I have removed these two things from my diet for the last 2 years as recommended on this forum and other websites. I have to say I haven't noticed any health benefits from doing this.
Are there any people on here who are hypo like me and still continue to have these in their diets? I was speaking to a friend the other day who I didn't know suffered with hypo and they said they never changed their diet and have been fine.
I guess I'm asking as I would love to consume these foods again, but I'm so scared to try in case it effects my thyroid. It would be nice to hear from other people who have done this. x
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Muddy1980
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Some people with Hashi's have found that it has benefitted them by removing gluten and/or dairy from their diet. Some have found it makes no difference.
I have been Hypo for 45 years and have not removed gluten or dairy from my diet (I don't have Hashi's).
Why not reintroduce one and see what happens. If you notice no difference then reintroduce the other, again see what happens.
In 40 years of being hypothyroid I never have omitted any foodstuff from my diet because of my condition, and as a non-meat eater for 50 yrs I've consumed a fair amount of alleged goitrogenic vegetables too, including edamame beans, the immature soy bean. Not everyone finds they benefit from an exclusionary diet and after 2 years of seeing no improvement or benefit, you might perhaps concede there's no need to continue. But it would be worth being careful to gradually reintroduce one or other of the two groups, not both at once, to see how you get on with them.
I never dreamed of removing gluten or dairy. Most hypothyroids that are diagnosed are done so on the basis of TSH and never 'warned' about gluten or dairy and don't find a need to exclude these. (I believe many hypothyroids are not diagnosed because of the reliance on TSH - separate issue). The studies I've seen show that a small pecentage (7% if I remember) of the hypothyroid population are sensitive to gluten (not coeliac) and benefit from going gluten free.
I would reintroduce both gluten and dairy but do it gently. You may have reduced your capability to produce lactase, it may take time to recover.
I would encourage patients not to go dairy or gluten free until they have settled on their optimal hormone dose. If they still have symptoms a trial of gluten or dairy free is reasonable.
I agree with Susie. I have Hashi's, and tried removing them from my diet, along with sugar, nightshades, etc. The only thing that made any difference to the way I feel - i.e. made me feel better - was removing all forms of soy.
What is recommended on here - I don't know about other sites, but they tend to know less then the people on here - is trying a gluten-free and/or dairy-free diet to see if it helps. Neither is actually going to affect your thyroid directly, I don't think, just your symptoms. If they don't improve your symptoms - i.e. improve them - then there's no point carrying on. So, reintroduce one or the other and see how you feel. Then, try reintroducing the other. Don't reintroduce both at the same time because if one makes you bad, you won't know which one it is. And, if cow dairy doesn't suit you, try goat or sheep dairy.
If you are overweight with hyothyroid then using lactase free dairy milk cuts down milk sugar lactase. Cutting down carbs and sugar may help metabolism . Gluten is in most grains including wheat rye barley and oats. You dont have to be gluten free to have grain intolerance. Grains in pies and savoury foods push up carbs and fats. I have a multi grain intolerance with the grains above as well as maize and rice. I now eat lentil chick pea pasta and snacks. Egg may be another common food intolerance. You could ask your practice manager for food intolerance tests to pinpoint some food intolerances as part of celiac disease which often goes with thyroid problems. If you have not had your glucose blood sugar tested then may be you might be pre diabetic. Tests can be done by Nature's best and through special allergy testing service at Alphega branch of chemists. This group is professional with finger prick test and referrals back to music needed. It has helped me.
You won't know if they affect you unless you try them again, so I'd suggest you eat a small amount and see how you get on. Just a spoonful at first. Only try one, then wait 3 days to see if you get any symptoms, and if nothing happens, try the other and wait 3 days.
As someone who has been totally gluten free for five years - I was diagnosed with yet another autoimmune condition and thought ‘What have I got to lose?’
I had Graves with quite high antibodies, going GF greatly reduced them although apart from a big improvement with my gut - got IBS - and the fact I haven’t had to increase my arthritis medicines in that time, I don’t notice that much difference.
I’d say if you want to eat gluten containing food then give them a try and see how you feel. You can always go back to GF if you change you ur mind.
I eat dairy with no problem. In fact it may help to keep bones healthy. I don't do well with carbs and feel better gluten free but that's more to do with my guts than thyroid. Just do what is best for you, there's no hard and fast rule.
Dr. Alan Christianson (He's a Hashimoto's guy who has a lot of info on-line. I took his 7-week on-line course.) recently put out some info on how it isn't necessary to go GF with Hashimoto's unless you have Celiac or gluten causes symptoms for you. I have not eaten gluten in a couple of years but have experienced no apparent benefit from it. I am thinking about adding it back in myself. I had food testing done while eating gluten & had no reaction to it according to the test (which may or may not be accurate. Who knows?)
You could always try eliminating it for a few months & then slowly add it back & see what you discover that way.
I’ve read this article and I find it quite scary. For someone who used to recommend his patients try a gluten free diet he seems to have made quite a U turn.
I find his list of horrible things that will happen to you if you don’t eat gluten quite disturbing.
Do all these horrible things happen to people who are Coeliac or do they just happen to non Coeliac gluten avoiders?
So much of the food I eat anyway is naturally gluten free that in my case to change how I eat I would have to deliberately add gluten.
I do not eat bread - I occasionally eat a slice of GF bread but less than a slice a month. I’m pretty sure I get enough roughage from the nuts, veg and fruit I eat.
The gluten containing foods I don’t eat are bread, cakes and biscuits and I don’t often but the non gluten equivalent- someone on here said ‘junk food is still junk food even if it is gluten free’. So while I’ll have the odd piece of gluten free brownie or cake I wouldn’t eat a lot of that sort of food anyway - too much bad carbohydrates, sugar and starch.
I may be wrong but I suspect this guy’s about turn might have something to do with the manufacturers of gluten containing foodstuffs.
Muddy1980, some Hashimotos benefit from being gluten and dairy free, and other don't. These things don't have an impact on your thyroid per se, but an impact on symptoms, probably by stimulating antibodies in some people (ie for some people it stimulates their antibodies and gives them symptoms). Gluten free is said to benefit about 80% of Hashi's sufferers, and dairy free more like 30%.
Its very possible that you are one of the people who doesn't need to cut out gluten or dairy. The only way you'll find out is by carefully reintroducing them and keeping an eye on your symptoms. If you don't have any trouble eating them then it is fine to just keep eating them.
I would be more cautious than another poster and introduce slowly over a few weeks before I start to introduce the second one. But I'm always the very cautious one
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