Simple lifestyle tips for Hashimoto's
When you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, it can feel like your world has turned upside down. But the good news is that you don’t just have to suffer through the symptoms. Along with dietary changes, there are simple lifestyle tweaks you can make to get on top of your Hashi’s.
My top 5 lifestyle tips for Hashimoto’s
Prioritise stress management
Everyone has some level of stress. But for the average person with a fully functioning thyroid, it’s easy to bounce back from a tough day at work or a nightmare day with the kids. When your thyroid isn’t at its best, it can trigger symptoms and exacerbate the disease process.
Stress might feel like it’s all in your head, but there are very real chemical reactions occurring throughout your body. High cortisol levels over long periods of time are inflammatory for the body. Stress also has a direct effect on thyroid hormone production and conversion. This is a big problem for many with hypothyroidism.
The good news is that there are steps we can take to manage your stress. You can start today with these 10 tips.
Include gentle, restorative movement
The human body was designed to move on a daily basis. Physical activity has so many benefits - it relieves stress, helps with healthy weight maintenance, supports mental wellbeing and more.
But as the body is already under stress with Hashimoto’s, we need to be aware of how we move. Even if your goal is to lose some weight you gained with Hashi’s, you’ll want to ditch the 5 days of Crossfit or daily HIIT sessions. Intense exercise puts the body under greater physical stress which can worsen your Hashimoto’s.
So what’s the alternative? We still want to aim for daily movement - but look to include more gentle to moderate forms:
Yoga
Pilates
Stretching
Tai Chi
Hiking
A walk around the block
Swimming
Don’t neglect your sleep
When you’re asleep, your body is hard at work repairing damage and restoring health to the tissues. It’s also a critical time for reducing inflammation and allowing the immune system to reboot. So if your sleep is not great, your Hashimoto’s symptoms can worsen over time.
You want to make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours per sleep regularly. If you’re recently diagnosed, you may need more sleep to allow your body time to heal and adapt.
The goal is to sleep until your body naturally wakes. Of course, this doesn’t always work - after all, most people have to wake up in time to work! But you can start by going to bed a little earlier until it becomes easy to wake right before your alarm.
I also recommend afternoon naps if you need them - as long as they aren’t long enough or late enough to disrupt your nighttime sleep.
Have you noticed your sleep has gone haywire since developing Hashimoto’s? I have 10 tips here to help you get your sleep back on track.
Look at the products you use
Have you ever thought about what is in the everyday products in your home? You might not know it, but every single day we are exposed to thousands of chemicals that can potentially affect the thyroid.
The thyroid is more sensitive to these compounds compared to other organs. There is also an element of compromised detox pathways that occur with thyroid disease, so your body struggles to break down these chemicals.
How can you reduce your toxin exposure?
Choose organic personal care products - Nourished Life is a great online shop that sells a range of organic personal care products.
Choose organic food wherever possible and eat seasonal produce
Avoid plastics, Bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates - swap them out for glass, ceramic, or Pyrex alternatives instead
Filter your water
We know that drinking plenty of water is good for your health in so many ways. But when it comes to Hashimoto’s, water quality is just as important as quantity - if not more so.
Unfiltered water can have contaminants such as fluoride, heavy metals and microbes. These contaminants can exacerbate your Hashimoto’s symptoms and potentially trigger a flare-up.
That's why I use and recommend Zazen water filters.
The Zazen water filtration system reduces:
Fluoride
THMs
Heavy metals
Bacteria
And because it is designed to replicate Mother Nature's water cycle, it tastes delicious and refreshing - just like water from a natural spring!
You can learn more about Zazen filters here.
Bonus tip: switch up your mindset
So many of us with Hashimoto’s have pushed through symptoms and struggles for so many years. But the truth is - this approach is partly why we develop autoimmune disease! So now it’s time to learn the lesson and take time to rest and recuperate.
This could mean reducing your work hours or changing how you work, getting some help around the house or taking one day a month to put your own needs first. But the key is to start - start putting your body and mind before others. After all, we are better parents, children, partners and friends when we are healthy and happy!
Are you ready to take back control of your Hashimoto’s and feel great again?