If you want to ensure success in
managing Hashimoto's hypothyroidism with the autoimmune paleo (AIP) diet, studies
show keeping a food diary can help with your success sticking to the diet. We
know this from weight loss studies, in which those who kept a food diary lost 30
to 50 percent more weight than those who didn’t. If you’re working to manage
Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, the overriding goal is to tame your autoimmune
thyroid condition, not lose weight, however the dietary changes that poses can
be challenging. Luckily you don’t have to go hungry though on the AIP diet!
Keeping a food diary keeps you
honest
It’s easy to think you are eating
one way when the truth is actually quite different. It’s amazing how we can
hide behavior from ourselves. Keeping track of what you eat not only keeps it
real, it also gives you clues if you experience a flare of your Hashimoto's
hypothyroidism symptoms. Maybe you experienced cross contamination at a
restaurant, or that nibble of an immune reactive food was worse than you
thought.
Keeping a food diary for weight
loss
With a food diary, knowing you
have to record what you eat is proven motivation to stick to the AIP diet. That
dessert with gluten or dairy loses appeal when you have to add it your log,
knowing it may very well trigger a Hashimoto’s autoimmune flare. Conversely, writing
down all the safe foods you ate is a great way to bolster motivation and give
yourself a pat on the back.
It also helps to record timing,
location, and mood with your meals and snacks. You may notice waiting too long
between meals predisposes you to go off your AIP diet, that a particular person
or situation triggers sugar cravings, or that you feel brain fog or depression
after a certain food.
Keeping a food diary for
Hashimoto's and other autoimmune conditions
Food journals aren’t just for losing
weight. The dramatic dietary and lifestyle changes a chronic health condition
such as Hashimoto's hypothyroidism requires means giving up some favorite
comfort foods, such as gluten and dairy.
Other
autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis,
and lupus also respond to dietary changes. Recording your diet and symptoms both
helps with compliance and shows which foods flare your autoimmunity. This is
especially important in the reintroduction phase. For instance, you may be gluten-free
and dairy-free, but you notice your Hashimoto's hypothyroidism symptoms flare
when you eat eggs.
Keeping a food journal to find
food sensitivities
A food diary is an excellent companion
to the reintroduction phase of the AIP diet. After you have eliminated common
triggers such as grains, dairy, eggs, soy, and sweeteners for a number of weeks,
you reintroduce each food one at a time every 48 to 72 hours and see whether
you react, whether it is a thyroid flare or other reactions. It is not
recommended to reintroduce gluten given the studied links between Hashimoto’s
and gluten. Dairy is also not recommended because it cross reacts with gluten
and is immune reactive for so many Hashimoto’s patients.
Ask
my office about tips for keeping a food journal, managing Hashimoto's
hypothyroidism, and implementing the AIP diet.
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