Guest Post By Dr. Becky Campbell DNM 16th February 2018

As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I see patients walking around with undiagnosed thyroid conditions every single day.

I work with patients who have been suffering from gut issues, chronic fatigue, an inability to lose weight, and hair loss for longer than they can remember.

If these are symptoms that sound familiar to you, a thyroid condition may be at the source of the problem, and millions of people go undiagnosed each year.

In my practice, I dive deep into my patients dietary and lifestyle habits as a huge part of my treatment protocol for them.

I always start with the gut whether a thyroid condition is at the root of the problem or not.

I also work with my patients to help them start a very sustainable Paleo-style diet as I have found this dietary approach to work best for those suffering from an autoimmune condition.

Today, I want to share why that is and why diet plays such an integral role in thyroid health.

Four Reasons Paleo Supports Thyroid Health

1 An Anti-inflammatory Approach

One of the primary reasons I recommend a Paleo diet for anyone suffering from a thyroid condition, or any autoimmune disease is because the paleo diet focuses on reducing inflammation.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an inflammatory condition, so finding ways to reduce your overall inflammation is incredibly helpful.

2 Boost Gut Health

By eliminating gluten, grains, sugar, and dairy, you give your gut the chance to heal.

This is especially helpful for those with leaky gut, which the majority of those suffering from the autoimmune disease have.

You may be asking what digestive health has to do with the thyroid.

I always start with the digestive system when working with patients as it is central to the health of the entire body.

In fact, 70% of the immune system resides in the gut so when there is a digestive health imbalance, nothing else will work the way it is supposed to.

A paleo diet works well to support the digestive system by helping you eliminate inflammatory foods, but also encouraging foods such as bone broth, collagen protein, and coconut these are all excellent for gut health.

3 Combat Fatigue with Energy-Boosting Foods

The Paleo diet incorporates a ton of energy-supporting foods that are incredibly important for anyone suffering from Hashimoto’s disease.

When you are suffering from a thyroid condition, fatigue is one of the number one complaints I hear in my practice.

Dietary adjustments are a great way to support energy by adding things like coconut oil, avocados, and other healthy fats to the diet.

They will give you a boost of longer-lasting energy as opposed to refined carbohydrates or grains that can cause an energy spike and then crash.

Healthy fats and protein can also help support blood sugar levels which is another important part of supporting thyroid health and energy levels.

4 Assist in Weight Loss Efforts

So many of my patients suffer from being unable to lose weight due to a thyroid issue.

I know this first hand as before I uncovered my own root cause, I had gained thirty pounds out of nowhere and was walking around with an undiagnosed thyroid condition like so many of my patients do.

Having a thyroid condition can significantly impact your metabolism, but I have seen a paleo diet work for not only myself but for many of my patients as well.

Since this diet takes a low-inflammatory approach, it naturally helps your body shed the weight it has been holding onto for years.

Removing inflammatory and processed foods from your diet is a huge step in supporting thyroid health and supporting the body when dealing with an autoimmune condition.

Instead of consuming foods commonly found in the Standard American Diet, a Paleo diet emphasizes the addition of foods that will naturally help support thyroid health such as organic vegetables, fermented foods, wild-caught fish, eggs, and organ meats.

All of these foods are nutrient dense and on my list of the top foods to support Hashimoto’s disease.

Keep in mind that each person is going to need individual dietary needs, so I always say to use the Paleo diet as a starting point and that it can always be adjusted to your individual needs.

How to Get Started On A Paleo Diet

If you don’t currently follow a Paleo diet and you would like to get started with a specific approach to supporting your thyroid, I have developed a specific program for exactly that!

In my upcoming book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan: Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That are Keeping You Sick, I walk you through step by step what you need to do to uncover your root cause and help you start your own Paleo journey long-term to not only support thyroid health but overall health.

BIO: 

Dr. Becky Campbell is a board-certified doctor of natural medicine (DNM) and earned her doctorate in chiropractic at Life University in Marietta, Georgia (DC). She was initially introduced to functional medicine as a patient.

She struggled with many of the issues her patients struggle with today, and she has made it her mission to help patients all around the world with her virtual practice.

Dr. Becky Campbell specializes in Hashimoto’s disease, and she hopes to help others regain their life as functional medicine helped her regain hers.

She is the Author of “The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan” which is available on Amazon for pre-order.