Nutrition for thyroid disease: sample menu, advice from endocrinologists

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Thyroid diseases make adjustments to the patient's diet. Some foods are highly discouraged for him to consume, while others are necessary to promote he alth. Nutrition for thyroid disease should be consistent with the doctor's prescription and be as balanced as possible.

What does the thyroid gland suffer from?

This organ, located on the front of the neck, produces hormones that subsequently affect all human organs. Failure of the thyroid gland leads to heart palpitations, diseases of the nervous and vascular systems. The normal functioning of this organ ensures the he alth of the brain, mammary and sweat glands, as well as the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Most metabolic processes depend on the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Types of diseases:

• Nodular goiter develops due to lack of iodine. If its size exceeds one centimeter, then the patient is recommended to undergo a biopsy in order to timely identifycell regeneration.
• Endemic goiter is also a consequence of iodine deficiency. If a child lacks these trace elements, then his development is delayed. Therefore, it is highly recommended that pregnant women and nursing mothers consume sufficient amounts of iodine.
• Hyperreactivity of this organ leads to the occurrence of such a disease as thyrotoxicosis. Symptoms of the disease are excessive sweating, trembling, thinness and irritability.
• Insufficient work of the thyroid gland, on the contrary, leads to weight gain, swelling, impaired stool, decreased performance and memory impairment. Another symptom is increased dryness of the skin of the face and the whole body.

Ultrasound, blood tests, tomography and x-rays are used for diagnosis.

Principles of nutrition

Thyroid diseases make adjustments to the daily menu. For example, patients are highly discouraged from eating fast foods containing starch, sugar, flavor enhancers, and so on. In addition, any canned food can harm the he alth of a person with impaired thyroid function.

British scientists have proven that regular consumption of starchy foods eventually leads to diseases of the endocrine system. This is especially true for people who initially have poor gluten tolerance. Therefore, if a person, after eating bread and porridge, does not feel very comfortable, his stomach swells, gas formation and loose stools appear, then he is extremely uncomfortable.it is recommended to continue eating this food.

The best diet options for thyroid disease in men and women are fermented milk products, chicken and beef, seafood, cauliflower and eggs. Particular attention should be paid to seaweed. To date, to purchase this product is not difficult. In addition, kelp is part of the popular sushi dish, which is loved by many residents of the country. Sample menu for the week may contain the following products:

Dairy

As it turns out, regular yogurt contains a decent amount of iodine. Due to the fact that cows are fed feed with the addition of this important trace element, it gets into the finished dairy product. In addition, with a sick thyroid gland, it is also advisable to consume milk and cheese. They contain vitamin D, the lack of which negatively affects the functioning of this organ. Thus, proper nutrition for thyroid disease involves the daily use of these products. For example, you can start your morning with a cheese plate, and drink a glass of yogurt in the afternoon. Warm milk drunk at night is great for calming and acting as a light sleeping pill.

Seafood and apples

These include seaweed, mussels, squid and so on. This food is easily absorbed by the body and contains iodine. Sometimes, in order to be cured, it is enough to include seafood in the diet for thyroid diseases in women. in crabsthere is a rare vitamin B12 and a trace element such as zinc.

Eating one or two apples daily, you can protect the thyroid gland from a malignant tumor. They contain a lot of antioxidants that supply oxygen and normalize cellular metabolism. In addition, apple seeds also contain iodine. With the formation of nodular goiter with thyroid disease, the diet recommended by doctors should include as many foods with this microelement as possible. When eating these fruits, it is recommended to eat not only the pulp, but also grains with a peel. Naturally, fruits should be thoroughly washed under running water before eating.

Meat and eggs

Eggs contain the trace element selenium and a small amount of iodine. Doctors highly recommend eating chicken or beef two to three times a week while eating with thyroid disease in women. It contains the trace element zinc, the lack of which can lead to hypothyroidism. Vegetarians should take industrial micronutrients in the form of vitamin-mineral complexes.

Butter and vegetable oil

High quality butter also contains vitamin D. Doctors recommend using ghee, adding it to porridge. Vegetable oils contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. All of them contribute to recovery in one way or another. Among them, walnut oil is especially distinguished. It contains quite a lot of iodine and zinc.

With a lack of these elements, one tablespoon of oil should be consumed in the morning on an empty stomach as a dietary supplement. It is not suitable for cooking, as it becomes bitter when cooked. It is added in doses to sweet pastries, fresh salads, and also to some sauces for meat dishes.

Vegetables and fruits

It is advisable for patients with thyroid disease to choose those foods that contain selenium, zinc and manganese. In addition, vegetables such as garlic, horseradish, ginger and onions can fight putrefactive bacteria, prevent fungal diseases and cleanse the body. These properties are extremely useful in any chronic diseases, including the endocrine system. Among vegetables, preference should be given to bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, celery and eggplant. From fruits, black berries, apples, cherries and all citrus fruits will bring the greatest benefit. It is also useful to use dried fruit compote.

Honey and nuts

The composition of these products also contains a huge amount of nutrients that stimulate the thyroid gland. However, they should not be abused. For example, honey is recommended to eat no more than three tablespoons a day. Nuts in large quantities cause mild poisoning, which is accompanied by weakness and headache. The recommended amount is six to eight walnut kernels per day.

Healing herbs

It is extremely useful to drink tea from herbs that have blood purifyingproperties. These include yarrow, Ivan tea, St. John's wort and wormwood. The latter is consumed in a minimal amount, no more than two tablespoons per day.

As a rule, wormwood tea is not prepared. It is used in the form of an aqueous tincture, prepared at the rate of one tablespoon per cup of boiling water. After the product is infused, it is filtered and sent for storage in the refrigerator. Do the same with room geranium flowers. It should be remembered that both plants are poisonous and in large doses can cause headaches, dizziness and nausea. It is also useful for patients with a diseased thyroid gland to use decoctions of leaves and branches of raspberry, currant and viburnum.

Knots on the thyroid gland

They appear as a result of lack of iodine. Therefore, people who have nodes found should use products containing this trace element. Nutrition for nodular goiter with thyroid disease should be rich in elements such as iodine, selenium and copper. For example, the leader in the amount of iodine is seaweed. In addition, almost all seafood, including mussels, shrimp and squid, can boast of a large number of this trace element. It is recommended to include two or three sea fish dishes in the weekly menu. It can be baked, stewed or boiled. You can also add dry, powdered kelp to almost any food.

In addition to iodine, you will also need copper, selenium and manganese. They can be obtained from vegetables such as eggplant, pumpkin and Brussels sprouts. Recommendeduse as many plants as possible that have the properties of cleansing the stomach and intestines from toxins. These include Jerusalem artichoke, radish and celery. To stabilize the hormonal background, nutrition for thyroid disease with nodes should include sprouted wheat, sunflower grains and beans. It is recommended to give up soy, as it contains too many phytohormones that adversely affect the thyroid gland.

Diet for thyroiditis

Diet for autoimmune thyroid disease recommends split meals every three hours. This is due to the fact that the patient's body constantly requires carbohydrates, which deliver glucose to the brain cells. Otherwise, with a lack of carbohydrates, a failure occurs and the disease worsens. In addition, you can not refuse fruits and vegetables, as well as oils and seafood.

Diet for thyroid disease excludes the use of soy and millet. In addition to the presence of phytohormones, soy also contains compounds that interfere with the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. It is recommended to include fresh juices prepared from both vegetables and fruits in the daily menu. You can add a few drops of olive oil to a glass for better absorption of vitamin A. In addition, vegetable oil is a supplier of Omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated acids. Doctors recommend taking vitamin complexes in case of malnutrition.

Nutrition for hyperthyroidism

This disease is characterized by the fact that a person's metabolism is accelerated. To slow it down, nutritionists recommend eating lard, fat, butter, and even margarine. The fact is that for people whose thyroid gland works in an enhanced mode, excess weight, as a rule, does not threaten. They, on the contrary, suffer from excessive thinness, as they burn calories extremely quickly.

If a person with this disease consumes alcohol, then he should definitely have a snack. By the way, alcohol does not bring much harm to the thyroid gland. Smoking is much worse. People with a sick thyroid gland are advised to completely abandon this addiction.

In order to avoid osteoporosis, which often occurs when the thyroid gland malfunctions, you should eat as many foods with calcium and vitamin D as possible. These include liver, fish, eggs and butter.

These are the basic principles of nutrition for thyroid disease.