How Can I Support My Thyroid?

Thyroid Support

Are there things that we can do to support our thyroid?  The very short answer is, yes! When do i ever keep things short though....

Although there is tons of information about thyroid support i will try and keep it as short as possible.  

Whether you are taking a thyroid supplement or not you should definitely be doing things to help your thyroid.  The reason that many people feel that their dessicated natural thyroid hormone isn't working for them is because they aren't supporting their thyroid in other ways as well.  

When you have Celiac Disease your not as able to absorb nutrients in your body as much as a healthy person.  In this case it is even more important for the functioning of your entire body that you do everything possible to support yourself.  

First thing to do is to make sure you are eating as healthy as possible.  There are so many foods out there that contain important vitamins and minerals.  You will find these in fresher foods like veggies,  fresh fish, meats and nuts.  You will more than likely not find them in the more popular processed foods.  Now i'm not against the occasional pizza and cupcakes, gluten free of course, everything in moderation.  However, it is vital to our health to eat fresher foods.  They may take a little more effort to make but definitely pays off when your body is getting the necessary nutrition and you are feeling better.  

Here are some foods that support thyroid function-

These foods contain iodine:

seafood

eggs

lima beans 

asparagus

garlic

sesame seeds

summer squash

spinach

swiss chard

These foods contain selenium:

brazil nuts

tuna

mushrooms

halibut

beef

sunflower seeds

These foods contain copper:

beef 

oysters

lobster

dark chocolate

chickpeas

shitake mushrooms

white beans

These foods contain zinc:

sardines

beef

lamb

turkey

pecans

brazil nuts

whole grains

split peas

walnuts

ginger root

almonds

maple syrup

These foods contain iron:

clams

oysters

pumpkin seeds

white beans

lentils

spinach

These foods contain Vitamin A:

kale

sweet potatoes

carrots

winter squash

pumpkin

spinach 

broccoli

cantaloupe 

liver 

lettuce

These foods contain Vitamin C:

guava

peppers

citrus

kiwifruit

strawberries

brussel sprouts 

papya

cauliflower

parsley

greens

These foods contain Vitamin E:

whole grains

almonds

sunflower seeds

peanuts

leafy green vegetables

asparagus

These foods contain Vitamin B2:

brewers yeast

organ meats

almonds 

white rice

mushrooms

egg yolks

These foods contain Vitamin B3:

brewers yeast

rice bran

peanuts with skin 

poultry white meat

liver

These foods contain Vitamin B6:

brewers yeast

fish

liver

pinto, navy, lima, garbanzo beans

lentils

walnuts

brown rice

bananas

Now there are many, many other foods that contain these nutrients so i encourage you to research foods that support thyroid function for yourself as well.   The other thing to keep in mind is that our soil has been compromised because of all of the pollutants in our environment.   Cooking may also reduce some of the nutrients from foods as well.  For these reasons it may be necessary for you to take supplements.  Just make sure to check to see if any supplements may interact with other meds you may already be taking.  Also you may want to look into what time of day you should take them as some supplements do better at night and some do better on an empty stomach.  

All of the above vitamins and minerals are extremely vital to the functioning of a healthy thyroid.  I encourage you to make sure you are doing everything possible to get these things in your diet daily.  

Also remember that there is a distinct connection between gluten and thyroid issues whether you have celiac or not.  Many people find that when they remove gluten from their diets they feel better and their thyroids function better as well.

Thanks for reading and remember a healthy thyroid makes for a happier individual!

This information is provided on an informational basis.  Be sure to discuss any supplements or change in diet with your doctor or naturopath.    

Link between Celiac Disease and Your Thyroid

 Links between Celiac and Thyroid:

You may have noticed that i changed the titles to a few of my posts having to do with the thyroid.  I'm amending my sequence for the explanation of your thyroid and celiac disease because i really wanted to help people see there is a connection between the two.  I apologize if it causes confusion but i encourage you to read all of my posts that have to do with the thyroid as everything will correlate and make sense.
Thanks for your patience!


There is more and more research that is finding that when you have celiac disease the risk of developing a condition that can affect the thyroid and can compromise a persons overall health is significantlly increased. There is a group of Italian researchers that have conducted studies and have come to the conclusion that the prevalence of celiac disease in those with thyroid disease is significantly high.  They said that "It is also possible that the association between celiac disease and autoimmunity in untreated celiac patients is caused by the gluten intake."  They also wrote that "undiagnosed celiac disease can cause other disorders by switching on some as yet unknown immunological mechanism."  The researchers believe that all those with thyroid disorders can benefit by being screened for celiac disease.  The AGA (American Gastro Association Institute) however does not recommend it.  Why doesn't that surprise me?

Anyway, research has found that people with celiac are four times more likely to develop an autoimmune thyroid condition.  That is why it is so important to stay gluten free and not cheat when you have celiac. Even if you don't have celiac there is quite a bit of information that has come out about wheat and how many people are reacting adversely to it because of the hybridization of it.  It's important to remember that gluten causes inflammation and can affect your overall health and aggravate other autoimmune issues you already have. (see my post on celiac disease issues and helpful tips where i discuss more about wheat).

Celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid disorder seem to have a common genetic predisposition.  This could explain why so many more celiacs, more than the rest of the population, have thyroid issues.

I highly encourage anyone who has thyroid issues to get tested for celiac disease as well.  This will help in thwarting off other health issues that could develop if this disease continues to go on untreated.

There are two common thyroid conditions:
1. Hypothyroidism- which is an underactive thyroid.  This is when there is a decrease in thyroid production.
2. Hyperthyroidism-an overactive thyroid.  This is when there is an increase in thyroid production.

Hashimoto's Disease is a form of hypothyroidism. It's the most common form of hypothyroidism there is. Graves Disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.

Here are some symptoms of hypothyroidism:

*fatigue
*depression
*dry/brittle hair
*hair loss (especially in front of head)
*swollen/enlarged thyroid
*muscle cramps
*constipation
*weight gain
*low body temp
*dry skin

Here are some symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

*weight loss (even when your apetite is increased)
*rapid heart rate, palpatations
*increased apetite
*sweating
*anxiety,nervousness
*tremors especially in hands and fingers
*fatigue, muscle weakness
*difficulty sleeping
*fine/brittle hair
*enlarged thyroid
*increased sensitivity to heat
*changes in menstrual cycle
*fine/brittle hair
*thinning skin
*more frequent bowel movements

If you have many of these symptoms it is important to consult your physician or naturopath about the possibility of having a thyroid disorder.  It also could be very helpful for you to check your basal temperature first thing in the mornings for a week and take the results to them as well.  The thyroid can be very tricky and hard to diagnose because of the tsh blood test that many physicians order.  The tsh blood test is not very reliable.  (see my post on celiac disease and thyroid part II for more information about the tsh blood test and why it's not reliable when diagnosing a thyroid issue).

I hope that this information is helpful for you and your thyroid issues.  Please read my correlating thyroid posts for more helpful and detailed info on the thyroid.

Always make sure to do your research on any treatments/medications your doctor wants to try you on.  It could even be helpful to get a second opinion.

Remember that i am neither a doctor nor a naturopath.  All of the information in my posts are for educational purposes only and are based on my own experiences and research.  Please, always contact your physician/naturopath before starting or stopping any medications and or treatments.