# Reverse Hashi's with Diet



## Marathon Man (Aug 31, 2011)

Has anyone seriously had any success reversing hashimoto's through diet changes? I have seen claims that going gluten free and cutting out cruciferous vegetables and caffeine and alcohol can reverse Hashi's. I am willing to give it a try. My thyroid has been eaten away to almost nothing. I wonder if it is worth pursuing.

If you have had any success, please share what kinds of things you quit or added. I bought some kimchee over the weekend and could barely choke it down!


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## EricaH (Mar 5, 2012)

I was already eating a clean diet (nothing processed, no HFCS, refined sugars and flour) and had a slight improvement in my energy by doing that over a year ago. After reading the advice of others on here I went gluten free. In the few weeks that i have been gluten free, my energy levels soared, the brain fog wasn't as bad and the pesky headaches that I would get and attributed to everything else (sinuses, allergies, stress, beer  went away too. I haven't been to the dr since so I have no lab comparison but I truly believe that diet is a huge factor. I also started taking the recommended supplements for thyroid function at the same time. Maybe it's the combo but at this point, whatever works!


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## irisheyes13 (Apr 5, 2011)

I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease/hyperthyroid a few years ago and have tried the medication route but can never stay on the meds long enough to put the Grave's into remission. I always would swing hypothyroid, have to go off all meds and eventually would go high again. The doctors wanted me to undergo radiation to kill off my thyroid but last January I went on a gluten, dairy and soy free diet (due to digestive problems) and since that time I have had normal tsh, t3 and t4... knock on wood! The endocrinologist won't admit that my diet could be the reason but is in agreement that there is no reason to have the radiation at this time.

My 18 y/o daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last March and has been gluten free since June. Her levels of insulin needed have gone DOWN (instead of up as her pancreas continues to lose her beta cells which produce insulin due to the autoimmune attack). No one knows what to make of it but I attribute it to a gluten free diet. My suspicion is that she may be a silent celiac which eventually started to attach her pancreas causing the type 1 diabetes. I have nothing to back up my theory however.

There has been so little studies done to document how a gluten free diet affects autoimmune disease beyond Celiac disease. More and more people are discovering their inability to digest gluten and how much better they feel when they don't eat it.

All that I can tell you is that it won't hurt to try it for a few weeks or even months and see how you feel and how your thyroid levels react. It isn't easy or fun to completely eliminate gluten from your diet however and you have to completely eliminate it (vs cut back). It does take 6 months to a year for the body to clear itself of gluten and even longer to heal damage to tissues affected (intestines, brain, thyroid etc) however most people seem to notice the symptoms clearing rather quickly regarding brain fog, joint pain, digestive issues etc.

Good luck!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

irisheyes13 said:


> I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease/hyperthyroid a few years ago and have tried the medication route but can never stay on the meds long enough to put the Grave's into remission. I always would swing hypothyroid, have to go off all meds and eventually would go high again. The doctors wanted me to undergo radiation to kill off my thyroid but last January I went on a gluten, dairy and soy free diet (due to digestive problems) and since that time I have had normal tsh, t3 and t4... knock on wood! The endocrinologist won't admit that my diet could be the reason but is in agreement that there is no reason to have the radiation at this time.
> 
> My 18 y/o daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last March and has been gluten free since June. Her levels of insulin needed have gone DOWN (instead of up as her pancreas continues to lose her beta cells which produce insulin due to the autoimmune attack). No one knows what to make of it but I attribute it to a gluten free diet. My suspicion is that she may be a silent celiac which eventually started to attach her pancreas causing the type 1 diabetes. I have nothing to back up my theory however.
> 
> ...


Thank you for sharing this information. There is no way I would ever eat gluten and hubby too. Even the dog is on a gluten-free diet.

We have been gluten-free for so many years I don't even remember how many! 20 plus, that I know.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Andros said:


> We have been gluten-free for so many years I don't even remember how many! 20 plus, that I know.


Wow, Andros - you two are trend-setters, going gluten-free before it was "popular" so to speak!

I would like to learn more about gluten-free eating...where would I start? Are there one or two websites you would recommend?


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## irisheyes13 (Apr 5, 2011)

I'm not Andros so I hope you don't mind if I reply but there is now so much information on the web regarding a gluten free diet. If you prefer forum style help, celiac.com is a great resource because of the incredibly large size of the forum and number of members. The blogosphere is loaded with tons of blogs dedicated to gluten free living which should answer many questions, provide lots of recipes and review lots of products. Alternatively there are tons of books on the subject. I would recommend your local library.

I think the important thing to consider when going gluten free is to eat "clean" and not look to substitute with the many commercial gluten free products on the market. They tend to be filled with empty calories. The quality of gluten free foods has improved dramatically over the last several years however and many restaurants are now offering gluten free menu options.

I can not believe the difference it has made in my thyroid and digestive health since removing gluten, dairy and soy. Was it difficult at first?- You betcha... Did it get easier?- Yes, it did. Is it worth it?- Damn straight skippy!


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

I am gluten free now and it's only been three weeks. I can't take thryroid meds because no matter the dose, it throws me into hyper. I still have my bad days, but they are getting fewer and farther apart. I have alot more energy, I have dropped 10 pounds (only ten more to go!) I sleep through the night, and I just plain feel healthier. I take a thyroid supplement and Selenium and that seems to be helping. They say you can't cure Hashimoto's, but I firmly believe you can take steps and make healthier life choices that can help you manage the disease.


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

I was diagnosed hyperthyroid and gluten sensitive in the same week. I went gluten free right away and many problems cleared up, but thyroid disease continued. I had a toxic nodule and grave's disease, and eventually had radiation.

One son has type I diabetes (for 15 years) and should be tested for gluten intolerance, but refuses.

Renee


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Octavia said:


> Wow, Andros - you two are trend-setters, going gluten-free before it was "popular" so to speak!
> 
> I would like to learn more about gluten-free eating...where would I start? Are there one or two websites you would recommend?


Day late and a dollar short on this one!

This truly is the best place (in my humble opinion) for not only groceries that are gluten-free but for support groups, recipes and all sorts of info related to gluten.

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/gluten-free.php

I also have this site bookmarked......
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/gluten-free-whole-grains


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## SFLHashi (Mar 5, 2012)

I have a few lab results to share.

I had undiagnosed hypo and hashis for years.. I was 80 on my first TSH and my thyroid peroxidase were 1500+.

I went on synthroid 150mcg and my tsh is at 4. I still dont feel 100%.

Free T4 at 1.2 on range .8-1.8 
t3 free 2.7 on a range 2.3-4.2
antibodies still at 1500+.

Gluten free( sort of) for 3 months and the antibodies droped to 478. and most recently 380. Obviously I have hashis still but the antibodies are down big.

My current struggle is fatigue. I am ok from 10-4pm. But the am wake is awful even with 10 hours of sleep . I take Tirosint 150mcg now as the liquid gel keeps the indigestion away. I take the does at 7am.

I can tell you when I need to do something in the am I take the does at 2am. And I feel like I wake up 100% ready to run a marathon at 7am. If i take the does at 7am it takes till lunch. I feel like I am constantly recharging like an iphone battery.

SO in reference to this topic. Gluten free has radically dropped my anti-bodies. I do NOT have the gluten anti-body. I have noticed a batter quality of life gluten free, less sugar cycles etc. But the proof is in the drop in anti-bodies. So thing there is related in my opinion. the endo "refused" to comment. GO gluten free for 6 months and test your antibodies.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

SFLHashi said:


> My current struggle is fatigue. I am ok from 10-4pm. But the am wake is awful even with 10 hours of sleep . I take Tirosint 150mcg now as the liquid gel keeps the indigestion away. I take the does at 7am.
> 
> I can tell you when I need to do something in the am I take the does at 2am. And I feel like I wake up 100% ready to run a marathon at 7am. If i take the does at 7am it takes till lunch. I feel like I am constantly recharging like an iphone battery.


Your energy levels sound very familiar. Have you ever had your adrenals tested? I know that "adrenal fatigue" is a dirty word in western medicine, but everything I am reading says that a lot of these conditions run together. Dr Lam's website is awesome for info. In the process of testing mine through a naturopath (24 hour saliva collection) and I can't wait for the results. Thanks for the heads up on the Tirosint!


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## markwillplay (May 12, 2012)

If it is possible, I am trying it. My naturopath has me on a very strict diet. I have done the clearvite diet and the repairvite diet. You can just look them up. They are tough, but I have learned to eat a differnt way. I do not eat any glutten, soy, diary. I also do not eat much that has conola oil, sunflower oil, etc... I use coconut oil and olive oil. I know it is really hard for some people (my wife could not do it), but for me it has gotten pretty easy. I eat unprocessed meats (deer, chicken, wild aslmon, etc..) Sweet potatoes are my carb of shoice (either microwaved or fried in coconut oil to get my fats) and I love sauteed veggies. I also eat raw spoinac with redwine vinigar and coconut oil spread on tome. Love it. I of course eat low glycemic fruits and hardly no refined sugar at all. Haven't had any in over two months.

Intersting thing is that my glucose is actually higher than it was before I was diagnosed. I have never been much of a sugar freak anyway and I think it is due to eating so much fruit. I love Almond Milc and right now my desert of choice is the chex honey nut cereal (that does have honey and a couple other things in it but it is glutten free). I don't know if I will have to eat like this forever, but I can tell you that my overall lab work is way better. I also exercise a minimum of 5 times a week (elliptical and light weights, etc...had an early hip replacement so I have to be low impact).

I personally think the only thing I really miss is pizza. I do love ships too (I am a salt freak) but I like the frez dried veggie chips fine. I think one of the keys is t stay away from things that are processed. You have to read ingredients. I had no idea it would be this difficult to avoid soy. And to think, I used to drink it every day in my coffee. By the way, I have not had a cup of coffee in over two months. I no longer miss it and I was in LOVE with it for years.


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