| Before I discuss some Graves' Disease diet tips | | | | Dinner: |
| that can help restore your health back to normal, | | | | Organic roasted turkey |
| let me first tell you that not only am I a licensed | | | | Some type of vegetable (i.e. squash) |
| healthcare professional, but I was personally | | | | After-Dinner Snack: |
| diagnosed with Graves' Disease. And nutrition | | | | 1 cup of raw nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, |
| definitely played a huge role in restoring my health | | | | walnuts, cashews) |
| back to normal. I will warn you that being a holistic | | | | Although this diet is relatively healthy, you'll notice |
| doctor I am biased towards natural treatment | | | | that it isn't perfect. I probably should have |
| methods, so while most endocrinologists label | | | | incorporated more vegetables, but overall it was a |
| Graves'' Disease as "incurable", based on my own | | | | healthy diet. Today I still eat healthy, but I do |
| personal experience I believe that Graves'' | | | | incorporate some whole grains occasionally (for |
| Disease can be cured, and one's diet is important | | | | example, I will have a turkey wrap or sandwich |
| in restoring their health. | | | | with whole wheat bread), and every now and |
| So if you are looking for Graves' Disease diet tips | | | | then I'll even go out and get some pizza, eat |
| that will help restore your health back to normal, | | | | some chocolate, etc. |
| then you are going to enjoy reading the following | | | | If you currently eat a lot of junk food and/or |
| information. As I just mentioned, diet can play a | | | | have strong sweet and carbohydrate cravings, I |
| big role in treating Graves'' Disease naturally. | | | | wouldn't expect you to change overnight. Under |
| However, I will tell you that while eating healthy | | | | such circumstances it is best to take it slow, and |
| and incorporating nutritional supplements can be | | | | when I first consult with a patient that has strong |
| beneficial, there are other factors that will also | | | | sweet and carb cravings, I put them on a |
| play a role in your recovery, which I will briefly | | | | protocol to help them get rid of these cravings, |
| mention in this article. | | | | and thus make the transition to a healthier diet |
| I also will warn you that different doctors will | | | | much easier. I personally was brought up eating |
| have varying opinions as to what is considered to | | | | foods like Fruit Loops, Burger King Whoppers and |
| be "healthy" with regards to one's diet. And let's | | | | fries, and drank plenty of Hawaiian Punch. And |
| be honest for a moment...nobody eats the | | | | while I was already eating much healthier when I |
| "perfect" diet, as in my opinion it's okay to be | | | | was diagnosed with Graves'' Disease, when I first |
| "bad" every now and then. For example, I | | | | began trying to eat healthy it did take some time. |
| consulted with a patient once who loved | | | | Drink Plenty Of Purified Water |
| milkshakes, which as you might guess isn't too | | | | You also want to drink plenty of purified water |
| healthy. And while it would be ideal for this person | | | | during this time, and avoid any soft drinks, and |
| to completely eliminate milkshakes from her diet, | | | | even most juices, which can be high in sugar. As |
| having one every so often usually isn't a big deal. | | | | for what type of water you should drink, |
| And the same goes with other foods. | | | | different doctors have different opinions, but I |
| Of course there are exceptions. For example, | | | | recommend either water that has gone through a |
| someone with celiac disease probably won't be | | | | reverse osmosis process or distillation, and then is |
| able to eat a gluten-based food "every now and | | | | enhanced with minerals. Some will disagree with |
| then" without having a bad reaction. Another | | | | me, preferring water without minerals added. |
| example involves someone who can't "settle" for | | | | Either way, stay away from the tap water, and |
| a milkshake every now and then, or an occasional | | | | I'd also be cautious about drinking spring water |
| slice of pizza, etc. In other words, some are | | | | unless if you know the source is a good quality. |
| better off staying away completely from the | | | | What Are Goitrogens? |
| "bad" foods, or else they begin consuming too | | | | There are also certain goitrogens you should try |
| much of it. | | | | your best to avoid. Goitrogens interfere with the |
| Testing For Food Allergies Is A Good Idea | | | | function of the thyroid gland, which admittedly |
| Anyway, one of the first things I will recommend | | | | isn't as big of a factor in someone with a |
| before anyone changes their eating habits is to | | | | hyperthyroid condition like Graves'' Disease as it |
| get tested for food allergies. Going to a regular | | | | would be with someone with a hypothyroid |
| allergy doctor might not be the best option, as | | | | condition. But still, you want to at least minimize |
| usually they will test for only IgE antibodies. You | | | | the following foods, and some of them you will |
| might want to visit a holistic doctor and receive | | | | want to avoid completely. I personally ate some |
| an ELISA/EIA panel, which also measures the IgG | | | | of the following goitrogens in moderation (i.e. |
| antibodies, and is usually more accurate (although | | | | spinach and broccoli), while completely avoiding |
| this does depend on the lab that performs the | | | | others (i.e. soy). Anyway, here are some of the |
| test). | | | | goitrogens to be aware of: |
| Another alternative is to consider a GI Health | | | | Soy |
| Panel. The company Diagnos-Techs offers this | | | | Broccoli |
| type of test, which measures the health of the | | | | Brussel sprouts |
| gastrointestinal tract and includes over one dozen | | | | Cauliflower |
| tests that utilize saliva and stool specimens. They | | | | Kale |
| also offer a FIP-Food Intolerance Panel, that will | | | | Spinach |
| determine whether you are allergic to four of the | | | | Turnips |
| most common foods (gluten, soy, milk, and egg | | | | Peaches |
| proteins). | | | | Strawberries |
| A less costly method is to conduct an elimination | | | | Where Should You Shop? |
| diet, where you eliminate all of the common food | | | | As for where should you shop, although you can |
| allergens (wheat, soy, dairy, etc.), and then slowly | | | | shop at your local health food store, I personally |
| introduce a potential allergen, one at a time. There | | | | like Trader Joes, which is a national chain that has |
| are different ways of doing this, but here is an | | | | plenty of natural and organic food at affordable |
| example. You can go on a purification program | | | | prices. Some "regular" grocery stores, and even |
| (described shortly), and then once the purification | | | | places like Wal-Mart sell some natural and organic |
| program is completed, introduce wheat for 3 | | | | food as well. While my wife and I love shopping at |
| days, and see how your body reacts. Just make | | | | Trader Joes for most of our items, we do buy |
| sure you don't add more than one potential | | | | some of our foods at a local health food store, |
| allergen, as if you were to add both wheat and | | | | and a few items in a "regular" supermarket. |
| dairy for example, and had a bad reaction, you | | | | Other Factors Besides Diet Can Impact Your |
| wouldn't know which allergen was responsible. | | | | Health |
| A Purification Program Can Be Beneficial | | | | Besides eating healthy, there are some other |
| As I just mentioned, many people can benefit | | | | factors that can affect your health. Since it's |
| from a purification program. There are different | | | | difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals you |
| types of these programs, and when doing one it | | | | need through your diet, taking some quality |
| is wise to be under the guidance of a competent | | | | nutritional supplements can be beneficial (i.e. B |
| healthcare professional. When I put one of my | | | | vitamins, Vitamin D, iodine, essential fatty acids, a |
| patients on a purification program, I prefer having | | | | multi-mineral supplement, etc.). As I'm sure you |
| them avoid gluten, dairy, soy, and other common | | | | know, it's also beneficial to be on a regular |
| allergens for at least twenty one days. Once | | | | exercise program. Another big factor for people |
| again, the reason for this is because they are | | | | with Graves'' Disease is to manage the stress in |
| common allergens. | | | | their lives, as while just about everyone has to |
| On the other hand, I encourage them to eat | | | | deal with stress, we all have different coping |
| plenty of vegetables, some fruits, as well as | | | | mechanisms. And those people that don't do a |
| chicken, turkey, and certain types of fish. I do | | | | good job of managing the stress in their lives are |
| recommend that they purchase organic food, at | | | | more likely to have stressed out adrenal glands, |
| least with regards to the meats. While it would be | | | | which can both lead to and exacerbate an |
| great if they can buy everything organic, I realize | | | | autoimmune condition. |
| some people can't afford this, and so if you must | | | | Should You Consult With A Natural Endocrine |
| pick and choose, I'd recommend to eat organic | | | | Doctor? |
| meat, and try to stay away from non-organic | | | | While many endocrinologists label Graves'' Disease |
| vegetables and fruits that are high in pesticides. | | | | as being incurable, the truth is that many people |
| These aren't necessarily the only foods I | | | | like myself are turning to natural treatment |
| recommend, as most people can consume a small | | | | methods to help restore the function of the |
| quantity of raw nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds, | | | | thyroid gland, and thus avoid anti-thyroid drugs |
| etc.), as well as some other foods. | | | | and radioactive iodine. A competent natural doctor |
| An Actual Example Of A Graves'' Disease Diet: | | | | that focuses on endocrine disorders can help you |
| Here is an example of a daily protocol when I first | | | | with your diet, recommend quality supplements, |
| went on my Graves' Disease diet. Keep in mind | | | | and put you on a complete program that can |
| that this is just an example, and is not a diet that | | | | potentially restore your health back to normal. |
| I stayed on permanently (although it did train me | | | | While not everyone is a candidate for natural |
| to eat better, and I still eat healthy to this day): | | | | treatment methods, most people can benefit |
| Breakfast: | | | | from following a natural treatment protocol. |
| Protein drink which contained 2 cups of | | | | So for those looking for an ideal Graves' Disease |
| purified water, I cup of mixed berries (raspberries, | | | | diet, hopefully you have a better idea as to what |
| blueberries, and blackberries), a healthy form of | | | | foods you should eat when diagnosed with this |
| protein powder, and 1 teaspoon of flax seed oil | | | | condition. Truth to be told, most people should eat |
| (after one month I added one raw organic egg to | | | | a healthy diet consisting of whole foods, |
| this). | | | | regardless of whether or not they have an |
| Mid-morning snack: | | | | autoimmune thyroid disorder or not. Doing so can |
| Organic apples and raw sunflower seeds | | | | actually help prevent the development of such |
| Lunch: | | | | conditions, along with incorporating other lifestyle |
| Grilled chicken salad: organic mixed greens and | | | | factors, such as exercising regularly, obtaining |
| spinach, organic grilled chicken | | | | quality sleep, and doing a good job of managing |
| Mid-afternoon snack: | | | | stress. But for someone with Graves'' Disease, |
| Another protein drink (very filling, and actually | | | | eating healthy can definitely help to improve their |
| tastes pretty good) | | | | health, and is thus extremely important. |