If you’ve stuck around for the entire series, kudos to you! I hope you’ve learned a lot and are starting to feel like a thyroid rockstar (because you are). Part 4 is the final blog post in the series. Need to catch up? Check out parts 1 through 3 below:
Part One: My Story + How I Got to my Diagnosis
Part Two: Labs You Should Get + Why Just T4 Doesn’t Always Work
Part Three: Specific Lifestyle Changes You Can Make NOW To Thrive
Also, important to note that we’ve got some fantastic resources for you just in time:
>>Schedule Your Free Consultation
As I mentioned, I’ve got a (now down to just one) spot in my wellness coaching program, part of our Lifestyle Transformation Academy. If you want to do a full 180 with your health and THRIVE, set up a consultation with me. It’s free, and you deserve to feel your best. Go here and let’s change your life.
>>Get on our Get Fit Challenge Pre-Sale List (formerly our Cleanse30 challenge)
Don’t wait any longer, go here and jump on (we limit to 25 people every season). Includes our popular Cleanse30 nutrition reset. It goes without saying (but I’m just gonna come out and say it) that nutrition is PARAMOUNT when it comes to thyroid health. Pair it with exercise and self care which help balance the endocrine system (helllooo, hormonal harmony!) and you’ve got a winning recipe.
Now, you ready to get on with it? Let’s do this!
Tip #5: Study Up, Buttercup!
One of the best ways to stay informed is to, well, stay informed. It’s not up to your doctor, your friend, or whoever you think is going to magically save the day. You will always be your best advocate even when you’ve got a rock star thyroid team helping you out (and especially if you don’t). Below are three books that really helped to turn the ship around for me:
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating The Root Cause
This book by Dr. Izabella Wentz was a game changer. I learned a lot about the “root cause” of my issues and treatments beyond just taking thyroid hormone.
Your Healthy Pregnancy with Thyroid Disease
If you’ve been trying to conceive with little success, or if you’ve had success but want to make sure you’re following all the right steps for how to treat thyroid disease during pregnancy, this book is for you. Pregnancy is like a stress test on the thyroid, and it’s important to be well equipped for the changes!
Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?
Another invaluable resource that takes a deep dive into how “normal” lab numbers don’t mean you actually feel well.
Tip #6: Toxic Beauty Chemicals? Who Needs Em (hint: not you)!
From the flame retardants in your mattress to the propylene glycol in your lipstick, harmful chemicals are lurking everywhere. Us thyroid peeps need to use EXTRA precaution because these chemicals disrupt our hormonal balance and that can wreak havoc on thyroid health. Plus, they just aren’t good for you … period.
I’m not suggesting you become full granola overnight, but I DO think it’s wise to take a long hard look at the products you’re putting on your skin and using around the home. Not long ago I started making my own moisturizer. It feels so cool to create something that’s extremely useful and has zero harmful chemicals. Plus, my skin has never looked better. One of my favorite books for natural homemade skincare is this one
I also follow Wellness Mama’s blog for household recipes that are super effective.
Curious about the safety of your current beauty products? Use this guide from the Environmental Working Group.
If making your own stuff simply isn’t your jam, there’s a company called BeautyCounter that one of our very own members, Elisa, is a rep for. They ban over 1,500 harmful chemicals and create impressive alternatives to your faves. Stay tuned for the next BeautyCounter party at the studio!
Tip #7: Develop A Consistent Self Care Practice
I touched on the topic of STRESS in part three. One way to consistently fend off its advances is to engage in proactive self care. Create a list of non negotiables every day. For me it’s meditation, soaking in at least ten pages from whatever book I’m reading and reciting my goals and affirmations. If you struggle with staying consistent, put these things on your calendar and check them off as you go! For more ideas check out my interview with Jennifer Darling of Positively Successful Women in Business here.
Tip #8: Don’t Make This Mistake With Your Thyroid Meds
Getting thyroid hormone into your cells is important. You can take all the thyroid hormone in the world and it won’t make a difference if it’s not getting into your cells (almost every cell in your body has a thyroid receptor). This process is essential for metabolic regulation and eliminating hypothyroid symptoms.
If you’re currently taking thyroid hormone, make sure you’re not disrupting its absorption by making these mistakes:
-Eating food and have coffee with your dose. Take your thyroid hormone on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before eating or if you’ve already had food, wait two hours before taking your thyroid hormone. DO NOT drink or eat with your dose, ESPECIALLY coffee. Wait at least one hour before coffee and/or food, or wait two hours to take your thyroid hormone if you’ve already had a meal and/or coffee.
-Taking certain supplements at the same time. Avoid taking these supplements within 4 hours of your thyroid medication: iron, calcium (includes drinking orange juice!), antacids and cholesterol meds. This list is not exhaustive, but those are some of the main culprits that interfere with the way thyroid hormone is absorbed. It’s probably best to avoid “calcium enriched” food/drink until 4 hours later as well.
-Splitting up (or not splitting up) your dose. This is for the folks who also take T3. T3 provides instant energy and has a half life of 9 hours. This means that 9 hours later half of it will be in your system. T4 takes much longer to convert into T3 and provide that boost (another reason many people feel better with T3 added to their T4 regimen or when taking Natural Dessicated Thyroid hormone).
Listen to your body and talk with your doctor – different strokes for different folks. For some, taking their dose first thing in the morning works just fine. For others, they feel an energy crash around the time the T3 wears off and find they need more consistency in energy levels, so splitting the dose up twice in the day makes sense. Remember that what we want most with our thyroid hormone regimen is sustained energy and elimination of hypo symptoms.
Tip #9: Be Kind and Celebrate Your Body
Okay, so your thyroid is a little wacky. It’s sticking its tongue out at you and going “na na na na”. Despite your efforts, sometimes you just feel hopeless and feel like your body has abandoned you. Not so. Even with hypothyroidism, your body is a magnificent machine and it’s working hard to make you feel better. The key is you’ve got to give it the tools to succeed (many have been shared through this series that I’m sure will help improve your symptoms).
One of these tools is LOVE. If you’re always thinking down on yourself and in a negative mind state, how do you think that will translate into how your body physically feels? Hint: it will feel pretty crappy. Energy is real, and the energy we put forth into the Universe is important. Never underestimate the power of a random Superwoman pose to remind you of your awesomeness. You may not be where you want to be just yet, but you’re getting there, and that’s worth celebrating.
Tip #10: Be Resilient
You are not a victim in this fight to feel better, you are a WARRIOR plain and simple. Adopt this mindset, stop over analyzing every little thing and appreciate the mini milestones. This will get you much further than endless ruminating and “why me” type thoughts. I used to think “why me” thoughts constantly.
Then one day I realized at least one of the reasons I’d been gifted (yes, gifted) with this disease: I can now inspire hundreds, thousands, heck MILLIONS of people with my story. I can help them rise from the ashes and take back their health. And I can do it with firsthand experience with what they’re going through which is ten times more powerful than anything simply learned in a book.
I am now THANKFUL for this struggle, no matter how difficult, because it’s opened doors and pathways to my true calling in life. Step one was leaving corporate banking after 13 years (check) and joining Inspired Wellness full time. Step two? Inspiring the world with my story and helping others (like YOU!) tap into their potential to THRIVE.
I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this series. I poured my heart and soul into it and got really vulnerable but I’m so happy I did. All the text messages and emails you’ve all sent about how this has resonated with you … THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. It’s proof that this is a path I’m meant to be on, and I can’t wait to keep inspiring you.
Until Next Time,
Christina Sanghera
Co-Owner
Inspired Wellness
About Inspired Wellness
We are a wellness movement aimed at cultivating greatness in all areas of life. We believe that everything is connected and that having the body of your dreams shouldn’t come at the price of your mental and emotional health. You CAN have it all; you just need some determination, grit and the desire to truly change your life!
Catch us locally in sunny Sacramento CA inspiring lives at our wellness center with fitness, nutrition and lifestyle programs, or online doing the same thing with our new online training site + community coming soon!
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