Are you making these common thyroid healing mistakes?
When it comes to thyroid health, there are a lot of factors to consider. But in my decades of working with thyroid patients, there are common mistakes and myths that pop up constantly! So I thought I would share some false beliefs around healing your thyroid and what the real answers are.
Common thyroid disease misconceptions
I need to cut out brassicas to heal my thyroid
Think you need to break up with broccoli for your thyroid's sake? Think again!
Many people with thyroid disease are told to avoid foods like broccoli due to the goitrogen content. Goitrogens are compounds found in common plant-based foods, including soy products, cruciferous veg, corn, millet, pear and sweet potato.
And yes, these compounds may affect your thyroid function. But the thing about high-goitrogen foods is that most of them are nutrient-dense and beneficial for your health!
The good news? There are two easy ways to minimise the effects:
Cooking goitrogen-rich foods
Consuming sufficient thyroid-supportive nutrients such as iodine and selenium
Dieting will help me to lose weight I’ve gained due to thyroid dysfunction
Can calorie restriction help you lose weight if your thyroid is to blame? Or what about intermittent fasting
It’s the opposite – these restrictive approaches often makes the situation far worse! This is for 3 big reasons:
Calorie restriction can drop your T3 levels, which equals a lower metabolism.
The physical stress on the body can reduce the conversion of T4 to T3 and impair your metabolism
A calorie-restricted diet is also likely to be deficient in micronutrients that you need for optimal thyroid function
Want to learn more about how dieting can crash your thyroid function – even if you don’t have a thyroid condition? Give this a read.
Thyroxine will cure my hypothyroidism – I don’t need to do anything else
This is a big one I hear all the time. While thyroxine might fix your hypothyroid state in your blood tests by correcting your T4 level, it does nothing to address the cause. And if the cause isn’t addressed, then the ‘fix’ is only ever temporary.
Now, can thyroxine use be warranted? Absolutely – especially in cases such as total thyroidectomies. But it’s only there as a tool, not as a true fix.
The key is to look at why you’re hypothyroid. Are you not producing enough T4, or is it poor conversion to T3? What happened when the issue first arose – was there an infection or illness, a stressful life event, or exposure to chemicals? Once you know the why, you can truly start to heal your thyroid.
Now keep in mind: this is not something you want to do by yourself. It’s always best to work with an experienced thyroid health practitioner who can guide you in your investigation, as well as support you with evidence-based recommendations.
Once I’m on thyroid medication, I’m on it for life
Unless you’ve had a total thyroidectomy, this may not be the case! As we’ve mentioned, thyroid medication is a tool, not a cure. If you can address the underlying cause of your thyroid issues, you may be able to come off medication in the future.
However, this is always best done under supervision of your healthcare team. Don’t stop your medication without discussing it with them first!
Diet and lifestyle doesn’t make a difference – my thyroid condition is permanent
While it’s true that not all thyroid conditions or cases can be cured, you don’t have to put up with suffering. Medical intervention has its place, but the choices you make in your everyday life absolutely have an impact on your thyroid health as well!
Whether you’ve got an autoimmune thyroid condition such as Hashimoto’s or Graves’, thyroid nodules or even thyroid cancer, you can make your lifestyle work for your thyroid, rather than against it. Make sure you have a browse of all of my articles to learn more about how you can achieve this.
THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS
When you receive a thyroid disease diagnosis, there’s a good chance you’ll feel overwhelmed and powerless. It could even be that you’re not clear on what’s driving it or where it came from!
But even if you’re still uncovering the cause, it doesn’t mean you need to suffer the symptoms forever! Your daily habits can make a massive difference – all you need to do is learn about your condition and empower yourself.