# Help with food choices



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Hi,

This is my first post. I have a few questions on my mind but I'll start with the biggest and a bit of my back story.

I have been hypothyroid for a number of years. I have always taken my medication properly as indicated in the information that comes with the levothyroxine. I have been on the same dosage all along and my numbers have always fallen within the normal range (by Canadian standards) To be honest I've never read anything beyond that information.....until recently.

So here I am now officially post-menopausal and my annual blood tests show that I now have borderline/high cholesterol and my TSH number is at the top of normal. I have been on a mission to try and help myself and my medication by reducing and increasing the appropriate foods, but I need your help because the information out there is so conflicting. 
I should add that levothyroxine is the only medication I take.

I understand the brassica vegetables and the processed foods clearly but here are the things that I have read either help *OR* hinder thyroid function depending on the site I visit. I hope you can help clear up some of my confusion! 

dairy products, wheat gluten, almonds, meat protein, fiber, and multivitamins

Thanks so much!


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Gemini, welcome!

I'm no expert on healthy foods, so I'll leave that part to others to answer (honestly, I had to google "brassica vegetables" after reading your post). But I did want to ask the obvious: In addition to concentrating on dietary changes, have you increased your dosage of thyroid replacement hormone to address the high-ish TSH?


----------



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks Octavia,

No, my doctor doesn't have a problem with my number as it is still within the limits. I am on a mission myself to lower it before it goes over.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Oh, that's unfortunate. What exactly is your TSH, and do you happen to have any other lab values, such as Free T3 and Free T4?

Are you having symptoms currently?


----------



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Hello again Octavia,

Sorry for the delay-I had to go to work.  My TSH is 3.74 which is considered perfectly normal in Canada. ( I hadn't looked at my lab results since March and for some reason I was thinking it was well over 4). Anyway I believe that in the U.S. this is considered high, right?

I do know that it has increased since the previous year, and my cholesterol has gone from being very admirable to borderline. I don't see anything about the T3 and T4 values.

For years I have had thinning eyebrows, fatigue, sensitivity to cold, heart palpitations.......but the only one I couldn't attribute to menopause was the thinning eyebrows.

I really appreciate your interest Octavia, thanks so much, and I hope someone will also come along with some answers to my food questions.


----------



## Velcro (Jul 26, 2013)

Hi there. My hubby battles high cholesterol but eats lots of veggies, fruits, etc. His Doc told him to eat more oatmeal, fish (no Tilapia), nuts and to use olive oil in everything. When he started doing that, his cholesterol dropped significantly.


----------



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks so much Velcro,

That's great to know and I'm happy for you both! It makes me think I am on the right track as I have started increasing all of the foods you mention. I know for the most part that these are good for hypothyroidism too.

There are still a few gray areas but I believe with the help of all you good people here I will soon be able to choose my groceries with confidence and get my numbers down!


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Velcro said:


> Hi there. My hubby battles high cholesterol but eats lots of veggies, fruits, etc. His Doc told him to eat more oatmeal, fish (no Tilapia), nuts and to use olive oil in everything. When he started doing that, his cholesterol dropped significantly.


Now that you mention that, I do recall my dad's cholesterol going down significantly when he started eating more oatmeal.


----------



## SlowGland (Aug 5, 2013)

Over the last 3 years, I've been slowly realizing that I'm borderline or hypo thyroid. I was vegetarian, sometimes vegan, for a long time. I'm also trying to figure out the food thing, because I cannot do a veg diet anymore. I need animal protein or I get sick. I eat fish, veggies, organic dairy, the only carb. I eat regularly is brown rice. The minute I eat potato, I put on weight, so I avoid it. Pasta-once every couple of months. I try to eat as much organic stuff as possible. I've started coconut oil and it makes me feel good.
When I eat like that I feel really good. It's just hard for me to do right now because of my living situation.
I've seen conflicting reports about almonds. I still use almondmilk in very small amounts, and I feel like it is okay for me.


----------



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Hi Slowgland,

Thanks for sharing your experience so far. I have found the same thing about research on almonds so maybe I will do the same as you...try small amounts of the milk, and maybe I'll add baking some into cookies or something too.

I am curious about coconut oil. Have you noticed anything specific about the positive results since using it, and if so how much do you use? I've wanted to try it too but keep stopping myself because of the expense.


----------



## SlowGland (Aug 5, 2013)

With the coconut oil-I've gone through phases of using it and then stopping, mostly because I was afraid of the saturated fat in it. I'm back on it, and I have to say I feel like it raises my body temperature about an after adding it to food. Also, I really like the taste.
I'm not as freaked out anymore about the saturated fat. From what I understand, our thyroids actually need saturated fat to produce adequate hormones. I was on a very low saturated fat diet for many years.
So, my plan is to use coconut oil a couple of times a day for a few months (I'm also trying to raise my Iron and Vit C levels) and then get my blood drawn again. It's a little expensive, but I think of it as investment in myself, and maybe one less trip for coffee or lunch out.


----------



## Gemini (Aug 6, 2013)

Thank you Slowgland,

I'm sorry I didn't say so sooner but I didn't see your reply until today. I think you're right about the saturated fat in coconut oil. Everything I've read so far says it's a very healthy choice and I think I will join you in learning to get past the "fat" part and concentrate on the "healthy" part.

I just might buy some this week!


----------

