It's
critical to consult with a doctor to determine whether you have a thyroid
condition, what's causing your symptoms, and how to manage them. Because gut
health and thyroid health are linked, certain inflammatory foods may aggravate
symptoms, especially in people with Hashimoto's, an inflammatory autoimmune
condition.
I offer a 3day
meal plan to help people figure out which foods are best for their bodies. Here's
an example of a meal plan that could help with thyroid health:
Day 1
Smoothie made with coconut milk, berries, and maca powder for breakfast.
Both berries
and dark leafy greens contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that aid in the
fight against inflammation. Adding collagen protein to smoothies provides
additional gut support, which is another important aspect of thyroid support.
Maca root is an adaptogenic herb that has been shown to help balance hormones,
and it can be easily added to smoothies or snacks in the form of maca powder.
Smoothie with Coconut and Berries
- 1 cup complete fat unsweetened
coconut milk
- 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
- 1 handful dark leafy greens of high-quality
- 1 teaspoon of maca powder
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey or unadulterated
maple syrup
Method
- In a high-speed blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Afternoon: Blood sugar-stabilizing
snack.
If you get
hungry in between meals, I recommend a snack of organic hard-boiled eggs, a
couple of Brazil nuts (high in the thyroid-supporting nutrient selenium), and a
half-cup of berries for a blood-sugar balancing and satiating snack.
Lunch: An anti-inflammatory salad.
This salad
is loaded with superfoods and healthy fats to keep you going all afternoon.
Wild-caught salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which means
it may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Avocados add
another healthy fat source, as well as magnesium and fiber. Making your own
salad dressing with freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil is a simple (and
delicious) way to avoid any inflammatory additives that may be present in
store-bought dressing.
Ingredients:
- 1 or 2 cups of arugula
- Wild-caught salmon filet
- A 1/2 cup of berries
- A half of an avocado
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Lemon
Method:
Mix all of
the ingredients together on a plate or in a bowl.
For the
dressing, combine the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Adapt genic tea for mid-afternoon.
Adaptogenic
herbs can increase energy and calmness, and studies have shown that they may also
help balance hormones, so I frequently recommend sipping a cup of adaptogenic
tea or supplementing with specific adaptogenic herbs.
The Adaptogenic Tea
Ingredients
- 1 plant holy basil or tulsi tea bag
- 1 cup clarified boiled water
- ¼ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 pinch pounded cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon unadulterated vanilla extract
Method
- Fill a mug halfway with boiled water and the holy basil tea bag. Allow steeping for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Combine the vanilla extract and coconut milk in a mixing bowl.
- Enjoy with a pinch of ground cinnamon as a garnish.
Before dinner, try to relax.
The HPA-axis
imbalance is one of the causes of thyroid disease. The
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is in charge of helping the body adapt to
stress. When we are under chronic stress, this axis becomes desensitized to the
body's signals to calm down, causing it to stop releasing cortisol when we are
confronted with a stressor. This can put a lot of strain on the pituitary and
adrenal glands, which can lead to thyroid issues.
Reducing
stress can help our bodies regulate in stressful situations, allowing them to
distinguish between a perceived threat and an actual threat—this shifts the body
out of fight-or-flight mode.
To
accomplish this, I recommend allotting time each day for stress reduction.
Brisk walking, reading, or even light exercise are all options. It is best to
stick to calming activities in the evening, such as meditation or an evening
yoga routine.
Dinner: Chicken with coconut and
lemon sauce.
This is a
nutritious, well-balanced, and quick weeknight meal. If you have a crockpot,
you can combine all of the ingredients in it. Each recipe serves four people.
Coconut & Lemon Chicken Crockpot
with Garlic & Basil Rice
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- Juice from a 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon of curry powder
- ½ teaspoon milled turmeric
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 slight yellow onion, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, milled
- 1 pinch pounded black pepper
Method
- Begin by whisking the coconut milk (including the cream) and seasoning together.
- Next, place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker and top with the coconut milk mixture, lemon juice, garlic, and onion.
- Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low, or until the chicken is tender and easily shredded.
- Before serving, shred the chicken and serve with cauliflower rice.
"Rice" with Garlic and
Basil
Ingredients
- 2 filled heads cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
Method
- To begin, place the cauliflower florets in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles rice.
- Preheat a large saucepan with olive oil, then add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for another 2 minutes.
After dinner, herbal
tea and a good night's sleep.
Cortisol is generally higher in the morning to help us wake
up and decreases in the evening as we prepare to go to bed. Cortisol levels may
be higher in the evening in people who have a cortisol imbalance, which is
common in people who have thyroid problems. To help prevent this, try to get to
bed by 10 p.m. and unwind with a cup of herbal tea.
Day 2
Maintain everything from the first day, with a few variations.
Breakfast: eggs with
collard greens and onions.
Instead of a morning smoothie, make over-easy eggs with
sautéed collard greens and chopped onions (cooked in coconut oil.) This recipe
is high in protein and healthy fat, with a side of nutrient-dense leafy greens.
After that, add the "rice" and cook until it is
tender, then add the basil.
Cover with the chicken, coconut, and lemon. Enjoy!
Another
anti-inflammatory salad for lunch.
To add variety to the diet, substitute shredded organic
chicken for the salmon in the anti-inflammatory salad from day one. For extra
fiber, flavor, and texture, mixes in hemp seeds and chopped fresh herbs
(cilantro, parsley, or dill). Hemp seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which make
them anti-inflammatory.
Dinner will be
leftovers.
Save yourself the trouble of cooking and eat the leftover
chicken and rice from last night's dinner.
Day 3
Continue practicing stress reduction, eating a balanced and
satiating snack, and drinking the adaptogenic tea. Pick your favorites from the
previous two days for breakfast and lunch.
Grass-fed burger for
dinner.
For dinner, try a grass-fed burger with a lettuce wrap and
avocado and onions on top. Consume half a sweet potato and sauerkraut as sides.
Getting enough protein supports blood sugar levels, and a
grass-fed burger is a great, quick weeknight meal. The sweet potato provides
complex carbohydrates for a well-balanced meal, and the sauerkraut on the side
aids in digestive health.
In conclusion
The Comprehensive Thyroid Reset Cookbook: Quick & Easy Recipes with 7 Days Meal Plans to Help Ease Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Disease
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