Diet Is Working, Yee Ha

[T.H.]

Both my family and my husband's have thyroid problems, hypothyroidism on my side, Hashimoto's on his. My daughter was tested last year and both her TSH and her Free T4 were too high.

We were vacillating on whether to take her to the endocrinologist or not, but in the end, I opted to wait and retest her. When I was reacting less and really careful in my foods, my thyroid numbers improved, so I was hoping the same might apply to her as well.

So, we've been SUPER careful. We already had a gluten free household and almost no gluten-free processed food, but we've been even more careful in the last year with her. We switched her to gluten-free certified foods only (her choice, as it made her feel safer). We dropped all grains because she was saying they are making her stomach hurt as well, and she reacted a few times to gluten cc with them. We don't eat out now and take all our food everywhere and she is much more careful about handling her food and touching her mouth while she's out and about.

She went from reacting every few weeks to maybe 2 reactions in the last 6 months. Big improvement.

We retested her again this week and her test results came back:

TSH went from 5.3 to 2.2

Free T4 went from 6.7 to 1.2

So much better! I'm so happy we waited and gave the diet change a shot. She's not completely well yet, but I'm so happy that our extra caution and consistency has resulted in improved health for her.

[Bubba's Mom]

Wow..that's fantastic news! The switch to gluten-free and tightening up the chance of cc has probably saved your daughter from a lifetime of thyroid problems?

Isn't it amazing how many things in our bodies are affected by what we eat?

[beachbirdie]

WOW! That is incredible news! Way to go! As Bubba's Mom said, I hope that your diligence and success nowwill protect her from thyroid issues for the rest of her life!

If I had known when my thyroid problems first started that gluten is a common trigger, I'd have been gluten free decades ago!

[T.H.]

  On 8/22/2012 at 7:22 PM, beachbirdie said:

As Bubba's Mom said, I hope that your diligence and success nowwill protect her from thyroid issues for the rest of her life!

Thanks guys; that's what I'm hoping. It would be so wonderful if this diet enables her to avoid all these problems that have plagued the rest of the family. Her grandmother developed her Hashimoto's early, right around my daughter's age, so I was really worried about it, you know?

We don't know what's going to happen in the future, obviously, but at least I feel like this is giving her the best chance at having a healthy, happy, long life. Considering that we also have Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the family, too, my poor kids need all the help they can get!

[gemini1962]

  On 8/22/2012 at 5:35 PM, T.H. said:

Both my family and my husband's have thyroid problems, hypothyroidism on my side, Hashimoto's on his. My daughter was tested last year and both her TSH and her Free T4 were too high.

We were vacillating on whether to take her to the endocrinologist or not, but in the end, I opted to wait and retest her. When I was reacting less and really careful in my foods, my thyroid numbers improved, so I was hoping the same might apply to her as well.

So, we've been SUPER careful. We already had a gluten free household and almost no gluten-free processed food, but we've been even more careful in the last year with her. We switched her to gluten-free certified foods only (her choice, as it made her feel safer). We dropped all grains because she was saying they are making her stomach hurt as well, and she reacted a few times to gluten cc with them. We don't eat out now and take all our food everywhere and she is much more careful about handling her food and touching her mouth while she's out and about.

She went from reacting every few weeks to maybe 2 reactions in the last 6 months. Big improvement.

We retested her again this week and her test results came back:

TSH went from 5.3 to 2.2

Free T4 went from 6.7 to 1.2

So much better! I'm so happy we waited and gave the diet change a shot. She's not completely well yet, but I'm so happy that our extra caution and consistency has resulted in improved health for her.

Hi I have been receintly diagnosed with Celiac Disease and it was in my small and large intestines, the worse case the doctor has seen. I had half of thyroid removed years ago and the doctors have never been able to get me regulated. I was so glad to see your post on both Celiac & Thyroid issues. I would really like to know more specifics on the diet you are using in hopes to get both under control.

[T.H.]

  On 8/28/2012 at 10:21 PM, gemini1962 said:

... I had half of thyroid removed years ago and the doctors have never been able to get me regulated... I would really like to know more specifics on the diet you are using in hopes to get both under control.

Sure, no problem. :-)

The basics that me and my daughter both do are pretty much the same:

1. We don't really eat processed gluten-free food

2. We don't really eat grains - I just could not get better when I had any grains at all. My daughter every once in a while has Tinkyada pasta, but that seems about her limit, at the moment.

3. We both carefully source our nuts and legumes so that they are not from facilities that also process wheat. We can't much of these, but a little is okay for us.

4. We both started keeping a food journal, got tested for food and environmental allergies, went on an elimination diet based on the food journal and allergy tests, and found other foods that affect us. Now we both don't eat our 'bad' foods that make us react, either.

5. We both don't eat dairy - this is because we both react to it, but it seems to be one of the most common foods that Celiacs have trouble with in the beginning due to intestinal damage. Some of us are able to eat dairy again after we've healed up a few months later.

6. We started eating organic meats, fruits and veggies rather than conventional.

7. I started growing an herb garden and using fresh herbs rather than purchased spices. I've been very happy with this, not just for food reasons but because the fresh herbs tend to add some vitamins and antibacterial components to the diet, as well.

8. We made the house gluten free, including our pet's food and our toiletries. Some prefer to do this, some don't. But looking at everything that will touch your lips is a good idea, IMO. For example hand lotion, if you chew your nails.

I will use olive oil and sea salt, and my daughter every once in a while will eat a processed gluten-free food that is gluten free certified (it's the black circle against a white background with a black gluten-free in the middle) by the GFCO.

So yeah, those are the basics. :-D