Being diagnosed with hypothyroidism should prompt you to make changes in your lifestyle, particularly in your diet.
Even if you have been prescribed medication to assist your thyroid, you can further assist (or hinder) your recovery by your food choices.
Now that you are aware of your condition it is important that you are consciously aware of all food that you include in your daily diet.
Any effort you make in healthy food choices will be repaid by improvements to your thyroid health.
An obvious benefit of this will be a reduction in weight, from better food choices and the resultant increase in metabolic rate.
Careful planning and sticking to your diet plan will not only help your thyroid to function well but it will also give your overall health a boost.
Here are some helpful diet tips for those diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
Increase your protein intake.
Protein helps ensure that the thyroid hormone is well transported to the tissues.
Therefore, making sure that you include protein in your daily diet can greatly improve the ability of your thyroid to function well.
Ideally, you should favor protein sources which are not highly processed or contain high levels of preservatives.
Opt for complex carbs.
When you include carbohydrates in your diet choose only complex carbohydrates and refrain from high-GI simple sugar foods.
Examples of foods that are good sources of complex carbs may include vegetables such as celery, carrots, potato, and pumpkin.
You need to limit if not eliminate your consumption of simple carbohydrates such as cookies, cakes, ice cream and soda because these foods promote inflammation which can only worsen your symptoms.
Eliminate gluten.
Gluten and your thyroid tissue have the same molecular composition.
This is why for some people eating foods that contain gluten may induce an autoimmune attack in the thyroid.
In order to prevent your symptoms from worsening it is best to stay away from rye, barley, wheat and other gluten-containing foods.
Choose healthy fats.
Fat and cholesterol serve as precursors to your hormonal pathways.
If your body does not have enough fat and healthy HDL cholesterol you could be at risk of exacerbating your body's hormonal imbalance.
If your cholesterol levels are excessive you can get healthy lower-cholesterol fats from avocados, olive oil and coconut milk products.
Consume more fiber.
People who have hypothyroidism may often complain about constipation and sluggish digestion.
This can be remedied by increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods which can help improve digestive health, while also increasing your satiety to hold off the hunger pangs.
Eat more leafy greens, berries, squash, oranges and other fruits and vegetables as you gradually increase your fiber intake.
Do not forget your iodine intake.
Iodine plays a crucial role in the production of thyroid hormones, so it is highly important for an individual with hypothyroidism to increase their iodine intake through dietary sources.
Examples of foods that are packed with iodine are sea vegetables, Swiss chard, garlic, mushrooms and summer squash.
Watch out on goitrogens.
These are the types of foods that may interfere with the proper functioning of your thyroid.
Goitrogenic foods may include kale, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, spinach, peanuts and rutabaga.
Although the goitrogenic compounds will be reduced when cooked, it is still best to eat these foods in moderation.
Eat glutathione rich foods.
Glutathione helps strengthen the immune system and is also known to be one of the most important antioxidants for fighting against the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
It boosts a person's ability to regulate and modulate his own immune system while dampening most of the signs of auto immune flare-ups.
In addition, research also reveals that glutathione is helpful for protecting and healing the thyroid tissue.
Some of the foods that contain lots of glutathione per serving include apples, tomatoes, garlic, melon, squash, onion, peppers and avocados.
So next time you go shopping you know what to add to your list.