Understanding Inflammation and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Your Path to Wellness

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland, leading to inflammation and damage. This results in decreased thyroid hormone production, causing hypothyroidism. If left untreated, it can even lead to a goiter. You may be familiar with some of the common symptoms: fatigue, joint aches, hair loss, dry skin, weight gain, and increased sensitivity to cold. While many people are prescribed thyroid replacement hormones like Levothyroxine, it’s not uncommon for those living with Hashimoto’s to still experience symptoms, even when lab results look normal. This blog post is here to help you dig deeper into your health beyond just taking medication.

Your Thyroid: A Small Gland with a Big Job

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located just above your collarbone. Despite its size, it plays a huge role in regulating key functions like heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. It also impacts your weight, fertility, menstrual cycles, skin tone, energy levels, sleep, memory, and digestion. When your thyroid isn’t functioning properly, it can affect nearly every organ in your body. It’s incredible how such a small gland can have such a significant impact!

The Connection Between Inflammation and Hashimoto’s

Women with Hashimoto’s often deal with increased inflammation due to their condition. Research shows that adopting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can significantly improve thyroid function. As we age, inflammation tends to become more common, and living with Hashimoto’s can make systemic inflammation even worse. That’s why prioritizing an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is so crucial for your health.

If you want to learn more about what causes inflammation and how to reduce it through lifestyle changes, be sure to check out my previous blog post.

Gut Health: The Key to Autoimmunity

Improving your gut function can have a dramatic effect on your health, and it can even help reverse autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s. When your gut bacteria are out of balance—a condition known as gut dysbiosis—it can interfere with how well your thyroid functions. An imbalanced gut can lead to poor nutrient absorption and allow large molecules to cross the gut wall, triggering inflammation throughout your body. This can exacerbate autoimmune conditions if left untreated. For those already dealing with an autoimmune disorder, gut dysbiosis can make symptoms even worse.

Ways to Improve Gut Health and Reduce Inflammation:

1. Incorporate Fermented Foods and Probiotics: Adding fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, and kimchi to your diet can help shift your gut bacteria from harmful to beneficial. Aim to include a couple of tablespoons of fermented foods in your meals each day, or try making your own fermented veggies like broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower!       Dr. Izabella Wentz, a leading expert in thyroid health, emphasizes the importance of gut bacteria in managing autoimmune thyroid conditions. She specifically recommends the probiotic strain Saccharomyces boulardii for Hashimoto’s patients. This probiotic yeast can help restore gut health, balance the microbiome, and potentially reverse leaky gut. You can learn more about this probiotic and order Thorne Sacro-B through my Thorne Dispensary, which I trust for its exceptional quality, transparency and third-party testing.
2. Avoid Sugar: Sugar is not your gut’s best friend. It can increase inflammation in your GI tract and promote the growth of harmful bacteria. Over time, a high-sugar diet can lead to insulin resistance, contributing to autoimmune diseases and causing inflammation throughout your body.
3. Increase Fiber Intake: Fiber is essential for a healthy gut! There are two types: soluble fiber, which dissolves in water and keeps things moving, and insoluble fiber, which provides a scrubbing effect on your colon walls. Foods rich in both types of fiber include leafy greens, fruits, and lentils.
4. Consider Going Gluten-Free: The link between gluten and Hashimoto’s is still a hot topic, but some research suggests that a gluten-free diet may help lower TSH levels and TPO antibodies in women with Hashimoto’s. Many people report feeling better when they eliminate gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and corn from their diets. Pay attention to how you feel after making these changes—it can be a great indicator of what works for you!
5. Limit or Eliminate Alcohol: Alcohol can increase inflammation and disrupt gut health as well as tax your liver, so consider cutting back or eliminating it from your diet.

In Conclusion

Minimizing inflammation and improving gut health is crucial for everyone, but it’s especially important for those living with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Remember, we’re aiming for progress, not perfection. Building a lifestyle focused on wellness doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

As a health coach who specializes in working with women in midlife and those with Hashimoto’s, I’m here to support you on your journey to better health. If you're ready to take the next step, I invite you to book a complimentary consultation with me. Let’s get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit to work together.

For more information on gut health supplements, check out my Thorne Dispensary, where you can find high-quality probiotics and even order a Gut Health Test. I trust Thorne for their exceptional quality control and transparency.

Together, we can create a personalized plan that empowers you to take control of your health and feel your best!