Last February I wrote about my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, and many of you commented that you were battling many of the same problems that I was. So when I recently shared that I am feeling a lot better these days (and my antibodies are down to almost normal levels), you wanted to know what changes I made on my path to healing. I have been a little hesitant to share, because while I am in a much better place than I was at the beginning of the year, things aren’t perfect (and it’s also more fun to write about knitting.) However, I may never reach a place where I feel perfect. The important thing is that I am feeling better than I have in many years. That’s something, right?
Were I to break it down, the three categories on my journey to healing are: diet changes, guided supplementation, and boundaries. Today, I am going to talk about the first two, and I’ll save boundaries for a second post. This first post won’t be relevant to all of you, but I suspect that the next one will!
Radically changing my diet was difficult, mainly because it’s time consuming to eat differently than the rest of my family. In addition to my already gluten free diet, I eliminated dairy, eggs, sugar, all grains, and corn (edited to add: I forgot to mention no soy and legumes!) I’d say eliminating eggs was the most difficult because they are such a quick, easy protein source and I was previously eating a lot of them. In order to work on healing my gut, for a couple weeks I actually ate something similar to the GAPS intro diet, so basically bone broth, meat, and vegetables. Then I added back nuts, seeds, and fruit. I attempted to re-introduce eggs, but I seem to have an intolerance to them, which is sad. Over the course of about five months of eating this way I lost almost 30 pounds. However, 30 pounds was all I needed to lose, so my continuing challenge has been to get enough calories to maintain my weight. Over the past month or so I have been reintroducing some foods (mainly yogurt, trying eggs again, and sourdough spelt bread), somewhat haphazardly. I’m feeling a little achy, so I need to keep working in this area. I am now waiting on the results of some bloodwork that should help me identify which foods are giving me the most trouble, and that will help.
I am blessed to have a holistic medical doctor who has been working with me this year to run the necessary tests to get an overall picture of my health, and address my specific issues. I have never been a huge fan of taking supplements, believing that we should be able to get all we need from good food, but I’ve learned that for various reasons, oftentimes your body isn’t able to absorb what it needs to (And of course there’s the argument that our modern food supply isn’t as healthful as it needs/used to be, but that is a topic I won’t go into here.) While I have been taking a magnesium supplement for years as a migraine preventative, I now take a handful of other supplements per the results of my lab results. I call this guided supplementation: determining what I am lacking and supplementing accordingly. For those struggling with Hashimoto’s, there are several books out there that will walk you through supplementing to support thyroid health (I’ll link at the end of the post), but finding a doctor to work with in addition to doing the reading is ideal. Through bloodwork I learned that I am an “under-methylator” (heterozygous for the mthfr gene). This means that I have a hard time absorbing/utilizing b-vitamins (I’m simplifying). I think this has played a role in my lifelong struggles with anxiety, and taking the necessary b vitamin supplements has been very important for me. If you struggle with anxiety, ask to be tested for the MTHFR gene mutation. Wellness Mama wrote an informative post about that topic here. My vitamin D levels were also very low, and since beginning a supplementation regimen to bring those levels up my immune system has greatly improved. No more sinus infections! In addition to taking probiotics for gut health (I rotate brands) I have taken a handful of other supplements over the past few months to target specific issues, but as far as my longterm health goes, I will be focused on watching my b and d levels and will probably always take a magnesium supplement. I believe that supplementation is highly personal, and think it’s a good idea to have bloodwork done before taking broad spectrum multivitamins or other “miracle cures.”
The other diet change I made was to completely eliminate caffeine. (I know. You don’t want to hear this!) I had already made the switch from coffee to tea, and I only had one cup each day, so you might not think that my one cup was a big deal. IT WAS. I (along with many others) strongly believe that caffeine contributes to anxiety, something I have long struggled with. As an aside, my very laid back husband, who doesn’t worry about a thing, had a full blown panic attack recently that landed us in the back of an ambulance thinking he was dying. We strongly believe it was related to caffeine consumption and are a caffeine free household now. I am no longer struggling with the crippling physical anxiety that I had been battling off and on for years. We have been in a very stressful place financially for the past six months or so, something that would typically really handicap me, but I am still sleeping well at night (no insomnia in about 6 months, no struggling to fall asleep) and carrying on with life during the day just fine, doing what I need to do rather than sitting on my bed, paralyzed by anxiety. I won’t contribute all of that to being caffeine free, but I know that it’s an important factor. A friend recently asked me how I have energy to get through the day without a caffeine boost, and I couldn’t give her a precise answer. I just do. I’m eating right and sleeping well. I think we all tend to neglect these very basic needs which leads to being tired. There have been long periods of my life when I couldn’t sleep well (babies!) but thankfully, right now Mabel sleeps at night and so do I. I’ll talk more about sleep when I write part 2 and talk about the personal boundaries I have set for myself over the past few months. For now, I hope that sharing what has worked for me might help you, even just a little bit.
(Edited to add: The changes I have made in an effort to move towards better health are in addition to taking prescription thyroid medication.)
p.s. It’s tickseed sunflower season! I’ve been collecting these favorite yellow roadside flowers for my dyepots, and will share more about that over on Instagram this week!
Amazon affiliate links to books I found helpful:
Margret says
Hi Ginny, I’m so glad you’re feeling better and hope you have continued to improve since you wrote this. Have you heard of Anthony William, The Medical Medium? His third book which is all about healing the thyroid is coming out this month and I can’t wait to read it. I loved both his first two books and I think he’s amazing. I hope you’ll look him up I think he’ll have some answers for you, I tell everyone about him! I’ll add a link to a podcast he did on the thyroid xxx
https://www.hayhouseradio.com/#!/episode/understanding-the-thyroid-new-information-1471274447
Hannah Carlson says
I thought of you when I saw this on youtube:
https://youtu.be/zoud3nRbeAE
Sarah says
Oh Ginny, I’m happy to hear you’re finding some tools that can help you feel better. I wonder about my husband’s anxiety and some of the things you’ve mentioned. I’m going to do a bit of researching. I cut out caffeine a few years ago after I began experiencing anxiety symptoms following a traumatic experience post-partum and found that caffeine was a huge culprit in the morning anxiety attacks I was having at that point. It always makes me smile when my Seattle area friends seem terrified that I don’t drink coffee to get through my day – “How do you DO it?” is a silly question when the alternative is a daily panic attack! Hah!
Lana says
That is so good to hear!
Jody says
Thank you for writing about such (difficult and personal) subjects and doing it thoughtfully, sensitively and calmly. It is encouraging, helpful and brings hope, I think, to others.
Caroline says
Pop on over to Ali Edwards blog, she has recently shared a couple of posts about her health journey and diagnosis with hashimotos. I think you’re both on a similar path and reading her story (she is a great story teller like you) can’t harm.
Although I don’t suffer with Hashimotos or have anxiety issues I really believe that a cleaner diet is the way forward. Trying hard to make small changes to my lifestyle too. Thanks for the inspiration!
Martha says
You look incredible and more importantly, it is wonderful to hear of the awesome improvements! It gives me hope for my daughter, who battles celiac disease and just hasn’t really recovered well since her diagnosis 2 yrs ago. I want to do more specific testing for her, the food sensitivities (we’ve done run-of-the-mill allergy testing but found nothing) to see what her body processes well and doesn’t process well. We’ve only seen improvement when we basically did something similar to a GAPS diet with her for 3 months, but she doesn’t eat meat or vegetables so its not something sustainable long-term. Anyway.. I know you don’t need to be overwhelmed with questions, but do you have an recommendations for how to find a naturopath (pediatric?) or someone who would be able to help us/her with checking more closely for food sensitivities and looking at guided supplementation? We’ve mainly gone the western medical route (i.e.: just don’t eat gluten) and haven’t found it to be really helping her thrive. Her antibodies are still elevated as well, even with an extremely strict/controlled home environment. Anyway, rambling. Also.. just thankful for the beauty you create and share Ginny on your blog. It is an inspiration and joy! <3 blessings to you
Barbara says
So glad to hear that you are feeling better! It’s such a struggle to figure it all out.
I’m also heterozygous for the MTHFR gene, as well as chronically have low vit D levels, and hypothyroidism (but not Hashimoto’s). I am also caffeine-free and anyone who has ever struggled with anxiety would never ask how you can do it. If caffeine is a threat to your sanity, you do it! I have eliminated foods but not found any triggers. Wish I would because…I would feel better! In another two-weeks I’m going to be daily caregiver to my two-month-old grandson. It would be great to have more energy! We are on ACA insurance so doctors are out of the question — a sad reality I never thought I’d face. A recent ER visit for my 21yo’s asthma attack is costing us $3700!
Briana says
I do exactly the same–exactly! eve with the ‘guided supplementation’ for my Lupus, and also my antibodies are almost normal now, as well. I AM worried about the winter slump, and me turning into a hermit, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
I am so happy for you. I knowknowknow how hard this has been because I’ve done it myself, and continue to do so.
We get a forced leg up in the self control department.
Karen Sue says
Briana-
I would be interested in your lupus regime. I have recently changed doctors because the last one was contradictory in how to treat and any vitamin/diet changes that could be made.
jennyann1126 says
Yea! So happy for you and you look radiant. Have you tried Dandy Blend tea? Gluten and caffeine free, instantly dissolves in cold or hot water and tastes so much like coffee. I can’t tolerate coffee and just a bit of caffeine so it’s a nice alternative drink that has many health benefits. My kids also love it iced.
karen says
I am so happy that you have found the secret sauce to feeling your best. There are foods that make me feel fantastic and then there are foods that make be feel icky. I wonder why we eat them???
Shelley Knoll-Miller says
Oh! Oh! Undermethylator here too! (manically waves hands about like it’s some cool club).
It’s strange to think our biochemistry can influence our personalities but I do wonder if it is part of the picture. My Dr. says undermethylators are typically very driven types and can be prone to sensitivity. So I wonder if I’m a similar breed to you? I constantly crochet, am an illustrator, and have been prone to anxiety in some seasons of my life. Random thought there. Anyhow, thanks Ginny for sharing your thoughts and experiences. All really interesting. And you look so well that it’s making me rethink my tea habit!
Jackie says
This is so interesting. I have recently been off work with anxiety but my blood tests were normal. I am still struggling but know that some of that is due to not having been more determined to set a new routine and diet. I have given up alcohol and having read your blog will look at what I eat that could be contributing to the anxiety also. Looking forward to part 2. Thank you so much for sharing xxxx
Judy says
Next someone asks you about energy levels and no caffeine, you can confidently tell them it is the B Vitamins. Without exception, everyone I know who takes sublingual B12 has a vastly reduced need for caffeine as a stimulant.
I’m glad you’re feeling so much better.
Jeannie says
Beautiful lady . . . here is something, a song, that helps reduce anxiety. I’ve tried it and it works well, see what you think. http://www.thinkinghumanity.com/2017/02/neuroscientists-discover-a-song-that-reduces-anxiety-by-65-percent-listen.html
Lynn marie says
Ginny, thank you for sharing your journey. It means more than you can ever know.
Marion says
Ginny so happy that you are feeling better. thank You for the post. Mabel and Beatrix are beautiful girls. I love the photo of Beatrix hiding in the rack.
Marion
Eileen says
Ginny, thanks for this post. I have dealt with Thyroid issues since 1985 and I thought I was stable. But in the past 2 weeks I feel like it is getting out of control again. I have been reading the Hashimoto book and tomorrow is the day I start my limitation diet—–no coffee!!!!! I have gone to decaf before but now I think I will just cut it out.
Be a you have the most BEAUTIFUL smile that lights up the world!
Ravenna says
Thank you for sharing this. I was recently diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid, and am in the middle of the testing protocol to determine the cause. So the commitment to another homeschool year also brought a commitment to making changes for better health. I appreciate your willingness to share your journey. We are all in this together!
Linda says
Thank you for sharing, I too think you look glowing and very young for a mum of a large family = miraculous. I see the hand of God in it all. I pray your health will continue to improve, but I also see that you are playing your part by being very disciplined to stick to your ‘healthy lifestyle eating’ and therefore not have to spend your life living off pain medication. Many people lack discipline when it comes to ‘food’ even if they suffer from food intolerance. Your truly an inspiration, and show that it can be done, when one is prepared to make sacrifices. Blessings to you – Linda
sonrie says
I’ve had a recent Hashimoto’s diagnosis too. I’ve found, like you, that making and keeping dietary changes has also helped me to feel better. I still have a little experimenting to go about some foods and materials and boundaries, but it is reassuring to see results so quickly. I find it supportive to read about you and others who research for their own health. And, as an avid reader, I appreciate the book recommendations! 🙂
jill says
Ginny,
Did you follow a specific diet/list of foods? I see your list of avoided foods, but wonder if they were 100% forbidden. I have wanted to try my son on it, but with other kids in the house, elimination diets are really tricky to do in real life. Plus, he is very skinny already, so I cannot avoid anything we don’t absolutely have to!
We already never, ever have gluten due to Celiac disease, he takes D3 and methylfolate and B12, and no processed foods/artificial stuff. We’ve gone un-vegetarian for him, which is difficult for me. The list of foods I’ve seen on other websites say all sorts of stuff–beans are fine, beans are terrible, any foods with folic acid are detrimental…finding what is fad/quack stuff and what is real science is tricky. We’ve even had to take a break (temporary, I hope) from home schooling him due to the behavior issues at home, so I’m feeling desperate enough to do just about anything…
nicole says
Ginny, I can’t even begin to write all I want to say on this. It will come at another point b/c with my current medical issue and the stress of our current situation I am realizing I need to make major changes. BUT for now I just have to say you look amazing and are glowing in your photos!! And that photo of sweet Mabel in Bea’s old unicorn dress with your pup, I had to do a double take. I thought you snuck in an old Bea photo!!! xoxo (email coming soon!)
Tamra Garner says
I have celiac, so no gluten anyway. I’ve recently given up all other grains, which has greatly decreased my painful gut inflammation and bloating. I’m allergic to soy, corn, and pork, so avoid them. I’ve recently developed sensitivity to secondary foods related to my latex allergy. Primaries are bananas, kiwi, avocado, others. Secondaries are tomato, celery, melons, others. Once I got rid of these, my constant fiery small intestinal pain is gone! I, too, have a severe vitamin D deficiency even while on significant supplementation. I take D liquid, since I cannot take capsules due to pork allergy. I take magnesium as well, for migraines and thyroid. My doc has encouraged me to increase vitamin K foods, and without knowing it, I am. I eat steamed spinach almost every morning. I can’t digest bovine dairy, but love raw goat kefir with additional probiotics (hope this isn’t an irritant!). Also, a sublingual B12 every morning. What B vitamins are you taking? Doc says absorption problems must be due to extensive gut scarring, because it took over 25 years for celiac to be diagnosed. I heavily rely on eggs as an inexpensive protein. How did you realize this was a problem for you? I’ve been allergy tested, and eggs are not an allergy…. Thanks so much for sharing your insights with us!
Kitchen fairy says
Hi there. MTHFR has had a starring role in our lives recently, too. We found out that my husband is homozygous and I’m heterozygous after having a miscarriage, which is a common way that people find out, apparently. It’s linked to so much – anxiety, miscarriages, processing medications… But knowing you’re in that camp is the first step to rectifying the havoc it can cause.
I’m glad to hear that you’re getting good care and feeling better. Having a healthcare provider that you trust and making changes that you can feel the benefits of is a good place to be.
Katerina says
Congratulation on healing, you look beautiful btw, so young! Hope you will make it and yu will feel good from now on…best regards!
Jenny says
Ginny, thank you for sharing this! I also have Hashimoto’s and the MTHFR mutation and have similarly struggled with lifelong anxiety and depression. The caffeine piece has been huge (hello, ironically named blog) but now I’m a decaf girl, and some days nothing at all. I’ve also worked with a naturopath for the past year doing targeted supplementation and making big diet changes (no gluten, no alcohol, no “raw” dairy like milk, cream, or butter, and low sugar, but not so far as GAPS, i’m not strong enough!). I take westhroid pure and also take 3 mg of LDN (low dose naltrexone) and it has been positively life changing. My antibodies are now at zero and have been for 4 months. The real trick will be after this pregnancy is over seeing if I stay in remission. I’m glad you’re feeling better, and I pray you can continue to add things back into your diet.
Penelope says
Ginny, thank you so much for sharing a little more about your ongoing health journey. I have chronic medical conditions which have also required a sea-change in terms of my health and nutritional intake over the past 18 months …. I already had had celiac disease for a decade, but now can no longer tolerate any grains of any kind, lactose, most pulses, nuts, corn, soy (corn and soy are in everything! Bless) … Praise all goodness that I can still have eggs — that would be so hard for me to give up! You have my sympathies. (Also, the only meat I ever ever eat is wild caught tuna or salmon in judicious amounts). … it’s a challenge for sure to get enough calories, isn’t it?! I lost a radical amount of weight due to these health issues and it was too much (having been ‘overweight’ most of my adult life, I can now say that, yes, it is possible to be too thin). Anyhow! Thank you for writing, it’s so good to be able to commiserate about these things!
Andee says
I have had to give up many of the food you have plus soy. That is in everything! I hoped by elimination all those things from my diet for six months I could magically reintroduce them. Not so much. I can’t have dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, rye, barley, corn… ect. So now I’m into two years of giving all that up (kind of). I tell people I’m not allergic it’s a quality of life issue. I feel terrible when I eat them. My body just doesn’t break them down the mental and physical side effects are terrible. After a few years of eliminated that from my diet it just sucked. So now I’m allowing myself to indulge just a few things on my ban list on the weekend. Not much just a little here and there and I’m doing a MUCH better time maintaining my lifestyle. I also can’t say enough for how much Chalene Johnsons Podcast has helped me see a better way of living all around!
Chloe says
Oh Ginny, so glad to hear you are feeling better. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. And yay for your link to IG! I am on there a lot and am thrilled to be able to connect with you there too. I’ve been following your blog for a few years now and I really appreciate these windows into your family’s world. Although obviously there is much to be gained from sharing the good stuff, like knitting and flowers, it’s important to me to see the real stuff too. All of us carry burdens of some kind or other and recognizing that it is possible to get through hard times makes it easier for others who are still weighed down. Does that even make sense? Hope so. Lots of love to you all from rainy France 🙂 xx
Richard (in Charlotte, NC) says
Thank you so much for sharing your situation with us. I understand that Hashimoto’s is mainly found in women but, I have been tired and lethargic for a long time now and I have had high LDL cholesterol since the early 80’s. Now, I am a heart patient since 2007 when I had my first heart attack. I will see about more tests via the VA for this and the mutant gene thing. I’m tired of being tired! Have a blessed week.
Tracy G says
Thank you so much for sharing this! It sounds like we have a lot in common health-wise. I’ve got the same methylation and d issues and supplementing those has helped a lot (although it’s required some tinkering to get it right). We recently bought a water filter system that eliminates fluoride and I’ve noticed it’s also helping my energy levels and reducing brain fog. I worry my teeth may fall out but gosh, it seems worth the trade-off! Thank you again for sharing your story. I wish you healing and health on your journey. May God bless you and your family!
Sally says
Thank you for sharing your journey. I appreciate your approach to health. In our society today it is the immediate and easy that most people seek. Also, more is better seems to be quite popular, too. As a pharmacist, I consult with people daily about supplementation and nutrition. Feeling well is a lifelong process, and I think you are instilling sense into your children as they watch you go through this. Thanks for your wisdom.