Some Diet Facts aboutHashimoto Disease

1. Some Diet Facts about
Hashimoto Disease
Prepared By
Yousef Elshrek

2. •What is Hashimoto’s?
• Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid (a gland in your
neck that controls your metabolism, how your body uses energy).
• When the thyroid is damaged by a misdirected immune response, it makes too
little thyroid hormone, leading to the impairment of many bodily functions.
• Symptoms include
• Swollen neck
• Feelings of fullness in the throat due to an enlarged thyroid (aka goiter).
• In addition to
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Joint and muscle pain
• Constipation
• Thinning hair
• Changes in menstruation
• Depression
• Slowed heart rate
• And more.
• As with many autoimmune and chronic conditions
• No two cases are exactly alike.

3. • Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, is common in
Hashimoto’s patients.
• Standard treatment for hypothyroidism includes
• Thyroid hormone replacement therapy. This treatment can cause unwanted
systemic side effects such as
• Weight gain
• Bloating
• Acne
• and others.
• An emerging understanding of alternative medicine and the realization
of the potential importance of lifestyle modifications has highlighted
modified diet, supplements, and exercise as important factors that may
moderate or even reverse these side effects, symptoms, prevent or
moderate flares, and complement or reduce reliance on
pharmaceuticals.

4. • The Best Foods For Hashimoto’s
• Certain foods and food components may help manage Hashimoto’s
symptoms.
• The Internet offers an overwhelming amount of diet ideas, including the
Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) and Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS)
diets for inflammatory diseases.
• While I do believe that following a diet that emphasizes anti-inflammatory
and antioxidant-rich foods should help people with Hashimoto’s, I don’t
believe in a one-diet-for-all approach, because Hashimoto’s affects people
differently and symptoms vary among patients.
• The following table can offer a good starting point for any Hashimoto’s
patient.

6. • In general, following an autoimmune diet, which broadly focuses on
eliminating
• processed foods
• dairy,
• added sugar,
• while increasing consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish and other whole
foods may help Hashimoto’s patients.
• Common nutrient deficiencies in Hashimoto’s patients include
• Vitamin D
• Iron
• selenium
• B12,
• Melatonin
• thiamine
• magnesium (2).

7. • Supplements can be taken if needed.
• Although it can be costly, eating organic produce and meats
could be a better option because they lack the added
chemicals found in conventional products (3)
• Drinking plenty of fluids is always important in keeping your
body functioning as best as it can.
• If you experience gastrointestinal issues,
• The suggest eating smaller meals and only eating when
you’re hungry to minimize stomach pain.
• It also recommend keeping a food diary to track foods that
trigger your symptoms, as well as foods that mitigate
symptoms.

8. •The Worst Foods for Hashimoto’s
• In contrast to anti-inflammatory foods, there are pro-inflammatory
foods that should be avoided.
• These include
• processed meats
• sodas and sugary beverages
• salty snacks
• packaged sweets
• refined carbohydrates.
• Unfortunately, these foods are also easy to reach for when stress eating or
snacking.
• If you suffer from Hashimoto’s, these types of foods are likely to intensify any
symptoms you’re already experiencing.

9. • In addition to the generic proinflammatory foods listed in the table below, there
are some more specific foods that might be harmful to Hashimoto’s patients.
• A low-carbohydrate or gluten-free diet may reduce autoimmune thyroid
antibodies and possibly thyroid inflammation.
• Try reducing carbs or cutting out gluten to see if that helps reduce your
symptoms.
• Additionally, avoiding goitrogens (iodine uptake inhibitors primarily found in
soybeans and Brassica vegetables such as
• Broccoli
• cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage) is advised, as they cause thyroid inflammation (4).
• Tobacco smoke also contains goitrogens.

10. • Research suggests that iodine is an environmental trigger of
thyroiditis (5).
• However, you shouldn’t necessarily avoid iodine.
• If you have iodine-deficiency induced hypothyroidism (the
leading cause of an underactive thyroid), then take iodine.
• Talk to your doctor about taking or avoiding iodine.
• Conventional products may contain more synthetic chemicals
(3), which may have greater effects on those with
autoimmune diseases or related conditions.

12. • Engage in Mindful Eating
• Other aspects of eating are important besides being aware of the best and worst foods for
your body.
• Eating smaller, nutritionally-balanced meals could help ease digestion and help fight flare-
ups. Chewing your food slowly and engaging your jaw can help activate your oral
microbiome and promote better oral health.
• A key aspect of mindfulness is paying attention to your body’s short and long-term
response to a food – if it stings or produces cramping, or diarrhea the next day, consider it a
likely bad actor in your diet.
• What you drink matters too! Water normalizes the pH of your mouth – healthy human saliva
has a pH of 7.4.
• When you consume acidic foods and beverages, such as fruit juice and soda, our oral pH is
thrown out of balance (not to mention the additional sugar and calorie intake).
• When the pH within our mouths falls below 5.5, demineralization occurs, making us more
susceptible to oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal disease.
• Drinking plenty of water daily can help maintain a healthy mouth pH, in addition to keeping
you hydrated.
• When drinking tea, coffee, juice, alcohol, or kombucha, we recommend pairing with a glass
of water as well for optimal oral health.

13. •Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
• Staying active is incredibly important to maintaining healthy
living.
• It is even more important for those who suffer from
Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune diseases because exercise
can help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms.
• Exercise can take on many forms, from higher-intensity
training like running or playing sports to lower-intensity
exercises like walking, yoga, Pilates or other movement
therapies.
• Hypothyroidism makes it especially difficult to get started, so
start with any increase in activity and build up from there.

14. • Relax and Reduce Your Stress
• Constant stress is one of the negative by-products of modern life.
• While our stress responses were beneficial in helping our ancestors
avoid predation and other life-threatening situations, constant but not
life-and-death stressors brought about by modern society can be
extremely harmful to our bodies.
• While helpful in short bursts (we still may need to catch that bus!), our
flight-or-fight responses, part of our sympathetic nervous system, can
have harmful consequences when constantly activated by non-life-
threatening stress.
• These consequences include
• triggering or exacerbating flare-ups.
• It is therefore important for those with Hashimoto’s to reduce overall
stress.

15. • One of the easiest ways to do this is to make sure you are getting
enough sleep.
• Most people do not get the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep daily.
• Whether taking an afternoon nap, going to bed earlier, or (if scheduling
permits) sleeping later, emphasis should be on consistent restful sleep.
• Regular sleep habits are helpful in reducing insomnia and encouraging
deep, restful sleep.
• Relaxation throughout the day is also important.
• This could mean an early morning workout, an afternoon yoga class, or
even taking 15 minutes in the middle of the day just to focus on your
breathing.
• Figure out what works best for you and do it.
• Take the time to be the best version of yourself: your stress will go down,
your body will feel better, and your productivity may even increase!

16. •In Summary
• Hashimoto’s Disease is a condition that can affect each patient differently.
• Following some sort of anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle habits may help
mitigate your symptoms.
• What worked for your friends, family, or spouse might not work for you.
• Everyone is unique and experimenting with food therapy may not be an easy
fix. Try not to be overwhelmed by all of the recommendations and
information out there, go slowly and trust yourself.
• At the end of the day, you are your greatest advocate and you know your
body best.
• Fearlessly experiment with your dietary options and be mindful of your
reactions. Our free food therapy e-book can help guide you through this
process of experimentation.

17. • Reference
1.Burek, L. C., & Rose, N. R. “Autoimmune thyroiditis and ROS” Autoimmunity
Reviews. Vol 7(7). 2008. 530-
537. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568997208000505
2.Wentz, I. (2018). Resources – Dr. Izabella
Wentz. https://thyroidpharmacist.com/resources/
3.Smith-Spangler, C et al. “Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional
alternatives?: a systematic review” Annals of Internal Medicine. Vol 157(5). 2012.
348-366. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22944875
4.Hunter, W. (2019, January 18). Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Symptoms, Causes, &
Treatment. https://selfhacked.com/blog/hashimotos/
5.Rose, N.R. et al. “Iodine: an environmental trigger of thyroiditis” Autoimmunity
Reviews. Vol 1(1-2). 2002. 97-
103. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568997201000167
6.www.todaysdietitian.com › pdf › courses › Harris Thyroid Diet
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