Learn what nutrition can do for
Hashimoto's
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can be sneaky! Even just getting diagnosed correctly can be a feat.
You might be wondering what the best diet for Hashimoto’s is, and if certain foods like gluten cause flare-ups. A big question is which foods will help your Hashimoto’s.
Maybe you want to know if you can reverse Hashimoto’s naturally, or if you can increase your thyroid hormone levels naturally. Ultimately, you are ready for concrete answers and to feel better.
Know The Science
How Nutrition can improve Hashimoto's
"Remissions from hypothyroidism are not uncommon in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis."
Gut healing
Most, if not all, Hashimoto’s sufferers will benefit from gut healing. Finding the best diet for your Hashimoto’s is key for gut healing. Poor gut health is a main cause of autoimmune thyroiditis, and correcting it is a key natural treatment for healing1. Personalized nutritional therapies, comprehensive stool testing, and targeted herbal treatment plans should be used to promote gut healing and thyroid health.
Improve immune system functioning
treat symptoms naturally
There are many natural treatments that can be used at the same time as prescription medications to support your thyroid health. In time, as your thyroid heals, this will allow your doctor to safely prescribe a lower dosage of your thyroid medication.
Prescription medications for Hashimoto’s can be very life-saving – but ultimately, they are just “band-aids.” No prescription can permanently cure Hashimoto’s, and thyroid medications like levothyroxine can have some serious side effects. However, it is important to keeping taking your thyroid medications until your thyroid is healthier and your doctor can recommend a lower dose or feels it’s safe for you to stop taking them.
Get to know
The main causes & triggers for Hashimoto's
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system is “overactive” and/or malfunctioning, and is attacking healthy thyroid cells. This damages your thyroid so it’s no longer able to do its job, and it struggles to produce enough thyroid hormones. Your immune system isn’t actually trying to harm you – it’s just very confused.
There are many contributing factors that cause Hashimoto’s. Everything from your individual genes to the environment around you can impact your thyroid health. Things that can cause autoimmune thyroiditis include: food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, stress, poor dental hygiene, toxins released by microbes living in your intestines, suboptimal liver functioning, air pollution, and more.
Hashimoto’s triggers will be different for each person. Identifying these triggers and then reducing your exposure to them is key. The best diet for your Hashimoto’s may be different than what’s best for someone else.
Get to know
Nutrition & Lifestyle Treatments for Hashimoto's
Although it may take a few days or weeks, thyroid medications can provide much needed relief to Hashimoto’s sufferers. However, these medications can come with their own side effects, as well.
Natural treatments for Hashimoto’s are different. When done properly, they rarely cause side effects and they stay effective over time. The goal is to:
- Identify 1-2 food sensitivities (a full elimination diet is not necessary and actually often dangerous) to find the best diet for your Hashimoto’s
- Correct nutritional deficiencies
- Identify key gut microbe imbalances, then address them
- Optimize the natural detoxification processes in the liver and other organs
- Reduce exposure to environmental triggers
Get to know
How a dietitian-nutritionist can help
Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s are poorly understood. Therefore, it’s absolutely essential to work with healthcare providers who are committed to serving the autoimmune community and are up to date on the latest research.
A dietitian-nutrition specializing in autoimmune disease will help you identify 1-2 food triggers without putting you on an elimination diet. Elimination diets are dangerous, as they can promote eating disorders, which autoimmune sufferers are more likely to have.
A dietitian-nutritionist will also ensure that you are obtaining adequate nutrition, and are not deficient in key nutrients. By evaluating your eating habits and patterns, learning about your symptoms, and reading your blood work, a dietitian-nutritionist can make recommendations appropriate for you that can improve your thyroiditis.
Additionally, stress is a well known trigger for Hashimoto’s. There are specific nutrients that the body needs more of while stressed, and certain foods that can help our bodies handle stress better. Targeted nutrition can be used to reduce the impact of stress, therefore reducing your thyroid symptoms.
Are you ready to take the next step?
Citations:
- Knezevic, Jovana et al. “Thyroid-Gut-Axis: How Does the Microbiota Influence Thyroid Function?.” Nutrients vol. 12,6 1769. 12 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12061769
- Vighi, G et al. “Allergy and the gastrointestinal system.” Clinical and experimental immunology vol. 153 Suppl 1,Suppl 1 (2008): 3-6. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03713.x