Is the Hashimoto Diet Healthy? Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that usually leads to an under-active thyroid, also called hypothyroidism. The Hashimoto Diet is an eating plan designed to combat the symptoms of a sluggish thyroid.<\/p>\n
First, let\u2019s back up a little bit and talk about Hashimoto\u2019s disease. According to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>, Hashimoto\u2019s affects about 5% of the population and is at least eight times more likely to occur in women than men. Supermodel Gigi Hadid has Hashimoto\u2019s, which she famously discussed on social media <\/a> back in 2018 in response to body-shamers.<\/p>\n Hashimoto\u2019s is an autoimmune disease that leads to damage and inflammation of your thyroid, a small but mighty gland that sits at the base of your neck and secretes important thyroid hormones. These hormones regulate energy metabolism, which means they affect nearly every organ and play a large role in your weight, heart rate, digestion, nervous system and more.<\/p>\n Over time, the persistent inflammation leads to an underactive thyroid gland. As a result, those with Hashimoto\u2019s may experience a variety of not-so-fun symptoms, including fatigue, unexplained weight gain, heavy or irregular menstrual periods, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, muscle aches, joint pain and depression.<\/p>\n While Hashimoto\u2019s is often treated with synthetic hormones, diet\u00a0 and lifestyle may also help improve symptoms. You might find a variety of diets recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s including:<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s no one specific diet recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s, but all suggested diets aim to reduce inflammation, alleviate symptoms, and reduce the risk of conditions that are often linked to Hashimoto\u2019s such as other <\/span>autoimmune diseases<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>high cholesterol<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>obesity<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>diabetes<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With Hashimoto\u2019s, it\u2019s all about nutrient-dense whole foods such as fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains, lean protein such as chicken, turkey, eggs, and sources of healthy fats like fatty fish, nuts and seeds. These foods help reduce inflammation <\/a> and the risk of related illnesses. Plus, prioritizing nutritious, whole foods will help<\/a> keep your weight in check.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also want to be sure you\u2019re getting enough <\/span>vitamin D<\/span><\/a> as studies have found that most Hashimoto\u2019s patients are often deficient.\u00a0 In addition, the trace mineral <\/span>selenium<\/span><\/a> is essential for proper thyroid function and has been beneficial in the treatment of Hashimoto’s, so it\u2019s typically recommended to include healthful sources of selenium\u2014such as Brazil nuts, fish, brown rice and eggs\u2014into your diet. Note: if you are following a strict AIP diet you will not include eggs. Again, each Hashimoto Diet will be personalized.<\/span><\/p>\n This will also depend on your personal needs. However, most diets recommend avoiding foods that could contribute to inflammation or an immune response. As an autoimmune disease, some suggest following the <\/span>autoimmune protocol diet <\/span><\/a>mentioned above<\/span>. This phased elimination diet closely resembles a <\/span>paleo <\/span><\/a>diet and removes potentially problematic foods like grains, dairy, added sugar, coffee, legumes, eggs, alcohol and food additives.<\/span><\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t follow the AIP diet, you might come across advice to specifically remove gluten and grains from the diet. Those with Hashimoto\u2019s have a higher likelihood of having <\/span>celiac disease<\/span><\/a>, in which case a gluten-free diet is necessary. While you may not need to avoid gluten if you don\u2019t have celiac, some people report feeling better after following a gluten-free or even a grain-free diet. Similarly, many with Hashimoto\u2019s may also be <\/span>lactose intolerant<\/span><\/a>, so avoiding dairy is important in this case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Goitrogens should be limited and avoided in the diet as well. These substances are found in cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), soy, cassava and sweet potatoes, and interfere with thyroid hormone production. Goitrogens in these foods can also contribute to the development of goiters. A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland due to increased levels of TSH (which stimulate growth of the thyroid gland).<\/p>\n You can\u2019t go wrong prioritizing nutritious, whole foods that not only contribute to an overall healthful diet, but also have research to back up their association with reduced <\/span>inflammation<\/span><\/a> and risk of <\/span>chronic disease<\/span><\/a>. That being said, there\u2019s not a lot of research on whether eating these foods will directly relieve symptoms of Hashimoto\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the same way, it won\u2019t hurt to reduce your intake of inflammatory processed foods or refined grains, but the research supporting an autoimmune protocol diet or a gluten- or grain-free diet outside of diagnosed intolerances or allergies is still somewhat preliminary. In a recent pilot study<\/a> in 34 women with Hashimoto\u2019s disease, those assigned to a gluten-free diet had improved thyroid function and vitamin D levels. In addition, another pilot study<\/a> of 16 women with Hashimoto\u2019s found that the AIP diet reduced symptoms and markers of inflammation over the course of the intervention. More studies are needed, but these are promising.<\/p>\n There is no specific diet recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s disease and a diet alone isn\u2019t going to treat or reverse the condition. However, diet (as well as lifestyle factors like managing stress) can reduce symptoms. More research is needed to determine how diet specifically affects Hashimoto\u2019s, but we\u2019re all for any diet that\u2019s loaded with nutrient-dense whole foods and low in processed or refined foods. You\u2019ll\u00a0 want to make sure you aren\u2019t avoiding any foods unnecessarily <\/span>and work with your endocrinologist or a\u00a0 registered dietitian to develop diet modifications that will help you better manage the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n Is the Hashimoto Diet Healthy? Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that usually leads to an under-active thyroid, also called hypothyroidism. The Hashimoto Diet is an eating plan designed to combat the symptoms of a sluggish thyroid. What is Hashimoto’s Diet? First, let\u2019s back up a little bit and talk about Hashimoto\u2019s disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, Hashimoto\u2019s affects about 5% of the population and is at least eight times more likely to occur in women than men. Supermodel Gigi Hadid has Hashimoto\u2019s, which she famously discussed on social media back in 2018 in response to body-shamers. Hashimoto\u2019s is an autoimmune disease that leads to damage and inflammation of your thyroid, a small but mighty gland that sits at the base of your neck and secretes important thyroid hormones. These hormones regulate energy metabolism, which means they affect nearly every organ and play a large role in your weight, heart rate, digestion, nervous system and more. Over time, the persistent inflammation leads to an underactive thyroid gland. As a result, those with Hashimoto\u2019s may experience a variety of not-so-fun symptoms, including fatigue, unexplained weight gain, heavy or irregular menstrual periods, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, muscle aches, joint pain and depression. While Hashimoto\u2019s is often treated with synthetic hormones, diet\u00a0 and lifestyle may also help improve symptoms. You might find a variety of diets recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s including: the autoimmune protocol diet (AIP diet) gluten- and grain-free diets dairy-free diets or anti-inflammatory plant-based diets There\u2019s no one specific diet recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s, but all suggested diets aim to reduce inflammation, alleviate symptoms, and reduce the risk of conditions that are often linked to Hashimoto\u2019s such as other autoimmune diseases, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes.\u00a0 What You Eat With Hashimoto\u2019s, it\u2019s all about nutrient-dense whole foods such as fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains, lean protein such as chicken, turkey, eggs, and sources of healthy fats like fatty fish, nuts and seeds. These foods help reduce inflammation and the risk of related illnesses. Plus, prioritizing nutritious, whole foods will help keep your weight in check. You\u2019ll also want to be sure you\u2019re getting enough vitamin D as studies have found that most Hashimoto\u2019s patients are often deficient.\u00a0 In addition, the trace mineral selenium is essential for proper thyroid function and has been beneficial in the treatment of Hashimoto’s, so it\u2019s typically recommended to include healthful sources of selenium\u2014such as Brazil nuts, fish, brown rice and eggs\u2014into your diet. Note: if you are following a strict AIP diet you will not include eggs. Again, each Hashimoto Diet will be personalized. What You Don\u2019t Eat This will also depend on your personal needs. However, most diets recommend avoiding foods that could contribute to inflammation or an immune response. As an autoimmune disease, some suggest following the autoimmune protocol diet mentioned above. This phased elimination diet closely resembles a paleo diet and removes potentially problematic foods like grains, dairy, added sugar, coffee, legumes, eggs, alcohol and food additives. Even if you don\u2019t follow the AIP diet, you might come across advice to specifically remove gluten and grains from the diet. Those with Hashimoto\u2019s have a higher likelihood of having celiac disease, in which case a gluten-free diet is necessary. While you may not need to avoid gluten if you don\u2019t have celiac, some people report feeling better after following a gluten-free or even a grain-free diet. Similarly, many with Hashimoto\u2019s may also be lactose intolerant, so avoiding dairy is important in this case.\u00a0 Goitrogens should be limited and avoided in the diet as well. These substances are found in cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), soy, cassava and sweet potatoes, and interfere with thyroid hormone production. Goitrogens in these foods can also contribute to the development of goiters. A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland due to increased levels of TSH (which stimulate growth of the thyroid gland). Pros and Cons You can\u2019t go wrong prioritizing nutritious, whole foods that not only contribute to an overall healthful diet, but also have research to back up their association with reduced inflammation and risk of chronic disease. That being said, there\u2019s not a lot of research on whether eating these foods will directly relieve symptoms of Hashimoto\u2019s.\u00a0 In the same way, it won\u2019t hurt to reduce your intake of inflammatory processed foods or refined grains, but the research supporting an autoimmune protocol diet or a gluten- or grain-free diet outside of diagnosed intolerances or allergies is still somewhat preliminary. In a recent pilot study in 34 women with Hashimoto\u2019s disease, those assigned to a gluten-free diet had improved thyroid function and vitamin D levels. In addition, another pilot study of 16 women with Hashimoto\u2019s found that the AIP diet reduced symptoms and markers of inflammation over the course of the intervention. More studies are needed, but these are promising. The Bottom Line There is no specific diet recommended for Hashimoto\u2019s disease and a diet alone isn\u2019t going to treat or reverse the condition. However, diet (as well as lifestyle factors like managing stress) can reduce symptoms. More research is needed to determine how diet specifically affects Hashimoto\u2019s, but we\u2019re all for any diet that\u2019s loaded with nutrient-dense whole foods and low in processed or refined foods. You\u2019ll\u00a0 want to make sure you aren\u2019t avoiding any foods unnecessarily and work with your endocrinologist or a\u00a0 registered dietitian to develop diet modifications that will help you better manage the disease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":68242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,284,254],"tags":[1879,2582,2589,2587,2584,2586,2580,2588,2590,2583,2581],"class_list":["post-67293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eat-empowered","category-gut-health","category-wellness-experts","tag-anti-inflammatory-diet","tag-autoimmune-diet-tips","tag-balanced-hormones-diet","tag-dairy-free-diet","tag-foods-for-hashimotos","tag-gluten-free-for-thyroid","tag-hashimotos-disease-diet","tag-healthy-fats-and-thyroid","tag-holistic-health-strategies","tag-hypothyroidism-meal-plan","tag-thyroid-health-nutrition"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
What You Eat<\/h2>\n
What You Don\u2019t Eat<\/h2>\n
Pros and Cons<\/h2>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n