Health Update
Most readers of my blog (all 5 of you) know that I've struggled with maintaining my thyroid levels and all the fun stuff that comes with that for years. I'll have a great 6 months, and then for no rhyme or reason the fatigue, fogginess, coldness, pimples, hair loss etc. return. It is frustrating to say the least. At least I am blessed with enough hair on my head for 5 people, so I can afford to lose a some!
You might remember when earlier this year I was enjoying feeling great because of the addition of iron supplements and Vitamin D in my life. But then over the last month or two the honeymoon was over and the old symptoms returned. Boo. Blood work confirmed what I already knew, my thyroid levels were off again.
So, a few months back my sister was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease, an autoimmune disease that is the cause of hypothyroidism in a lot of people. As with any autoimmune disease (like celiac, lupus, MS, arthritis, type 1 diabetes etc.) your body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy tissue - in her case the thyroid. She began researching and reading and talking to others with Hashi's and implemented a lot of positive changes to what she ate and has seen some positive results.
Once my levels dipped again I started to suspect that perhaps I was the same way and got tested, but found that I don't have Hashimotos. I guess my rascally thyroid just likes giving me trouble for no reason.
The good news though is that I've found that I am responding well to a lot of the same changes in my diet that my sister is making, and I've learned a LOT! This is a whole other side to treatment that I never paid any attention to before, and I'm finding that there is a lot of value and truth to it. It basically boils down to what you put in your mouth and how your body reacts to it. My body, and most people with Hoshimotos, doesn't react well to gluten, dairy, caffeine, soy, and artificial sweeteners to name a few. I've also learned that certain foods are goitrogens and block your thyroid from working properly, depending on how they are prepared. They tax your adrenal system and make your blood sugars all wacky, which causes your thyroid to not work, resulting in a whole mess of symptoms, like the ones I've had. I won't die, or swell up or explode if I eat any of these things, but they make me feel yucky and flare up my symptoms.
So, I guess what this is all about is I've come to realize that as with most things in life, it going to take work, but ultimately I have control over it. I'm sure I won't be 100% gluten or dairy free, but I can definitely cut back. Heaven knows I could eat less junk.
What I do know is that how we treat our bodies and what we put into them does matter. Maybe for someone like me with extra issues the consequences are higher, but it is true of all of us to some degree. Here's to health! I'm determined to conquer it eventually! Wish me luck on my never ending journey.
You might remember when earlier this year I was enjoying feeling great because of the addition of iron supplements and Vitamin D in my life. But then over the last month or two the honeymoon was over and the old symptoms returned. Boo. Blood work confirmed what I already knew, my thyroid levels were off again.
So, a few months back my sister was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease, an autoimmune disease that is the cause of hypothyroidism in a lot of people. As with any autoimmune disease (like celiac, lupus, MS, arthritis, type 1 diabetes etc.) your body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy tissue - in her case the thyroid. She began researching and reading and talking to others with Hashi's and implemented a lot of positive changes to what she ate and has seen some positive results.
Once my levels dipped again I started to suspect that perhaps I was the same way and got tested, but found that I don't have Hashimotos. I guess my rascally thyroid just likes giving me trouble for no reason.
The good news though is that I've found that I am responding well to a lot of the same changes in my diet that my sister is making, and I've learned a LOT! This is a whole other side to treatment that I never paid any attention to before, and I'm finding that there is a lot of value and truth to it. It basically boils down to what you put in your mouth and how your body reacts to it. My body, and most people with Hoshimotos, doesn't react well to gluten, dairy, caffeine, soy, and artificial sweeteners to name a few. I've also learned that certain foods are goitrogens and block your thyroid from working properly, depending on how they are prepared. They tax your adrenal system and make your blood sugars all wacky, which causes your thyroid to not work, resulting in a whole mess of symptoms, like the ones I've had. I won't die, or swell up or explode if I eat any of these things, but they make me feel yucky and flare up my symptoms.
So, I guess what this is all about is I've come to realize that as with most things in life, it going to take work, but ultimately I have control over it. I'm sure I won't be 100% gluten or dairy free, but I can definitely cut back. Heaven knows I could eat less junk.
What I do know is that how we treat our bodies and what we put into them does matter. Maybe for someone like me with extra issues the consequences are higher, but it is true of all of us to some degree. Here's to health! I'm determined to conquer it eventually! Wish me luck on my never ending journey.
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