Goitrogenic foods for Graves Disease. My story: by Margaret M., Australia

My name is Margaret, am 62 years young, mother of 4 terrific daughters, and I live in Australia in a rural countryside. Have been a medical pathology technologist for 20 years but have always done all sorts of creative art leading to having an art supplies and teaching shop till 4 years ago.

I haven’t conquered this condition as yet but do feel my best in 4 years. I want to thank Svetla Bankova very much for helping me to get there.

Well, no one wants to be hyperthyroid, but it has taught me such a lot about diet, food, illnesses, exercise etc… not necessarily related to having Graves’ disease. I would just like to state what I have done and experienced to date in case it is of any help to others.

I have been mostly very healthy in life till 4 years ago when came down with a extremely deliberating mystery disease…sciatica or shingles? All blood tests were OK, but just could not sit down for the pain in upper legs and just so exhausted. This has lessened over the years but not completely till this year when my naturopath put me onto fish oil.

Now I believe that I had started to become hyperthyroid 2 1/2 years ago when I began to lose weight. I thought it was an aging thing and my symptoms were part of getting older and thus weaker.

In December 2008 when having dental treatment became very ill and went to hospital outpatients and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Had all the symptoms, high blood pressure and T4, T3 and non-existent TSH, shakes, too many bowel movements, excruciating sinus and gum pain etc but luckily didn’t go into thyroid storm.

Well, it was a tough Christmas but with lots of lemon juice, honey garlic, onions, natural nasal decongestants finally got rid of this bronchitis type flu in a few weeks. I only mention this as another person with Graves’ disease on Svetla’s site underwent similar symptoms so I believe the sinus involvement could be part of having full blown hyperthyroidism.

I didn’t want to go on antibiotics as had with teeth. It’s never good for you and can lead to Yeast infections which could be a cause of Thyroid problems.

I had lost 10 kgs of weight and was on Atenolol for blood pressure and symptoms and Neo-mercazole for the thyroid. I use to sleep on five fluffy feather doonas as felt very bony.

It was all new to me, frightening. I knew nothing about it, but lots of support from my terrific hubby and daughters and read pleasant books (P.G.Wodehouse) and sat outside in the air and tried to keep calm.

As got a bit better, started to eat maybe all the wrong things like cream, cheese, a build-up drink ‘Ensure’ but put nearly all the weight back on in less than a month.

I was tired, not much energy but at least the weight gain was positive. I found that the Neo-mercazole affected my liver so I changed it to Propylthiouracil, but still liver results up. My doctor was concerned so he sent me to an endocrinologist who suggested Thyroidectomy or RAI treatment.

Well, knew nothing much about anything but didn’t like the suggestions so started to check out on the Internet and luckily came across Svetla’s site and other information. It gave me hope that there are other approaches to the disease.

I had started a small organic vegetable garden a year before that being inspired by reading “The Ringing Cedars of Russia” books by Vladimir Megre. Luckily had planted Goitrogenic foods for Graves disease and it was so restful to garden even when didn’t have much energy. Just seeing the green and being in the air was very beneficial.

(NB: Goitrogenic foods for Graves disease are foods that naturally inhibit the overproduction of thyroid hormone).

Following the suggestions in the Download books of Svetla’s, I began to do sprouting of organic seeds, also taking a liver tonic consisting of Milk Thistle (silybum marianum), Dandelion, Berberis, Globe artichoke etc. And I began also drinking Braggs organic Apple Cider Vinegar- only one to get as Organic, Raw, has magnesium, potassium and my liver results started to improve.

Now I only buy Organic produce and have also been to a naturopath who has put me on Bugleweed and Lemon balm etc for thyroid and the liver, Fish oil for the cell membranes. And as I said all the stinging in legs has gone, Multivitamins, Bilberry tablets 1200mg a day for my eyes- my eyes feel good, bathe them with chamomile tea and also saline drops soothing, but are still protruding and puffy underneath.

I also do the eye exercises each day that Svetla gives in her book and I do them when walking in the bush air- my eyes feel better in the open air. The naturopath also believes that there is mainly an underlining yeast (Candida) infection that can be the cause or product of an Auto-immune disease so am also on a Dairy/ Gluten/Sugar free diet– although I can have Goats milk/cheese and yogurt and I can have grain but not wheat or yeast.

I have decided to not have oats/barley or rye at moment so have the seeds. Rice, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth in bread and porridge. NOT Soybeans, because it has too much aluminum and female type estrogen in them.

To date 8 months later I have so much energy and I am walking really well etc. I do not take Atenolol (beta-blockers) anymore and I am on ½ (25mg) PTU tablet day and night . At moment my T4 is good but the T3 rising a bit and still the TSH is non-existent.

I came across a great book by an Australian doctor Dr Sandra Cabot. She writes lots of books with a holistic approach with a naturopath, does seminars and I went her website to buy her thyroid book ”Your Thyroid Problems Solved” (by Dr Sandra Cabot /Margaret Jasinska ND) “Holistic solutions to Improve your Thyroid”.

http://www.weightcontroldoctor.com.au/index.php?page=shop&subpage=cat1&id=97 ….

I found it very helpful regarding the symptoms to look out for, so you’ll know when your tablet dosage is too strong -such as itchy skin, headaches, goiter. I have been then able to with quite a few blood tests and regulate my dosage to stop me going too much into a hypothyroid state. Also she believes in the Dairy/Gluten free diet etc.

So I haven’t as yet conquer the disease, but as I said, I  have learnt so much about eating well, growing good food, milling my own grain/seeds, having the great vinegar and have passed on this information to other people so that in turn it has helped them to better health.

All best and keep positive…Margaret

Some great books I can suggest are:

1. “Life Manual for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism”. Svetla Bankova

2. “Your Thyroid Problems Solved” by Dr Sandra Cabot

3. “How I can grow and use SPROUTS as living food?” And also the Self-Sufficiency and Herb Books by Isabell Shipard

4. The Ringing Cedars of Russia- by Vladimir Megre

5. “The World’s Healthiest Foods” by George Mateljan. You can find it at Amazon.com