Diet is a key factor in managing thyroid disease. The right diet can help to regulate hormone levels, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy cell growth. Yet, finding the correct diet can be a challenge since each person's needs vary depending on their body type and the severity of their condition. Here is a healing diet for thyroid disease to improve thyroid function and alleviate symptoms.
A few years back I was feeling tired more than usual and couldn't figure it out. I also noticed that my hair was falling out, my skin was dry, and I felt cold often. So when I went for my yearly checkup, I asked my doctor to screen me for hypothyroidism. As you may have guessed, the tests came back positive.
My doctor prescribed Levothroid, a synthetic thyroid hormone, but I wasn't so keen on taking it for LIFE! And, it didn't seem like it was addressing the root cause of my low thyroid.
Almost immediately I began researching a healing diet for thyroid disease as a starting place to help get my thyroid back on track. I felt if I caught it early enough, I might be able to reverse it or even completely cure the disorder.
What Is The Thyroid?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck. Its part of the endocrine system and its job is to release hormones that control your metabolism.
The main thyroid conditions include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto’s disease, and Graves disease.
These health conditions affect:
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Body temperature
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Energy level
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Weight
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Muscle strength
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Cholesterol
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Sleeping patterns
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Concentration
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Memory
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Heart rate
Symptoms of a Low Thyroid
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Feeling cold all the time
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Fatigue
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Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
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Muscle or joint problems that are slow to heal
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High cholesterol despite having a good diet
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Insomnia
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Difficulty focusing
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Dry skin
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Hair loss
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Depression or sadness
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Brittle fingernails
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Irregular menses
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Low sex drive
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Problems with fertility
Symptoms of a High Thyroid
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Rapid weight loss
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Nervousness, anxiety
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Difficulty sleeping
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Fatigue, muscle weakness
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Changes in menstrual patterns
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Rapid pulse
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Infertility
Best Foods and Diet For Thyroid Disease
Your Thyroid Needs Nutrition to Heal
First, let's look at the thyroid healing foods you should eat from a nutritional perspective.
To treat a thyroid condition, you need to cut out problematic foods and increase nutrient-dense healing foods.
Antioxidants
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Bell peppers
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Tomatoes
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Raspberries
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Cranberries.
Selenium
Selenium is a type of enzyme that can help improve the way your thyroid hormones are functioning. This can help prevent and reduce the symptoms caused by thyroid conditions.
You can find Selenium in nuts and seeds, particularly with Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds. To reduce your salt content, try to get the unsalted and raw version.
Tyrosine
As far as amino acids go, tyrosine is a good one to have in your body. You can get this amino acid from most types of meat and fish, cheese, eggs, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. It is also in soy, but if you have hypothyroidism, you should cut back on your soy content.
Calcium
It is also good to have more calcium in your body, not just for your bones but for your thyroid gland as well. If your body digests dairy well, you can drink organic milk. But, if not, sardines and salmon are also a solid source of calcium.
Lean Protein
Adding more lean protein to your diet like free-range turkey will support your thyroid. If you have hypothyroidism, lack of energy is likely a major side effect, which lean protein can help with. But, if you are losing weight from hyperthyroidism, having high amounts of protein can help you too.
Omega-3s
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Sardines
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Salmon
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Walnuts
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Brussel Sprouts
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Cauliflower
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Tofu
Superfoods For Thyroid Healing Diet
Coconut
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Regulates metabolism
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Helps to control blood sugar
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Promotes healthy skin
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Boosts brain function
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Supports proper thyroid function
Leafy Green Vegetables
Root Vegetables
You may eat all root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, etc.,
Fermented Vegetables
Fermented foods are good for you. They are rich in probiotics and healthy acids, so eat them daily. Sauerkraut is an excellent choice. Chose a brand prepared in a traditional way that does not have preservative like sodium benzoate.
Cruciferous Veggies
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Broccoli
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Cauliflower
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Kale
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Brussel sprouts
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Rutabaga
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Cabbage
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Bok choy
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Turnips
- Kohlrabi
These vegetables, especially broccoli and cauliflower, help decrease the production of thyroid hormones.
But, if you have an underactive thyroid, you want to avoid the raw version of cruciferous vegetables. So, make sure you cook these vegetables because they are goitrogens.
Discover the Ayurvedic wisdom in Thyroid Imbalance Conditions
Sprouts
Clover, broccoli sprouts, alfalfa sprouts offer high nutrition and phytochemicals. It is highly recommended you eat them often.
Fruit
Fruit is a wonderful source of phytochemicals. But because it's much higher in sugar than vegetables, aim to eat no more than two servings per day.
Peaches and strawberries are two potential goitrogens, so be sure you don't have a sensitivity or reaction to them.
Meat and Poultry
Bone Broth
Rich in minerals, amino acids, and gelatin, bone broth is very healing for the gut and will support the health of your thyroid. You can learn how to make healthy bone broth here.
Fish
Gluten-free Grains
Dairy Products
Another common food trigger for the thyroid is dairy. The most common reactions are bloating, diarrhea and acid reflux, but there are other related symptoms like asthma, mucus, postnasal drip, and skin issues. The thing is unless you go off dairy for at least 2-3 weeks, it's impossible to know if you have a sensitivity or not.
Ghee (butter with the milk solids removed) is an excellent fat option. You can find more healthy milk alternatives here.
Eggs
Nuts & Seeds
Brazil nuts are another superfood when you have a thyroid condition. Brazil nuts have selenium, which helps with your thyroid, skin, body weight, and liver.
Chocolate
Dark chocolate has magnesium and zinc and is a rich source of polyphenols which are beneficial for cardiovascular health. Aim for at least 70 percent cocoa. You can have up to two ounces per day.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil
If you're unable to eat fish once per week, take cod liver oil. Processed at cold temperatures, fermented cod liver oil is prepared in a traditional fermentation process. It is rich in vitamins A, D, and K also has omega-3 fatty acids. Because FCLO is food, it is safe for long-term use, unlike fish oil supplements. It's available in capsule or liquid form.
Spices and Seasonings
Foods to Avoid If You Have a Thyroid Disease
Now that you know a little more about the foods and nutrients that support your thyroid condition, you need to know about the foods you should avoid.
Soy
Sugary Foods
- Maple syrup
- Raw honey
- Molasses
- Stevia
- Aspartame
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame
- Potassium
Fatty and Fried Foods
Like sugar, fattening foods or anything that fried is adding a lot of fat and calories without nutrition. These foods are unnecessary and make it harder to control your weight when you have a thyroid condition. Try to avoid anything fried or made with a lot of oil, mayonnaise, or butter.
Corn
The next food you should cut back on is corn. Most corn is genetically modified, processed, nutrient-poor, and high in carbohydrates and sugar. This includes fresh corn and all products made from cornmeal or corn flour. These would be foods like polenta, popcorn, corn chips, and corn tortillas.
Peanuts
Ayurveda considers peanuts poison. They are highly allergenic, and often genetically modified. Peanuts are not nuts anyway. They are a legume.
Oils
- Transfats
- vegetable seed oils,
- Margarine
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Canola oil
- Safflower oil
- Cottonseed oil.
Tips For Creating Meals for Thyroid Healing Diet
With this information, you are ready to start putting together balanced meals. You can use your Ayurvedic body type to further customize your thyroid diet. This will result in a diet for thyroid disease that is most optimal for you personally. To find out what your unique body type is, find out here:
Thyroid Healing Diet – How Much to Eat
What Else Can You Do to Support an Underactive Thyroid?
Detoxify Your Liver
Maybe you are asking yourself what your liver has to do with your thyroid?
The answer is, “lots!”
Your liver is a very important organ, as one of its roles is to filter blood and detoxify it as it passes through the liver. Therefore, it is the main detoxification organ in your body, as everything you consume (alcohol, medication, etc.,) eventually makes its way through your liver. Your liver is also responsible for converting the T4 (Thyroxine) hormone into the more active T3 form.
Conclusion of Diet for Thyroid Disease
Thyroid imbalances contribute to fatigue, weight gain, low moods and sex drive and problems with concentration. And pharmaceutical drugs don't address the root cause of low thyroid. This means you are likely to experience health issues that may become harder to treat in time.
So, what's the solution?
His course combines modern integrative and natural medicine, so you have a path to heal your thyroid with the right nutrition, herbs, detox, and lifestyle practices.
Personal Testimonial
I recently took Dr. Akil's online course, and it was an enormous help! In fact, it was 100 times more helpful in healing my thyroid than I received from 5 appointments with my primary care doc!
I feel more energetic, my skin has improved, and my hair is no longer falling out. I'm scheduled to have blood tests done again next month, but judging by the way, I'm feeling I'm confident my blood tests will come back healthy.
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The information presented here is in no way meant to serve as medical advice. It is merely information and opinion. All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or health care provider. If you are experiencing symptoms of any kind, please consult with your physician.
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This is all so informative, and I love the layout, the subheadings, the images…and well, just about everything 😉
Although I don’t have an autoimmune illness, I can see the benefits of adopting such a healthy diet lifestyle.
I personally know 2 people who have Hashimoto’s – my sister-in-law and an older friend of mine. Both have turned their backs on conventional medication (pharmaceutical drugs) and are taking a holistic approach to dealing with the root of all their symptoms.
I’m going to share your page with them because there are some things you highlighted above that they don’t know about.
Thank you for taking the time to write all the content above.
Judi
Thanks so much for taking the time to read the post, Judi… and I do hope the information will help your family and friends. I suffered from hypothyroidism for a few years before I found the information to help me, so I hope to spare others! Blessings to you!
I’ve had thyroid disease for most of my life. I take medication but I also should be more mindful of nutrition and how to nourish my gland. I’d heard of some of these like coconut, and avoiding soy, but I hadn’t heard of selenium being good and corn being bad. thanks for the heads up and great info!
I’m glad you found the information helpful and hope you can use it to heal your thyroid condition, Penelope!
My two youngest daughters (10 and 11) have Type 1 Diabetes and Thyroid disorder. Their diagnosis’ has changed our lives!! The information on this website is SO helpful. The food recommended are also diabetic friendly. Thank you!
Dearest Keri, Thanks for taking the time to acknowledge. We’re so pleased you found the information useful. Take good care always