If you have Grave's disease you are far from alone -- it is the most common type of hyperthyroidism. With this condition, your thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormone called thyroxine. This in turn can raise your body's metabolic rate and alter your energy level, appearance and moods. This autoimmune disease often is managed with drugs, radioactive iodine treatment or surgery. There isn't a standard nutritional protocol, but some theories say you can manage Grave's disease at least partly with food. Always consult a doctor before making a decision regarding treatment for your condition.
Paleolithic Foods
When you have Grave's disease, your immune system attacks your thyroid gland, which is what causes it to overproduce thyroxine. Diet programs for this disease aim to cut out foods that trigger your body's production of antibodies that attack your thyroid. Some doctors advocate a Paleolithic diet based on the theory that a likely cause of autoimmune diseases is food that is relatively new to humanity. Such foods include dairy products, grain, yeasted foods, beans and lentils. These foods appeared in the past 40,000 years, while fruits, vegetables, nuts and meat have been eaten by humans for more than 2 million years. In theory, removing the new foods may also rid your body of a primary cause of autoimmune problems.
Iodine Management
Watching your iodine intake may help you manage problems associated with Grave's disease as well. Eating large amounts of sea vegetables like kelp, for example, may worsen your problem, says "Total Nutrition" authors Victor Herbert and Genell J. Subak-Sharpe. In fact, both consuming too much and too little both can lead to problems like goiter formation, according to "Endocrinology," by S. Nussey and S. Whitehead. Goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland. It is important for you to consult your doctor to establish an appropriate iodine intake level.
Cutting Out Allergy-Causing Foods
Eliminating foods that you are allergic to may help you manage your Grave's disease. Gluten may be a key suspect in Grave's disease and other autoimmune conditions, note James Braly and Ron Hoggan, authors of "Dangerous Grains." Many autoimmune diseases share the HLA-B8 marker, which also is found in celiac disease. The theory goes like this: Your body forms antibodies against partially digested particles of offending foods, triggering your body's attack on its own tissues. Milk and dairy products are other common offenders. Braly and Hoggan recommend comprehensive allergy testing to see which foods you are sensitive to. You'll need blood tests for both immunoglobulin E, or IgE, and immunoglobulin G, or IgG test. The IgE test detects foods that cause a classic allergic reaction such as hives and the IgG test diagnoses food intolerances that cause an array of symptoms including joint pain, inflammation and bloating.
Thyroid Toxic Food Theory
While you're at it, you might want to eliminate foods that are considered "thyroid toxic" from your diet. Soy sometimes interferes with your thyroid function by inhibiting thyroid peroxidase, or TPO. TPO is key in reactions that are essential for thyroid hormone synthesis. This, in turn, can lead to goiter. Plants from the genus Brassica may cause problems by blocking uptake of iodine. These include broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips and watercress. They have a bigger effect raw than cooked. If you have Grave's disease, Hoffman recommends an individual case analysis to determine what your best level of consumption for such vegetables is.
References
- "Total Nutrition"; Victor Herbert and Genell J. Subak-Sharpe; 1995
- Mayo Clinic: Grave's Disease
- Mayo Clinic: Grave's Disease Treatments and Drugs
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Endocrinology"; S. Nussey and S. Whitehead; 2001
- "Dangerous Grains"; James Braly and Ron Hoggan; 2002
- Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients magazine: IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA. What Do They Really Tell Us?
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