Hypothyroid Dieting

I too was diganosed with hypothyroidism. You have a lot of good remarks below and I just want to reiterate some. Mary Shomom is seem as an expert in the area and has a great book called Living Well With Hypothyroidism. I have also heard (and follow) the advice of not taking the generic medicine. I also have not discovered that the medicine was a magic pill to weight loss (to my dismay) but definitely helped with the tired and fatigue. It will take many months to get to the right dosage and you should work with your doctor on it.
As for the food, I too looked into the idea of cutting out certain foods. When I asked both my doctor and my nutritionist about this, they implied that by taking the medicine, I should be able to eat any foods and not worry about their impact on my thyroid. However, always everything in moderation.
Good luck!

You should join a gym, it will help you get more active as well as give you "me time". I was surprised at how I (now) look forward to going, before I would do anything to avoid going like the plague!
But now I love it, I have more energy and feel better!
Start your meds and join Curves!

I don't know specifics but I remember reading when researching something else for my family that municipalities that have the highest obesity rates also have the highest amounts of flouride in their water and the theory is that the flouride affects the thyroid gland. If your water is flouridated you might consider filtering it out.

We also love a book called "Smart Medicine for Healthier Living" and use it as a starting off point when researching alternative medicine (including diet). It lists the conventional, dietetary, nutritional supplemnets, herbal, homeopathic, acupressure and aromatherapy all together. Each is brief so for a chronic condition you would need to do further research but it has helped us through everything from a cold to my daughter's auto-immune disease.

Diet-wise it reccomends:
The cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, contain a substance that helps suppress thyroxine production. Enjoy these vegetables often. For best effect eat them raw.
Do not rely on iodized salt to obtain the iodine your tyroid galnd requires. FOr thier content of natural iodine, which can prevent goiter, include sea vegetables such as dulse, hijiki, and kombu in your diet. Add them to soups or enjoy them as side dishes.
Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol.

I also reccomend going to your library to find books about diet and thyroid. Ask your reference librarian to help you find them. That is what they are trained to do and they will probably be able to find them much quicker than you as they know the best way to search thier catalog. They will also request books from other libraries for you if yours does not have what you want and of course they will not share your information with anyone. It is against the law.

I would think about the composition of your carbs--potatoes, for example, are starchy. They break down fastfastfast into simple sugars. That's great news if you're an athlete needing good, quick energy. That's not so great for someone whose body is going nuts. Think about you want to slow the process down a bit, so you want whole grains, complex carbs, usually (best) paired with a protein whole grain crackers with a slice of low fat cheese like mozza or laughing cow spreadable kind... Nuts--almonds, for snacks.... a banana, for example, is simple carbs... whole grain bread or apricots are farther down on the scale and more complex. Good luck

I was also recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and shortly after starting the medications, I too, wanted to change my diet to see if the change would be more dramatic. I had other complaints like mild stomach issues, extreme fatigue and muscle and joint pain. I decided on a gluten free diet and am regretting such a quick move since I am having trouble now distinguishing the benefits of the medication levels and my diet. I do feel much better...but again trying both things before giving the synthroid a chance is making me wonder where my energy is coming from. It seems like I would just change my diet back to my old ways....eating my kids leftovers....unfortunately....I don't want to chance feeling aweful again! Hope this helps and good luck to you as you take control of your health!

Hi S.
and congrats to you for wanting to take charge of your health.
Sadly, the mainstream medicine doesn't always advocate nutrition as a viable source of healing oneself... I just wish many mainstream doctors would take more nutrition classes, some have a tendency of wanting to medicate as oppose to educate. Anyway, as you have already found there is MUCH you can to do help your condition, I highly recommend sites like drmercola.com, david wolfe , Dr. Mercola IS a traditional doctor but also believes in alternative cures, David Wolfe is a well known expert on a raw food diet. IF you read some of their articles , it will lead you to other experts in alternative health.
I wish you the best of luck and keep positive, there ARE cures and remedies out there...
oh another website is naturalnews.com

Hello S.,
I would be very cautious trying to self medicate for a hypothyroid. I've been diagnosed for over 10 years with hypothyroid but I believe I've had a problem for about 20 years. After being on the correct dosage of the medication(s) you will see the difference it makes in your life and realize that it's one of the few exceptions to a natural remedy. I've been struggling with finding correct dosage of medication for year and now, after being referred to a specialist and put on the correct two medications, I under stand all the statements about medication being the end all and be all. It truly changed my life!
A few things I've learned about the medication. You NEED to be on the name brand of this medication, generic does not have the same reaction as the name brand does (it's one of the few pills that don't). Take it at the same time every morning, or as close to as possible. Lastly, make sure you take it on an empty stomach. 30 minutes before eating or 3 hours after eating. I have never had an issue with any foods interfering with the medication, everything in moderation.
As for the last of your question, I LOVE Weight Watchers. It taught/teaches me how to make good choices and eat healthy in my every day life.
Best of luck and congratulations on finding your why you are so tired :O)
C.
PS. Once my thyroid medication was correct, I didn't lose any weight. I hoped it was the cause of my weight problem, but it wasn't (just wanted to add that).

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid after my second daughter. The medicine is a godsend. It helped with the fatigue and other side effects. I eat healthy now and have no problems. But I am very careful to take the medicince everyday at the same time.

Mary Shomon has a very good column that is free....she has written several books on thyroid and dieting and is also on Facebook. I recommend subscribing to her newsletter (I copied and pasted an excerpt from one of them below) as she covers diet and thyroid extensively. You can also ask her questions in her column and on Facebook. Namaste,

From: Mary Shomon - About.com Thyroid Disease Guide
Date: 2/27/2009 12:20:17 AM
To: ____@____.com
Subject: About Thyroid Disease: Best, Worst Thyroid Web Sites, UK Controversy

Thyroid Disease

In the Spotlight | More Topics | Refusing Meds? |
from Mary Shomon
Dear Readers, When you type the word thyroid info any one of the popular search engines, the same list of key sites will usually turn up. What do you need to know about the sites? Find out in this issue. Also, the UK's new guidelines prohibiting Armour and making thyroid treatment "optional" at TSH levels up to 10 are causing quite a bit of a stir. See what patients, and some doctors have to say, including one physician who says that that if you don't improve when the thyroid tests return to normal, and you think it's still your thyroid, then you're "deluded!" (Don't you love it?) Live well, Mary

In the Spotlight
Top-Ranking Thyroid Web Sites: The Best, Worst, Pros, Cons

If you do a search on the word thyroid in any of the major search engines, you'll come up with the same list of web sites, including the ATA's Thyroid.org site, the Endocrine Society, Dick Guttler's Thyroid.com, Thyroid Manager, and several others. Some Internet sites on thyroid disease are worth viewing, others...well, not so much. I've taken a look at the top-ranking thyroid-related web sites, their strengths and weaknesses, and what you need to know about the sites and the people behind them.

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UK's Thyroid Guidelines Generate Controversy
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Yes, I Can Conceive! A Letter from a Thyroid Patient
I received a letter today from a reader, Linda, who has been trying to conceive for two and a half years. She has Hashimoto's disease, and is hypothyroid. Find out what she learned, how that information has changed her life, and why she so very much wanted me to reprint her letter to me for to help other women who may be struggling with fertility.

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When Patients Won't Take Their Thyroid Medication

Why Won't Some Patients Take Their Prescribed Treatments?
I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine not long ago. Her 20-something daughter, who had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism several months earlier, had decided that she did not want to take her thyroid medication. The daughter was saying that since starting her treatment, her irregular, scanty periods had become more regular and somewhat heavier. Because she liked the lighter, less frequent periods, she decided to stop her medication. She's decided that the benefits she'd seen since starting treatment -- she'd lost weight, stopped losing hair, and had more energy -- were not worth it. And she's not alone. I've heard from other patients who don't take their thyroid medications. Even Oprah Winfrey famously declared that she stopped taking thyroid medication because she didn't like how it made her feel. So why are people not taking their thyroid medication? And what are some of the dangers or risks of not taking thyroid medication?

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Hi S. B.

I have Hypothyroid. I tried the usual meds from the doctor but I still was tired. They also have long term side affects and are a synthetic drug. I found a book called Is Your Thyroid making you fat? I learned that Armour a natural thyroid med. has been around for over 100yrs has both the T3 & T4 that we need, I asked my doctor about it and they new they just don't prescribe it because it is natural and not from a drug company. I also take the only vitamin supplements that have been written up in the medical journals from Melaleuca. If you need to talk more or wish to find out how to get the vitamins email me at ____@____.com. I now feel like myself again

good luck

Raw milk is an amazing food. I also had a thyroid problem 9 months after my son was born and I am off my medication (which they said I would never be) and totally fine! We drink Organic Pastures. This is such a healing food!

I don't have any experience with hyperthyroidism but I wanted to respond to your question about a diet plan that helps boost metabolism and helps you stay healthy. I am a big fan of the South Beach diet. I have done it twice in the past and lost 20 pounds (over about 3-4 months). I am currently on the diet now to lose my baby weight (my son is 16 1/2 months old and I want to lose 20 pounds again). One reason I mention this diet to you is that it was developed by a heart Dr. in Miami who wanted to help his patients get off of their diabetes medication. I know that this is different than thyroid but the diet did allow many of his patients to go off of their medication. One important thing to know it doesn't promote low carb - but good carb. The only no-carb part is the first two weeks in which you give up all carbs including fruit and alcohol. The good thing is that it breaks your cravings for carbs/sugar and it jump starts your weight loss. I lost about 8-10 pounds primarily of tummy fat the last two times I did the diet. Already, on day 4 for this time around I have dropped 3 pounds - mainly in my tummy. It has encouraged me to stick with it. The other thing that I liked about the diet is all of the great tasty recipes in the books (there is the main book that talks about the diet and then two additional recipe books). Because on the diet you eat a sufficient amounts at meals and snack regularly on food that takes a while to metabolize (i.e. complex carbs and healthy fats and sugars) you don't have the energy ups and downs or crashes after a big carb meal. I have never been more alert than when I am following this diet because of the consistent blood sugar levels. I already am feeling more alert . At the end of the day, it isn't a diet but a lifestyle of healthy eating. If you are interested at all in doing the first part together, feel free to email me for mutual moral support or just more information.

Good luck!

I have hypothroidism also. Once you start the medication, you will feel much better. I have absolutely no side-effects. I know I'm not addressing your question much, but just wanted to let you know a little something about the medication.

Good luck!

Hi,
I suggest you start your meds asap. I also have hypothyrodism and when I take may meds it gives me an energy boost. I take an am dose, and then an afternoon dose. After I take my afternoon dose I really feel a lift for several hours, I think it will really help you. Also, I take natural supplements that help my energy level. I take rhodolia (spelling) and NADH. I also have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Its a wonder I get anything done. Also, try adding magnisium (spelling) and zink. and of course a good B vitamin. good luck to you.

Just eat healthy like you always should, hypothyroid or not.

As soon as you start on your meds (thyroid replacement) you will notice a change within a week. Don't worry about your diet (unless you need to change it anyway).