Tag: nutrition

Let Us Get Organized

by Healthy Rhythms of Hashimoto Living, posted in Uncategorized
“Having a pill case helps me stay ‘organized’ throughout the week. I no longer have to think twice about whether I took the supplement or not for the day. I also don’t like to take too many supplements at once.” Adriana, #HashimotoStrong.

Daily Omega 3 twice a day, and weekly Vitamin D capsule (50,000) were both highly recommended by my current medical provider for better health. Since I have been researching in the past two months, I have found other supplements to be beneficial for physical health. Please ensure, you have a professional consultation prior to taking any supplements. As you know, I am not a medical doctor although I would enjoy being a functional medicine practitioner today (lol)! Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. I am content being a Licensed Psychologist who is an avid reader and researcher.

Did you know…?

CoQ10 with Bioperine: Non-GMO, Vegan free, Gluten free and Soy free. It helps with the mitochondria and thyroid connection (cellular level). It is an antioxidant and helps protect the mitochondria from oxidative damage. It also improves the vascularity of thyroid gland and treats fatigue and brain fog.

The suggested dosage is 30-90 mg per day.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine: It transports fatty acids into the mitochondria and helps produce energy. It also acts as an antioxidant and reduces free radicals. It protects the thyroid and mitochondria connection. It improves fatigue and brain fog.

The suggested dosage is 1-2 gram/day.

Zinc with Picolinate for best absorption: Note, Zinc is poorly absorbed from food. This supplement is needed for the production of thyroid hormones as well as for the conversion of T4 hormone to T3. If we consume higher than 30 mg/day, excessive amount of Zin can lower our copper levels. Zinc consumption is critical for reversing Hashimoto disease.

The suggested dosage is 30 mg/day.

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.