Hypothyroidism is so huge nowadays that I feel approximately one out of every 5 clients I see has some degree of hypothyroidism. Crazy. Which is why I wanted to write a quick blog on the topic.
Like most things, diet and lifestyle play a big role in your thyroid function. Eating the wrong foods, chronic stress and poor sleep can interfere with your hormones and even contribute to autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s.
(Note: I recently wrote about 5 foods that help boost your thyroid, and today I’m going a bit further and giving you broader lifestyle tips).
What are signs that you have hypothyroidism?
One of the biggest clues is difficulty losing weight. Your thyroid hormone is one of the big three hormones (together with insulin and cortisol) that control your metabolism and weight.
Other signs include:
Chronic constipation
Brain fog, Anxiety, Depression
Fatigue and/or Muscle aches
Poor circulation, Cold extremities, Dry skin and Puffy skin especially around your face
If you have a few of these signs, it’s worth it to talk to your doctor and get tested with a full thyroid panel.
Now let’s get straight to it. What are some things you can do right away, apart from taking a pill, that can help support your amazing body to normalize your thyroid levels?
1) Clean up your DIET.
Significantly REDUCE INFLAMMATORY FOODS in your diet. This can vary per person but mostly these are: sugar, refined carbs (bread, pastas, etc), highly processed oils like most vegetable oils, and for some people you have to go deeper and test/eliminate food sensitivities (often foods like dairy, gluten -see below, corn, eggs and some legumes can be triggers).
Try removing gluten completely for a while. I suggest: remove gluten for 3 weeks then add back in and see if you notice any difference. It helps to do a guided detox and/or work with a health practitioner to help support you through this.
Focus on eating NUTRIENT-DENSE meals filled with THYROID BOOSTING superfoods (read more HERE) such as:
Sea veggies (seaweed) *for iodine
Fish and Seafood (ideally low in mercury and wild-caught) *for omega-3s, b-vitamins and zinc
Dark leafy greens (in small quantities at a time and preferably cooked) *for magnesium, b-vitamins and to help with detoxification
Orange-colored veggies like butternut squash and sweet potatoes *for vitamin A / antioxidants, vitamin C
Brazil nuts *for selenium
Probiotic rich foods, such as coconut yogurt and fermented vegetables (ex. sauerkraut) *for gut health
Bone broth and Liver *for nutrient density, b-vitamins and proteins that help with detoxification
Turmeric *for anti-inflammation
Berries and other colorful, antioxidant-rich fruits like Pitahaya *for vitamin C and anti-inflammation
Pure, raw cacao and organic dark chocolate *for magnesium, zinc and anti-inflammatory antioxidants
Eat DETOXIFYING foods. Don’t fear cruciferous veggies (broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc) but do eat them in small amounts and cooked. Most holistic doctors have found not enough evidence supporting claims to eliminate cruciferous veggies. Instead it’s suggested to eat them to support your body’s detoxification pathways.
Support your GUT (with probiotics and prebiotics) and EAT WHAT YOU CAN DIGEST well. For example, beans are great for your thyroid health given their nutrient density and fiber, but if you feel you have trouble digesting them and feel best with a legume-free diet, then listen to your body. You want to be eating foods that support YOUR unique digestion.
Take Caution with Soy: There is some evidence that LARGE amounts of soy can be an issue. Evidence is mixed, but given there are other issues with soy, I recommend to limit consumption of soy – and when you do eat it, stick to only organic soy, NOT processed, and ideally fermented varieties like miso and tempeh.
2) SUPPLEMENT. For proper thyroid production (plus conversion of t4 to t3) you need: omega-3s, iodine, zinc, selenium, vitamins A, C and D. you want to get these from food, but it definitely helps to get therapeutic levels from high quality supplements.
3) REDUCE TOXINS.
Reduce mercury exposure. If you can, check for your mercury levels. If you have metal dental fillings, have them removed, and limit consumption of fish with higher levels of mercury
Avoid fluoride (and avoid chlorinated water), which have been linked to thyroid problems. So…Filter your water!
Limit pesticides in your food buying organic when possible
Do a “clean” sweep of your home. Follow my tips HERE
4) MANAGE STRESS. You’ve heard it before but stress is one of the main causes of all sickness nowadays, and yes, stress also affects your thyroid negatively. There’s been studies showing people subjected to intense stress had higher levels of cortisol, higher inflammation levels, reduced testosterone, higher TSH, and very low T3. Be realistic about potential stressors in your daily life, and start implementing daily stress-reduction practices like deep breathing, meditation, journaling and/or other techniques to help you mindfully relax and better manage stressors in your life.
5) SWEAT. Benefits of exercise for your health and wellness are multiple, as you’ve probably heard. For your thyroid, exercise helps stimulate thyroid gland secretion, and increases your receptivity to thyroid hormones throughout the body. Look for an exercise / sport that will make you sweat - even it its low impact like my barre classes, if it makes you sweat it has a double benefit of helping you detoxify through your skin.
6) SLEEP. Low-quality sleep or lack of sleep can also trigger thyroid issues. Not getting proper regular sleep can make you under-produce thyroid hormones (and to make things works once you have hypothyroidism, it often disrupts your sleep further, keeping you in a negative exhaustion cycle). You want to get 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every single night. Read more on improving you sleep HERE.
I KNOW how frustrating it can be to suffer from low thyroid hormone and all of its symptoms, but don’t give up. Try these simple natural tips which can help support your thyroid and get you back to your best, healthy, balanced self.
Note: I am not a doctor and this is not meant to replace doctors’ advice, but in my experience, following these tips can help you a lot, whether or not you’re taking medication. And I’ve seen cases where people just apply these diet/lifestyle changes before starting thyroid medication, to give it a shot, and they achieve normalized levels of thyroid so no longer need medication. But often times, diet/lifestyle alone is not enough and needs to be done together with medication. Everyone is different. I say first and foremost, listen to your intuition, consult with a holistic doctor if possible, and if you are taking medication, remember the suggestions I mention in this blog are natural tips that can help you regardless, but should be discussed with your doctor.
Here are a few great experienced holistic doctors and some links for reference:
Mark Hyman: https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/06/10/a-comprehensive-6-step-strategy-to-heal-your-thyroid/
Amy Myers: https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/restore-health-hashimotos/
Isabella Wentz: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/content/hashimotos-thyroiditis-dr-izabella-wentz