If you weren’t so lucky, the pills didn’t work. You felt like a frumpy, fatigued, and constipated version of yourself. Caffeine and sugar became your energy crutch. Dealing with thyroid issues can be confusing. As a nutritionist and a woman who reversed her own subclinical thyroid condition in three months, I’d like you to have a broader picture of food and your thyroid. It turns out the concern has to do with iodine. Back in the 1950s, cruciferous vegetables were discovered to be potentially goitrogenic1, meaning they could suppress thyroid function, in animals. This is because the raw glucosinolates (the precise phytonutrients that are cancer-protective) might inhibit the intake of iodine, which is crucial for hormone production and normal thyroid function. However, studies suggesting a strong link between cruciferous vegetables and thyroid disease are limited. Possibly because the amount of cruciferous vegetables you would need to eat to interfere with iodine far exceeds normal consumption levels. In fact, the vast majority of the research shows2 the consumption of cruciferous vegetables will not exacerbate or cause thyroid issues. So, no reason to miss out on the whole host of benefits from eating cruciferous vegetables. To support thyroid health5, try snacking on one or two Brazil nuts per day. Providing 90 micrograms of selenium per nut, or 129% of the daily intake recommended by the U.S. government, Brazil nuts are the perfect food-based supplement. Snack on nori dusted with sea salt; make nori wraps filled with avocado, wild salmon, sweet potato, sprouts and mâche; add hijiki to a kale and pumpkin seed salad; eat wakame in a miso soup; or add dulse to a butternut squash soup. The concern is that soy protein isolate may mimic the hormone estrogen in the body, disrupting thyroid functions. It can also interfere with the absorption of thyroid medications, so be sure to consult with your doctor about eating soy. It has been suggested that artificial sweetener use may be connected to the development of Hashimoto’s. In one study, the use of sweeteners was weakly associated with increased levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), a sign of hypothyroidism. In the same study, two-thirds of patients saw improvements in their TSH and thyroid antibody levels when they stopped using artificial sweeteners. More research is needed to fully understand the link between artificial sweeteners and thyroid function, but for now it’s best to skip the sweet stuff. By eating clean and smart, taking the right supplements, managing your stress levels, and avoiding environmental toxins you may be able to manage your thyroid condition. But you should also seek help from a medical professional to treat any symptoms you experience. James created the “How to Ditch Sugar” video series for mindbodygreen. Check out the program here: How to Ditch Sugar. James coaches one on one, runs workshops in NYC and LA, and holds tele-seminars on various topics that help women lead a more beautiful and balanced life. To connect more with James, check out her Instagram account and sign up for her biweekly Sunday-evening emails.
