[snelsen]

#1018271

Other than seaweed and kelp, I don’t think any foods are contra-indicated with Graves’. People seem to be going around and around about this subject, especially re "goitrogens."

At the conference, I hope there is an opportunity to ask if there have been any valid studies with conclusions in the area of food, and will include soy in the question since there was a recent question about that.

I wrote about research in another post, in relationship to stress and diet. I believe both Ski and Bobbi have addressed the subject of diet, saying that with the exception of the foods mentioned above, there are no definitive rules about food except a well balanced diet and common sense.

Evidence based research is much different than looking up info on the web.

"The same facts apply to diet and food. Aside from kelp and seaweed, there is no evidenced based research to radically change and/or eliminate foods from your diet BECAUSE a person has Graves’.

Of course, avoiding stress when possible, identifying the causes and decreasing them if possible, is good for any person.
Same with eating a healthy and well balanced diet. However, there is no solid research to say that either subject will alter the course of Graves’." written by me

[Kimberly]

#1063649

Yes, this would be an interesting question for our docs!

I actually went gluten/dairy/egg free for about 9 months after diagnosis, as I had a naturopath who believed that there was a connection between food sensitivities and autoimmune diseases. I found it to be a very high maintenance diet, and I don’t think it made a difference in the course of my Graves’.

However, I have heard success stories from other patients who chose to go gluten and dairy free. So for anyone who is considering radically altering their food plan, I would say (1) check with your doctor to make sure you aren’t missing out on any vital nutrients and (2) monitor whether you are seeing any improvements in how you FEEL as well as what your labs say. If you aren’t seeing any results, it’s certainly reasonable to question whether the high-maintenance lifestyle is worth it!

[optimist]

#1063650

With graves being one of the ”rare” diseases, I’m finding that it’s not a one size fits all kind of disease. Examples;

Some people with GP swear that they can’t have any caffeine b/c it immediately increases their pulse.
Some people with graves say they can’t tolerate fish oil b/c it’s a trigger
Some people say they get symptoms after a day of eating foods high in sugar

Yet, you can have 2 more people(with graves) come behind them and say that’s not true for them at all.

Bottom line is, we will always feel our best when we eat our best and take care of our temple the way it was meant to be taken care of.

I also believe some of it is psychological. I only drink one cup of coffeee in the morning, that is all the caffeine I consume throughout the day. When I had a flare, I remember feeling sped up after drinking coffee, and I attributed it to the coffee, b/c after all everything we read says to stay away from caffeine. However I didn’t take into acct that I was getting ready for work, rushing up the stairs(we have a lot), getting my kids ready for school, dealing with my dogs etc etc. I drank uncaffeinated for two weeks(doesn’t taste as good;( ) and got the same reaction. Now that my FT3&4 are in range, I am drinking my coffee again, and I don’t have increased pulse or BP(I MONITOR DAILY, I’m OCD about it lol)

So I guess it’s all subjective and everything in moderation, is my philosophy. The same goes for stress. Stress will never be eliminated from our lives, it’s the amount of stress that can invite triggers.

[JenRitter]

#1063651

I’ve found that the way we eat has a direct link towards whatever conditions we have. If the food isn’t the cause, it certainly does eliminate or produce certain symptoms. Essentially, everything is connected and it’s all very interesting. For example, people with epilepsy eat a ketogenic diet. A Ketogenic diet is high in fats/calories, low in portions and it seems to assist in seizure prevention. Perhaps the same can be said for certain diets and graves disease. So far, I have yet to find a diet that "works." Maybe I can try a gluten free diet sometime. ” title=”Smile” />

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