Grave's disease is a condition of the thyroid gland, the endocrine gland that resides in the neck, which means it is a hormone producing gland. Grave's disease is when the thyroid gland's functioning is hyper or overactive. Also known as hyperthyroidism, overly high levels of hormones can increase heart rate and affect weight as well as responses to high temperatures. The thyroid is significant because it helps to regulate the body's metabolism which involves energy acquisition from foods ingested. A dietary guide for Grave's disease can help to reduce its symptoms.
Dietary Eliminations
According to Ronald Hoffman, M.D., substances that are considered toxic to the thyroid and affect its functioning need to be eliminated; for example, soy, cabbage, turnips, kale, rutabaga, cauliflower and broccoli should be removed from the diet or at least restricted. Also, iodine can affect thyroid activity, so food high in iodine should not be ingested. It is suggested that products with caffeine such as coffee, soda, tea and chocolate should be avoided, as well as walnuts and peanuts.
Immune Considerations
According to the National Library of Medicine, Grave's disease is considered an autoimmune disease, so an important issue about nutritional intake is to eat foods that do not initiate an autoimmune response. This means that certain foods may activate cells of the immune system to turn on itself and view the body as an antigen (foreign) and begin to attack itself; thus, foods need to be eaten that do not provoke an autoimmune response. According to Dr. Hoffman, foods like meats, nuts and produce should be incorporated into the dietary regimen.
Dietary Inclusions
Researchers propose that autoimmune disorders may be caused by certain foods that have become common to the human diet within the past 40,000 years. According to Dr. Hoffman, foods new to human consumption within this time period include: grain and dairy products, lentils, beans and yeast foods. On the other hand, Dr. Hoffman notes that food that consists of meats, nuts, vegetables and fruits have been consumed by humans for 2 million years and that this diet, known as a Paleolithic diet, is the diet beneficial to patients with Grave's disease.
Protein in a Paleolithic diet, according to Dr. Hoffman, constitutes roughly 25-30 percent of calories, the source of which is lean meats and fish. This differs from the modern Western diet that is supposed to include only 10 to 15 percent protein; furthermore, the sources of this protein typically are meats high in fat, legumes and dairy products. So, the source of protein ingested is important.
Iodine Counter
A counter that lists the amount of iodine in substances can be beneficial in making dietary choices (see Gravesdiseasecure.com link in References).
