How To Overcome Graves Disease Through Diet

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition where your thyroid becomes hyperactive and leads your thyroid gland to produce an overabundance of hormones. (1) Although it is not curable, diet is one of the most effective ways for functional medicine providers like myself to treat Graves’ disease.

Related: Your Functional Medicine Guide To Underlying Thyroid Dysfunctions + How To Heal

By prioritizing an anti-inflammatory diet that addresses the root issue of Graves’ disease, we can offer patients relief without the need for daily thyroid medication. Like any well-rounded, healthy eating plan, a Graves’ disease diet should prioritize nutrient-dense, whole foods and eliminate foods known to cause inflammation.

If you are experiencing symptoms of hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease, there are multiple nutrients known to support thyroid health for patients with an overactive thyroid, including:

• Sea salt: Offers the flavor and health benefits of salt without iodine, which can be problematic for people with Graves’ disease.
• Selenium: A vital nutrient for regulating thyroid hormone levels and function. Sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts are rich in selenium. Selenium deficiency has also been linked to an increased risk for exophthalmos. (2) Exophthalmos is when the muscles and tissue in and around your eye become swollen, leading your eyeballs to protrude from their sockets.
• Iron: Research shows that Graves’ disease has been linked to low iron levels and deficiency. (3)

Let’s get into the specifics to discover what lifestyle changes can help you put Graves disease into remission.

Foods To Eat

According to research, the Mediterranean diet is the most effective diet for managing and treating autoimmune thyroid disease and Graves disease. (4) While selenium and iron are important for Graves disease, many antioxidants and nutrients are associated with better outcomes for patients with this condition.

Instead of listing just individual foods, here is a list of nutrients and food groups known to be most beneficial on a Graves’ disease diet:

• Vitamin D-rich foods: Fatty fish, fish oil
• B vitamins: Meat, wholegrain cereals, chicken eggs
• Vitamin A: Carrot, pumpkin, spinach
• Vitamin C: Vegetables and fresh fruits
• Magnesium: Yogurt, nuts
• Zinc: Meat, mushrooms, wholegrain cereals
• Iron: Meat, spinach, seafood
• Selenium: Walnut, fish
• Legumes: Beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils
• Oily fish (rich in EPA and DHA): May reduce inflammation
• Olive oil: Anti-inflammatory properties
• Nuts: Provide beneficial nutrients, such as selenium
• Whole grains: Support gut health and the immune system
• Calcium: Dairy products

Foods To Limit And Avoid

When developing a healthy Graves’ disease diet, you want to look at what foods to avoid and detox from. While every person’s biochemistry will be different, and no two people will have the same diet, some key foods and nutrients are more likely to aggravate Graves’ disease symptoms than others.

Here is a list of foods to avoid for your Graves’ disease diet:

• Iodine-rich foods (excessive consumption): Seafood, seaweed, kelp, cereals, beef, poultry, milk, or iodized salt. Getting too much iodine intake or iodine deficiency can affect Graves’ disease, so it is important to control your intake.
• Soy/Soy milk: Contains goitrogens, which can inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis.
• Cruciferous vegetables: Goitrogenic (e.g. cabbage, broccoli) may disrupt thyroid function.
• Processed meats: Contain nitrates and sodium, which may negatively impact thyroid health.
• Animal fats: High intake of saturated fats may lead to thyroid dysfunction.
• BPA-contaminated foods: Found in canned fish, vegetables, and packaged foods.
• Sugar: Processed and added sugars cause inflammation. Avoid sodas, desserts, candy, sugary sauces and condiments, and other foods with lots of added sugars.
• Caffeine: Too much caffeine from coffee and tea can aggravate certain symptoms like increased heart rate, weight loss, and anxiety.
• Gluten: When the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland, it is often a case of mistaken identity, and studies have shown that gluten is one of the main culprits in Graves’ disease. (5) This may be because autoimmune thyroid disorders are often associated with celiac disease. (6)

Cooking Suggestions

People with autoimmune thyroid conditions consume more seed oils and drink more alcohol than those without it. (4) When cooking on a Graves’ disease diet, prioritize olive oil or other omega-3-rich oils and avoid cooking with alcohol.

It is generally advisable to prioritize healthier cooking techniques, such as grilling or baking, over deep frying to enhance nutritional quality.

Iodine is a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that is important in thyroid function, but deficiency and excess consumption can cause harm to the thyroid — avoiding using iodized salt while cooking is smart if you may be getting excess. Iodine supplements can help if you are experiencing a deficiency.

Sample 3-Day Meal Plan

Here is a simple 3-day meal plan for meal ideas for your Graves’ disease diet.

Day 1

• Breakfast: Green smoothie with spinach, green apple, celery, and avocado
• Lunch: Chicken salad with grain-free crackers
• Dinner: Walnut-crusted baked halibut with roasted veggies of your choice

Day 2

• Breakfast: A tasty breakfast bowl filled with warm butternut squash, organic turkey bacon, apples, coconut oil, cinnamon, and honey.
• Lunch: A salad of field greens with albacore tuna, drizzled with a dressing made from olive oil, honey, and vinegar.
• Dinner: Chicken stir-fry with cauliflower rice, coconut aminos, and broccoli

Day 3

• Breakfast: Overnight chia seed pudding made with coconut yogurt and berries
• Lunch: Burger salad topped with onions, avocado, and pickles
• Dinner: Rosemary salmon with sauteed vegetables in coconut oil and baked sweet potatoes with coconut butter.

Related: Your Definitive Guide To The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP Diet) + How It Can Help Manage Your Symptoms

Healing From Graves With Functional Medicine

In functional medicine, we aim to take a deeper look at your thyroid than conventional medicine and take a whole-body approach toward healing.

LISTEN: Top Thyroid Myths & Truths: Surprising Symptoms, Labs, Supplements, Foods & More

Functional medicine typically runs a broader range of tests and thyroid panels and looks at a narrower range of optimal results. We are also likely to recommend additional labs to address any dysfunctions with your microbiome, inflammation, immune system, and other hormones.

These should all be considered to get the most complete picture of your overall health. This also helps us develop a diet and other natural remedies for Graves’ disease tailored to your health.

Unlike what many conventional doctors and healthcare providers may tell you, many thyroid dysfunctions don’t show up on normal labs or blood tests, and there are more natural things you can do for your health besides just medication and surgery.

If you are ready to take the next step in your health, find out if Graves’ disease is a factor for you, and start addressing healing through diet, we can help. As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.

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