I know I have a hypothyroid condition - dry skin, eyebrows that stop 3/4th across, ridge lines on a few finger nails, plantar fascitis, slow metabolism with an inability to lose weight even though I diet....and bigtime genetic factors. Since i am not convinced that taking synthroid or another thyroxine prescription will affect these symptoms successfully I have been careful about my diet, trying to eat 'clean'. But what an epiphany i had recently about a multitude of items i've been digesting that are actually terrible for hypothyroidism!
First & foremost i had been taking soy isoflavones as an estrogen replacement as I'm post menapausal. Little did i realize these estrogen interrupters significantly and adversely affect TS3 and TS4 levels. Scratched those off my list immediately!
As i read about the worst foods for hypothyroid persons I found I was also eating peanuts, plus almonds, cashews, and walnuts - all of which are very bad. Plus i've been regularly eating peanut butter on whole wheat bread, another no-no. Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, sunflower seeds are okay.
Spinach - here I thought I was super healthy, eating shells florentine and putting baby spinach leaves in my salad greens - argh; spinach inhibits the thyroid's hormones too. As of course do broccoli and cauliflower, which are well known goitrogenic vegetables. Here I fell into the myth that as long as cooked, they were okay. So there I was trying to eat these at least once per week. So wrong. Actually, even cooked they can impair excretion of proper hormone levels. So scratch those off the list entirely. No cole slaw for me either - ever, at least until i lose weight.
Peaches, pears, and strawberries also make the 'do not' eat list - my favorite fruits! Fortunately, apples, oranges, pineapples, and grapefruit are a-okay.
And here is the zinger: tea - black, green, and white (although white has the least) tea have high levels of fluoride in them! More in a steeped 12 oz cup of tea than 2 gallons of fluoridated drinking water! My Brita is fine, but my goal of drinking at least 2 cups of green tea a day is probably doing a number not only on my thyroid, but my bones! No more chai black tea, no more Earl Grey, no more kombachu, no more jasmine green....on and on...I collected a big bag of all these teas to donate - let someone else absorb that fluoride - it damages the thyroid - at one point in the 1900's they used it to treat hyperthyroidism!!
So a new leaf is turned over - an herbal one from now on. Have also started to take Coleus Forkshelli (sp?) along with my ashwaganda and bladderwrack. Seems like a magic potion, does it not?! Hopefully it will do some magic and perk up my thyroid gland. Two or 3 months probably needed....will revisit the subject in May or June to report back.
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