Thursday, February 7, 2013

Hypothyroid/Adrenal Fatigue and Food



In our continued discussion about hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue, I thought it would be a great idea to talk about foods that are best eaten and those best to avoid. Remember, food is the most powerful medicine, it has the ability to heal and destroy.

Lets begin with foods we should be eating. Always more fun.
Basically fowling a primal traditional eating plan is the way to go. If you are eating close to what I talk about on my blog and the other sites I recommend, you are in great shape. Eating a real food diet is the way to go. Some foods you might want to consume more of are:

Foods rich in iodine, sea vegetable, sea creature, code, shell fish and crustaceans, pastured egg yolks and pastured dairy are can be rich sources and Himalayan salt. If all else fails, supplement. This seems to be a reliable source of kelp

Foods rich in Vitamin A and D, code liver oil, the best brand is Blue Ice, Fermented, liver, butter, cream and raw milk from pasture feed cows as well as the meat and marbling. By eating more fat and less sugar, you will help to stabilize blood sugar levels which tends to be an issue with adrenal fatigue. Eat more fat.

Magnesium rich foods, nuts and seeds, dark chocolate and molasses. Most of these foods are not enough though today, so putting magnesium oil on your skin and soaking in the tub with Eposm salt are great ways to increase your intake.

Foods you want to avoid or limit consumption of:
Processed foods should be avoided. They are devoid of nutrients and put a lot of stress on the body.

Soy is NOT good for the thyroid. Until you can get your symptoms under control, I would suggest avoiding soy all together. Once you are more stable, on occasion adding in traditional types of soy products like natto or tempeh in small mounts can be ok.

You will also want to avoid goitrogenic foods. These foods act like a anti-thyroid drugs. They block the body's ability to use iodine properly, for secreting the hormones and conversion of hormones, not a good thing. These foods include:

  • Bok choy
  • Broccoli/broccolini/Chine broccoli 
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower 
  • Collards
  • Daikon
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Millet
  • Mustard
  • Peaches
  • Peanuts
  • Pine nuts
  • Radishes/Red radish
  • Rutabaga
  • Spinach
  • Strawberries
  • Turnips
  • Watercress 
As with soy, it is best to avoid these foods all together until you have your symptoms under control. The fruits and nuts should not be as damaging in moderation. When adding the cruciferous vegetables  back into your diet, be sure they are properly prepared by cooking them. Eating these foods raw or juiced will increase your risk of hypothyroidism or the inability to treat it properly. You will be exposed to too many goitrogens otherwise. 

Foods high in beta carotene should be limited. Remember, beta carotene is only a precursor to Vitamin A and should not be relied on for your Vit A intake. 

I think that about sums it up. It is really basic for the most part, eat real food and watch out for the goitrogenic foods.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's abundant blessings upon you,
Jenn










No comments:

Post a Comment