There are several endocrine conditions nowadays. One of the most prevalent is hypothyroidism. This is a condition where your thyroid glands will produce less thyroid hormones than it should. The low thyroid hormone levels will manifest as constipation, weight, memory and hair loss, muscle cramps, depression and constant fatigue.
Hypothyroidism has been linked to an over-response to treatments for hyperthyroidism, thyroid surgery, radiotherapy, congenital diseases, pregnancy and medications like lithium. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks your thyroid gland cells nonetheless remains the leading contributor of most thyroid symptoms for Las Vegas residents.
There are several management alternatives for those with hypothyroidism, but some are ineffective and even dangerous. The proven efficient management for low thyroid hormone levels lies in functional medicine. Here, the underlying cause of your condition will be addressed.
This is unlike in other options where you will be given hormone boosting medications indiscriminately. Among the foundations of functional medicine is a change of your diet to increase your iodine levels to certain levels. Here are the primary concepts of diet change for hypothyroidism management.
Focus on How You Eat Your Veggies
Some experts will advise you on the vegetables you should avoid owing to the thiocyanates that deplete your iodine stores. You cannot wholly rid vegetables from your diet since you will suffer from other dietary deficiencies.
The thiocyanate levels in vegetables differ widely and will thus have different effects on your iodine levels. You should, therefore, have a timetable for eating your vegetables and pay attention to the portions rather than exclude them from your plate.
Steer Clear of Headlining Diets
Various popular headlining diets come up daily, such as gluten-free, paleo, and leaky gut diets. These eliminate entire food groups as a method of maintaining your iodine levels and managing hypothyroidism. A balanced diet is, however, essential for those with hypothyroidism.
This will support your general well-being and ward off conditions that will worsen your hypothyroidism symptoms.
Only Take Prescribed Nutritional Supplements
Taking nutritional supplements is setting yourself for various harms. Some of the dietary supplements touted for hypothyroidism have high levels of certain nutrients that could harm your thyroid. You should only take supplements prescribed by your doctor.
The prescription he/she gives is based on the lab levels of your body’s hormones to guarantee your supplement is customized to your needs.
Find Your Dietary Rhythm
There is no single diet that will work for all hypothyroidism patients. Finding your dietary rhythm is essential for the control of your hypothyroidism symptoms. This will require several tests by a dietitian and doctor specializing in thyroid health.
Relying on the dietary recommendations from various online “specialists” will only further aggravate your hypothyroidism symptoms.
People know the essence of dietary management in the control of hypothyroidism symptoms. This will determine your iodine levels that in turn, stimulate more or less production of thyroid hormone. Without a customized approach and the above steps, however, your diet will become the stumbling block for the management of your symptoms.
Get a functional medicine specialist to assess your condition and advise you on the right steps for the control of your hypothyroidism symptoms.
