How to Eat to Support a Healthy Thyroid and Healthy Weight
Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC is a clinician, Naturopathic Practitioner, clinical researcher, author, and adjunct professor at the University of Bridgeport. His work has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals and he speaks at conferences around the globe.Are you struggling with managing your thyroid symptoms and weight gain? Discover a few helpful diet tips that will help you effectively manage your leptin levels to support your thyroid and promote weight loss.
How to Eat to Support a Healthy Thyroid and Healthy Weight
In Monday’s video about the correlation of high leptin levels and thyroid autoimmunity, we discussed the importance of incorporating a healthy diet to help support your metabolism and thyroid. When you implement a diet that drives down inflammation, supports metabolism, and works for your body, you’ll more effectively support your thyroid health and a healthy weight.
Below are a few suggestions and guidelines for implementing a diet to support leptin levels and your thyroid.
Gluten-free or Grain-free
We definitely recommend removing all gluten from your diet, because gluten is an autoimmune trigger and has been linked to inflammation, leaky gut, and thyroid autoimmunity. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and most processed foods. In addition to removing gluten-containing grains, many people find that removing all grains is even more effective. This includes removing non-gluten grains, such as rice, oats, and quinoa.
Low-Iodine Diet
Studies have shown that eating a diet low in iodine is helpful for managing thyroid autoimmunity. This includes limiting your intake of salt, seafood, seaweed, dairy, egg yolks, chocolate, and other foods. For a guide on implementing a low-iodine diet, click here.
Manage Leptin Levels
Eating a diet that manages and supports your leptin levels helps promote weight loss and thyroid management. The key is to find a diet that supports healthy blood sugar levels and metabolism. We’ve found that the paleo diet is very effective in this regard. The paleo diet is a very healthy, whole-foods protocol that eliminates the consumption of grains, dairy, legumes, soy, and refined sugar. You will consume nourishing foods, such as animal protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy fat. Below is a guide to paleo eating, please click the image to enlarge.
Determine Carb Tolerance
Finding out how many carbs you need each day to feel good and maintain a healthy weight is important. We suggest starting with low carb intake and gradually increasing to find your ideal amount. When you reach the point where you start gaining unwanted weight or experience negative symptoms, then dose back down to your previous amount for maintenance.
If you need help supporting your thyroid and managing your weight, click here
Discussion
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