.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 3 years ago, when I was 16, and my thyroid gland isn't just under active - it's "dead", in simple terms. Before I found out, I was depressed (sometimes it still comes back in waves), had bald spots on my head (about the circumference of a golf ball), would lose and gain weight - in up to 10lb incriments - without any change in my diet, and I was sleeping for upwards of 15 hours a day and still had no energy.
Now, I take my medication daily and am extremely physically active - I'm an amateur boxer. I've found that sometimes my weight gets a little out of control, which is hard because I have to make weight all the time, but that when I take really good care of it and eat very, very clean I can maintain a weight - even though most people would drop weight if they ate the way I do. To be honest, it sucks. My skin gets dry and itchy, I get pins and needles all over my body when my anxiety increases, and my hair falls out in clumps. I'm going to go get my blood work done again because a lot of the symptoms are coming back (like before I was diagnosed), so I'm hoping that just an increase in medication will fix a lot of these things, especially so that my weight is easier to maintain.
If anyone has any tips on how to avoid the spurts of weight gain, could you please let me know? It sucks to have to drop weight all the time for fights because my weight unexpectedly spikes.
Cheers,
Kaitlyn
I have been overweight since I had my youngest son 9 yrs ago. I have been trying to lose weight and when i did lose weight and it came right back on. I had my blood work checked 2x about low thyroid and everytime it came normal, but i have never had any problems until I had my youngest son, and now I have the hardest time. I went on extreme weight lose this year and only lost 10 lbs in 6 months, and I was only eating 1300 calories a day and exercising 4 x a week..... any suggestions.
I am so, so tired and I am extremely depressed. I have been seeing 2 of the best endocrinologists in Atlanta, but they will not put me on any medication because my blood tests keep showing my thyroid is "normal". I've been seeing these doctors for two years now and they have prescribed me nothing...they just keep me coming back for more tests, tests, tests and still "normal". 2 tests did show that I have parathyroidism, the formation of a goiter, and cysts on my thyroid, but because the test keeps coming back "normal", they will not prescribe any medication for me. I FEEL SO TIRED EVERYDAY. I feel like I'm dying. Meanwhile, I have two sisters with hypothyroidism and they were feeling like me until their doctors put them on medication. Now they are both losing weight and have energy and are happy. They are many states away and I cannot afford to travel to see another doctor. Any suggestions for any doctor in Atlanta who doesn't rely soley on "normal" test results? I am Begging for help. Please Help. Thanks.Order Source Naturals Raw Thyroid online OR buy from Fred Meyer Nutrition Center/ or another local Nurtrition Center and start taking 3 in am., 3, six hrs later and 3 more six hrs. later or b4 bedtime. I did this 3 days ago and I am starting to feel alive again......I had same symptoms as you and cant get into my Dr. until the 28th of Dec., I needed to do something until then because I felt like I was going to die! There is such a thing as a thyroid coma if it gets real bad, so you need to get raw thyroid in you until you can find a Dr. that WILL listen. Get a new Dr. ASAP oned that WILL treat you off of your symptoms NOT blood tests.
I appreciate this article. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the age of 24. I did not know that I could have and should have been responsible for my own health by researching my symptoms, contacting a physician, and correcting my diet. Instead, I relied only on the advice of a physician. Now, after radioactive iodine treatment I am hypothyroid. I traded on condition for another. Had I taken responsibility for my health and researched what a person with hyperthyroidism needs, I would not be hypothyroid today. I have been taking synthroid for years and have had good and not so good results. I have had two healthy sons since my diagnosis and have had no difficulty with conception, no miscarriages. I am writing because of the comments to find a doctor, rely on the doctor, rely on the synthroid. Research! Find out what is best for you. Yes, go to your physician, but no one should know more about your condition than you. Ask questions. Get second opinions. Visit other primary care physicians besides M.D. like Naturopaths, DO, Chiropractor, and herbalist. MD's diagnose and treat, they don't usually educate and prevent. A lot of them are slaves to the insurance business and pharmaceutical companies and don't think as much about prevention as they should. They have little to no education about nutrition and how good nutrition can help to heal the body. Be informed. Find out what your body needs. Remember, someone made synthroid in a lab, not to say that it is not good, but it is made from something, by people who make mistakes. It could be recalled at anytime. Hopefully not, but 10 years from now we may find out that it may be the cause of this or that or the pharmaceutical companies will find a cheaper way to make something similar and then start to not use synthroid but use "blank". So, I said all of this to say: Don't put your trust in a medication or a physician. Put your trust in God, let Him guide you. Hope this helps. He will help you. He made your body. He knows what it needs.
I really like this article but there is something that contradicts itself in your article. You said Broccoli is good for hypothyroidism then you add it to the foods that are detrimental for it, which one is it?
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