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Diet in hypothyroidism helps to relieve unpleasant symptoms. The disease manifests itself in a variety of ways and often poses diagnostic problems. Most often, patients complain of being overweight, fatigue, skin problems and difficulty concentrating. It is believed that the symptoms are caused by an insufficient amount of thyroid hormones, so they should be supplemented pharmacologically. The menu should supplement iodine deficiency.
“Inconspicuous” thyroid – what is hypothyroidism?
In hypothyroidism, the metabolism is dysregulated – as a result, body weight increases rapidly. So diet becomes a necessity. The thyroid is a small gland located at the level of the larynx and plays many important roles in the body. Its main task is to secrete hormones necessary for the proper course of metabolic processes: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), as well as calcitonin, which affects the calcium and phosphorus balance. The smooth functioning of thyroid hormones is highly dependent on iodine. Therefore, a diet for hypothyroidism should include iodine and protein.
Hypothyroidism is manifested by rapid weight gain, pale, dry skin, trouble concentrating and feeling sluggish and cold. Patients also suffer from muscle stiffness, joint pain, fatigue, lethargy and shallow breathing. Many patients develop swelling of the neck, hair is brittle and tends to fall out, thinning eyebrows, sometimes eyelashes. In addition, the mood is often depressed, movements slow down, and the body retains excess water.
Hypothyroidism – what products should be included in the diet?
Diet in hypothyroidism should include foods rich in iodine and protein. Interestingly, the valuable element can be supplied to the body not only with food – but also by inhalation. Therefore, a holiday by the sea is the right choice. The basic sources of iodine in food include seafood and sea fish, e.g. cod, salmon, mackerel, herring.
Iodine is also present in dairy products, vegetables, fruits, cereals – but in this case, its amount in products is affected by the abundance of the soil in this element. Some farms feed livestock with iodized feed. In our country, table salt has been enriched with iodine for years, and you can also buy iodized water.
It should be noted that some foods hinder the absorption of iodine, so patients with hypothyroidism should avoid turnips, soybeans, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peanuts and mustard.
Menu for hypothyroidism
What should the diet of people with hypothyroidism look like? For the first breakfast, you can prepare muesli, munch on nuts, tangerines, reach for natural yoghurt and juice – e.g. orange, necessarily freshly squeezed.
For a second breakfast, it is worth preparing a sandwich of wholegrain bread and fish, e.g. tuna paste. Fresh vegetable salad and mineral water and fruit for a snack will perfectly complement a healthy meal. Lunch for people with Hashimoto’s disease can include meat – light veal stewed with vegetables is a good choice. Green beans and pumpkin cream go well with it. Dark bread made of wholemeal flour is also worth serving for dinner, together with a fish dish (e.g. Greek fish) and mineral water.