Dairy

For weight loss
Eliminate any dairy (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, cream, and ice cream) and soy (yes, the Japanese eat soy BUT it is fermented soy which is good for ) from your diet.

Food sensitivities can also lead to free radicals and many thyroid patients are sensitive or reactive to gluten, dairy, and soy to name a few.
Free Radicals damage the mitochondrial DNA of the cell! This is the POWERHOUSE of the cell so free radicals alter the cell energy level.

Leaky gut can also affect the brain. Mood swing in a child with autism can be caused by intestinal permeability. Gluten-free and casein-free diets have proven effective for many children with autism because these proteins can leak through the gut and then recirculate and act on the brain similarly to an opioid drug.

Leaky gut syndrome has also been linked to other psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. So, often, if you can heal the gut, you can heal the brain.

Bioavailabilty of Nutrients

Jan 272017

The importance of bioavailability
It’s not just the amount of nutrients that a food contains that is important, it’s how bioavailable those nutrients are to the body.
Bioavailability refers to the portion of a nutrient that is absorbed by the body.
The amount of nutrients we absorb from a food is invariably lower than the absolute amount of nutrients the food contains.
The nutrients in some foods are more bioavailable to humans than others. For example, the grass on your front lawn is loaded with vitamins and minerals, but they’re largely inaccessible to humans. Grass contains large amounts of a plant fibre called cellulose, which humans cannot break down. Since we can’t break down the cellulose, we can’t absorb the nutrients grass contains.
On the other hand, nutrients in animal products like fish, meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs are highly bioavailable. This means we can absorb them easily.
The key to nourishing your body, then, is to maximize your intake of bioavailable nutrients. This will ensure that your body has everything it needs to function optimally.

The nutrient density and bioavailability of foods
The table below ranks foods according to their nutrient density and bioavailability.

HIGH	MEDIUM	LOW
Organ meat	Whole grains*	Refined grains (i.e.bread, pasta, crackers, etc.)
Meat,wild game and poultry	Legumes*	Sugar
Fish and shellfish	Plant fats and oils**	Industrial seed oils
Eggs	Animal fats and oils**	Processed food and snacks
Fruits	Dairy products	Sugar-sweetened beverages
Vegetables		Artificial ingredients
Nuts and seeds*		Alcohol
Herbs and spices		Natural sweeteners

* Whole grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds contain substances called “nutrient inhibitors” that impair the absorption of some of the nutrients they contain.
** Plant and animal fats are relatively low in nutrients, but they play other crucial roles, including helping us to absorb the nutrients in other foods.

Looking at the table you might notice several interesting things.

Firstly, all of the most nutrient-dense foods are real, whole foods, and all of the least nutrient-dense foods are processed and refined foods.

Processed and refined foods are destroying our health because they promote overeating and inflammation, and inflammation is at the root of all modern disease. Here we see yet another problem with these foods: they are at the bottom of the scale in terms of nutrient density.

Secondly, you might be surprised to see that organ meats, meat, fish and shellfish are in the highest category of nutrient density. In fact, when the major nutrients required for human function are considered, these foods are even more nutrient-dense than fruits and vegetables.

One serving of beef (about 3.5 ounces) typically contains more B12, niacin (B3), vitamin D, retinol (vitamin A), zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and EPA and DHA than the same amount of blueberries or kale, which are two of the most nutrient dense plant foods. In addition, the nutrients in meat are highly bioavailable when compared to foods like cereal grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. The bioavailability of zinc, for example, is four times higher in meat than it is in grains.

Thirdly, while neither animal nor plant fats are especially nutrient dense, they do play other important roles in the diet. Perhaps most importantly, they help us to absorb the nutrients that are present in other foods.

Finally, look at where whole grains and legumes are on the table; they’re not the nutritional powerhouses you may have been led to believe they are. Not only do they lack important nutrients, but they also contain substances called “nutrient inhibitors” that make it more difficult for us to absorb some of the nutrients they do contain.

Cultures who ate a lot of grains and legumes went to great lengths to break down these nutrient inhibitors so they could better absorb the nutrients in these foods.
Methods included soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and leavening.
If you have the time and energy to prepare grains and legumes in these ways, and you tolerate them well, there’s no reason they can’t be part of a diet that emphasizes other more nutrient dense foods like meat, fish, eggs, and fruits and vegetables.

Likewise, if you eat nuts and seeds, you should soak and then dehydrate or roast them first in order to increase the bioavailability of the nutrients they contain.

Diet Plan for Hypothyroidism

Jan 272017

Video with explanation of hypothyroidism and tips on diet to help resolve the problem.

8 minutes.

Diet rich in;

Protein
Iodised salt
Sea salt
Most fish
Fish oil
Sea weed / kelp
Eggs
Certain cheeses
Green leafy vegetables

Eat foods that contain a lot of fatty acids;

Almonds
Walnuts
Whole grains
Lean Meat
Milk
Egg Whites

Eat foods with Selenium that contain anti-oxidants, anti-aging, anti-cancer enzymes;

Rice
Corn
Wheat
Brazil Nuts
Walnuts
Onions
Oats
Garlic
Soybeans

Chicken, Beef and certain fish also contain Selenium so be careful not to overdose.

Eat Vitamins

Eat foods that contain these vitamins including;

Bananas
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Egg Yokes
Figs
Oranges
Spinach

Stay away from;

Sugar
Junk food & fast food – especially fried fast food
Vegetables that contain high amounts of iron – cauliflower, mustard
Alcohol

7 foods that help with Hypothyroidism

4 minutes

Coconut oil – 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil per day
Ginger Tea source of zinc, magnesium, potassium
Fish – selenium, iodine, B12, Omega 3
Apple Cider Vinegar – restore pH balance
Nuts – for selenium – Brazil nuts, Macadamia, Hazelnuts
Wild Oats – selenium, iron, zinc, manganese, fiber
Black Walnut – iodine, magnesium. Blood purifier- removes toxins from blood

The Elimination Diet
Dr. Izabella Wentz with Tom Malterre on the Elimination Diet

45 min

Magnesium

Jan 272017

Magnesium, an abundant mineral in the body, is naturally present in many foods, added to other food products, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids and laxatives). Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation. Magnesium is required for energy production, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis. It contributes to the structural development of bone and is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and the antioxidant glutathione. Magnesium also plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm.

An adult body contains approximately 25 g magnesium, with 50% to 60% present in the bones and most of the rest in soft tissues. Less than 1% of total magnesium is in blood serum, and these levels are kept under tight control. Normal serum magnesium concentrations range between 0.75 and 0.95 millimoles (mmol)/L . Hypomagnesemia is defined as a serum magnesium level less than 0.75 mmol/L. Magnesium homeostasis is largely controlled by the kidney, which typically excretes about 120 mg magnesium into the urine each day. Urinary excretion is reduced when magnesium status is low.

Assessing magnesium status is difficult because most magnesium is inside cells or in bone. The most commonly used and readily available method for assessing magnesium status is measurement of serum magnesium concentration, even though serum levels have little correlation with total body magnesium levels or concentrations in specific tissues. Other methods for assessing magnesium status include measuring magnesium concentrations in erythrocytes, saliva, and urine; measuring ionized magnesium concentrations in blood, plasma, or serum; and conducting a magnesium-loading (or “tolerance”) test. No single method is considered satisfactory. Some experts consider the tolerance test (in which urinary magnesium is measured after parenteral infusion of a dose of magnesium) to be the best method to assess magnesium status in adults. To comprehensively evaluate magnesium status, both laboratory tests and a clinical assessment might be required.

Recommended Intakes

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Magnesium
Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
Birth to 6 months	30 mg	30 mg
7–12 months	75 mg	75 mg
1–3 years	80 mg	80 mg
4–8 years	130 mg	130 mg
9–13 years	240 mg	240 mg
14–18 years	410 mg	360 mg	400 mg	360 mg
19–30 years	400 mg	310 mg	350 mg	310 mg
31–50 years	420 mg	320 mg	360 mg	320 mg
51+ years	420 mg	320 mg

Sources of Magnesium

Food

Magnesium is widely distributed in plant and animal foods and in beverages. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, are good sources. In general, foods containing dietary fiber provide magnesium. Magnesium is also added to some breakfast cereals and other fortified foods. Some types of food processing, such as refining grains in ways that remove the nutrient-rich germ and bran, lower magnesium content substantially.

Tap, mineral, and bottled waters can also be sources of magnesium, but the amount of magnesium in water varies by source and brand (ranging from 1 mg/L to more than 120 mg/L).

Approximately 30% to 40% of the dietary magnesium consumed is typically absorbed by the body.

Selected Food Sources of Magnesium
Food	Milligrams (mg) per serving	Percent DV
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	80	20
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup	78	20
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce	74	19
Peanuts, oil roasted, ¼ cup	63	16
Cereal, shredded wheat, 2 large biscuits	61	15
Soymilk, plain or vanilla, 1 cup	61	15
Black beans, cooked, ½ cup	60	15
Edamame, shelled, cooked, ½ cup	50	13
Peanut butter, smooth, 2 tablespoons	49	12
Bread, whole wheat, 2 slices	46	12
Avocado, cubed, 1 cup	44	11
Potato, baked with skin, 3.5 ounces	43	11
Rice, brown, cooked, ½ cup	42	11
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces	42	11
Breakfast cereals, fortified with 10% of the DV for magnesium	40	10
Oatmeal, instant, 1 packet	36	9
Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup	35	9
Banana, 1 medium	32	8
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, 3 ounces	26	7
Milk, 1 cup	24–27	6–7
Halibut, cooked, 3 ounces	24	6
Raisins, ½ cup	23	6
Chicken breast, roasted, 3 ounces	22	6
Beef, ground, 90% lean, pan broiled, 3 ounces	20	5
Broccoli, chopped and cooked, ½ cup	12	3
Rice, white, cooked, ½ cup	10	3
Apple, 1 medium	9	2
Carrot, raw, 1 medium	7	2

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

People with gastrointestinal diseases

The chronic diarrhea and fat malabsorption resulting from Crohn’s disease, gluten-sensitive enteropathy (celiac disease), and regional enteritis can lead to magnesium depletion over time. Resection or bypass of the small intestine, especially the ileum, typically leads to malabsorption and magnesium loss.

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for Supplemental Magnesium
Age	Male	Female	Pregnant	Lactating
Birth to 12 months	None established	None established
1–3 years	65 mg	65 mg
4–8 years	110 mg	110 mg
9–18 years	350 mg	350 mg	350 mg	350 mg
19+ years	350 mg	350 mg	350 mg	350 mg

Hashimotos

Jan 262017

Video – Natural Solutions for Thyroid Disorders

44 minutes

Top things to do to treat Hashimotos

4 min

Thyroid Pharmacist Izabella Wentz

Reduce Stress
Supplements for nutrient deficiencies
Reduce / remove Gluten
Careful diet – Sugar free, Grain free, Dairy free, Paleo, Low GI index
Supplements B12, D3, digestive enzymes, ferritin/ iron, omega 3
Selenium 200 mcg, Betaine with pepsin, Curcumin, Zinc 30 mg, l- Glutamine
Lifestyle changes – relaxation, massage, sauna
TSH levels <1-2
LDN
Probiotics or fermented foods

The Elimination Diet
Dr. Izabella Wentz with Tom Malterre on the Elimination Diet

45 min

The most common triggers in Hashimoto’s are nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, intestinal permeability (leaky gut), stress, an impaired ability to get rid of toxins and in some cases, infections. Optimizing your health starts with food. Figuring out which foods nourish you, and which ones cause you harm is the single most important thing you can learn in your health journey.

I’ve found that recognizing and eliminating reactive foods can be a life-changer for most people with Hashimoto’s.

Reactive foods trigger an inflammatory response in the GI tract, leading to malabsorption of nutrients (gluten sensitivity in particular has been implicated in causing a Selenium deficiency, a well known risk factor for Hashimoto’s), and can also produce intestinal permeability whenever they are eaten.

Most people will see a dramatic reduction in gut symptoms, brain symptoms, skin breakouts and pain by eliminating the foods they are sensitive to. Some will also see a significant reduction in thyroid antibodies! An additional subset of people, will actually be able to get their Hashimoto’s into complete remission just by getting off the foods they react to, normalizing their thyroid antibodies, and some even normalizing their thyroid function!

What’s Your Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism Root Cause?

2 min

Dr. Izabella Wentz Can Thyroid Issues & Hashimoto’s Disease Be Reversed Naturally?

22 min

Foods to Watch

Jan 262017

As usual there is lots of conflicting info about but these are what I can make sense of:
In general it is best not to completely eliminate anything if you are already used to eating / drinking it. Complete elimination will most likely create cravings and often result in a replacement which may or may not be better than the original.
eg fat replaced with sugar, dairy replaced with soy, red meat replaced with soy based processed foods.
Eat foods with as little processing as possible, ie whole grains, unprocessed meats rather than processed meats like sausages, cured bacon, crab meat, chicken nuggets etc.

Eliminate as much Sugar as possible- it is hidden in so many things we eat & drink, definitely don’t add sugar eg in coffee / tea, on cereals

Cut back on Coffee,it often has lots of pesticides used in production & these remain in the beans, and the caffeine itself is a problem, it dehydrates, prevents the absorption of Iron and raises cholesterol.

Drink Ginger Tea

Minimise alcohol intake– in general it is toxic to the body, so with every drink you are adding toxins to your body and hoping that the liver can remove them all.

Cut back on dairy foods if you have dairy intolerance, but don’t cut out completely as they are valuable source of calcium. watch for sugar in yogurts etc

Eat oily fish for omega 3 – salmon, sardines, mackerel etc preferably smaller fish rather than large ones like tuna- they eat the small ones & have accumulated mercury and other heavy metals from the small ones

Red meat in moderation- unprocessed – ie not cured bacon or salt dried. good for iron and other minerals. it is a good source of iron and zinc.

Processed White Iodised Salt contains anticaking agents along with iodine which will be extracted by thyroid. For many this will be fine, but for those with a poorly functioning thyroid, adding more iodine to the body can actually damage it – use unprocessed sea salt or pink rock salt.

Vitamin D – get from regular sunlight exposure 10 min at a time
Vitamin C from real foods – Ascorbic acid is not vitamin C
Don’t have foods that are fortified with vitamins – fillers (rock) and artificial vitamins

Selenium – many soils are known to be deficient in selenium – seek out foods that contain selenium or consider supplements.
Potatoes – can be good for selenium when baked or lightly fried from raw- not deep fried. Boiling changes the structure & loses some of goodness
Lightly brown only- all foods chips, toast etc, the browner / blacker the surface the more carcinogens may be produced from the browning process.

Bread – whole grain – lots of salt and sugar in a lot of breads.
if you have any gluten sensitivity then cut back on bread and wheat based products, replace with rice base.

Can be good to have some carbs such as slice of bread 5 hours before sleep.

When taking pills / supplements try to take capsules rather than tablets as the tablets use fillers to hold them together and the fillers can contain toxins and block up liver / kidneys.

Zinc

Jan 262017

The thyroid collects zinc but it also collects many other chemicals that look similar – fluoride, pesticides, toxins from preservatives.
This is why the immune system tries to get rid of these toxins.
The liver is supposed to remove these toxins from the blood, but cant do so if they have been extracted and stored by the thyroid.

The thyroid needs selenium, iodine and zinc to produce some hormones, but if your food does not provide enough, or your stomach is not absorbing it then the thyroid cant do its job properly.

A good source of zinc is unprocessed red meat.

Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies.

Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes and it plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis , and cell division. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.

Recommended Intakes

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Zinc
Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–6 months	2 mg	2 mg
7–12 months	3 mg	3 mg
1–3 years	3 mg	3 mg
4–8 years	5 mg	5 mg
9–13 years	8 mg	8 mg
14–18 years	11 mg	9 mg	12 mg	13 mg
19+ years	11 mg	8 mg	11 mg	12 mg

Sources of Zinc

Food

A wide variety of foods contain zinc. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

Phytates—which are present in whole-grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods—bind zinc and inhibit its absorption. Thus, the bioavailability of zinc from grains and plant foods is lower than that from animal foods, although many grain- and plant-based foods are still good sources of zinc.

Selected Food Sources of Zinc
Food	Milligrams (mg) per serving	Percent DV*
Oysters, cooked, breaded and fried, 3 ounces	74.0	493
Beef chuck roast, braised, 3 ounces	7.0	47
Crab, Alaska king, cooked, 3 ounces	6.5	43
Beef patty, broiled, 3 ounces	5.3	35
Breakfast cereal, fortified with 25% of the DV for zinc, ¾ cup serving	3.8	25
Lobster, cooked, 3 ounces	3.4	23
Pork chop, loin, cooked, 3 ounces	2.9	19
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, ½ cup	2.9	19
Chicken, dark meat, cooked, 3 ounces	2.4	16
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces	1.7	11
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce	1.6	11
Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup	1.3	9
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	1.2	8
Oatmeal, instant, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet	1.1	7
Milk, low-fat or non fat, 1 cup	1.0	7
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	0.9	6
Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup	0.9	6
Chicken breast, roasted, skin removed, ½ breast	0.9	6
Cheese, cheddar or mozzarella, 1 ounce	0.9	6
Peas, green, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	0.5	3
Flounder or sole, cooked, 3 ounces	0.3	2

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

Vegetarians

The bioavailability of zinc from vegetarian diets is lower than from non-vegetarian diets because vegetarians do not eat meat, which is high in bioavailable zinc and may enhance zinc absorption. In addition, vegetarians typically eat high levels of legumes and whole grains, which contain phytates that bind zinc and inhibit its absorption.

Vegetarians sometimes require as much as 50% more of the RDA for zinc than non-vegetarians. In addition, they might benefit from using certain food preparation techniques that reduce the binding of zinc by phytates and increase its bioavailability.

Techniques to increase zinc bioavailability include soaking beans, grains, and seeds in water for several hours before cooking them and allowing them to sit after soaking until sprouts form.

Vegetarians can also increase their zinc intake by consuming more leavened grain products (such as bread) than unleavened products (such as crackers) because leavening partially breaks down the phytate; thus, the body absorbs more zinc from leavened grains than unleavened grains.

Thyroid Nourishment

Jan 262017

Thyroid glands nourishment

Ensure your diet and your daily supplements provide you with iodine, selenium, and zinc which are three key nutrients needed by the thyroid gland for basic functioning.

Sea vegetables such as 1 tablespoon of dulse flakes daily provides you with a nice dose of iodine,

Just 1-2 Brazil nuts each day provide you with ample selenium, and

Zinc is found in beef, oysters, dark meat chicken, cashews, pumpkin seeds, almonds, yogurt, and many other sources.

10 things to know about your thyroid

articles.mercola.com/thyroid.aspx

Video
Natural Ways to Help Maintain a Healthy Immune System

8 min

Pasture Raised and Wild Caught

Jan 262017

Pasture-raised animal products and wild-caught fish: as nature intended
Several studies have been done comparing the nutrient content of pasture-raised (PR) and grain-fed (confinement animal feeding operations, or CAFO) animal products.

PR animal products are superior to CAFO in 2 primary respects:

they have a better fatty acid profile, and

higher levels of vitamins and other micronutrients.

Grain-fed animals have lower levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA.

The more grain in an animal’s diet, the lower the omega-3 levels in their meat.
For example, grass-fed beef typically has 3 times more omega-3 than grain-fed beef.
In addition to higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fat, pasture-raised animal products also have much higher levels of several vitamins and minerals, including:
• 288 percent more vitamin E
• 54 percent more beta-carotene
• Twice as much riboflavin (B2)
• Three times as much thiamin (B1)
• Four times as much selenium
• 30 percent more calcium
• 5 percent more magnesium

We see a similar difference between eggs from hens raised on pasture, and those raised in confinement.
Eggs from pasture-raised hens contain as much as 10 times more omega-3 than eggs from factory hens, and they are significantly higher in B12 and folate. They also have higher levels of fat-soluble antioxidants like vitamin E and a denser concentration of vitamin A.

In the case of fish, farmed fish contain less omega-3 relative to linoleic acid (omega-6).
For example, wild salmon contains 10 times more omega-3 than omega-6, whereas farmed salmon has less than 4 times the amount of omega-3 than omega-6. Another study found that consuming standard farmed salmon, raised on diets high in omega-6, raises blood levels of certain inflammatory chemicals linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Wild salmon also contains 4 times as much vitamin D as farmed salmon, which is especially important since up to 50 percent of Americans are deficient in this important vitamin.