"you're malnourished, anxious & you need to eat eggs!"

These were the opening words of my GP some 18 months ago on diagnosing my Hashimotos (after spending 2.5 years being treated for hypothyroidism without knowing about the autoimmune disease linkage)....

You see, it had actually taken about 8-10 GPs to even reach the diagnosis point, and probably only because of my refusal to believe that taking a thyroxine pill each morning was going to 'fix' my ever-increasing health issues that I even made it to him.

After looking at me sternly in the eye and telling me that I needed to take my health seriously, he then continued on to list a host of dietary eliminations I would need to implement on my road to recovery, and even hinted that I may (in conjunction with the assistance of my naturopath and the dietary changes) work towards reducing the level of thyroxine I was taking each day.

And that there was HOPE in overcoming this condition that I had been told for the two years previously would be with me 'for life' and that there was 'no other treatment aside from thyroxine' in managing the condition.

Sound familiar?!!

The removal of stress-inducing foods including Gluten, Sugar, Dairy, Soy and Peanuts was the initial recommendation, and I did this for 2 months or so but lost way too much weight to follow it strictly. But I have kept off Gluten (non-negotiable) and refined sugar (80% of the time!) and eat no-where near the amount of cheese and dairy that I used to. And I eat heaps of boiled eggs!! haha. 

These dietary changes have helped me more than I can ever explain - especially the gluten! I still find that I suffer from inflammation, especially if I get sick or run-down, but the removal of gluten can be likened to a 'miracle' in my gut, and I longer suffer from extreme bouts of bloating or tummy pain. There was a time in my life where I thought I was so unbreakable that I would have laughed at the suggestion that what I was eating could have such a profound impact on my health - but it did! And I am forever grateful to Dr Khosa for directing my health into a more positive space!

So my two key messages from this post can be summed up pretty simply:
1. Find a good GP or health practitioner and do not give up hope that they exist
2. Consider dietary changes such as the removal of gluten and refined sugar (in consultation with your naturopath or health practitioner)

And lastly - never give up on yourself! Each case of thyroid disease, whether auto-immune or otherwise, comes with its own backpack of unique characteristics programmed to your body, meaning that what works for one may not always work for someone else. Keep trialling new ideas, reach out to those who are in the same boat and know that you are worth it!
xx