April 11: The cure begins

Hashimoto's thought for the day: Hashimoto say he who leaves room for dessert leaves room for life

Dear reader

If you have come to today's posting for the first time I would suggest you read my first three posts which describe what led up to my diagnosis and why I am now weaning myself off of thyroxine in an attempt to kick-start my thyroid.

I have been on my dietary supplements now for about a week, give or take a few days. I am definitely more energetic. To remind you all, I am taking the following every day:

Klamath Blue Green Wild Algae, 1 500mg capsule once a day; Pro-Biotic Acidophilus, 2 tablets daily, Ultimate Digestive Enzyme Blend, 1 capsule three times a day (150mg each) before meals (contains amylayse, protease, glucoamylase, malt distase, pectinase with phytase, lipase, cellulose, invertase, lactase, bromelain); Kyolic Garlic 600mg (one tablet daily); Coenzyme Q-10 (120mg, 1 a day), Vitamin E495mg and BioCare Bifidobactereum bifidum (1gm daily)

I would also remind you that I am eliminating soy/soya from my diet - as a vegetarian I now realise I consumed this to excess and everything I've read suggests soy can act as a thyroid suppressant.


I repeat again. What I am doing will not necessarily cure you. I am determined that it will cure me. My mind is unshakeably positive and I believe mind really does have power over matter. Telling me something is impossible is like a red rag to a bull. I've proved people wrong all my life. I don't intend to make this an exception.

I am doing Yoga every day which I taught myself many years ago but stopped practising when the kids came along. I feel so much more relaxed now I've started doing it again.

I will include the above few paragraphs every day to help new readers cut to the chase if they don't want to read the first few posts

I've not been to the gym as often as I'd like. I was going to go Sunday, but I didn't feel like it. My attitude is don't force anything if you're not in the mood. If your inner voice is telling you you don't want to exercise, it might be for a reason: exercise when you have a bug or a cold in your system, can, in my exprience, weaken the immune system even more. However, regular exercise is an important part not just for thyroid recovery but for keeping you as healthy as possible while you have thyroid disease.

On days when I don't feel like the gym, I make sure I take gentler exercise. It might be walking a mile or so to the local shops and back again with the dog, occasionally I might do a short jog around the park. As long as you get some form of exercise daily, you're doing yourself some good.

A quick reminder to those who are doing Yoga - make sure the dog and cat aren't in the same room. While I was doing the shoulder stand yesterday, an exercise which stimulates the thyroid (http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_pos_shoulst.htm)
my dog decided to lick my face while my cat stuck her claws in my fingers. This is not conduicive to thyroid recovery.

In future the animals, and the kids, will have to wait in another room until I've finished.

I cannot emphasie Yoga enough. When I've had a stressful day, it makes an incredible difference to how I feel. I completely calms me down. Stress is not thyroid-friendly. Anything that can be done to reduce stress can only help, I would argue.

The thought for the day with which I kicked off this posting was not meant to be flippant. The worst disease of the Western World today is overeating. How many times do you go to a restaurant and have starter, main course and dessert. You have dessert even though you are already full because you just cannot resist the extravagant delights on offer.

You know when you have that awful full feeling, when your stomach feels like the man in the "We want you" poster is prodding it from the inside. That's when you've gone too far. Keep doing this and you're heading for diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure. Hell, isn't thyroid disease enough?

Look after yourself. Love yourself. Treat yourself with honour and respect. Don't get to that really full stage. Eat little and often. That's key. I've been doing that for the last week or so now. It makes such a difference. I feel far less sluggish after I've eaten.

Another tip - don't eat just before you go to bed. I've been doing this for years. I start work at 5am so I try to make sure I'm in bed by 9pm (sad life) when I have only eaten an hour before.

NO! DON'T DO IT!

I'm now eating a lighter meal at 6.30pm. Is it a coincidence I've not had a single headache since when previously I was getting them every day. Of course, it might not just be my dietary change. The Yoga will have helped, perhaps the dietary supplemnts I am taking, or even just my positivity. Most likely it's a mixure of everything.

I am varying my breakfast. I'd like to recommend The Food Doctor Essential Seed Omega butter (http://www.thefooddoctor.com/homebody.php), which is used as a spread for bread or crackers. I spread this on Dr Karg Organic Seeded Spelt Wholegrain Crisp Bread (http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/430105.html). I have two pieces for breakfast. I find it helps sustain my energy through to lunch time.

Please note I do not have shares in either company. I am just sharing with you what seems to be working for me.

Sometimes I will eat organic porridge made with water mixed with Manuka Honey and sunflower seeds.

For lunch yesterday, I had the leftovers of a curry I made the day before with potatoes, mushrooms and egg and for dinner I had a home made soup with all sorts of vegetarian goodies in it like courgettes, garlic, onions, aubergine and beans.

Beans are great - don't worry about the flatulance - your loved ones will be supportive.

In between, I'm eating plenty of fruit instead of eating crips or biscuits. Nuts are also a good idea although, avoid peanuts. Stick to pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, Brazils (great source of selenium) and almonds (calcium). I read somewhere that pears aren't good for the thyroid so I'm avoiding them. Also in the vegetable arena, turnips, brussels, broccoli, cabbage, carrots and radishes, are apparently non-nos.

However, I would temper all the scare stories about soya and other foodstuffs by repeating what my old grannie Sophie used to tell me: "A little bit of what you fancy does you good". And she was a wise old bird my grannie (gaud bless 'er)...sometimes!

Be sensible about your diet - don't overdose on any one thing.

I practise autogenics, a sort of self-hypnosis that aids relaxation. You can incorporate your own positive statements into the routine. I have started using "My bloodstream is free of anti-thyroid antibodies". It's something that needs to be taught and I provide a weblink here to the British Autogeic Society for your further interest (www.autogenic-therapy.org.uk/).

Of course, there are only so many hours in a day but, be honest, who can't make time for 20 minutes of Yoga, 5 minutes of autogenics three times a day and a bit of exercise. If you can't, then you really do have to reorganise your life.

Eliminate clutter, stop rushing about, reduce pressure in your life.

You can do it. I'm doing it.

Let's do it together (oo-er!)

Have a good day everyone. Remember today is another day towards recovery. And let's face it, even if you're thyroid doesn't get better, adopting a healthier lifestyle will improve your quality of life and make you feel the best you possibly can. And that's got to be better than a poke in the eye.

Thyroid disease does not have to mean feeling like crap...it really doesn't!