One of the most common questions people ask me is “what type of diet is the best for me”. Of course the question might be worded differently, but many people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions want to know what foods they should eat, and which foods they should avoid. While everyone should eat a diet consisting of whole foods, and at the same time minimize the refined foods and sugars, the “thyroid diet” will vary from person to person.
For example, let’s look at two people who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Both have a high TSH and positive thyroid antibodies, with the thyroid hormone levels on the low side. What is the ideal “thyroid diet” for each of these people? This really isn’t enough information to come up with a specific diet plan, but here is some general information I would recommend for everyone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:
- Eat mostly whole, organic foods. No surprise here, as everyone should eat mostly whole foods, and when possible eat organic to minimize the toxins.
- Avoid the refined foods and sugars. Also not a surprise, as if you eat mostly whole foods then you obviously will be avoiding processed foods.
- Avoid genetically modified foods. This may seem obvious to many people reading this, and it’s something I’ve spoken about before in past articles. But some people continue to eat non-organic corn and soy, which in most cases are genetically modified.
- Consider a gluten free trial. Some will argue that everyone should avoid gluten, and I agree that everyone should at least minimize their consumption of gluten. But those with an autoimmune thyroid condition such as Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should consider going on a gluten free trial, and in some cases will need to avoid gluten on a permanent basis.
- Consider a dairy free trial. Many people have a dairy allergy, and so it also is a good idea to go on a dairy-free trial. While some forms of dairy should be completely eliminated from one’s diet (i.e pasteurized cow’s milk), other forms of dairy can eventually be reintroduced (eggs, raw dairy products, etc.).
- Make sure to eat enough protein. Many people aren’t getting enough protein. You want to make sure you’re consuming enough protein throughout the day. While you ideally want to get your protein through the food you eat, for some people, adding a healthy type of protein powder to a smoothie once or twice a day is a way of sneaking in some protein.
This is some basic information, but many people would feel significantly better if they did nothing else but follow the above recommendations. This not only includes people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, but those with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease as well. However, the following are a few circumstances when someone might need to eat a different diet:
Food Sensitivities. If someone has certain food sensitivities then they of course should avoid those foods. There are numerous tests available for food sensitivities and intolerances, but you usually can’t rely on these, as false results are common. And the ones which seem to be more accurate are quite expensive. Then again, there are very expensive tests for food sensitivities which have been proven to be unreliable, yet many people still do this type of testing. If someone is going to get food allergy testing done then I usually recommend a combination of IgG and IgA testing. However, in most cases I just recommend an elimination diet initially.
Gut Problems. Having problems with the gut can mean being on a different diet. For example, grains, nuts and seeds, as well as beans are difficult to digest. As a result, someone who has a problem such as “leaky gut syndrome” will need to either avoid these foods, or at the very least minimize their consumption of such foods. In addition, having a leaky gut may cause someone to develop certain food sensitivities. As I’ve mentioned in past articles, if someone is allergic to many different foods and/or has problems taking certain supplements then this can mean they have problems with intestinal permeability.
Toxic Overload. If someone has a lot of sensitivities to foods and/or supplements, this might be due to gut problems, or it can also be due to problems with toxins. If this is the case then it will be necessary to detoxify the body. While I recommend a 21-day liver detoxification program to some of my patients, if someone is overloaded with toxins then this might not be enough. In fact, in some cases it can take many months, and sometimes a year or two in order to obtain maximum benefit from detoxifying the body.
Eating According To Your Blood Type?
As you know, there are many different types of diets out there, and you can go crazy trying to choose the best diet for you. However, some people are familiar with the different diets that are based on your blood type. The “eat right for your blood type” diet is controversial, and so I wouldn’t rely on this diet alone to determine what you should and shouldn’t eat.
In summary, when it comes to determining which diet is appropriate for you, many of the same rules apply to everyone with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition. After all, while there are many different variations of diets, those that are the healthiest have three things in common. The first is that they involve eating mostly whole foods, the second factor is that they involve avoiding refined foods and sugars, and the third commonality is that they involve minimizing one’s carbohydrate intake. However, sometimes other factors need to be considered such as food sensitivities, gut problems, and toxins.
Dear Dr. Eric, Thank you for all the great information you constantly offer. Do you think a person who has Hashimoto should follow a gluten/dairy free diet even if they do not have any allergies or sensitivities to either? Thank you.
Hi Maria,
This is a very good question. If someone is 100% certain that they don’t have a gluten or dairy allergy then it’s probably fine to consume these. The problem is that testing for these sensitivities isn’t completely reliable. For example, some people will obtain a Celiac Panel, and if this comes out negative they will conclude they’re not gluten sensitive. But a Celiac Panel doesn’t test for all of the proteins of gluten. And if one has a compromised immune system, then their immune system might not be giving off the appropriate immune system response, also resulting in a false negative.
how to detect that I have a problems with toxins and gut problems is that thru any blood test
Hi Ashraf,
I usually test for the secretory IgA through a saliva test, which can help determine if there are problems with the gut. To find out if someone has a leaky gut there is a blood tests available through Cyrex Labs (www.cyrexlabs.com). There really aren’t accurate blood tests for toxins. I usually recommend testing the heavy metals through the hair, and you can also test these through the urine. And Metametrix does have numerous tests for toxins. Just keep in mind that there are so many different toxins out there, and so you can’t test for all of them.
I feel most Doctor’s are doing their patient’s more harm by not letting us know what would be as better choice in: 1. medication, 2. Foods that help 3. Foods that do more harm & why: so we do no suffer more!!
18 years ago i was treated with radioactive iodine t139 for graves’ disease. i wish i would’ve known this info then! now i am hypothyroid, take 111 mcg synthroid qd for 12 years or so. what advice and nutrients/diet would you recommend for my situation?
Hi Debbie
I would eat mostly whole foods, minimize the refined foods and sugars. You might want to consider going on a gluten free diet as well. Here is an article you might want to read:
https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/radioactive-iodine-vs-thyroid-surgery-comparing-the-benefits-and-risks/
Hi Dr. Eric,
I was on a strict greens only diet for 2 years due to food sensitivities. I steamed kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli and okra. I added cocnut oil and sometimes extra virgin olive oil to the greens. I ate this for breakfast, lunch and dinner to prevent psoriasis flares on my face. After 2 years, I added organic baked chicken to my greens. I wonder if these goitrogenic foods played a role in my hypothyroid condition. I utilized supplements that were recommended after hair analysis was completed. I was diagnosed hypothyroid after being diagnosed with 2 other autoimmune conditions (adrenal exhaustion and psoriasis). I was vigilant for 3 years with strict diet and lifestyle changes that resulted in significantly less stress. I improved but could not get to the point where I could introduce more healthy foods (such as fruits) without psoriasis taking over my face. I researched alot about alternative treatments and decided to invest in a mild hyperbaric oxygen chamber. I have been able to eat whatever i want without a psoriasis flare as long as I “dive” in the chamber for at least an hour 4 or 5 days a week. I believe the chamber is improving and managing “leaky gut” issues that may be the cause of my psoriasis. I primarily eat whole foods and very little carbs and sugar (other than fruit). I wonder if the hyperbaric oxygen chamber can help me transition to getting off the armour thyroid medication I am currently taking. What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever had a patient use hyperbaric oxygen treatment? I plan to implement your treatment approach while continuing to use the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and hopefully get off the armour. Should I just use blood test to determine when I lower the armour dose? Thanks for any feedback you have regarding this issue.
Hi Shannon,
Very rarely do I come across someone whose hypothyroid condition was caused by eating a large amount of goitrogenic foods. I’m not saying this isn’t possible in your situation, although steaming the veggies probably helped to some extent with the goitrogenic activity. Did they test the thyroid antibodies to see if this condition is autoimmune? If this is the case then the hypothyroid condition most likely wasn’t caused by the consumption of goitrogenic vegetables. As for the hyperbaric oxygen chamber question, I honestly don’t have much experience in this area. I’ve heard some good things about this type of treatment, but it’s not something I personally recommend to my patients. Perhaps your experience will encourage me to look into it some more. And so I don’t know if this would help you go get off the armour. But usually it is a good idea to continuously monitor the blood tests, and then as the TSH and thyroid hormone levels improve most medical doctors will reduce the dosage of thyroid hormone.
Hello! I am getting ready to under-go a partial thyroidectomy for a nodule causing me to be hyperthyroid. I had gone the natural route 6 months and my symptoms and results kept getting worse. My question is: I know the basic diet that will be necessary, but wondered if there were any specific supplements that would keep me from going the opposite direction after surgery and keep my thyroid healthy? I have heard the other side sometime compensates, and I am praying that it happens! Thanks for any info!
Hi Carrie,
When you say “the opposite direction”, are you talking about becoming hypothyroid? Or are you talking about preventing the other half of the thyroid gland from also developing thyroid nodules? I do commonly recommend a supplement called Thytrophin PMG to my patients, which does a pretty good job of supporting the thyroid gland. Iodine might also be beneficial, although before taking these or any other supplements you might want to consider working with a natural healthcare professional. This is especially true when it comes to supplementing with iodine.
Hi, I have Hashimotos and have been gluten free for several years. I just recently had a bout of dairy sensitivity which seems to have resolved. I had IgG and IgA testing through my provider. My provider does not seem to completely understand the impact of these two tests and suggested I avoid all things that I had a 2 or 3 to on both tests. I have tried to research this to see if these tests are reliable indicators of sensitivity. From what I can find it seems the IgA is the more reliable indicator of sensitivity and that our body naturally makes IgG to foods we routinely eat but aren’t sensitive to. Can you shed some light on this? I don’t want to eliminate foods if not necessary. I try to eat whole foods, non-gmo as much as possible. I was eating gluten free oats as a sub. for gluten but had a class 3 to Oats on my IgA test:( Thank you in advance for your response and all of the information you provide on your site.
Hi Donna,
I wouldn’t necessarily say that IgA is a more reliable indicator when compared to IgG testing. I will say that false negatives are more common that false positives with these tests, which is one of the reasons I don’t commonly recommend them to my patients. While it’s great to know if you’re sensitive to a certain food, if you have a couple of false negatives and continue eating those foods then you’re still not getting maximum benefit from these tests, which as you know are quite expensive. However, another thing to consider is that if someone has a leaky gut then these values might change when doing a retest. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (founder of the GAPS diet) talks more about this, as if someone with leaky gut syndrome does a food intolerance test, and then one week later does the same test, the results are likely to be different. So if there were a lot of positives with the testing then a leaky gut could be a factor.
I am 65 y/o. & have Hashimoto’s. Have hair loss, terrible gum disease, dry skin,etc. Currently on Nature Throid but every time I get close to where my TSH level should be I have such terrible hot flashes & night sweats I can’t stand it. And now my face looks like I have Rosacea, which goes away when I back off the medicine. (Also had hot flashes with Synthroid & Tirosint). I felt best when I quit taking anything and my TSH was 72! It’s been a very long battle made worse at menopause. Any suggestions?
Hi Dorothy,
Did you have other areas evaluated, such as the adrenals or sex hormones? These can be factors, and of course you can’t have a healthy immune system without having a healthy gut. And so I would try to do everything you can do to optimize the health of these areas, which might allow you to either wean off of the thyroid medication, or if not then perhaps it will allow you to at least reduce the dosage.