Category: Uncategorized

No Need to Search

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

I witnessed how both of my parents embraced debilitating diseases over the decades. They both had a good fight until their last breath. Dad faced Parkinson’s disease like a champion and mom persevered through the ‘ups and downs’ of Alzheimer’s disease like a true pioneer. Both of them never gave up. As a matter of fact, they were both reunited recently for an eternity.

Since my most recent autoimmune diagnosis, physical health is top priority!

I am saying ‘no’ to environmental toxins moving forward.

In the past two months, I changed all my toiletries, cosmetics and household items to paraben free items. I minimized the amount of toxins in my personal space, body and environment. Clean products promote stronger immune systems indeed. I searched for paraben and gluten-free items on amazon every day until I replaced all consumable items in my house.

Yes, the search took time, diligent effort and focus.

I realized the biggest organ we have is our ‘skin’. Be mindful of the products you use. I see the benefits of clean products today. When using clean products, the first benefit is that the products we use on a daily basis won’t be taxing our immune system.

I am trusting in Jordan Essentials today! These products are paraben, talc, aluminum, gluten, mineral oil and phthalate F-R-E-E.

Subscribe for updates about these clean products at Rhythms4Wellness.JordanEssentials.com

Not Ready 2 Quit

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

Since I’m not ready to quit drinking coffee, I searched for alternative products and reduced the amount of coffee each day. I used to drink a total of 24 oz. a day (12 oz. in the mornings and 12 oz. in the afternoons). I am now drinking 16 oz or less. My next goal is to drink coffee in the mornings (8 oz. or less) and skip the afternoon break.

New habits take intention, commitment, focus, and time.

I no longer drink the original blend from Dunkin’ yet I am still keeping the Lite Coffee mate. Honestly, I did not enjoy the taste of the organic creamer. I would encourage y’all to try new products and assess what works best for you.

The Fabula Coffee, light roast, freshly ground is organic. It has low acid, is non-GMO, does not contain any chemicals, and it is mold free (less toxins for our bodies). It is perfect for coffee lovers who have an autoimmune condition.

I recently learned the negative impact of coffee among patients with Hashimoto Thyroiditis. It may interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication (e.g., Levothyroxine). Coffee also has an impact on our heart rate, metabolism, wakefulness, and adrenal gland.

Did you know coffee disrupts the regular rhythms of cortisol? Personally, I need to decrease the amount of coffee so I can address the adrenal gland fatigue in Hashimoto Thyroiditis. I know I have been under chronic stress for way too long due to career pursuits, most recent relocation and other psychosocial stressors. Drinking coffee will trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response in our bodies leading to higher levels of cortisol release. The cortisol release will then contribute to adrenal gland fatigue. It is definitely a vicious cycle in my opinion!

It is time to reduce the level of stress and the amount of coffee I drink

so, the adrenal gland can get quality ‘rest’ and maintain regular rhythms of cortisol.

Cooler Temperatures

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

Prior to my diagnosis of Hashimoto Thyroiditis, I was only sleeping approximately 5 hours/night. I would wake up tired, irritable ‘cranky’ and sometimes overly stressed. My body was under significant distress … joint & muscle acute pain was an everyday, debilitating experience.

I was miserable!

The body needs the rest and most importantly it needs ‘quality’ sleep at night. A ‘good night sleep’ means we sleep for at least seven hours each night. This is the recommended amount of sleep for us, the adults. This is how our bodies detoxify and heal overnight.

The benefits of sleep are multiple. It improves mood, promotes a healthy heart, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function including memory, restores immune system, manages stress, and decreases cravings or hunger. We are born to heal.

My medical provider suggested a supplement, L-Theanine Max, to improve my sleep pattern; however, it only relaxed me at bedtime. But it did not keep me asleep all night.

The game changer was to drop the A/C temperatures to 71 degrees. Yes! it may increase the electricity bill. The benefits of quality sleep outweigh the higher costs of utility bills. I now fall asleep within 10 minutes and sleep all night. I am able to wake up refreshed and rejuvenated after 8 or 9 hours of sleep at night. Most importantly, I know my body is healing today.

Other strategies to consider may include maintaining a consistent sleep routine, limiting the exposure to light including the ‘blue’ light from television, phone, or computer screens. In addition, consider wearing light-blocking glasses to protect from the blue light of electronics, limiting caffeine products or water at bedtime, avoiding action-oriented television shows or movies that trigger the ‘fight-or-flight’ response, and wearing comfortable & light clothes Lastly, I am adding one or two stress-reduction strategies (e.g., meditation, reading a fiction book, breathing exercises, prayer) 30 minutes prior to bedtime. I want to ‘be ready’ for a good night sleep.

(Note, this is health information, not health advice)

New Rhythms in Baking

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Baked Goods, Gluten Free, Low Carb diet, Uncategorized

I don’t like to cook, but I love to bake muffins!

Prior to the medical diagnoses, I used to eat peanut butter crackers every morning. Yes, it was easy, convenient and did not have to open the refrigerator to pull out any ingredients. I did not spend much time in the kitchen either. When we have fast-paced lifestyles, we tend to grab the first thing we like and move on to the next task in our ‘to do’ list.

Cooking and baking ‘gluten-free’ recipes take time. We have to be intentional in choosing tasty recipes, shopping for selected ingredients and investing time in preparing and baking.

Healthy meals or bakery goods take time.

It is an investment.

Good health is priceless.

I knew I needed to maintain a low carbohydrates diet. I also knew the changes in lifestyle needed to be practical, tasty and sustainable.

I love muffins so I quickly searched Amazon for ‘gluten-free’ products. I quickly was able to replace the peanut butter crackers with Apple Cinnamon, the Pumpkin or the Banana Muffins by Simple Mills. These products are gluten-free, plant-based, grain free, corn free, dairy free, gums/emulsifiers free, and paleo friendly.

The banana muffin has 3 grams of total fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of protein. Each muffin only has 80 or 90 calories.

Just arrived today! I cannot wait to use it this weekend.

Hopefully, I won’t encounter any food sensitivities with these products in the future!

A Mosaic Lamp

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

In my ‘two-months-versary’ after the formal diagnosis, I was no longer experiencing brain fog, debilitating physical pain or lack of energy by mid-afternoon. I knew all the research I had completed, and the new healthy rhythms I was implementing were having a significant impact on my overall health.

I had enough energy to attend Church in the morning, enjoyed a healthy meal for lunch, made my first mosaic lamp in less than three hours, joined a virtual discipleship group for another hour in the evening, then watched a movie with my husband. Yes, I was a bit tired, but I was able to carry out all types of activities on a restful Sunday and remained joyful throughout the day.

I cannot wait to share with you what I am learning every day. This is the reason I decided to blog on a regular basis, so other women could benefit from practical strategies that is making a difference in my life.

Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living make a difference in one’s life!

My last memory of debilitating Hashimoto Thyroiditis…

I remember having intense muscle and joint pains in July 2024 at sunrise. My body would be ‘stiff’ and could hardly move in the mornings. I even wondered if I was going to die prematurely!

I was so miserable.

My health was rapidly deteriorating. It was quite challenging, indeed. I would drink coffee often during the day just to remain awake for all Telehealth appointments. By 2 pm, I would crash on our living room couch with no energy. The brain fog, digestive issues, adrenal gland fatigue, anxiety, hair loss and weight gain were just few of the symptoms I experienced prior to the official medical diagnosis. I knew I was working 7 days/week,12 hours. shift so I thought it was stress related.

It never crossed my mind I was going to start learning Japanese (a foreign language) when I heard the official medical diagnoses of Hashimoto Thyroiditis condition.

Some practitioners may address it from a disease model. I prefer to view it as a medical condition that can remain stable with minimal flare-ups or symptoms if we can find out the root of the problem.

Low Carb Diet

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

Did you know Avocado has multiple vitamins? It is a monounsaturated fatty acid or oleic acid full of nutrients including Vitamin K, C, B5, B6, E and Folate. It has more potassium than bananas. Avocado also has a high content of fiber. It helps with gut dysfunction and detoxification. It is also a soluble fiber that acts as prebiotic and improve gut microbiome.

By lowering the amount of carbohydrates each day, cellular inflammation decreases over time. Cholesterol and triglycerides will also improve significantly.

I have never been intentional about my nutrition until now.

We are never too old to change our habits either. Most importantly, we are never too old to improve the ways we care for ourselves. I know I neglected myself for over four decades.

Since I have been on this new health journey, I no longer have cravings for sugar or carbohydrates. I never knew this would be possible. The more carbs I would eat, the more carbs my body craved for. It was a vicious cycle.

I want to establish a healthier lifestyle one day at a time. Embracing one challenge at a time.

How could I live to 80 or 90 if I keep eating unhealthy meals, high content in carbohydrates and sugars? The perfect ingredients for cellular inflammation!

I soon realized I needed to limit the carbohydrates to 160 grams or less a day. Journaling helped me track the grams every day (e.g., a few almonds is approximately 3 grams, and an apple is approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates.)

Before I knew it, it was no longer a tedious task. It was a daily habit. Habits are established gradually over time.

Be patient. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself.

(Note, this is health information, not health advice)

Tracking Symptoms is Priceless

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

Hashimoto is an autoimmune, symptom-based, disease in which the thyroid is gradually attacked then destroyed by our own immune system. The immune system goes ‘rogue’. The disease affects multiple areas, and different symptoms are manifested throughout the day including the following: Gut related issues (e.g., heartburn, indigestion, nausea), weight gain, hair loss, brittle nails, dry skin, low libido, adrenal gland fatigue, brain fog, puffy face, cold intolerance, heart palpitations, vitamin deficiencies (e.g., Vitamin D), constipation, depression and/or anxiety, general pains and/or muscle weakness.

I was told if I have one autoimmune condition, my immune system is vulnerable to other autoimmune condition(s).

Yikes! my blood work was elevated for rheumatoid arthritis early in 2024. I do not want to even explore further about this potential issue at this time. I’m already overwhelmed learning Japanese with Hashimoto (lol).

The journaling process is priceless. Because of journaling, I realized I was taking too much Selenium each day.

I had asked the medical provider if I could take a 200 mcg. per capsule of Selenium with the three Brazil nuts (68-91 mcg per nut), she had suggested. She did not oppose to it. A couple of weeks later, I realized I was taking the capsule plus the three nuts and did the math. It was close to 500-600 mg. per day. I was taking more than the recommended dosage. I had reached toxic levels!

Thank goodness I quickly noticed what I was doing. I quit taking the capsule of Selenium and dropped the amount of Brazil nuts to two per day.

When journaling, I am able to notice patterns, symptoms flare-ups, supplements intake, the highs & lows of Hashimoto living and so much more.

I highly recommend for you to begin journaling today. Tracking is part of being intentional about our wellness.