I finally got out of the illness as a result of HCLF diet. | Adverse Effects of a High-Carb Diet | Forums

I was a low fat vegetarian for 12 years.  Then in late 2008 I got a juicer and decided to live off cashews and raw juices, because I had read somewhere that it would be very healthy for me. (I now know that this was an almost zero fat, low protein and very, very HIGH carb diet.) After about 1 month of this I started to feel very bad, face tingling, spacey, brain fog.  My husband had to drive me to my doctor, I felt so woozey I couldn't drive.  I had developed low thyroid.  I also had low B12 and very low vitamin D3 (it was 16.)

I was started on thyroid meds immediately and a vitamin D supplement. (I never juiced again, but remained a vegetarian.)  My thyroid continued to go lower and lower (as I remained a vegetarian) and I continued to need more and more thyroid meds.

It took me another year (and gaining 25 lbs.) before I went low carb and I think that it has helped me heal.  The low carb helped me get slim again. (lost 27 lbs.) 

I believe that my low fat vegetarian diet left my body deficient in many nutrients and protein.  I blame the month of only raw juice and cashews on my thyroid crash.  I don't know if my thyroid will ever be normal again.  It is three years later and I am still on thyroid meds three times a day, but I feel healthy and normal and will remain low carb for life.