McCall McPherson argues that intermittent fasting can help people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's by preserving metabolic function, reducing inflammation that may lower autoimmune antibody activity, and easing digestive burden. Some patients have reached remission.
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My top reasons why you should be considering intermittent fasting if you have a thyroid problem like hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's and why you shouldn't believe the ridiculousness in medicine that perpetuates this idea that you can't. Number one, when you have a thyroid issue, you are at high risk for metabolic dysfunction. You'll gain weight. You can't lose weight appropriately. With effort you become pre diabetic. Your cholesterol will increase. Intermittent fasting allows people to maintain metabolic potency and not break down metabolism further, which is incredibly difficult to repair. Number two, intermittent fasting reduces inflammation. You know what drives autoimmune diseases? Inflammation. So if you want to make a positive impact on your Hashimoto's antibodies, you want them to reduce intermittent fast. I've seen patients literally go into remission for their Hashimoto's due to intermittent fasting. It is massive for influencing your level of inflammation. Number three is the compare and contrast the risk versus the benefit of intermittent fasting with a thyroid and adrenal issue, etc. People say oh well, it stresses your body. It stresses your body, sure. You know what also stresses your body? Constantly trying to deal with the aftermath of dealing with food. The inflammation from food, the digestion, the breakdown, the excretion. Your body is constantly playing catch up. If you never give it a break, it can never dive deep to actually heal issues in your physiology because it's too busy dealing with the current state of food. You have to give your body a break to do that. Does that potentially raise a little bit of your cortisol? Sure. Not nearly as much as chronic inflammation because your body can never again calm that inflammatory response because you always have exposure to food. Everything in medicine is risk versus benefit. Hands down, this is worth the trade off.
