By: Megan Tomlin @gooodmoodfoood
Did you know that up to 60% of cases of Hashimoto’s disease go undiagnosed? Or that women are 5 to 8 times more likely to have a thyroid condition? Knowing these facts, it is shocking that so many of us are still unclear about these common issues. As a soon-to-be dietitian who was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease and Hypothyroidism, I dove into the research to help educate individuals on what these conditions are and how functional medicine and allopathic medicine approaches can help.
First, what is Hashimoto’s Disease and how is it different from Hypothyroidism? Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune condition that can lead to hypothyroidism which is when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of its regular hormones. In many cases, Hashimoto’s goes undetected because it does not lead to hypothyroidism which is more easily detected through conventional thyroid blood tests. Your thyroid gland sits in the neck and is responsible for many bodily functions such as metabolism, digestion, heart, and muscle function to name a few. When an individual has hypothyroidism, their T3 and T4 levels will typically come back low on a blood test, while their TSH levels will typically come back high. In many cases, an individual’s T3, T4, and TSH may look normal or borderline, however, they are still experiencing the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease. In this case, your provider may test to see if you have thyroid peroxidase or TPO antibodies in the blood that indicate this disease.
The most common symptoms of these two intertwined conditions are weight gain, fatigue, low heart rate, irregular menstrual cycles, dry skin, cold sensitivity, anxiety, depression, swelling, and constipation. It is important to note that many of these symptoms can also be indicative of other issues within the body and that your doctor will best help you diagnose any symptoms.
When I got the unfortunate news that I had Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism I felt somewhat of a sense of relief because I finally had an answer for why I had been feeling so “off” for a long time. The most common treatment for hypothyroidism is to go on a medication called levothyroxine. This medication is a synthetic hormone that functions like the T4 hormone that the thyroid gland is not producing. As a nutrition expert, I dove into the research surrounding diet and supplementation for these conditions. In the spirit of transparency, the research is limited on how well diet and supplementation treat the disease. However, there have been many promising studies that show a gluten-free, anti-inflammatory diet may prove beneficial. Individuals with hypothyroidism may benefit from the supplementation of selenium, which can be found in Brazil nuts, zinc, Vitamin D, magnesium, and iron, to name a few. I highly recommend speaking with your primary care doctor or dietitian to see what dosages would be best for you.
Since Hashimoto’s disease causes the immune system to attack the thyroid cells, this typically leads to an inflammatory response within the body. Consuming an anti-inflammatory diet may help manage some of the symptoms associated with this inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet consists mostly of a variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, spices, fresh herbs, whole grains, and more! Some common examples of anti-inflammatory diets are the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet commonly used for heart disease.
The final point I want to make about this specific disease and related conditions is the importance of advocating for your health. With the understanding that often more than half of these cases go undiagnosed, it is essential to communicate any symptoms, concerns, or desires to your healthcare team. Many of these tests may be covered by insurance or be a low out-of-pocket rate that could give you the answers you have been looking for. At the end of the day, we are the inhabitants of our bodies for as long as we live and it is our job to nourish and support them.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hashimotos-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20351855
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/anti-inflammatory-diet/
