Autoimmune and leafy greens: problem or not?

[eRenee]

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, an autoimmune strand of hypothyroidism, over 7 years ago as a teenager, and have also been struggling with IBS for the past two-ish years.  I start my first Whole30 in a couple days, and am excited to follow the program!

 

Some of the research I  have done on my conditions, and various doctors have mentioned that sometimes greens like broccoli, spinach and kale, and seed-based oils can impair  thyroid function and/or absorption of thyroid medication.  And, yummy as I find them, these types of items has caused GI issues for me in the past.  However, I noticed that the greens aren't restricted on the auto-immune guidelines in the book, or the IBS/IBD section (if they're cooked).  I know that you can find every side of an opinion on the internet, so started to feel myself second guessing some of the original research I found that says to avoid these foods.  I'm also taking into account the fact that GI issue often do tend to get worse before they get better.

 

Looking for others who may have the same or similar conditions, and what their experiences were with foods they avoided and left in for their Whole30's.

 

Thank you in advance for your input!

[createdbyrisa]

I have autoimmune issues and have a hard time with greens such as kale, spinach. I tested them again recently and was sick within a half hour. My body just doesn't digest them...it's almost like they are a toxin to my body.

[Renee Lee]

Any sort of leafy green can be rough on the digestive system. Humans don't have a ton of enzymes to break down that stuff. They aren't restricted, even on the IBD protocol because they ARE healthy, and most of the time cooking the veggies mitigates the issue.

Some people are more broken & sensitive and they can't tolerate any, but because that's a smaller population, M&D didn't pull it out for everybody else, because it's still a healthy choice if you can tolerate it. If it's making you worse, obviously steer clear!

[missmary]

In addition to digestive distress, I would add that the veggies you mention are goitrogens, which can suppress thyroid function if eaten raw or fermented. Cooking them pretty much eliminates that issue.

 

Of course there are so many benefits to eating greens, that probably out-weighs the bad for the individuals who tolerate them. The case studies I've seen where people had severe Thyroid issues from these foods involved eating extremely large amounts of goitrogens in raw form. Personally, although I do have thyroid issues, I am happy to include some kale and broccoli and cabbage in my life, even raw, but I try to balance it with other non-goitrogenic greens (and other vegetables of course), and I do choose cultured carrots over sauerkraut 9 times out of 10 when eating fermented veg.

[Zoodles]

Goitrogenic foods like kale etc actually affect thyroid function by interfering with iodine uptake. Hashimoto's isn't related to low iodine, but in people who's thyroid function is already compromised, any deficit in iodine will definitely have an impact! So if you make sure you're getting lots of iodine in your diet, you should be able to enjoy normal amounts of greens . I have hashimoto's and haven't had a problem yet.

[praxisproject]

Green leafy veg can also be higher in pesticides, depending on where they come from. I ran out of organic broccoli and decided to get some conventional stuff as a top up from the local supermarket. It was very pretty but it made me feel really sick for quite a few days.

 

I find cabbage and cauliflower too rough for my insides if they're not well cooked. I like baby spinach much more than the regular kind.

[Ellie_G]

Some good info here http://www.thepaleomom.com/2013/12/veggiephobia.html