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Natural Ways to Boost Thyroid Function with diet and supplements
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Hypothyroidism 101: How to Boost an Underactive Thyroid Naturally

Katie WellsNov 14, 2020
Dr Terry Wahls
Medically reviewed by Dr. Terry Wahls, MD
Reading Time: 11 min

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » Hypothyroidism 101: How to Boost an Underactive Thyroid Naturally
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • What Is An Underactive Thyroid?
  • Common Signs & Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
  • What Does the Thyroid Do?
  • Causes of Hypothyroidism+−
    • Leaky Gut
    • Nutrient Deficiencies
    • Food Sensitivities
    • Blood Sugar Imbalance
    • Toxicity
    • Genetics
    • Post-Pregnancy
    • Infections
  • What to Do First for Your Low Thyroid
  • Lifestyle Changes for Hypothyroidism+−
    • Diet for Underactive Thyroid
    • Exercise for Boosting Thyroid Function
    • Lifestyle for Hypothyroidism
    • Supplements for Hypothyroidism
  • What Not to Do for Hypothyroidism+−
    • Do Not Take Iodine Supplements
    • Do Not Self-Medicate With Natural Remedies
  • Keep Track of What’s Working
  • Bottom Line: Take Care of Your Thyroid!

Thyroid problems seem to be everywhere these days! Women especially are more prone to them. Hypothyroidism can happen for many different reasons, but our current modern, chaotic lifestyle can contribute to it.

I’ve struggled with thyroid problems for more than a decade now. While I also have Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune thyroid condition, part of that means dealing with hypothyroidism.

I know from personal experience how miserable it is to have a thyroid that’s not doing its job right. Now I want to pass my experience on to you as you try to understand yours.

What Is An Underactive Thyroid?

Having an underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism. This happens when your thyroid is not producing enough hormones to energize your body. Understanding what can lead to a low-functioning thyroid is a critical part of getting answers.

I was diagnosed through a series of blood tests and a thyroid ultrasound. I found out that I have several nodules on my thyroid which will be monitored to make sure they don’t get any bigger.

Common Signs & Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

I had thyroid problems long before I knew what was going on. It’s easy to miss the common symptoms of hypothyroidism among other normal aspects of life. For me, I was having babies, not sleeping much because of that, and struggling to lose weight because I thought that was normal for being postpartum.

But in reality, my symptoms were way more extreme than they should have been. The thyroid can produce so many different symptoms when it’s not behaving right. Some people will have a lot of them, others may only have one or two noticeable signs. This is where proper testing makes all the difference in getting answers.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism to look out for?

  • Weight gain, especially when it’s not related to lifestyle or diet changes. You just gain weight for seemingly no reason and then can’t lose it.
  • Feeling cold all the time. This can happen even when it’s hot outside or no one else is cold.
  • Being more tired than usual, whether you get enough sleep or not.
  • Experiencing hair loss that goes on and on. Hair can also be thin or brittle and just generally unhealthy.
  • Having fingernails that break easily or skin that is dry and rough.
  • Feeling depressed or having a low mood.
  • Being constipated or dealing with hemorrhoids.
  • Having a frequent sore throat or hoarse voice.
  • Feeling weak in the muscles or getting tired easily after exertion.
  • Having high blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL.
  • Dealing with heavy periods or menstrual cycles that aren’t quite regular.
  • Having a low pulse or a low basal body temperature.
  • Feeling fullness in the neck, or having an enlarged thyroid (called a ‘goiter’).

What Does the Thyroid Do?

As you can see, symptoms of hypothyroidism are extensive! They seem to affect every area of life, from energy levels to weight to digestion to hair, skin, and beyond.

How can the thyroid have this much power? A small gland that sits at the base of your neck, the thyroid is shaped like a butterfly. It’s an endocrine gland, meaning that it produces hormones.

The thyroid makes two hormones: T4 and T3. The first, T4, is the inactive form that gets converted into active form as needed. T3 is the active form of the hormone that is produced in smaller amounts. You need both to have a well-functioning thyroid gland. TSH, short for thyroid-stimulating hormone, is produced by the pituitary gland and is in charge of telling the thyroid when to make more T3 and T4.

Low thyroid hormones can be caused in a few ways. Sometimes the pituitary gland doesn’t make enough TSH, and the thyroid doesn’t get the memo to make more. Other times, TSH levels are very high, and the thyroid is making T4, but your body isn’t able to convert it into T3. Finally, there’s another thyroid hormone known as Reverse T3, and in situations of stress, the body takes your T4 and dumps it into Reverse T3, resulting in plenty of thyroid hormone in the body that it just can’t access for energy.

The thyroid hormones make sure your cells have the energy to do their jobs. It also runs your metabolism which is why weight gain happens so quickly when the thyroid slows down. Thyroid hormones are also necessary for fertility, pregnancy, adrenal hormones, and a healthy, balanced mood.

Causes of Hypothyroidism

The thyroid is sensitive. Like most hormone-producing glands, it responds to the overall environment of the body. If you’re constantly stressed, this can lead to thyroid problems. But other factors can affect it, too.

Leaky Gut

Leaky gut, or intestinal permeability occurs when the body is unable to process food and nutrients the right way. In essence, the gut becomes leaky, and food and other bacteria slip through the cracks triggering digestion and absorption issues. This is also one of the ways that autoimmune disease, like Hashimoto’s, could be triggered.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Your thyroid needs nutrients both to make hormones and convert them to the right form. Depending on diet, it is easy to be really low in some essential thyroid nutrients like iron, magnesium, selenium, and vitamin D.

Gut problems can also decrease the body’s ability to process these nutrients effectively. If there’s a problem in the gut, then no matter how much we consume of these supplements or eat nutrient-rich foods, the body won’t be able to snag all the goodness from them. This is especially important to address during pregnancy since there is an increased nutrient demand and after pregnancy, since we lose nutrient stores and it takes time to build them back up.

Food Sensitivities

Ever feel swollen or bloated after eating? Or get an upset stomach or experience a breakout? All of these symptoms can indicate that your body is sensitive to whatever you just ate.

Food sensitivities like gluten, dairy, and soy are quite common and they also happen to negatively impact how your thyroid works. Gluten can even cause a leaky gut!

Blood Sugar Imbalance

For hormones in the body to be balanced, everything else needs to be stable. This is referred to as homeostasis. When your blood sugar is imbalanced or your insulin levels are consistently too high, either from stress or diabetes, the thyroid might have trouble making enough hormones.

The double whammy of low thyroid hormone and high glucose can lead to even more weight gain. Worse, having hypothyroidism can also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Toxicity

A toxic buildup is also common in people struggling with thyroid problems. There are some things, like the air that we breathe, that we can’t control. However, we can take some great strides to detoxify our homes.

Your thyroid responds to every part of the environment that you live in. Using products filled with artificial and synthetic ingredients can make your body more toxic. This can handcuff your thyroid gland when trying to do its job.

(If you don’t know where to start ditching toxic personal care ingredients, start here.)

Genetics

You may be predisposed to thyroid problems based on your genetics, although this is more common with the autoimmune version of thyroid issues. Still, if you have a mom, sister, or other close family members with thyroid problems, it might mean you’re more likely to have them, too.

This is the genetic test I used, and the results guided many of my next steps in personalizing my approach. You can also listen to my podcast on the topic here.

Post-Pregnancy

Women are more likely to develop thyroid problems after giving birth, even if they don’t have a family history or previous problems. There are many theories as to why, but major hormone fluctuations and nutrient deficiencies, along with the telltale lack of sleep that happens in those first weeks and months, are likely culprits.

Infections

If your body is dealing with chronic or recent infections, your thyroid might take the hit. Underlying infections, like the Epstein Barr virus which causes mono or bacterial overgrowth like Candida can negatively affect your thyroid.

What to Do First for Your Low Thyroid

If you suspect that you are hypothyroid, the first thing that you need is lab work. There’s no real way to assess what’s going on with your thyroid without testing the actual hormones.

Some doctors will only run TSH or total T3 to check on your thyroid. This is problematic because it only gives a partial snapshot of what’s happening. If you want the full picture and some real answers, you need to get these labs done:

  1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)— This is the pituitary hormone that measures the level of thyroid hormone in the blood. A higher level would show that your body is having to work harder (shout louder) to get your thyroid to do its job.
  2. Free T3/Free T4— These are the available levels of thyroid hormones in your blood. Total T3 will tell you how much is in your body, but it’s no good to you unless you can use it. Free T3 shows how much hormone you have available to actually use.
  3. Reverse T3— This will help determine whether you have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. It tends to be low in hypothyroid cases and high in hyperthyroid cases, but sometimes it can be high in hypothyroidism if your body is having problems with conversion.
  4. Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies/Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TPO/TG Antibodies)— These are the thyroid antibodies and will help to rule out whether your hypothyroidism is driven by an immune system problem. If you have thyroid antibodies and you’re hypothyroid, it means you have Hashimoto’s disease.
  5. Thyroid Ultrasound— Not everyone needs this, but it is especially recommended if your doctor suspects abnormal growth or if you have a known thyroid condition.

After you get lab work done, the next thing to do is to meet with a healthcare provider to discuss your results and set a plan. If you’re confirmed to have low thyroid or hypothyroidism, then here’s what you can do.

Lifestyle Changes for Hypothyroidism

I’ve made some diet and lifestyle changes since finding out about my thyroid problems. While I am also taking thyroid hormone replacement, these were really helpful even before I started the medication and I wanted to share them with you.

Diet for Underactive Thyroid

I was already eating a healthy diet before finding out about my thyroid problems, so diet was not the entire problem for me. However here are some additional dietary changes that can help support thyroid health:

  • Avoid inflammatory foods. This can include sweeteners, processed foods, grains, soy, and dairy, but it can also include anything you’re sensitive to.
  • Focus on eating quality meats and fish. Grass-fed and wild-caught meats and seafood have better nutrient profiles and don’t contain possible inflammatory problems like antibiotics or mycotoxins.
  • Eat lots of green leafy vegetables cooked in coconut oil. Vegetables are rich in thyroid-friendly nutrients and fiber, which can help with constipation caused by hypothyroidism.
  • Eat fruits too, but focus on lower-glycemic ones (mostly berries). This is especially important if you have high glucose or insulin.
  • Drink bone broth a few times a day. It is rich in gut-healing nutrients, including collagen and gelatin.
  • Don’t go low-carb to try to force weight loss. While you want to avoid high-starch carbs or those that are sugary, your thyroid needs the right kind of carbohydrates to make hormones.

Exercise for Boosting Thyroid Function

When you’re dealing with low thyroid and are already tired, exercise might sound like the last thing you want to think about. But you need to be able to move your body to promote health.

Still, endless cardio is probably going to hurt more than it will help. Exercise does cause a certain amount of stress in the body—but after that, it leads to a reduction in stress. This isn’t the case when you’re overtaxing your body with exercise.

Some of the best ways that you can support your body with exercise when your thyroid is low are:

  • Yoga: Research finds that it helps reduce hypothyroid symptoms and lowers stress.
  • Rebounding: I spend a few minutes a day jumping on a mini-trampoline to get my blood flowing and increase lymph drainage.
  • Walking: You don’t have to power walk to get benefit from a morning stroll or a family walk after dinner.
  • Strength training: Weight-bearing exercises are good for bone density (which can sometimes be associated problems for people with thyroid issues) but they’re also known for being great for those who have thyroid problems.

Lifestyle for Hypothyroidism

It sounds easier said than done to say “reduce stress,” but managing stress is actually important when it comes to fixing hypothyroidism.

It’s not as simple as wishing stress away, of course, but after diet and exercise, there are some other proven ways to lower your stress levels.

Having a healthy sleep routine is at the top of the list. Your body heals when you sleep. It produces hormones, repairs cells, and gives your gut a break, all while you’re asleep. If you perpetually run short on sleep, your stress hormones will be out of whack, which will affect your thyroid, and so on.

I make it a priority to be sleeping by 10 PM every night. This doesn’t always happen between the kids and other things, but I am definitely trying to make that my norm.

I also practice active relaxation and make it a point to do things that are relaxing and stress-reducing to me. What works for me might not work for you, so it’s important to identify the things that feel life-giving and energizing. They should feel like “get to’s” and not another thing on your to-do list.

Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing as it’s sometimes called, is another great way to promote stress relief. Even if you’re not a pro at meditation, learning to breathe like this can pull you into being more mindful of what’s going on in your body.

Finally, cortisol, which is the stress hormone, can affect how your thyroid works. One of the things I’ve done over time is to sit in the sun in the mornings with my family. This is absolutely free and helps to promote balanced cortisol levels. It’s also great for stress relief! I noticed measurable changes in my hormone levels, just from sitting in the sun consistently in the mornings.

Supplements for Hypothyroidism

I believe it is best to get nutrients from food whenever possible. In this case, my nutrient depletion required specific supplements to improve my levels. Diet changes and adding these supplements made a tremendous difference in reducing my symptoms (skin issues, fatigue, etc) and I notice when I don’t take them.

These are supplements that can support healthy thyroid function:

  • Glutathione: A strong antioxidant that helps balance hormones and boosts the immune system. I definitely notice a difference when I don’t take it. I take one each morning under my tongue.
  • Vitamin D: A vitamin that has hormone properties and is important for thyroid, immunity, and mood. It helps transport thyroid hormones into your cells where it can be used. Even though I spend a lot of time in the sun during the summer and take vitamin D during the winter, I was deficient. This is relatively common with thyroid problems and I’m using a vitamin D supplement to help bring my levels up.
  • Vitamin C: An antioxidant, vitamin C helps support healthy adrenal and thyroid function. My cortisol was high at night, indicating adrenal stress, so I added a quality Vitamin C with each meal.
  • Probiotics: Beneficial bacteria that support gut health, probiotics help with inflammation and other factors relating to hypothyroidism (like constipation and leaky gut). I was already eating probiotic-rich foods, but supplementing can promote healthy gut levels faster. I take these now daily.
  • Magnesium: A mineral that is associated with healthy muscles, mood, and sleep, low levels are also tied to hypothyroidism. I use transdermal magnesium oil and also take magnesium supplements. MagSRT is the supplement I take and I use magnesium oil.
  • Selenium: An antioxidant that is required for the production of thyroid hormones, selenium levels are often low in hypothyroid patients.

What Not to Do for Hypothyroidism

It’s important to understand that hypothyroidism is its own disorder, but that you can have other thyroid problems, too. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that results in immune-driven damage to the thyroid gland. If you have this, just trying to address hypothyroidism won’t fix it.

Getting the right diagnosis about what’s going on with your thyroid is essential to find relief. Avoiding things that can worsen your hypothyroidism is also important. These are things you should not do if you know or suspect that your thyroid is low-functioning.

Nothing replaces personalized medical advice either, so be sure you’re working with a healthcare provider who really understands thyroid function.

Do Not Take Iodine Supplements

One change I made immediately once I found out about my thyroid problems was to stop taking iodine. In some cases, iodine can help people with hypothyroidism, but for the most part, people in the U.S. have sufficient levels of iodine to prevent thyroid disorders.

Taking iodine when you are hypothyroid can cause problems because getting more than you need is not better, and if your hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto’s, then you’re pouring fuel on the fire of your autoimmune attack. In fact, a 2012 review found that restricting iodine could, in some cases, reverse hypothyroid symptoms.

Do Not Self-Medicate With Natural Remedies

I’m a big believer in natural remedies, but thyroid problems require the expertise of a medical professional. Don’t just take supplements and hope for the best.

There are a lot of thyroid supplements on the market that may or may not help—and could make things worse. Always follow the medical advice from your healthcare provider (I share my doctor’s info below), since they are looking at all the factors affecting your health.

Keep Track of What’s Working

One of the biggest ways that I’ve found what works for me is paying attention to what I’m doing and how it impacts my health. I use a range of apps and my Oura ring to keep notes on what’s happening with my health, exercise changes, what I’m eating, and so on.

You don’t need to obsess over health to keep track of it. The best way to see what helps, what doesn’t, and even what might be hurting, is to have it written out in front of you.

Bottom Line: Take Care of Your Thyroid!

All of these changes together made a big difference for me even before I started taking thyroid medication. A reminder, though: I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on the internet. I am sharing my personal experience for information purposes only. This post should not be taken as medical advice.

It was such a long road to get a diagnosis and I saw several doctors before finally getting answers. I know it can be difficult to find a local thyroid expert. This is one of the many reasons why I’ve partnered with this service that matches you with an online primary care doctor based on your medical needs and lifestyle. I’ve been a patient for over a year now and it has been extremely helpful in managing my thyroid condition.

Wherever you are in the process, know that you are not alone and there are some cost-effective and simple changes you can make that will help!

Have you tried any of these things to help boost thyroid functioning? What other changes have you made that have helped? Share below!

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Category: HealthReviewer: Dr. Terry Wahls, MD

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a wife and mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

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Reader Interactions

Discussion (250 Comments)

  1. Stephanie Jenkins

    March 31, 2014 at 5:08 PM

    Thank you this has been very helpful. I already have cut soy, red meat, most milk products, and other things as well. I work out for 1 hour a day but I still see no difference. I have been trying the red raspberry tea leaf.

    Reply
    • Allen MacDiarmid

      September 25, 2015 at 2:23 PM

      There is red meat and then there is red meat. Free range, grass fed beef or buffalo has high levels of omega 3 compared to farmed beef that are fed an unnatural diet of GMO corn, animal parts, growth hormones, antibiotics and restricted exercise. Fortunately here in Kentucky there is lots of grass and thus fairly easy access to “good” red meat vs “bad” red meat from one’s supermarket. We get ours from St. Catherine’s farms.

      Reply
  2. caitlin

    March 31, 2014 at 3:33 PM

    You’ve had a pretty clean diet for a couple years now and still having problems. Doesn’t give me hope at all lol.

    Reply
    • Katie - Wellness Mama

      March 31, 2014 at 11:36 PM

      But I saw dramatic improvement in only a month of an autoimmune diet and can now tolerate some of those foods in small amounts. It isn’t forever 🙂 Best of luck and don’t lose hope!

      Reply
      • caitlin

        April 1, 2014 at 11:38 AM

        Great to know! I’ve been on gaps since January but looks like I’ll try a diet that is more strick, I love my eggs and butter

        Reply
  3. Penny

    March 31, 2014 at 3:22 PM

    I am really interested in all this stuff. And I have been reading a lot about natural yeast, (that they used before they came out with the powdered yeast as we know it today) They say that the natural yeast due to the length of time it must sit to actually make the bread rise, that it ends up breaking down the phytic acid. Do you have any information on this?

    Reply
    • Katie - Wellness Mama

      March 31, 2014 at 11:36 PM

      It does reduce it, but for many people with autoimmune disease, any gluten exposure will cause a problem

      Reply
  4. Katherine

    March 31, 2014 at 2:52 PM

    I suspect I might have thyroid issues too. It’s surprising though that you have five kids, cause autoimmune thyroid issues I heard can cause great difficulty in conceiving… Not in your case I guess! 🙂

    Reply
    • Maryanne

      April 6, 2014 at 6:33 AM

      I have Graves disease, which is also (as I understand it) an autoimmune issue causing hyperactive thyroid. I have very similar symptoms as Katie, and I got pregnant while my hormones were all out of whack, too. After the birth, my thyroid went completely crazy and I’m trying to get my symptoms back under control. I also have shakiness, fatigue, skin issues & rashes, hair issues, enlarged thyroid gland, etc. Fun times. But thanks, Katie, for the info on supplements! I’ll start adding vitamin C and glutathione. There’s conflicting info on iodine, and I noticed an increase in my thyroid size when I was supplementing with it so I avoid it like the plague. I, too, am deficient in almost all vitamins & minerals. Very interesting.

      Reply
  5. Ryden

    March 31, 2014 at 2:15 PM

    Hi!
    Have you heard about this page: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/. My friend with Hashimotos got hyper on synthetic medication, but tolerates the natural one much better… That, among other things, is on this page… It also encourages people to medicate according to their symptoms, in stead of their lab results. I think it’s really interesteing!

    Do you know anything about why you get this disease? I thought you were kind of safe(r) when you eat natural foods and limit chemicals. But, when I heard you got it, that made me think again. I know there are more Hashimotos now than before, and connected that to the western way of life, but it seems wrong when I read about you, since you’re so dedicated. Is it just that its more often diagnosed? Do you know?

    I’m from Sweden, so I apologize if my english is a little off…

    Reply
    • Katie - Wellness Mama

      March 31, 2014 at 11:39 PM

      It is estimated that 1 in 12 people have an autoimmune disease now. There are many theories (increased EMFs in the air, lack of good sleep, toxin exposure, etc). I think that mine is largely due to: family history of it and horrible diet in high school (along with a lot of stress). The good news is that now that I know the problem I am seeing dramatic improvements.

      Reply
      • Cheryl

        April 6, 2014 at 12:40 PM

        YES, have heard of and been to the website Stop The Thyroid Madness, excellent source of information for anyone with thyroid issues. My question is this….how do you find a doctor that actually prescribes to your symptoms and NOT according to the lab results??? Am having a devil of a time finding one. How did you find your doctor Katie?

        Reply
        • Katie - Wellness Mama

          April 10, 2014 at 11:15 PM

          A referral from a friend, but I had to fly cross country to meet him the first time. It is tough. I’m working on finding resources to help others find good doctors near them

          Reply
          • Cassie

            September 11, 2016 at 12:22 AM

            Can I ask who your doctor is?

          • Wellness Mama

            September 11, 2016 at 12:43 PM

            I interviewed him on my podcast here: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/thyroid-health-autoimmune-disease/

        • Kelly

          October 5, 2014 at 12:57 PM

          I had this issue, also. Look up “functional medicine” doctors. They are typically the kind that do this. Not always covered on insurance, and read the philosophy of their office on their website, but this is the type of dr you are looking for. (I didn’t know they even existed until a few months ago.)

          Reply
        • Tara

          November 6, 2015 at 11:32 AM

          Look up your nearest integrative Doctor

          Reply
      • Shaw

        February 7, 2015 at 2:49 PM

        I want to add some possible risk factors that are needed to be checked:
        exposure to low level radioactive iodine (I-131)
        harmful ingredients in makeup product
        birth control pills
        this may explain why women are mainly suffering from this condition

        Reply
    • sally

      December 18, 2014 at 4:07 AM

      Some people find difficulty with animal products such as Natural Desiccated Thyroid as it increases the auto-immunity. However, I have Hashimotos and take NDT with great success. I do though also need (synthetic) additional T3. You have to find the best treatment for you by trying different ones. Some people swear by synthetic T4 and that is fine if it works for you.

      This disorder is a complex one and many Drs do not fully understand the issues. The only way to get the best treatment besides finding a sympathetic Dr is to Educate yourself. Education Education Education….and there is no excuse not to these days as we have a world library on our home computers with enough information to sink the Titanic.

      Reply
  6. Julie Hansen

    March 31, 2014 at 9:44 AM

    Thank you for this very helpful post. My daughter is rebounding as I write this. 🙂

    If you don’t mind sharing–what were your symptoms? How is the autoimmune version different?

    Also curious why you take a vitamin D serum instead of a pill?

    To continued healing,
    Julie

    Reply
    • Katie - Wellness Mama

      March 31, 2014 at 9:55 AM

      I actually felt swelling in my thyroid and had symptoms like a skin rash, fatigue, trouble waking up in the morning, et

      Reply
      • caitlin

        March 31, 2014 at 1:54 PM

        Oh gosh, everyday I wake up I am already exhaustedddr

        Reply
  7. Deborah

    March 31, 2014 at 6:14 AM

    Good luck with these big changes, Katie! Thanks for sharing. Tell us more about the gut health connection to the immune system. I added a probiotic to my daily supplements after a chronic winter cold.

    Reply
  8. Sara

    March 31, 2014 at 5:07 AM

    I gave up grains, sugar, soy, and dairy in January, and have yet to see any changes. Giving up dairy, interestingly, made it much easier to stay off the sugar and grains. I have no desire for those, at all, now. (I guess that, in itself, *is* a big change!) The thought of giving up eggs and nightshades, too, makes me cringe & weep! I’d love to see a few days of your menus to see what you’re eating.

    Reply
    • valeri blossom

      April 3, 2014 at 10:28 PM

      i’ve never given up dairy (though i don’t consume much – yogurt, some cheese, and organic creamer in my daily cuppa) but have found that when i reduce or eliminate wheat-based grains, my sugar cravings go away, nearly completely (and i would say i normally have a big sweet tooth) so that might be what you’re experiencing, though if you’re consuming a lot of milk sugar, it could be having the same effect, as i believe that reducing either one (sugars or simple carbs which the body converts to sugar anyway) reduces cravings for the other. i haven’t any plans to give up eggs but do limit nightshades, as well.

      Reply
      • sally

        December 18, 2014 at 3:58 AM

        You sound like you have a yeast infection; causing sugar cravings. You must treat the yeast infection – you may not realise you have one and there is no good 100% test. Use an anti candida diet and supplements and possibly a product called Lufenuron. I have used Lufenuron for several years now and feel I am finally ontop of my yeast infection but take it once a year now just to make sure I stay on top.
        Yeast plays havoc with both the adrenal glands and the thyroid and you must treat the yeast to get on top of low functioning thyroid and adrenal glands or low hormones. There is plenty of info out there to help you.

        Reply
    • Sue

      May 30, 2014 at 7:54 AM

      I agree! I would love to see your typical menu. What do you eat for breatkfast??

      Reply
  9. Kezia Hall

    March 31, 2014 at 3:07 AM

    Sorry to hear your diagnosis – but thanks for all the info the supplement info is great – definitely want to boost my vitamin c intake to help my adrenals! Such a good post as always!

    Reply
  10. Kelly Skrimstad

    March 31, 2014 at 1:53 AM

    Katie,

    I love your blog and appreciate all of the work you put into it. I also have Hashimotos and am struggling with it. I have one question for you regarding coconut oil and your stance on no iodine. If I am remembering this correctly, way back when I started using Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil it seemed to me that one of the benefits Tropical Traditions espoused as to why their product was / is do much more nutritious than others is that in lab breakdown it was revealed that theirs was much higher in iodine than other brands.

    Not trying to be a bee in your bonnet over this, but honestly interested in your opinion about this.

    Thanks again for all the work you do for the benefit of all of us.

    Affectionately,

    Kelly

    Reply
    • Katie - Wellness Mama

      March 31, 2014 at 11:46 PM

      From what I’ve seen, it is still low enough to be safe (lower than seafood would be, and many people with hashis can still consume seafood) but great point. I will look in to this more 🙂

      Reply
      • Tricia Monaco

        July 2, 2015 at 7:26 PM

        Hi Katie,

        I love your emails and info. Do you have anything to offer naturally food wise of or supplemental wise that will increase T3 levels. I need to increase my T-3.
        The normal range is 80-200 and mine is 82. I do NOT have a Thyroid. It was removed 4 yrs ago. I believe I still have my parathyroid. I’ve been on Synthroid thyroid replacement medicine all this time however a couple months ago I gave Armour thyroid a try but after one week I was a mess and had to get right back on the Synthroid. I’m fully aware that your are not a doctor but because you’re so very knowledgeable in health I thought I would ask you if you know what foods or supplements would help me get my t3 up.

        Just in case you want to know where my T4 is the ranges for T4 are 0.7 – 1.5. My test results say I’m at 1.0 So my range is okay for my T4. It’s just my T3 that’s low.

        Thank you,
        Tricia

        Reply
        • Allen MacDiarmid

          September 25, 2015 at 2:02 PM

          I read somewhere that with T4 in the upper part of the range and T3 in the lower it is an indication that the liver is not converting it properly. Perhaps a liver cleanse is in order? I am not a doctor, so this is just info I am passing along. I cannot get the VA to even measure my T4/T3 levels. They also refuse to measure my Oxidized LDL or even look into why some profess that to be the arterial scarring issue. Maybe next decade they will advance to the point of even having a homeopath or naturopath on their staff.

          Reply
          • Kevin

            March 11, 2016 at 1:37 PM

            I’m a veteran too and it would be nice if the VA would try some different approaches to health problems besides just throwing more medication at us. Like most people I enjoy getting a massage but sometimes they’re not affordable and it would be nice if the VA would offer that as well. The benefits of massage have been shown time and time again to be beneficial for mental health as well as overall health.

    • Robin

      April 10, 2014 at 11:11 PM

      I also have Hashimotos and have found out that flouride that is in our water is not good for us. And in our tooth paste.

      Robin

      Reply
      • Stacy

        April 30, 2015 at 5:06 PM

        I also found this to be true so I’ve used Toms natural floride free for years… Also Toms deodorant 🙂

        Reply
      • Allen MacDiarmid

        September 25, 2015 at 2:03 PM

        I switched to Neem Toothpaste as it contains neither fluoride nor carrageenan. Available on Amazon.

        Reply
    • sally

      December 18, 2014 at 3:52 AM

      This article is informative, however, I would point out that other tissue in the body must have a good supply of Iodine and particularly gonads; ovaries and testes; and breast tissue. The bigger the breasts the greater supply of Iodine is needed. Iodine also helps the body fight the many cancers that form throughout our lives, it causes apoptosis that is suicide of cancer cells.
      I also have Hashimotos but as a vegetarian get low levels of Iodine and therefore I supplement occasionally with Iodine. If I don’t I notice I get very tender breasts and lymph nodes under my arms; this resolves once I’ve taken the Iodine. It is a fine balancing act because if I take too much I become hypothyroid, yes.
      Adrenal glands need Vitamin C in fairly large doses but actually they also need Vitamin E and Vitamin B particularly B5 and magnesium too. These should all be taken to support the adrenal glands. Herbs such as Ashwagandha are adaptogenic and support the good health of adrenal glands too. If there is a sex hormone imbalance it is likely you need to supplement with Pregnenolone.
      Once I had done this I was, for the very first time in YEARS, able to get a good nights sleep. The reason for waking is due to imbalance of Cortisol and the resulting Hypoglycaemia.
      There is no magic pill and all this takes time to kick in but then suddenly you will realise how much better you are feeling. Despite my door bell ringing I used to jump out of my skin when I opened it and someone was there! Giving them a fright too!!

      Reply
      • Dorothy

        August 12, 2015 at 7:31 AM

        I also wonder about natural sources of iodine like kelp. Dh has hashimoto’s and I’m hypothyroid but haven’t been tested yet to know whether I have it. I’m fairly sure I have auto-immune symptoms and was diagnosed with what looked like it could be lupus many years ago. I’ve been mostly gluten free for years and now dh is too. But we were taking kelp capsules and don’t know now whether to take them or not. One of the raw thyroid supplements on the Internet by Natural Sources has kelp in it. It would be a less expensive option for us than what we’re taking now, which is Standard Process supplements for thyroid. We also test as having adrenal fatigue when we do the Ragland test. Dh’s blood pressure drops around 30 points when he stands up, which is kinda scary. We don’t currently go to an integrative physician and haven’t had blood tests done in a while. I appreciate all the information you give on this condition and other health issues.

        Reply
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