Category: Soy

Posted on by

8 Ways to Naturally Treat Hashimoto’s/Hypothyroidism

When my doctor told me I had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, I said, “What? Hashi what?” Not only did I not know what Hashimoto’s was, but I had no idea how to get rid of it.

After some discussion, I realized that Hashimoto’s wasn’t something I could “get rid of.” When I began researching Hashimoto’s I realized it would take a lot of work and discipline to get the autoimmune disease under control. I’ve learned a lot about my condition. I also came to realize getting Hashimoto’s under control wouldn’t happen overnight.
Today I’m going to share 8 ways to naturally treat Hashimoto’s/ hypothyroidism.

Eliminate Gluten and Casein (Dairy) – Many people are gluten intolerant and have given up wheat. You may not think you have an issue with gluten, your thyroid, on the other hand, may feel different. Gluten causes one of the most common allergies and food intolerances today. Dairy is another culprit. These intolerants are due to the hybridized proteins of gluten and casein.  These proteins can cause “leaky gut.”  Leaky gut I believe is one of the significant contributors to the increase in autoimmune disease not excluding Hashimoto’s because it will cause inflammation of the thyroid. When the thyroid is inflamed its function is affected. 

Eliminate BPA – You will find BPA (Bisphenol A) in many plastic bottles.  It can disrupt your endocrine system and effect your thyroid. When your thyroid is not functioning properly, you increase your risk of thyroid disfunction. If possible, you should only drink out of glass, stainless steel, or BPA free plastic bottles. Not only will this assist with your health, but it will help the environment too.

   Maintain Iodine Levels – If they are low you could use organic liquid iodine or a kelp supplement. Be careful when supplementing iodine. Just as too little iodine isn’t good for your thyroid, too much iodine isn’t good for your thyroid either. I don’t take an iodine supplement. I’m more concerned with overdoes with this one. I eat potatoes, cranberries, green beans, bananas, and cod regularly. These foods are iodine rich and provide the iodine I need.

Heavy Metal Detox – When considering a heavy metal detox remember to consult your doctor. If you are looking to safely assist in purging your body of heavy metals you could use a combination of Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Chlorella, and Cilantro to detox harmful metals from your cells and organs.

Supplement Selenium – It isn’t uncommon for people with Hashimoto’s to experience selenium deficiency. It is also recognized as a common trigger for Hashimoto’s. Some of the best selenium containing foods are brazil nuts, salmon, sunflower seeds, beef, mushrooms, and onions. Selenium was one of the first supplements I started taking when I altered my diet.

Adaptogen Supplements – Adaptogens help our bodies handle stress. They can lower cortisol levels and improve thyroid function.  Some common adaptogens are ashwagandha and tulsi (holy basil). These and many others have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing tradition. I’ve been taking ashwagandha for three years and have noticed a considerable difference in the stress I feel.

   Eliminate Soy – When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s I spent many hours researching this topic. If you have been following my blog, you have heard me mention the hours of research I spent, hoping to heal. The research is paying off. One of the biggest culprits for me was soy. When I eliminated soy from my diet, I marked a considerable difference in how I felt. Soy blocks the activity of the TPO (thyroid peroxidase) enzyme and has been linked to the development of autoimmune thyroiditis. Additionally, studies have shown that soy can affect thyroid medications, asthma, and menstrual cycles.1

Reduce Carbohydrate Consumption – This is a big one. It is also a difficult task because the market is flooded with processed foods high in sugar. When we (women) consume too many carbs our estrogen levels increase. This increase negatively affects the thyroid. Work toward eliminating sugar and grains, and replace them with healthy fats such as avocado, flaxseed, hemp seed, wild salmon, grass-fed beef, chia, and coconut. By making these changes you will balance your hormone levels.

Sources:

http://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-events-education-media/about-hypothyroidism/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2012/may-04a.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2011/jun-03b.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15543918
http://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-events-education-media/about-hypothyroidism/
http://hyroidpharmacist.com/articles/soy-and-hashimotos/

Posted on by

Soy…Again?

By now you’re probably getting tired of seeing the word “soy.” Maybe you’ve heard enough about it and want to move on. I hear you, but I have one more conversation to have about soy.

Freeing Yourself From Soy

Soy is a big business. Not only is it found in almost every prepackaged food, but you also find it in most personal care products. Soy is another area in which I am a little, “nuts.” You can find soy not only in foods, but in cosmetics, lotions, soaps, and other personal care products.

When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s I cleaned out my cosmetics cabinet (which didn’t take long), and after reading the labels to my cleansers and shampoo, I tossed them as well. Three years ago, I found it difficult to find products that didn’t have soy in them. In addition to that I wanted products that were free from all chemicals. The result was I ended up making my own products. That’s right from shampoo and conditioner, to face cleanser and moisturizers, to body lotions and toothpaste.

When I look at toothpaste, I’m looking at the fluoride. If you remember in my blog Heavy Metals and Hashimoto’s, I discussed the effect of fluoride on the thyroid. Because of the poisonous nature of too much fluoride, I’ve eliminated it from my personal care arsenal. Now I use Coconut oil and activated charcoal or baking soda, cornstarch, almond oil, herbs, or essential oils depending on my need.

You don’t have to make your own products to enjoy soy free personal care. Today I have found a few companies that offer soy free products. I haven’t used their products, but they are soy free and have a good reputation. You may find what you need with Ann Marie Gianni Skin Care. You can also check out Acure Organics. They come highly recommended as well. I still make my own products. I’ve come to find it is the most economical for me and what I make works so I will continue to make my health care products. I know it’s not for everyone, but it works for me.

Dr. Wentz’s Take on Soy Free Cosmetics

I’ve never been someone who focused on cosmetics so I’m probably not the one to speak to cosmetics in general. I read a blog a few years ago while researching Hashimoto’s that may interest those of you who are interested in soy-free cosmetics. Are You Sacrificing Your Health for External Beauty, is a blog posted by Dr. Izabella Wentz, June 6, 2016. Dr Wentz is the Thyroid Pharmacist and a woman who was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. She is the author of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause. I have been reading and following Dr. Wentz’s work for years now. I find her work informative and it has been of great help to me in learning about Hashimoto’s.

Living with Hashimoto’s can be challenging. Eliminating soy from your lifestyle can be exhausting if you let it be. I hope some of the information in this post will help you as you move closer to soy-free living and will inspire you to share your knowledge with others.

Posted on by

Eliminating Soy

The soy debate continues. Some people believe it is a major contributor in thyroid disease, while others think it’s healthy if it’s organic. If you have thyroid disease the one thing you need to remember about soy, is that it’s a goitrogen. That means it causes a reaction in the thyroid that produces goiters. Read more on thyroid and goitrogens in my blog 31 Foods Containing Soy.  Organic soy is a goitrogen, so it still affects the thyroid the same way Genetically modified soy does.

Sneaky Soy

In my last blog 31 Foods Containing Soy, I exposed foods that contain soy. You may find it difficult to remove it from your diet. You will find soy in almost every processed food. Look at the labels.  Some manufacturers add soy to their product and list it on the ingredients under a “stealth” name. Some of these alternatives are:

  • Soy lecithin
  • Bean curd
  • Hydrolyzed soy protein
  • Soy milk
  • Soy sauce
  • Soybeans
  • Vitamin E/tocopherol
  • Glycerin
  • Bulking agents
  • Thickeners
  • Hydrolyzed vegetable/plant protein
  • Guar Gum
  • And mor

Keep these in mind when you are purchasing any packaged foods. That includes vegan products. Because of the effect of soy on my thyroid, I have opted to eliminate it from my diet. I try to purchase only food products from nature (no processing). That includes organic range free beef and chicken, and organic fruits and vegetables.

I Was Afraid to Eat Anything I didn’t Prepare Myself

You may think I’m crazy; a neurotic, who has gone over the edge. I will admit, in the beginning I was a little crazy. I was afraid to eat anything that I didn’t prepare myself. But three years later I have learned a lot. Initially, I thought I couldn’t eat broccoli, kale, or cabbage. I know better now. I didn’t want to go out to a restaurant because I was afraid to eat what was on the menu. Today there are many restaurants that cater to food sensitivities. I may have been a little more cautious because my food sensitivity, which affected my thyroid, also prompted migraines; something I have fought with for years. I will discuss my development in the area of food in future blogs. I will also discuss migraine and how that fit into my Hashimoto’s diagnosis.

One thing I want to share relative to my change in diet, is that I feel a thousand times better than I did before my diagnosis.

Dietary Substitutions

Over the last three years I learned to cook without flour, milk, eggs, and butter. You may think it impossible, but it isn’t. Two years ago, I prepared a complete Thanksgiving dinner without any of those ingredients just mentioned. The surprising thing about the meal is no one knew it until after we ate. Then I told them. They were all surprised.

I substitute flour for a gluten free flour mix. I mix my own because I haven’t found a packaged gluten free flour that doesn’t have xanthan gum in it. When I need to use milk, I use coconut milk. Yogurt or sour cream is substituted with coconut yogurt. I use chia seeds in place of eggs. It can be done, you need to do your homework though and experiment…a lot.

I eat more salads now than I ever did before being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I mention the salads because they can be boring. Most people won’t eat a salad without dressing. Salad dressings are the biggest culprit when it comes to soy. It’s nearly impossible to find a salad dressing that doesn’t include it. Because of this fact, I make my own. I use red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut yogurt, and herbs and spices. Use your imagination. It’s fun to create new recipes. I find it challenging to make something work, even food. I will be sharing some recipes in future blogs for anyone who would like to experiment.

Hashimoto’s and Protein

One of the challenges with Hashimoto’s is protein. When I was first diagnoised, I was told I should eat 25 grams of protein for breakfast. I found it challenging to find a protein powder that didn’t contain soy, dairy or gluten. I ended up using Hemp protein which was free from soy, dairy, and gluten. For months I would start my morning with the same shake; coconut milk, hemp protein, chia seeds, mixed berries, and a banana. I changed out the berries from time to time. Today there are more protein options, such as Rootcology. I’m sure each part of the country has different options. Be sure to read the label before purchasing a protein powder. Many sneak that soy into the product, sometimes under an alternate name (see 31 Foods Containing Soy).

Everything Changes with a Hashimoto’s Diagnosis

When you are diagnosed with Hashimoto’s everything changes. Your diet is the first thing that should change. If you haven’t changed your diet, you should. I’m not one for telling people what to do, and that isn’t my intention here, but I suggest highly you change your diet because you will feel like a new person. You will lose weight, be more focused, your skin, hair, and nails will become resilient, and the pain you have been living with will be reduced significantly, if not eliminated completely. Your mood will improve, and you will see your life through a new point of view. I only share what I say in this post because I want every person with Hashimoto’s to have the information, they need to be a whole person again. I wish you all good thyroid health so you can enjoy living again.

Posted on by

31 Foods Containing Soy

When I started researching Hashimoto’s I was surprised to learn that soy is one of the worst foods you can eat. Some might argue that point, but I can tell you from personal experience that soy is one of the contributing factor to Hashimoto’s in my case. When I stopped eating soy, my condition improved. It took time to clean my body of the toxicity of many of the food I once ate. It also took hours of label reading because of the many name’s soy is masked under. Listed below are some foods where you may find soy hiding.

  • Cold-pressed, expelled, or extruded soy oil*
  • Edamame
  • Miso
  • Natto
  • Shoyu
  • Soy (soy albumin, soy cheese, soy fiber, soy flour, soy grits, soy ice cream, soy milk, soy nuts, soy sprouts, soy yogurt)
  • Soya
  • Soybean (curd, granules)
  • Soy protein (concentrate, hydrolyzed, isolate)
  • Soy sauce
  • Tamari
  • Tempeh
  • Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • Tofu
  • Asian cuisine (including Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese)—even if you order a soy-free item, there is a high risk of cross-contact
  • Vegetable Gum
  • Vegetable starch
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Baked Goods
  • Canned broths and soups
  • Canned tuna and meat
  • Cereals
  • Cookies
  • Crackers
  • High-protein energy bars and snacks
  • Infant formulas
  • Low-fat peanut butter
  • Pet food
  • Processed Meats
  • Sauces
  • Soaps and moisturizers

*Highly refined soy oil is not required to be labeled as an allergen. Studies show that most people with soy allergy can safely eat highly refined soy oil as well as soy lecithin. If you are allergic to soy, ask your doctor whether you need to avoid soy oil or soy lecithin.1

You can see why I spent hours reading labels. On occasion, I would purchase a food item, get it home and realize it had soy in it. I believe one of the biggest contributors to soy in my diet was the Special K shake. I started drinking the shakes when a nutritionist told me I needed more protein in my diet. It was a quick way to supplement my diet with protein. I had no idea at the time it had soy as an ingredient. The lesson here – read your labels.

 A few years later I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I’m not saying the Special-K shakes are the cause of Hashimoto’s. I’m telling you I believe they were a major contributing factor. If you have a better understanding of what soy is, you may be more willing to agree with what I’m saying.

Soy comes from the soybean which you may also know as edamame (raw form). As you see from the above list soy is found in many different forms. This makes it easy to add to many products from food to cosmetics and clothing.

I’m not a doctor but from what I’ve read I can tell you that soy blocks the activity of the thyroid peroxidase (TPO) enzyme. TPO is an enzyme made in the thyroid gland that is important in the production of thyroid hormone.2 It has been linked to the development of autoimmune thyroiditis and studies have shown that soy can affect thyroid medications, asthma, and menstrual cycles.

In addition to soy being linked to thyroiditis, many have developed allergic reaction/symptoms such as:

  • Runny nose
  • Trouble breathing
  • Abdominal pain or loose stools
  • Brain fog
  • Agitation or mood swings
  • Anxiety
  • Heart palpitations
  • Acid reflux
  • Carpal tunnel
  • IBS
  • Weight gain
  • Many others

I can also tell you that soy mimics the effect of estrogen in the body (xenoestrogen). To simply say, it’s an endocrine disruptor.  The scary thing about this statement is that it can start to affect the endocrine system in utero and the effects can be permanent. So, if you eat a lot of soy when you’re pregnant, then your child is affected by it. So here I pose a question. Is it possible that childhood illnesses are a result of soy in the diet? That’s a question for research. It makes sense though. If Thyroiditis in adults can mimic mental health issues why can’t it affect children too? That’s a topic for another blog.

Another reason soy isn’t good for people with thyroiditis is that soy is a goitrogen. Goitrogens suppress the thyroid gland by interfering with hormone production. When the thyroid is exposed to goitrogens, the thyroid reacts by enlarging to compensate for the reduced hormone production. The result is what is known as a goiter.

Please don’t confuse the goitrogens in soy with that of cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.). The goitrogens in soy are not equal to that on cruciferous vegetables. Soy has been linked to autoimmune thyroiditis, other foods have not and don’t generally pose a threat. This is a misconception I believed when I first began my journey to heal my thyroid.

There are many things to learn about the thyroid and the diseases, illnesses, and conditions that affect it. Not only as a layperson but as a medical provider and those in the scientific community. If they don’t know what causes thyroiditis (in its many forms), and they don’t, how can they know how best to treat it. In most case the medical community is quick to prescribe medication versus changing the patient’s diet, at least initially to see if a change occurs. I’m thankful that my doctor took the time to let me work through and find a natural way to manage Hashimoto’s.

Until we know what causes these thyroid conditions, we must be diligent and look for a natural way to understand our thyroid health. We must listen to our bodies, do our homework, and change our lifestyle’s. If we can be disciplined in our habits and open-minded in our approach, and be willing to spend time researching thyroid health, we can enjoy good health.

 I will do my part to provide you with information that will help you on your journey to a healthy lifestyle. Remember though, I’m not a doctor, and you are your best advocate for your health.