Thyroid Diet
According to Mary Shomon, author of the book Living Well With Hypothyroidism, her book addresses the so-called thyroid diet. One of the major issues confronting hypothyroidism patients is how to lose weight that is caused mainly by a metabolic slowdown due to a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
In a large number of these patients, treatment of the thyroid condition alone does not resolve weight problems. They may, says Mary Shomon, have to struggle with the issues of raising their basic metabolism and the underlying nutritional deficiencies as well as treat depression and correct imbalances in the brain chemistry.
Thyroid Diet
The thyroid diet is based on an identification of the factors that inhibit a thyroid patient's ability to lose weight, and explores the use of optimal dietary changes. For a patient suffering from a sluggish thyroid, diet options must focus on low glycemic, high fibre, low calorie meals , eaten as smaller portions, more frequently so as to regulate their blood sugar levels.
According to Lovely Ranganath, Dietician, Welcare Hospital, for patients suffering from an overactive thyroid, diet should consist of eggs, meat, poultry and cereal and pulse combination. She also recommends that the intake of minerals and vitamins like A, the B complex vitamins, C, calcium and phosphorous should be doubled. Thus, the thyroid diet should also include yellow fruits like papaya, mango, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, sprouted pulses and fish. The patient should drastically reduce or stop imbibing alcohol, chocolate, tea, coffee and cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Miss Ranganath recommends that for patients suffering from a depressed thyroid, diet options should include items that are high in fibre and low in calories. The diet should contain adequate proteins, minerals, vitamins and fat, which should be restricted to 30 grams per day. It is important for the patient on the thyroid diet to keep salt intake to a minimum and it should not exceed a maximum of 2 teaspoons per day.
It is essential to remember that in a disorder of the thyroid, diet is only a supplementary factor and cannot substitute for proper, prescribed medication.
