Thyroid dietary taboos

There are no universal dietary taboos that apply to all patients with thyroid problems. All dietary adjustments must be personalized based on the type of disease, thyroid function stability, and iodine metabolism level. The rumors spread on the Internet that "iodine should be avoided at all" and "cruciferous vegetables cannot be eaten at all" are all generalizations.

First, let’s talk about the most controversial issue of iodine intake. At present, there is indeed no unified standard answer in the academic community. Different conditions and different doctors’ recommendations may be completely different. For example, for patients in the acute stage of hyperthyroidism, most clinicians will recommend temporarily using iodized salt and avoiding high-iodine foods such as kelp and seaweed to reduce the raw materials for thyroid hormone synthesis and help stabilize thyroid function as soon as possible. However, after the thyroid function indicator has stabilized for more than half a year, many doctors will also recommend slowly resuming iodized salt intake to avoid other problems caused by long-term iodine deficiency. Two friends around me who were diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis gave completely opposite advice: one's urinary iodine level was far beyond the normal range, and the doctor at Peking Union Medical College told her to eat less high-iodine foods such as pickled seafood and wakame. It would be okay to eat iodized salt normally. ； Another woman's urinary iodine was low, and the local endocrinologist specifically asked her to drink seaweed and egg drop soup once a week to replenish iodine. There is no such thing as "Hashimoto's must always have low iodine".

In addition to iodine, the most bizarre rumor is that "cruciferous vegetables can damage the thyroid gland and must not be eaten." I have actually seen many patients blacken cabbage, radish, and broccoli, and not even eat any green leafy vegetables on the table. In fact, the source of this statement is that the thiocyanate in raw cruciferous vegetables will competitively inhibit the absorption of iodine, but to put it bluntly, this is a matter of dosage. Talking about toxicity regardless of dosage is a joke - you have to eat more than 1 kilogram of raw cruciferous vegetables every day to affect iodine absorption. If you usually fry half a plate of broccoli and stew radish soup at a meal, the content is not enough. Some Hashimoto patients are even prone to constipation. Eating more cooked cruciferous vegetables to supplement dietary fiber is actually good for the body. Of course, if you are iodine deficient and still eat a large bowl of raw vegetable salad every day, you really need to pay a little attention. When cooked, most of the thiocyanates will be destroyed, so there is no need to eat it.

There are also some scattered opinions, such as whether you can eat spicy food? Can I have milk tea? Can I eat seafood? In fact, it all depends on individual circumstances. For example, patients with hyperthyroidism have fast metabolism, palpitation and insomnia, so they should not drink strong tea, iced Americano, or energy drinks every day. Otherwise, the heartbeat can soar to 120, and the eyes can be kept open until three o'clock at night, which will affect the recovery of thyroid function. ； If you are a patient with hypothyroidism, your metabolism is slow and your blood lipids are easy to rise. Don't eat fatty meats, animal offal, and fried foods rich in trans fatty acids. Otherwise, your blood lipids will not be lowered and you will easily gain weight. As for spicy food, there are currently no studies that have proven that it will directly affect thyroid function. If you feel no discomfort after eating spicy food, eat it as you should. If your neck feels swollen and uncomfortable after eating it, then eat less. It all depends on your personal tolerance.

I have been in a thyroid patient group for almost two years, and I have seen too many people go to extremes and dare not eat anything. They lost ten pounds in three months, and when I checked for thyroid peroxidase antibodies, the results were even higher.； Either he had no food taboos at all, and just ate kelp hot pot every day as soon as his hyperthyroidism stabilized. As a result, he relapsed within two months. In fact, the most reliable way is to take a urine iodine test when you go for a review next time to see what your iodine nutritional status is, and then ask your attending doctor for advice. After all, he is the person who knows your condition best, and it is more useful than searching for ten "must-see thyroid contraindications" on the Internet.

To be honest, most thyroid problems are related to emotions and work and rest. Don’t worry about what is in your rice bowl every day. Don’t dare to touch this or taste that. Instead, you will make yourself stressed out, which will not do any good for your recovery. As long as you eat the right amount and suit your situation, there aren't that many "taboos" to speak of.