Thyroid Conditions

Underactive and Overactive Thyroid, Hashimoto’s & Graves

Hypothyroidism & Hyperthyroidism

Many factors can cause a disrupted thyroid function. Whether you have autoimmune Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease or not, it will be helpful to follow an anti-inflammatory diet to support your thyroid function.

On top of the advice in the Six Week Reset, here are a few extra tips that will help you refine the general anti-inflammatory advice for this specific issue. It is important to support your thyroid function either way, as people with hyperthyroid function can subsequently experience hypothyroidism.

A healthy thyroid is vital for a well-functioning body and mind.

Many people experience issues with their thyroid, the gland that controls metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy). The thyroid converts iodine from food into thyroid hormones, T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body, where they control metabolism.

In a nutshell, a good thyroid function is essential for good metabolism. So, whether you have issues or not with your thyroid, keep an eye on those thyroid levels and keep everything in check.

Read: Thyroid Diet: Food, Leaky Gut, & Thyroid Issues

Iodine Is Needed For Thyroid Function

Iodine has a major significance in the production of thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, as well as the thyroid stimulating hormone. Thyroid cells absorb iodine and combine it with the amino acid tyrosine to create T3 and T4.

Since the human body cannot produce iodine, primary sources are the food and supplements you take.

Increasing foods that are good sources of iodine can be beneficial, but you should not do this if you are taking thyroid extract medication.

Foods rich in iodine include:

• Seaweed/sea vegetables (all types)
• Seafood (shellfish, oysters, crab, shrimp, etc.)
• All fish
• Egg yolks (contain selenium and iodine)
• Animal-based protein
• Chicken
• Sea salt. Pink Himalayan salt doesn’t contain as much iodine as sea salt.

Other halogens like bromine, fluorine, and chlorine can mimic iodine and can prevent it from producing T3 and T4. So, avoid:

• Pre-washed salads (they may have been washed in chlorine)
• Chlorinated swimming pools
• Toothpaste with fluoride
• White flour packaged processed bread – containing bromine

See Yalda’s Instagram post on the above!

Selenium Supports Thyroid Function

Selenium is another micronutrient that supports thyroid function. Wang et al. (2023).

Aside from metabolism and growth-related physiological processes, the thyroid gland is also involved in the antioxidant systems. Thyroid cells help catalyze ROS (reactive oxygen species), preventing cell damage.

Like iodine, you can get selenium from animal-based protein foods, certain nuts, and seafood.

Selenium-rich foods:

• spinach
• chicken
• all poultry
• Eggs
• Tuna, halibut, sardines, and shrimp
• cashews
• bananas
• Brazil nuts
• mushrooms.

Avoid Goitrogenic Foods

Avoid goitrogenic foods:

• raw kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, and Chinese cabbage. They contain goitrogens that may disrupt the thyroid if consumed in large quantities. However, cooking these veggies reduces goitrogen levels by a third. You can have them cooked in moderate amounts, but avoid them in their raw form. Kale smoothies aren’t so good for your thyroid, basically! Generally, one tends to consume more kale in a smoothie than in solid form, so be careful here.
• radishes
• horseradish
• rutabagas
• collard greens
• Cassava, lima beans, linseed, sweet potato. Again cooking these can reduce their goitrogen levels. If you do choose to eat these vegetables, then limit the amount to a total serving of one cup cooked per day.

Limit Soy Consumption

Avoid foods with soy as they contain isoflavones. Products include soymilk, tofu, edamame, and miso. The Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle is about moderation, so do not over-obsess. You can have a little soy sauce with your sashimi, as the quantities are small, but avoid soy milk as the amounts consumed tend to be significant, and they impact your health! Having one miso soup when you eat Japanese food is fine, but try not to cook with miso daily.

Ensure You Have Vitamin A & C-rich Foods

• Vitamin A-rich foods like sweet potato, bell peppers, butternut squash, kiwi, papaya, spinach, carrots, eggs, tomatoes, melon, mango, and salmon.
• Vitamin C-rich foods like strawberries, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and small potatoes. Eastman & Zimmermann (2018). & Far et al. (2023). Ensure the broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage are cooked first to reduce their goitrogen levels.

Avoid Gluten

Hypothyroidism and celiac disease are often diagnosed together. Following the Eat Burn Sleep meal planning guidelines will help! Again, it does not matter if soy sauce has gluten, as it is a minimal amount. Remember that it is not about perfection but about damage limitation.

Watch Your Intake of Fat

Fats may also interfere with the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones. Some healthcare professionals recommend that you cut out all fried foods and reduce your intake of fats from sources such as butter, mayonnaise, margarine, and fatty cuts of meat. Sticking to the Eat Burn Sleep meal planning guidelines will help you consume adequate amounts of good fats and detoxify your liver for better hormonal function.

Essential Fats at Every Meal

Essential fats at every meal are key, as they make cell receptors more sensitive to the thyroid hormone.

• • Olive oil
  • Avocado
  • Flax seeds
  • Fish oil
  • Nuts

Include Good Carbs In Your Diet

Make sure to include good carbs in your diet. Very low-carb diets are known for lowering thyroid function. Keep good sources of carbs like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots, jicama, yam, plantain, bananas, and berries in your diet.

Consume Tea & Coffee In Moderation

Consume tea and coffee in moderation as it interferes with thyroid function and raises cortisol. Again, the coffee advice applies here. Limit your intake to 2 espresso shots a day, even if you are tired. If you are taking thyroid replacement therapy, follow the guidance regarding coffee and your medication.

It’s advisable not to drink caffeinated fizzy drinks.

Alcohol Can Be A Disruptor

Avoid too much alcohol. Alcohol consumption can wreak havoc on both thyroid hormone levels in the body and the ability of the thyroid to produce hormones. The alcohol consumption advice in the treat system is moderate and will allow you to have fun without damaging your system.

Iron Deficiency

Check your iron status. Have a blood test. It’s important not to take a supplement without a blood test.

Avoid Chlorine, Fluorine & Bromine

Iodine reacts similarly in the body as Chlorine, Fluorine, and Bromine as they are all halogen elements. It is best to lower the consumption of products with Chlorine and Fluorine as they can potentially impair the formation of T3 and T4 in the thyroid. You can:

• • • Switch to fluoride-free toothpaste
    • Avoid pre-washed / pre-packed salads and vegetables (generally washed in Chlorine)
    • Avoid swimming in pools (high in chlorine, which gets absorbed through the skin)
    • Bromine is found in flour and certain sodas. By following the food advice, you will naturally be avoiding bromine-rich foods.

Use Heat Or Cold Therapy

Use saunas, / steam rooms, and/ cryotherapy to your advantage, but make sure to follow the advice that comes with them first.

If you suffer from low thyroid function, saunas and steam rooms can support your system, but avoiding cold therapy such as cryotherapy and cold baths is best.

Likewise, cryotherapy or cold baths can support people with hyperthyroidism, and they should avoid heat therapy (saunas and steam rooms).

I always favor natural saunas over infrared saunas as they have been around for much longer, and we know their effects in the long run.

Avoid:

Anything that may shock your body and raise your cortisol levels, which includes:

• Intermittent fasting
• Fasting for more than 12 hours
• A very low-carb diet, such as the Keto diet
• Hard workouts

Movement

Regular movement has been shown to regulate t3 and t4. Include walking, swimming, or any gentle exercise and any of the anti-inflammatory movements.

Include one of the EBS movements in the morning to mitigate the morning cortisol spike.

Practice Some Inversions

If you do yoga, inversions are wonderful for supporting thyroid function. An inversion is when your heart is higher than your head. For example, a downward dog, a shoulder stand, a headstand, or even having your leg up a wall works. This allows the blood to come back towards the head and is a nourishing pose for the thyroid. It also supports the lymphatic system and, consequently, hormonal health!

Keeping Regular Bowel Movements

If you suffer from constipation due to hypothyroidism, make sure to walk daily, as it helps with gut motility and regular bowel movements.

You can also have magnesium salts in the evening, which helps loosen the bowels.

Another good tip is to mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds with a bit of water in a glass before going to bed. Place it in the fridge and have the mixture first thing upon waking with a large glass of water. Drink more tea / herbal tea and wait 30 minutes before eating.

Reduce Stress Using the Tools on the Platform

Remember to breath

Breathing techniques are good for reducing stress in your mind and body. Check out the breathing technique video in the Meditation section.

Stimulate your vagus nerve by humming, chanting, or singing. It aids in reducing inflammation, stress reduction, and digestion.

An evening meditation bath will help in keeping cortisol levels low, which is important for your thyroid function. If you do not have a bath, put magnesium flakes in a foot bath and relax your feet. The benefits of the magnesium will penetrate your skin for relaxation.

 

Watch

Check out the Masterclass on Thyroid Health for more information. You can find it here with the other Live Masterclasses.