The gluten-free diet came into the public consciousness mainly in connection with those who are sensitive to it, but according to research, it also proves to be effective in the case of thyroid disorders. We asked Dóra Varga, dietician at the Buda Endocrine Center, about the connection between the two.
Autoimmune thyroiditis
Autoimmune thyroiditis – i.e. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis – is characterized by hypofunction of the thyroid gland. Typical symptoms of this are the slowing down of metabolic processes, weight gain, constipation, fatigue and depression. It is an increasingly common phenomenon that thyroiditis is also associated with other autoimmune diseases – such as celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity as it is commonly known. This is made difficult by the fact that often no digestive symptoms indicate the presence of gluten sensitivity, but a blood test and/or an intestinal biopsy can confirm the existence of the problem.
Autoimmune gluten sensitivity
The most well-known, typical symptoms of celiac disease include chronic diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, but more and more people have no digestive system symptoms, yet the disease exists. Warning symptoms of this can include iron deficiency, thinness, fatigue, osteoporosis, symptoms of liver disorders, as well as vitamin and protein deficiencies. It is a common phenomenon that several autoimmune diseases are present at the same time. Gluten intolerance is often associated with, for example, type 1 diabetes, Hashimoto’s disease, Sjörgen’s syndrome, or lupus.
Here’s how to eat if you have to follow a gluten-free diet
If you have been diagnosed with autoimmune gluten sensitivity, you must follow a lifelong gluten-free diet, advises Dóra Varga, dietitian of the Buda Endocrine Center.
Wheat, rye, barley and oats contain gluten, so instead of the widely available wheat flour, choose corn, buckwheat, coconut or rice flour. It is important to avoid gluten-containing ingredients when buying pastries and ready meals, as well as when breading and preparing them!
When it comes to side dishes, you don’t have to shy away from starchy foods, so cornmeal, pasta made from corn flour, quinoa, rice, millet, or potatoes are great choices.
Dairy products
If the digestive system is greatly damaged due to gluten sensitivity, a lactose-free, sometimes completely dairy-free diet may be necessary temporarily (but usually these foods can be reintroduced into the diet after 2-3 months).
In the case of dairy products and all other raw materials, it is also worth paying attention to the fact that to which some kind of flavoring has been added, there may also be gluten! So, for example, natural yogurt is certainly gluten-free, but the label of flavored varieties must always be checked to see if they contain gluten!
Source: Buda Endocrine Center
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
