If you’ve bounced between thyroid medications trying to find the right one, this blog post is for you.

Our bodies only thrive on thyroid medications long-term when balanced with a healthy lifestyle. Maybe you’ve tried T4, T3, or a combo of both, but you still feel just as tired as before. I’m not here to tell you not to take medication - because we need thyroid hormone in our bodies - whether we produce it ourselves or need to obtain it from an outside source.

As I write this, I have been medication-free for about three years, and as long as I don’t have any more babies (definitely not in the plan!) or let my stress get out of control, I think I’m in the clear! But it wasn’t always that way. I struggled for years before reaching this state. And even if you have to keep taking a prescription forever, that’s okay too.

However, if you’re flip-flopping between medications and can’t find a balance or comfort in your own body, it might be time to look at some other things you can control, like diet and lifestyle. Medication is an artificial substitute—it doesn’t fix anything. Work with a knowledgeable practitioner who understands these relationships to ensure thyroid medication isn’t covering up underlying issues.

I also want to say this: I know that it can be so frustrating trying to get to the root cause of hormone imbalance, but you are not at war with your body. As Dr. Will Cole says, “You cannot heal a body you hate.” If you have been dealing with some of these underlying issues for years and years, they will not heal overnight. Be patient with yourself and remember that health is a lifelong journey. To help you along the way, I’ve created a list of the five most important things you can do while healing your body with Hashi’s.

The five most important things you can do while healing your body with Hashimotos:

Eat real, whole food in Protein, Fat, and Fiber 3 times per day.

Remember PFF every time you eat and nourish your brain. Try eliminating gluten to see if this helps resolve any issues in your gut.

Practice self-care DAILY

There are prominent forms of self-care like getting a massage or utilizing a sauna, but there are also so many things we can do to rest and reset during the day that we can do right at our desk in the office or in-between loads of laundry on a busy Saturday. Here are some forms of self-care that you might have tried before:

• making a list of 3 things you are grateful your body can do
• taking a 5-minute meditation break at 3 pm
• 10 minutes of gentle stretching at Bedtime

Treat your body to some restorative movement.

Restorative movement is any activity that focuses on easing pain and restoring your joint function and mobility. Try a restorative yoga class or Tai Chi.

Practice deep breathing, prayer, or meditation.

Try an app like Headspace or Calm if you don’t know where to begin. Even 5 minutes per day can be truly life-changing!

Go to bed by 10 pm and sleep until you wake naturally at least twice per week.

The brain sort of “washes” itself and scrubs away inflammation while you sleep! If you cannot sleep past 6 am naturally, try going to bed earlier once or twice per week to extend quality sleep time. If you have an iPhone, there is a fun feature called Bedtime which your phone can go into do not disturb mode to help you wind down for the night and stay on track to refreshing your brain! Get your mental hygiene on and learn more about ‘Bedtime’ here.

Still struggling with your Hashimotos? I've been working on something to help you! Check out my Hashimotos Webinar.