Pitfalls to avoid

GOING TOO LOW ON CARBS

The thyroid requires glucose to produce thyroid hormones and to convert these from the inactive form (T4) to the active form (T3). When carbs are too low, hormone production and conversion slow down, which can worsen a hypothyroid condition, including autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s. A very lowcarb diet can also put strain on your adrenals. Perimenopausal women, people who are very stressed and those with thyroid dysfunction often have issues with keto diets because their adrenals are already shot.

Recommendation: Don’t aim for a ketogenic state. Keep carbs low to moderate (between 50 and 100 grams for weight loss and 100 to 150 for weight maintenance). You’ll still enjoy improved blood sugar balance, weight loss, reduced cravings, normalised blood pressure and better quality sleep.

DROPPING CARBS TOO QUICKLY

The other mistake people tend to make is cutting carbs out too suddenly. This can be stressful for the body, triggering the production of another thyroid hormone known as Reverse T3. This hormone, as its name suggests, does the opposite of its active T3 counterpart. Reverse T3 prompts the body to store fat, become sluggish and tired and can depress mood. It can also interfere with healthy insulin function, leading to increased belly fat.

Recommendation: Adopt lowcarb eating gradually. Let your body adapt, one meal at a time. This is also helpful to avoid ‘low-carb flu’ symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and headaches, which affects those going this route for the first time.

CHOOSING THE WRONG CARBS

Carbs are important for thyroid hormone production, but you shouldn’t indulge in poor quality carbs such as refined grains and sugar. Telling yourself, ‘I need that doughnut for my thyroid’, isn’t going to fly. In fact, grains can be very damaging for those with Hashimoto’s. Avoid inflammatory and toxic foods that damage your gut lining and disrupt thyroid function. The worst offenders are sugar, gluten, grains, legumes, soy, dairy and processed foods.

Recommendation: Get your carbs from veggies and starchy tubers such as butternut, carrot and sweet potato, as well as a little fruit. Always eat carbs with protein and fat; eating them on their own can lead to insulin issues in people who already have dysregulated hormone function.

REDUCING CALORIES TOO DRASTICALLY FOR TOO LONG

One of the better-known benefits of a low-carb lifestyle is appetite suppression. You just aren’t as hungry and cravings are reduced, which means you eat less without the hunger associated with conventional calorie-controlled diets. When calories are reduced too drastically, the body tries to protect itself by slowing down the thyroid as well as other metabolic machinery. It does this to ensure that body fat levels can be preserved for the ‘famine’ ahead.

Recommendation: Eating enough healthy fat will mean that you feel less hungry, but if you are hungry, eat. There is nothing wrong with having three nutritious meals a day, in the correct quantities. Missing the occasional meal or eating in an eight-hour window is also fine, but listen to your own body, especially if you’re a woman: female bodies are more sensitive to a disruption in calorie intake.