Most doctors will tell you that diet has nothing to do with thyroid disease or dysfunction. This is simply not true. In this article and video (down below), you will learn just how important a role diet plays in thyroid health. Before we dive into the nutritional aspect, let’s start with a quick breakdown on the thyroid gland so that you can better understand this essential organ.
What is the Thyroid?
In your neck, where your cartilage sticks out, it’s that little butterfly shaped gland. One of its primary functions is to pump out a hormone called T4. That T4 hormone is what sets the metabolic pace of the body. It’s what regulates energy production and energizes cells to be able to produce adequate energy.
When the thyroid is not functioning normally, it can lead to hypothyroidism (low thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). There are many nutritional factors that can lead to autoimmunity, which is the production of antibodies against one’s own thyroid or against one’s own thyroid hormone receptors. Hashimoto’s and Grave’s disease are autoimmune diseases of the thyroid. In this video, I will talk about specific things that can impact and affect the thyroid and how we can improve its function through nutrition.
How does the Thyroid work?
First of all, the body need some raw ingredients, just like you need hammers and nails to build a house. The body needs to have protein, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B-12 to produce TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) in the brain. Once TSH is produced, the brain sends a signal to your thyroid to make T4, which is the Thyroxine made up of the amino acid Tyrosine plus four molecules of iodine attached to it with the help of Vitamin C, B2 and B3. So, now we have T4 produced by the thyroid, but this is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. We need to convert it to T3 with the help of the nutrients, selenium and iron. With the active form of thyroid, it needs to get it inside of our cells in order to help regulate our metabolism. Vitamin A and D will bind to T3 and unlock your DNA and with healthy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, we can ramp up your metabolism.
If you are missing any of these nutrients, you are going to have some form of biochemical thyroid suppression. This means, your thyroid pathways are not going to work efficiently.
These same triggers also can also lead to hyperthyroidism (Grave’s disease).
What lab tests are recommended to check thyroid function?
TSH
T4 TOTAL
T4 FREE/BOUND
T3 FREE/BOUND
T3 REVERSE
IODINE/HALIDES
Micronutrient Testing
Protein
Magnesium
Zinc
Vit C, B2, B3, B12
Selenium
Iron
Vit A, D
Omega 3-Fatty Acids
What Can I Do To Ensure a Healthy Functioning Thyroid Gland?
Your immune system doesn’t just wake up one day and decide to attack you just because of your bad genes. Your immune system wakes up and decides to attack you because it’s confused, overwhelmed, undernourished, and it’s created that paradigm based on your behavior.
You’ve got to backtrack the behaviors that you have in your lifestyle and diet. Your nutrition will impact the potential possibility that your thyroid is either going to work or not work.
Vitamin deficiencies, food allergies or food exposures, the wrong food exposures, infectious microorganism exposures, chemical exposures, and emotional causation are the biggest known triggering factors for autoimmune disease that you have the capacity to control and measure objectively.
Get grains out of the diet
Eat nutrient dense foods
Evaluate nutritional deficiencies
Avoid exposure to chemical and environmental stressors
Maintain a healthy gut (free of yeast and harmful bacteria)
Surround yourself in a positive, spiritual environment
Bookmark, pin, or print out the picture below so that you can take it to your doctor. The medical references are included!
What Foods Can I Eat to Support Healthy Thyroid Function?
Written by Dr. Peter Osborne Updated on August 17, 2017
6 Responses
It has been very hard to give up a lot of food but I’ve been on the vegan side for awhile now and I think I eat clean and I will add some more greens on my diet, but it’s expensive ,unfortunately! I have hypothyroidism and my stress level sometimes is high ,I don’t like taking western medication and I’ll try harder to eat better and live somehow a better life and see what happens but I want you to know that I’m trying Dr.Osbourne and thank you for your caring
I have all those symptoms, but I do not have a thyroid. It was removed due to cancer in 2009. I have and currently doing the things you listed in your video, but the symptoms are still present.
I eat all the recommended foods as we have our own gardens and we supplement on iodine and B vitamins and do all the right things but still I have an inactive thyroid so food is not all the answer.
Anyone get answers as to why so many of us have thyroid nodules?! Still have one. I had an ablation on 2022. It’s hey k down then slowly grew back. I cut out most cruciferous foods and dairy. I’ve been gf for 13 years.
First of all, the body need some raw ingredients, just like you need hammers and nails to build a house. The body needs to have protein, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B-12 to produce TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) in the brain. Once TSH is produced, the brain sends a signal to your thyroid to make T4, which is the Thyroxine made up of the amino acid Tyrosine plus four molecules of iodine attached to it with the help of Vitamin C, B2 and B3. So, now we have T4 produced by the thyroid, but this is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. We need to convert it to T3 with the help of the nutrients, selenium and iron. With the active form of thyroid, it needs to get it inside of our cells in order to help regulate our metabolism. Vitamin A and D will bind to T3 and unlock your DNA and with healthy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, we can ramp up your metabolism.
If you are missing any of these nutrients, you are going to have some form of biochemical thyroid suppression. This means, your thyroid pathways are not going to work efficiently.
6 Responses
It has been very hard to give up a lot of food but I’ve been on the vegan side for awhile now and I think I eat clean and I will add some more greens on my diet, but it’s expensive ,unfortunately! I have hypothyroidism and my stress level sometimes is high ,I don’t like taking western medication and I’ll try harder to eat better and live somehow a better life and see what happens but I want you to know that I’m trying Dr.Osbourne and thank you for your caring
Please comment on the cause of thyroid nodules and how to eat and supplement to shrink them and resolve them.
I second the above request. I too would like to know the cause of thyroid nodules and how to eat and supplement to shrink them till they are gone.
I have all those symptoms, but I do not have a thyroid. It was removed due to cancer in 2009. I have and currently doing the things you listed in your video, but the symptoms are still present.
I eat all the recommended foods as we have our own gardens and we supplement on iodine and B vitamins and do all the right things but still I have an inactive thyroid so food is not all the answer.
Anyone get answers as to why so many of us have thyroid nodules?! Still have one. I had an ablation on 2022. It’s hey k down then slowly grew back. I cut out most cruciferous foods and dairy. I’ve been gf for 13 years.