A Woman's experience with Hypothyroidism, Health, and Weight loss.

[Guest guest]

Green Monday "Hypothyroidism, Health, and Weightloss"

Feb. 18th, 2008 at 5:24 AM

I’ve been struggling for years with thyroid issues, which has me thinking more about more option I may have, especially now that I’m making an active attempt to combat my own obesity. Here some things I’ve recently found…

My issues with hyperthyroidism started about ten or so years ago when I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. That basically means at that time I had a disease that made me very hyperthyroid. I was given two opening for treatment…surgery or radiated iodine. I took the second option (took them two tries), and at the end of it my thyroid was dead, useless. Since then I’ve learned there were other treatments (including I’ve learned a medicine treatment I might only have had to stay on for a year or two, and my thyroid could have been saved, grrrrr), but with the health issues the Graves was causing, I was scared and the doctors refused to even discuss other options at all. Even with the synthetic hormones I take now, I still struggle with the symptoms. I can take the med even near a meals, and they instruction on when to take them seem to change so often it’s very confusing. So even with the meds I use, I currently take levothyroxine, T4) I’m always on the lookout for other ways to cope with this condition. The challenge with the meds I take is the most recent rule my pharmacist gave me. Take levothyroxine as a single dose, at the same time everyday, on an empty stomach, at least one hour before breakfast. One hour before breakfast? At that point I’m dealing with two kids and getting them off to school (two kids who hate to get up early), so I’m very often forget to take my meds until later in the morning and by that time I’m very hungry and my blood sugar is low. I can’t take it with any other med, especially vitamins, so when I get my multivids I’ll have to remember to take those too (darn ADD brain) As many people here know, I recently (as of last monday) started WW (weight watchers) online program. This has gotten me thinking quite a bit about foods, as in the ones I normally eat. I was amazed just as I went through the dining out guide and looked at some of the favorite food I eat when we go out. Some of the high point counts floored me. Now I’ve talked about food before here, and it’s been mentioned at that time that soy can be bad for folks with thyroid issues. Shomon, author of Living Well With Hypothyroidism (I just picked up the 2000 version of her book, I'll let ya'll know what I think) says. “Soy is promoted as a healthy alternative to estrogen replacement for some women, as a possibly way to reduce the risk of breast cancer, as a way to minimize menopause symptoms, and as a healthier, low-fat protein alternative for meats and poultry. But what all the positive stories fail to mention is that there is a very real -- but very overlooked -- downside to the heavy or long-term use of soy products.” Okay, I recognize that heavy or long-term use of anything is not a great idea, and I’ve heard people like herbalist Weed talk about vegan friend with health issues from years of heavy soy use. In fact several medical sites suggest no more than 60g of soy a day. That seem like a lot of soy, but I donno. The issue I’m finding is that the older I get the more violently my body reacts to dairy. I can handle hard cheese if used sparingly, but thinks like soft cheese, yogurt, even something as simple as a glass of milk makes me very ill. In fact statistics show that as many as seventy five percent of all Native Americans and African-Americans, and ninety percent of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant. So, I guess I’m in good company. So this presents the issue of not only where to get my calcium, as well as whether or not some substitution of soy will do more good than harm. I mean, I’m nearly 40. Calcium is important as if the careful monitoring of fat in my diet. WW talk about drinking milk as part of the diet plan, but I just can’t do that. I’ve also read that milk can add to ADD symptoms (sigh)so these diet changes could help my son too (if I can find lunch boxes with thermos in this frikken city) So, on the subject of vitamin and minerals, to be healthy and protect the density of my bones I need 1000mg a day of calcium, 5mg Vit D (preferably around the same time as the calcium because it helps in absorption), 500 microgrms Vit K, 700 mg phosphorus and 320g magnesium. Also as a woman I need Iron, and to fend my immune system Vit C is critical. It can make for a very confusing calculation. Some of these things I can get from a good multivitamin, though I’d like to get as much as I can from the foods I eats as well. Here are some options I have, depending on food I like and will fit into my new diet. This is a sample of women’s recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for certain vitamins and minerals, and upper limits as recommended by RDA is as follows: Vitamin A: 700mg. Found in carrots and other dark-colored vegetables and fruits. Upper limit - 3,000 micrograms. Carrots and other dark-colored veggies, huh? I don’t mind carrots so much and a cup costs no points on the WW chart. Other Vit A rich foods I like are broccoli I cup (0), sweet potatoes large (3), cantaloupe 1/4 (1) spinach (0), eggs 1 (2) (I wonder if egg substitute would work) (1), and peas (sugar snap are my favs) (0) Vitamin B12: 2.4 micrograms, the amount in 3 ounces of beef. Many people over 50 lose the ability to absorb B12 from natural food sources and so should consider fortified foods, like cereals, or a supplement. Okay, this could be an issue. Beef has not been good to be lately, I seem to get sick every time I eat any. So this one might need to come from a supplement. Eggs are a possibility for this, but having trouble finding online info on egg substitutes which are less calories, so might need to hit the store and read a carton. Vitamin C: 75 milligrams. Eight ounces of orange juice yields a day's supply. Smokers need 35 more milligrams. Upper limit - 2,000 milligrams; more can cause diarrhea. Mmmm oranges 1 (1), strawberries 1 cup (0), lemon (0), grapefruit 1 (1), spinach (0), broccoli (0). Okay, so if I eat my broccoli and spinach everyday I get a good number of my vitamins. Not a bad thing since I like both raw. The point values on the fruits make my juice I make a little higher in calories, but with these vitamin numbers might still be worth it. Great for the immune system. Vitamin D: 200 international units for most people; 400 IUs for people ages 51 to 70. Found in fortified milk. And sunlight, which in Wisconsin can be a short supply this time of year, and is needed to digest calcium well. Other choices are oily fish (salmon burger (2) and tuna 2 oz (1)), mushrooms (0), and eggs (2). Vitamin E: 15 milligrams. Upper limit - 1,000 milligrams; higher levels risk uncontrolled bleeding. Almonds 1 oz (4), sunflowers 1 oz (4), peanut butter 2 tbs (5), as well as spinach and broccoli of course. Folic Acid: 400 micrograms. Found in spinach, orange juice, and fortified foods. Because folic acid in the first days of pregnancy prevents certain birth defects, women of childbearing age are routinely advised to take a supplement. Upper limit - 1 milligram a day; more can cause nerve damage. Okay so we’re back to the spinach, broccoli, and oranges. My brain is starting to follow the flow of this, and getting ideas for recipes. Nothing hard to make. They do say, especially if I do decide at some point to try for that last baby, to take supplement anyways to be certain I’m getting enough. Calcium: 1,000 milligrams daily for most adults; for those over age 50 - 1,200 milligrams. Highest food sources are dairy and calcium-fortified orange juice. Here we go with the trouble spot. Broccoli (is a given), spinach (though they say cooking it give you more, and I say ICK!). So here’s where a supplement will be needed since rather then buying enriched OJ I make my own. Vitamin K: 90 micrograms. Found in green leafy vegetables. Lots of oils (ick) spinach and broccoli. These are like the super food are what aren’t they? Iron: 8 milligrams postmenopausal women. Premenopausal women need 18 milligrams; pregnant women 27 milligrams. Upper limit - 45 milligrams or stomach upset can occur. Turkey and tuna seem the ones I eat most. Both are 1 to 2 point a serving so not too bad. Zinc: 8 milligrams. Upper limit - 40 milligrams; more can block absorption of another vital nutrient, copper. Turkey, beans, or nuts. The turkey (and maybe beans) seem the best of those choices. So more of my turkey wraps with the spinach and the sprouts. I was using broccoli spouts, but the once at the market looked horrible lately. I may have to start growing my own. Egg substitute (maybe) made into a wrap with chopped turkey, broccoli, pepper (not too many), and a little hard cheese. My orange, grapefruit, yam juice or/and a carrot mix of some kind. So, not a complicated menu, but something I can do a quick run to the store for and will keep for a few days. Well that’s about it for this Green Monday edition, but if ya’ll have ideas, recipes, etc…I’m all eyes for them Update on vitamins: I started taking a multivitamin (One A Day Energy), 1000mg calcuim (Natures Bounty Absorbable Calcium) for a total of 1250mg daily, and Vit C 1000mg with rose hips (also Natures Bounty) for a total of 1060mg.Results of week 1