An Ayurveda expert suggests this diet plan to restore thyroid levels

If your thyroid levels are out of control, take charge and make this special diet plan for thyroid a part of your life.
diet for thyroid
Eating mung can be a healthy choice for thyroid problems. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Team Health Shots Updated: 23 Oct 2023, 13:09 pm IST
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Today, we live in this fast-paced world where there are certain adverse consequences which we cannot avoid. Thyroid is one of them. Nearly 60 percent of those with thyroid disease do not even know that they have it, and this is alarming! But if you know you have it, you must make diet corrections to manage thyroid levels. Read on to know a special diet for thyroid.

Before we dive into it, let’s know a little about thyroid. Below the front of your neck just above your collarbone is your thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland. Thyroid chemicals control the pace of numerous exercises in your body. These incorporate how quick you consume calories and how quick your heartbeats. It exercises your body’s metabolism. Thyroid is one such problem which is not a disease but a lifestyle disorder too.

thyroid
World Thyroid Day is observed on May 25. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

There’s a difference between Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland develops much of thyroid hormones. Whereas, Hypothyroidism is a condition when the thyroid glands’ hormone production slows down. A person with Hypothyroidism tends to gain weight while a person with Hyperthyroidism loses a lot of weight.

Any issue with your thyroid will turn into the following aftereffects:

* Thyroid nodules: Irregularities in the thyroid organ
* Thyroiditis: Enlarging of the thyroid
* Hypothyroidism: When your thyroid organ doesn’t make an adequate number of thyroid chemicals
* Hyperthyroidism: When your thyroid organ makes more thyroid chemicals than your body needs
* Goitre: Growth of the thyroid organ
* Thyroid cancer

According to Ayurveda, too much stress, eating heavy and non-compatible foods regularly, or a sedentary lifestyle can deplete Agni (metabolic fire), which can cause thyroid.

Toxins, when piled up in the thyroid, change cellular structure. This cheats our immune intelligence to mistake our cells for a foreign body, stimulating antibodies against thyroids and the autoimmune response.

Low metabolism leads to toxins formation (Aama toxins) and dosha imbalances, especially Vata and Kapha dosha.These mucusy Aama and Kapha toxins block the TSH (parathyroid hormone) conversion into T3 & T4 (thyroid hormones), leading to high TSH & low T3 and T4.

thyroid
Thyroid needs care. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Here is a one-day special diet for thyroid that you can follow for months to help restore healthy thyroid levels

Dr. Smita Naram, an Ayurvedic physician, pharmaceutical herbalist, and nutritionist, has suggested the following diet:

1. Start your day with a morning drink

For this, take 1 tablespoon for fresh turmeric juice, just a pinch of pepper and a teaspoon of coconut oil. Consuming this daily on an empty tummy can beneficial for you. All the ingredients in this drink are loaded with benefits. While turmeric has  anti-inflammatory properties as well as immunity boosting functions, pepper promotes the benefits of turmeric. To top it all, coconut oil is laden with good fats which can have a positive impact on thyroid functions.

2. A healthy breakfast

Healthy does not always mean boring! So, why not give this recipe with mung a try? You can gorge on a Mung Chaat recipe, which is not just easy to make but wholesome too.

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Are you wondering how to make it? Well, take a 100 gm whole green mung bean and soak it overnight. When you wake up and hit the kitchen, drain the water and cook the mung in a pan with water, salt, and turmeric. But please make sure the mung is not full cooked! About 80 percent cooked would do.

In a separate pan, saute one finely chopped onion in just a teaspoon of ghee or oil. Then add ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cinnamon powder, cumin seeds and pepper powder to lend taste. To this tadka, add the cooked mung and mix well. If you like your chaat a tad spicy, you can add a dash of green chilli and garam masala. Saute the mix a little more. Now just before you dig into it, add a little more nutrition and crunch to the recipe with fresh coriander leaves, and a small spoon of flax seeds or pumpkin seeds.

If you didn’t know it already, let us tell you that mung is packed with nutritional and health benefits. It is not just a good source of protein, but is easily digested and has zero fat! One more positive aspect of mung is that it helps fight inflammation on the thyroid gland. On adding mung to your diet, you are likely to feel fuller for a long time, keeping hunger pangs away.

Mung dal for thyroid

From chaat to chilla, mung dal is very versatile. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

3. Fix your mid-morning beverage needs with this detox tea

Adding a detox tea to your diet is vital to improve metabolism. This special tea can be prepared by mixing a teaspoon each of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and half a teaspoon of dry ginger powder. Once you have all ingredients in place, put them to boil in 5 cups of water! It will give you 4 cups, and you can drink this tea multiple times a day. So, no wastage!

If you want to complement your detox drink with something to eat, go for an apple!

4. What’s for lunch?

Replace your rotis right away with the wonderful option of gluten-free multigrain pancakes, and find the best accompaniment in two bowls of cooked veggies! But oh, oh! Wondering how to make healthy pancakes?

Take a cup of yellow mung dal flour or you always have the option of taking half a cup of soaked and ground mung dal. To this, add half a cup of Sorghum (jwar) flour. Now you’ve go to add enough water to eat and mix well for a consistency that will give you smooth pancakes. Add more flavour and crunch to with half a teaspoon each of fennel seeds and cumin seeds, with salt to taste. Your pancake mix would be ready!

Want to make it more wholesome and filling? Go ahead and half some grated beetroot, carrot, or bottle gourd if you like it.

When it comes to veggies, be careful about the ones you choose. Bottle gourd, snake gourd, carrots, pumpkins, zucchini, beetroot, spinach, lettuce, kohlrabi, turnip, radish, ridge gourd are some veggies that may be perfect for this diet.

diet for thyroid
Veggies that are high on water content, will be great for people with thyroid. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Keep the cooking basic with one onion in very little oil or ghee. Add ginger-garlic paste, cumin and coriander powder, one pinch of asafoetida, black pepper, green chili, salt as per your taste. Add cut veggies and add to the mix. Be careful not to overcook. And slow cooking will give you better taste and value!

Remember that adding water for cooking these veggies may not be required as their water content is adequate. Most of these veggies are easily digestible and will slowly improve overall metabolism.

5. Post-lunch detox

A little while after your lunch, you can sip on your detox tea. Since your lunch may feel light on your tummy, you can have 5 soaked almonds with two teaspoons full of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

Also, read: Steer clear of thyroid problems by increasing consumption of these fruits

seeds for thyroid
You can snack on seeds. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

6. Soup for dinner

Haven’t we already been told about the virtues of early dinner? Yes, you must wrap up dinner maximum by 8 p.m. to allow your body ample time to digest the food and do the repairing and cleaning process.

To make this, take a cup of soaked green mung or yellow mung dal. Add two cups of chopped vegetables. Now pressure cook these with enough water, and adding salt, turmeric, green chili.

For the tadka, take a teaspoon of cumin seeds, a pinch of asafoetida in a pan. Add finely chopped onion and ginger garlic paste and saute. Now add the cooked mung and vegetable mix to it. Once you give it a nice boil, you will get a delicious and nutritious thick soup, which will be fiber-rich.

7) End your day with detox tea!

How will this special diet for thyroid help?

According to Dr Naram, following this diet daily for 1-2 months can show results. It may lead to reduction in 2-3 kg body weight, apart from improvement in thyroid functions and hormones. The diet can also contribute towards balanced blood pressure and cholesterol, and in stabilizing emotions such as stress and anxiety.

One suggestion that Dr Naram shares is that one must reduce or cut the intake of wheat, refined flour, yogurt, dairy products, sweets, junk foods and sour foods. Such foods can amplify inflammation, which also increases the risk of thyroid problems.

What about the non-vegetarians? Well, the expert suggests you can can eat fish curry, egg curry, or chicken curry twice a week during lunch.

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