Last year I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease where my immune system creates antibodies that attack my thyroid gland (NIDDK, 2021), causing subsequent chronic inflammation. Consequently, this contributed to hypothyroidism (which I discussed in a previous post). I’m still not sure of the root cause to this, and it doesn’t help that I was also struggling with a poor outlook on food. I was very introverted, keeping to myself, aware that I was causing internal harm to my hormones, but too deep to care.
Although I am still overcoming these challenges, I do not believe in dwelling on past experiences, as they are simply lessons that allow you to prosper into a better being. So in light of these events, I am writing a post about the signs and symptoms I faced, as well as current protocols I am taking to bring awareness and comfort to those who may be experiencing similar.
Cold intolerance was the cornerstone symptom I faced, no matter how many layers of clothing I would wear, or heat packs I carried on me, I felt unbearingly cold. Other signs included an abnormally low resting heart rate and blood pressure, poor kidney function, dry skin, and extreme fatigue (Mayo Clinic , 2022). This contributed to me losing passion in a lot of things I previously found joy in; weight lifting, blogging, and spending time with friends.
I am grateful to have been diagnosed, because it set me on a path to treatment and self discovery. Although Hashimoto’s is autoimmune, and doctors state that it cannot be ‘treated’, it is most commonly managed with a synthetic version of the thyroid hormone called levothyroxine. Now, this can be useful for symptom management, but I knew this wasn’t it for me. With women being 4 times more likely to experience autoimmune diseases than men (Haupt et al., 2024), I was (and still am) determined to pin point the trigger and root cause that is contributing to my immune system attacking my thyroid.
Since then I have cut out gluten and dairy from my diet, although it has been tedious, eliminating gluten and dairy was seen to reduce thyroid antibodies in patients with Hashimoto’s (Krysiak et al., 2018). I have been following this through guidance from a naturopath, after undergoing extensive testing to identify possible food triggers and hormone imbalances so that I can begin personalised supplementation to mitigate these issues.
Another key to reducing inflammation in the body is stress management. Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which are body systems that regulate stress (Rohleder, 2019). While short-term stress can be beneficial (with activities such as exercise), chronic stress can disrupt these systems and lead to consistently elevated cortisol levels (I cover the effect of this in my previous post).
To further this, because exercise activates the SNS, I have tried to go easy on the weights. I’ve subbed out weightlifting four to five times per week to only twice, alongside two mat pilates sessions and some daily walks (no more running unfortunately). Stress management has been perhaps the hardest part of this journey so far. I know that I am a perfectionist at heart, and find it hard to slow down; both physically and mentally. I have been trying to engage in meditation at night before I sleep, which has been really peaceful, although I often end up passing out before I can finish (oops).
Although there are many factors that can contribute to Hashimoto’s, and the so called ‘trigger’ will be different for everybody, I believe mine may have began through a prolonged period of under-eating. Therefore, this year I have really tried to get back into a balanced and nourishing diet. I no longer track my food, I just try to incorporate each macronutrient into every meal, alongside diverse micronutrients. I also have been advised to try eating regularly, which is challenging as I typically prefer to just have 3 big meals a day as opposed to snacking. After a prolonged period of under-eating, it is common for gastroparesis to occur, making you feel full after only small portions. This is an obstacle I am still in the process of overcoming, but I know it will come with patience and discipline.
My absolute favourite snack at the moment has been a de-pitted medjool dates, stuffed with a brazil nut and peanut butter, then generously coated in dark chocolate and celtic salt!! Not only do the ingredients support a range of health benefits (including selenium for thyroid health), but it is also a great way to fuel your body without feeling too full after, which has been perfect for me.
I hope that this post was helpful. If you’re going through similar struggles, please feel free to comment for any specific posts you may like me to cover for the future, it always helps to know you’re never alone on this journey 🙂
As always, wishing you all the best until next time,
– Loz <3
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