We hear about thyroid concerns every day, as women want to understand why they may be having issues that point to faulty thyroid functioning. Do you have symptoms of thyroid dysfunction? Doctors frequently rely solely on blood tests and advise prescription hormone therapy which can leave women at risk for a lifetime of thyroid imbalance, and possibly more serious, even irreversible, thyroid conditions.
Get your thyroid problems treated and prevent long term complications. Start Here !!
The way we eat can actually help, or hurt, our thyroid gland. The nutrients our thyroid needs are easily accessible in many foods and dietary supplements.
WebMD say
Generally, there’s no hypothyroidism diet. Although claims about hypothyroidism diets abound, there’s no evidence that eating or avoiding certain foods will improve thyroid function in people with hypothyroidism.
Certain foods, supplements and medications can have the same effect.
Avoid taking your thyroid hormone at the same time as:
- Walnuts
- Soybean flour
- Cottonseed meal
- Iron supplements or multivitamins containing iron
- Calcium supplements
- Antacids that contain aluminum or magnesium
- Some ulcer medications, such as sucralfate (Carafate)
- Some cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as those containing cholestyramine (Questran) and colestipol (Colestid)
Calcium supplements — or antacids containing calcium — can interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine (Synthroid, Unithroid, others), a synthetic form of thyroid hormone.
Foods that supports our thyroid functioning
The following list offers whole food sources containing the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to help our thyroid stay healthy and work properly.
Iodine
Primary sources:
Seafood: Haddock, clams, salmon, shrimp, oysters, sardines
Iodized sea salt
Secondary sources:
Eggs, spinach, garlic, asparagus, Swiss chard, mushrooms, summer squash, sesame seeds, lima beans
Selenium
Tuna, mushrooms, beef, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, organ meats, halibut, soybeans
Zinc
Beef, turkey, lamb, fresh oysters, sardines, soybeans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, pecans, almonds, split peas, ginger root, whole grains, maple syrup
Copper
Crabmeat, oysters, lobster, beef, nuts, sunflower seeds, beans (white beans, chickpeas, soybeans), shitake mushrooms, pearled barley, tomato paste, dark chocolate
Iron
Organ meats, oysters, clams, spinach, lentils, soybeans, white beans, pumpkin seeds, blackstrap molasses
Vitamin A (beta-carotene)
Broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, kale, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, liver, winter squash/pumpkin, cantaloupe
Vitamin C
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, greens (mustard, collard, kale, turnip), parsley, peppers (chili, Bell, sweet), strawberries, guava, papaya, citrus, kiwifruit
Vitamin E
Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, beans and soybeans, asparagus, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, liver
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Egg yolks, organ meats, wild rice, wheat germ, Brewer’s yeast, mushrooms, almonds
TOI writes –
Virgin coconut oil offers hope for those suffering from hypothyroidism. It contains
medium chain fatty acids, which increase metabolic rate and promote weight loss.
– Avoid artificial sweeteners made of aspartame.
– Avoid peanuts, millet and rapeseed (canola oil)
– Avoid smoking and a high dose of nutrition supplements.
Consumption of sufficient iodine and Vitamin A helps in reversing Hypothyroidism. The recommended dietary allowances(RDA) for iodine is 150 mcg (micrograms) per day for adults.
Avoid salads of raw vegetables made with those of the cabbage family like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. They contain a substance known as goitrogens, which affects thyroid hormones and may lead to goiter. By cooking these vegetables goitrogens can be destroyed and its adverse effects can be reduced.
Increase your water and fibre intake
Hypothyroidism can cause chronic constipation, water retention and edema. Increasing water and fibre intake will help in regularising bowel movements. Increased water consumption will also help in flushing out your lymphatic system, further helping water retention problems.
Thyroid and weight loss
- Foods to eat: Include a lot of carrots,whole grain cereals, avocado, apricots, fish, asparagus, olive oil and sunflower seeds.
- Foods to avoid: Eat less of broccoli, Lima beans, cabbage, peanuts, sweet potato, mustard, kale, kohlrabi, linseed and soy products. These foods may interfere with iodine uptake in the body. Don’t cut these foods out completely, just keep these to a minimum.
Homeopathic Treatment for Long Term Benefits
Though the above dietary advise can help you control thyroid hormones and reduce weight, but for long term benefits and for permanent recovery you will need speciality homeopathic treatment especially developed at Welling Clinic.
Photo by Tobyotter