Foods to Avoid if You Have an Underactive Thyroid

Having an underactive thyroid is a serious health concern. It doesn’t happen to all of us but it is quite common. There are several reasons for the condition developing, so if it does happen, alongside the right treatment prescribed by your GP, it is important to look after yourself and have a healthy lifestyle. One of the ways to make sure your treatment works well and that you stay as healthy as possible, is to ensure that you have plenty of exercise and a good diet, one that will help you boost your immunity. Here are some foods to avoid, should you have an underactive thyroid.

Broccoli and cabbage

These two foods are worth avoiding if you have an underactive thyroid gland. However, this is one for discussion with your doctor. These particular types of vegetables are called Cruciferous vegetables, and the group contains other foods such as cauliflower and Kale. If you have a low iodine level or deficiency, then these vegetables could block the thyroid gland’s potential to use iodine, which could lead to more serious issues.

You can still occasionally have them as part of a balanced diet, however do consult with your doctor first, so you know whether level of iodine is a problem for you, and therefore how you should eat Cruciferous vegetables safely.

Fatty foods, especially fried foods

If you are a big fan of fried food, you may need to have a frank discussion with your GP about your diet plan. It has been well known for some time now that fatty foods do have a direct impact on the effectiveness of thyroid replacement medicines. They can reduce your body’s ability to get the most of such medicines. This is obviously a big factor, and it may well be the case that you have to cut down drastically on fatty foods, including such staples as butter.

Sugary foods

This one is a difficult one to manage, because we all love sugar to some extent. At the same time, it is also true that sugar could be found in many processed foods. Pizza, for example, has plenty of sugar in it. So try and avoid processed food and aim to cook everything yourself using fresh and healthy ingredients.

If you have an underactive thyroid, it is generally seen as being important that you cut down on sugar. This is all because an underactive thyroid can slow down the metabolism in your body. This leads to weight gain, especially if you have too much sugar. Cutting down your sugar intake is a good advice for anyone however, not just people with an underactive thyroid, so you should be able to find plenty of food choices and recipes out there that have reduced sugar in them. 

These tips are perhaps the most prominent and challenging when you have to look at a diet change that helps you manage your condition. There is plenty of support out there though, so with a little bit of work, advice and guidance from your GP, thyroid medication called Liothyronine available here you should be able to find a dietary approach that suits you.




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