As you know, since commencing on my own thyroid therapy I have stumbled across a number of ideas and lifestyle changes that have made my life better. BUT, if my thyroid were healed tomorrow these are the top 5 things I would not change.
1. BUTTER - life tastes better with butter so put back that chemical ladened margarine and pick up some proper, hard-in-the-fridge, soft-on-the-table, free range/grass fed butter for your home. Delicious on vegetables, in mash, fry your soup veggies in it for a superior taste!!
Butter is packed full of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A which is crucial for thyroid function. With too many benefits to name here it is truly a health food that will not only nourish your thyroid but your whole body. And it will keep you fuller for longer. So now you know.
2. GIVING UP GRAIN - I am not grain free all of the time but my initial 2 month period without grains helped my gut heal considerably and I then introduced white rice or oats weekly. But we are certainly wheat/gluten free and I will never go back to it. Yes, I will admit that once or twice a year I miss crusty french loaf but for me the health risk is simply not worth it. Nothing tastes as good as being well feels. In my house, we all feel and function so much better this way so we won't be going back to our wheaty ways.
3. JELLY - As part of my healing mission we eat a lot of gelatin in the form of bone broths (stock), so our soups, stews and casseroles all taste amazing! Honestly you should definitely try this at home for an incredible flavour to your meals! But I won't stop there to ensure high gelatin intake, oh no. I also like to make fruit jelly and panna cottas to serve after a meal. I cannot tell you how delicious they are, we love them. I will NOT give these up. They heal me. They will heal you.
4. SUGAR - What a relief it was when I discovered that sugar is not the evil terror threat it is made out to be in many food circles. I mean, I need it!! In my coffee, in my fruit, in my meringues :) Gosh, it certainly gets a hard time but when you start to think of it as a valid energy source, a ready source of fuel for your cells then all becomes good in your relationship with sugar. And I am not talking about eating lots of sugary sweets, candy, biscuits and cakes (aside from the wheat content in most!!) I am talking about fruit sugars in delicious ripe fruit and fresh fruit juices, a spoon or 2 of table sugar in your coffee. Sugars in milk - when was the last time you enjoyed a glass of milk? I love it. And don't think you are escaping sugar by eating a diet with bread, pasta, vegetables.....They all break down to the same thing when in your gut - sugars. It is needed and easily used by your body so don't deny yourself the pleasure.
There is always a huge backlash when it comes to sugar so it is worth pointing out that research currently shows that a diet of high starch is closely linked to diabetes and obesity. Give me a glass of orange juice over a slice of toast any day.
For further reading on the great sugar debate please check the articles linked below by these awesome folk:
Ray Peat
Danny Roddy
Ark of Wellness
5. COFFEE - I LOVE my coffee. It gives me a boost in the morning before I head out the door with my little one and I know I can sustain the playtime once I've had it. I drink it with hot full fat milk, a large sugar and a scoop of coconut oil for additional pro thyroid benefits, energy and satiety but it really adds an edge of deliciousness previously unknown to me. However, the health benefits are amazing too, better brain function, clearer skin, more resistant to disease. All this from coffee??? Oh yes and more! I found an excellent article from Dr Ray Peat and he had this to say, "Caffeine has remarkable parallels to thyroid and progesterone, and the use of coffee or tea can help to maintain their production, or compensate for their deficiency." So if you can tolerate coffee, you can now relax and enjoy a few cups of the good stuff for better thyroid health!
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