<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>



Avoid iodine!  This means to get salt without iodine.

I have been taking compounded T-3 and T-4 for more than 5 years now; it is compounded to my blood work.  You need both for hypothyroidism (all thyroid dysfunction is autoimmune, and if you have any form of it other than a tumor, you have celiac disease, according to my endocrinologist.  This is a little known fact, I had never heard this before recently).  Most docs will only give you the T-3, which I believe is Synthroid or Armour, but you need the T-4 too.   It's almost impossible to find it compounded without some other allergens in it, like lactose.  But my pharmacy here in Atlanta knows how to do it correctly, it has been a godsend. 

Eliminate the following foods from your diet:

    * Vitamins with iodine
    * Seafood (saltwater and freshwater fish and shellfish)
    * Iodized salt, sea salt
    * Canned foods: soups meats, sauces
    * Chocolate
    * Soy sauce
    * Processed meats: hotdogs, lunchmeats, bacon, ham, corned beef, sausage and canned meats.
    * Sauerkraut
    * Bread mixes, pancake and muffin mixes
    * Molasses
    * Food containing red dyes
    * Foods with “iodate” added

Restrict the following foods to a total of no more than two servings per day:

    * Milk
    * Yogurt
    * Ice cream
    * Non-dairy coffee creamer
    * Cheese
    * Eggnog

A few other guidelines

    * Remember that Low Iodine has nothing to do with low sodium. Sodium in any form is okay, as long as it is not provided as Iodized salt. Non-iodized salt is okay and easily purchased at grocery stores.
    * Salty foods like potato chips, pretzels popcorn, and nuts may have iodized salt in/on them.
    * Restaurant foods may use iodized salt.
    * Avoid additives such as carrageen, agar-agar, algin and alginate.
    * Turkey meats may have been injected with salted broth.
    * Commercial bakery products may have iodine-containing dough conditioners.
    * Vitamins and food supplements, especially those with minerals, usually contain iodine.
    * Red, orange or brown food dyes contain iodine and may be found in food, pills or capsules. The problem color is Red dye FD&C # 3 (erythrosine) only. FD&C Red #40 is okay. The problem is that most food labels do not specify which red dyes are used.
    * Chocolate – because it contains milk – contains some amount of iodine.
    * Limit soy products (soy sauce, soy milk, tofu.)

Fresh meats, poultry, vegetables and fruits are fine when prepared without any of the iodine-containing ingredients listed above. However, large amounts of spinach and broccoli may affect the way the body takes up iodine. Avoid canned foods and drinks; iodine is in cleaning agents used are some canning facilities. Consider taking a calcium supplement since dairy might be restricted; just avoid brands deriving calcium from oyster shell.

Contrast agents used in radiology may contain iodine. Iodine is used as a topical antiseptic. Avoid betadine soaps and shampoos. Check toiletry labels for Red dye #3.
LOW-IODINE SNACK SUGGESTIONS

    * Fresh fruit (not canned) – apples, grapes, bananas, melon, etc.
    * Applesauce (in a jar, not canned)
    * Raisins
    * Raw carrot sticks
    * Unsalted peanut butter (great with apple slices, carrot sticks, GF crackers and unsalted GF rice cakes)
    * Homemade popcorn
    * Unsalted nuts – pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc
    * Homemade (without salt) GF muffins or quick breads with honey or jelly (without red dye!)
    * Clear sodas like 7-Up and Sprite (in bottles rather than cans. Caramel-colored sodas may have red dye #3)
    * Sorbet (read label for red dye #3)

As always, choose the information that helps you and leave the rest! And remember that it is impossible – and perhaps not desirable - to completely eliminate all iodine intake. Please check with your physician. To simplify, remember that the three biggest sources are vitamins, seafoods, and iodized salt!

    *  Iodine can trigger eruptions in some people (with dermatitis herpetiformis). However, iodine is a essential nutrient and should not be removed from the diet without a physicians supervision.
    * Iodine does not contain gluten. Iodine can worsen the symptoms of skin lesions in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis.
    * When the deposits of IgA have been cleared from the skin over time by following a gluten free diet, iodine should no longer present any problem for dermatitis herpetiformis patients. 

As background, for those who are not familiar with Dermatitis Herpetiformis, the following description comes from a resource guide of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America:

    * Dermatitis herpetiformis (dermatitis herpetiformis) is a chronic disease of the skin marked by groups of watery, itch blisters. The ingestion of gluten (the proteins gliadin and prolamines contained in wheat, rye, oats, and barley) triggers an immune system response that deposits a substance, IgA (immonuglobin A), under the top layer of skin. IgA is present in affected as well as unaffected skin. dermatitis herpetiformis is a hereditary autoimmune disease linked with celiac disease. If you have dermatitis herpetiformis, you always have celiac disease. With dermatitis herpetiformis the primary lesion is on the skin rather than the small intestine. The degree of damage to the small intestine is often less severe or more patchy then those with only celiac disease. Both diseases are permanent and symptoms/ damage will occur after comsuming gluten. 

I have DH; I don't have thyroid issues; I do take lots of iodine.
 
John Zone MD of the University
of Utah in Salt Lake City and ask for a recommendation for a
dermatologist in their area.

http://www.celiac.com/articles/177/1/The-Gluten-Intolerance-Group-of-North-America-on-Iodine-and-Dermatitis-Herpetiformis/Page1.html

The best thing to do for low thyroid is to get a doctor's prescription
 for 
thyroid hormone.  There are many brands of bio-identical levothyroxine
 out 
there (synthroid & many generic brands other).

 had dh for over 30 years before diagnosis.  I went on the gf diet, stopped itching in 3 days but the rash did not totally clear up for several months.  Anyway, I did not avoid iodine and didn't notice that it stirred up the rash.


JAH
www.glutenfreeeugene.org


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