HEALTHY THYROID LADY - MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY - DAY TWO

Healthy Recipe at the bottom of the page

I am sure you are familiar with sweeteners like caramel, molasses, and high-fructose corn syrup but what about HFCS 42, HSH, and Jaggary. They are sugars,imbedded in the foods we eat and I am quite sure it is main reason why I felt yucky on day two of this 10-day detox.

All day I thought to myself, why do I feel so bad, I have made significant dietary changes since my thyroid disease diagnosis, therefore, I considered it to be pretty good – at least that is what I thought - until my health coach explained to me about the many hidden sugars lurking in our food. I was never a staunch label reader while grocery shopping, my health coach, Gretchen advised that if I want to lose weight and keep it off, mindful shopping/eating is what will garner success. She sent me a list of what to look for on labels. Now that I am armed with this list (see below), I will think twice before purchasing.  

For example, one of my favorite Paul Newman salad dressings contains sugar and the sugar is pretty high on the list of ingredients. The yummy gluten free crackers that I have purchased many times at my local “health” food store has various types of sugars in it. Add this all up and it equals to me not wanting to get off the couch today and the stubborn weight I have kept on for years.

Here is the list of sugars in food – So now, when you see HFCS 42, HSH or Jaggery, you will know this is sugar – Ya gotta know who your enemy is ( :

Agave nectar

Agave Syrup

All Natural evaporated cane juice

Amasake

Amber liquid sugar

Anhydrous dextrose

Apple butter

Apple sugar

Arenga Sugar

Bakers Special sugar

Barbados sugar

Barley malt

Bar sugar

Berry sugar

Beet molasses

Beet sugar

Beet syrup

Blonde coconut sugar

Brown rice syrup

Brown sugar

Buttered syrup

Candy floss

Cane crystals

Cane juice

Cane juice crystals

Cane juice powder

Cane sugar

Caramel

Carob syrup

Caster sugar

Castorsugar

Cellobiose

Chicory

Coarse sugar

Coconut palm sugar

Coconut sap sugar

Coconut sugar

Coconut syrup

Coco sugar

Coco sap sugar

Concentrate juice

Concord grape juice

Confectioner’s sugar

Corn sugar

Corn syrup

Corn syrup solids

Corn sweetener

Cornsweet 90

Creamed honey

Crystal dextrose

Crystalline fructose

Crystallized organic cane juice

D-arabino-hexulose

Dark brown suar

Dark molasses

Date sugar

Decorating sugar

Dehydrated sugar

Cane sugar

Demerara sugar

Dextrin

Dextran

Dextrose

D-frutose

D-fructofuranose

Diastatic malt

Diatase

Disaccharide

Dixie crystals

D-mannose

Dried evaporated organic cane juice

D-xylose

ECJ

Evaporated organic can juice

Evaporated corn sweetener

Ethyl maltol

First molasses

Florida crystals

Free flowing

Free flowing brown sugar

Fructamyl

Fructose

Fructose crystals

Fructose sweetener

Fruit fructose

Fruit juice

Fruit juice concentrate

Fruit sugar

Fruit syrup

Galactose

Glucodry

Glucomalt

Glucoplus

Glucose

Glucose-fructose

Glucose solids

Glucosweet

Gluctose fructose

Golden molasses

Golden sugar

Golden syrup

Gomme syrup

Granulated fructose

Granulated sugar

Granulated sugar cane juice

Grape sugar

Grape juice concentrate

Gur

HFCS 42

HFCS 55

High Dextrose glucose syrup

High-Fructose corn syrup

High-Fructose maize syrup

High maltose corn syrup

Hydrogenated starch

Hydrogenated starch hydrosylate

Hydrolyzed corn starch

Honey

Honey comb

HSH

Icing sugar

Inulin HFCS

Invert sugar

Inverted sugar syrup

Invert syrup

Isoglucose

Isomalt

Isomaltotriose

Isosweet

Jaggery

Jaggery powder

Lacitol

Lactose

Levulose

Lesys

Light brown sugar

Light Molasses

Liquid molasses

Liquid dextrose

Liquid fructose

Liquid fructose syrup

Liquid honey

Liquid maltodextrin

Liquid sucrose

Liquid sugar maize syrup

Maldex

Maldexel

Malt

Malted barley syrup

Malted corn syrup

Malted corn and barley syrup

Malted barley

Maltitol

Maltitol syrup

Malitsorb

Maltisweet

Maltisweet

Maltodextrin

Maltose

Maltortritiol

Maltotriose

Maltotriulose

Malt syrup

Mannitol

Maple sugar

Maple syrup

Meritose

Meritab 700

Misri

Mizuame

Molasses

Monosaccharide

Muscovado sugar

Mycose

Mylose

Nigertriose

Oligosaccharride

Organic agave syrup

Organic brown rice syrup

Organic cane juice crystals

Organic coconut palm sugar

Organic sucanat

Organic sugar

Organic raw sugar

Orgeat syrup

Palm sugar

Palm syrup

Panela

Pancake syrup

Panocha

Pearl sugar

Piloncillo

Potato maltodextrine

Powdered sugar

Promitor

Pure can syrup

Pure sugar spun

Raisin syrup

Rapadura

Raw agave syrup

Raw sugar

Raffinose

Refiner’s syrup

Rice maltrodextrine

Rice syrup

Rice syrup solids

Raw honey

Rock sugar

Saccharose

Sanding sugar

Second molasses

Shakar

Simple syrup

Sirodex

Soluble corn fiber

Sorbitol

Sorbitol syrup

Sorghum

Sorghum molasses

Sorghum syrup

Sucanat

Sucre de canne naturel

Sucrose

Sucrosweet

Sugar

Sugar beet syrup

Sugar beet crystals

Sugar cane juice

Sugar cane natural

Sugar hat

Sulfured molasses

Sweetened condensed mil

Sweet sorghum syrup

Syrup syrup

Table sugar

Tagatose

Treacle

Trehalose

 Tremalose

Trimoline

Triose

Trisaccharides

Turbinado sugar

Unrefined sugar

Unsuphured molasses

White crystal sugar

White grape juice concentrate

White sugar

Wood sugar

Xylose

Yellow sugar

 

Whew, I’m out of breathe, I guess this is the reason dieticians say, “If it has more than 5 ingredients. DON’T EAT IT.”

Healthy Thyroid Lady

Striving for healthy.

Tonight’s dinner:

 

 

Turkey meatballs and tomato sauce over zucchini squash

Turkey meatballs

I made the turkey meatballs by combining the turkey with chopped pecans (very fine used a mallet), basil, garlic and egg. Pan fried in olive oil.

Tomato sauce

Four vine ripened tomatoes

Half of an onion

About 2 cups of Low-sodium chicken broth

Fresh Basil and oregano

About 2 tablespoons of minced garlic

About 5 blueberries

About 5 raspberries

About 10 small walnut pieces

Cooked all in a pot for about 1 ½  hours on low then mixed in the food processor. Returned ingredients to pot and cooked for about another 30 minutes.

Zucchini

Peeled zucchini. Put the zucchini in the veggetti. Put the spiraled zucchini in a small amount of boiling low-sodium chicken broth for a few minutes, then pour zucchini in strainer.

This is a yummy dish

TO GLUTEN OR NOT TO GLUTEN?

TO GLUTEN OR NOT TO GLUTEN?

This is the food-related question of the decade it seems…

A better question might be; just why have we been asking that question over the past several years? Why is it such an issue now? Cuz, I’m pretty sure my parents and their parents didn’t chew over that six-letter word back in the day.

Ahhhh…What it must have been like to enjoy food without thinking about what you were eating…I bet those were the good ol’days.

OK, since we are asking questions...What is gluten?

Gluten is a simple protein found in wheat, barley and rye, for example pasta, bread, pizza, cookies, cakes, etc. (Please note, the foods mentioned above are now made available in many gluten free varieties).

The various conditions/diseases associated with gluten are:

Celiac or Coeliac’s (Sprue) disease
Gluten Sensitivity
Gluten Intolerance


I was tested for Celiac’s, but the test came back negative, although my doctor said I might be gluten sensitive or intolerant…so I gave up the stuff…well not completely, I would estimate my diet is 80-90 percent gluten-free. And boy could I tell a big difference after changing my diet! If what my body was experiencing while eating gluten was just “intolerance”, God help those poor souls who actually have the disease.

But I get sidetracked…where was I…oh yes…Why does it seem more people are experiencing this aversion to gluten? Many say it is because our current food source containing wheat, barley and rye has been genetically modified with an exorbitant amount of gluten. The food of today seems to be tainted with more gluten than what our bodies can handle...therefore, growing up, our parents lived in an era where they did not have to worry about any possible poisonous proteins. I am not sure if the over glutenous wheat theory is accurate. I am sure however, genetically modified or not, cutting back on my intake of gluten has made a huge improvement in my overall health.

Including the varieties I've already mentioned, FOOD is a pretty big deal to most of us, so, my dear thyroidians the difficult question still remains – To gluten or not to gluten? Good luck on your decision.

Love

The Crazy Thyroid Lady

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE

This week’s blog is dedicated to those who suffer from one or more autoimmune diseases. I take my hat off to you! Having to endure the daily struggles of your respective invisible illness is truly a heroic feat, and in my opinion, there should be a national holiday dedicated to you.

Some well-known AD’s are:

•Crohn’s disease
•Celiac disease
•Endometriosis
•Fibromyalgia
•Graves’ Disease
•Hashimoto’s
•Lupus
•Multiple Sclerosis
•Myasthenia Gravis
•Myositis
•Polymyositis
•Psoriasis
•Rheumatoid Arthritis
•Scleroderma
•Sjogren’s Syndrome
•Type 1 Diabetes
•Vitiligo

Not only are you a hero, but you are also the foremost leading expert of autoimmune disease because you are living it! Seriously, YOU are the leading expert! Because the other “experts” don’t know how it is acquired, how to cure it, how to control it, or in some cases, how to treat them.

In the meantime, until the scientific and medical community finally catches up to our expertise, it may be a good idea to stay away from foods that lower our immune system, so that we can stay on top of our game.

SOME FOODS THAT LOWER IMMUNITY

1.SODAS
2.SUGAR
3.DEEP FRIED FOODS
4.PROCESSED FOODS
5.CAFFEINE (LOOKS AROUND…WHO SAID THAT?)

SOME FOODS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY

1. YOGURT
2. GARLIC
3. TEA –GREEN OR BLACK-NO CAFFEINE
4. FISH
5. SWEET POTATOES

SOME VITAMINS AND MINERALS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY

1. VITAMIN C
2. VITAMIN D
3. ZINC
4. IRON
5. COPPER

***Please note: check with your MD before taking any vitamins or minerals as they can interfere with other medications.

I am a klutz! I run into anything on a regular…chairs, tables, walls, people…I don’t really have a preference as to who or what I bump into. I have bruises on my arms and legs quite often. Before I started eating healthier and increasing my vitamin and mineral intake, I used to carry bruises on my body for six months or longer! Now they are gone in about a week. My body is doing what it is supposed to do. Finally…it is about time!

The Crazy Thyroid Lady

RAGING HORMONES

Spring is in the air. Flowers are blooming, the sun is making a brighter, longer appearance. Summer will be here soon. Thus, it is time for me to think about the bright side of having thyroid disease.

I once heard someone say that thyroid disease is a “hormonal” disease. Hmmmm I wonder if this is why I’m the only one in the family who truly understands my teenage son, because after all, the teenage years are a “hormonal disease“ as well… who is with me on that?!

It's like we speak, the same language or something.

Getting along with my teenager is definitely a plus! Another great benefit is that once upon a time I was socially inept, but now, after thyroid disease not only can I relate to teens, I can converse with menopausal and pregnant women. However, I can only interact with a pregnant woman for about 2 hours then things turn ugly.

I've got wacky and wild hormones gyrating, pumping, and…uh-whatever else hormones do-all throughout my body. This automatically places me with the “in” crowd. Yea!

How did I get so hip? Many theories abound about how severe hormonal diseases occur...

I do kid, but hormonal imbalance of any kind is serious business, it can cause a myriad of issues like thyroid disease, diabetes and some cancers. Many believe that this hormonal imbalance stems from years of ingesting excess hormones found in red meat, dairy products and eggs (to name a few). Not only are hormones eaten, but there are also chemical herbicides and pesticides that are hormone mimicking, and considered to be endocrine disrupters.

Various research institutes, universities, environmental protection organizations and concerned citizens believe the slow process of ingesting and inhaling hormones have caused the rise of illnesses over the past decades.

I am not sure if this contributed to my hormonal disease, but I do know that I can hang out with my son and his teenage buds anytime I want…hmmm where did he go, he was supposed to wait for me???

Crazy Thyroid Lady

Many experts believe that getting too much of a certain hormone can throw other hormones out of balance, perpetuating the hormonal disease we see today.

Below is a list of some well-known human hormones (not an exhaustive list) and their role in the body. I've also listed what they effect. If you are having serious issues in these areas, it may be a good idea to get your hormone levels checked.