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Feeling cold, mood swings, sleepiness, fatigue and difficulty concentrating, swelling, dry and brittle hair: these are some of the symptoms perceived by those suffering from hypothyroidism, one of the most widespread endocrine diseases. It mainly affects women with a higher frequency in menopause and in post menopause, but it can manifest itself in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Once diagnosed “the unsuspected disease“, Defined in this way due to the non-specificity of the symptoms also attributable to many other pathologies, the doctor establishes an integrative therapy based on thyroid hormones: the patient, that is, takes that quantity of hormone that his organism is not able to produce autonomously. But also the diet, as we’ll see below, can go a long way.
What is hypothyroidism
We talk about hypothyroidism when the thyroid works little, i.e. it produces an insufficient amount of hormones. It is the most common thyroid disease: it is estimated to affect the 7-8% of women in pre-menopause and reaches 10-15% after menopause. A “slow motion” life, the one lived by people affected by the disease: hypothyroidism, in fact, is associated in a characteristic way with a generalized slowdown of bodily functions, from physical activity to mental function, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and neuromuscular.
Symptoms tend to appear gradually, over a long period of time.
Hypothyroidism and body weight
That hypothyroidism may be a cause of obesity many false myths have been consumed. “An erroneous concept, but unfortunately very widespread – explains the dr. Corrado Pierantoni, specialist in endocrinology and metabolic diseases and clinical nutritionist in Lanciano (Ch) -. In fact, thyroid hormone deficiency can result in a weight gain, however, minor, and in any case only when hypothyroidism is particularly advanced. The slight weight gain caused by frank hypothyroidism is largely characterized by fluid retention and to a lesser extent from increased body fat. However, thyroid hormones are involved in all metabolic processes in the body. Therefore, in more or less severe hypothyroidism there is a proportional slowing of the metabolism, with reduced energy consumption and therefore a decrease in heat production “.
The diet for hypothyroidism
Worldwide, including our country, the food shortages of iodine they are one of the most common root causes of hypothyroidism. Many think that a walk by the sea is enough to fill up on this important mineral, but unfortunately this is not the case. Iodine is only taken in through food, especially the marine fish, and the deficiency is substantially due to a wrong diet.
“The iodized salt, that is table salt with the addition of iodide – suggests Dr. Pierantoni – is the main resource for preventing iodine deficiency. Food should be salted raw and never in cooking, because iodine has a high volatility and evaporates with high temperatures. Iodized salt has the same taste and characteristics as common salt, and according to the World Health Organization it should be used at all ages and in all physiological conditions in place of normal salt, bearing in mind that it is still salt and it would be advisable not to abuse it (especially for hypertensive) “.
Recommended foods
It is therefore important to use iodized salt instead of common table salt, to increase iodine intake. A mineral that is also found in other foods in varying doses. “Among the foods richest in iodine – explains Dr. Pierantoni – there are crustaceans and sea fish, mussels and food coming from the sea in general. Even the eggs, yoghurt, some cheeses and meat contain certain quantities of it, which essentially depend on what the animals ate: for this reason the content can be very variable ”.
“THE vegetables, on the other hand, they are poor in the mineral, the quantity of which depends on the quantities contained in the soil. But grains like wheat, barley and nuts – as well as potatoes, lentils, black beans, beets, parsley and kefir are high in selenium, another mineral with strong antioxidant properties, important in the treatment of hypothyroidism as it is capable of converting the hormone T4 into T3 ”, says the doctor. There are also studies that warn of the danger of any joint deficiencies of iodine and selenium, not only in the development and maintenance of hypothyroidism, but also in autoimmune diseases borne by the thyroid gland, such as autoimmune thyroiditis.
The food week
Use a maximum of 5 grams of iodized salt per day instead of common salt (maximum allowed for an adult) it provides 160μg of iodine.
1 jar of yogurt of whole milk provides about 78µg of iodine.
1 serving of sea fish (mackerel, mullet, cod, cod) provides about 150µg of iodine, 3 servings per week recommended.
Crustaceans (shrimp, prawns, lobsters, lobster, crabs, etc.) 1 portion included in the diet once a week, can replace a second course of meat because it is an excellent source of protein and provides about 120µg of iodine.
First courses or salads can be dressed with clams, mussels, mullet roe or tuna: even just 20 grams of these foods provide about 30µg of iodine.
The mussels (clams and mussels) should be consumed occasionally because they contain a lot of cholesterol: 100 grams of edible part provide 140μg of iodine.
1 egg chicken contains about 35µg of iodine, consume 2-3 eggs a week as required by a balanced diet, no more because they are rich in cholesterol.
Cheeses. A balanced diet includes this food 2-3 times a week as a main course, 100 grams of cheese such as taleggio, dairy, fontina, on average contain 45 µg of iodine, while the aged ones (provolone, pecorino romano or grana padano) about 38µg.
You can consume 2-3 servings of meat per week (preferably that of beef part muscle with no visible fat or liver).
Yes then to the dried fruit shell, without ever forgetting to consume 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables. To increase iodine it is preferable to also consume cashews, walnuts, pistachios without exaggerating because they bring many calories even if they come from unsaturated fats that are beneficial for health.
“The advice, however, is to turn to a nutritionist which, together with the endocrinologist, can develop a personalized meal plan based on the specific needs of the patient. When it comes to thyroid – concludes the expert – we must be careful of many factors. A ad personam diet becomes indispensable “.
JUST WAKE UP: Drink of water and lemon
BREAKFAST: 1 whole yogurt (HD, if you suffer from abdominal bloating); 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cereals; 1 teaspoon of mixed oil seeds
MORNING SNACK: 1 seasonal fruit; 1 cup of green tea; 3 walnuts
LUNCH: Pasta with clams; mixed salad
AFTERNOON SNACK: 1 seasonal fruit; 1 cup of green tea; 40 g of 80% dark chocolate
DINNER: Venetian liver; mashed potatoes
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