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Episode 2484:
Dr. Neal provides comprehensive advice to Mary-Malia on managing Hashimoto's Thyroiditis through diet and lifestyle adjustments. Emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to iodine intake and exploring anti-inflammatory foods, Dr. Neal's guidance offers a hopeful perspective for those looking to alleviate symptoms of autoimmune conditions through nutritional strategies.
Quotes to ponder:
"A number of well-designed studies have found that whole grains have anti-inflammatory properties."
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[00:00:56] It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, Episode 2484.
[00:01:00] And I'm Dr. Niamalik.
[00:01:01] Hey there, happy Friday and welcome to another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, where
[00:01:07] I answer your health questions related to fitness, diet and nutrition, and more.
[00:01:12] You send in the questions and I answer them for you.
[00:01:15] And we're now giving away an optimal living daily workbook to you free of charge if you
[00:01:20] send in a relevant question.
[00:01:22] So be sure to send one in before we run out.
[00:01:26] Now we can only do this if your address
[00:01:28] is in the US for now,
[00:01:29] but we're happy to send a digital version
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[00:01:36] to health at oldpodcast.com.
[00:01:41] Now with that, let's hear today's question
[00:01:43] as we optimize your life.
[00:01:50] Today's question came via email, Mary Malia writes,
[00:01:53] Hey Dr. Neal, in 2021 I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder
[00:01:59] that attacks the thyroid gland.
[00:02:02] I came across some research that said eliminating inflammatory foods from the diet can reduce
[00:02:07] Hashimoto's symptoms such as fatigue and joint pain.
[00:02:11] Do you have any nutritional or lifestyle advice pertaining to Hashimoto's or other autoimmune
[00:02:16] conditions?
[00:02:17] Thank you so much for taking the time to send in your question, Mary Malia.
[00:02:21] I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Now for those that may not know,
[00:02:26] Hashimoto's thyroiditis,
[00:02:28] I'll just abbreviate that to Hashimoto's from now on,
[00:02:31] is as Mary Malia said,
[00:02:33] an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid gland
[00:02:36] specifically.
[00:02:38] Now an autoimmune condition means that,
[00:02:40] for some reason, usually an unknown reason,
[00:02:43] the body is attacking its own healthy cells. In this reason, the body is attacking its own healthy cells.
[00:02:46] In this case, the body is attacking healthy cells in the thyroid gland.
[00:02:51] The thyroid gland is found in the front of the neck and it's super important for overall
[00:02:55] health because it has lots of important functions like secreting hormones that help keep our
[00:03:01] metabolism going.
[00:03:02] It helps regulate body temperature and regulate the way the heart beats and so on.
[00:03:08] So if the thyroid gland is being attacked,
[00:03:11] that means it won't be able to perform
[00:03:12] these functions as well.
[00:03:14] And that means over time,
[00:03:15] a person with Hashimoto's often ends up with hypothyroidism,
[00:03:20] which basically means the body
[00:03:22] doesn't produce enough thyroid hormones.
[00:03:25] What's interesting is that this condition is much more common in those that were genetically identified at birth as female,
[00:03:32] and no one really knows why.
[00:03:34] So again, because the body is attacking the thyroid gland,
[00:03:38] it's destroying healthy cells that help with metabolism, body temperature, the heart, and so on.
[00:03:45] So the common symptoms then are fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold more often, and even joint
[00:03:51] pain or muscle pain.
[00:03:53] There are medications that can help with Hashimoto's, but usually these medications help restore
[00:03:57] the balance of thyroid hormones in the body, which relieve a lot of the symptoms.
[00:04:02] But when it comes to diet, there are some recommendations.
[00:04:06] The first thing is to be aware of consuming
[00:04:08] too many foods that contain iodine.
[00:04:11] The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones,
[00:04:14] but depending on your health history
[00:04:16] and any medications currently being taken,
[00:04:19] your doctor may recommend watching your iodine intake.
[00:04:23] Iodine is most often found in foods that come from the ocean, like fish, shellfish, kelp,
[00:04:29] algae, seaweed, and so on.
[00:04:32] Also some forms of table salt contain iodine.
[00:04:35] Also talk to your doctor or your dietitian about foods made from soy.
[00:04:40] Soy and products made from it, like tofu and soy milk, can interact with thyroid medications.
[00:04:46] So, sometimes a doctor may not recommend consuming soy and soy-based products around
[00:04:52] the time you take your thyroid medications.
[00:04:55] It may also be helpful to avoid these foods specifically.
[00:04:59] Cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, and cabbage.
[00:05:04] That's because these foods can aggravate
[00:05:05] Hashimoto's. Okay, so what about anti-inflammatory foods specifically? They are
[00:05:11] absolutely worth a try as long as your health care team approves of them. As of
[00:05:16] now, there is no specific diet that health care professionals recommend to
[00:05:20] those with Hashimoto's. So I'll talk about foods that in general have been shown to be beneficial for those
[00:05:27] with an autoimmune disease.
[00:05:29] A number of well-designed studies have found that whole grains have anti-inflammatory properties.
[00:05:35] Other helpful foods include beans and lentils, green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale,
[00:05:42] but here's the catch.
[00:05:44] For those with Hashimoto's, a high-fiber diet may make the condition worse, so there's
[00:05:49] no need to over-consume these foods.
[00:05:52] Again, we're talking whole grains, beans, lentils, and green leafy vegetables.
[00:05:57] Omega-3 fatty acids can also be helpful for autoimmune conditions, but be sure they do
[00:06:02] not contain iodine, especially since marine sources of omega-3 fats
[00:06:08] tend to be the best for helping with autoimmune disease.
[00:06:11] So fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, trout,
[00:06:15] herring and halibut are great,
[00:06:18] but again, these fish may also contain iodine.
[00:06:21] So it might be worthwhile looking for a quality
[00:06:24] omega-3 supplement that
[00:06:26] doesn't have any iodine in it. Now dishes that are prepared using something else, turmeric,
[00:06:32] like curries, may also reduce inflammation. There have actually been a number of studies
[00:06:37] on the effects of turmeric and its role in preventing systemic or whole body inflammation
[00:06:43] and helping those with autoimmune disease
[00:06:45] achieve remission.
[00:06:47] Turmeric is that bright yellow spice that's often used in, again, eastern dishes like
[00:06:51] curries.
[00:06:52] You can actually supplement with turmeric too.
[00:06:55] Just be sure to do your research before buying a specific product.
[00:07:00] And of course, to sound really repetitive, talk to your doctor or your healthcare team
[00:07:05] about specific dosing.
[00:07:08] And of course, with turmeric and all the foods I just mentioned, we want to be sure that your
[00:07:13] healthcare team is on board to make sure that none of these foods or any supplements you
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[00:09:08] And I wish you all the best, Mary Malia. And thank you so much for taking the time to send in your question.
[00:09:12] And if you want to get your hands on our optimal living daily workbook
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[00:09:38] The number is country code 1 61 I love OHD. That's one, six, one, four, five, six, eight, three, six, four, three.
[00:09:50] All right, that's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily. Thank you so much for listening
[00:09:54] every day and all the way through. I hope you have a great start to your weekend and I'll be back
[00:09:59] here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.