If you included some aspect of health improvement in your New Year’s resolutions, you are in good company as this is typically one of most people’s top ten as it should be.A good place to start is thyroid health as January is Thyroid Awareness month.

The thyroid is the largest endocrine gland in the body. It controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Thyroid Problems are Under Diagnosed

It is estimated that more than 12 million Americans have thyroid disease but the actual number could be even higher due to the fact that many people go undiagnosed their entire lives.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is all too common. It can cause many symptoms including: fatigue, depression, malaise, weight gain, hair loss and more. One form of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s Syndrome. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease meaning the body’s own defenses target the thyroid for destruction. Diagnosing the autoimmune thyroid is done via blood test that looks at key thyroid hormone levels and also thyroid antibodies.

Factors Influencing Hashimoto’s

With Hashimoto’s it is almost impossible to control your thyroid with just medication. If you are suffering from this disease you most likely have gut issues as well. Leaky gut can cause thyroid symptoms to flare up and in turn cause further damage to the gut and small intestines. Therefore it is important to know which foods can cause problems and which foods can help heal this condition.

Gluten intolerance is highly linked to Hashimoto’s. This includes wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn and sometimes even quinoa. Healing the gut becomes essential to healing or controlling the thyroid.

Dietary Suggestions To Help Thyroid Issues

For those of you what are looking for a way to modulate your autoimmune symptoms, know that dietary changes will be important. Here are the foods to avoid.

• ALL sugars and sweeteners, even honey or agave
• High-glycemic fruits: Watermelon, mango, pineapple, raisins, grapes, canned fruits, dried fruits, etc.
• Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and other nightshades
• Mushrooms
• Grains: Wheat, oats, rice, barley, buckwheat, corn, quinoa, etc.
• Dairy: Milk, cream, cheese, butter, whey. Ghee is OK.
• Eggs or foods that contain eggs (such as mayonnaise)
• Soy: Soy milk, soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, soy protein, etc.
• Alcohol
• Lectins: Lectins are a major promoter of leaky gut. Avoid nuts, beans, soy, potatoes, tomato, eggplant, peppers, peanut oil, peanut butter, soy oil, etc.
• Coffee: I realize this is difficult but it’s necessary. Many people with gluten sensitivity react to coffee as if it is gluten. It’s important to eliminate it to be sure it’s not an immune trigger. You can run a cross reactive blood test to be sure.
• Processed foods
• Canned foods

Recommended foods:

• Most vegetables (except nightshades and mushrooms): Asparagus, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, beets, cauliflower, carrots, celery, artichokes, garlic, onions, zucchini, squash, rhubarb, cucumbers, turnips, watercress, etc.
• Meats: Fish, chicken, beef, lamb, organ meats, etc. Best choice is grass-fed and pastured meats from a local farm. Second best is organic. Avoid factory-farmed meats that contain antibiotics and hormones.
• Low glycemic fruits sparingly: Apricots, plums, apple, peach, pear, cherries, berries, etc.
• Coconut: Coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut milk, coconut cream.
• Herbal teas
• Olives and olive oil
• Supplements That Can Help
• It is also important to increase your antioxidant and Vitamin D intake. Remember this is autoimmune and bolstering the immune system can help balance the thyroid. You can work on healing the gut with eating the right foods but there are a few really good supplement regimens that can help this process immensely.
• BetterGenix Biothroid-B
• NuMedica Throxodine
• DaVinci Thyroid Basics
• You may need to reboot your system in a manner of speaking. The Physician’s Elemental Diet has been a life-saver for many.
• If you would like further help with understanding your thyroid or blood testing please give us a call at OVitaminPro.com 877-465-0844