Thyroid hormone production is not just a thyroid function problem. Most people think that if only they can “boost their thyroid” or improve thyroid function, then they’ll be able to produce more thyroid hormone.
When you look up foods to eat for hypothyroidism you usually come across foods like:
- Foods rich in iodine
- Selenium-rich foods
- Zinc-rich foods
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
When you have authority websites like RestartMed, Healthline or other thyroid dietitians telling you to eat Brazil nuts for selenium or broccoli for whatever, it’s easy to see why so many people fall into this trap.
Chances are you’ve tried eating these foods or following other common advice like eat sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, etc., but as you’ll soon see, there is more to thyroid hormone production than simply boosting your thyroid.
Here’s how it works:
Your thyroid produces thyroid hormone T4, which is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. The liver takes thyroid hormone T4 and converts it into the active form of thyroid hormone T3. That’s a liver function, not a thyroid function. So many people focus so much on the thyroid they completely ignore their liver and that could be one way to get your thyroid levels up.
What to eat to get your thyroid levels up
Thyroid hormone production is dependent on the production of other hormones like progesterone and DHEA which is the precursor to testosterone and estrogen. Low progesterone and low DHEA are often a result of eating a low-fat diet or avoiding cholesterol in your diet like I once did.
I was in shock when I learned that the hormones that give you energy like progesterone and testosterone are directly derived from cholesterol. I used to eat egg whites only thinking the egg yolks had too much cholesterol and therefore it was bad.
Later on, I realized the reason why I had low thyroid function was because I was avoiding the foods I needed to eat. I had to completely reframe my thinking because the more I learned about what foods help get your thyroid levels up, I started seeing foods I thought I needed to avoid. Foods like raw milk, egg yolks, steak… that just sounded crazy to me!
… but low and behold, after switching my diet around I started to see improvements in my hormone production. There was one problem though. I used to have a hard time digesting protein and fats. This is a gut problem, not a thyroid problem. That’s why, I started learning how to improve my digestion by improving the health of the probiotics living in my gut.
If you can grasp the concept that it’s not just a thyroid problem, then you’ll be able to do things that actually work to improve thyroid function. This is how we helped Terra who had Hashimoto’s and felt tired all the time. Working on her liver function and making diet changes helped her get her thyroid lab numbers back to normal.
She then started working on creating an environment in her body to grow healthy probiotics. This was a key step because probiotics are what help your body produce hormones or convert inactive hormones into the active form. We were happy to learn that she was able to get her thyroid to work and not need medication.
How to Get Natural Energy without Restrictive Diets or Supplements
If you are still tired after doing everything that doctors told you to do, maybe even got your labs to “normal”, but you don’t feel normal, then you might be interested in our Energy Blueprint where we walk you through three steps to get your energy back and feel like yourself again without restrictive nutrition plans or supplements…
To learn more about our Energy Blueprint we’ve put together a free 5-Day Energy Challenge that gets you:
- Better sleep so you wake up feeling truly rested… your mind will feel clear and focused… no more dragging through the day, just steady energy and sharp thinking from morning to night.
- Reduced inflammation so you watch the puffiness fade… your belly feel flat and light… your clothes fit better, and you feel at home in your body again.
- Better brain function so you feel the fog finally lift. You follow conversations with ease, words come naturally, and your mind feels quick and clear… like you’re fully present again, not struggling to keep up.
- Hair that starts to feel fuller and softer again, and your skin glowing naturally looking smoother, and firmer.
- Feel your strength return… you’ll move around easily, get things done without needing to rest every few minutes, and by the end of the day, you still feel steady and sure on your feet.
- You’ll feel calm and steady… even when things go wrong… You’ll respond with patience instead of snapping, and the little things won’t ruin your whole day anymore.
- Gas and bloating finally eases… you feel light in your belly, your clothes fit comfortably again, and you start to recognize yourself in the mirror…
Listen to Janae share her hypothyroidism success story after following these three steps:
Tap “continue” below to learn these 3 steps in more detail and start your 5-Day Energy Challenge:
