The body uses up more energy to digest whole grains. The metabolism increases with the extra fibre as the body has to work harder to break down the whole grains. Try to eat oats, brown rice, sprouts, sprouted grain bread and quinoa to rev up your metabolism and help your thyroid gland.
What is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism is a condition where there isn't enough thyroid hormone in your bloodstream and your metabolism slows down. Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid doesn't create and release enough thyroid hormone into your body. This makes your metabolism slow down, affecting you entire body.
Hypothyroidism: Why Weight Loss is Tough
"When your thyroid is not functioning well, your metabolism goes down and you start to gain weight," says Anne Wolf, RD, MS, a registered dietitian and researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville.
For thyroid patients, scoring plenty of fibre is one of the best ways to lose weight. Fibre helps regulate digestion, speed up the elimination of bad toxins and most importantly, will also help keep the calorie intake in check. Ensure that you get plenty of fruits, veggies, pulses in your daily diet.
Exercise. Exercising daily especially in mornings can help boost thyroid hormone levels as it helps to stimulate your thyroid gland for thyroid hormone production as well as boosting metabolism.
Even mild cases of hypothyroidism may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. People with the condition often report having a puffy face as well as excess weight around the stomach or other areas of the body.
Fatty foods – Fats are known to upset your body's ability to absorb thyroid replacement hormones. Fats can also prevent the thyroid's natural ability to produce hormones. Physicians recommend that you cut out all fried foods and limit your intake of fats from butter, mayonnaise and fatty meats.
The four most successful supplement ingredients for metabolism are caffeine, capsaicin, fiber, and choline. Specific to caffeine, Green Tea and Green Coffee Extracts are especially helpful; for fiber, Glucomannan has shown promising results.
Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts are excellent sources of selenium, which helps support healthy thyroid function. Pack a small bag of assorted nuts to snack on throughout the day. Fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, which both help decrease inflammation.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Plant-based foods are an important part of any diet, but eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can be especially helpful for someone with hypothyroidism. Vegetables are low in calories, so eating more of them can help you feel full without contributing to weight gain.
Around 100 to 150 grams of bananas daily are perfect for proper thyroid function. Additionally, bananas also help with constipation which is a significant sign of hypothyroidism. The best time to have a banana is in the morning after breakfast.
Studies have shown that excess thyroid hormone treatment can help produce more weight loss than can be achieved by dieting alone, but includes the risk of major negative consequences from the use of thyroid hormone to help with weight loss, such as the loss of muscle protein, loss of bone, and/or heart problems.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is usually treated by taking daily hormone replacement tablets called levothyroxine. Levothyroxine replaces the thyroxine hormone, which your thyroid does not make enough of. You'll initially have regular blood tests until the correct dose of levothyroxine is reached.
Herbal tea. Certain herbs like ashwagandha and shatavari are known for better thyroid functioning and can be infused in the form of herbal tea. Similarly, green tea would be a good choice for the antioxidant properties.
However, many hypothyroid patients are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is called the "sunshine vitamin" for a good reason. You may be able to get the recommended amount of this vitamin by spending 20 minutes in the sunlight twice per week! Food sources include yogurt, salmon, fish oils, and mackerel.
Levothyroxine should not be used to treat obesity or for weight loss. This can cause dangerous side effects, especially if you combine levothyroxine with another drug that causes weight loss, such as dextroamphetamine or methamphetamine.
These hormones control how your organs use energy. When your thyroid isn't making enough T4 and T3, your body's functions slow down, decreasing your metabolism. When your metabolism slows, you aren't burning as many calories for energy. This can lead to weight gain.
When you start taking thyroid medication like levothyroxine, don't expect instant weight loss. The first barrier is getting the right dose of thyroid medication. Once you have reached your ideal dose, you may notice some weight loss after around three to six months of continuous use.
The benefits of intermittent fasting for hypothyroidism include improved insulin resistance, reduced inflammation, and weight loss. However, when not done correctly, skipping meals or fasting for multiple days may lead to nutrient deficiencies that may worsen hypothyroidism.