Hypothyroid Diet | Miss Lizzy Thyroid Support

Salt Cravings Could be a Sign of Adrenal Fatigue

Understand the Salt Craving

Recently someone asked about how to handle cravings for foods like pizza, mac and cheese, and nachos. Being hypothyroid and often inflammation many patients have difficulty eating simple carbohydrates and flour. Consequently when we have cravings meals can be especially challenging if we haven’t prepared in advance.

Maybe what you didn’t know is that cravings for foods likes pizza, french friends and nachos can actually be a craving for salt. Craving salt can actually be indicator of adrenal stress. According to James L. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue, some people are able to assess their adrenal strength simply by their salt cravings. For people with adrenal fatigue, like me, salt is good for us. Learn more about salt. However its important to use good salt.

Curb the Salt Craving Before Reaching for Salty Foods

When I am craving salty foods I can quickly curb the craving, while also eating healthy, by having a cup of chicken broth or drinking a glass of lightly salted water. As James L. Wilson suggets, salted water can help boost energy in the morning and before the mid-afternoon energy crash which is caused by low cortisol. Typically when I make salted water I used 1/4 tsp, or to taste of good salt like Redmond’s Real Salt.

If the salted water tastes bad, or makes you nauseated, Wilson explains this reaction is a good indicator you don’t need the salt or just need less salt. But if the salted water tastes good that’s how you know you need the salt.

Another solution for salt cravings is to make a cup of chicken broth. This is a low calorie snack that is filling, satisfies the salt cravings and also can help support adrenal strength.

Chicken Broth Can Satisfy The Salt Craving

For chicken broth, I use a product called Better Than Bouillon which I learned about in a cooking class.

The instructor said Better Than Bouillion was a great alternative to homemage chicken broth because its made with real ingrediants and doesn’t have MSG. Plus tastes amazing.

Better Than Bouillion is condensed, so I mix about a teaspon into hot water for an afternoon or after dinner snack that’s filling and satisfying.

Better Than Bouillon is more expensive the other chicken broth however the taste difference is worth to cost of about $5.95. A little jar lasts a long time and its much less expensive than ordering a pizza.

Next time you find yourself craving salty foods, see if these tricks help curb the craving.

Foods for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue

Miss Lizzy

Eating healthy with hypothyroidism can be a challenge. Many people have inflammation which means food allergies or sensitivities to gluten, carbohydrates and sugar. In addition, people with hypothyroidism are advised to avoid cruciferous vegetables because they can inhibit thyroid function and iodine uptake ¹. Here are the food items I like to keep in my fridge and pantry or buy for special meals.

Fruits

Apples
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Peaches
Lemons
Limes

Vegetables

Green Beans
Corn (Frozen is okay)
Peas (Frozen is okay)
Red Peppers
Green Peppers
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Asparagus (seasonally)
Artichokes (seasonally)
Lettuce
White or Sweet Potatoes
Onion

Herbs (Fresh are better)

Chives or Scallions
Rosemary
Thyme
Garlic

Canned or Jar Goods

Jelly sweetened with Fruit Juice
Natural Peanut Butter
Canned Tomotoes (crushed or whole plum)
Tomato Paste
Sundried Tomatoes
Fresh Olives
Kidney Beans
Red Beans
Black Beans

Meat

85% Ground Chuck Hamburger
Ground Buffalo (mixed with the 85% for flavor with less fat)
Ham (Thick Cut for Chunks)
Italian Sausage
Bacon
Chicken Breast (Note: Try buying split breasts and debone yourself. It’s easy to debone and costs half the price of boneless)

Dairy

Whole Milk Yogurt
Whole Milk Sour Cream
Whole Milk, or Raw Milk if you can find it
Half and Half
Heavy Cream
Kerrygold Butter
Omega 3 Eggs or Farm Raised Local Eggs
Cheddar Cheese
Harvarti
Any speciality cheese that’s on sale and looks great

Nuts & Dried Fruit

Sliced Almonds
Roasted and Salted Cashews
Dried Dates
Raisins

Other

Redmond’s Real Salt
Kal’s Liquid Stevia
Truvia
Cinnamon
Better than Bouillon Chicken Stock

Image source: http://www.portagewibid.org/farmers-market/

Notes:

https://wellnessmama.com/37222/thyroid-problems-cruciferous-vegetables/ ↩

Benefits of Salt for Adrenal Fatigue

Miss Lizzy

According to James Wilson author of Adrenal Fatigue, salt craving is a common symptom for all stages of adrenal fatique. Sadly our salt-phobic society has deprived millions of people the very nutrient needed to decrease adrenal fatigue symptoms and increase recovery. For people with high blood pressure salt can be an issue but since low blood pressure is one of the common symptoms of adrenal fatigue salt may greatly benefit adrenal sufferers. Wilson says unless you are one of the rare people with adrenal fatigue and high blood pressure, go ahead and salt your food.

But salt is not created equally. Stop the Thyroid Madness says sea salt contains important trace minerals, that are mostly removed from table salt. Recom mended daily amounts of sea salt are 1/4 to 1/2 tsp in water twice a day for Aldosterone and Adrenal Fatigue.

Health reasons aside, sea salt just tastes better. After following a very specific eating program it’s really important to me that my food tastes good. And for me that means good salt! To understand the difference, take the taste test challenge. Buy some sea salt (I like Real Sea Salt and Celtic Sea Salt) and compare to regular table salt. You will never go back to plain table salt.

Not all salts are iodized and the iodine in salt may not be enough.

J.Crow’s® Lugol’s Solution of Iodine

The Secret Message Behind Chocolate Cravings

Miss Lizzy

Did you know craving chocolate, especially during PMS, can actually be sign of low magnesium? According to James L. Wilson, Ph.D., author of Adrenal Fatigue , magnesium helps mediate the symptoms of PMS because it is is directly involved with the production of progesterone. Since chocolate contains high levels of magnesium, craving chocolate is the body’s way of getting the supplements it needs. Its incredible how smart our bodies are!

The down side of course is caffeine which, if you have Adrenal Fatigue, overstimulates an already exhausted system. The solution, according to Wilson, is to let the chocolate cravings be a reminder to take more magnesium. He recommends 400 MG of magnesium a day, either all month long for severe PMS suffers, or for milder cases of PMS from Day 12 or 14 of your cycle (until the first day of the next cycle).

Within two weeks of starting magnesium supplementation, Wilson says cravings for chocolate should disappear (or be negligible). If you are still craving chocolate this likely means more magnesium is needed.

Magnesium can be found in foods such as almonds, cashews, other nuts and peas. And if you are following the HypoT Girl’s Diet with me, then you should be getting lots of magnesium from eating nuts all day. I rarely crave chocolate anymore, so there must be something to this stuff!

xxoo

Lizzy

Could Salt Cravings be an Indicator of Stress?

Miss Lizzy

Remember all the talk about how salt is so bad for our health? And the low-sodium, flavor-less diets that ensued? For years I ate bland, tasteless meals thinking I was doing the healthy thing.

But get this: For people with Adrenal Fatigue salt is actually good for us! According to EIR, Sodium is an essential nutrient for fluid balance which in turn affects Cortisol and Aldosterone. Low sodium contributes to a range of related Adrenal Fatigue conditions including low-pressure and fatigue (which I totally have).

According to James L. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, some people are able to assess their adrenal function simply by their desire for salt, as in salt cravings. See, our bodies are pretty smart.

Boosting Energy

Wilson suggests to boost energy in the morning and before the mid-afternoon crash, drink salted water (1/8 – 1/4 tsp., more or less to taste).

If the salted water tastes bad, or makes you nauseated its a good indicator you don’t need it or need less salt. But if the salted water tastes good that’s how you know you need the salt.

Salt Quality

The quality and taste of the salt is a really important detail Table salt is wretched stuff, even Kosher Salt tastes a little yucky to me now. Instead, I use the brands Real Sea Salt and Celtic Sea Salt which can be purchased online, at Whole Foods, or many health food stores.

These brands cost more than table salt so be prepared for sticker shock. But the best way to understand the difference is doing a taste-test against regular old table salt (the caveat: be forewarned, you will never go back to Morton’s). For the taste and nutritional value, I think good salt is worth the expense.

So next time you have a craving for salt, grab that shaker with confidence! Your body could be telling you something.