Cabbage juice - yes or no?

Hi, quick question:

I have Hashis and am on Levo, having started it around 8 weeks ago. But I also have chronic gastritis and a small hiatus hernia. I've tried Omeprazole before but it wasn't particularly effective and I moved to Ranitidine as I know low stomach acid is a real problem for those of us with Hashis, so it seemed the lesser of two evils. It's contradictory - taking acid blockers/reducers yet suffering from low acid at the same time.

One thing that does seem to calm the gastritis is cabbage juice. It's a pain to make and not particularly pleasant but it works. I know that raw brassicas are classed as 'goitrogenic' and therefore not good to take if you have thyroid issues. But I've also read that this is old news and not true.

The gastritis is a real concern as I know it can lead to pre-cancerous changes longer term and I'm desperate to deal with it. I'm hoping it isn't autoimmune in nature (I also have psoriasis so there's a possibility - these things tend to come in twos or threes, don't they?)

Does anyone have any ideas? Cabbage juice - yes or no?

Many thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had dose increase in Levothyroxine?

You have been on starter dose at least two months

Vitamins obviously needed much improvement too

Time to retest thyroid and vitamins if not done so

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, my GP retested. My TSH down to 1.8 and my T4 still 'a bit saggy' (his words) but he's keeping me on the same dose of Levo and retesting in 6 months. He won't budge. I'm backed into a corner.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

You need FULL private testing again then

Just testing TSH is and FT4 is completely inadequate

Presumably FT4 "a bit saggy" means right at bottom of range?

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results

Official NHS guidelines saying TSH should be between 0.2 and 2.0 when on Levothyroxine and FT4 in top third of range

(Many of us need TSH nearer 0.2 than 2.0 to feel well)

See box

Thyroxine replacement in primary hypothyroidism

pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/pa...

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, my T4 was 14.8 which was a bit of an improvement. He let me see the results and I'm feeling better than I was in terms of tiredness but am working on my ferritin levels and am taking serious amounts of vitamins... I doubt he'll budge on earlier retesting or upping my Levo.

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Also, he wasn't happy with me getting private tests last time. I suspect if I do it again he'll refuse to take any action if I'm 'within range' (he was very dismissive of testing my T3 at all). I will get retested with Medicheck in a month or two but the only outcome I can see from that is self-treating and not telling him. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

[MaisieGray]

Yes, eating 'ordinary' amounts of boiled or steamed veg is not only fine but nutritionally beneficial; but it is inadvisable to go overboard with raw veg, including raw juicing, on a frequent basis. So when you say it's a pain to make, are you first cooking the cabbage, or juicing it raw?

[Hidden in reply to MaisieGray]

Juicing it raw, unfortunately! I just hate washing it and chopping it then cleaning out the juicer afterwards... but it's worth it for some relief from the gastritis. Typical that as soon as I find something that works I can't have it! Think I'll have to commit to gut healing and possibly the AIP diet.

[MaisieGray in reply to Hidden]

I've juiced on an off for years (I'm a non-meat eater), but went though a 4 year period of daily juicing a combination of fruit and veg - the latter primarily carrot, beetroot, broccoli, cucumber, celery and any baby leaves going spare - and tbh was perfectly fine. I think we have to trade off what is most important or necessary to us, and if your gut benefits from cabbage, so be it. Worse case scenario is perhaps that you need a higher Levo dose to compensate.

Re washing the juicer, I have a vitamix, and simply run it with some warm water and literally a drop of washing up liquid, and it's clean. Ditto when I had a magibullet. Can't be doing with washing machinery parts LOL.

[Trying-hard in reply to MaisieGray]

I have been having carrot juice every morning is that OK? It’s supposed to be good for my skin and eyes but more importantly my lungs. I seem to have got copd after numerous and nasty chest infections. The doctor wants me to reduce my thyroxine back to 125 a day from 150 it’s a shame cos I have been feeling pretty good. He said there were raised inflammatory markers in my blood tests and wants me back in 2 weeks for more bloods. Can my slightly over active thyroid (it’s under active but slightly over medicated) be causing these ‘markers’ or,,,,, sorry if I sound like a numpty but could the carrot and tumeric be to blame?

Thanks

[Hidden in reply to Trying-hard]

I'm no expert but I don't see how carrot juice or turmeric could cause any problems. I may be wrong though!

[Hidden in reply to MaisieGray]

Hopefully I can go on a regime to improve my gut health and drink the cabbage juice then ease off the latter if things feel better. Although I suspect it could take months or more... My juicer is just an attachment for a Magimix food processor. Cleaning it is painful. Maybe I need to invest in a Vitamix!

[Esya47]

No! Cabbage juice is suppressing production of thyroid hormones. By the way, in this

Today’s Forum emails was a link how to heal stomach problems including ulcers by using mastica bark,or mastica gum. You can by them in health stores

[Hidden in reply to Esya47]

Hi, isn't that if you have H pylori? I've tested negative for that but will have a look anyway. Thanks!

[wellness1]

Cabbage is rich in the amino acid l-glutamine, which promotes gut healing. You could supplement with that and with N-acetyl cysteine, which can help with gastritis.

"Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that stimulates healing of gastritis. In a preliminary trial, 1–4 grams per day of NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) given to people with atrophic gastritis for four weeks appeared to increase healing.Glutamine, another amino acid is a main energy source for cells in the stomach and supplementation may increase blood flow to this region."

uofmhealth.org/health-libra...

[Hidden in reply to wellness1]

Thanks for this. I've started taking glutamine again recently but will try and get hold of cysteine, it sounds very promising!