Stuff That Matters In Life

For those who may, for whatever reason, have to go on a low-iodine diet, I am with you.

What led up to this was a thyroidectomy, a diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer, and the impending radioactive iodine treatment (RAI).

Today, I started the 2-week low iodine diet to prepare for the RAI plus one more week after that for the body scan. The day after the body scan is when I go back to regular foods.

A brief summary of the foods high in iodine that I cannot eat – anything from the sea, including seaweed, agar, sea salt; dairy products including cheese, milk, butter – all my favorites, bummer!; potato skin; soy products including soy sauce – I can live without it; egg yolk; most of the beans such as navy, lima, etc.; and of course, iodized salt which most restaurants use to salt their foods, so that means no eating out, no convenience foods.

What I can eat – meats in moderation; fresh veggies except rhubarb; fresh fruits; anything that does not contain the items above.

Since commercial baked goods have eggs and milk in it, good-bye croissants and Hawaiian Sweet Bread.

What I ate today:

Breakfast – oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, no milk; 2 -egg- white omelet with a little bit of diced tomatoes and green pepper.

Lunch – grilled 2 oz boneless skinless chicken thigh with nothing on it, 1/2 sweet potato.

Dinner – rice, stir fry beef and onions with non-iodized salt, Chinese veggies plain, brussel sprouts, vegetable soup.

I made pumpkin bread (without eggs or milk) and chicken soup with barley, carrots and zucchini as snacks.