Healthy Food? Not So Fast
Who says healthy food is healthy food? Healthy foods are healthy foods, but at the same time, healthy foods aren’t healthy for everyone.
Let me explain. I’ve worked with my mental health clients on understanding the connection between food and mental health, even creating an entire wellness group to explore it. But one day, while eating a delicious cabbage and broccoli mix my niece had cooked, I thought to myself: I wonder if there are foods I shouldn’t eat because of my hypothyroidism.
I grabbed my phone and started searching. To my shock, the first thing that popped up under “foods to avoid” was broccoli and cabbage. My mouth dropped. Wait, what?
Still chewing, I dove deeper, hunting for peer-reviewed articles. I needed solid evidence because, let’s face it, who trusts a random blog post? Article after article confirmed it: these vegetables, especially raw, contain goitrogens—compounds that can interfere with your thyroid’s ability to absorb iodine, a critical nutrient for thyroid health.
This is what I eat! These are healthy foods! I thought. But guess what? I still finished my plate. It was too good to waste.
Cutting Out the Culprits
After that day, I kept researching, learning about other foods that might worsen my condition. I read that cooking cruciferous vegetables could reduce the goitrogens, but not completely eliminate them. My thought was: Why just decrease the risk when I can eliminate it altogether?
So, I went cold turkey. I stopped eating broccoli, cabbage, and any other veggies flagged as potential triggers. At first, I thought I had it all figured out. But then came the red flag: soy.
I told myself; I don’t eat soy. I’m good. But then I started reading labels and realized soy is in EVERYTHING. Even foods you wouldn’t expect. Soy was a daily presence in my diet, and it wasn’t doing me any favors.
Then came dairy, gluten (if you have a sensitivity), and even some fruits. My list of “no-go” foods kept growing. I learned about hormone blockers in essential oils, cooking oils, and even certain herbs. But I didn’t care. My priority was feeling better and keeping my thyroid intact.
The Popcorn Incident
One evening, my mom and I decided to go to the movies. And, of course, what’s a movie without popcorn? We indulged—because who doesn’t love that buttery, salty goodness?
But that night, when I got home, I had a full-blown attack. My ears were itching, I couldn’t catch my breath, and my mouth felt like the Sahara Desert. My mom was confused and alarmed, not knowing what was happening. She wasn’t aware of all my symptoms, so seeing me like that caught her completely off guard.
I had to ride it out, sipping water and tea to calm my thyroid. Once the episode passed, I sat down to figure out what triggered it. I went over everything I’d eaten, and then it hit me. The oil used to make that delicious movie popcorn? You guessed it—soy.
That was the end of movie popcorn for me. These days, I bring my own snacks to the theater. And later, I discovered another culprit: corn. Yep, even that had to go.
For me, soy is a major trigger—a real “mother chucker,” as I like to say.
Food: From Foe to Friend
When I went back to my surgeon, she immediately noticed my weight loss and improved appearance. She asked what I was doing, and I told her about my dietary changes. She smiled and said, “Did I mention to avoid broccoli?”
Nope, I replied.
We discussed my diet in detail, and even she was impressed. This was a turning point for me: realizing that most medical doctors aren’t trained in nutrition. Their focus is medicine, not food, so taking charge of my diet was my responsibility.
The results spoke for themselves. Most of my symptoms stabilized, and I felt better. Yes, eating out became a bit tricky, but restaurants are often accommodating when it comes to allergies and special dietary needs. I made adjustments, and now I cook at home in a way that supports both my mental and physical health.
A Lifestyle, Not a Diet
Through this journey, I created a class for others with hypothyroidism to help shorten their learning curve. The phrase “you are what you eat” has never been more accurate.
Before, my food was killing me. Now, my food is my friend. It helps me feel more like myself again. People often ask, “Do you have a cheat day?”
Cheat day? I look at them like they’re crazy. Why would I cheat on my life? That’s like being in a relationship where your partner has a “cheat day” every week. Um, no.
This isn’t a diet—it’s my lifestyle. I’m not attached to food, especially not food that makes me feel terrible. And because of this, I’m healthier and happier than ever.
In my next blog, I’ll share the exciting part of my journey—how my hair started growing back and become healthy again. Trust me, it’s a story of resilience, patience, and discovering what truly works for my body. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this butterfly’s flight toward healing!
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