The Thyroid Reset Diet: Reverse Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Symptoms with a Proven Iodine-Balancing Plan

by Alan Christianson

A surprising new plan to reverse the symptoms of thyroid disease by reducing excess dietary iodine, from integrative physician and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Alan Christianson.

“The most innovative treatment plan around.”—JJ Virgin, New York Times bestselling author, celebrity nutrition expert, and Fitness Hall of Famer

Though the thyroid gland is small, it produces hormones that control the rate of nearly every chemical reaction in the body—turning food into energy, controlling the rate of tissue growth, stimulating the activity of other hormones, and much more. An estimated twenty million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, and up to 60 percent of them are unaware of their condition. Depending on the type and severity of the thyroid disease, symptoms can range from weight gain and fatigue to hair thinning and memory loss.

In The Thyroid Reset Diet , Dr. Alan Christianson helps readers reverse chronic thyroid diseases like hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis with nothing more than dietary the reduction of iodine intake. Backed by new research showing that proper dietary iodine intake can start to reverse thyroid disease in as little as four weeks, his diet plan contains the optimal amount of iron and dietary iodine to control thyroid hormones, effectively resetting the thyroid.

Instead of following a restrictive diet for thyroid health, The Thyroid Reset Diet does not require eliminating any food category. Instead, Dr. Christianson recommends food swaps like brown rice instead of processed bread to regulate iodine intake. He shares the latest on supplements and other thyroid health strategies, along with more than sixty-five recipes, weekly meal plans, and maintenance info. His cutting-edge research and clear results, coupled with an easy-to-follow diet plan, will help anyone struggling with thyroid disease.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Diets, Nutrition, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

Published January 19, 2021

About the author

Dr Alan Christianson, NMD, is a naturopathic medical doctor who specializes in natural endocrinology with a focus on thyroid disorders. He founded Integrative Health, a physician group dedicated to helping people with thyroid disease and weight-loss resistance regain their health.

Reviews

[Norma ~ The Sisters * I can like but not comment 🤷🏻‍♀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had thyroid issues for going on 40 years now, being diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease at a very young age. I was 13 years old.

Very interesting and useful read that I will definitely be implementing some of the recommended changes to my diet to see if any of the recommendations will help with my symptoms. Pretty much I am used to feeling the way that I do and if I'm able to make one tiny change I'm all for it.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thyroid Reset Diet provides a new dietary method useful in preventing and battling hypothyroidism, specifically Hashimoto's. After analyzing data from test-tube studies, epidemiological studies, and interventional trials, Dr. Christianson himself was surprised to find that the results ran contrary to everything we have previously been told. Since results led to the conclusion that too much iodine shuts down the thyroid, the thyroid-reset diet aims to regulate iodine intake in an effort to reverse or prevent thyroid disease. This book is much more scientific than many other diet plan books and the author stresses that it is to be used in conjunction with your doctor, that there is no guarantee that the plan will work, and that the diet will not help everyone. At first, the diet seems simple enough. It promises a nutritionally complete diet with no food category restrictions. While that is true, dairy and egg yolks along with any processed foods are forbidden especially in the first three months. This becomes difficult when you realize that even bread is a processed food and that egg yolks are in many more items than you would expect. Bread is allowed on this diet but only if you make it yourself and can control what goes into it. Results also take a minimum of 28 days and this is a plan that must be followed forever in order to maintain results. Foods are grouped into green light, yellow light, and red light categories. Only green light foods are permissible in the beginning with one or two servings of yellow light foods allowable in the maintenance phase. I found it interesting that soy sauce was a green light item indicating that high sodium foods are not necessarily the same as high iodine foods. In addition to food, this book helps you identify and eliminate hidden sources of iodine in cosmetics and body care products, vitamins and supplements, and medications. Sample meal plans and many recipes are included. I appreciate the fact that with each recipe the author includes steps to take in order to make the recipes gluten free, vegan, or AIP (autoimmune protocol) approved. I also appreciate the doctor's honesty in terms of results. However, I am always leery when someone suggests removing items from your diet only to recommend their own personal brand of supplements which is the case here. All in all, this appears to be a plan that could offer relief to those suffering from hypothyroidism (the plan is not recommended for those with hyperthyroidism). This book is also a good way to learn how to lower your consumption of iodine keeping in mind that the goal is to reduce iodine but never to eliminate it entirely.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamice Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was diagnosed with hypothyroidism during pregnancy and sequentially afterwards I find this book fascinating. I’ve always heard about not having too much iodine but I didn’t know the science behind it. I love how this book gives a lot of scientific background information but gives real life stories too. The balance between those too makes it more real life instead of reading a peer edited research paper. The process is not as bad as I thought it would be but I’m only one week into the diet. I do have more energy but it will be interesting to see how my number are at my next doctors visit and maybe we can lower the dosage I have to take. I feel like anyone who has hypothyroidism can do the diet and hopefully we will all have good results.

[Beverly Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person with hypothyroidism I was much encouraged after reading Dr. Alan Christianson’s book, The Thyroid Reset Diet.
It dives deeply into how to understand what your thyroid does and how to help make it work better for you.
It includes a very well explained diet, including the recipes with as much flavor as you could ever want and includes alternatives to adjust for other diet needs.
It includes a 4 week pantry list of items needed for each week of the reset diet too. That is most helpful.
I’m going to sail off on The Thyroid Reset Diet. Wish me luck!

[Exina]

It seems iodine is the culprit for hypothyroidism – too much iodine, actually. The book provides a diet that – with the ideal amount of iodine – can reverse thyroid disease.

Detailed scientific background information, case studies, weekly meal plans, shopping list, and maintenance info.

No rating because this type of cuisine is so not for me.

[Ross Sundberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this addressed the arguments put forward by iodine advocates to push the conversation forward. All it did is reiterate the literature that found problems with iodine supplementation without addressing the fact that none of them control for selenium. Iodine advocates address this. Alan basically just said they are wrong without saying why. He mentioned that tsh goes down when iodine is limited and up when it’s supplemented. This is well known, often tsh goes up with iodine supplementation without it affecting t4 and it’s transient. He also never addressed the ideas put forward by people like Eric Balcavage, which I realize is likely because his book came out later, but the ideas around cellular hypothyroidism were still out before the book. I am newly diagnosed with hashimotos, subclinical hypothyroidism and didn’t find I really learned anything here. Alan might be correct but he didn’t address the strongest counter arguments out there.

[Courtney Kenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets right to the point. Straight talk about how to heal your thyroid and what to eat.

I learned so much about iodine. I never knew it was hidden in so many foods, products, and supplements. IN MAKEUP!! You better believe I will be checking the products I use from now on.

SIMPLE nutrition changes. If you take away nothing else, switch to kosher salt (p. 91).

This works for people who are vegan, gluten-free, and paleo.

Quick Start Guide on page 104. Love it!

[Linda]

This is a great read for those with thyroid issues. I found this very informative and eye-opening. I’m interested to see if making any of these dietary changes will make a difference in how I feel. However, I do feel the “reset diet” will be close to impossible to maintain, for me, anyway. I plan on making smaller, more gradual changes. So many people in this country have thyroid issues (diagnosed or undiagnosed). It makes sense our diet and food processing is a major factor. Perhaps if this science gains ground, we will one day see an “iodine free” section in the grocery store.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Dr. Christianson for almost two years and my health has greatly improved since following his suggestion to stay low iodine. But this book really clarifies the issues and how to implement staying low iodine in daily life. I plan to follow the diet and recipes laid out in this book as it looks doable now.

[Laryssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful information

This book was informative and to the point. This can help a person begin to unpack thyroid complications and go to medical appointments with appropriate information to create a plan of care.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely gave me a lot to think about concerning the thyroid and my iodine intake!

[Kimberly Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thyroid Reset Diet by Dr. Christianson presents a plan to reverse the symptoms of thyroid disease, an illness suffered by many individuals, worldwide. Many people do not realize the devastating effects on our health, this tiny small gland can have. Some of these include weight gain, fatigue, memory issues, hair loss, and memory loss. Many of these symptoms including increased weight gain also put us at risk of other health complications including heart disease, stroke, and/or heart attack. It is imperative to treat the root of your problem, the thyroid. This book includes an easy to follow plan including food lists, menus, and recipes. There is also flexibility offered in order to allow you to add your own likes/dislikes to the diet with guidelines being offered based upon mcg of iodine per serving. After implementing the proposed diet, a maintenance phase is also introduced and thoroughly explained, with options provided for restaurant eating as well. I highly recommend this thorough, easy to follow book for anyone needing to change their diet due to thyroid issues. Even if you have not yet been diagnosed with thyroid disease, if you have some of these alarming symptoms, you can implement this diet to see if your life is changed in a positive manner. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing an advance copy for my honest review. I highly recommend this book.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s I read everything I can about the thyroid. This is the first iodine based research I have read concerning the low thyroid functions. I found it very interesting and am willing to try it.

What did I like? The book goes into a huge depth of detail that you may need to read and bring to your doctors attention before trying. I am experiencing nodules on the thyroid so I may be too advanced to try this diet. I’m willing to try even with the little time I have before it’s removal. Author gives you a list of iodine free foods to eat in order to try to reset your thyroid. I glanced at the recipes but I’d rather formulate a menu based on the food lists.

Would I recommend or buy? I’ve already recommended this to several people I know with hypothyroidism and it is worth a shot. Anything to get rid of the horrible symptoms of thyroid disease. Kudos to the doctor for helping those suffering from these symptoms by voicing this book!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thyroid Reset Diet by

9780593137062

154 Pages
Publisher: Rodale Books
Release Date: January 19, 2021

Nonfiction, Health, Mind & Body

The book has nine chapters.

Chapter 1: The Thyroid Dilemma
Chapter 2: Your Thyroid Might Surprise You
Chapter 3: The #1 Cause of Thyroid Disease
Chapter 4: Invisible Iodine
Chapter 5: The Thyroid Reset Diet
Chapter 6: The Maintenance Phase
Chapter 7: Food Lists and Meal Assembly
Chapter 8: Menu Plans and Recipes
Chapter 9: FAQ

There are shopping lists included at the back of the book. After reading this book, I went through my pantry and started replacing red light and yellow light foods. I was not aware of how little iodine the body needs. I actually got out a bag of lentils to see the size of a lentil. I was sad to see that cod and haddock were listed as red light foods. The menus and recipes are easy to follow and use easily to find ingredients. If you have thyroid disease or an underactive thyroid, I recommend this book to you. It has a lot of value.

[Danny Ocean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to better understand my wife’s thyroid condition and look into a possible way to fix it. I’m excited to have her try the reset diet to see if she responds well to it.

The book is very detailed about the function of the thyroid and the causes of thyroid issues. The author uses some great analogies to simplify these otherwise complex topics into a digestible form. This book gets 5 stars just for this and if it really does help with my wife’s thyroid it’d be deserving of even more.

I listened to the audiobook but already ordered a hard cover for easier reference to the science and food lists the Dr. provides.


Personal anecdote:
We’ve tried many cleanses, elimination diets and other keto and intermittent fasting techniques to lose weight. My body responded well to these but understandably hers did not respond as well because of her hypothyroidism. I’m hoping that this will be the one that really helps her and the potential to her off of her thyroid meds altogether is quite fascinating.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a woman who has had a total thyroidectomy as a result of a huge goiter due to Hashimotos, I found the information provided in this book very interesting. I have tried other diets to help thyroid function including AIP, gluten free,etc but I had never heard of this being a factor.
This is written in easy to understand language and the recipe sounds good without being super complex.

[Kristine Braley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information about hidden sources of high amounts of iodine which makes thyroids sick, but the diet includes canola oil and hydrogenated vegan “butters” which are known to cause severe inflammation in the body and exacerbate or being on insulin resistance and should be avoided especially if suffering from autoimmunity issues.

[Janelle Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a friend who saw tremendous success with this method. It's thought-provoking for sure. I did a very quick fact check on his main claims, and currently accepted medical research backs it up. Definitely worth taking a look at if you struggle with hypothyroidism.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not get it

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unrealistic and unaffordable.

[Christina A. Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think he may be on to something with iodine contributing to hashimotos and Graves diseases. My iodine consumption was way higher than I thought, so I am paring that back to a minimal level. My multi and especially my "Thyro Kick" thyroid supplement alone were at toxic levels! My NDT is compounded, but there is undoubtedly some tn there too. We'll see what happens.

As for his dietary recommendations, there is no way I will substitute fake food for real food. Nut, seed, or oat "milk" isnt milk, for example. I got in touch with my local raw milk farmer, who assured me that her cows get no fish meal or kelp, nor does she sanitize udders with iodine. I continue to use it. My eggs are from Angel Acres, initially for low pufa. The added benefit is super low iodine. I eat the delicious yolks. No fake cheese, high pufa fake butter, or vegetable based protein powders (aka sandpaper in a glass) either. I'll do without it before i'll eat poo.

I eat WAY more ruminant meat than he recommends too. Local, grass fed/finished. Poultry is largely high PUFA so I select animals not fed corn or soy.

A shake for brekkie with lots of high-oxalate spinach or other leaves and stems in there? Nope. Real food, thank you. Leftovers are good.

So, long story short, I disagree strongly with his diet, but appreciate being made aware of the iodine lurking in my previous diet, supplements and hair conditioner. All are gone.

A worthwhile read for the iodine info and links to studies.

[Nikki]

The Thyroid Reset Diet: Reverse Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Symptoms with a Proven Iodine-Balancing Plan by Dr. Alan Christianson
Publisher: Rodale Books
Genre: Health, Mind & Body
Release Date: January 19, 2021

The Thyroid Reset Diet by Dr. Alan Christianson is an easy to read guide to help reverse hypothyroidism. I was very interested in the book because I am hoping to avoid hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's autoimmune disorder from developing.

The book is broken up in to several parts, the first couple explaining about the thyroid. One chapter is dedicated the the actually diet and another to maintenance. There is a chapter devoted to (encouraged) lists and meals, as well as one including recipes and menu plans.

Overall, I found this book to be very interesting. I will definitely be implementing some of the recommended changes to my diet and being more aware of iodine. I would definitely recommend this to someone who is concerned with their thyroid health. This is a great resource!

I'm so grateful to Dr. Alan Christianson, Rodale Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Jessica Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been almost 6 years since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and it has been a long journey trying to figure out what works best for me. Eating a healthy diet has always been difficult for me but the best way to feel my best is to eat what works for me and my diagnosis. I have always known that nutrition would play an important role in managing my symptoms and this book went in-depth as to what is "green light" foods that are great for me, "red light" foods that are just a big no no and "yellow light" foods that are okay in moderation. Aside from going over diet, Dr. Alan Christianson goes into his research on how iodine affects thyroid function. I'm not 100% sold on this, but I'm not ruling any of it out. I'm just keeping an open mind and implementing what works for me. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this diet will help me in my thyroid journey. A change in one's diet is always difficult but it's always worth trying if it helps. I would recommend that anyone with thyroid dysfunction try this out for themselves.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had thyroid issues for several years, but only had an official diagnosis of Hashimoto's in 2019.

Given my personal interest in getting healthy, I was up for reading this new title.
At first I wasn't sure what to believe as the main component of Dr. Christianson's recommendation goes against what other naturopaths have said for years.

Basically, he is saying that many thyroid patients have too MUCH iodine and need to cut it out to heal.

Mind blown.

I haven't jumped fully on the bandwagon for a low iodine diet, mostly because I can't stand to throw away things. However, I am planning to implement it over the course of the next few months in the hopes I'll see improvement in my symptoms.

Many thanks to the publisher who provided a digital advance reader copy via Netgalley.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. I haven't actually followed the diet yet because I didn't want to wait that long to leave a review, so I can't speak about how good that is, but the book is very detailed and provides a wealth of information about how the thyroid works, why a typical diet in most countries is bad for it, and how to fix it.

The diet plan outlined in this book even goes as far as defining alternatives for those with other dietary restrictions such as gluten-free diets and vegan diets. It is a complete resource for managing thyroid-related symptoms with dietary changes and includes a large collection of recipes as well as specific guidelines for different stages of the outlined diet.

I'm excited to give the diet a try and see what the results look like.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the 250th Thyroid book I've read now, since being diagnosed with Hashimoto's 6 years ago. So, I went into reading fairly skeptical.

His opinion regarding iodine goes against some of the other books I've read. That aside, I love that he includes a 28 day meal plan. Almost everything in the meal plan is basic ingredients and easy to make stuff. There are some shakes which I personally have always found too much hassle to make, but his all have 3 basic ingredients, which makes it simple for me to just consume them individually

Very concise to the point, easy to read book, with a great meal plan

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a thyroid patient, I’m very interested in this book. I find the pace fast, the examples and the explanations easy to understand.

I’ve learned and understood a lot about how the thyroid and thyroid hormones work just from reading the first chapters and it’s given me a lot of insight on the subject. The explanations are super simple and yet I never knew this much till today.

I’m going to put a lid on my perfectionism and will try and adapt myself to this diet. It’s hard for me, but I will make an effort, and see how it goes.

[Kaylah · Rating 1 out of 5]

He talked a lot about a low iodine diet, but he didn't really back up his info with scientific research. Honestly, it's not a very helpful book. The one helpful thing I did find was he pointed out how there are hidden sources of iodine in cosmetic products; conventional dairy because of the sterilization involved in the milking process; and conventionally fed meats because of iodine being added to the grain the animals are fed. My take aways were deduced from that. Otherwise, I already knew his main point: don't eat ultra processed food.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading anything and everything about the thyroid as I have a thyroid nodule since 2018. It is benign and doesn't affect my thyroid functioning thus far, thank goodness. I enjoy reading on how to take care of my thyroid and how important diet is to the health of it. I am looking forward to taking some of the tips Dr. Christianson shares in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book helpful to a point but there are so many variables that there is not a clear path. Hashimoto syndrome is a new diagnosis for me so I'm learning but I did find the main pont of iodine to be an interesting factor to help one go into remission... but there are many other factors to consider.