What I’m most excited about for you is that you get the opportunity to discover the healing that can occur in your body with the proper nourishment. I hope that the dietary guides and my family-favorite recipes will guide you to getting your health back. You can simply follow the recipes that are marked with the symbol for each diet and know that you are adhering to the specifics of each.
I’ve designed the recipes in this cookbook specifically with you in mind! You will find that, although abundant in nutrients and tasty, most of the recipes will be incredibly easy to prepare. All of the recipes in my cookbook have been tested by a chef and nutritionist, but you do not need to be a chef or a nutritionist to make the recipes in your own home and benefit from them for healing!
3.
Tailoring Your Plan
All the things that make you unique—your genes, ethnicity, blood type, gender, digestive capability, intestinal environment, food sensitivities, stress levels, and so much more—will make the optimal diet for you unique as well. However, what extensive dietary experiments, research, data mining, personal experience with Hashimoto’s, and countless client consults have taught me is that, no matter your personal history or present state, there are reliable diet “templates” that can help nourish and strengthen your body to bring it back to a healthy state. Three healing diets have proven the most impactful in my own recovery and in my work with clients. These are the Root Cause Intro Diet, Root Cause Paleo Diet, and the Root Cause Autoimmune Diet. Each of these protocols is distinct, but they also have a lot in common. All three dietary protocols:
1. Limit reactive and processed foods like gluten, dairy, soy, caffeine, and sugar.
2. Are rich in vegetables and recommend aiming for 25 percent meat and 75 percent vegetables per meal, and for 6 cups of veggies/fruit each day.
3. Include fermented foods, which can lead to gut healing and mood improvement.
4. Include green smoothies for five to seven meals per week, which are an excellent source of easy-to-digest nutrients.
5. Are designed to be low on the glycemic index (GI), which is important because blood sugar and adrenal issues are often implicated in those with Hashimoto’s. Following a low-GI diet can help with energy and mood swings and reducing the autoimmune attack on the thyroid.
6. Encourage eating a variety of foods and rotating them often. If you have leaky gut, eating the same food over and over again, no matter how healthy it is, can lead to a sensitivity to that food. Rotating foods is an excellent way to prevent new food reactions and to improve nutrient sufficiency.
7. Focus on nutrient density. Each diet recommends that you aim to eat plenty of organic meat and veggies, green smoothies, green juices, bone broth, liver, fermented foods, and gelatins—all foods that are packed with healing and beneficial nutrients.
8. Limit high-iodine foods like iodized salt and seaweed.
9. Are rich in good fats to support hair, skin, and balanced blood sugar.
YOU DECIDE: STEP UP OR STEP DOWN
I recommend making use of these diets with either a step-up or step-down approach, in which you choose one level and then adjust to another level based on your needs. For example, if you start with the Root Cause Intro but continue to have symptoms after one to three months, you may want to step up to Root Cause Paleo. If you start with Root Cause Autoimmune and find that after one to three months you have reached your health goals, you may want to step down to the Root Cause Paleo and introduce more foods. Each strategy has its pros and cons, and you’ll have to decide what’s best for you at this time in your journey.
In the Step-Up Approach, you start with the least strict diet and work your way up as needed. You will find that it:
Is easier to handle and implement.
May prevent unnecessary restrictive dieting.
May prolong healing time.
In the Step-Down Approach, you start with the strictest diet and work your way down. You may find that it:
Is more difficult to implement.
May be “overkill.”
May accelerate healing time.
Please note, although the Root Cause Intro and the Root Cause Paleo Diets can be lifelong diets, the Root Cause Autoimmune Diet is not meant to be followed for more than thirty to ninety days. As you heal, you should be able to introduce more and more foods. Becoming sensitive to foods that you were not previously sensitive to is a sign that you are “losing foods,” and this is an important signal that you need to dive deeper into other root causes, such as intestinal infections.
No matter where you begin, know that these diets are meant to be a starting point for you and should be tailored to your response. Your needs may also change as time goes on or as you get rid of infections or balance your intestinal flora. Just because one diet worked for someone else does not mean it will work as well for you.
Let’s explore each of the diets in greater detail. (If you are already familiar with these, you can skip to Chapter 4 or jump straight to the recipes in the Cookbook section.)
THE ROOT CAUSE INTRO DIET
By following the Root Cause Intro Diet, you will create an internal environment focused on healing and help calm the immune system. Central to this will be the elimination of six commonly reactive substances: gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. These dietary irritants, when combined with the toxins we are exposed to in personal-care products, cleaning products, building chemicals, and so on, can overburden your body with toxins. In people with Hashimoto’s, who may already have impaired detox abilities due to leaky gut and who have a diminished ability to sweat, this accumulation can overwhelm the liver and lead to a chemical backlog. A buildup of chemicals and toxins can impede the healing you want and need to happen if you are to recover from Hashimoto’s.
In Hashimoto’s Protocol, this diet is part of the Liver Support Protocol, which includes additional strategies for helping heal the liver and improve detox abilities. Starting with foods, however, is the most important step, and the one that can produce the most profound changes. When you eliminate processed foods and transition to a real-food diet, you will automatically remove a significant percentage of your exposure to the trigger foods you want to avoid.
If you’ve already removed these reactive foods and you are still experiencing symptoms, consider stepping up to the Root Cause Paleo Diet (here).
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THE ROOT CAUSE INTRO DIET
EXCLUDED FOODS
Gluten
Dairy
Soy
Sugar
Alcohol
Caffeine
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Gluten: Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, and wheat, which means you will be exposed to it when you eat most types of pasta, cereal, and bread. It’s also used in some soups and sauces and in certain types of alcohol. If you have Hashimoto’s or any other autoimmune disease, it is highly likely that you have a sensitivity to gluten and may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, skin rash, and joint pain. It is also possible that you have celiac disease, in which case you could experience a more severe form of these reactions and experience them immediately after eating a gluten-containing food.
In my survey of 2,232 people with Hashimoto’s, roughly 88 percent of them reported feeling better after eliminating gluten from their diets. My readers have shared with me some of the benefits they’ve experienced by going gluten free:
“Going gluten free has helped my hair to start growing back after I lost all my hair—even my eyebrows and eyelashes.”
“Going gluten free helped me tremendously. It took eight months to feel the difference, and now after two years most of my symptoms are gone. Nothing to lose by going gluten free.”
“I’m gluten free and have brought my antibodies down to normal range. So thankful!”
“Gluten free and soy free for three months, and I was able to lower my meds and stomach pain, alternating diarrhea and constipation, anxiety, and
body aches all gone!!”
If you have celiac disease, gluten elimination can produce a noticeable improvement in how you feel within a matter of days. However, it may take three months to two years for complete healing to take place. If you are gluten sensitive, you may also notice a change in your symptoms in as little as a few days, significant improvement in two to three weeks, and healing in approximately six to eight weeks. (A reminder: if you have other unresolved triggers, those will need to be addressed before you feel completely better.)
Dairy: People with Hashimoto’s often have a sensitivity to casein and whey proteins, which are the two proteins found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, and certain protein powders. Some people have a primary sensitivity to dairy, while others have a secondary sensitivity, meaning that the reaction to dairy proteins is a result of gluten-induced damage to the gut. People in this latter group may be able to tolerate dairy again after intestinal permeability has been repaired or after approximately six months of gluten and dairy avoidance.
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WHEN LAB TESTING SAYS YOU’RE NOT GLUTEN SENSITIVE
Lab testing for gluten sensitivity can be very helpful, especially if you get the right kind of test, but unfortunately testing technology is not perfect. More often than not, false negatives can be seen for common reactive foods like gluten, dairy, and soy. The best test for figuring out if you are sensitive to gluten is doing an elimination diet, in which you avoid gluten for two to three weeks and then try it again to see if you react to it.
Getting off gluten helped some people dually diagnosed with celiac disease and Hashimoto’s shed their Hashimoto’s diagnosis (antibodies went into remission, and thyroid function returned to normal). However, it’s not just celiac disease that is caused by sensitivity to gluten. My personal and clinical experience has shown that nonceliac gluten sensitivity is one of the biggest triggers for Hashimoto’s. Going gluten free can help alleviate many symptoms associated with Hashimoto’s, such as fatigue, hair loss, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, pain, acid reflux, weight gain, and many others as well as reduce the autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland. And this is why it’s one of the first things I recommend when you have a thyroid condition, whether it is Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, or Graves’ disease.
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WITHDRAWAL FROM FOODS
Dietary changes can have a big impact on your body. Caffeine, is a well-known addictive substance, and some people may get withdrawal headaches, nausea, irritability, diarrhea, and even vomiting—especially if they quit cold turkey instead of weaning off gradually. #thingsilearnedthehardway
You may also experience withdrawal symptoms if you’re reducing your sugar intake. I personally experienced headaches, irritability, unusual vaginal discharge, and lethargy for about two weeks after kicking my sugar habit cold turkey.
Additionally, most people may not realize that gluten and dairy can also be addictive. It has been hypothesized that when gluten is digested, opioid peptides called gluteomorphins are released into the gastrointestinal tract and taken up into the bloodstream. These peptides are considered exorphins, as they have a morphine-like effect on the brain. In other words, they can have “addictive” properties, so suddenly cutting gluten out of your diet can cause strong withdrawal symptoms.
Similarly, casomorphins, which are ingested when milk products are consumed, have been suggested to cause similar withdrawal symptoms when removed from the diet.
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Another type of dairy reaction is seen in people who have lactose intolerance. If you are lactose intolerant, you lack the enzyme needed to break down the milk sugar lactose. Although there are similarities in the symptoms caused by lactose intolerance and dairy-protein sensitivity, the difference is that the latter response originates in the immune system.
It’s important to point out that all dairy, including raw dairy, should be excluded. Some people claim that pasteurization changes the protein structure of dairy proteins and that this is what makes them more reactive. However, if you’ve already been sensitized to dairy proteins from drinking conventional milk, you may still have a problem with consuming raw dairy, organic dairy, lactose-free milk, and even goat’s milk. Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk are highly cross-reactive for those with cow’s-milk sensitivity, which means there’s a good chance it will be a reactive food for you if you are sensitive to dairy. However, camel’s milk contains proteins that are different enough not to cross-react and may be well tolerated by people with Hashimoto’s.
Soy: “Soy” is short for “soybean” or “soya,” which is a type of legume used to make many meat- and dairy-free foods. It’s also regularly used in processed foods to bind ingredients together or add texture. A lot of gluten-free products like breads and cookies contain soy, which can be problematic for thyroid patients and worsen the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. This is why I don’t recommend simply switching to a “GFJF diet”—a gluten-free junk-food diet—when you eliminate gluten; you may inadvertently end up switching one trigger food for another. I believe that my thyroid condition worsened after eating soy-containing gluten-free products. Once I removed those foods too, my thyroid antibodies dropped from 800 IU/mL to 380 IU/mL (in just one month).
You can eliminate soy from your diet by avoiding edamame beans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy sauce. You will also want to avoid processed foods and supplements, which often contain soy-based ingredients. This includes vegetarian and vegan products, which can contain soy lecithin, bean curd, hydrolyzed soy protein, and/or hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
Sugar: Eighty-seven percent of my clients and readers reported feeling better on a sugar-free diet. Sugar can exacerbate an imbalanced gut flora that is usually common in those with Hashimoto’s and can contribute to blood-sugar swings. To avoid sugar, you will want to eliminate sucrose (table sugar) and high-fructose corn syrup, two ingredients that are commonly used in processed foods. Stevia, xylitol, and trehalose are potential alternative sweeteners, but steer clear of sucralose (Splenda) and saccharine, as they have both been implicated in triggering Hashimoto’s.
Caffeine: Caffeine can exacerbate adrenal dysfunction and blood-sugar swings, both of which are common in those with Hashimoto’s. Underlying adrenal insufficiency may cause certain symptoms to linger even after you’ve started taking thyroid medications and shifted to a gluten-free diet. Eliminating caffeine will help reset overworked adrenal glands, but may not be enough to restore them to peak functioning (this may require additional protocols, which you can read about in Hashimoto’s Protocol).
In addition to wreaking havoc on the adrenal glands and blood sugar, consuming caffeine can prevent us from getting proper sleep, which is vital to healing, and increase gut permeability. For these reasons, an important part of the Intro Diet is avoiding caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee and tea. It’s also important to avoid these beverages due to fluoride content (tea) and potential mold or gluten contamination (coffee).
If you regularly consume caffeine, quitting cold turkey can result in unpleasant side effects such as headaches. You may be able to avoid this side effect by weaning yourself off of caffeine instead. To do this, reduce your intake by 50 percent every day. For example, if you usually drink two cups of coffee per day, first drop down to 1 cup, then ½ cup, and ¼ cup, and then none.
In the next section, you’ll discover one of my favorite alternatives to caffeine-containing beverages: hot lemon water. I also recommend drinking Mint Tea, Dandy Blend, or Spa Water—purified water with some of your favorite fruit and veggies. Or you might try Maca Latte or Green Juice.
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SUGAR SUBSTITUTE RECOMMENDATIONS
In my survey of over two thousand people with Hashimoto’s, 87 percent felt better after removing sugar from their diet. But transitioning away from it can be difficult at first, which is why most people look for alternative sources of sweetness (I know I did when I initially cut out sugar). W
hen I was considering sugar substitutes, artificial sweeteners were out, since NutraSweet, Equal (aspartame), and Splenda (Sucralose) have been connected to triggering Hashimoto’s. Natural sugar substitutes are a better choice, but even they have pros and cons for use.
Stevia is a popular and healthier alternative to sugar. It’s derived from the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, or “honey leaf,” which contains the sweet-tasting compounds known as steviol glycosides. Stevia can help people lose weight, improve diabetes, lower blood sugar, and lower blood pressure; it has anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, and can even help people with Lyme disease.
Stevia, however, has a strong taste and may not be appropriate for people with adrenal fatigue, low cortisol, low blood sugar, or low blood pressure, due to its effects on blood sugar and blood pressure. One concerned reader reported that stevia had been causing her insomnia and bladder irritation.
Honey and maple syrup are natural and Paleo and Autoimmune friendly, but may contribute to Candida and blood-sugar issues, and you’ll want to avoid these while you are eliminating sugar.
Xylitol and trehalose are additional sweeteners to consider. Xylitol can reduce cavities, but can cause GI upset and potentially worsen small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a common issue that’s present in Hashimoto’s. Trehalose can accelerate tissue repair, but like xylitol may exacerbate SIBO and may feed the toxic Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) bacteria; thus, if you are struggling with an overgrowth of the C. diff. bacteria, then xylitol may not be appropriate for you.
Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology Page 9