After a few months of trial and error I have a hypothyroidism diet plan. My new meal plan makes me feel ten times better than when I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism. If you suffer from hypothyroidism wouldn’t it be nice if you could feel better by changing your diet? This article will provide some insights into what foods to avoid with hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism Diet Research
When I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I was prescribed medication. The medicine was supposed to boost my thyroid glands production of thyroid hormones. While this is a common procedure in modern medicine, the drugs had negative effects on my daily life. After a few months of nausea I couldn’t take the discomfort of stomach issues and vomiting. I wanted to see what other potential treatment options existed.
I found that I was like many others looking to make a change. I started to look into possible dietary changes. I looked to see if there were foods that could help or hinder my thyroid hormone production. My research found that foods containing goitrogens are bad for people with hypothyroidism. When I learned which foods contained these goitrogens I cut them out of my daily diet. The results were shocking as I began to feel better and better each day.
What Are Goitrogens and Why Are They Bad
If you are like me, you are wondering what exactly goitrogens are. You are also curious why goitrogens are bad for people with hypothyroidism. Goitrogens are chemicals that interfere with thyroid function. They can are common in many foods and drugs. The chemicals within goitrogens interfere with the thyroid glands ability to produce hormones. The hormones are used for regulating ones metabolism. For people who have healthy thyroids, goitrogens do not negatively impact their systems. In healthy individuals, the thyroid will produce more hormones to compensate the interference. For those with hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland can actually grow additional cells. This is done as an attempt to compensate for the low hormone production. The growth can in time form a goiter which is a swelling of the thyroid gland. The swelling can be seen in the front of the neck when this occurs.
Ten Foods to Avoid With Hypothyroidism
Now that we have discussed goitrogens lets look into what foods to avoid. Many common foods actually contain goitrogens and we will list five foods to avoid and why below.
- Soy
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Turnips
- Brussels Sprouts
- Arugula
- Collard Greens
- Gluten
Each of the above mentioned foods contain goitrogenic elements. These elements impact thyroid hormone production. When it comes to soy products, one must be aware of soy isoflavone genistein compounds. The soy isoflavone compound is believed to compete with thyroid hormones for iodine. This results in blocking the production of thyroid hormones. The vegetables mentioned in the list above all can be clasified as isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates are commonly found in cruciferous vegetables. These isothiocyanates block thyroid hormone production as well. In addition, they can also inhibit thyroid cell membranes. The final and most surprising on the list is gluten. When doing research for this article I found that gluten sensitivity contributes to a lot of autoimmune issues, including hypothyroidism. The main gluten products to avoid with hypothyroidism are rye, wheat, and barley. If you can go completely gluten free, it will be even more beneficial to your diet.
If you must eat any of the foods above, it is important to either limit your amounts in the case of gluten. For other foods on the list, look into how you are preparing your meals. When it comes to the cruciferous vegetables it is better to cook or steam them. The heat alters the molecular structure. This can actually rid the foods of their negative goitrogen effect. In terms of soy, mixing it with foods containing iodine can help. The iodine can offset some of its negative effects on the thyroid. Studies recommend that you avoid the foods listed above to improve thyroid gland production. If you are unable to do so, there are ways to work around the negative goitrogenic effects.
I cut out all of the above foods from my daily diet regimen and feel so much better. If you are interested in learning about more treatment guidelines you should take a look at our other article, my definitive hypothyroidism treatment guidelines. In that post, you will learn natural means of practically eradicating hypothyroidism. The article discusses things I learned from an online guide. The guide is backed by doctors and researchers. You can check out the guide called “The Hypothyroidism Revolution” for yourself. It is a highly rated and successful guide to naturally improve your thyroid function. The author has put in hours of research and findings. He has also conducted studies that have shown improvements in thyroid health. The best part is for those that are skeptical about a natural method of improving the thyroid. The author offers a full money back guarantee! You have nothing to lose, and literally everything to gain by checking it out. Imagine improving your thyroid function naturally without the need of lifelong drug prescriptions. Visit the link now for “The Hypothyroidism Revolution”. You will learn more about this unique and natural remedy to hypothyroidism.