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A 3-Day Diet To Help Support Your Thyroid & Hormone Balance
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, is responsible for producing hormones in the body. Those hormones affect various processes, including metabolic functioning, heart rate, body temperature, and the menstrual cycle, to name a few. The symptoms of a thyroid condition can vary from person to person, and understanding the root cause of your condition can help manage it.
It's important to work with a physician to find out whether you have a thyroid condition, what might be triggering your symptoms, and how to manage them. Since gut health and thyroid health1 are connected, certain inflammatory foods may make symptoms worse—particularly for those with Hashimoto's, an inflammatory autoimmune condition.
In my book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan: Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That Are Keeping You Sick, I provide a 30 day meal plan which can help people determine which foods work best for your body. Here is a sample of a three day meal plan that may support thyroid health:
Day 1
Breakfast: Coconut milk, berry, and maca powder smoothie.
Both berries and dark leafy greens contain antioxidants and phytonutrients to help fight inflammation. Adding collagen protein to smoothies provides extra gut support, another integral part of supporting the thyroid. Maca root is an adaptogenic herb that has been shown to help balance hormones2, and it can easily be added to smoothies or snacks in the form of maca powder.
Coconut & Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 handful dark leafy greens of choice
- 1 teaspoon maca powder
- 1 tablespoon raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 scoop collagen protein powder
Method
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Afternoon: Blood sugar-balancing snack.
If you find you are hungry in between meals, I recommend snacking on organic hard-boiled eggs, a couple of Brazil nuts (which are high in the thyroid-supporting nutrient, selenium), and a half a cup of berries for a blood-sugar balancing and satiating snack.
Lunch: An anti-inflammatory salad.
This salad is packed with superfoods and healthy fats to keep you energized all afternoon. Wild-caught salmon is a good source of omega-3s fatty acids and antioxidants, which means it can have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Adding avocados provides another source of healthy fat, as well as magnesium and fiber. Making homemade salad dressing with freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil is a simple (and delicious) way to avoid any inflammatory additives that may be in a store-bought option.
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 cups of arugula
- Wild-caught salmon filet
- 1/2 cup of berries
- half of an avocado
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon
Method:
- Combine all of the ingredients on a plate or in a bowl, mix them together.
- Add the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice for the dressing.
Mid-afternoon: Adaptogenic tea.
Adaptogenic herbs can boost energy, enhance feelings of calm, and studies have shown that they may also help balance hormones3, so I often recommend sipping on a cup of adaptogenic tea or supplementing with specific adaptogenic herbs.
Adaptogenic Tea
Ingredients
- 1 organic holy basil or tulsi tea bag
- 1 cup filtered boiled water
- ¼ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Method
- Add the boiled water to a mug with the holy basil tea bag. Steep for about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and coconut milk.
- Garnish with a pinch of ground cinnamon, and enjoy.
Before dinner: Practice stress reduction.
One of the triggers of thyroid disease is HPA-axis imbalance4. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is responsible for helping the body adapt to stress. When we are under chronic stress, this axis will become desensitized to the body's signals to calm down, causing it to stop releasing cortisol when encountering a stressor. This can put a huge amount of stress on the pituitary and the adrenal glands, which may lead to thyroid issues.
Reducing stress can help our bodies regulate in times of stress, so that it will begin to understand the difference between a perceived threat and an actual threat—this takes the body out of fight-or-flight mode.
To do this, I recommend setting aside time each day for stress reduction. Try brisk walking, reading, or even light exercise. In the evening, it is best to stick with calming activities, like meditation or an evening yoga routine.
Dinner: Coconut and lemon chicken.
This is a well-balance, nutrient-rich, and easy weeknight meal. All of the ingredients can be added to the crockpot, if you have one. Each recipe makes four servings.
Crockpot Coconut & Lemon Chicken With Garlic & Basil Rice
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Method
- Start by whisking together the coconut milk (include the cream) and seasoning.
- Next, add the chicken breasts to the base of a crockpot and top with the coconut milk mixture, lemon juice, garlic, and onion.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the chicken is tender and can easily be shredded.
- Shred the chicken before serving, and enjoy with a side of cauliflower rice.
Garlic and Basil "Rice"
Ingredients
- 2 full heads cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3 shallots, minced
- ¾ cup chopped basil
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Start by adding the cauliflower florets to a food processor. Pulse until it looks like rice.
- Preheat a large saucepan with olive oil, and add the shallots; cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Next, add the "rice" and continue cooking until it is tender, and add the basil.
- Cover with the coconut and lemon chicken. Enjoy!
After dinner: Herbal tea and quality sleep.
Cortisol is generally higher in the morning to help us get up and tapers off in the evening as we get ready to go to bed. In those with cortisol imbalance—which happens a lot with thyroid issues5—cortisol may be higher in the evening. To help prevent this, try to get to bed by 10 p.m. and wind down with a cup of herbal tea.
Day 2
Keep up everything from the first day, with a few variations.
Breakfast: Eggs with collard greens and onions.
Instead of the morning smoothie, make eggs over-easy eggs with sautéed collard greens and chopped onions (cooked in coconut oil.) This recipe is rich in protein, healthy fat, and a side of nutrient-dense leafy greens.
Lunch: Another anti-inflammatory salad.
Enjoy the same anti-inflammatory salad as day one, but swap out the salmon for shredded organic chicken for variety in the diet. Add in hemp seeds and chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, or dil) for extra fiber, flavor, and texture. Hemp seeds are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making them anti-inflammatory.
Dinner: Leftovers.
Save yourself the cooking and finish up your the chicken and rice from last night's dinner.
Day 3
Continue practicing stress reduction, eating a balanced and satiating snack, as well as the adaptogenic tea. For breakfast and lunch, choose your favorites from the previous two days.
Dinner: Grass-fed burger.
For dinner, enjoy a grass-fed burger with a lettuce wrap, topped with avocado and onions. For your sides, eat half of a sweet potato and sauerkraut.
Getting plenty of protein helps support blood sugar levels, and a grass-fed burger is an excellent, easy weeknight meal. The sweet potato adds complex carbohydrates for a well-balanced meal, and the side of sauerkraut helps support digestive health.
Bottom Line
While these meals are by no means a treatment for thyroid issues, they may help manage inflammation, support gut health, and balance out hormones. At the very least, they're nutrient-dense and balanced meals, which can support a healthy overall diet. Anyone living with a thyroid disease, or experiencing symptoms, should consult with a doctor.
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