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Wine and Hashimoto's

Which Wine Pairs Best with Your Thyroid Symptoms?

Medically reviewed and written by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP on April 1, 2019

Dr. Izabella Wentz / April 1, 2019

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As many of you know, I am passionate about using food as medicine to recover from Hashimoto’s symptoms. I have written many times about the dietary changes I made in my own life that led to my recovery, and I’ve worked with countless other people, with thyroid conditions, who have been able to take back their own health with the healing power of food. That is why I am so excited about my new book which was released this week, Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, Amazon has it available at a discounted rate!

While changing your diet in order to heal can seem restrictive at times, there are many ways that eating for thyroid health can still be fun and enjoyable. If you are far enough along in your recovery, you may even be able to throw in a glass of wine on occasion! In fact, many people don’t realize that, just as there are specific foods that can be used to address symptoms of Hashimoto’s, there are many wines with particular qualities that pair exceptionally well with some of the most common symptoms.

I spent hours running tests, going through bottle after bottle (and a few broken glasses) of wine, until I felt like I had landed on the perfect wines to pair with all of my thyroid symptoms.

The Best Wines for Common Thyroid Symptoms

So, I’ve put together a little “cheat sheet” of some of my favorite varietals of wine that I have found to be the most helpful when my Hashimoto’s symptoms flare up:

Fatigue – My go-to is a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. I find that the bright acidity and flavors of green apple really wake me up on days when my energy levels are particularly low — or maybe it’s just that I no longer feel concerned about everything I’m not getting done. Either way, after a couple of glasses, and after the green apple flavors wear off, I can nap for hours, which helps me restore my energy levels.

Cold Intolerance – I find a bold Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley to be particularly warming during cold winter months, when I can’t seem to get warm. Not only do the notes of dark cherry and tobacco feel cozy on my palate, but the 15.5 percent alcohol level gets my body temperature up so high, I’ve been known to wear my swimsuit in January while drinking it!

Weight Loss/Gain – Like many people who are managing thyroid conditions, my weight has fluctuated over the years — at times high, at other times, falling lower than what would be considered healthy. What I love about a rosé wine is that it, too, is indecisive. Is it a red? Is it a white? No one knows. Some say that wine will make you gain weight; others say it’ll help you lose. Maybe it can work both ways, like an adaptogen that regulates body weight. So, if you just want a delicious glass of crisp, refreshing wine and you need to lose OR gain weight, opt for a glass of rosé! #roséallday

Indigestion and Acid Reflux – On days when my gut seems to be acting up and I can’t keep blaming my gassiness on the dog, I reach for a glass of Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Aged in French oak, this wine is so buttery smooth, it slides down my throat and coats my digestive tract so beautifully, that I feel relief almost instantly. (Or maybe it’s my husband who’s relieved.)

Brain Fog – I can’t remember. Something about wine.

Best Wines for Hashimoto's

Your “Healthy” Wine Source

April Fools!

If you’ve read this far and haven’t caught on yet, I’m just having a little bit of April 1st fun. 🙂 Sometimes, in the middle of dealing with an autoimmune condition, it’s important to have a sense of humor. In all seriousness, I am often asked about whether an occasional glass of wine is acceptable for those with Hashimoto’s…

If you are just starting out on your healing journey, I don’t recommend consuming alcohol. Drinking alcohol can contribute to a leaky gut, blood sugar imbalances, SIBO, and a backlog in the liver (as it works to detoxify ethanol, or drinking alcohol). Once you’ve worked to heal your gut, removed toxins (including food and environmental toxins) from your life, supported your liver for some time, and feel you are well on your way to recovery, adding in the occasional glass of “healthy wine” will be possible for a lot of people.

In the early days of my own Hashimoto’s journey, I felt awful after drinking any alcohol and did not tolerate it. Drinking even small amounts left me exhausted for days after. However, after getting into remission, I was able to enjoy the occasional glass of wine, margarita, or mojito with minimal issues.

That said, people with thyroid conditions may have a reduced tolerance to the effects of alcohol, which can result in some nasty hangovers, even after a small amount of alcohol. Here is a remedy that I have found helpful for minimizing hangovers, if you choose to drink.

Hashi Hangover Remedy

The night of:

  • 1 glass of water per every glass of wine/alcohol + 1 scoop of Rootcology Electrolyte Blend*

The morning after:

  • Magnesium Citrate Powder – 1 serving, to minimize headaches
  • NAC – 1 capsule, to support the liver pathways
  • Benfomax – 3 capsules, to restore thiamine levels (which are depleted by alcohol)
  • Liver & Gallbladder Support – 3 capsules, to support the liver pathways
  • Electrolyte Blend* – 1 scoop in a glass of water, to rehydrate, help stabilize blood sugar, and restore energy

*Please note: Do not exceed more than 1 scoop of Rootcology Electrolyte Blend per day.

Here’s a graphic of the recipe that you can print (or share on social media ;-)):

Hashi Hangover Remedy

Again, while there are some individuals who should stay away from consuming alcoholic beverages, others who are further along their healing journey may find that adding in the occasional glass of wine can be an enjoyable part of sharing a meal with their friends, and relaxing at the end of the day.

If this is you, I’d like to introduce you to a wonderful source I’ve found for wines that are delicious, and won’t make you feel worse in the morning! Dry Farm Wines is the only health-focused, natural wine club in the world. They curate a selection of additive-free wines that are lab tested for purity.

The creators of Dry Farm Wines were interested in creating wines that fit their low-carb and ketogenic lifestyles, didn’t hinder them from meeting their health goals, and left them feeling great the next day — all while providing delicious tastes for optimal enjoyment.

To accomplish this, they set up specific standards to meet their criteria, including lab testing to ensure their wines are all:

  • Statistically Sugar/Carb Free: All their wines are lab tested for fructose and glucose, the two sugars found in wine; and all products by Dry Farm Wines are <1 g/L of total sugars, making them statistically sugar free. As Dry Farm Wines are statistically sugar free, and the carbohydrates in wine come from their sugar content, they are also statistically carb free. This is great news for people with Hashimoto’s who often follow a low-carb diet to keep blood sugar levels balanced.
  • Mycotoxin/Mold Free: All their wines are tested for the mycotoxin Ochratoxin A (OCA), which is a toxin produced by mold. They meet the E.U. standard for screening, at less than 2 parts per billion of OCA. There is no standard or testing of U.S. Wines for OCA, but OCA is a known carcinogenic. Furthermore, molds can be a trigger for Hashimoto’s, so ensuring that wine is free of mold is crucial.
  • Low Alcohol: The alcohol levels in wine can range from 7 to 24 percent alcohol by volume. However, the U.S. government does not require alcohol labeling to be accurate. It is simply “stated”, and there is zero U.S. enforcement for accuracy. Every bottle from Dry Farm Wines is tested to verify that it is at or below what is stated on the label, and none of their wines exceed a naturally occurring 12.5 percent alcohol level. Lower alcohol levels mean less burden on the liver, as well as lower levels of intoxication, so you can enjoy your glass of wine and keep your mind clear!
  • Low Sulfites: All wines contain some sulfites (sulfur dioxide released during fermentation), as they are naturally occurring. Winemakers often add additional sulfites to wine, as a preservative. However, some people are sensitive to sulfites. This can be particularly true of people with Hashimoto’s who have food sensitivities and multiple chemical sensitivities. Common reactions can include headaches, congestion, itchy throat, and skin rashes. The U.S. government restricts added sulfites in wine to 350 ppm (parts per million). That said, Dry Farm Wines has created a standard not to exceed 75 ppm in their wines, and most of the wines they represent are below 50 ppm.
  • Diet-Friendly: Because all of their wines are naturally lower in alcohol, are statistically sugar/carb free, and have not been found to make a significant impact on blood sugar levels or ketone production, Dry Farm Wines are compliant with Paleo, sugar free, carb free, and ketogenic nutritional programs.

When you sign up to receive wine from Dry Farms, you’ll receive a monthly shipment of a unique selection of 6 or 12 biodynamic wines, sourced from small farms around the world. Each shipment includes different grape varieties and styles.

It’s a wonderful way to try a variety of incredible wines, curated specifically for those of us who want to look after our health, while enjoying life in the process!

I encourage you to give Dry Farm Wines a try and see that enjoying a glass of wine doesn’t have to come with all the undesirable side effects…. even if it doesn’t cure your Hashimoto’s symptoms!

P.S. While wine may not be the best medicine for your thyroid symptoms, using food as medicine can be the solution! Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health. I wrote this book to equip people with Hashimoto’s and autoimmune conditions with real food solutions to get better. This is for the non-chefs and non-nutritionists who want to take back control of their health. Click here to order now.

P.P.S. Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get a free book chapter, recipes, the Thyroid Diet Starter Guide, and notifications about upcoming events and my latest research!

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Filed Under: Diet, Resources, Supplements, Toxins Tagged With: Alcohol, Hashimoto's, hashimoto's and diet, liver health, thyroid, wines

Dr. Izabella Wentz

Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, is a clinical pharmacist, New York Times Bestselling Author, and a pioneering expert in lifestyle interventions for treating Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

She received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy at the age of 23, and has worked as a community pharmacist, a clinical consulting pharmacist, as well as a medication safety pharmacist. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and holds certifications in Medication Therapy Management and Advanced Diabetes Care.

Dr. Wentz has dedicated her career to addressing the root causes of autoimmune thyroid disease, after being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in 2009. As a patient advocate, researcher, clinician and educator, she is committed to raising awareness on how to overcome autoimmune thyroid disease.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan R. Norwood says

    April 1, 2019 at 9:01 AM

    Darn! I was so excited reading the beginning of this article. lol You got me! I am on an alcohol break till I feel better but look forward to having my Cabernet again. I miss my margaritas too but they are so sweet I may not get back to those again.

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella Wentz says

      April 2, 2019 at 11:26 AM

      Susan – awe… I am glad you enjoyed the article!:)

      Reply
  2. Colleen says

    April 1, 2019 at 2:52 PM

    Which Wine Pairs Best with Your Thyroid Symptoms?
    LOL ?. You got me! I was super excited and kept reading to the April Fools part!
    Great sense of humor and great job!!

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella Wentz says

      April 2, 2019 at 11:23 AM

      Colleen – thank you for following! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Brenda says

    April 3, 2019 at 8:44 AM

    I’m currently reading through your books and wondering if you can give more specifics on what you mean by “remission”. Were you able to get your antibody levels to 0? Were you able to go off all thyroid hormone medications? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella Wentz says

      April 4, 2019 at 3:23 PM

      Brenda – thank you for reaching out. Reversing Hashimoto’s means different things to different people. For some, it means a reduction in symptoms and for others, it means a reduction in your antibodies. I was able to do both. Remission doesn’t equate with medication, though, as sometimes the damage the antibodies have done to the thyroid is too great and medication can be necessary for life. Thyroid tissue can regenerate, but the rate at which it does is not always predictable. Thus, some are able to stop the autoimmune attack on their thyroid and regain normal thyroid function. Others can reduce the dose of medications, and others will need to stay on medications indefinitely. But there is a lot we can do to shut down the antibody attack on our thyroid. Here a few articles that might be helpful for you:

      IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECOVER THYROID FUNCTION IN HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/is-it-possible-to-recover-thyroid-function-in-hashimotos

      REVERSING AUTOIMMUNITY? AND THE PERFECT STORM
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/reversing-autoimmunity-and-the-perfect-storm/

      Reply
      • Brenda says

        April 11, 2019 at 4:25 PM

        Thank you. I would still really like to know, when you reached what you considered remission for your body, were your autoimmune antibody numbers all the way to 0?

        Reply
  4. Charley says

    April 22, 2019 at 2:01 PM

    Hi Izabella,

    Thank you for the interesting article! I was wondering if you could explain to me why wine leads to blood sugar imbances when I’ve noticed a few sites mentioning its glycemic index as 0?

    On another note, I’ve been using your book Hashimoto’s Protocol for the last 6 weeks to reduce my TSH and thyroid antibodies. It’s a great book which has helped me a lot so far! Now I’m wondering what happens after I finish all protocols and – if I’m lucky – go into some form of remission. I can’t seem to find any information in the book (but maybe I just haven’t gotten to that part yet) how one should continue their diet after going into remission. Can I go back to a less strict diet of e.g. eating healthy 80% of the time and a ‘treat’ 20% of the time? Or is it recommended to stay on the gut balance protocol for good? What type of diet is recommended by you to maintain remission? I really want to do everything to make sure I get and then keep healthy. Thank you for your help!

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      April 25, 2019 at 12:03 PM

      Charley – thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your journey. <3 You should be able to add most foods back within three to six months after healing your gut. Exceptions would be gluten, dairy, and soy. Some people may need to eliminate all three of those foods indefinitely. The kinder you are to your gut, eating nurturing foods, taking probiotics, and undergoing infection protocols, the more you should start seeing an improvement in gut function.
      If you have any other questions about the protocols please email my team at info@thyroidpharmacist.com and they will be happy to help you.

      Reply
  5. Margueritr says

    May 2, 2019 at 1:46 AM

    Great info.. however, you don’t address hyperthyroidism! What protocol to follow.

    And what is the tie between HPylori and hyperthyroidism?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      May 6, 2019 at 6:20 AM

      Margueritr – thank you for reaching out. Graves and Hashimoto’s are both autoimmune conditions that affect the thyroid. They are thought to be closely related. Sometimes one turns into the other. The difference is the site of the antibody attack. In Hashimoto’s, the antibodies are found to thyroglobulin (in 80%) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) enzyme (in 95% of people) Hashimoto’s results in hypothyroidism and is usually treated with Synthroid and replacement hormone.
      The same antibodies may be present in a smaller percentage of people who have Graves, but the main antibody is to the TSH Receptor (TSHR-Ab). Usually, people with Graves have hyperthyroidism, and they are treated conventionally with thyroid suppressing drugs (methimazole) or radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid. At that point, the thyroid will no longer produce hormones on its own, and these people end up on Synthroid as well.
      Most thyroid conditions result from the immune system attacking the thyroid because the immune system is out of balance. Even when the thyroid is taken out surgically or treated with radioactive iodine the autoimmunity still persists in most cases. Many people will have their thyroids removed, and will develop new autoimmune disorders such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, etc. The immune system just finds a different target.
      We need to rebalance the immune system to prevent this. Sometimes the autoimmunity can be reversed as well! The gut determines your immune system. With the exception of discussing proper thyroid medication dosing, the majority of my website and my book focuses on balancing the immune system. The info I present is based on my own research and journey for overcoming my autoimmune thyroid condition. Here are the links to my books:

      Hashimoto’s Root Cause
      http://amzn.to/2DoeC80

      Hashimoto’s Protocol
      http://amzn.to/2B5J1mq

      Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology
      https://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Food-Pharmacology-Nutrition-Protocols/dp/0062571591?tag=thyroipharma-20

      Reply
  6. Vlasta says

    May 27, 2019 at 9:24 AM

    Dear Izabela, you got me with this! Excellent idea :-))))! Thank you very much for your work, books and spirit! I have just started with the 90 days protocol and I am looking forward to relief and getting better! I wonder what the recommended probiotics, based on spores, exactly contain. Here in Europe we have products containing “Bacillus subtilis and lichenformis”, but I have absolutely no idea if it is the right thing. I would highly appreciate some clarification here, if it is possible. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      May 28, 2019 at 6:12 AM

      Vlasta – thank you so much for following my research! <3 Here is an article I wrote on probiotics that you might find helpful:

      THE FOUR BEST PROBIOTICS FOR HASHIMOTO'S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-four-best-probiotics-for-hashimotos/

      If you have any other questions or concerns about the protocols and supplements please feel free to email my team at info@thyroidpharmacist.com and they will be happy to help.

      Reply
      • Vlasta says

        May 29, 2019 at 12:30 PM

        Dear Izabella, thanks a lot for your kind answer. Very helpful indeed. It is the right thing. 🙂 I am happy.

        Reply
  7. Nadia B says

    April 12, 2020 at 9:13 AM

    Just came across this, maybe the beginning of your article wasn’t so far off
    https://eje.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eje/167/4/483.xml

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      April 13, 2020 at 10:55 AM

      Nadia – thank you so much for sharing! <3

      Reply
  8. Rosemary says

    July 23, 2020 at 6:29 PM

    Have you heard of Thrive Cosmetics? I have hashimoto’s and didnt know what number they were in terms of toxicity as they were not listed on the site you recommended?

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella Wentz says

      August 12, 2020 at 5:56 AM

      Rosemary, thank you for reaching out. <3 Here are a couple resources you might find helpful:

      https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=thrive

      ARE YOU SACRIFICING YOUR HEALTH FOR EXTERNAL BEAUTY?
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/are-you-sacrificing-your-health-for-external-beauty

      Reply

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