It is no secret that dieting can help you lose weight. In the case of thyroid disease-related weight gain, however, other specific steps should be taken within the diet plan. A sluggish thyroid, a condition formally known as hypothyroidism, slows your metabolism down, often resulting in added body weight. By stocking up on certain foods and avoiding ones that can make your thyroid slow down even more, you may experience weight loss over time.
Cause
A sluggish thyroid develops when the gland does not produce adequate thyroid hormones in the body. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a decrease in your basal metabolic rate (BMR). According to the American Thyroid Association, this can cause an average weight gain of between 5 and 10 pounds, which is attributed to excess water and salt in the body. Although the weight gained through hypothyroidism is not significant, a slower BMR makes weight loss more challenging. Other terms of measurement for a sluggish thyroid include hormone blood tests.
Recommended Foods
A healthy diet for a sluggish thyroid consists of lean meats, whole grains, healthy fats, fruits and non-starchy vegetables. These are also known as non-goitrogenic foods. According to Your Body Can Heal, lean meats and Brazil nuts contain a mineral called selenium, which purportedly increases the production of a thyroid hormone called thyroxine (T4). Eat six small meals throughout the day to help increase your metabolism.
Restricted Foods
According to the Mayo Clinic, certain foods can impair the thyroid gland's ability to receive treatment. These may include soy beans, strawberries, walnuts, peaches, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, cottonseed meal, cabbage and cauliflower. Consuming these foods while having hypothyroidism can cause a goiter, reports Your Body Can Heal. A goiter is a technical term for an enlarged thyroid gland. Supplements like calcium, iron and antacid pills can also make hypothyroidism worse by further decreasing hormone production.
Considerations
Do not expect to lose a significant amount of weight once you undergo hypothyroid treatments and start a diet plan. In fact, the American Thyroid Association reports that the average amount of weight loss is less than 10 percent of your total body weight. A successful diet and exercise plan over time can help you lose even more weight. However, weight lost after the initial 10 percent is often attributed to other causes, such as prior poor health habits.
Precautions
The Mayo Clinic cautions against solely using diet to help hypothyroidism, as certain foods do not directly cause the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Medical treatment for hypothyroidism consists of hormone replacements such as Synthroid. Hormone replacements help speed up your metabolism. However, the American Thyroid Association does not advocate the use of thyroid hormone replacements for the sole use of weight loss. In other words, you should not increase the dosage in order to lose weight. Doing so can have detrimental effects on your metabolism over time.
