In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Hashimoto’s Disease?Diet and Hashimoto’s DiseaseBest Foods for Hashimoto’s DiseaseKey Nutrients for Hashimoto’s DiseaseQuestionable Foods and Diets for Hashimoto’s Disease
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Hashimoto’s Disease?
Diet and Hashimoto’s Disease
Best Foods for Hashimoto’s Disease
Key Nutrients for Hashimoto’s Disease
Questionable Foods and Diets for Hashimoto’s Disease
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The relationship between food and health is crystal clear: A balanced diet may protect you from a number of chronic conditions. Likewise, a diet tailored to your individual needs when you’re diagnosed with a health issue may go a long way to helping you feel your best, despite the illness.
That’s the case with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid gland. Here, learn more about the disease, its symptoms, possible treatments and what you can eat (and what foods you should avoid) to best manage the condition.
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Hashimoto’s disease, also called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is a condition that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, resulting in chronic inflammation. Over time the thyroid gland is damaged, causing hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid is underactive and incapable of producing the hormones necessary for several bodily functions. Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.
Symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease include fatigue, unexplained weight gain, constipation, sensitivity to cold, and dry skin. The disease tends to progress slowly, which means symptoms develop over many years. Hashimoto’s is most common in middle-aged women but also affects men and children and women of all ages.
Hashimoto’s disease can be controlled with a prescription synthetic hormone medication called levothyroxine, plus a balanced diet. While a nutritious eating plan cannot cure any autoimmune condition, it helps reduce the ongoing inflammation associated with Hashimoto’s, which may help you feel better and support your overall health.
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There is not a single prescribed diet for Hashimoto’s, and no diet has been proven to treat the condition. Though thyroid hormone replacement medications help manage the symptoms, experts say that the drugs don’t treat the underlying problem (the autoimmune process that causes the body to attack the thyroid).
It’s unclear what kick-starts the autoimmune response that harms thyroid function, but increased intestinal permeability, also known as “leaky gut,” may play a role.Julie Stefanski, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, says, “Despite the fact that there aren’t standard recommendations for everyone with autoimmune disease, many people are investigating the influence of gluten on their personal health. Emerging research has linked gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye, with the production of a protein called zonulin in the intestine. Zonulin is thought to affect the tightness of the connections between cells in the intestine, allowing increased absorption of substances that may trigger an immune response.”
People with Hashimoto’s disease may also have celiac disease, which damages the small intestine. Celiac disease is another autoimmune condition. There is no cure for celiac disease but it can be managed with agluten-free diet. When starting a gluten-free diet, it’s important to work with an experienced health care professional, like a registered dietitian nutritionist, for an individualized nutrition plan. Poorly planned gluten-free diets are linked to a higher risk for nutrient deficiencies, particularly B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium and iron.
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People with Hashimoto’s often try different diets, such as vegan, paleo, grain-free and dairy-free, but none of these diets have been proven to treat, cure or reverse the condition. The most beneficial way of eating for Hashimoto’s helps tame inflammation while providing nutrients that support overall health.Foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as whole and lightly processed fruit, vegetables and whole grains, contribute to less inflammation.Unsaturated fatsand sources of lean protein also play key roles in an anti-inflammatory eating plan.
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In people with Hashimoto’s disease, certain foods are bothersome to some but not others, which is why it’s important to work with a licensed nutrition professional, such as an RDN, who is familiar with autoimmune disorders to develop a nutrition plan that’s right for you.
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