Thyroid Weight-Loss Diet

Eating healthy and in proper moderation, coupled with exercising regularly, is a surefire way to lose those unwanted pounds. When you suffer from hypothyroidism, you may gain weight due to a slower metabolism. Try examining your diet and your active lifestyle to see where you can make improvements while you are battling this disease.

Hypothyroidism--Symptoms

• With hypothyroidism comes many symptoms and ailments that you may think are common occurrences in your body. People with this disease often face fatigue and weight gain. Headaches and migraines also may accompany hypothyroidism, along with heat or cold intolerance. You may find that you aren't motivated to do things you want to do, and you may experience depression. Hypothyroidism patients also may experience fluid retention, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and insomnia. Female patients also may experience tumors, ovarian cysts, endometriosis and female cancer.

  The job of thyroid hormones is to run your body's metabolism. A slow metabolism is often a factor in weight gain.

Hypothyroidism and Food

• Three factors that contribute to weight gain with hypothyroidism are a change in your metabolic rate, changes in your brain chemistry now that illness and stress has set in, and insulin resistance. The latter slows down your body's ability to process carbohydrates and your cells' ability to absorb blood sugar.

  With hypothyroidism, try eating food such as chicken, turkey, fish, nonstarchy vegetables, grains and legumes. Avoid eating sugars and starches. You should cut back on eating pastas, rice, potatoes, white flours and breads. Also, reduce corn, peas, sweet potatoes, dairy products, red meats and certain fruits in your diet.

  With insulin resistance, eating a low-fat and low-carbohydrate diet may help to reduce weight, with proper exercise.

From a Doctor's Perspective

• Although doctors don't prescribe a hypothyroidism diet, according to Todd B. Nippoldt, an endocrinologist with the Mayo Clinic, he suggests avoiding the following foods and supplements. These contain a lot of fiber and may keep your body from absorbing the hormones prescribed to hypothyroidism patients: walnuts, soybean flour, cottonseed meal, iron supplements or vitamins that contain iron, calcium supplements, certain antacids, certain ulcer medications and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Avoid these all together or use them several hours before or after you have taken your hypothyroidism medications.