Is anyone following a special diet to help with autoimmune disease? Anti inflammatory etc rather than to loose weight?
I’m already gluten free due to coeliac disease and virtually dairy free. Also low alcohol and trying to do low sugar. I’m also trying to avoid goitrogens (peanuts/ walnuts/ raw spinach are proving hard to cut down on) but feel like Im running out of things to eat and it’s making me feel a bit depressed! I also have a low BMI at 18.5 (I know lucky me!) but have been told I need to increase it to help conceive- trying to eat more protein but this is so hard!!!
How important is all this stuff to good thyroid health and combating autoimmune disease? I notice the difference cutting out sugar on my anxiety so it’s worth doing just not sure if I’m making things too hard for myself!
Any advice appreciated!
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Mama196
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I follow my own special diet with success, manage to keep my weight down and I feel healthy and reasonably fit. I have under active thyroid and fibromyalgia. I don’t eat gluten or soya, both these have an effect on your thyroid and meds. I keep to fresh vegetables, fruit, fish and occasional chicken. I try not to eat tomatoes as they don’t help with inflammation. I am also lactose intolerant so keep off all dairy. I don’t have caffeine or alcohol. I enjoy cooking and researching different menus. The secret is not to stress or overthink your diet, just follow a healthy one. Hope you manage to sort out a diet that suits and helps you.
Thank you Tikaneko- I think it does make sense to eat this healthily, it’s just an adjustment. I feel like it lacks variety but I’m sure like you say I can find some interesting recipes.
I had been wondering about tomato so may trial a few weeks without it.
Do you bother trying to cut out goitrogens? I see greygoose below reckons not to worry about it- feels like a bit of a grey area!
No I don’t cut them out, I don’t see the need. I was like you and constantly over thought what I should cut out. I got to a point where I was miserable and thought this can’t go on. So I set about organising a fresh diet no processed foods or replacing foods with an alternative. Such as due to my lactose intolerance cheese etc? Then after researching what affects my thyroid and meds I cut out gluten and soya.
Going gluten/dairy-free could be very important to people who are sensitive to them. But, if cutting out gluten and dairy doesn't make you feel better, then eat them. No vertue in cutting them out if it doesn't help you feel well. Although gluten doesn't have any effect on your thyroid or your levo.
And there's really no point in cutting out goitrogens, that's not going to make any difference to someone on thyroid hormone replacement. Besides, I don't suppose you'd ever eat enough of them for them to have an effect, anyway. With the exception of soy, because soy is not just a goitrogen. It also impedes the uptake of hormone by the cells.
Avoid artificial sweeteners and processed oils, though, because they - like soy - are not good for anybody.
Thanks grey goose! I don’t generally eat soy I.e soy milk but is probably added to a lot of things- Do you think it’s important to cut it out entirely even if in processed food (I’m trying to cut that out / down though too)?
Well, for me personally, it is. So I imagine it is for some other people, too. The smallest amount of soy affects me. And, the problem with processed foods is that they also tend to contain a lot of the other two no-nos: artificial sweeteners and highly processed seed oils.
Soy is best avoided, tbh, anyway. The vast majority is GMO, for one thing, and it messes with hormones.
I agree with GG about goitrogens. They're a bit overhyped as being an issue. I think probs start when people start juicing them, so they then consume massive amounts. other than that, there a few places in the world where people consume huge amounts of cassava, because they make it into everything via a flour, and have problems, but not in the uk.
the best sweeteners - expensive, naturally - are organic greenleaf stevia and organic monkfruit sugar. don't be fooled by brands like Truvia - it's stevia that is so highly processed that you may as well eat aspartame.
do you know you have an issue with tomatoes? if so, you will likely have issues with the other nightshades, so be wary.
processed foods should be avoided like the plague.
I found a marvellous delicious and filling gluten free 'bread' recently in an organic restaurant on holiday which I had with some salmon and scrambled eggs. It had a kind of crumpet texture and a lot of pumpkin seeds in it. Wish I could find the recipe as it beat anything processed. So, yes, I sympathise. But, there is a growing wealth of knowledge in these diets... I suppose we can try out some free from diet magazines which cost a lot, but could be worth the investment if there are recipes in them that become future staples. Mind you I find some of the ideas, such as casseroles, roasts and risottos, so obvious that it puts me off wasting money on these publications.
Thanks! I find I am doing such a specific diet now it’s nearly impossible to find a recipe book that would meet my needs- online is a bit better to tailor it. I use Pinterest app quite a lot for recipes if you’re at all technologically inclined!!
It’s so hard to resist the cravings for salty stodge but perhaps a healthy seedy bread would be a good idea! I actually have a bread maker I’ve never used so I must get it going!!
The one I tried was quite oily so was higher in fat and with all the seeds protein too - not just pure carbs. I am on a quest to find out how to make it.
I paid for a couple of sessions with a qualified nutritionist. Her advice was tailored to my circumstances and has had a big impact on aspects such as bowel issues which you don't realise were such a feature of life. Highly recommended
I started the AIP diet 4 months ago & have had great results from it. There are a few Facebook groups that offer recipes & advice in it. Basically it's an elemination diet that you do for 3 months & then start re introducing foods. My joint pains are 90% reduced & I'm sleeping much better & my hair has mostly grown back too. Google AIP & you'll find loads of info. I know everyone is different but it might help you. Best if luck
Thank you! I’m wondering if nuts are a trigger as I’ve replaced all the processed stuff with nuts. Also now increasing my levothyroxine dose so hope it’ll help with achy-ness. HP says achy joints isn’t to do with thyroid but I don’t believe him!
I tried to reintroduce Almonds so I could use Almond flour but I got chest pressure & aches too so maybe nuts are a problem for you too? We are all so different but it might be worth cutting them out for awhile. I use casava flour & tigernut flour ( not really a nut) & have no problems with them 😊
Hello there, there’s a diet called the Autoimmune Paleo diet which I follow and which I feel has been of great benefit to me. There’s loads of info about it on the internet - autoimmune wellness and the paleo mom are both great places to start and have loads of resources if you’re interested. There’s also a cookbook called The Healing Kitchen which I’d highly recommend. It helps you make yummy food easily without feeling deprived or like some kind of weird health nut. Good luck 😊
I've been looking for an AIP recipe book, but they all seem to be written by Americans. Is the Healing Kitchen a UK one, and if not, does it involve foods that are easily available here?
Yes it is an American book Nico101 but the foods and recipes are pretty ‘normal’ which is why I like it. It also takes into account that we are rounded individuals with more on our minds than just healthy meal prep and has lots of tips to make things easier including using convenience foods. It uses a lot of plantains and plantain crisps though which are no good for me, but I tried subbing crushed vege crisps for the coating on the baked ‘fried’ chicken and it was yum! The book is by Sarah Ballantyne and Alaena Haber.
Hello, I know lots of people strongly advocate removing gluten and soy as well as dairy from the diet to improve thyroid function and well being. I personally did not notice any difference doing this to my health or my results. I think that there’s still a lot of unknowns regarding triggers for autoimmune diseases and one size doesn’t fit all. There’s also potential environmental triggers (pollutants and mineral absorption) as well as mental (stress).
I think they only way you can know for sure is through a bit of experimentation omitting possible triggers to see if it makes any difference. I personally struggled to convince with Hashimotos but found once my tsh was below one and I was eating healthily (not strictly paleo but low carb type diet) and exercising regularly that it happened.
I am also pretty glad I can have the odd pain au chocolat and full milk latte.
Thank you- I’m aiming to get TSH below 1 so hoping this makes all the difference and I can relax about the diet- I don’t think the mental stress can be helping!!
I have been following dietdoctor.com for 2 years now and am a different person. Much better at 74 than i was 10 years ago. I firmly believe in a real food way of eating 🤗
I am gluten free and in January went vegan. My doctor was 100% behind my decision (he knows I have done the research, so take good supplements, incl B12, calcium, algae omega oils, and algae collagen.) He says a plant based diet reduces inflammation throughout the body and improves the gut biome. I’m NOT advocating this for anyone else. Just telling you my experience. I was getting bugs every 3-4 weeks from my 2 yr old granddaughter, but that stopped. Stress still lowers my immunity though. I also lost nearly a stone without trying.
That’s really interesting, thanks! I’ve been increasing lean red meat as I read it is best way to address low stomach acid which a nutritionist reckons I have based on digestive symptoms. Sometimes it all feels so contradictory! Unfortunately my husband is so pro-meat I’d struggle to cut back though id be up for trying vegan for a bit- how long did it take to notice an impact?
Thank you very much for the tip off. I will explore all these avenues... I had never tasted such a delicious loaf before and would love to make it myself.
I've been gluten free which helps but the biggest thing I've noticed is no beer. Which is silly since I know there's gluten in beer but if I cheat on the gluten (which I know is bad) I've never noticed so much improvement in my joint pain since I've been put on a new medication that makes drinking beer impossible so I'm not able to cheat. If I slip and have gluten in a different form I don't have a relapse in pain like before. I don't know what is in beer...my mom thinks maybe its yeast? That and I've cut back on tomatoes.
Thank you for this- joint pain is my number one complaint so that’s really interesting. I’m pretty careful not eating gluten as I e been coeliac for ages and Hashimotos only recently. Might try cutting out nightshades starting with tomatoes/ peppers (potatoes are surely too hard!!! Chiiiipppss!)
I originally put achy joints down to pregnancy hormones but my son is now 2.5 and it continues- in the meantime the hypothyroidism has got worse as I’ve had to gradually increase levothyroxine dose from 25mcg to 125mcg.
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