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What are the Root Causes of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks your thyroid. The condition causes chronic inflammation, and it is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid.

The first things you may notice are symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and even depression – long before the diagnosis. But what causes Hashimoto’s thyroiditis? In this blog, I want to take a closer look at six of the root causes of this disease.

Gut Health 1: Gluten Sensitivity
Epstein-Barr Virus
Stress
Gut Health 2: H. pylori
Gut Health 3: SIBO
Nutrient Deficiencies

Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten sensitivity is not the same as celiac disease where your body can’t break down gluten at all, but you may have similar symptoms. Those symptoms can be connected to your thyroid. Reducing your gluten intake allows you to see whether your symptoms clear up as well.

It’s simple: if gluten is causing inflammation in your body, it may also cause an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s to flare up.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

Most of us remember EBV as the cause of the common childhood illness mononucleosis or mono. It’s a type of herpes virus, and experts estimate that 80% of adults carry the virus in its dormant form.

However, if it is reactivated by food, illness, or another stressor, it can lead to other problems. You may not notice it, but you may be carrying a low-level EBV infection, making you more likely to develop an autoimmune condition.

Stress

It’s impossible to talk about thyroid conditions without talking about stress. We have become so used to being stressed that we’re almost considering stress to be normal. But remember stress affects us physiologically, too. Consider rushing through traffic to pick up your kids when you’re already late. Or maybe getting up and speaking in front of people, even if it is remotely like on a Facebook Live. Or a stressful family situation. All of those cause an acute stress reaction. The more time you spend this stressed, the more likely you may be to develop an autoimmune condition.

Gut Health: H. pylori

Have you heard of helicobacter pylori? It’s a bacterial infection that can cause gastric ulcers. Not only are those painful, but they affect the functioning of your stomach. You start struggling to absorb foods and nutrients, so no matter how good your diet is, your body can’t take advantage.

As a bacterial infection, it often needs to be treated with antibiotics. Before they take hold, the infection may have triggered Hashimoto’s.

Gut Health 3: SIBO

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is hard to diagnose. Symptoms include general malaise, constipation, and bloating, among others.

While the condition itself is treatable, it may cause Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune diseases. As you can see, there is a theme here: gut health is closely related to autoimmune conditions and thyroid problems.

Nutrient Deficiencies

The thyroid can’t produce its hormone when you are lacking nutrients. Selenium, zinc, and magnesium are hugely important. I have also seen a connection between deficiencies in asparagine, ferritin, and iodine in people with thyroid conditions.

If you are suffering from Hashimoto’s or you think you may have a thyroid condition, it’s important to understand your nutrient status and perhaps improve it to address your symptoms.

To find out more about the connections between these reasons and autoimmune reactions, keep on reading. Nutrition can go a long way to help resolve your thyroid symptoms.

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How to Work Out When You Have a Thyroid Problem

Is getting fit on your list of New Year’s resolutions? How is it going so far? When you have a thyroid problem, working out is not easy. If your condition is well controlled, you are likely feeling full of energy and just getting on with your days. However, chances are you’re reading this blog because all is not so well, and you’re experiencing a range of thyroid-related symptoms. Here is my advice on how to incorporate workouts and exercise into your routine.

Choose Your Favorite Type of Movement

First of all, if you’ve decided that this is the year to get in shape, I applaud you. Humans were designed to move. Our bodies work better when we are active.

However, if you are suffering from thyroid problems, you need to consider the type of exercise you choose and how it affects you. Your thyroid issues may have caused you to gain weight, or perhaps your body is resisting weight loss? Conventional wisdom would tell you to exercise more and eat less. However, for thyroid patients, that’s not always the right answer.

Intense exercise stresses your body. Don’t get me wrong – I love high-intensity workouts. Crossfit, anyone? Or how about exercise boot camps? I love the adrenaline rush you get when you’re reaching your workout goals.

The trouble is, by exercising intensely, you may be making your thyroid symptoms worse. Tough exercise causes your body physiological stress. If that stress is prolonged, for example, if you are in the gym doing two or three classes in a row, it can cause your thyroid to regulate down even more. As a result, your metabolism slows further.

Also, if you are on full replacement medication, this hardcore exercise may not work for you. Keeping your heart rate up for this long, stressing muscles and joints may leave you feeling worse.

Remember that slower classes like yoga, stretching, or pilates are just as beneficial.

How About Restorative Exercise?

If you are well optimized and your thyroid condition is under control – go ahead and exercise to your heart’s content. On the other hand, if you struggle with fatigue, sleep quality, or your diet is not that great, it’s worth rethinking your approach.

Restorative types of exercise like Pilates or yoga are great alternatives to get you moving and build up strength. How about going for a walk? Depending on where you live, now may not feel like the best time to head out, but bundle up and try a short walk. Exposing yourself to the cold may help lower your body temperature and contribute to healing. Once you are feeling stronger, take it up a notch with yoga workouts.

Love spin classes? Look at the intensity. If you are in a class, it’s really hard to resist the instructor’s cheers and sit out the intense bit, but perhaps an exercise bike at home is a solution?

Making it Work for You

Avoid getting stuck on prescriptive exercise programs and never be afraid to adjust a training routine. Plus, remember resistance training is at least as beneficial as cardiovascular exercise when it comes to burning calories. High-intensity interval training may work well for you, too.

Most importantly, check-in with yourself. How is your exercise making you feel? If it’s leaving you more fatigued, adjust it to work better for you. No two people are the same, so why should exercise regimes be?

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Introduction to Nutrition For Thyroid Health

Do you find yourself waking up every morning, feeling more tired than the night before? Perhaps, you have already been tested for thyroid problems, and whilst the tests are normal you feel terrible?

This blog is for you. The blog accompanies my podcast which is called The Nutrition For Thyroid Health podcast. First things first: you are not alone. I’m a thyroid cancer thriver, and I understand what it’s like to be sick and feel alone.

Your Shortcut to Feeling Better

It took me years to figure out how my diet influenced my thyroid and – with it – the way I felt. Everything I have learned along the way is distilled into my book, The Rock Bottom Thyroid Treatment, and both blog and podcast will cover it.

It’s taken me years to figure out this eight-week thyroid diet for people with normal thyroid tests. The goal is to help you thrive, not only survive. And I promise it won’t take years, simply because you don’t need to figure out the steps for yourself.

Whether or not you have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition, the three phases of this program are methodical and specific. They are designed to help you overcome countless symptoms and obstacles.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Read On.

Are you waking up with fatigue, depression, anxiety, and hopelessness? I used to be the same.

For years, I’d wake up every morning wondering how I would make it through the day? How could I take care of myself and my kids? I felt so hopeless that I almost stopped caring. But it was in those depths of despair that I was prompted to consider nutrition.

For the next four years, I worked towards becoming a board-certified and licensed nutritionist, as well as a thyroid expert. Today, I wake up with a goal in mind: to support people who have hit rock bottom and help them shortcut their journey back to health.

It’s A Journey

Let me be clear – returning to health doesn’t happen overnight. It’s often a long, hard road. But this road is much easier to travel with support. Along the way, you will learn more about your own health. You will start feeling empowered and positive rather than hopeless and defeated.

You will learn how to partner with your healthcare practitioner and take charge of your health. Most importantly, perhaps, you’ll wake up feeling energized and ready for the day.

Consider The Benefits

Reclaiming your thyroid health will feel like you’re reclaiming your life. You’ll find yourself able to spend and enjoy more quality time with your children. You’ll regain your focus and your stamina to live more fully.

What’s more, it’s time to get off the rollercoaster of diets and eating plans coupled with super intense exercise. Much of this only leaves you more fatigued and frustrated.

You deserve better, and if I was able to feel better, I know you can, too. Reclaim your thyroid health and crush your fatigue without crazy dieting and beating yourself up at the gym! More to come in my next blog. Until then, eat well and be well!

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Healing from Childhood Trauma with Michael Anthony

In our recent Rock-Bottom Wellness podcast our guest was Michael Anthony, the author of the bestselling book Think Unbroken and a coach, mentor, and educator for adult survivors of child abuse.

Michael was born to a hyper abusive drug-addicted mother who cut his finger off at four years old, a stepfather you pray you never have, and was adopted by a racist grandmother that pushed him into an identity crisis.

Aged 18, Michael decided that money could solve his problems, so he got a job in a fast-food restaurant and worked hard. By the time he was 21, he had a six-figure salary with a Fortune 1,000. However, aged 25, Michael found himself morbidly obese, drunk daily, and self-sabotaging everything he’d achieved.

It was not until his “mirror moment” that he began to work through his childhood trauma and life really began. Now, Michael Anthony spends his time helping others to become the hero of their own story and take their lives back.

The Mirror Moment

At 25 Michael was 350 pounds, smoking two packs a day, and drinking himself to sleep. It was looking at himself in the mirror one day that turned his life around. He told me about his “mirror moment’” here.

“I’m laying in bed. It’s 11 o’clock in the morning. I’m smoking a joint eating chocolate cake and watching the CrossFit games. Like, if that’s not rock bottom, I literally don’t know what it is. And so I go into the bathroom and I look at myself in the mirror.”

He faced himself honestly and his self-disgust while asking what he was willing to do to have the life he wanted.

“And the words, no excuses, just results started reverberating in my body. … that moment was a catalyst for everything my life is.”

Break Free of the Vortex

Michael explained how being willing to face his fears was the path to healing, by reclaiming his personal truth. He describes a process of taking ultimate responsibility and deciding to leave his inner vortex of self-defeating thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

“It’s those, those thoughts, that damage, that, that hurt that, that shame, that pain, that guilt, that suffering, that thought that you’re broken. That’s the vortex. “

Mindset is Everything

How to break free? Mindset is everything. He explains:

“Mindset is very simple. What you think becomes what you speak, what you speak becomes your actions and your actions become your reality.”

Breaking free of the vortex involves changing your mindset. In short, being kind to yourself, investing in yourself, and committing to building the life you want to live.

I asked Michael how he made the leap. Reflecting on his own mortality was key. He didn’t want to die full of regrets about not doing the things he wanted to do out of fear.

Living moment to moment, fully present, and committed to growth was his path to healing. It’s the path he shares with his clients and in his book.

For more inspiration, check out Michael’s free Think Unbroken podcast.

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Ozonated Water and Sauna for Healthy Living in a Toxic World

We live in a toxic world. Even if we eat organic, we can’t live in a bubble. We need to continue safeguarding our bodies and detoxifying them the right way. Eileen Durfee came on the show to discuss how ozonated water and saunas can help us stay healthy in a toxic world.

Eileen is a health pioneer businesswoman and innovator. The former nuclear power plant engineer became sick due to chemical exposure. This experience inspired her to embark on a quest to heal her body. The result was Creatrix Solutions, LLC, which creates and distributes natural healing products worldwide.

Ozonated Water

How safe is your food? Anything grown in the ground comes with the risk of parasites. Parasite larvae can infiltrate the food and grow inside it. We can’t see these larvae as they grow and mature.

Ozonated water kills these parasites, mold, and other bacteria. This resource helps you bio-hack your health and puts you back in the driver’s seat. Ozonated water works best 30 minutes before or two hours after a meal. Some professional athletes, such as Gilbert Melinda, drink it multiple times per day. Ozonated water provides athletes like Gilbert with more energy.

Ozonated water shouldn’t be confused with ozonated gas. Inhaling too much ozone gas is bad. However, if the ozonated water does not kill healthy cells. It flushes your body of various toxins. It goes after cells infected with viruses. Ozone becomes amazing if it is dissolved in water and used properly.

Eileen created a device to help people safely make ozonated water. Ozonated water at a strong enough concentration is like pure water. Ozonated provides your body with extra oxygen. This perk is significant for indoor workers. When we work indoors, we have less oxygen. Ozonated water helps level the playing field.

Just like any detoxification protocol, start with baby steps and ease into it.

Saunas

Saunas continue trending upward as healthy detoxifiers. Taking a sauna puts us into a parasympathetic state. This healing phase eliminates many of the toxins in your body.

Saunas help activate our skin. Your skin is the largest elimination organ of your body. Saunas increase circulation and open your pores.

Eileen explained that Lyman patients taking daily saunas can almost feel as if they do not have the disease. You can simply shine light on your skin through a sauna and get energy.

Detoxify Your Life

We can’t trust others to take care of our health. We must be responsible for our health and detoxification. Ozonated water and saunas act as strong allies on the path to a toxic-free life.

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