These Simple Dietary Changes Can Improve Your Thyroid Health | Dr. Pat Nardini, Naturopathic Doctor

Thyroid conditions can cause a wide variety of health problems – these issues are common and often misunderstood.

Unfortunately, people who have a thyroid problem but are yet to be diagnosed make up the largest percentage of thyroid patients.

I’m a naturopathic doctor with a special interest in thyroid health and I’d like to help you learn about your thyroid.

You might be asking yourself: what’s a thyroid and what does it do?

Today we’ll take a look at answering those questions, as well as what you can do to improve the health of your thyroid.

What Is Your Thyroid?

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that lives in the front of your neck, in front of your windpipe and just above your collarbone.

Not everyone has an Adam’s apple – but if you do, you’ll find your thyroid just behind it.

Its job is to absorb iodine from your diet, combine it with the amino acid tyrosine and produce thyroid hormones – mainly thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).

These hormones regulate the use of oxygen and energy by your cells, tissue, organs, and glands.

This controls your metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, digestion, the production of other hormones in your body, and many other functions.

However, for these systems to function properly, your thyroid has to release the correct level of hormones.

Your thyroid partners with the pituitary gland in your brain.

This gland monitors thyroid hormones circulating in your bloodstream and increases or decreases its release of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), signalling your thyroid to produce more or less T4 hormone.

When you have a thyroid condition, your thyroid releases too much or too little hormone, leading to health problems and possibly life-threatening diseases.

An unhealthy thyroid can cause chronic fatigue, insomnia, digestive issues, depression, weight issues, hormone imbalances, and a number of other symptoms you might experience.

Often, these symptoms can be signs of serious thyroid conditions, such as: hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, goiters, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, and even thyroid cancer.

Sometimes the cause of an unhealthy thyroid can be nutritional deficiencies.

For example, hypothyroidism could be the result of too little iodine or not enough selenium.

The leading cause of thyroid dysfunction is autoimmune disorders.

For example, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your thyroid.

While autoimmune dysfunction is the main reason for thyroid health conditions, there is scientific evidence showing nutrition can impact your immune system and thyroid health.

Now that you know what your thyroid is and what it does, let’s take a look at how your diet affects your thyroid health.

Dietary Changes To Keep Your Thyroid Healthy

Food and supplements are not cures or replacements for the treatment of thyroid diseases, but a healthy, thyroid-friendly diet can help improve your thyroid function and support thyroid treatment.

Though there is still research needing to be done to fully understand the way food and nutrients impact your thyroid health, there is evidence showing that certain items you ingest can have a positive or negative impact on thyroid health.

For example, a 2019 study conducted by The Medical University of Silesia in Poland, revealed women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who ate a gluten-free diet showed reduced anti-thyroid antibodies that your immune system uses to attack the thyroid¹.

As you can see, there’s a strong relationship between your immune system health and the health of your thyroid.

Foods that cause dietary stress can trigger autoimmune responses. This can lead to inflammation, sensitivity, and fluctuations in blood sugar.

There are also foods and supplements that can help reduce inflammation, improve immune system health, and support thyroid function.

Let’s examine these foods – the good and the bad – and how they can impact your thyroid health.

Here are some tips for foods to include, and foods to avoid in order to improve your thyroid health.

1. Limit Processed Foods

Processed foods are filled with empty calories, loaded with sugar, salt, preservatives, and other potentially harmful chemicals.

While these may not directly affect your thyroid, they can trigger autoimmune responses and are bad for your overall health.

By eliminating foods that cause dietary stress, you can help to reduce autoimmune responses and improve your thyroid function.

Try to avoid or eliminate processed food by incorporating nutrient rich whole foods that can support and improve your health.

An easy way to do this is to focus on buying single ingredient fresh, whole foods.

2. Limit Your Caffeine

Found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, and even chocolate, caffeine is a powerful stimulant.

A high daily intake of caffeine can contribute to adrenal fatigue, increased levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), and blood sugar imbalances.

Instead, try naturally caffeine-free herbal teas, they’re loaded with flavor and they can even be made iced.

3. Limit Your Alcohol

Alcohol is often full of carbohydrates and sugars.

For most people, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional drink, but overindulgence is a stress on your liver, your blood sugar, and your immune system.

An article by Dr. Isaac Alexis, MD, outlines the science behind this².

When you drink more alcohol than your liver can process, you’re left with increased levels of immunoglobulins (also called “antibodies”) in your bloodstream.

Immunoglobulins are the proteins your immune system uses to target pathogens.

If there are too many immunoglobulins, they can sometimes target your body’s own cells, causing an autoimmune response – which may impact your thyroid.

While we’re at it, chronic alcohol addiction has also been shown to put you at greater risk of pneumonia, gastrointestinal inflammation, tuberculosis, and several other illnesses^3,^4,⁵.

But maybe that’s a topic for another article.

4. Eat More Fibre

Constipation and weight gain are common side effects of thyroid conditions.

You can help offset this by eating a diet filled with healthy, fibre-rich foods like beans, whole grains, and apples with the skin.

Increasing your daily intake of fibre can benefit your digestion, improve your heart health, increase healthy bowel movements, and enhance feelings of fullness.

Psyllium supplements provide fibre and can help prevent blood sugar spikes.

If you’re taking a thyroid hormone replacement medication, it’s important to talk to your doctor since a high fibre diet can affect the absorption of these medications.

5. Include Healthy Fats (And Exclude Unhealthy Fats)

A 2013 study showed that rats that were induced to have lowered thyroid function had altered fat metabolism⁶.

So, in general, a diet high in fat may not be ideal for your thyroid.

However, healthy fats – fats that reduce LDL cholesterol, like olive oil, avocado, healthy nuts, and wild caught salmon- can improve your thyroid health.

Whenever possible, choose grass-fed over grain-fed meats, since grass-fed are higher in healthy fats and nutrition.

Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties that can help support your immune system and heart health.

Avoid or limit unhealthy fats from processed food and meats, including farm raised salmon.

6. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is made in the skin when you’re exposed to ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

People usually get some of their vitamin D needs met this way, but at certain times of the year – including the time at which I’m writing this article – you won’t be able to get enough vitamin D from the Sun alone.

That’s where diet comes into play.

You can find vitamin D in foods like salmon, cheese, cereals, egg yolks, and fortified juices and milk alternatives.

Playing an important role in the health of your immune system, vitamin D also aids in bone health, can help to lower blood pressure, and may help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Vitamin D deficiency is found to be common in people with thyroid conditions and may be linked to the development of autoimmune thyroid diseases.

A 2017 study by Dohee Kim reviews the many sources of data showing a connection between vitamin D deficiency and a number of different thyroid conditions, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease⁷.

And because vitamin D has so many other benefits, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re getting the right levels.

7. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps your body make DNA, prevents anemia, is important in the formation of red blood cells, and supports neurological health.

A deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause loss of energy, fatigue, shortness of breath, low red blood cell count, and numbness and tingling from weakened nerve function.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in people with hypothyroidism, as well as elderly people, and those who follow a vegan diet⁸.

While B12 may not “fix” your thyroid disorder, if you’re already suffering from one, a deficiency in B12 might be contributing to your symptoms.

8. Iron

Iron is an essential mineral found in red meat, organ meat, seafood, poultry, whole grains, dried beans, fortified cereals, and some dried fruit.

Iron is necessary for making hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout the body), myoglobin (transports oxygen to the muscles), and is vital in the production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

Iron deficiency can result in fatigue, anemia, and it may contribute to the development of hypothyroidism.

In fact, the symptoms of iron deficiency are similar to those of hypothyroidism and can occur at the same time, so you may not realize you have both problems.

If you’re currently taking an iron supplement and still don’t feel well, or don’t feel well and are thinking of taking one, you should speak to a doctor first.

9. Selenium

Selenium can be found in many of the same foods as iron, such as seafood, chicken, red meat, and eggs, as well as pork, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds.

Your thyroid contains the highest amount of selenium in your body – it’s essential for thyroid hormone production.

A key mineral in the health of your thyroid, selenium also helps prevent cellular damage, boosts your immune system, and may lower your risk of both heart disease and cancer.

Selenium deficiency is linked with an increased risk of hypothyroidism, goiter, and both Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.

Scientific evidence shows that if you have autoimmune thyroid disease, supplementing selenium may significantly reduce your thyroid antibodies (anti-TPO and anti-Thyroglobulin) after 12 months and could improve your mood and sense of well-being.

10. Drink Water

Drinking enough water may be one of the most powerful things you can do to help improve your health.

Proper hydration is important to a healthy metabolism, can improve your digestion, can help to combat fatigue and constipation, and can also reduce water retention and bloating.

Drinking water before a meal can help to reduce your appetite and may help you lose weight.

Water should make up a majority of your fluid intake for the day and it’s a healthy alternative to other calorie rich, sugary drinks.

Find different ways to enjoy water – try it chilled or room temperature, carbonated instead of still, flavored with a slice of citrus or cucumber, be creative.

Increasing your water intake may also increase your trips to the washroom, but don’t worry – in a few days your body will adjust to your improved fluid intake.

Book An Appointment With Nardini Naturopathic

Do you find yourself having sleep issues or general fatigue?

Are you experiencing unexplained changes in weight?

Do you have trouble thinking clearly and difficulty concentrating?

If so, you could be experiencing symptoms of a thyroid disorder.

If you’re concerned about your thyroid health or think you might have a thyroid condition, call me, Dr. Pat, at Nardini Naturopathic.

The symptoms of thyroid issues can be distressing and confusing – call and book your naturopathic assessment.

Once we’ve assessed your thyroid health, I can work with you to determine a treatment plan for your specific needs.

Together we can address your thyroid concerns.

Book an appointment with me, Dr. Pat Nardini, at Nardini Naturopathic today.

If you have questions about naturopathic medicine, or you’d like to take your first step into the world of naturopathy, contact us at Nardini Naturopathic, and let’s book an appointment.

Yours in health,

Dr. Pat Nardini, Naturopathic Doctor

320 Danforth Ave suite 206,
Toronto, ON, M4K 1N8
-https://g.page/NardiniNaturopathicDanforth

Dr. Pat Nardini, ND is a licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine in Toronto, Ontario. He offers science based natural health solutions with a special focus on thyroid conditions.