Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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A recent blood test showed I have a TSH of 6.5! (I've also gained 3 stone in a short space of time and sleep ~12hrs a day) My doctor refuses to treat without another blood test in February (first was in November), with the result being higher or same, and then with T4 only. Nuts to that!

I eat mainly paleo, the non-paleo foods I eat are mainly chocolate, because try as I might I cannot kick my sweet tooth, this may be related to the hypothyroidism. The main foods I eat are lamb, pork, occasional fish and chicken; butter, eggs, coconut oil; veggies like onion, mushroom and broccoli; use 'losalt' and herbs and spices. Also eat small amount of starch from white rice and potatoes (a la perfect health diet, but not as much). Don't eat vegetable oils, grains other than white rice, fruit and rarely eat out or take aways. I practice IF about 18-20 hours a day, but it's not difficult as I'm asleep 12 of those.

I supplement D3 5000IU, chromium 200ug, magnesium 300mg, K2 2mg and iodine 10mg daily.

What foods, herbs, supplements, hacks, etc would help boost my thyroid and/or kick my sweet tooth.

I also suffer from long term depression and feel improving my thyroid will help this. Many drugs have not helped me, neither has 5-HTP, tyrosine, fermented cod liver oil with butter oil and higher doses of magnesium.

flag	asked Dec 21 2010 at 21:44 DePaw 1,976●3●10

	Just a thought. You may want to substitute black beans for white rice and try sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. White rice and regular potatoes turn into sugar very quickly in the body. – Mark V Apr 12 2011 at 23:44
	I don't like sweet potatoes, also Chris Voigt's 60 day (white) potato diet has shown they're not unhealthy. – DePaw Apr 22 2011 at 13:15
	You are doing much of what I did (with more supplements and more carb), and now I am basically cured. I don't take thyroid medication anymore (even the tiniest dose possible gives me heart palpitations). It just takes time. A little iodine supplement can help a lot but MAKE SURE you don't have Hashimoto's first. Good luck to you. – Marnee Nov 7 2011 at 18:55
	Eating more carb is a good thing when hypo, I think. At first I was zero carb but I think that was what made me crash. – Marnee Nov 7 2011 at 18:57

Dexter · Answer 1 · 2010-12-21 23:39:49Z UTC

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My wife had a TSH of over 7 and we tried over the counter desicated porcine thyoid gland and desicated adrenal gland all without reducing TSH. She finally relented and got a perscription for Armour thyroid and the TSH went down to around 3 and her energy level came way up and she does not need a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.

I am not aware of any other products that can stimulate the thyroid gland.

answered Dec 21 2010 at 23:39

Dexter
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	Interesting that dessicated thyroid didn't help but Armour did, perhaps the dessicated is processed badly? I will try to get natural thyroid, but will have to wait until after my second blood test in February. Looking for non-prescription options though. – DePaw Dec 22 2010 at 0:08
	Armour IS desiccated thyroid – Base Dec 22 2010 at 1:18
	Read Dexter's answer, he clearly states that over the counter dessicated thyroid didn't help his wife, but prescription Armour did. – DePaw Dec 22 2010 at 3:00
	I read the answer, and I was simply stating what Armour is to avoid confusion. The fact that the over the counter didn't work is not relevant to my point. They are both the same thing, one didn't work, one did. So the OTC one is obviously not effective. – base Dec 22 2010 at 3:07
	That is exactly what my comment was, and also speculating why their effects were different. – DePaw Dec 22 2010 at 3:26

Base · Answer 2 · 2010-12-22 01:23:58Z UTC

How long have you been paleo? Have you had a thyroid antibody test?

I have hashimotos and since going paleo 18 months ago have now corrected my thyroid levels, and antibodies have reduced fivefold. My Tsh was 32 when first diagnosed. I was on armour until recently but cannot tolerate it any more as there is no dose low enough to not produce side effects.

I would suggest finding a doctor who really knows what they are doing and will run all the appropriate tests, not just TSH. Important to get free T3 and T4 levels.

I attribute my improvement to the removal of gluten.

oak0y · Answer 3 · 2010-12-22 01:36:15Z UTC

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sometimes we have to leave some tears for the being who past by.

herbs will support, on all level you wann them.

answered Dec 22 2010 at 1:36

oak0y

eeeeeepppppiiiiicccc!!!!!!!!!!!!! – dsohei Feb 23 2012 at 20:18

Lacey · Answer 4 · 2010-12-22 01:37:59Z UTC

Look on Chris Kresser's blog, thehealthyskeptic.org for his series on thyroid. He suggests that lack of selenium can play a role. Not suggesting you run out and buy the supplement just yet, but read Chris's blog, also Dr. Davis, heartscanblog.blogspot.com . Both of them mention it. Chris also suspect cortisol dysregulation as the likeliest cause of hypothryroid. How's your stress level?

I haven't seen it suggested here, but a hair tissue mineral analysis has been suggested as a good way to pinpoint imbalances of trace minerals. Google garymoller.com - I've corresponded with him and he's a stand up guy as well as a championship mountain biker in New Zealand in his mid 50s. His HTMA is reasonably priced and includes an interpretation from him.

daidy · Answer 5 · 2010-12-21 23:38:26Z UTC

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You mentioned broccoli. Are you cooking your brassica vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.)? Large amounts of raw can be goitrogenic. Most people don't eat enough of them for it to be a concern. I'm hypothyroid and avoid them raw since I figure every little bit helps.

answered Dec 21 2010 at 23:38

daidy
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I cook my broccoli properly, all my food is cooked. – DePaw Dec 22 2010 at 0:04

Naturally boosting the Thyroid

5 Answers