As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve had quite the battle with my thyroid and food sensitivities. Going 100% raw only seemed to exacerbate my thyroid issues (as many raw foods prevent the utilization of iodine), while even the vegan route — though the most appealing to my conscience — caused weight gain.

In the spiritual community being vegan has become synonymous with  “enlightenment.” And while I understand the importance of lifestyle choices that are best for the environment/planet, I feel that it is almost taboo to talk about health problems faced on the vegan journey and how to overcome them.

While I’m still on my own path of discovering what the best diet is for my body, one thing I have discovered for certain is the many harmful affects of gluten on overall health (and thyroid).

For those of you struggling with thyroid issues who haven’t considered looking into the gluten aspect, I suggest this article from The Natural Thyroid Diet website. I know it’s not the whole piece, but an important one to consider.

What is a gluten free diet?

The hottest diet craze among Hollywood celebrities is a gluten free diet. Is this just a fad or could eliminating gluten help end the bloat, brain fog, nagging indigestion, and even turn your thyroid health around?

Gluten is the main structural protein found naturally in a variety of grains including wheat, rye, spelt, barley, oats and triticale which is a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten is also used as a single ingredient in many processed foods as it makes an ideal binder or thickener. This means you could be consuming additional gluten without knowing it.

A gluten free diet defined

A gluten free diet strictly excludes all grains and packaged foods containing gluten. This means cutting the common gluten containing foods such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, desserts and biscuits from the daily diet. But this may not be as restrictive as it first appears as health food stores and supermarkets offer gluten free alternatives. In addition, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, fresh fish and lean organic animal protein are all naturally gluten free.

However for most people changing to a gluten free diet plan is a big step and takes some getting used to. The restrictions can even make you feel downright deprived. But the upside is that excluding these gluten based foods often results in weight loss, especially around the middle.

The modern problem with wheat

These days highly refined wheat is the most common source of gluten as it is used in a wide variety of foods found in supermarkets. To meet ongoing demand wheat is grown on an industrial scale. Along with the development of modern agricultural methods there has also been selective breeding of wheat. Wheat crops now yield a much higher ratio of gluten. This is not good news for those who are gluten sensitive or have diagnosed gluten-related disorders.

And not only that, there is evidence the newer high yield wheat strains are less nutritious and lack important nutrients such as zinc, iron, copper and magnesium.

Gluten sensitivity can result in a broad range of symptoms

Gluten can easily irritate the lining of the digestive system. Once this happen the body launches a swift immune response as it reacts to gluten as something foreign. This creates inflammation that spreads like wildfire throughout the whole body. Gluten sensitivity symptoms can therefore be linked to specific digestive problems as well as broader health issues. There is little doubt emotional stress plays a significant role in intensifying these symptoms.

Could you be gluten intolerant?

Gluten sensitivity can result in a broad range of symptoms. The major symptoms include:

• Weight loss or weight gain, especially abdominal weight gain
• Fatigue or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten
• Digestive problems: bloating, pain, gas + diarrhoea
• Weak + cracked fingernails
• Fat in the stools due to poor breakdown of dietary fat
• Joint + muscle pain
• Mood swings + depression
• Poor memory + concentration
• Skin rashes including dermatitis herpetiformis
• Osteoporosis due to lowered mineral absorption
• Migraine headaches

The best way to discover if gluten is a problem and to what degree is by strictly excluding gluten from your diet for at least 4 weeks as it takes this long to clear gluten the negative effects of gluten from your system. If you feel far better when you exclude gluten, or feel worse when you reintroduce gluten then it’s likely a problem for you.

Minor symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, brain fog and indigestion can disappear fairly quickly when gluten is excluded from the diet. Improvements in chronic health problems made worse by gluten sensitivity such as arthritis, eczema and autoimmune diseases including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may take longer. Many people report their thyroid symptoms improve once they eliminate gluten from their diet.

The gluten-thyroid connection

A gluten intolerance markedly reduces the absorption of a wide range of nutrients. This is not good news for thyroid health as the thyroid is particularly sensitive to a decline in micronutrient intake. For example; iodine, zinc and selenium as three minerals critical to aid ongoing thyroid hormone activity.

Gluten sensitivity contributes to a wide range of autoimmune responses including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Studies have shown individuals with low selenium intake or poor absorption of selenium are also more likely to develop Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. There are two factors:

• A selenium deficiency results in lower activity of the selenium dependent enzymes vital to assist ongoing activity of the thyroid hormones, including activation of thyroxine (T4) to triiodothyronine (T3). Low T3 is associated with the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

• Selenium plays a role in protecting the thyroid gland itself as this mineral boosts glutathione activity. Glutathione is naturally produced by the body using selenium and a combination of three amino acids sourced from dietary protein – cysteine, glycine and glutamine. Glutathione acts as a potent antioxidant and is highly active within the thyroid to help protect this important gland.

Coeliac disease

For people with Coeliac disease avoiding gluten is a very serious issue and a gluten free diet is advocated to treat this chronic digestive problem. Individuals with Coeliac disease are so sensitive to they must avoid all foods containing gluten as even a minute amount will prompt a noticeable immune reaction.

If a person is unaware they have Ceoliac disease and continue to consume gluten the inflammation damages the small bowel. This leads to low intake of essential nutrients. Over time their poor health is linked to malnutrition.

Gluten sensitivity contributes to a wide range of autoimmune responses including autoimmune thyroid disorders. Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are frequently diagnosed along with Coeliac disease and vice versa. Coeliac disease is associated with selenium malabsorption which is considered a key factor linking this digestive problem with thyroid health decline.

Coeliac disease is commonly considered to be a genetic disorder however it can be set off later in life by a stressful event, such as an infection, injury or surgery. A specific diagnostic test is used to confirm Coeliac disease.

Gluten free shopping

A gluten free diet excludes all types of grains that contain gluten. Here are some gluten free alternatives to common grain based products:

• Breads: rice, buckwheat + ‘wheat free’ varieties.
• Breakfast cereals: organic corn flakes, rice bubbles, Amaranth, puffed buckwheat + gluten free muesli.
• Flours: 100% buckwheat, rice, Besan (chickpea), Lupin, coconut.
• Noodles: rice + 100% buckwheat.
• Pasta: vegetable + rice varieties.
• Porridge: Quinoa, rice + Polenta porridge.
• Rice: brown rice + white rice varieties.

It is important to read food labels carefully as gluten is often a hidden ingredient in packaged foods. Examples include; baking powder, flavourings and hydrolysed vegetable protein. Beer may contain varying amounts of gluten as it is produced by the alcoholic fermentation of germinated cereals, usually barley.

Cross contamination of gluten free foods can occur during the manufacturing process when these foods come into contact with foods that contain gluten. For example, if the same equipment is used to make a variety of snack foods some gluten free items may become contaminated. Food labels often include a ‘may contain gluten’ statement if this is the case.

Foods labelled ‘gluten free’ are not always healthy

Just because it is a ‘gluten free’ food product, doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy for your thyroid. Food manufacturers regard corn (maize) and soy ingredients as cost effective substitutes for gluten containing grains. Corn and soy are common food allergens and in turn can also initiate symptoms of a food intolerance. These ingredients should be avoided when you have an under active thyroid problem. This includes soy oil which is often labelled as ‘vegetable oil’. If you are not sure check to see if the label states the product contains soy.

Activating your gluten free grains

All grains including gluten free varieties have naturally occurring enzyme inhibitors that make them difficult to digest and also lower absorption of important minerals. Eating large quantities of grains and using flours that have not been soaked, sprouted or fermented can lead to mineral deficiencies and long term bone loss. This means even gluten free flours and whole grains should be activated with these traditional methods to release their full nutritional potential.