7 Day Diet Plan for Hashimoto’s Disease

If you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease or think you may have it, you probably have a lot of questions. Receiving a new diagnosis or wondering if you have Hashimoto’s disease can be overwhelming. And when you’re dealing with fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, and other uncomfortable symptoms, tracking down reliable information you can trust can feel impossible.

As a group of Registered Dietitians, we work with many people with Hashimoto’s and other thyroid conditions. Our experience and in-depth nutrition knowledge will help you sort through the noise and provide a trusted source for information that you can actually use.

In this article, we’ll briefly talk all about Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – what it is and how small changes to your daily eating can help you feel better while supporting thyroid health.

 

Introduction to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, often shortened to Hashimoto’s, is the most common autoimmune thyroid disease in the US. It occurs mainly in women. Over 10 million Americans have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

In Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system mistakenly views the thyroid—a vital butterfly-shaped organ in your neck—as a foreign invader, similar to a virus. This triggers the immune system to attack the thyroid. When the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, it reduces thyroid hormone synthesis.

The hormones from this small gland regulate almost every organ in your body. Its functions include controlling your heart rate, metabolism, and body temperature.

Common symptoms of Hashimoto’s include:

• Fatigue
• Dry, brittle hair and nails
• Hair loss
• Puffy face
• Weight gain
• Increased sensitivity to cold

While medication is the primary treatment for Hashimoto’s disease, diet also plays a role in feeling better and supporting thyroid function. A personalized meal plan will help you in two ways. First, it will help reduce inflammation-causing foods you may be eating. Second, it will ensure you get sufficient macronutrients and micronutrients to support thyroid health.

 

The Importance of Diet for Hashimoto’s Disease

A well-balanced diet can play a crucial role in managing the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease and supporting overall thyroid health.

Along with understanding the importance of ensuring sufficient calorie intake, there are several key nutrients that should be included in your diet to support thyroid function. These include:

• Zinc
• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Selenium
• Antioxidants
• Omega-3 fatty acids

 

While it is important to know what nutrients are essential for the thyroid gland, we don’t consume individual nutrients; we consume foods. Next, let’s look at the foods that contain the nutrients your thyroid needs to be healthy.

 

Foods to Eat for Hashimoto’s Disease

Including foods that contain the key nutrients listed above in your daily eating will help support thyroid function.

Foods that are high in zinc include seafood, red meat, chicken, eggs, legumes, and nuts and seeds.

Iodine is another critical nutrient. The main way people get iodine today is through iodized salt. However, those who use non-iodized salt need to ensure they get enough iodine from other sources. Uniodized salts include forms like Himalayan and sea salt. Seafood, including seaweed, dairy products, and eggs, are good sources of iodine and should be included in a thyroid-supporting diet.

Sunlight helps convert inactive vitamin D to the active, usable form in the body; however, recent research shows that sunlight isn’t always a reliable source. This means including foods rich in Vitamin D in your regular diet is crucial. These foods include fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, and sardines, as well as egg yolks. Many foods are fortified with Vitamin D, including cow and plant-based milks, fortified breakfast cereals, and some fortified orange juices.

Selenium is a nutrient many people haven’t heard of, but it is critical for the thyroid gland. A few foods that are rich in selenium include Brazil nuts, eggs, tuna, turkey, chicken, and oatmeal.

Antioxidants help reduce inflammation and protect the thyroid gland from oxidative stress. Free radicals are byproducts of many bodily functions. When there are excess free radicals, they can cause inflammation, leading to various uncomfortable symptoms and complications. However, antioxidants can eliminate free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Incorporating foods rich in antioxidants into your diet enhances your body’s ability to combat excessive free radicals. Foods high in antioxidants include blueberries, blackberries, cherries, plums, beans, and artichokes.

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Omega 3’s are essential to get from our diet, because they cannot be produced by the body itself. If including the recommendation of 2 servings of fatty fish per week isn’t feasible, a daily fish oil supplement is an easy way to add Omega-3s to your diet.

Just as there are foods to include in your diet, there are also foods that should be limited or avoided.

 

Foods to Avoid for Hashimoto’s Disease

Certain foods, like cruciferous vegetables, can interfere with thyroid hormone production. Eating large amounts, particularly of raw cruciferous vegetables, should be avoided. Cruciferous vegetables include chard, collard greens, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and radishes.

Soy can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication. If you take your thyroid medication in the morning, avoid soy, including soy milk, for a few hours before and after taking it.

While iodine is critical for the thyroid, using an iodine supplement is not recommended because you may get too much iodine when taken as a supplement, which could cause your body to overproduce thyroid hormones.

Processed foods, sugary drinks, and foods high in added sugars can all increase inflammation. They contribute to blood sugar imbalances and may worsen the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease.

Gluten-free diets have been recommended for those with Hashimoto’s disease in the past. However, recent research has shown that going gluten-free may not be necessary. You can always try a gluten-free diet to see if you feel better, but this is more specific to the individual and whether they have a gluten sensitivity. If you don’t feel better after going gluten-free, you can reintroduce gluten into your diet.

Now that you know which foods to include and avoid in your diet, you’re probably wondering how to create an eating plan that covers all your nutritional needs.

 

Creating a Personalized Eating Plan

Working with a registered dietitian is a simple and effective way to develop a personalized meal plan that accounts for your individual health needs, lifestyle factors, and food preferences.

It can also be beneficial to keep a food and symptom diary. In your diary, you can track the foods you eat and any symptoms you experience, such as fatigue, feeling cold, losing hair, and mood changes.

Some research suggests that the Mediterranean diet may be beneficial for people with Hashimoto’s. The Mediterranean diet emphasises vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. It includes a moderate amount of fish and animal-based protein while limiting processed foods and foods with added sugar. Remember to be careful of cruciferous vegetables in whatever eating plan you choose to follow.

Generally, an anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial for autoimmunity, but this may look different for each individual. A registered dietitian can help you decide if a Mediterranean diet-based eating pattern is right for you. They can also recommend supplements, like Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, if needed.

 

 

 

7-day Diet Plan

Below is an example of a simple, nourishing 7-day meal plan. This plan avoids common inflammation triggers of Hashimoto’s Disease, while still being delicious, colorful, and supportive of thyroid health.

Day 1

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms, and onions, plus a slice of gluten-free toast and fresh berries.

Lunch: Lemon herb chicken breast with roasted sweet potatoes and green beans sautéed in olive oil.

Snack: Two to three Brazil nuts for a natural selenium boost.

Dinner: Baked salmon with garlic, roasted carrots, and quinoa.

 

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with peanut or almond butter, blueberries, chia seeds, and cinnamon, served with almond milk.

Lunch: Turkey lettuce wraps with avocado, cucumber, and tahini dressing, with a side of grapes.

Snack: Unsweetened Greek yogurt mixed with flaxseed.

Dinner: Turkey or grass-fed beef chili with beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, served with a side salad dressed in olive oil.

 

Day 3

Breakfast: Smoothie made with strawberries, spinach, banana, hemp seeds, and soy-free protein powder.

Lunch: Quinoa bowl with roasted zucchini, carrots, chickpeas, and an olive oil and lemon dressing.

Snack: Apple slices with almond butter.

Dinner: Baked cod with herbs, roasted asparagus, and brown rice.

 

Day 4

Breakfast: Omelet with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and basil, served with mixed berries.

Lunch: Lentil soup with carrots, celery, and turmeric, served with gluten-free crackers.

Snack: Handful of walnuts.

Dinner: Chicken stir-fry with zucchini, snow peas, carrots, and ginger over jasmine rice, using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.

 

Day 5

Breakfast: Chia pudding made with almond or coconut milk, topped with raspberries and pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: Tuna salad (olive oil mayo, celery, dill, lemon) served over mixed greens.

Snack: Hard-boiled egg with cucumber slices.

Dinner: Turkey burgers with baked sweet potato fries and sautéed spinach.

 

Day 6

Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with blueberries and banana, topped with almond butter and hemp seeds.

Lunch: Baked sweet potato stuffed with black beans, avocado, cilantro, and lime.

Snack: Mixed nuts (pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts).

Dinner: Shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil, served with roasted carrots and parsnips and a side of wild rice.

 

Day 7

Breakfast: Coconut yogurt topped with strawberries, sunflower seeds, and a drizzle of honey.

Lunch: Chicken and vegetable soup with carrots, celery, zucchini, and herbs, plus a side salad with olive oil and lemon.

Snack: Rice cakes with almond butter.

Dinner: Herb-roasted chicken thighs with roasted green beans and your choice of brown rice or quinoa.

 

Lifestyle Factors That Support Hashimoto’s Health

Stress can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis. That’s why managing stress plays a key role in supporting a healthy thyroid function.

Getting regular exercise, including walking and yoga, can help reduce stress. Exercise doesn’t mean you have to go have a hard workout for an hour in the gym. Taking a 30-45 minute walk, or breaking it into three 10-minute walks throughout the day, counts as a workout. Exercise and getting outside are also good for your mental health.

Learning and using techniques to reduce stress can be beneficial. Such techniques include meditation, deep breathing, and box breathing. All of these help your nervous system relax, which reduces stress in your body. There are many apps you can use for meditation and breathing, as well as free YouTube videos.

Avoiding exposure to toxins, particularly in common household cleaners, can improve thyroid function. Some common household toxins include Bisphenol A (BPA), phytates found in plastics, and triclosan found in antibacterial soaps.

 

Conclusion

A diet plan tailored to those with Hashimoto’s disease can help support thyroid function. It can also help people manage the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease. Such a plan should incorporate foods high in iodine, Vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that may interfere with thyroid function should be avoided.

A registered dietitian can provide you with a personalized meal plan that includes nutrient-dense foods to support thyroid function. They’ll do the work so you don’t have to. A registered dietitian will understand your personal needs, health concerns, and food preferences to develop a plan unique to you. Contact us today to get started.