How I manage my thyroid condition as a naturopath

Ever wondered how a natural health practitioner would handle having a thyroid disease? I was working as a qualified naturopath when I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto’s.

It took some time to figure out the most effective changes and habits to introduce, but once I found the right combination, it actually put my Hashi’s into remission! Now I want to share those steps with you.

How a naturopath manages Hashimoto’s disease naturally

Daily meditation

People are often surprised when I prescribe them meditation and mindfulness! But in my experience, uncontrolled and unmanaged stress is one of the biggest contributors AND exacerbating factors when it comes to thyroid disease.

You don’t have to be good at meditation to reap the benefits, nor are you failing if you can’t stop thinking. It is a practice - some days are good, some days are tougher. But the very act of taking some time out to breathe and sit with your thoughts can be life-changing.

The research supports meditation as a useful tool for thyroid health. Studies have found that meditating can help to regulate thyroid hormone levels and improve thyroid function.

Avoiding gluten and dairy

I’m not an advocate for cutting out everything - extensive elimination diets can cause more issues than they solve. Instead, I believe in figuring out your own specific food triggers and intolerances.

In my case, the two biggest triggers are gluten and dairy. Gluten is a known issue when it comes to autoimmune thyroid conditions. Dairy intolerance is also incredibly common in autoimmune issues in general, and I often see thyroid clients who react to dairy.

Not sure which foods are contributing to your symptoms? You might like to explore testing that can give you clear answers.

Choosing clean, filtered water

If you’ve read any previous blogs, you know I’m a huge advocate for quality hydration! Not only is there the benefit of being hydrated in the first place - it is also important to reduce any potential burdens on the body.

Unfiltered water can contain substances that contribute to thyroid issues, including chlorine, heavy metals and fluoride. So even when you’re doing the right thing (drinking plenty of water), you could be counteracting that benefit by adding these compounds into your body.

I personally use and recommend Zazen Alkaline Water Systems.

Zazen is designed to filter out chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, bacteria and other lurking nasties while retaining beneficial minerals our bodies need to thrive.

Want to learn more about this system, or purchase one for yourself? Head to the shop page here.

Consistent enjoyable movement

Physical activity is one of our greatest healers. There are so many reasons to move consistently - from reducing inflammation to improving your gut health, supporting stress management and even aiding in pain relief.

There are two parts to this:

  • Moving consistently - for me, this means at least 5 days per week. If you’re new to exercise, start with 2-3 days, and build your way up as you can

  • Moving in an enjoyable way - don’t ever feel that you have to do exercise that you hate! No one says that you can only benefit from running on a treadmill or going to a gym class. Find a way of movement that lights you up and gets you feeling excited!

Spending time in nature

Anyone who knows me can tell you - I’m a big nature lover!

Prioritising time outdoors has allowed me to keep perspective, reduce my stress and feel more calm and centred overall.

Spending time in nature isn’t just something that feels nice to do. Research has found it is associated with benefits such as:

  • Lower blood pressure

  • Lower heart rate

  • Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression

  • Decreased physical and psychological pain

  • Increased parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system activity

  • Lower cortisol levels

  • Lower stress

  • Improved mood and sense of wellbeing

  • Better quality sleep

  • Reduced inflammatory markers

As all of these can either directly or indirectly influence our thyroid function, it’s easy to see why time outdoors is a must in my books.

Taking thyroid supportive supplements

We know that having optimal levels of key thyroid nutrients is critical for supporting thyroid conditions. That means ensuring that we have sufficient iodine, selenium, zinc and tyrosine (and that’s just the starting point!)

Of course, I aim to get as many nutrients in through a nutrient-dense wholefood diet. But in some cases, there are nutrients that we might not get enough of, or that we burn through quickly. You may also feel so fatigued and overwhelmed that overhauling your diet is not achievable!

That’s where thyroid supportive supplements can come into play. It can include nutrients themselves that we are deficient in or require extra to support the thyroid. But it can also include supportive herbs. Some herbs help directly to bring thyroid levels back into a healthy range, and others help to counteract the effects of contributing factors and triggers for the thyroid.

I always recommend getting a tailored prescription for any herbs and nutrients, as each person has unique needs. If you are looking for a personalised prescription, you can book an appointment here.

Regular acupuncture

Nutrition and herbs go a long way. But there are other supportive modalities out there that can help you to manage your symptoms and triggers.

Personally, one that has made a world of difference for me is acupuncture. You may also like to try physical modalities (osteopathy, chiropractic, myotherapy), mental therapies (counselling, psychology, EFT) or energetic modalities (Reiki, light therapy). The most important consideration is what makes you feel supported and healthier!

Find joy daily

Finally, I make sure I find time for joy, pleasure and enjoyment of life on a daily basis. Not every day is amazing - we all have bad days from time to time. But I prioritise enjoyable activities, habits and anything else I can be grateful for.

Why this practice? Because it can support me by:

Have a look at how you can add a little more pleasure and joy into your life. Even small habits every day or every week can add up to a happier, healthier you!

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Of course, I cannot promise these steps will deliver the same results to you - we all have different triggers and contributing factors. But by working on these pillars of health, you can start to not only feel better, but address the underlying causes of your thyroid disease.

Want to take a deeper dive into managing your own Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism? Make sure you check out my in-depth program here.

Thyroid Health, Thyroid ConditionsTara NelsonHashimoto's, thyroid disease