Inflammatory Foods, Alcohol, Carnivore Diet

Welcome to Healthy Gut Healthy Thyroid!

This is your weekly roundup of the BEST actionable steps for those people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions who want to restore their health…by healing their gut. Whether you have hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto’s you will benefit from the content in this newsletter.

In today's issue:

• Main Topic: Inflammatory Foods that Can Affect the Gut and Thyroid

• Podcast Review: Your Thyroid is Begging for These Nutrients

• Understand Your Tests: Why You Should Ask for a Full Iron Panel

• Ask Dr. Eric:
  ✔️Will small amounts of alcohol disrupt the intestinal barrier?
  ✔️Is the carnivore diet a good option for reducing inflammation?

Inflammatory Foods That Can Negatively Affect the Gut and Thyroid

While I enjoy writing about food and thyroid health, I want to acknowledge the complexity of nutrition by avoiding the tendency to label foods as strictly “good” or “bad,” or “inflammatory” versus “anti-inflammatory.” One food may be inflammatory for one person with a thyroid condition, yet perfectly well-tolerated by another.

That said, there are certain foods that are more likely to cause problems—particularly for individuals with autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s. Since these conditions involve both immune dysregulation and increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), it makes sense to temporarily eliminate these foods while healing the gut.

Below are some commonly problematic foods that may negatively affect the gut—and by extension, thyroid health.

Gluten-Containing Foods. This won’t surprise most readers, as gluten is one of the most commonly eliminated food components in thyroid and autoimmune protocols. While I personally feel fine when consuming gluten, the research shows it can negatively affect the gut barrier—even in those without Celiac disease or non-Celiac gluten sensitivity.

Some theories also suggest molecular mimicry, where gluten peptides resemble thyroid tissue and may trigger autoimmune responses. Regardless of the mechanism, minimizing gluten is recommended during the healing phase.

Dairy Products. Dairy can be more difficult for many people to give up. However, it is one of the most common foods people are sensitive to, particularly in its conventional form. While some people tolerate goat, sheep, or raw dairy better, I recommend eliminating all forms of dairy—including cheese—during the healing process. Ghee is an exception, as it contains minimal dairy proteins.

Grains (Including Gluten-Free Grains). Even gluten-free grains like oats, rice, quinoa, and buckwheat can be irritating to the gut lining in sensitive individuals. While some may tolerate grains, it’s usually best to eliminate them temporarily.

In my book The Hyperthyroid Healing Diet, I include small amounts of gluten-free grains in the Level 1 diet, but complete elimination is ideal while focusing on gut repair.

Alcohol. Alcohol is a known gut irritant and can increase intestinal permeability. It also affects liver function, which plays a critical role in hormone metabolism—including thyroid hormones. Even moderate alcohol intake can delay healing in individuals with thyroid and gut imbalances.

Refined Sugars. Refined sugars contribute to blood sugar imbalances, yeast overgrowth (like Candida), and insulin resistance. While natural sugars like honey, maple syrup, and fruit sugars may be tolerated in small amounts, they should be minimized during the initial phases of healing—especially if Candida overgrowth or blood sugar issues are suspected.

Nightshades. Nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and white potatoes contain compounds like alkaloids and lectins that can increase inflammation and compromise gut integrity in sensitive individuals. While nutrient-rich, they are best avoided during a gut-healing protocol and can be reintroduced later based on tolerance.

Kelp and Other High-Iodine Foods. Iodine is a controversial topic in thyroid health. While it’s essential in small amounts, excessive iodine—even from food sources high in iodine—can increase oxidative stress and exacerbate autoimmune thyroid conditions.

Although I personally had a good experience with iodine supplementation in the past, I’ve seen patients experience symptom onset or flares following iodine supplementation, and in some cases when consuming foods very high in iodine. If you have hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto’s, it’s best to avoid kelp unless working closely with a practitioner.

Other Foods Worth Mentioning

Eggs: Excluded in the autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet but often reintroduced early due to their nutritional value. They can cause inflammation in some individuals, which is why they're commonly excluded with most elimination diets.

Artificial sweeteners: Best avoided as they can potentially disrupt gut microbiota.

Unhealthy oils: Vegetable and seed oils (canola, soybean, corn oil, etc.) can be inflammatory and should be eliminated in favor of healthier fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.

Conclusion

While not every person with a thyroid or autoimmune condition will react to all of the foods listed above, many of these are common gut irritants and can act as barriers to healing. Since gut health is foundational to a healthy immune system—and therefore to thyroid health—it makes sense to temporarily remove potential inflammatory triggers while the gut is healing.

Once your symptoms have improved and the gut has had time to repair, many of these foods can be reintroduced slowly and strategically, using a personalized approach. Keeping a food journal, working with a knowledgeable practitioner, and listening to your body can all help you determine what’s right for you.

Key Takeaways

✔️Gut health is essential for immune regulation and thyroid function.

✔️Eliminating common inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, and nightshades can support gut healing.

✔️Some foods (like eggs or natural sugars) may be tolerated in small amounts and reintroduced later.

✔️Iodine-rich foods like kelp can be problematic for people with autoimmune thyroid conditions.

✔️Everyone is unique—individualized elimination and reintroduction plans are ideal.

 Coming Soon: Save My Thyroid Summit 2.0

I'm super excited to announce that I'll be hosting the "Save My Thyroid Summit 2.0". This free online event will have 36 different presentations related to thyroid health.  

I initially hosted this summit in October 2024, and while many of the speakers will be the same, there will also be some new speakers this time, including Dr. Alan Christianson, Margie Bissinger, and Dr. David Jockers. Whether you have hyperthyroidism/Graves' disease or hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's, I'm confident that you will find this summit to be valuable.

>> Register for the Save My Thyroid Summit Here

Here are just a few of the topics that will be covered:

• Functional Nutrition For A Healthier Thyroid

• Heal Leaky Gut and Become Autoimmune Disease Free

• Thyroid Blood Testing Made Simple: Key Insights and Tips

• How To Lower and Normalize Your Thyroid Antibodies 

• The Truth About Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Cancer

• 7 Tips to Overcome Hyperthyroidism

• Understanding The Different Thyroid Types in Those with Hashimoto's

• Adrenal Mastery for Thyroid Thriving: Strategies to Conquer Stress

• And much, much more!!! 

>> Register for the Save My Thyroid Summit Here

The Save My Thyroid Summit starts on Thursday May 8th. If you've been dealing with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition for awhile then I'm sure you'll be familiar with many of the presenters, which include Dr. Izabella Wentz, Dr. Westin Childs, Dr. Anshul Gupta, Dr. Amie Hornaman, and Dr. Alan Christianson.  But I'm sure there are also some speakers that you aren't familiar with, yet will be blown away by their presentations.

Will This Summit Benefit Those Who Have Recently Diagnosed?

Absolutely! While I'm sure that many people attending have been dealing with their condition for many months or years, without question this information will also benefit those who have recently been diagnosed.  In fact, I'm sure many attending who were diagnosed many years ago wished they had this information sooner.  

This summit is a rare opportunity to access insights from leading experts—all designed to help you improve your health and well-being.

And you can access it all for FREE.

I look forward to having you join me.

Save My Thyroid Podcast Review

I have a podcast called "Save My Thyroid", where I discuss how people with hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's can save their thyroid and regain their health. And during each edition of this newsletter I'll briefly discuss a recent podcast episode.

In a recent podcast episode I discussed how certain nutrient deficiencies can lead to fatigue, weight fluctuations, and brain fog—and why simply eating “healthy” isn’t always enough. I also bust common myths about thyroid-friendly foods and what truly supports optimal thyroid health.

Click Here to listen to the episode

Understand Your Tests

Why You Should Ask for a Full Iron Panel

It’s surprising how infrequently primary care physicians order a comprehensive iron panel. Most rely on a complete blood count (CBC) and only consider testing iron levels if anemia is suspected. However, this approach can miss early or non-anemic iron imbalances, which may still have a significant impact on health.

It's also common for patients to have ferritin, serum iron, or iron saturation levels that fall within the lab's “normal” range but are still suboptimal from a functional perspective. Understanding the full picture of iron status requires looking at all components of an iron panel, not just one or two.

Why Ferritin Alone Is Not Enough

Many conventional practitioners will test ferritin in isolation, since it reflects stored iron. But ferritin is also an acute-phase reactant—meaning it rises in response to inflammation. As a result, someone can have normal or elevated ferritin while still being functionally iron deficient.

This underscores the importance of evaluating ferritin alongside other iron markers, especially if someone is experiencing fatigue, hair thinning, or other symptoms that might be linked to suboptimal iron levels.

Concerns with Iron Overload

Just as low iron can be a problem, excess iron can lead to oxidative stress and tissue damage. Elevated serum iron and high iron saturation may suggest iron overload, which could be due to excessive supplementation, cooking with cast iron cookware, or a genetic condition such as hemochromatosis.

It’s also worth noting that some individuals with hyperthyroidism may temporarily have elevated iron markers, which may normalize as their thyroid levels stabilize. This makes retesting important to confirm whether high levels are persistent or transient.

Key Components of a Full Iron Panel

Here’s a breakdown of what’s typically included in a comprehensive iron panel and what each marker tells you:

Serum Iron: Measures the circulating iron in the blood.

Optimal Range: ≥90–100 mcg/dL

Lab Reference: 60–170 mcg/dL

Ferritin: Indicates the body’s iron stores.

Optimal Range: At least 40–45 ng/mL (some sources suggest 70–90 ng/mL)

Lab Reference: 12–150 ng/mL

Iron Saturation (Transferrin Saturation): Shows how much iron is bound to transferrin.

Optimal Range: 30–40%

Lab Reference: 15–50%

TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity): Measures how much transferrin is available to bind iron.

High TIBC: Indicates low iron stores

Lab Reference: 240–450 mcg/dL

Case Examples

Patient Test #1: Low serum iron, low ferritin, and low iron saturation, along with high TIBC and UIBC—consistent with iron deficiency.

Patient Test #2: Normal iron with elevated ferritin—suggestive of inflammation rather than an iron overload.

Patient Test #3: High iron, ferritin, and high iron saturation—indicating potential iron overload and warranting further investigation.

Conclusion

A full iron panel provides valuable insight into both iron deficiency and iron overload, which can significantly affect thyroid function, energy levels, immune health, and overall wellness. Relying solely on a CBC or a single marker like ferritin can result in misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.

If you're struggling with fatigue, hair loss, or chronic inflammation—or managing a thyroid condition—it’s worth asking your healthcare provider for a complete iron panel. Ideally, work with a practitioner who can help interpret your results using optimal functional ranges, not just conventional lab reference intervals.

Knowing your full iron status is a small but critical step toward achieving better thyroid and overall health.

Ask Dr. Eric

During every issue I'll answer a few questions that I think can benefit most people with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition. If you'd like for me to consider your question for a future edition of this newsletter email your question to [email protected].

QUESTION #1: CAN SMALL AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL DISRUPT THE GUT BARRIER?

Dr. Eric, I know alcohol can damage the liver, but I’ve heard that it can also cause a leaky gut? If this is true, will even small amounts of alcohol be harmful to my recovery?

Thank you for your question! Research shows that alcohol—especially in moderate to high amounts—can increase intestinal permeability, a condition often referred to as “leaky gut.”

This means that alcohol can compromise the gut barrier, allowing bacterial components like lipopolysaccharides (LPS) to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout the body. Given this, I generally recommend avoiding alcohol while working to heal the gut.

The one exception might be herbal extracts that contain ethanol as a solvent. These typically contain very small amounts of alcohol—just a few drops per dose—which are unlikely to negatively impact gut integrity.

What About Red Wine?

You may be wondering whether this includes the occasional glass of red wine. After all, red wine contains polyphenols, such as resveratrol, which have been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and even microbiome-supporting effects.

While that’s true, it’s important to consider that polyphenols are also abundant in other foods, including berries, apples, olive oil, dark chocolate, and green tea. These provide similar benefits without the potential downsides of alcohol.

Can Red Wine Improve the Gut Microbiome?

Some studies suggest that red wine polyphenols may have prebiotic effects, helping to nourish beneficial gut bacteria. However, it's still unclear whether those benefits are strong enough to outweigh the potential damage to the gut, especially in individuals who are already dealing with intestinal permeability issues. And as mentioned earlier, polyphenols can easily be obtained from other, alcohol-free sources.

That’s why, if you’re actively working to heal your gut—especially if you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, or thyroid dysfunction—it may be best to avoid alcohol entirely, at least for the first few months of your healing process.

QUESTION #2: CAN THE CARNIVORE DIET REDUCE INFLAMMATION?

Dr. Eric, I've heard some great things about the carnivore diet, and wanted to ask if it's a good option for reducing inflammation and losing weight?

A strict carnivore diet consists exclusively of animal-based foods such as red meat, poultry, organ meats, fish, and eggs, while eliminating all plant-based foods—including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. The primary motivation behind this dietary approach is to avoid plant compounds that may be harmful or irritating to certain individuals, including lectins, phytates, glycoalkaloids, and oxalates.

Although I don’t typically recommend the carnivore diet to my patients, I acknowledge that some individuals with autoimmune conditions—especially those who experience significant digestive symptoms like bloating and gas from plant-based foods—seem to experience noticeable symptom relief on this type of diet.

Carnivore Diet and Weight Loss

Similar to the ketogenic diet, the carnivore diet can be highly effective for weight loss. Numerous anecdotal reports and before-and-after photos suggest that many people have lost substantial amounts of weight following this eating approach.

This is likely due to a combination of reduced carbohydrate intake, improved blood sugar regulation, and lower overall calorie consumption resulting from increased satiety.

Concerns About the Carnivore Diet

Despite some potential short-term benefits, I have a few concerns about adopting a carnivore diet long term:

Impact on the Gut Microbiome. A significant concern is the potential negative impact on the gut microbiota. A diverse and fiber-rich diet—primarily from plant-based sources—is key to supporting a healthy and balanced microbiome.

The carnivore diet, by eliminating dietary fiber and plant polyphenols, may reduce microbial diversity over time. While there is a lack of long-term human studies evaluating the carnivore diet’s effect on gut health, this is an area worth monitoring.

Even with the autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet, which also eliminates many foods, I emphasize the importance of incorporating a variety of vegetables and fruits to support gut health and microbial diversity.

Cholesterol and Lipid Markers

Another common concern is the significant elevation of certain lipid markers—particularly total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol—in some individuals following a carnivore diet.

While some argue that these changes may not pose a risk in the context of low inflammation and stable blood sugar, extremely elevated values (e.g., total cholesterol over 300–400 or LDL over 200) can’t be ignored, especially over the long term. Cardiovascular risk varies individually, and these markers should be monitored closely.

Conclusion

The carnivore diet can offer notable benefits, particularly for weight loss and for individuals with autoimmune conditions who are highly reactive to plant-based foods. Its simplicity and elimination of common gut irritants may provide short-term symptom relief and anti-inflammatory effects.

However, the long-term implications are less clear. Potential downsides include reduced gut microbial diversity and significantly elevated lipid markers.

For these reasons, I don’t recommend the carnivore diet as a long-term solution for most individuals. Instead, I encourage a balanced, individualized approach that incorporates anti-inflammatory foods, supports gut health, and allows for flexibility based on tolerance and clinical outcomes.

Additional Thyroid-Related Resources

Click Here for Your Thyroid is Begging for These Nutrients (episode 193)

Click Here to register for the Save My Thyroid Summit 2.0

Click Here to access hundreds of thyroid-related articles and blog posts

Click Here to join the Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s community

Click Here to purchase one of Dr. Eric’s thyroid-related books

Click Here to work with Dr. Eric and his team

That’s a wrap