Gluten Free & Hypothyroidism???

ccarew77
ccarew77 Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone,

About 6 months ago I discovered I have hypothyroidism and been struggling with doctors to regulate with various different doses of synthroid. I've been told it can take a while.

Recently, I read that some had positive results when they also cut out gluten.
Last week was my first week and found it suprisingly easier than I thought.


I am not being as strict as someone with Celiac (still drinking coffee, tea, some condiments) but definitely cut out gluten starches.
Week 1 showed no change on the scale but I definitely feel better.

Has anyone found this to be helpful?

Replies

  • niki23poet
    niki23poet Posts: 36 Member
    At age 13, my mother noticed something odd in my throat while I was leaning back at the dinner table one day; turns out I had a goiter on my thyroid gland. It required surgery which has left me with only half of a (somewhat) functioning thyroid. I was not put on any medication until after I turned 18 (in fear that it would inhibit my natural growth process). Since then, I have been on countless doses, never really being at a steady number until I was pregnant. Since my son was born 7 1/2 years ago, I have been on 137mcg of synthroid. I am currently researching dissected thyroid medication (natural thyroid) because I have little to no change in my "symptoms".

    With the research for the right medication, I found that a gluten free diet was something I should try. Neither myself or my husband have any issues with gluten (i.e. Celiac) but wanted to give it a whirl. Now that gluten free diets have become more popular and necessary for many people, it is super easy to find gluten free products; there are also TONS of free ebooks on Amazon to download too.

    It has been a little over a month and we both notice the difference. For myself personally (with the hypothyroidism) I am not as lethargic all the time, I do not have the same bloat that I've always carried in my belly and over all I just feel healthier and better. It has also made a bit of a positive difference in my psoriasis (which developed due to my hypothyroidism the doctor believes).

    I think that if you can deal with cutting out the things that matter most food wise, it will be an easy transition. I was lucky enough to find a fabulous restaurant not to far from home that specializes in really yummy GF foods so again, that has made our transition easier. Like you, we have not cut out every single glutenous food but with the changes we have made (breads, pastas, snacks, etc...), the change has been nothing short of positive and going in the right direction.

    By the way...thanks for your friend request :)
  • niki23poet
    niki23poet Posts: 36 Member
    By the way, you may not see a change in the scale, at least not without an exercise routine, but you will definitely start to feel the difference and fairly quickly in my opinion.
  • ccarew77
    ccarew77 Posts: 54 Member
    This is such great info!! Thank you so much.
    I didn't see any change on the scale after Week 1 (weighed in today) but completely relate to feeling better, less bloating, less lethargic.
    I was already avoiding processed foods but my weakness was pasta, breads, etc.
    Picked up a few GF alternatives for when I have a craving but so far have not made those a habit.
    I had brown rice, quinoa, or grilled sweet potato every other day in small quantity.

    Moving more again is a BIG part of my new plan as well. Last week I banked 5 hours of walking and yoga.
    Not seeing the scale move for soooo long is beyond frustrating and I know you can relate.
    I've committed to sticking with it, not getting too hung up on scale, and just trusting it is the worth it because I feel better.
    Hopefully the scale budges a little soon though. :)
  • ccarew77
    ccarew77 Posts: 54 Member
    Thank YOU for accepting. :) Always nice to connect with others in a similar situation.
  • ezconklin
    ezconklin Posts: 30
    My daughter has Hashimotos (extreme hypothyroidism) and we have discovered through help with her DR that going gluten free helps a lot. We are into month three of the change and I now see changes in her. She's happier, has more energy and her whole mood has changed for the better. I still don't have the homemade bakery things down right, she doesn't like the store bought gf bread. However Bisquick makes a gf version so she gets wonderful pancakes and biscuits and muffins. I haven't branched out further yet.

    One thing to be careful about while going gluten free and trying to shed weight - store bought items tend to be higher in fat and/or calories. Gluten free doesn't mean no carbs. One thing that helps is looking a Paleo recipes. It's easier for me to cook one meal that we call can eat together instead of splicing things together that are / aren't gluten free. This is where Paleo comes in really handy. It's very easy to cut out the gluten and still get a well rounded meal that helps me with my weight too.

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