Tag: diet

Glucose Hack!

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

I was following a (semi) anti-inflammatory diet for five months, and I was able to reverse the ‘prediabetic’ status all on my own. However, I was still drinking 4-6 oz of organic coffee in the mornings and eating gluten-free, plant-based edibles throughout the day.

Early March 2025, I began a strict, anti-inflammatory, nine-month dietary regimen with a concierge, functional medicine practitioner.

By the way I recently learned what a ‘concierge’ medical practitioner was… He or she is a medical expert whom we hire outside of our broken Healthcare system. I am not relying on my health insurance for this specific program that includes 19 medical appointments, weekly health coaching, an educational curriculum, supplements and so much more!

I needed guidance to repair all relevant organs including the pancreas and adrenal glands, after maintaining poor nutrition (e.g., eating processed food, consuming carbohydrates during the day instead of lean protein… you get my drift) and chronic stress for over five decades.

The two medical conditions that are non-negotiables in life for me are a) dementia and b) diabetes. I still have a mental visual of my beloved mother three weeks prior to her death. This is ‘my WHY’ today; I want to reduce cellular inflammation prior to reaching age 60.

I was talking to my health coach yesterday; she addressed one of my concerns. By taking the fasting glucose level every morning, I soon realized the drastic glucose spikes in the weekly graph (77 to 104 back and forth, back to the 80s then 123 and so forth, a true mess!). No wonder I’m insulin resistant today! Weight loss resistance has been one of my symptoms since I was diagnosed prediabetic late Fall (2024). I am ‘data driven’ chick, so the health coach was talking my love language.

It is funny how ignorance works…

I had asked myself at the start of the anti-inflammatory regimen “why do I need to check my glucose levels in the morning if I was no longer prediabetic. Oh well, let us do this anyways… I just paid XXXXX.XX for an individualized, 9-month care plan I must do what I am told!’”

So I did!

My health coach recommended for me to continue with the prescribed nutrition guidelines and protocol of supplements, acknowledged recent progress and encouraged me to eat 2 oz of chicken at bedtime (literally right before toothbrushing).

So I did!

Guess what? The fasting glucose level was 93 next morning for the first time ever.

If I maintain the fasting glucose level within the normal range, my body will decrease the cellular inflammation and weight loss will naturally occur while preventing the likelihood of chronic disease(s) in the future.

The recommended fasting glucose range is 85-95.

Easy Blood Sugar Hack!

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized

I have heard about this blood sugar hack from several sources. Jessie Inchauspe, a biochemist, highly recommended a specific order when eating meals in order to prevent sugar spikes.

“I started to implement this new habit in my daily routine as of today. I want to regulate my glucose levels on a regular basis. I also have been walking after lunch and/or dinner meals to regulate my sugar levels.”

The frequency of sugar spikes can be decreased when we eat our meals in a specific order by 75% of the time (Inchauspe, 2025). Chronic ‘sugar spikes’ may lead to premature aging, cardiovascular disease, cellular inflammation, cancer, cognitive impairment (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and other chronic illnesses.

“New glucose monitor. I’m determined to regulate blood glucose daily even though the primary care physician has not recommended for me to do so. Why wait? I witnessed mom struggled all of her adult life.”

My mother was diagnosed with cardiovascular issues (e.g., high blood pressure), Diabetes type 1, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and later on (late 60s or early 70s) she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She recently died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 87.

I realized I was heading in the same direction due to my addiction to carbohydrates & sugars, maintaining a sedentary lifestyle, uncontrolled high blood pressure, high cholesterol/triglycerides, and sleeping disturbance. I now have an autoimmune condition.

Our bodies can heal with drastic changes in lifestyles including nutrition, improved sleeping patterns and movement. I am asymptomatic today; however, the glucose is still an issue.

The suggested order for meals will decrease sugar spikes, decrease cellular inflammation, decrease insulin release, decrease hormonal imbalances, increased energy, decreased fatigue and so forth.

Ideal order:

Eat vegetables first (e.g., broccoli, lettuce, carrots),

Second, eat protein & fats (e.g., chicken and avocado),

Thirds, eat the starches (e.g., brown rice),

Lastly, consume the sugars (e.g., plant-based dessert).

I have not been eating starches or sugars in the past 4 months since I’m working on decreasing my cholesterol and triglycerides level. I should get an update on my blood work in the next two days.

(This is health information, not health advice)

Routines Do Change

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized
Christmas (2024) with the family at the World Equestrian Center.

My sister, her family and I reunited in Ocala, Florida after our mother’s passing in November. When we have family in town, our routines undoubtedly change.

We participated in so many fun activities at the World Equestrian Center in the evenings on Friday and Saturday. The entire family had a meal at Stone Creek Grill Golf Club on Saturday afternoon and attended Church service on Sunday morning. It was quite hectic yet memorable and fun.

We did have unexpected changes in schedule (e.g., a quick run to McDonalds with our seven-year-old twins). Changes in schedule keeps life interesting. Having family in town is priceless, no doubt in my mind.

When preparing for a special weekend, keep in mind about the potential changes in schedule that may throw us ‘off’ from our healthy rhythms that promote wellness. Life happens and time runs faster than expected!

I am learning ‘how to’ maintain quality of life with Hashimoto Thyroiditis and planning ahead is key. Creating ‘anchors’ or habits help us keep up with daily rhythms of wellness.

These are the most important anchors when managing an autoimmune condition in a fast-paced, Holiday season. Anchors such as: Hydration, Sleep hygiene practices, Supplement/Medication intake, Movement, Stress Management, and Diet.

Yes! The ‘diet’ anchor is a tricky one …

Tips:

a) Set up an alarm on the phone to remind yourself about hydration, every hour.

b) Pacing is key. Do not multitask. Keep it simple.

c) We do not have to participate in all activities. For instance, I chose to meet my family a couple of hours after their arrival to the hotel. They were able to get acquainted with the World Equestrian Center while I was taking a hot shower then relaxed in my living room while hubby was finishing up with work.

d) Set up another alarm on the phone for supplements and/or medication intake. Yikes! I forgot to take my Omega 3 one of the evenings.

e) Make a healthy choice and determine what time is a reasonable time for bedtime. It may be a bit later than our daily routine and that is okay. It is also alright to be excused earlier than expected. Since I no longer drink alcohol due to Hashimoto and cellular inflammation, I skipped the evening drinks.

f) Take healthy snacks on-the-go and a refillable water bottle to hydrate.

g) When eating at a local restaurant, make healthy choices (low in carbohydrates, gluten-free is preferable).

h) Enjoy movement! I was able to take so many additional steps tracked by my smart watch.

i) If feeling tired or drained, it is okay to excuse yourself and catch up with the rest of the family a bit later.

j) Since fast-paced holiday events cause additional stress, I plan to start taking
L-Theanine Max supplement mid-day to reduce the adverse impact of acute stress in my body moving forward and continue using the Copa-Calm Essential Oil Blend spray from Jordan Essentials (Rhythms4Wellness.JordanEssentials.com) to relax throughout the day.

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)