Hypothyroidism or thyroid dysfunction is a symptom of overall imbalance in our bodies. It’s a siren; a calling to stop what you’re doing (or not doing) and instill better care for yourself.
Let’s talk about 5 things you can do right now to start healing your thyroid, specifically hypothyroidism, and correct the overall imbalance that’s happening in your body.
1. Cut Your Addiction to Stress
Realizing that you are in a cycle of being addicted to stress and busyness is a revelation all in its own. There are various things that contribute to this. Some of us crave the non-stop hustle because we are running from something. Others have developed coping mechanisms from childhood, where doing things and “accomplishing” tasks provides a sense of security and autonomy. Maybe we didn’t feel loved, so the external gratification is pleasing. Whatever the reason, just know that being in a constant hustle and bustle from one thing to the next encourages the production of stress hormones, and leaves us high and dry with little to none of the raw materials needed for healthy hormone production.
2. Quit Feeding Stress Hormones
Sugar, caffeine, and alcohol are the top three culprits of building stress hormones and breaking down good hormones. When I say sugar, I’m talking about refined sugar and processed foods containing sugar or ingredients (like derivatives of corn). When I say caffeine, I’m talking about having more than 1 cup (8-12 ounces) of coffee each day. If you’re drinking a mug that holds 16-24 ounces, and then you’re maybe having another cup later in the day, this is going to negatively impact your health. Each person is different, so some of us should not have caffeine at all. Others can tolerate more. If you’re interested in weaning yourself off of caffeine, this is the best herbal coffee that has no caffeine and lots of plant power to energize you. I also like the tea bag version of this herbal coffee for when you’re on the go. They even give you guidelines on the bag for how to wean off of regular coffee, and mix theirs in a little at a time.
Alcohol is the last one. I enjoy having a cocktail or some wine every now and again, but honestly, my alcohol intake has changed drastically. I used to crave it, but now, it just doesn’t do it for me. There’s other ways to de-stress, have fun, or release tension without burdening your body and creating a hormonal imbalance. Here’s a drink that I like having in the evening before bed, and something like this that you can use as an at-home spa treatment to de-stress.
3. Drink More Water, and Mineral-Rich Fruits
We all know we need more water. Water is one of the simplest and cheapest cures for our ailments. Many people are sick because they are dehydrated. Your drinking water should be filtered, and if you want to try spring water, this website will give you locations nearby that have a natural spring. Adding lemon or lime provides antioxidants, flavor, and also helps balance the acid levels in your body. Lemons, limes, and other fruits add much-needed minerals to the water too.
4. Go Organic to Combat Hypothyroidism
The one thing that can be really frustrating to people in healing hypothyroidism is that they are restricted in what they should eat. I’m coming to the realization that some of the foods that we are told not to eat are most likely a problem because they are some of the most heavily treated with pesticides, herbicides, and genetic modification (GMO foods). It’s not that there’s a problem with the food itself, but in how it’s grown or treated. If you focus on eating a whole foods diet that is richly based on plants, you can’t go wrong. The important detail is that you really want to eat organic produce. If you are concerned with eating organic because of the cost, you can follow the guides on this webpage that tell you when it’s most critical to eat organic, and when conventional is ok. This is another guide from the same organization that tells you the 12 endocrine disruptors, or hormone disrupting chemicals.
5. Do a 4 Week Avoidance of Gluten, Sugar, Caffeine, Alcohol, Dairy, and Corn
Wheat is one of the most heavily sprayed crops, and it’s also a very popular GMO food. This is highly disruptive to your gut, your thyroid, and overall health. Gluten, the “glue” in wheat, is found in everything from salad dressing to shampoo. There’s simply too much of it in our lives. The protein inside of gluten, gliadin, creates various problems within our bodies. This is due to the modern strains of wheat that we’ve been growing for several decades. They are far too strong for our bodies to process. Then there’s sugar. Sweeteners that are better for you include things like raw maple syrup, dates, raw honey, or organic monk fruit. Dairy has been altered greatly since mass food production started after WWII. Raw milk from grass-fed cows has healthy bacteria, enzymes, and fatty acids that are healthy for us. When milk is pasteurized (highly heated), all the goodness of it gets destroyed.
Dairy and Hypothyroidism
Drinking conventional cow’s milk is a waste. There’s really nothing beneficial to it. You’ll get far more benefits from organic, grass-fed raw milk, or from organic/non-GMO cashew, almond, or coconut milk. Here’s a farm where I purchase raw milk or cream when I need it. I’ve been using them since 2014. Corn is another bothersome crop because of genetic modification and spraying. It can be very irritating to people, and until they remove it, they don’t realize how it’s affecting them. Some people are really never able to tolerate corn because of different factors.
When you bring these foods back in, follow the guidelines for eating organic, grass-fed, and non-GMO. I would suggest avoid/highly minimizing sugar, caffeine, and alcohol for the long-run. If you want to get further guidance on how to tweak your favorite drinks into hormone-healing elixirs, check out this ebook.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that we are stuck in cycles of stress, and we feed our negative energy and emotions with poor foods. Many of us need supplements or vitamins added to our diets as well, and I talk about that more here.
The key to healing hypothyroidism and overall health is to speak up for yourself, ask for help, and start making little changes to your life. Do something new each week to instill wellness in your life. With time and consistency, you’ll have a whole new lifestyle, a healthy thyroid, and feel better overall.
If you need more guidance, and wish to learn more about health coaching, please complete the contact form here and get in touch with me!
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