According to a symptom survey of over 3000 participants that appeared on www.hypothyroidmom.com in 2015, the top 3 symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease are fatigue, brain fog and not being able to lose weight.
I have to say these were my top 3 also. Although extreme exhaustion would have been a much better description than fatigue.
So where do you start when you’re so tired you can’t function, you’re so forgetful that you can’t remember where you left your keys ( or maybe even your kid) and you’re blowing up like an Oompa Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
You start by lowering inflammation- that's where these symptoms are coming from.
I wanted to give you 5 simple steps that helped me lower those inflammatory markers. Start by crowding out the junk and becoming more alkaline with anti-inflammatory foods. Here are 5 very simple ways to do it.
Drink lemon water first thing in the morning
Have a green smoothie
Add a big salad to lunch (or dinner)
Add a few supplements
Use Coconut oil in your food... and on your body
Lemon water give you a boost of vitamin C, supports your liver (detox) and is VERY alkaline. So when you wake up in the morning head straight to the kitchen and pour yourself a big ol' glass of water- now slice the lemon, squeeze the juice in and toss the lemon wedge in the glass. Drink this before anything else touches your lips.
Next is breakfast- green smoothie time. Green smoothies are packed with tons of nutrients and because they are plant based they are alkaline also. You want a decent blender if you're making green smoothies because you don't want to taste the green stuff and we can totally mask that with fruit and a little protein. Use a top quality plant based protein that is gluten free, lactose free and non-GMO. The one I use has a neutral PH. You'll find a lot of great green smoothie recipes online but here is one of my favorites:
Peaches and Greens
8 oz Almond or Coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 ripe peach, fresh or frozen and sliced
1 cup of baby spinach
2 scoops protein powder
Add ice for thicker consistency
Blend to desired consistency
For lunch or dinner add a BIG green salad. Mix the variety of lettuce, add tons of non-starchy veggies and add an olive oil and vinegar dressing or a squeeze of lemon. So far your diet for the day is WAY more alkaline than the typical American diet.
Adding a few supplements will support your body and fill in the nutritional gaps. If you are thinking of skipping this step please watch the free documentary Food Matters. It explains how our food today is nutrient depleted so even if you are eating a super healthy diet you probably aren't getting all the nutrients you need.
Start with a good multivitamin and specifically for lowering inflammation we are going to focus on adding high quality Omega 3 fatty acids, Selenium and Zinc and for energy add B-Complex. Omegas lower generalized inflammation, selenium has been shown to bring down thyroid antibodies but it needs zinc to be utilized properly. B vitamins work together to increase your energy ( always take a complex and not one specific B vitamin alone).
Finally, coconut oil has been shown to support thyroid function. Mix it in your warm tea, cook with it and enjoy using it as a moisturizer, make-up remover or hair conditioner. There are so many uses for this fantastic oil.
Be consistent with all of these simple changes and in a week or two you should notice a difference in how you feel.
