Many people with thyroid disorders are interested in finding the ideal thyroid diet in an attempt to improve their health. Without question, eating well is one of the factors that can really help when one is following a natural treatment protocol. And in all honesty, even those people with thyroid conditions who are not using natural treatment methods can of course benefit from eating healthy.
A big reason why people with thyroid disorders want to modify their diet is to lose weight. This is especially true with people who have a hypothyroid disorder, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. And while eating well without question is an important component of any weight loss program, someone with a thyroid disorder who has difficulty losing weight needs to realize that in many cases, it is not just eating well and exercise that is essential when trying to lose weight. Many people with thyroid disorders who eat well and exercise and yet still can’t lose weight have hormonal imbalances that need to be addressed.
With that being said, eating well definitely is important, and in addition to the potential weight loss benefits, it will also help keep your blood sugar levels balanced. This will put less stress on your adrenal glands, allow you to digest your food better, help with immunity, and overall lead to greater health.
The First 21 Days Are The Toughest
When I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disorder and began changing my eating habits, I realized from past experience that the first 21 to 30 days were the most important. The reason for this is because for those people who are accustomed to eating junk food on a frequent basis, it will usually take at least 21 days to really make eating healthy your new habit. In other words, if you can make it through the first 21 days without eating junk food, then it gets much easier after this initial period.
Before I proceed, I do want to add that I don’t expect everyone to make these changes immediately, as from self experience I realize how difficult it is go “cold turkey” and make an instant switch from eating junk food to eating only healthy foods. As a result, many people need to take this slow. So for example, someone might begin by simply eliminating all soft drinks from their diets, and only drink pure water. Then they might go on to eliminate the sugary breakfast cereal they’re eating and replace it with a healthy breakfast that is high in protein. Of course if you can make an immediate switch and eliminate all of the junk food at once that’s great, but my point is that it’s perfectly fine to take it slow.
Put Together A Food Diary
Before beginning your thyroid diet, it’s also a good idea to write down everything you eat for at least one week. This not only includes the major meals you eat, but every snack, beverage, etc. This will make you more aware of what you’re putting into your body, and if you’re working with a natural doctor then it will also provide them with valuable information as they assist you in the process of eating healthier. After all, many of us think we’re eating healthy, when in reality we’re eating foods that aren’t too good for us, are difficult to digest, etc.
Hypothyroid diet vs. Hyperthyroid diet
Obviously not everyone has the same thyroid condition, and someone with a hypothyroid disorder might wonder if they need to be on a different thyroid diet than someone who has hyperthyroidism. This is definitely true with regards to some of the nutritional supplements and herbs, as while there is some overlap in this area, people with hypothyroidism will need some different nutritional supplements when compared to people with hyperthyroidism.
When it comes to the foods you consume, for the most part the actual “thyroid diet” will be very similar, with one main difference. Someone who has a hypothyroid disorder does need to be more careful about eating goitrogenic foods, which when eaten in large quantities can inhibit thyroid function. Some examples of goitrogenic foods include broccoli, cauliflower, and soy.
Important Rules To Any Thyroid Diet
In order to keep your blood sugar levels stable, there are three important rules to follow with any thyroid diet. The first is to minimize or completely eliminate refined foods. The reason for this is because refined foods cause a spike in the blood sugar levels, which over a period of months and years will put a great deal of stress on the adrenal glands. While it would be ideal to completely stop eating the refined foods, at the very least try to minimize the amount you consume.
The second rule involves eating breakfast, as while you don’t necessarily need to eat a huge breakfast each morning, you should eat something within the first hour of waking up. This once again will help keep your blood sugar levels stable, and will give you much needed energy to start the day. You want to make sure to incorporate some type of healthy protein, and avoid a high carb breakfast (so no sugary cereals, pancakes, etc.).
The third and final rule is that you should eat regularly, as upon eating breakfast you should try to go no longer than a couple of hours in between meals. Once again, this will help to keep your blood sugar levels stable. And in addition to helping to minimize the amount of stress on your adrenal glands, eating well and keeping your blood sugar levels stable will also make it easier to lose weight, if that is what you’re trying to do. I personally was trying to gain weight when I was on my thyroid diet, so I made sure to eat a good amount of quality protein, but still followed these same three rules.
Here’s What I Eat
Before I list what I specifically eat, keep in mind that this is just an example of what I eat in a single day, as I definitely try to vary this. So by no means am I suggesting you eat the same things I do, but I just wanted to show you what a balanced thyroid diet should look like.
6am: Breakfast: Protein drink consisting of one cup of mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries), two cups of purified water, some high quality protein powder (I use SP complete from Standard Process), some flax seed oil, and one raw, organic egg.
8am: Mid-morning snack #1: one serving of apples
10am: Mid-morning snack #2: ½ cup of raw sunflower seeds
2pm: Mid-afternoon snack #1: a Standard Process protein bar
4pm: Mid-afternoon snack # 2: another protein drink
6pm: Dinner: Organic chicken or turkey, one or two servings of mixed vegetables.
7:30pm: Snack: ½ cup of raw almonds
If there is one flaw in my diet, it is that I should be eating more vegetables. Ideally you want to eat at least 3 to 5 servings of veggies each day, and I eat anywhere from 1 to 3. So this definitely isn’t a perfect thyroid diet, but overall it’s pretty healthy, and was a big factor in restoring my health back to normal.
In summary, changing your eating habits and beginning a thyroid diet similar to mine is no easy task, which is why I don’t expect it to be a quick process. Just like many people, over the years I’ve had my “ups and downs” with regards to eating healthy, but after I was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disorder I made up my mind that I was going to not only begin eating healthier, but stick to it this time.
Does this mean I never eat any junk food? I’d be lying if I told you that I eat healthy foods 100% of the time, as every now and then I will go out for pizza, have some dessert, etc. But I have the discipline to eat junk food every now and then, which some people don’t. This is why you definitely want to avoid all junk food within the first 21 to 30 days of beginning your thyroid diet, as this is the most difficult time you’ll have sticking with such a diet. But once you do get through this part, I promise you’ll feel much better than you do now, and your biggest regret will be that you didn’t begin your thyroid diet sooner.
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