Thyroid cancer should eat and what to avoid?

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In addition to medical treatment, taking care and strengthening thyroid function with nutrition is also very necessary for patients with thyroid cancer. Let's find out what thyroid cancer patients should eat and what to avoid through the following article.

1. Foods Thyroid Cancer Patients Should Eat

1.1. Green Leafy Vegetables Spinach, lettuce and other green leafy vegetables are recommended for the thyroid cancer patient's diet. Because these vegetables are rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps promote thyroid metabolism. Symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches, or changes in heart rate can be signs that you're not getting enough magnesium in your diet.

1.2. Nuts Cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of magnesium, which is good for the thyroid. Nuts will provide the body with vegetable protein, zinc, copper, vitamins E, and B to help the thyroid gland function smoothly.
1.3. Seafood To have a healthy thyroid, seafood such as shrimp, fish, crab... will be the right choice for the diet for thyroid patients. Seafood contains many micronutrients such as iodine, zinc, vitamin B, omega -3... and those are substances that help the body's thyroid gland to be healthier.
1.4. Antioxidant vitamins and B vitamins Vitamins A, C and E are effective antioxidants that help eliminate thyroid damage. Pork, green leafy vegetables, chicken, eggs, legumes, shellfish, wheat germ, almonds, peas, whole grains,... are rich in B vitamins and need to be supplemented. in your diet for a healthy thyroid gland.
1.5. Zinc, copper and iron These are essential trace nutrients for optimal thyroid function. Zinc helps increase TSH levels. Copper is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. Iron helps the thyroid gland to function properly. Add foods like veal liver, mushrooms, radishes and spinach to your daily diet to ensure these minerals.
1.6. Iodine Human thyroid gland uses iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones, so providing enough iodine through daily meals helps the thyroid gland to function stably and reduce the formation of thyroid tumors. But not everyone adds enough iodine to their diet, especially those who live in high mountains far from the sea, the foods they use every day are very low in iodine. In addition, you can also eat algae, seaweed, ... which are rich in iodine. However, you also need to be aware, consuming too much iodine can cause thyroid problems such as causing thyroiditis which makes the symptoms worse.
1.7. Selenium This mineral is essential for the production and regulation of T3 levels. You should add more foods that are naturally rich in selenium such as snapper, tuna, beef liver, mushrooms, shrimp, fish and nuts.
1.8. Omega-3 These fatty acids help make cells sensitive to thyroid hormones. Get Omega-3 fatty acids by eating oily fish, sardines, salmon, flaxseeds, beef, halibut, soybeans, and shrimp.

2. Foods Thyroid Cancer Patients Should Avoid

2.1. Non-fermented soy products Certain compounds found in soy products such as soy milk and tofu can interfere with the thyroid's ability to make hormones. However, using fermented soy products such as miso or tempeh is very good. The reason is that soy reduces iodine absorption. If you have a hormone imbalance disease or a thyroid disorder, you should eat less or should not eat soy or tofu.
2.2. Cruciferous vegetables You should avoid cruciferous vegetables, because cruciferous vegetables such as kale, brussels sprouts, radishes contain a lot of isothiocyanates, which can interfere with the activities of the pituitary gland. Therefore, when eating this vegetable, you should boil it briefly to remove the above substances.
2.3. Ready-to-eat foods

This is the type of food that thyroid patients need to avoid. Because in processed foods often contain soybeans, empty calories or additives are not good for health. Especially in processed foods, they also contain high fat content, which will reduce the production of thyroxin by the thyroid gland, and even reduce the effect of hypothyroid medications.
2.4. Animal offal This is a highly recommended food for use in the breeding process. The manufacturer does not use chemicals or drugs on these animals, their meat is very clean. But if you eat animal organs such as kidneys, heart, liver, thyroid patients should note that there is a lot of lipoic acid in the viscera, if the body receives too much of this fatty acid, it can disrupt the thyroid gland's activity. Lipoic acid may also have an effect on many thyroid medications you are taking.
2.5. Gluten Foods Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley that affects the digestive system, specifically the intestinal tract. Gluten-containing products are usually bread, cookies, cakes, vegetarian dishes..., about 10% of the world's population is gluten intolerant, when eating these foods causes bloating, indigestion. diarrhea, stomach ache..... Modern consumer trends are shifting to gluten-free (gluten-free) products, which are beneficial to health. Because gluten triggers an auto-immune response, it may increase your risk of developing hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Scientists have proven that a gluten-free diet can help prevent thyroid diseases.
2.6. Avoid eating a lot of fiber and sugar Although fiber is good for the digestive system, eating a lot of fiber will prevent the absorption of drugs by the body. Patients should limit their intake of food, but should not completely eliminate it because this is an essential food for the digestive process. The same goes for sugar and sweeteners. When the thyroid gland is dysfunctional, it affects the conversion of sugar into energy, causing weight gain, affecting thyroid function.
2.7. Some notes about other foods

Many foods directly affect the absorption of thyroid medication. It can make the body absorb too quickly or too slowly, the patient needs to consult a doctor carefully to help increase the effectiveness of the treatment. You should not take hypothyroidism medication with calcium-rich foods such as milk, milk products or take it with calcium pills, this will reduce the effect of the drug. Doctors advise patients to drink milk at a time away from the time of taking thyroid medication. Coffee or other caffeinated beverages also reduce the effectiveness of thyroid medication because caffeine stimulates the digestive system, reducing the absorption of the drug. Thyroid patients should take the drug on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning and can eat breakfast about 1 hour later. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a screening service for thyroid diseases, helping to detect thyroid diseases early, including thyroid cancer for timely treatment. When registering for the package of screening and screening for thyroid diseases, customers will be examined and consulted with an Endocrinologist; Thyroid ultrasound; Screening tests for thyroid diseases: FT3, FT4, TSH, Anti – TPO, Anti TG; Return the results and consult with the doctor. For advice on service packages at Vinmec International General Hospital, please book an appointment on the website for service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.