I got my diagnosis for Hashimoto’s back in July. The only protocol my doctor gave me was to take Synthroid and while I knew it was important to get my thyroid hormones to a stable level, I also knew there was an underlying issue somewhere in my body causing this autoimmune reaction.
I’m learning as I go and taking small steps to get myself feeling better. Here are a few things I’m doing to help support my health while trying to get to the root cause.
First steps to supporting thyroid health
Slowly cutting out gluten
Gluten can often make symptoms worse in people with Hashimoto’s so it’s usually better to eliminate it from your diet. I say slowly because gluten is everywhere and is part of so many of our meals and snacks.
Instead of tossing out everything with gluten in it all at once, I’m replacing it with a gluten free version when it gets used up. For example, I got a lentil-based pasta the last time I ran out, I picked up a loaf of a gluten free seed bread to have instead of whole wheat for toast in the morning. I made sure that the barbecue sauce we got from the farmers market was gluten free.
I also did a lot of gluten free baking before this diagnosis so that was an easy transition, there are so many flour options these days!
Working on my digestion
Since my stomach acid is low, I’m trying to increase my digestive fire so I can actually break down my food and absorb those nutrients! There are a lot of little things I’m doing.
I’ll rotate between a little water with lemon, apple cider vinegar or digestive bitters in it in the mornings or before some bigger meals. All of those work to wake up your digestive system and get those juices flowing.
Making sure to chew my food well. Digestion starts in the mouth! You start to break down carbohydrates in the mouth because saliva contains the digestive enzyme amylase. The process of chewing signals to the stomach that food is coming so get ready. It’s important to take your time and actually enjoy your meal away from distractions.
I’ve also been trying to add more fermented food into my days as it’s so important for gut health. Things like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha. I don’t do great with dairy but I will have coconut yogurt on occasion.
Replenishing nutrients
Along with supplementing iron and vitamin C (it helps with absorption!) plus more iron rich foods to help boost my iron stores, I’ve also been snacking on a couple Brazil nuts a day. Brazil nuts are packed with selenium, one of the other minerals that the thyroid relies on. The thyroid needs different nutrients like selenium and B vitamins in order to synthesize thyroid hormones and go about its daily functions.
Check out some of the other often deficient nutrients in people with low thyroid function and food sources to incorporate into the day.
Generally, if you are very deficient, you will need to supplement with these nutrients to really make an impact. It’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose for you.
A note about Iodine
Iodine is usually the first nutrient we think of when we hear about thyroid health but this one is tricky! Too little or too much iodine can negatively impact thyroid function, there’s a sweet spot and it’s best to consult your doctor before starting it.
It’s still a work in progress but those are just some simple changes I’m making to get things going in the right direction.
I know it can be so confusing trying to navigate a diagnosis like this on your own. You can reach out to me if you’d like support in making changes to your nutrition and lifestyle to start feeling more like yourself again!
Book a free discovery call here.
Leave a Reply