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Hypothyroidism

Mar 14
0

Does Hashimoto’s Cause Constipation

By | Digestion, Gut Health, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism

When I say I’ve been down in the trenches with you, I’m not joking. I’ve experienced alllll the crappy (pardon the pun) symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease including the all too common constipation that my clients struggle with too. I had a raging small intestinal bacterial overgrowth – if you don’t know what that is read on – and it was so severe that I was hospitalised with chronic constipation. I’m happy to report that that chapter of my life is over, thank goodness!

So we’re talking about ahem, poo, today. This topic might be taboo for some of you but this conversation needs to be had because constipation could be amplifying many of your symptoms and there is actually a lot you can do about it. So let’s destigmatise talking about the wonderful satisfaction of a healthy poo each day and get real about how horrendous it can be when things aren’t working as they should be down there!

Below I share the actual foods, supplements and hacks I used to repair my motility and digestion.

Does Hashimoto’s cause constipation?

It’s really common for those with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease to experience sluggish bowels and lots of frustration in the bathroom. Chronic constipation is a serious health complication that can have a huge impact on your health and sense of wellbeing. Getting relief from this most unglamorous symptom of Hashimoto’s can make a huge difference to how you feel. As I always say, there is nothing more satisfying than a healthy poo every morning and nothing worse than the sluggish, toxic feeling of being blocked up.

What counts as constipation?

Bowel motions fewer than daily that are dry, dark and resemble small balls or pellets, sometimes clumped together. It accompanies straining, difficulty passing with a feeling of incomplete evacuation. Often there will be discomfort when passing, excess gas and abdominal pain.

Honestly? The majority of the people I have worked with over the years would be able to tick most of the boxes above, constipation seems to be one of the side effects of our modern diets & lifestyles. But when it’s been 3 months or more of 3 or less bowel motions per week then you know it’s chronic which is often the case in Hashimoto’s.

How does Hypothyroidism affect your bowels?

So how can this little butterfly shaped organ at the other end of your body wreak so much havoc on your digestive system? It’s not Hashimoto’s directly that causes constipation, it’s actually the hypothyroidism that is responsible. Which is why it can be a symptom that creeps up on you gradually as your thyroid function slows and there is less and less thyroid hormones circulating due to the inflammation caused by autoimmunity. You see the muscles in your gut lining are negatively impacted when there is a thyroid hormone deficiency in your system, causing them to have weaker & fewer contractions in a process called peristalsis. Ordinarily a wave-like muscle contraction helps to move waste through the gastrointestinal tract so it can be eliminated but this process is impeded in thyroid hormone deficiency.

When your gut motility slows down for an extended period of time it can keep you trapped in a vicious cycle as the muscles aren’t flexing so to speak, so they weaken further. This is why it is so important that when you feel the urge to go, you go. Holding on can cause the tone in your colon muscles to weaken further.

 

Other reasons for constipation in Hashimoto’s disease

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth AKA SIBO is a common complication in Hashimoto’s sufferers as sluggish digestion leads to the translocation and build up of bacteria from the large intestine where it belongs to the small intestine. In a well functioning digestive system acidity from the stomach prevents too much bacteria from surviving the conditions of the small intestine but the affect of hypothyroidism doesn’t end with slowing motility. Frustratingly, hypothyroidism also reduces stomach acid production so that acidic environment required to keep too much bacteria from building up is not adequate, leaving those with Hashimoto’s/Hypothyroidism at risk of SIBO. Often the really chronic constipation cases are actually a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Don’t worry, I have a protocol for that in addition to the tips I share below.

The consumption of gluten is highly inflammatory in Hashimoto’s disease and disordered bowel motions are a common side effect. Many experience constipation when gluten regularly forms part of their daily eating. If you haven’t taken the leap already check out this blog Gluten, should you be eating it?

You’re eating the SAD (standard Australian diet) which is high in processed foods and low in fibre and plant foods. A healthy bowel motion everyday is bulked out and carried by fibre through the digestive tract. Vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes all need to feature in your daily eating.

Are you eating low fat to try and manage the Hashi’s weight gain? Oils help lubricate bowel motions and are an essential part of your daily eating. Do yourself a favour and introduce more healthy fats like olive oil and ghee back into your diet.

Dehydration is the most common aggravating factor of constipation I see in clinic. It was cause your bowel motions to be dry and difficult to pass.

Suboptimal magnesium levels is a common nutrient deficiency I see in Hashimoto’s/Hypothyroidism all the time and it will hinder the healthy muscle contractions in your colon too.

Food intolerances are causing GI inflammation and affecting your bowel motions and digestive health. Are you eating something you know doesn’t agree with you? Or perhaps you need to do some more sleuthing with a food journal to identify your triggers.

When you are constipated you can have uncomfortable digestive symptoms like abdominal discomfort & excess wind, hormone imbalances and painful, heavy periods due to oestrogen build up in the system, congested & dull skin and/or acne, brain fog, fatigue, liver congestion and difficulty releasing weight. In other words, it can make many of your Hashi’s symptoms worse.

Thankfully there is a lot you can do about it.

Healthy daily poo tips:

  • It’s important that you don’t ‘hold on’ when you feel the urge as it weaken these all important muscles.
  • Use a stool to elevate your feet into the squatting position when passing a bowel motion.
  • Ensure you are getting enough water each day to lubricate stools (35ml X kg of body weight plus more if you sweat).
  • Apply a hot water bottle on the abdomen prior to a warm oil massage. Starting at your belly button move in a clockwise in circular motion like a snail shell.
  • Daily movement is really important for peristalsis, even gentle walks around the block are beneficial. Yoga and squatting poses also helps to massage intestines and encourage bowel motions.
  • Get into a meal rhythm so you eat a roughly at the same time each day
  • Give yourself breaks in-between meals, grazing & snacking slows digestion down

Helpful foods:

  • Kiwi Fruit x 2 consumed with the skin on
  • Ensure you are having enough fats in your diet
  • 2 tbs of LSA with yogurt (dairy or non dairy) daily
  • Stewed apples & pears with the skin on
  • Fennel, Peppermint, Liquorice Root, Fresh Ginger or Marshmallow Herbal Tea
  • Black Tea or Coffee

Helpful Supplements:

  • Magnesium citrate 400-1200mg before bed
  • Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum Fibre (PHGG) a prebiotic gentle fibre 1-2 tbs before bed <- The top supplement I use in clinic with great results
  • BioGaia Protectis Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 probiotic strain
  • Digestive enzymes to support stomach acid & bile production
  • Lactulose 15ml before bed

When things are really bad:

  • Consider a course of colonic irrigation
  • Colon cleanse magnesium oxide before bed 1/2-2tsp

I don’t recommend fibre supplements such as Metamucil, they are quite harsh and if taken in large doses can actually make your constipation worse. When you try any new fibre or prebiotic supplement you must always go low and slow. Start with a quarter or even an eighth of a dose and gradually build up. And of course, see you GP to rule out anything more serious.

In The Thrive Method getting your bowels moving is the first priority. We do a little two day cleanse with lots of easy to digest, high fibre meals and some high dose magnesium to give you a gentle laxative effect to get things moving before you start your personalised food plan. If your constipation is really chronic we’ll work on that for 2-4 weeks before you start your plan. It’s really important you are having daily bowel motions when you start any gut healing or new daily eating plan and weight is shifting as there are often a lot of metabolites and toxins flooding your system that need to be eliminated daily. And a healthy daily poo is THE best detoxification you can hope for.

I hope these tips can help you find some relief! Please share this with anyone who may need to hear it too.

Get in touch if you have any questions or are having trouble finding my favourite fibre recommendation PHGG.

Tessa

Feb 14
0

3 Things I wish I knew when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s

By | Autoimmunity, Fatigue, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Lifestyle, Metabolic Balance, Mindset, Pathology

1/ Healing is a marathon not a sprint

I was privileged as a Nutritionist student who understood that despite what the GP was telling me, I was not ok, this was not normal, nor the simple consequence of simply ‘doing too much’. From the moment my head lifted off the pillow in the morning I was a walking zombie. I felt a rising panic that this was going to be my life now, forever. By my third GP, after having to pay privately for proper pathology because the first two doctors refused to run a comprehensive thyroid panel, I finally got a diagnosis.

After my initial grief & fear (which lasted a few months) I came to a place of relief; I finally had a face for my fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, haywire hormones & low moods. Ever the A type personality, I pulled out my text books, wrote out meal plans, put a supplement chart together and created a plan to get my life back on track.

I don’t think I need to tell you how that panned out.

The following few years are a blur of different practitioners, doctors, diets, many many supplements, so many blood draws that I was on a first name basis with my local pathology clinic and a lot of money spent without great results. I would feel better for a time and then decline again. It was always two steps forward, one step back.

I was discouraged, impatient and desperate.

It wasn’t until I found a Naturopath who specialised in thyroid health to guide me that I started to get improvements. But the big healing shift occurred after I implemented my own personalised nutrition food plan (the same plan that every Thrive Method member now receives) years after my diagnosis.

Healing is a marathon meaning you have to show up daily, consistently & persistently for months to years to reignite your energy, shift stubborn weight and regain your previous health. And you have to keep it up! Slipping on bedtimes, work boundaries and daily eating habits will make your health slip backwards. I hate to break it to you but your habits need to change for life if you want to keep your results.

Going on a diet for a few weeks or months just to shift some weight and then returning to your old habits is not going to cut it, it will just damage your metabolism even more.

I wish I had known this, it would’ve helped me fight the late nights, excess coffee, constant pressure to exercise, frequent snacking and one too many wines on the weekend which kept me stuck for years. My clients and I have discovered that nothing tastes as good or is worth feeling subhuman everyday. Now I look back and I’m grateful for every connection I was able to make and each step that led me closer to where I am today. Not only did I learn SO much (which I can now share with you!) but it makes me supremely thankful for the level of health I now enjoy.

 

2/ How blood sugar regulation was crucial to battling symptoms

I knew what I ate mattered of course, I was studying Nutritional Medicine and ate a really good diet if-you-don’t-mind-thank-you-very-much! 90% of my daily eating was whole foods, made from scratch, lots of veggies and much of it was organic.

BUT, my blood sugar still wasn’t regulated, I wasn’t addressing meal timing, portion sizes, macronutrient balancing and ensuring I was getting enough protein, healthy fats and complex carbs daily. My coffee habits and addiction to busy-ness was keeping my stress hormones & insulin high. There was also enough inflammatory & processed foods creeping in to keep me trapped on the disregulated blood sugar rollercoaster day after day. I wanted off but I couldn’t find the release switch and truth be told, I wasn’t equipped with the knowledge to recognise what it was anyway. Wasn’t poor blood sugar regulation only relevant to those with diabetes? How wrong I was.

If I had understood how crucial blood sugar regulation was for lowering inflammation and shifting stubborn Hashimoto’s weight, exhaustion, brain fog, poor sleep, haywire hormones and my skin I wouldn’t have suffered all those years. It turns out eating ‘healthy’ foods was not enough.

If, like me back then, you wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to blood sugar regulation, I have a free nifty resource that makes it all extremely simple and easy to follow. You can download it here. Oh how I wish I had a resource like this when I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease!

 

3/ That a Hashi’s diagnosis is not a life sentence and there is hope for healing

The moment I discovered I had an autoimmune disease is seared into my memory, I remember the windows and light behind the GP’s desk and the sensation of my stomach dropping. Later that day doctor google provided me with enough doom & gloom to keep me afraid and trapped in victimhood for a time. The ‘C’ word worried me in particular because I already had a genetic predisposition and had just been through a ten month long osteosarcoma scare. But the idea of living out my days tired, foggy and unable to stop the gradual weight gain was pretty daunting in my late twenties with two little boys in tow.

I wish I had known that remission and even curing yourself of autoimmunity was entirely possible. It would have helped me take action & dig myself out of that pit sooner.

Every week I hear diagnosis stories from women and how they were told that their immune system was slowly destroying their thyroid tissue and that there was nothing they could do. Eventually their thyroid would be irreparably damaged and they would be reliant on medication. No hope. End of story.

This is not your sealed fate, there is A LOT you can do and it is possible to cure yourself of Hashimoto’s. I wrote a blog post on this topic last year, check it out here. But even if you never get your antibodies down into remission level you can still manage Hashimoto’s to the point where your symptoms are mild or in some cases eliminated and you can lead a normal life again. I’ve done and my clients do too.

Tessa

P.S. I was fortunate that as a Nutritional Medicine student I already knew gluten was a no-go for those with Hashimoto’s otherwise this blog post would’ve been titled, FOUR things I wish I knew…lol.

Jan 18
0

Hashimoto’s reflection prompts for a New Year

By | Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Lifestyle, Mindset

Humans aren’t great at sticking to resolutions because when the reward is too distant in the future or too vague, most of us choose the immediate reward now because the pull of instant gratification is too strong. This has given New Years resolutions a bad rap but are they complete BS? Everyone seems to have an opinion on it. If you are like me and feel contemplative over the New Year then check out my reflection prompts below.

I don’t do New Years resolutions but I do think it’s a fitting time of year to reflect on what was and what may be.

This time of year feels fresh and full of potential, the weather is sweet, the days are long, we’re often holidaying and it’s easier to feel hopeful and excited about the future. So I say, why not harness that feeling for positive action & reflection?!

After working with many women who need to make changes in order to make their Hashimoto’s health dreams a reality I realised that goal setting was THE all important first step. One of the first things you do in The Thrive Method is learn how to craft well formed goals. I teach that we need to reverse engineer our goals by crafting them in a way that they are do-able and can be broken down into chunks that are behaviour based. This means that instead of setting a goal like, ‘I want to get healthier in 2023’ or, ‘lose weight’, you might download an app that tracks how much water you drink each day and commit to a weekly meal planning date with yourself instead.

Just a little reminder, when you create goals, make them do-able and execute them, you are literally retraining your brain and building new neural pathways. It’s a big deal so well done and a pat on the back! However, it does not happen with one big initial decision in the New Year and then relying on motivation and self discipline to see you through to the end. It just doesn’t work like that, you need to make many small and consistent choices throughout your day, week, month and year to find yourself achieving & maintaining your goals long term. And you also need to cut yourself some slack on the days or meals when you don’t act in alignment with your goals and look at the big picture instead. You don’t have to get it perfect every time, 80% or 90% of the time is plenty to reach your goals. When you view it like this you are much less likely to throw in the towel by mid-Feb.

I take a long term view and I use these times in the year – birthdays are another good one – to reflect on what I’m doing well, where I want to be in the future and what habits I need to build into my day and week to get me there. I know I want to grow old with my mental faculties still in tact and I never want to be hospitalised with an illness again. The hidden reason behind these goals is that I want to be the kind of matriarch that has energy, loves to have fun, hold hands with my husband as we travel the world, hang out with kids & grandkids and whose presence feels like a warm hug.

Whoah you might be thinking! Slow down, you’re still only in your thirties! I know, I’ve always been a planner and I believe that when you decide on a destination it sets the path before you. So this year I know I need to work on building muscle to support my skeletal health (severe osteoporosis runs in our family). I’ve researched some ways I can do this and stumbled across something called rucking that builds muscle while you walk (which I already do & love). It’s just walking with a lightly weighted back pack. Perfect! I can do my usual bush walks and optimise the impact with a weight in my back pack. Box ticked!

Last year I committed to growing more of my own food and being grateful for my home and garden – even if we are renting – by creating a vegetable patch and native flower garden for bees. The behaviour I had to implement to make that a reality was keeping most Saturdays free to spend time in the garden and get into the habit of pulling a few weeds during my lunch break. I started identifying as a gardener and learning everything I could. A year later I have more than halved my greengrocer bill during Spring, Summer & Autumn. We are eating organic home grown vegetables most days and boy it feels good! There is zero will power needed now because I look forward to my time in the garden.

Have you had a moment to stop and reflect on 2022 yet?

Here are some questions you can use to prompt reflections through journalling or meditation.

  1. My biggest thyroid health challenge in 2022 was…
  2. What held me back in 2022?
  3. In 2022 I served myself well by doing the following…
  4. What health & wellbeing goals do I hold for the next year?
  5. What daily habits do I need to build to make this happen?

Now, create a plan and stick to it. Studies have shown that on average it takes 66 days for new habits to become effortless. I’ve always got the goods for you so I’ve attached one of my Thrive Method handouts to help you out. You can download it here.

Nov 08
0

Is there a cure for Hashimoto’s?

By | Autoimmunity, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Pathology

I’ve encountered a lot of confusion and misinformation on whether there is a ‘cure’ for Hashimoto’s on the internet.

Rumours abound! Sheryl from Canberra says one thing, Monica’s GP told her this, Suzie’s myotherapist has another opinion and Kara’s next door neighbour sells this all natural pill which is practically a cure for everything so naturally she’s had the cure all along!

At the beginning of our journey if we weren’t lucky enough to have a Hashi’s savvy GP or specialist diagnose us, many of us heard something like this, “There is no cure, Hashimoto’s will eventually claim your thyroid and you’ll be reliant on lifelong hormone replacement therapy by that stage, here’s your prescription.”
Bloody bleak if you ask me! And on the other hand there are others, usually on social media, claiming they have found THE cure.

In my opinion, both are false.

It’s all a lot more nuanced and complicated than either of those scenarios will allow.

A cure implies that there is a single intervention such as a medication, therapy, pill, diet, supplement or lifestyle choice that can bring an end to the autoimmunity attack, normalise thyroid function and give you back your life permanently. If that is your definition then no, there is no single ‘cure’ for Hashimoto’s disease.

We need to remember that we are all unique and so is our Hashi’s story. Recovery can often be as complicated as what triggered the autoimmune disease in the first place which is a combination of at least 3 of the following; intestinal permeability (a ‘leaky’ gut that is on high alert due to poor function & inflammation), trauma/grief/stress, genetic predisposition, environmental exposures to heavy metals or other toxins, viral infections, nutrient deficiencies, being female, undergoing hormonal events such as child birth or menopause and other funky genetics that can impact our bodies ability to function optimally.

So how could one intervention (insert pill, therapy, device, diet, exercise) address all those factors? The honest answer is that it can’t and there really is no magic cure. Sorry!

BUT!

It’s not all doom & gloom either though because you don’t have to sit back and take the bad news lying down, you have plenty of control over how you feel and maybe even whether or not you can get yourself into remission too. You might not have the right tools or knowledge just yet, but they are out there. If you ever need to outsource this process I’m always here to help because having a clear plan, expert guidance and accountability from someone who understands your thyroid condition kinda makes me your Hashi’s fairy godmother.

Many have been able to get their antibodies down to below 100 (remission) or even 50 which means that you are technically no longer in a Hashimoto’s disease state. Generally speaking, the longer you’ve had Hashi’s the harder it is to bring antibodies down with lifestyle changes. That being said, you can still improve the symptoms drastically regardless of what your antibodies are doing and live a normal life that is no longer sabotaged by your symptoms. Last time I checked I was in remission (happy dance). While this can happen spontaneously in the case of postpartum Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, usually this occurs because these people have adopted dietary and lifestyle changes and found success.

As someone who falls into the former category and has built a career helping Hashi’s women regain their lives, my perspective is that Hashimoto’s is a chronic inflammatory condition and autoimmune disease that needs good management throughout your lifetime. Even if you do get antibodies into remission or lower, it has the potential to return if the triggers that were present initially are replicated or still present. We’ll always need to take better care of ourselves than your average person. Our liver, gut, thyroid and immune system just need more lovin’ and VIP treatment.

The important thing is to do what you can to improve your health and chances of remission while focusing on how you are feeling rather than the antibody numbers on the page. Because it is 1000% possible to maintain a healthy weight and have abundant energy with antibodies present.

So when it comes to Hashimoto’s, I prefer use the phrase ‘well managed’ rather than ‘cured’.

Oct 11
0

Hay Fever and Autoimmunity

By | Autoimmunity, Gut Health, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Lifestyle

Let’s have a talk about hay fever.

It’s been on my mind lately because every second person is complaining about it and for the first time in 8 years, I’ve had nary a sniffle or an itch. You see, when my health imploded with Hashimoto’s disease I had the most horrific two years of gut issues. And severe hay fever was one of the seemingly unrelated issues that reared its ugly head at the same time…or was it unrelated?!

It was so sudden & severe that I relied on anti-histamines to stop myself from sneezing myself off the freeway or gouging my itchy eyeballs out.

When I look back it all makes sense, I had been through a period of trauma & high stress (fire, cancer scare, financial pressure, grief, family troubles, you name it), I was fasting frequently, eating restrictively and over exercising in an attempt to manage my hypothyroidism weight gain, running a business, studying full time and raising pre-schoolers. On top of that the house we were renting developed a leak and we had an indoor NGV style water wall every time it rained heavily but it wasn’t arty and chic, it was a mould nightmare.

My gut health plummeted, I was diagnosed with a nasty SIBO infection and allergies entered my world for the first time.

So what in the actual heck causes a seemingly perfectly healthy person to suddenly mount an immune response to harmless substances such as pollen or dust?

Research tells us that babies who are breastfed and kids who grow up with pets and play in the dirt are less likely to suffer with allergies, so what does that tell us? Allergies are related to the different types & breadth of variety of bacteria (or lack of) that we are exposed to. This is one of the reasons why I go all the way back to your birth in your Initial Health Assessment so I can look for red flags and start to identify the drivers of your autoimmunity and your constitutional weaknesses so we can make a plan to get you feeling human again.

Allergies and autoimmune disease both have something in common…the gut!

70-80% of immune function occurs in the gut and behind mucosal layers (think nostrils, lungs, gut lining) so when your gut modulated immune function is compromised & on high alert your immune cells can start to identify substances such as grasses as a threat. And when things are really dire your immune cells can mis-identify your self-cells as a threat, hello autoimmunity!

So yes, it’s really common for people with autoimmunity to also have allergies as it is one of the first signs that all is not well in the gut. But not everyone will express that way either. So do you have to have hay fever to have autoimmunity? No. But do you have to have gut issues in order to develop autoimmunity? Absolutely! For some people it’s been an issue since infancy and for others it’s an inflammatory response to a number of factors that are unique to their story but often involve periods of high stress, the wrong food choices, a deficiency of thyroid hormones, mould exposure and sometimes antibiotic or certain medication use.

When it comes to hay fever if this is one of the ways your body is expressing disordered immune function, there are some very helpful nutrients & foods that act like anti-histamines in your system I’ve shared below. But when it really boils down to it, your gut health needs to be addressed so your immune system & gut health can turn off those wailing red alerts and stop expecting a bogey man behind every dust mite or thyroid cell.

Strategies to battle hay fever symptoms…

  • Avoid exposure: wear sunglasses outdoors, not heading out if it’s windy, smearing lip balm on the inside of your nostrils to protect that mucosal lining, change your shirt when you come home
  • Vacuum regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum
  • Ingest omega 3 fatty acids via regularly consumption of fatty fish or a supplement to drive down inflammation
  • Reduce consumption of inflammatory foods such as processed foods, excessive refined sugar containing foods, alcohol & vegetable oils
  • Take specific strains of probiotics that are allergy-specific (like LGG)
  • Consume nutrients that act like antihistamines (quercetin – caution it’s a goitrogen, zinc, vitamin C, ginger)
  • Focus on upping your vitamin D either through sun exposure and/or supplementation
  • Cooled chrysanthemum tea eye wash for allergic itchy eyes
  • Focus on microbiome restoration and gut health (a longer term option, but start now!).

Without improving gut function, lowering gut inflammation and improving your microbiome composition your gut will continue to drive autoimmunity. You may find that you continue to struggle with bloating, constipation and other uncomfortable GI complaints, allergies, food intolerances, fatigue, joint pain, low moods, brain fog, skin issues like eczema & dermatitis, nutrient deficiencies, frequent respiratory infections and your skin, hair and general health will never reach their full potential. Releasing weight becomes that much more difficult when an inflamed gut is causing internal stress on your system and dysbiosis (an imbalance of the good & bad bacteria in your gut) has been shown to impair glucose tolerance meaning that increased insulin will keep you in fat storage mode.

YES! Your gut health even affects your metabolic health!

This is precisely why I address digestive function and gut health with all my Hashimoto’s clients and why a gut healing protocol is one of the pillars of The Thrive Method. It’s just too essential to ignore and without it, it is kind of like trying to fix a leaky boat with a pad of post it notes. Implementing a gut healing protocol is often the first thing I do depending on my findings in your Initial Health Assessment and your pathology results. Not forgetting that the way I teach my clients to eat regulates their blood sugar which is one of the foundations of restoring gut function.

Has hay fever been part of your autoimmune journey? What about any of the other symptoms I’ve mentioned above?

Tessa

Aug 30
0

Tried everything & still exhausted?

By | Client Results, Fatigue, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Weight Loss

So often I hear the words, ‘No matter what I try, I’m always exhausted’.

Fatigue associated with Hashimoto’s disease is unrelenting, all-encompassing and usually comes with a hefty dose of brain fog and mental confusion, sometimes dizziness and frequently, low moods. It doesn’t tend to improve with sleep or any of the usual strategies. It’s common for Hashimoto’s sufferers to wake unrefreshed even after 8-10 hours of sleep.

Low thyroid hormone circulating in your system due to hypothyroidism and/or Hashimoto’s disease causes a deficiency throughout the body meaning that all the systems that contain thyroid hormone receptors will not be able to do their jobs properly. Systems including your brain, central nervous system, heart, liver, stomach and intestines slow and are affected, causing chronic fatigue.

I remember telling my husband that I was convinced someone was slipping a sleeping tablet in my morning coffee back when my Hashimoto’s was poorly managed.

Most of my clients come to me for weight loss – and they do lose weight which they are pleased as punch about (obviously!) – but it’s saying goodbye to afternoon naps and constantly feeling lacklustre that eclipse the delight over weight loss.

Without vitality & energy it can feel like you are trapped in a black and white world while everyone else lives in technicolour.

Fingers crossed, I’m yet to have a client not experience a huge increase in energy. Most of my clients initially report energy levels at 2-6/10 and walk away with energy levels between 7-10/10.

In fact, just this morning my 10am client Alison told me she is feeling amazing and rated her energy at 10/10. That’s up from 6/10 at her first appointment only 4 weeks ago. After many years of Hashimoto’s associated fatigue, joint pain and digestive woes she has also lost 8kg in the last four weeks.

“It’s just so easy!” She gushed about following her personalised food plan. And you can see why she feels that way with results like that!

So what is it that gets these amazing results so fast?

A combination of lowered inflammation, regulated blood sugar, nourishing food and personalised nutrition. That is, eating fresh whole foods that are right for you and your health conditions, at the right time, in the right portion sizes and balanced in a way that provides your body with all the nutrients it needs to keep your energy stabilised throughout the day. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated also plays a part.

It’s all pretty simple really but as I was explaining to Alison this morning, in the West our inner compass is so broken when it comes to food. Factory made flavours and foods that make no sense in nature, diet culture, in addition to a lack of cultural food tradition has done a lot of damage to our relationship with food. The majority of us – Hashi’s or not – are walking around in a daze, with no idea of how good you can really feel.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything then I have a solution for you that is based on common sense principles and really works. Just ask my clients!

If you have loved ones who are trapped in the misery of Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism please forward them this blog.

Aug 02
0

Mum with Hashimoto’s regains energy, balances hormones & loses 4kg

By | Client Results, Fatigue, Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Metabolic Balance, Pathology

Initially Kara was not sure she wanted to work with me or do Metabolic Balance. She was extremely doubtful it was going to work.

After 8 years as a vegetarian and 2 as a vegan following the advice of the Medical Medium, Kara was nervous to try animal proteins again, fearing it would make her antibodies soar.

But she was also frustrated with her extremely low energy levels and the stubborn tummy weight so in the end she decided to give it a go.

This is what Kara had to say about how she felt initially…


“I was hesitant coming from a vegan lifestyle for 2+ years and vegetarian lifestyle for 8+ years. Changing my diet was extremely unnerving to me as I had seen improvements in my health however I still had lingering concerns which didn’t change no matter what I tried.”
Kara

As a working mum to a two year old, Kara’s sleep and energy were of major concern to her.

She reported her energy at a low 5/10. She was particularly exhausted by 3pm (the blood sugar hour as I like to call it) but felt tired throughout the day.

Her brain fog was severe enough it affected her ability to function.

Kara was familiar with the benefits of a whole food diet and ate plenty of healthy and wholesome foods in her vegan diet but they were not right for her or her healing journey.

She claimed she was ‘always hungry’.

I knew that personlised nutrition was going to be a game changer for her.

Kara had a very pale pallor to her complexion and not surprisingly her pathology revealed she was very low in iron. Hormonally, Kara reported mild PMS with heavy bleeding day 1 with some cramping discomfort.

Kara had trouble conceiving in the past due to Hashimoto’s and she wanted to prepare her body for a successful pregnancy in the future.

Kara wanted to manage her thyroid function better and with fewer or no supplements (she had 9 different supplements she took on & off).

She was also hoping to get her autoimmunity into remission eventually.


“I was also heavily supplementing which was also something I wanted to reduce as much as possible and find something that would heal my body through food only. It took me almost 3 months before I was ready to commit and start the program. Mostly changing my mind set around “healthy eating”.
Kara 

Kara is a very petite woman, weight gain had not been a major issue for her and was not her main motivation for working with me.

She stated that it would be a bonus if she could release her stubborn abdominal weight gain on her belly which she estimated to be around 4kg of extra weight based on her history.

Her starting weight was 58kg and her goal was 54kg. Kara experienced a few food intolerances and digestive issues and was already on a strictly gluten free diet.

Kara had her initial health consult at the end of March and started her program with me at the beginning of April 2022. We had her last consultation in mid-July 2022 so we worked together for a total of 3 ½ months.

We stopped all her supplements as she wanted to see what just food could do for her health. I recommended some selenium drops and Kara agreed to take the drops only throughout the program.

In 7 days

  • 2.5kg released. This was very much a fluid & inflammation picture that was sitting on her belly due to the unsuitable dietary patterns Kara had before starting her program
  • Energy had already jumped up to 8/10
  • Sleep had improved

14 days

  • 4kg released, down to goal weight with abdominal weight gain released
  • Energy stable at 8/10
  • Enjoying food options

28 days

  • First period since starting MB is lighter & more comfortable
  • Libido has also significantly increased
  • Sleep has improved to 7/10

2 months

  • Energy 8/10
  • Sleep 8/10
  • Brain fog is gone
  • Maintaining new weight
  • Very confident with food choices
  • Period is lighter with a shorter bleed, no pain

3 ½ months

  • Sleep 8/10
  • Energy 9/10
  • Upon retesting TPO antibodies have decreased from 470 to 424
  • Ferritin and iron have increased
  • Kara’s complexion has improved drastically, she looks healthier, more pink in her complexion with eyes more alert & clear.
  • Has advised she is definitely ovulating and is feeling more optimistic about her fertility. To be continued I guess!
  • The weight has stayed off her abdomen effortlessly despite having been in maintenance phase for about six weeks.
  • Kara’s thyroid function has normalised since she first started her plan, all her blood levels are now in the optimal range and her TSH has decreased from 3.3 (subclinical hypothyroidism) to 1.7 (optimal) and her symptoms have resolved.

Kara is now super confident with which foods are right for her, her portion sizes and how to balance a meal to keep her blood sugar regulated, keep inflammation at bay and energy high.

She still enjoys food while on holidays and at special occasions. She is effortlessly maintaining her energy levels, hormonal health and healthy weight.


“Within the first week there was no question in my mind that I had made the right choice to start this. I instantly felt energized and inflammation had reduced greatly already! In the end my results have been amazing and I’m so happy with where I’m at with my health, in terms of how I’m feeling but also with my Hashimoto’s & Thyroid blood work. This is now just a lifestyle that works best for me, my blood type and blood results for my condition (which is basically gone now). So so happy. Thank you very much! Forever grateful!” Kara

The Thrive Method for women with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism is now available.

Jun 21
0

Is Self Sabotage robbing you of thyroid healing?

By | Autoimmunity, Hypothyroidism, Metabolic Balance, Mindset
Let’s get down and dirty with self sabotage

Self sabotage can do a doozy on us when it comes to food & health goals, and thyroid recovery requires a lot of self commitment.

So how can you tackle self sabotage?

I don’t think there is anyone who hasn’t experienced that little voice convincing them to abandon their commitment to their health.

You might find yourself eating the birthday cake at the office party when you’ve committed to not eating gluten for autoimmunity.

Or eating a whole bag of corn chips when all you really needed was a handful.

Maybe you are a chronic Monday-morning-er, forever putting off your own health needs for another day.

Why do we do it to ourselves?

1. Fear of the Unfamiliar
Each one of us have 3 basic needs (once food, water and shelter are taken care of!). They are:

  • Love
  • Safety
  • Belonging.

When our subconscious mind realises that we are making changes, it freaks out and worries that one of these needs will be compromised.

Self-sabotaging behaviours stem from the concern that if you change, one of these needs will no longer be met. It’s the fear of the unfamiliar, which is a very human fear.

2. Food FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
We fear that we’ll never be able to eat the food that tickle our tastebuds ever again.

I think we all know that this simply isn’t true and in many ways this becomes a scapegoat mask with one of the other two base fears above hiding behind it.

When you apply a balanced approach, you can and will enjoy celebratory foods at special occasions without sabotaging your results.

I’ve said it hundreds of times but I’ll say it again, you do not have to be a food nun to get extraordinary results.

This thinking really stems from a deprivation & dieting approach where food is bland and you have to stick to it forever or you reverse your results (thanks weight watchers!).

You also learn to luxuriate in the flavours that nature provides.

One of my incredible clients was telling me recently how the sweet & sour pork that was always her favourite take away is no longer appealing, her palate has changed.

Another client said this about my Metabolic Balance coaching…

“Everything feels balanced so that when you want to have a treat with your kids or with your friends, you can! I’ve been describing it as the easiest, simplest way that I’ve ever lost weight or improved my health since I was probably 25.”
– Rachael

3. Fear of Success
No, that’s not a typo!

Fear of success is another very real (arguably the most common) reason we sabotage our efforts.

What will you have to face or do differently if you finally succeed? Will your relationships change? Will you have to do that thing you’ve been forever afraid of?

When we up level one area of our life & wellbeing we can feel pressure and fear the consequences in other areas too.

For some, poor health has become a subconscious victim badge they are reluctant to part with.

For others, their weight gain is an unconscious protective mechanism against romantic or sexual attention.

So, what can you do about it?

  • Awareness. Bring a gentle awareness & curiosity when these thoughts pop up.
  • Analyse, what is really going on? With a dose of self awareness you can unmask those fears. Bring them out of the darkness into the light and pull them apart, turn them over, analyse every nook & cranny. Are they really true?
  • Rewrite the story. Once you have teased apart the fears and removed their power you can craft an affirmation to combat them next time they rear their ugly heads.
    Self sabotaging thought: ‘If I regain my energy then I’ll have no excuse to not start that business I’ve been talking about for years & make it a wild success. If that happens I’ll be exhausted and too busy to spend time with my family. I’ll finally be able to afford that dream car and then my friends will think I’m a snob and won’t like me anymore.’
    Your affirmation might be: ‘I am committed to eating in a way that reignites my energy so I can be present for my family, fulfil my dreams and have no regrets’.

If you want to get down and dirty with your self-sabotage then the two books I recommend are The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks & The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Hendricks refers to it as the ‘upper limit problem’ and Pressfield as ‘resistance’, but essentially what they are referring to is self sabotage, holding ourselves back from growth.

Self-sabotage is such an issue with my clients that I have a whole step dedicated to it in Food Freedom.

Did you know that all my Thrive Method clients get Food Freedom as a gift to help them create powerful habit change and long term success? It’s important to me that all the incredible women I work with are equipped with strategies so they can finally get the incredible results they desire for good.

You can book a free health chat here if you want to talk more.

May 24
0

Is weight loss possible with Hashimoto’s disease?

By | Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, Lifestyle, Weight Loss
Is weight loss possible with Hashimoto’s disease?

Every cell in the body requires adequate thyroid hormone and just about every organ needs enough thyroid hormones to function. The thyroid really is the Queen bee (or butterfly lol) of the body, orchestrating everything to keep you healthy and in homeostasis.

The truth is that it isn’t the Hashimoto’s directly that is causing weight gain, it’s the low thyroid function caused by the sustained attack on the thyroid tissue.

Due to this tissue destruction, eventually your thyroid will not be able to produce enough hormones and your metabolism will slow.

Enter stubborn weight gain.

When I was in the midst of a Hashimoto’s flare it felt like I only had to glance down the chocolate aisle to gain weight.

So is it possible to release that stubborn weight?

Heck yes! Absolutely! My clients & I are living proof. You do need to master a couple of key concepts though.

 

1. Regulate your blood sugar levels

In order to release weight with Hashimoto’s (and feel a million times better) you need to get yourself off the insulin roller coaster pronto. This daily rollercoaster ride causes weight gain and taxes the adrenals by causing a lot of stress in the body; which in turn negatively affects thyroid function causing it to drop and slow the metabolism. Yep, it’s a nasty cycle.

But it causes some other less than desirable effects for Hahsimoto’s healing too.

Dysregulated blood sugar levels also causes dysfunction in the tight junction function of the intestines causing intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Intestinal permeability can be a cause and driving factor of autoimmunity. Trying to heal from autoimmunity with compromised gut health and intestinal permeability is like trying to shoot a goal with your hand tied behind your back.

BTW this step is also essential for regaining the energy that was sucked into the bottomless pit of Hashimoto’s disease.

I have a free guide on this very topic available here.

 

2. Lower inflammation

Reduce or eliminate the consumption of inflammatory foods like gluten, vegetable oils, additives, excessive added sugars and processed foods. I’ll write a more detailed blog on why gluten is inflammatory for Hashimoto’s sufferers soon but due to molecular mimicry it is essential you cut gluten from your daily eating completely.

 

3. Reduce stress on the body

We ask a lot of our bodies, reducing physical stress will aid in releasing that extra weight. When your body is in survival mode it ain’t letting go of any of that stored energy (AKA fat cells) just in case it needs it to keep you alive. It’s a protective mechanism.

  • Sleep more!
  • Commit to self care by not doing too much, relax on the to do lists & learn to say no when you know you don’t have the energy.
  • Bring some joy & fun to your life. Watch a comedy, dance in the kitchen, take up a hobby, book regular catch ups with friends.
  • Eat three balanced meals per day to provide regular nutrition for your thyroid to function well and get that metabolism firing.
  • Breathe; breathwork/meditation/yoga, whatever it takes to slow you down and signal to your body that it’s safe.

 

Yes there are other stressors which are more difficult to pin down like GI infections, heavy metals, trauma etc but we’ll cover that another day. These basics need to be mastered first!

Now, these all tie in together because each one contributes to the other.

So choosing to work on one will actually help with the others.

I want you to commit and show up for yourself – comment below and let me know which point you are going to work on first.

Trust me, once you get some positive momentum happening then the flow on effect makes it a lot easier. Just pick a place to start, and know that change happens with every little choice you make across the day.

Need some targeted help and/or accountability? The Thrive Method addresses all three of these crucial steps to weight loss with Hashimoto’s disease.

Book a Discovery Call today to find out if it’s suitable for you.

 

Tessa

Mar 29
0

One woman’s Metabolic Balance journey (and her amazing results!)

By | Client Results, Hypothyroidism, Lifestyle, Metabolic Balance, Mindset, Whole foods
One woman’s Metabolic Balance journey (and her amazing results!)

I often to speak to potential clients who are curious about Metabolic Balance but want to see some real results from women just like them.

So one of my client’s, Sarah, has stepped forward to give you some inspiration and motivation.

Sarah’s story…

In 2019 Sarah had suffered with postpartum Graves disease, a thyroid autoimmune disease after the birth of her third child.

Since then Sarah’s weight had crept up, she was exhausted, sleeping poorly, menstruating heavily and was concerned about her PMS affecting her parenting & family life.

Sarah had daily brain fog and she felt inflamed and lacklustre. Her joints were “crunchy” and sore, particularly her knees.

Sarah’s digestion was causing issues for her with daily bloating and irregular bowel motions every 2-3 days.

Sarah’s goals were to regain her energy, balance her hormones so PMS wasn’t disrupting the household, know which foods suited her body, improve digestion and release 10kg of weight.

Sarah started Metabolic Balance on the 4th August 2021.

Day 8:

  • Starting to notice an increase in energy, 6 or 7/10, no longer needing a 3pm nap which have previously been a daily occurrence.
  • Bloating has decreased, stomach doesn’t feel hard & distended any longer.
  • Clothes are fitting more easily.
  • Struggling to drink the required water content though.
  • Missing the ritual of snacking.
  • Day 2 of period, PMS greatly reduced despite high stress.

Day 15:

  • A lot of stress this week and felt tempted to comfort with food but resisted and stuck to the plan.
  • Knees are feeling less ‘crunchy’.
  • Brain fog decreased and able to concentrate more easily.
  • Released 2kg, 3cm off waist, 7cm off hip, 3cm off thigh.

28 days:

  • Energy 7.5/10.
  • Brain fog is gone.
  • Mood and emotional resilience greatly improved despite being in lockdown again.
  • Menstrual cycle lighter and previous severe PMS now mild.
  • No longer experiencing joint pain in knees or shoulders. No longer feeling ‘crunchy’.
  • Sarah has noticed that she can see collarbone again and is fitting into pants she hasn’t worn in a long time.
  • Released 6kg, 7cm off her waist, 8cm off her hips & 5cm off her thigh.

8 weeks:

  • Packing house to move, high stress.
  • Family member had surgery, high stress and very interrupted sleep with children waking her regularly.
  • MB has “helped me stay level headed and clear”.
  • Released 6.9kg, 10cm off waist, 11cm off hips and 7cm off thigh.

10 weeks:

  • During move had more takeaway for a couple of weeks and felt awful.
  • Energy 8/10 despite the move.
  • Released 7.9kg, 10cm off waist, 11cm off hip, 8cm off thigh.

Two months later:

  • Sarah had moved house so I didn’t see her for a couple of months, she was feeling confident with her daily eating. By the time we caught up next Sarah had reached her goal weight and was maintaining it well.
  • She was still enjoying all the changes to her mood, cognition, menstrual cycle, joint health and digestive function too.
  • Sarah was in tune with her body and very confident with a whole foods diet. She had been experimenting with different foods and discovering which foods served her and which didn’t. She notes that she felt “free from emotional eating” and had learned a lot during the house moving stage when she ate a lot more takeaway and lapsed into old habits, noting “you realise how toxic processed food is”.
  • Bowel motions daily without the need for added fibre supplement and no bloating. Sarah had realised through trial and error that gluten caused digestive symptoms and was having a lower gluten diet, consuming rye instead of wheat. She had also discovered that dairy made her gassy and was contributing to her digestive discomfort. Through experimentation Sarah discovered she could still have A2 milk in her tea without any issues.
  • Sarah was now finding it easy to drink enough water.
  • Through Metabolic Balance Sarah had learnt a lot about her own nutritional needs and it was informing how she fed family too, family dinners were fully integrated with her own heathy eating now.
  • By the completion of her Metabolic Balance program after seven consults Sarah had released 10kg, 11cm off waist, 9cm off hip, 10cm off thigh and reached her goal weight.

I asked Sarah a few questions about her journey with Metabolic Balance, you can read what she wrote here….

Where were you at (health wise) before you started Metabolic Balance?
I was at a bit of a cross roads with my health and knew I needed to change what I was doing. I had recently been diagnosed with Graves disease and after several months of cutting out sugar, dairy and gluten I was in remission. However, 2020 came and I slumped back into old habits and ended up bloated, tired, irritable and 10kgs heavier which made me feel uncomfortable.

What tangible improvements had you had now after completing your program?
– no longer bloated
– less brain fog and more clarity
– more energy and no need for the 3pm nap
– feeling full and satisfied
– no hayfever symptoms
– less inflammation in my body, my knees aren’t as sore, no need to crack my knuckles
– change in taste buds
– weight loss consistent all over my body
– better posture
– less gassy and more predictable bowel movements
– more predictable periods and much less pain and irritability
– awareness of what will fuel and benefit my body
– less headaches
– no coldsores
– much better sleep
– becoming more disciplined
– making better choices and feeling confident in myself.

How would you describe MB to your best friend?
It’s something you need to choose to do for yourself, because at times it can be hard, especially in the beginning. It is something that will help you for the rest of your life and change the way you approach food in general. It has helped me in ways I wasn’t expecting and I’m grateful I had a coach who could walk through this with me and help me. It’s a total investment in your health, and a way to avoid all the drugs and symptom suppression that western medicine is reliant upon. With Metabolic balance, food is the medicine!

Are there any surprising or unexpected benefits you’ve found through the program?
I’ve tried new foods that I wouldn’t have normally chosen and it’s made me consider all the ingredients in processed food.
After having some of my highly desirable foods, I’m more aware of how it negatively affects my body and I will avoid them now.
My children have watched me with keen eyes throughout the process and they’ve noticed a lot of changes and how I talk about food.

What are you able to do now that you couldn’t before MB?
Fit into size 8-10 clothes!
Stop myself from eating too much and then feeling bloated and uncomfortable.
Think about how each meal will affect me in the long term and how to better equip my body for all the changes it will face as a woman!

It’s such a pleasure to play a part in someone’s health journey.

It is my belief that all women deserve to feel amazing like Sarah so they can show up in every area of their lives with vibrancy & joy.

And guess what? It’s possible!

Get in touch if you want to want to chat about whether Metabolic Balance is right for you!