There is no question that nuts and seeds are my favorite type of whole food. I ate my share of junk food growing up, but nuts and seeds were one of the few “healthy” foods I consumed on a regular basis. Okay, I admit they weren’t too healthy, as I usually ate them out of a can, which of course included the unhealthy oils. In any case, eating nuts and seeds can be a healthy part of one’s diet. However, one needs to be cautious about eating too many nuts and seeds, and sometimes it is a good idea to completely avoid eating them.

Let’s begin by discussing some of the health benefits of nuts and seeds. First of all, nuts are an excellent source of protein. For example, one cup of almonds provides about 20 grams of protein. In fact, nuts and seeds can be a main source of protein for vegans and vegetarians. Nuts and seeds can also be a good source of certain minerals. Most nuts and seeds have a good amount of magnesium. And some nuts, such as almonds, are good sources of calcium. Nuts and seeds are also excellent sources of fiber. Yet another benefit is that nuts and seeds have a low glycemic index. So there are many great benefits of eating nuts and seeds.

Which Nuts and Seeds Are The Healthiest For You?

Almonds. Almonds are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat. They are high in many different nutrients. Some of the cardioprotective nutrients found in almonds include alpha-tocopherol, arginine, magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium, and potassium (1). They are an excellent source of protein, and are high in fiber. There have been numerous studies on the health benefits of almonds. One study showed that almond consumption may decrease total cholesterol and does not significantly affect LDL or HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or the LDL:HDL ratio (2). Another study showed that almonds used as snacks in the diets people with high lipid levels significantly reduce coronary heart disease risk factors (3).

Walnuts. Compared to most other nuts, which contain higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids, walnuts are unique because they are rich in omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (4). Walnuts contain multiple health-beneficial components, such as having high levels of arginine, folate, fiber, tannins, and polyphenols (4). One study showed that walnuts have a large antioxidant capacity (5). There is even evidence that eating walnuts might help to prevent breast cancer (6). Due to the high content of omega-3 fatty acids, eating walnuts might also help to improve learning and memory functions (7).

Cashews. Cashews are by far my favorite nut. Although I can’t say that they are the healthiest of all of the nuts, they still have numerous nutrients (i.e. manganese, tryptophan, magnesium), are high in protein and fiber, and taste great when covered with dark chocolate (of course just about every type of nut tastes better when covered with dark chocolate!). Unfortunately I couldn’t find too many studies regarding the health benefits of cashews, although there is some evidence that they might have anti-diabetic properties (8).

Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are well known for having high levels of selenium. In fact, there are numerous studies which show that eating only one or two Brazil nuts per day can help to improve selenium status (9) (10) (11).

Macadamia nuts. These are also pretty yummy. The protein content of macadamia nuts isn’t as high as other nuts. Studies have demonstrated that eating macadamia nuts can help to lower both total and LDL cholesterol (12) (13). Another study showed that short-term macadamia nut consumption improves the biomarkers of oxidative stress, thrombosis and inflammation (14), which are risk factors for coronary artery disease.

Sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are also very healthy, as they have high levels of protein and dietary fiber. They are also high in vitamin E, thiamin, folate, manganese, copper, magnesium, selenium, and other nutrients. However, sunflower seeds (along with peanuts, flaxseed, and linseed) can also have high levels of cadmium (15).

Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds consist of high amounts of potassium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, copper, chromium, and molybdenum (16). In the past I’ve discussed how pumpkin seeds can act as a natural aromatase inhibitor, and it also can benefit men who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (17) (18). There is also evidence that pumpkin seed oil exhibits antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects (19).

Pistachios. I love pistachio nuts. Like most other nuts, pistachios have high amounts of protein and are a good source of dietary fiber. Among nuts, pistachios contain the highest levels of potassium, gamma-tocopherol, vitamin K, phytosterols, and xanthophyll carotenoids (20). One study showed that a diet consisting of 15% of calories as pistachio nuts (about 2-3 ounces per day) over a four week period can favorably improve some lipid profiles in subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia and may reduce risk of coronary disease (21). This was confirmed by another study, which also showed that pistachios can increase serum antioxidants, such as lutein, gamma-tocopherol, and beta carotene (22).

Pecans.Let’s not forget about pecans. They are lower in protein when compared to other nuts, but they have a high amount of dietary fiber, and they are a good source of magnesium, zinc, manganese, and iron. Just like many other nuts, there is evidence that eating a pecan-enriched diet can help lower total and LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol levels (23). Pecans can also help to increase plasma postprandial antioxidant capacity (24). So I guess there are some benefits to eating pecan pie!

One thing you’ll notice is that even though nuts are high in fat, there are numerous studies which demonstrate that eating nuts and seeds can potentially decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

What’s The Deal With Peanuts?

Peanuts aren’t considered to be a nut, as they are classified as a legume. There is a lot of controversy over whether peanuts are healthy to eat. One of the reasons for this is because peanuts contain aflatoxins, which are natural toxins produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are associated with an increase in liver cancer and impaired growth in young children (25). However, the levels of aflatoxins produced in peanuts differs with the genetic variety of the plant and with the species and strain of the fungus (26). In other words, not all peanuts have high amounts of aflatoxins. Of course it can be a challenge to know whether the peanuts you’re eating have high amounts of aflatoxns.

The FDA requires the aflatoxin levels to be 20 parts per billion or less in both organic and non-organic peanut butters sold by retail stores. Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to grinding your own peanut butter at the health food store, and so you’re probably better off buying an organic, pre-packaged peanut butter. Whole Foods claims to test all of their batches of the “365” brand of peanut butter for aflatoxins, and says that they keep it between 0 to 10 parts per billion (27).

Even with the aflatoxins, there are some health benefits of eating peanuts. They are high in protein, and have high amounts of certain nutrients, such as manganese, tryptophan, vitamin E, and folate. They are a good source of fiber. They also have a small amount of resveratrol, which has many health benefits. Assuming someone doesn’t have a peanut allergy then I think in many cases it’s fine to eat organic peanuts (including organic peanut butter) on an occasional basis.

Getting back to the subject of aflatoxins, it’s important to understand that peanuts aren’t the only source of these toxins. Aflatoxins can be found in pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts, and other nuts, seeds, and legumes. They can also be found in other types of foods such as corn and wheat. Consuming small amounts of aflatoxins probably isn’t a big issue with most people, although you of course still want to be cautious, and this is yet another reason to consider buying organic food, as while it won’t completely eliminate the risk of aflatoxins, it will minimize the risk of exposure.

The Risks Of Eating Too Many Nuts And Seeds

I can easily eat a few cups of nuts and seeds per day. However, it usually isn’t wise to eat such a large amount on a daily basis. One of the biggest reasons is that nuts and seeds are high in omega 6 fatty acids. While it’s true that some nuts do have a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids, pretty much all nuts and seeds have a higher amount of omega-6 fatty acids. These days most people have an imbalance of the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and so while it’s fine for most people to eat some nuts and seeds per day, you probably don’t want to exceed one cup per day, and it might be best to limit it to 1/2 cup on most days.

Nuts, Seeds, and Thyroid Health

I’ve spoken about goitrogens in the past, and certain nuts and seeds seem to have a small amount of goitrogenic activity. Some of the nuts and seeds which supposedly have goitrogenic activity include almonds, cashews, flax seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. I couldn’t find much research on this, and most of the research I found showing that certain nuts and seeds are goitrogens were conducted many decades ago, and were performed on rats. This doesn’t mean that these studies weren’t valid, but it would be nice to have at least a few updated studies on this. Plus, roasting nuts and seeds apparently reduces the goitrogenic activity. With that being said, in my opinion, eating “normal” amounts of raw nuts and seeds shouldn’t inhibit thyroid function in most people.

However, there is another reason why some people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions need to be cautious about eating nuts and seeds. In past articles and blog posts I’ve spoken about how an increase in intestinal permeability (a leaky gut) is a potential cause of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Nuts and seeds contain lectins and phytic acid, which make them very difficult to digest. And there is evidence that lectins can cause an increase intestinal permeability. As a result, most people with gut problems will want to consider avoiding nuts and seeds until the health of their gut is restored back to normal. Soaking nuts and seeds can help to reduce the antinutrient content, and thus make them easier to digest. However, doing this won’t completely eliminate the lectins and phytic acid. In the past I put together a blog post entitled “Should People With Thyroid and Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions Avoid Foods With Lectins?”

In summary, nuts and seeds have numerous health benefits, as they are an excellent source of fats, protein, fiber, and have other beneficial nutrients. Although nuts and seeds have a high fat content, just about all of them offer cardioprotective benefits. Peanuts are actually classified as a legume, and although they also have numerous health benefits, some peanuts tend to have high levels of aflatoxins. One does need to be cautious about eating large amounts of nuts and seeds, as they are high in omega 6 fatty acids, are difficult to digest, and might also possess goitrogenic activity. On the other hand, for most people, eating a small amount of nuts and seeds on a daily basis can provide some great benefits to their health.

When it comes to achieving optimal health, most people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions don’t think much about the importance of their liver. And when we do think of the liver, we tend to focus on its role in detoxification. This of course is an extremely important function, and perhaps THE most important function. However, there are numerous other functions of the liver, and this organ has a role in thyroid health, which I’ll discuss in this post.

Understanding Some of The Many Functions Of The Liver:

Before I discuss the role of the liver in thyroid health, I think it’s important to understand some of the more important overall functions of the liver.

1. Removes or excretes drugs, hormones, and other substances. The liver is well known for its role in detoxification. There are many different toxins in our environment, and it’s the job of the liver to transform these toxins into less toxic compounds, and then assist in the excretion of these compounds. I’ll expand on this shortly when I talk about the different phases of detoxification and biotransformation.

2. Involved in carbohydrate metabolism. The liver plays an important role in maintaining glucose concentrations in a normal range (1). The liver stores glycogen, and this allows the liver to remove excess glucose from the blood and store it, and then when the blood glucose concentrations begin to fall it will release glucose back into the bloodstream.

3. Involved in fat metabolism. The liver plays a big role in lipid metabolism, as the formation of most lipoproteins (molecules made of both protein and fat) takes place in the liver. Cholesterol synthesis also takes place in the liver, and the conversion of carbohydrates and proteins into fat occurs in the liver.

4. Involved in protein metabolism. The deamination, or breakdown, of amino acids mostly takes place in the liver, as does the formation of urea. Deamination of the amino acids is required before they can be converted into carbohydrates or fats. Urea helps to remove ammonia from the body fluids. Formation of the plasma proteins also occurs in the liver.

5. Stores certain vitamins. Some of the vitamins stored by the liver include vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

6. Plays a role in vitamin D metabolism. I have spoken numerous times about the importance of vitamin D, and how this is deficient in many people. The liver produces 25-hydroxy vitamin D, which is the most abundant circulating form of vitamin D, and its measurement is used to assess vitamin D deficiency (2). As a result, if someone has problems with the liver, this can lead to low levels of 25-OH vitamin D. However, most cases of vitamin D deficiency aren’t caused by liver problems, as liver function needs to be severely compromised in order for the synthesis of 25-OH vitamin D to be impaired.

7. Involved in blood clotting. The liver is responsible for the formation of numerous substances which are important for the coagulation (clotting) of the blood. This includes fibrinogen, prothrombin, Factor VII, and other coagulation factors. As a result, acute and chronic liver conditions can lead to decreased synthesis of clotting and inhibitor factors, decreased clearance of activated factors, quantitative and qualitative platelet defects, hyperfibrinolysis, and accelerated intravascular coagulation (3). Simply put, problems with the liver can cause problems with blood clotting.

The Phases of Biotransformation and Detoxification

With regards to the toxins we’re exposed to, there are three phases involved in the biotransformation and detoxification of these compounds. In Phase 1, foreign compounds are converted into either more potent or less potent compounds in preparation for Phase 2. In Phase 2, the metabolites produced in phase 1 are combined with other substances which make them less toxic, and they also become more water soluble so they can be excreted through the bile and urine. Phase 3 involves the excretion of these compounds.

Something called Cytochrome P450 plays an important role in biotransformation, as the CYP1, 2, and 3 families are responsible for the biotransformation of most foreign substances including 70-80% of all drugs in clinical use (4). Expression of each CYP is influenced by a unique combination of mechanisms and factors including genetic polymorphisms, induction by xenobiotics, regulation by cytokines, hormones, during disease states, as well as sex, age, and other factors (4). Certain factors such as eating cruciferous vegetables can help to increase the levels of these cytochromes. On the other hand, other factors can lead to a decrease in these cytochromes, and therefore have a negative effect on biotransformation and detoxification.

What Role Does The Liver Play In Thyroid Health?

The two main types of thyroid hormone are thyroxine, also known as T4, and triiodothyronine, known as T3. Although the thyroid gland produces about ten times more T4 than T3, the active form is T3. While the thyroid gland does synthesize some T3, this hormone is also produced through the conversion of T4 to T3. And 30 to 40% of this occurs in the liver (5).

Many people reading this are already familiar with the role of the liver in converting T4 to T3, but the liver also plays a role in deactivating thyroid hormone. In addition, the liver also has specific functions with regards to thyroid hormone transport and metabolism. The liver synthesizes a number of plasma proteins that bind to the thyroid hormones and thereby provide a large, rapidly exchangeable pool of circulating hormone (5). Thus tissue thyroid status depends not only on thyroxine secretion but also on normal thyroid hormone metabolism, delivery of T3 to nuclear receptors, and on receptor distribution and function (5).

So what does all this mean? Essentially it means that if someone has a liver which is not functioning optimally, then this can affect thyroid health. While it is true that most thyroid imbalances are due to the autoimmune component of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or Graves’ Disease, it would also be prudent to consider the role of the liver when it comes to thyroid health. For example, if someone has a problem with the conversion of T4 to T3, rather than just give the person a drug such as Cytomel, it probably would be a good idea to look into the health of the liver to see if this is what’s responsible for the conversion problem. Plus, as I’m about to discuss, one also needs to consider the impact of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid conditions on the liver.

Hypothyroidism and Liver Health. There is evidence that hypothyroidism may directly affect the liver structure or function, as it has been associated in a few case reports with cholestatic jaundice attributed to reduced bilirubin and bile excretion (5). Hypothyroidism might also result in the elevation of the liver enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (6). However, most of the people I work with who have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have normal liver function tests.

Hyperthyroidism and Liver Health. It’s not uncommon for people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease to have abnormal liver function tests (7). This includes alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma -glutamyltransferase (GGT), and total bilirubin. However, when these values are out of range due to the hyperthyroid condition, they usually revert back to normal once the thyroid hormone levels are normalized. One thing to consider is that taking antithyroid medication such as Methimazole or PTU can cause liver damage, and thus raise the liver enzymes.

What Can You Do To Achieve Optimal Liver Health?

The problem is that with all of the toxins we’re exposed to, the liver has to work extremely hard in the process of biotransformation and detoxification. Because of this you want to try to do what you can to optimize the health of your liver, and here are 3 main things you can do to accomplish this:

1) Eat foods that can help optimize the health of the liver. There are many different foods which can help detoxify the liver. Some of these include the cruciferous vegetables, garlic, and drinking green tea. For more information I would recommend reading a blog post I previously wrote entitled “3 Ways People With Thyroid and Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions Can Detoxify Their Body“.

2) Do everything you can to minimize your exposure to toxins. Of course you want to try to eat as many organic foods as you can, as well as drink purified water. You also want to use natural cleaning products and cosmetics, as most name brand products are loaded with chemicals. If you frequently drink alcohol you should cut down on this, and of course want to avoid tobacco smoke. Regularly change your air filters, and consider investing in one or more air purification systems.

3) Do things to help eliminate toxins. Although minimizing your exposure to environmental toxins is important, you also want to do things to help eliminate toxins. One of the most important things you can do is to make sure you drink a sufficient amount of water each day. You also want to make sure you’re having regular bowel movements. These are the main two priorities when it comes to eliminating toxins, but there are other things you can do as well, such as taking nutrients or herbs to help with detoxification, or utilizing sauna therapy. Once again, you can refer to the blog post I wrote on detoxification for further information on detoxification.

So hopefully you have a better understanding as to why having a healthy liver is important for optimal thyroid health. With regards to thyroid health, having a healthy liver is important for both the activation and deactivation of thyroid hormone, as well as for thyroid transport. And of course most people realize the importance of the liver with regards to biotransformation and detoxification. But the liver also has other roles, such as the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and protein, and also is involved in vitamin storage, the synthesis of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, and in blood coagulation.

With autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, there is a lot of emphasis on avoiding gluten. And while I agree that people with these conditions should go on a gluten free trial, many natural healthcare professionals will also advise their patients to avoid dairy. This causes a great deal of confusion, as many people think of dairy as being healthy. Without question there are health benefits of certain types of dairy, but some forms of dairy can have a negative consequence on your health, which I will discuss in this post.

When I was growing up I drank plenty of cow’s milk. I also drank plenty of soda, fruit punch, and other unhealthy beverages as well. But of course the focus of this blog post is on dairy, and so let’s stick with this topic. Getting back to cow’s milk, many people perceive cow’s milk as being healthy. Although drinking cow’s milk is very healthy for baby cows, it’s not necessarily healthy for humans. Fortunately, more and more people are realizing this, and thus are substituting cow’s milk with almond milk or coconut milk. Unfortunately some people drink a lot of soy milk, which isn’t much better than cow’s milk, and is arguably even worse. But when it comes to cow’s milk, drinking this can cause a lot of health problems, and can potentially lead to conditions such as acne, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. I will discuss the mechanism behind this shortly.

Why Is It Important To Avoid Drinking “Conventional” Cow’s Milk?

As I mentioned before, many people still think of cow’s milk as being healthy, and as a result they are drinking it on a regular basis. On the other hand, some people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions have been told to avoid dairy, and because of this they no longer drink any milk, and might avoid other forms of dairy such as yogurt, whey, and cheese. I’ll briefly talk about these other forms of dairy later on in this post, but let’s first answer the question “why is commercial cow’s milk bad for you?” There are a few different reasons for this:

Reason #1: The hormones. Most people realize that cow’s milk contains hormones. Cow’s milk contains estrogens and could stimulate the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors (1). I briefly mentioned soy milk earlier, and there is evidence that soy milk could increase the growth rate of breast cancer cells (1). Getting back to cow’s milk, many people are aware that growth hormones are given to dairy cows to increase the milk production. While it’s probably a good idea for everyone to avoid non-organic milk due to these hormones, it is especially important for children to avoid drinking cow’s milk. While drinking organic cow’s milk would be a healthier choice, it’s important to keep in mind that organic milk might not have growth hormones added, but this doesn’t mean it will be free of estrogens. Due to these and other factors I’m about to discuss, avoiding conventional cow’s milk altogether is probably best, whether or not it’s organic or non-organic.

Reason #2: The Pasteurization Process. The pasteurization process was developed by Louis Pasteur in 1864, and involves heating the milk to a specific temperature in order to kill harmful bacteria. When you think about pasteurization this might sound like a very good idea. The problem is that heating the milk decreases many of the nutrients, such as vitamin B1, B2, folate, B12, vitamin C, and vitamin E (2). In addition, the pasteurization process will modify the proteins of dairy, and can potentially lead to a greater increase in food allergies, although some argue that the opposite occurs, as by denaturing the proteins this might make someone less susceptible to a dairy allergy. Earlier I mentioned how organic milk will have estrogens from the cow. Some might wonder if the pasteurization process will inactivate these hormones, but organic and conventional dairy products do not have substantially different concentrations of estrogens (3).

Reason #3: The Homogenization Process. Why is commercial milk homogenized? The process of homogenization helps to give milk it’s white color and smooth texture, and also might help with the digestibility of milk (4). An excellent review article was written on homogenization and the potential link between cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and allergy (Click Here to read this article). Homogenization changes the physical structure of milk fat and because of this might alter the health properties of milk. If you read this review article you’ll see the evidence which shows the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in those who drink homogenized milk. However, to be fair, most of these involve observational studies, and it’s difficult to use these to prove a direct correlation between milk consumption and these diseases.

For example, one of these studies show that the consumption of cheeses manufactured with non-homogenized milk is high in France where coronary mortality is low, whereas in Scandinavian countries homogenized milk consumption is high, and so is coronary mortality (5). But of course there might be other factors responsible for the difference in coronary mortality. In addition, as of writing this post there are no clinical studies which compare homogenized to non-homogenized dairy products. With regards to allergies to dairy, many people have claimed that they are unable to tolerate homogenized milk, but do fine when consuming non-homogenized milk.

Reason #4: The mTORC1 pathway. There is something called the mammalian TOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and it seems that this signaling pathway plays a big role in the development and progression of numerous conditions. This includes conditions such as acne (6) (7), as well as chronic conditions such as obesity (8) (9) (10), type 2 diabetes (10), and cancer (11) (12) (13).

But how can this signaling pathway lead to the development of these chronic conditions? Well, dairy proteins and meat stimulate insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling and provide high amounts of leucine, which causes mTORC1 activation (10). Something called kinase S6K1 is a downstream target of mTORC1, and this interaction leads to insulin resistance, which in turn increases the metabolic burden of B-cells (10). In addition, leucine-mediated mTORC1-S6K1-signaling plays an important role in adipogenesis, which in turn increases the risk of obesity-mediated insulin resistance (10). I realize that this is probably difficult to understand for many reading this, but the important point to understand is that activation of the mTORC1 pathway can lead to numerous health conditions, and leucine, which is an amino acid found in high amounts of dairy products, can activate the mTORC1 pathway.

Does this mean that drinking commercial milk will always lead to a condition such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, or cancer? Of course not. As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I drank cow’s milk growing up on a daily basis, and I never developed insulin resistance. However, the same point can be made about other allergens as well. For example, some people do fine when eating gluten. On the other hand, many people don’t do well, and the health consequences of eating gluten could be severe when one is gluten sensitive. And of course gluten isn’t necessary to consume. The same can be said for pasteurized/homogenized cow’s milk. While some people do fine with this, others don’t do fine. And just as is the case with gluten, it’s unnecessary to drink cow’s milk.

Many people are aware of the glycemic index, and milk actually has a low glycemic index, which is a good thing. However, cow’s milk, along with other types of dairy, has a high insulin index, which means that it causes a high insulin response. I’m sure some people will wonder if it’s healthier to drink other types of milk. For example, how about drinking milk from a goat or sheep? There hasn’t been as much research on these types of milk, although it appears that the insulin index is similar to cow’s milk.

Another Problem With Cow’s Milk: Beta Casein A1

Cow’s milk consists of both casein and whey protein. Cow’s milk consists of approximately 80% casein. Although many people are lactose intolerant, some people are sensitive to casein. Although many people seem to have a “casein intolerance”, only a small percentage of people actually have a casein allergy, and will test positive for casein antibodies during IgE testing. However, in addition to milk, other dairy products include casein, such as yogurt and cheese.

There are different types of casein in dairy cows. The most common forms of beta-casein in dairy cattle breeds are A1 and A2. It is thought that beta-casein variant A1 yields the bioactive peptide beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7), which may play a role in the development of certain human diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. There also might be a relationship of BCM-7 to sudden infant death syndrome (14). So just to clarify, BCM-7 can lead to the development of numerous chronic health conditions, and is found in beta-casein A1.

It’s also important to understand that some people react to beta-casein A1, but do perfectly fine when consuming beta-casein A2. The challenge is finding out where the dairy you purchase is coming from, and unfortunately most of the milk in the United States comes from “A1 cows”. I’ll talk about raw milk shortly, as this is definitely a better option than conventional milk. However, from what I understand, not all raw milk is made from “A2 cows”, which might explain why some people don’t do well when drinking raw milk. So what’s the best way to get milk which has beta-casein A2? You might need to go directly to the source, which means contacting some of the local farmers to find out whether they have “A1 cows” or “A2 cows”. I mentioned before how the milk from a goat or sheep probably has a high insulin index. However, they apparently don’t have BCM-7, which is probably why many people do better when drinking these types of milk.

Is It Okay To Drink Raw Milk?

There is no question that drinking raw milk is a healthier option when compared to commercialized milk. When it comes to drinking raw milk, one of the main concerns people have is the safety of it. Without question, there are risks with drinking raw milk. However, as I already mentioned in this blog post, there are also risks with drinking pasteurized milk. Chris Kresser does a great job of discussing the risks of drinking raw vs. pasteurized milk in an article entitled “Raw Milk Reality: Is Raw Milk Dangerous?“. For those not familiar with Chris, his articles are research-based, and if you’re concerned about drinking raw milk due to the possibility of becoming ill then you need to read his article.

Although there are health benefits of drinking raw milk, when I recommend for my patients to initially follow a natural treatment protocol I usually will advise them to avoid all dairy. In the future some people will be able to add dairy back into their diet, and when this is the case, raw dairy will be a great option for many of them. On the other hand, some people are better off avoiding all dairy on a permanent basis.

What About Other Types Of Dairy?

Most of this post focused on the risks associated with drinking cow’s milk. But is it okay to consume other types of dairy? As I just mentioned, initially I recommend for my patients to avoid all forms of dairy. This includes not only milk, but yogurt, cheese, kefir, and whey. The reason for this is because some people are sensitive to these other forms as well. However, I think that it’s fine for many people to eventually reintroduce other forms of dairy into their diet, as there definitely are health benefits to eating certain types of dairy, such as yogurt, kefir, and whey. But it does depend on the person, as some people might need to avoid certain forms of dairy for a prolonged period of time. Others might need to avoid dairy on a permanent basis. For example, if someone has a casein allergy then they will need to avoid not only milk on a continuous basis, but should also avoid yogurt, cheese, butter, and other dairy products which include casein.

Since butter is low in casein some will feel that it is fine to consume. This might be true, but if someone has a known casein allergy then I would still recommend for them to avoid it. Of course as I mentioned before, one also needs to consider the type of casein one is consuming, as some people will do fine consuming dairy from a goat or a sheep. It admittedly can be challenging at times to know exactly what a person should and shouldn’t eat, but when someone is trying to restore their health back to normal I would rather play it safe and have them avoid all type of dairy initially.

Some people are concerned about getting enough calcium if they are avoiding dairy. Although dairy is the primary source of calcium for many people, there are other foods which are high in calcium. Kale is high in calcium, and so you can eat steamed kale, and/or add it to a smoothie. Chinese cabbage is also an excellent source of calcium (15). Collard greens, broccoli, almonds, and blackstrap molasses can also provide a sufficient amount of calcium. So there are plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium.

In summary, there is a lot of controversy over whether dairy should be consumed in people with conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Since many people are sensitive to dairy I do recommend for all of my patients to initially avoid dairy. But this doesn’t mean that everyone should avoid dairy on a permanent basis. Raw dairy is definitely preferable to commercial dairy. However, there are different types of casein, and many people react to beta-casein A1, yet do fine when consuming dairy which has beta-casein A2. So if someone avoids dairy for a prolonged period of time and then reintroduces it back into their diet, they might want to consider raw dairy, and also do some research so they consume dairy which consists of beta-casein A2.

While all of the minerals play an important role in the health of individuals, selenium is one of the more important minerals with regards to thyroid health. First of all, selenium is important in the formation of thyroid hormone, as well as the conversion of T4 to T3. Selenium is also important in the synthesis of glutathione. Epidemiological findings link a lowered selenium status to neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases as well as to increased cancer risk (1). Selenium is extremely important for optimal immune system health, and a selenium deficiency might make one more susceptible to developing an autoimmune condition such as Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

How Does Selenium Enhance Immune Function?

While selenium has many different functions, this blog post will mainly focus on the benefits of selenium with regards to immune system health. But how does selenium enhance immune system function? Selenium can influence immune response by changing the expression of cytokines and their receptors or by making immune cells more resistant to oxidative stress (2). If you’re not familiar with cytokines I would check out my recent blog post entitled “The Role of Cytokines In Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions“. Supplementation with selenium has been shown to stimulate the function of neutrophils, production of antibodies, proliferation of T and B lymphocytes, production of lymphokines, natural killer cell-mediated cytodestruction, delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions and allograft rejection, and the ability of a host to reject transplanted malignant tumors (3).

Selenium is also a cofactor for glutathione. Glutathione is an antioxidant which has numerous functions, and there is evidence that altered glutathione concentrations may play an important role in many autoimmune conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (4). If someone is deficient in selenium then this will affect glutathione production, which is yet another reason why it’s important to correct a selenium deficiency.

Let’s take a look at selenium and how it might play a role in autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease:

Selenium and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is characterized by an increase in either thyroperoxidase (TPO) and/or thyroglobulin antibodies. While there is no hard evidence that a selenium deficiency can trigger an autoimmune response, there is evidence that selenium can lower thyroperoxidase antibodies (5) (6). As a result, those people with high TPO antibodies might benefit from selenium supplementation, or eating selenium-rich foods such as Brazil nuts.

However, there are also some studies which show that selenium supplementation doesn’t lower TPO antibodies (7). Most of the studies involving selenium and TPO antibodies used 200 mcg of selenium, either in the form of sodium selenite, or selenium yeast. Perhaps giving a higher dose (i.e. 400 mcg) would be more effective for some people? However, one does need to be cautious about taking higher doses of selenium, which I’ll discuss in more detail below. What about those people who have high thyroglobulin antibodies? Most of the studies on selenium and thyroid antibodies focus on thyroid peroxidase antibodies. I did come across one study which showed that selenium helped to lower both thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies, although it seems that the thyroperoxidase antibodies are affected to a greater extent by selenium supplementation (8).

Selenium and Graves’ Disease

With regards to Graves’ Disease, a population-based study showed that selenium levels were lower in people with newly diagnosed Graves’ Disease (9). As a result, they postulated that there might be a link between inadequate selenium supply and autoimmune thyroid disease. However, this study alone does not confirm that a selenium deficiency can trigger Graves’ Disease, and more research definitely is needed in this area. Another study showed that there is a possible role of selenium supplementation in improving the course of Graves Disease (10), although it also suggested that further clinical trials are necessary to confirm this.

Should You Supplement With Selenium?

I’m sure many people reading this are aware of the benefits of selenium, and are already eating more selenium-rich foods such as Brazil nuts and sardines, and/or are taking a selenium supplement. Although supplementing with selenium might be beneficial, here are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1) If someone has a selenium deficiency then this might be a factor in one’s autoimmune thyroid condition. However, in most cases this isn’t the only factor. In most cases something else has triggered the autoimmune response, and if you don’t remove this trigger then taking high doses of selenium might not have much of an impact on the thyroid antibodies.

2) Selenium can be toxic at high doses. If you supplement with selenium you need to be cautious. While most people are fine supplementing with 200 mcg per day, taking doses higher than this can cause problems. I’ve had numerous patients take 400 mcg of selenium per day, and some people will be fine taking 600 mcg of selenium for a short period of time. But everyone is different, and so you can’t make the assumption that 400 mcg of selenium is safe to take. When I recommend selenium supplements to my patients I recommend a whole food source, as there is a much greater chance of having a selenium toxicity when taking synthetic selenium supplements. However, if you take too high of a dosage of food based supplements this still can potentially lead to a toxicity.

3) How about eating a couple of Brazil nuts per day? Brazil nuts are a rich source of selenium, and some people can get all of the selenium they need by eating one or two Brazil nuts on a daily basis. This doesn’t mean you should eat a bunch of Brazil nuts if you have a selenium deficiency, as while Brazil nuts are healthy, more isn’t necessarily better, and if someone has gut issues then eating Brazil nuts might not be the best choice. The reason for this is due to the lectins and phytic acid, which can affect digestion. I discussed this more in my blog post entitled “Should People With Thyroid and Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions Avoid Foods With Lectins?” A better option might be a whole food selenium supplement, as I briefly mentioned before. And the reason for this is because while a synthetic selenium supplement will correct a selenium deficiency, selenium (as well as other minerals), works best in the presence of other nutrients and cofactors.

To summarize, if someone has low selenium levels then this might make them more susceptible to developing an autoimmune thyroid condition. However, I think it’s safe to conclude that most cases of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are not caused by a selenium deficiency. This doesn’t mean that a selenium deficiency can’t be a factor. Any mineral deficiency should eventually be corrected, and a selenium deficiency can compromise immunity, as well as cause problems with the conversion of T4 to T3, and will also affect the production of glutathione.

Echinacea is one of the most commonly used herbs. You can find echinacea at just about any health food store, in retail stores (i.e. Walmart, Target), and pharmacies usually have supplements with echinacea. Many people take echinacea to prevent the onset and reduce the severity of colds, the flu, and other conditions. But when it comes to autoimmunity, there is controversy about whether echinacea is safe to take.

With any autoimmune condition there is the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines. I won’t discuss this in detail, as you can refer to my blog post entitled “The Role of Cytokines In Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions“. In this post I briefly talk about Th1 and Th2 dominance. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is known as a Th1 dominant condition (1), while Graves’ Disease is known as a Th2 dominant condition (2). What this essentially means is that each condition is characterized by the activation of different cytokines. Once again, I discuss this more in my post.

In his wonderful book “Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal?”, Dr. Datis Kharrazian discusses how different nutrients and herbs can be used to help balance the Th1/Th2 pathways. He discusses how with a Th1 dominant condition you want to stimulate the Th2 pathways, while with a Th2 dominant condition you want to stimulate the Th1 pathway. There is evidence that echinacea stimulates the Th1 pathway, and thus according to the “Th1/Th2 balancing theory”, it would be beneficial for those people with Graves’ Disease, but not recommended for those people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Controversy Over Balancing The Th1/Th2 Pathways

While there is no question that The Th1 and Th2 pathways play a role in autoimmunity, trying to balance these pathways by using certain supplements and herbs is controversial. In addition to echinacea, there are other herbs and nutrients which can stimulate one or both pathways. With regards to echinacea, I have given this herb successfully to many people with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Now to be fair, Dr. Kharrazian explains that not all cases of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are Th1 dominant conditions, and not all cases of Graves’ Disease are Th2 dominant conditions. The only way to know for certain is by testing the cytokines. However, I’ve had people who tested as Th1 dominant do fine when taking echinacea. On the other hand, I’ve had some people with a Th2 dominant condition not tolerate echinacea well.

So I’m not suggesting that everyone can take echinacea without a problem. What I am saying is that there is no conclusive research I’m aware of which proves that echinacea only stimulates Th1 cytokines. Just a few years ago it was thought that curcumin and resveratrol only stimulated the Th2 pathway, and because of this it was recommended for people with Th1 conditions to avoid these nutrients. However, research over the past few years shows that both curcumin and resveratrol can benefit people with Th1 and Th2 dominant conditions by regulating Treg/Th17 balance (3) (4). The truth is that there is a lot about herbs and other nutrients that we still don’t know.

By the way, all of this isn’t meant to criticize Dr. Kharrazian’s findings, as I think he has an incredible amount of knowledge, does a ton of research, and I commonly recommend his book to people who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. All I’m saying is that more research needs to be done to find out the impact echinacea has on autoimmune conditions such as Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Some people can have an allergy to echinacea. In fact, a systematic review which looked at the safety of echinacea said that although severe allergic reactions are rare, in some people, taking this herb will lead to gastrointestinal problems and rashes (5). The truth is that this can happen with numerous other herbs, as while most people don’t experience adverse reactions when taking herbs, there are risks involved, and some people do experience a negative reaction when taking them. People who are specifically allergic to plants in the daisy family are more likely to have an allergic reaction to echinacea.

Should People With Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions Avoid Echinacea?

At this point you’re probably wondering whether people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should take echinacea, or completely avoid this herb. There is some concern that taking echinacea can either trigger the development of an autoimmune thyroid condition, or that it might exacerbate a preexisting autoimmune condition. I did come across some evidence involving a couple of patients which showed that taking echinacea might have caused a flare up of their autoimmune condition (6). However, these people also took spirulina, and so it is impossible to determine if it was due to the echinacea, spirulina, or combination of both which flared up the autoimmune response. But even if the flare-up was due to the echinacea, one can’t conclude that taking echinacea will lead to the same results in other people with autoimmune thyroid conditions.

I personally took echinacea when I was following a natural treatment protocol for my Graves’ Disease condition. However, I don’t give echinacea to all of my patients, and so I can’t say that everyone with an autoimmune thyroid condition needs to take echinacea. For the most part, the people who I have recommended to take echinacea have experienced positive results, although there have been a few exceptions. In addition, Kerry Bone, who is an herbalist with over 25 years of experience, commonly recommends echinacea to his patients with autoimmune conditions.

As I’ve discussed in other articles and posts in the past, the quality of the herb is important. While my goal isn’t to promote any specific brands, you do want to be cautious about what you take, and this of course applies to any supplement or herb. There are also numerous species of echinacea, and when I do recommend echinacea to my patients I recommend a product which has both Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea purpurea.

An Important Reminder About Immune Modulating Herbs

It is important to remember that if someone takes an herb such as echinacea, or any other herb which affects the immune system, the ultimate goal remains to address the underlying cause of the condition. Even if many people can benefit from taking echinacea, the truth is that taking this herb usually won’t do anything to address the cause of the autoimmune thyroid condition. So taking echinacea won’t do anything for weak adrenals caused by chronic stress, a leaky gut due to allergens or a poor diet, a hormone imbalance, etc. On the other hand, if someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has a pathogenic infection of any type, then echinacea can help in the eradication of this pathogen by modulating the immune system.

What is YOUR Experience With Echinacea?

I’m sure many people reading this post have taken echinacea, and I’d be interested in find out what type of experience you have had with this herb. Did you have a positive experience when taking echinacea? Or did it seem to exacerbate your symptoms, increase your thyroid antibodies, etc? Of course it’s common for people to be on numerous supplements and herbs, and so many times it can be a challenge knowing if a specific supplement or herb is responsible for improving or exacerbating one’s condition. But some people are able to pinpoint their improvement or worsening of symptoms due to a specific supplement and herb, and if anyone reading this feels that echinacea helped to improve their health, or perhaps made it worse, then I’d like to hear about this experience.