10 Day Low-Iodine Diet, Sheesh!

For the next 10 days I will be on a very low-iodine diet, and today I went shopping for all the ingredients and foods I will be needing. It  all looks something like this...

 
The food choices are limited due to the fact that most packaged food contains some sodium and you cannot tell whether that has iodine in it or not without calling all the different manufacturers to find out.  So I will be limited in what I eat but it's not all bad, I can have marshmallows...woohoo! Can you tell I'm less than thrilled about my food choices?

The reason I have to watch my iodine intake is because the thyroid is very sensitive to it and the only tissue in the body that takes it up! 

 "The thyroid gland and iodine is essential for proper function of the thyroid gland, which uses it to make the thyroid hormones. The thyroid is equipped with an active system or “pump” for moving iodine into its cells, where it is concentrated as iodide. The thyroid gland is the only tissue in the body that takes up and holds onto iodine." (thyroid.org)

(I have no thyroid due to my thyroid cancer, but I do take a thyroid medication every single day!) If I didn't take the medication my quality of life would be nil and life expectancy would be low.  You must have a healthy thyroid or take a synthetic thyroid medication in order to live and function properly.

"The thyroid gland uses iodine from our water and food intake to produce essential hormones that regulate our metabolism. Thyroid cells are unique because they are the only cells in the body that absorb iodine. Before undergoing RAI scans and treatment, patients go on a low-iodine diet, starving the body of iodine. When a patient is given radioactive iodine (usually in capsule form), the iodine starved thyroid cells uptake the RAI, allowing the cells to be detected for scans or to be destroyed for treatment (ablation)."  (About.com cancer)

Every time I have to do this diet I make home made granola bars, and this year I am making home made Amish White Bread with no eggs and no milk. One loaf will be rolled out and a cinnamon/sugar substitute mixture added then rolled up and placed into pan...and the other loaf will be just plain white bread.  Oh my dough is ready, be right back!

(dough's ready)

(cinnamon sugar bread)

(two happy loaves)

Now to wait for another 30 minutes while they rise and then into the oven to bake. Unfortunately I cannot have butter due to the milk content...boohoo, bread without butter, not as good, but will do in a pinch! Here is the recipe for anyone who would like it! 

2 cups warm (110 degrees) water
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast (I used breadmachine yeast)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt (I used non-iodized)
1/4 cup oil
6 c. flour

Dissolve sugar in warm water, add yeast.  Proof for 10 minutes.  Mix in oil and salt. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough and put in a well oiled bowl, cover with towel or plastic wrap and allow to double in size (about an hour). Punch down dough (fun) cut into two pieces.  Form into loaves (I rolled them out and then rolled them up like a cinnamon roll) and let rise for about 30 minutes or until about an inch above bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and enjoy! 

(ready to bake)

I can't wait to taste this lovely looking bread.  Be back after they bake and I do a taste test...yum!

(OMGoodness...these smell so delish)

(this will be my cinnamon toast, yum)

Okay, this bread not only smells great but the taste is out of this world...simple! Don't you wish you had smell-o-vision? Chalk this bread recipe up to a success.

So far so good today...do you know how hard it is to find non-dairy creamer with no casseinates (a milk derivative) in it?  Impossible! Although it does not contain iodine..so I can use it! Hooray, thank you Google!

I hope y'all are doing well! Anyone run a race lately? Let me know how it went!  I really do want to hear all about it! I have to live vicariously through you peeps until I can get back up to running races.  

Although I am back to running, I have to build my mileage up slowly, as taking six months off has seriously reduced my cardio...lol! I am doing walk/run intervals (C25K like) usually 5 walking, 5-10 running depending on how I am breathing...ha ha ha! Who knew that taking 6 months off would make such a difference? Probably everyone but me!  Alrighty, I gotta go for now.  Blessings and hugs to everyone!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2012 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.