iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll o tclhdfliThei mdcdaevegan diet. Even devout vegans who are nutritionally conscious still
struggle with low body temperatures, hypothyroidism, and Hashimoto’s.
Many former vegans have reported improved symptoms of Hashimoto’s
following transitioning to a Paleo diet. Based on this, I believe animal
proteins may play an important role in building back the health of people
with Hashimoto’s.
That said, while meats and fats are important for healing, eating them
exclusively produces an acidic environment in the body, hindering
healing. Thus, the diet should be balanced with plenty of nutrient-rich
vegetables (suggested ratio is 20 percent meat/80 percent veggies).
Vegan and raw vegan diets can be extremely helpful for cleansing and
detoxifying, especially for those with persistent protein digestion issues.
A vegan diet can be followed for a few days to a few weeks and may help
the body detoxify. B 12 and iron or ferritin supplements should be utilized
at this time to prevent deficiencies.
Another approach may be to follow a “semi-vegan” diet, or the “Morning
Vegan” approach, in which one eats primarily vegan foods (nuts, seeds, veg-
gies) for breakfast and lunch but consumes a meat-based meal for dinner.
Which of These Is Right for Me?
While it’s hard to predict who will do well with which approach, generally
those with a history of gastrointestinal issues (IBS, GERD, stomachaches,
food intolerances); antibiotic and oral contraceptive use; and high-carbo-
hydrate diets will require more time and lifestyle changes for healing.
Variables such as being underweight/normal weight or a younger age at
the onset of symptoms (under thirty) may mean more comprehensive
and complex approaches must be followed.
The Perfect Diet?
Intestinal permeability may be caused by small-intestinal bacterial over-
growth, dysbiosis, Candida, parasites, or food reactions—or, in many
cases, a vicious cycle of all of the above.
Many individualized factors should be taken into account when design-
ing a diet for overcoming Hashimoto’s, including individual food reac-
tions, the compositions of one’s intestinal flora, blood sugar abnormali-
ties, depletions, infections, and the person’s ability to digest and absorb
nutrients from foods.