Tips and Tricks

Hey Guys and Gals,


So I figured I should give some info on how to be gluten free, and vegan. 


I jumped right into the deep end of the vegan and gluten free pool when I found out that I had Hashimotos.  Not everyone is that crazy though.  For most people it takes a little bit of  adjusting, or, a lot a bit, so ease into it. That's totally fine!  Since my daughter was recently diagnosed too, I have decided not to through her into the deep end.  It would be just plain mean! And I'm not that mean.  So she still eats some processed foods.  It's important to keep some things normal for kids. It's a hard change for anyone, but especially the kiddos.  


For organic foods go ahead and buy the store brand of organics,  (just make sure it has the USDA Organic stamp.)  Store brands tend to be a little cheaper.  Even at Whole Foods, which we frequently call "Whole Paycheck". If you happen to be in a remote area, it may be cheaper to order things on Amazon.  I go to Natural Grocers.  They have a pretty high standard as a store for quality and they also have some things that are their own brand. They also have a website that you can shop on and order from. www.naturalgrocers.com


As for gluten free, believe it or not, Walmart has some gluten free foods, as does Costco.  
I get gluten free pretzels, Lara Bars and sometimes baking items at Walmart.   


For bakers, you can use Bob's Redmill.  I use these mixes because it's cheaper than making my own.  I have found it to get quite pricey, because you have to buy a few different types of flours and then it just starts adding up. And I don't bake enough for that to make sense.  


Baking tips:
Replace eggs with a product called Egg Replacer or you can use "flax eggs"
Flax eggs are 1 TBLS of  ground flaxseeds mixed with 2 TBLS water./1 whole egg.
I use this in all baking recipes.


Replace oil with applesauce.


Replace milk with almond milk   


Replace baking soda with Aluminum free baking soda (aluminum is really bad for the thyroid.)  Again, Bob's Redmill has this product.


Here are some more gluten free items
Kix 
Rice Chex
Rice noodles 
Rice - Stick with brown rice
All Fruit and Veggies (in their natural state of course)
Popcorn
Potatoes
Potato chips
Corn chips
Taco shells
Grits
Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) pasta - I have found that King Soopers is the cheapest
Corn pasta - King Soopers and Target carry this kind of pasta
Udi's makes great gluten free breads and baked goods. Available at King Soopers.  They also have bakeries around the Denver Metro area.  A great place to get salads and veggie sandwiches.  They can make any of their sandwiches on gluten free bread. 


A couple tips on eating gluten free in public (like it's some crazy weird thing to do) hahahaha 
Read food labels - There is gluten in soup and taco seasoning even.  So you have to be really careful!  
When eating at a restaurant, ask for a gluten free menu. If they don't have one, salads are always a good go to.  If you order a salad at a restaurant, ask for extra lemons or oranges, then  squeeze them over the salad for the dressing.  Or if you're not quite ready to be oil free yet, you could just ask for a oil and vinegar as your dressing.  


When I'm out running errands and I havn't packed all the right snacks for being out and about, I will eat at Chipotle or even Taco Bell if there isn't a Chipotle around (thank the Lord I don't typically travel too far from a Chipotle).  From Chipotle I will order a veggie bowl with brown rice, black beans (their pinto beans are made with pork in them), fajita veggies guacamole, corn salsa and a little lettuce. MMMMMMM Yummy!!! Man, that made me hungry. From Taco Bell I get a Fresco Crunchy Taco with beans instead of beef.  I have done some research and found that they make their beans with vegetable oil.  FYI - Taco Bell's red sauce contains gluten.  


Back to being out and about.  I have a lunch box that I to pack with apples or bananas, my own trail mix (raw nuts and raisins), gluten free pretzels for the kids, and a few Lara Bars.  Being prepared makes it easier to stay on track and not give in to eating processed foods.


If you don't feel like cooking, Amy's is a great brand for gluten free dairy free frozen meals.  They even have Gluten free Dairy free Mac-N-Cheese.   King Soopers has Amy's as do most natural food stores.    


When eating processed foods, whether from the grocery store or a fast food restaurant, try to do it as infrequently as possible.  Processed foods typically have a high amount of sodium which causes inflammation and also causes you to retain water (not something any lady wants to do).


Changing your diet can be very difficult, trust me I know, I have been there.  Once you get more balanced you will  start craving these foods.  And of course, you will start feeling better.


Remember, anything worth having (health in this case), is worth fighting for.  Fight for your thyroid.  All the hard work is worth feeling better.  Help it Help you.  What movie is that from?  Anyone?  "Help me, Help you!"  Jerry Maguire Y'all.


Alrighty, well that's it for now!
Happy thyroids!


   

Autoimmune Awareness Month

Hey Y'all,


Just a quick post.  

Did you know that March is National Autoimmune Awareness Month?  Well, it is! I just found out last night.

So I thought I would give you a couple facts on Autoimmune diseases.

There are over 100 Autoimmune diseases including Hashimotos, Graves disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn's  Disease, and Celiacs , just to name a few.

Did you know that Hashimotos and Graves Disease (both thyroid related) are the two most common in the US?  

Here is an article from Mary Shoman with more facts and info about autoimmune disorders and an Autoimmune checklist.  

http://thyroid.about.com/b/2012/03/14/march-is-national-autoimmune-diseases-awareness-month.htm 

Have a great weekend!!! 

Fun tip:  Try to speak in an accent all day!  I have done this with my kids, it was a BLAST! We have done an  English accent.  I also like to go Southern.  I have yet to try something hard like Scottish.  My husband is really great at this and makes us laugh pretty hard because he will stay in character for a looooong time and not mess up.  Super funny!!!  Give it a try!  It will bring some fun to your day!

Love Thy Tricky Thyroid

Love Thy Tricky Thyroid!


Lets not be mad at our tricky thyroids!  Lets help them out a little and try to get them to work as good as they possibly can!  


Here's how we can do that.


Try to get as much sleep as possible.  Especially if you are the working out type like me. Every body needs time to rest. Especially those with weakened immune systems.  If I have worked out by lifting weights, or even just walked on the treadmill, I need almost twice as much time to recover than the average Joe. So,  I try to start my night/sleep routine at  9pm.  I shower at night to relax my body.  By the time I am ready for bed I am ready to fall asleep.  I am usually asleep by  10:30 at the latest.   Sleeeeep!  It's good for our tricky little thyroids.  


I know I said this in my last post, and I don't want to be naggy , but I just think everyone should at least try eating gluten free and vegan for a little while and see how you feel.  What's the harm in trying?  You'll feel good?  You'll have more energy?  Don't be scared!  It's tough making the switch, but you will feel better.  I think after feeling bad for so long, you start to forget what good feels like.  Give it a try!


I saw some news the other day on the TODAY show that was on eating red and processed meats causing cancer and other inflammatory diseases.  I also found the article on AOL too.  Here it is:


http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/0313/red-meat-can-be-unhealthy-study-suggests.aspx

YAAAAAAYAAAA!  Just sayin!!!!  


I know that some people looking at this blog may be from the bodybuilding community.  If you have Hashimotos or any other autoimmune or inflammatory disease, and you are thinking about going vegan and you have questions like "Where will I get the protein? I need to build muscle"  please go to www.veganbodybuilding.com.  There are some great eating plans on this site that are even geared for competition time.  


Speaking of competition,  for those of you who are looking for a goal, or want someone to help you get started in getting fit, please check out my sister Chelcea's facebook page, www.facebook.com/boogysmalls.  She is a professional fitness competitor with the WBFF, and trains men and women to reach their fitness goals.  Whether that be, becoming a fitness pro too, or just losing weight and feeling better.  Don't be intimidated!  She is beautiful and crazy fit, but Chelcea is a very genuine lady, and wants to help anyone who asks for her guidance.  


Back to me now! Just kidding! No, for real though!
When I am able to work out more regularly, I use Vega Protein.  The Vega brand is gluten free, dairy free, and plant based.  Definitely a great option for adding more protein.  


And the best way to Love Thy Tricky Thyroid, is to stay positive and patient.  You won't get better overnight.  Give it time.  And put in your very best effort to make your thyroid work the way it's supposed to.  The most important lesson God gave me with this disease is patience.  Don't expect results right away.  Do the very best you can, and know that if you put in all the hard work it WILL pay off.  


Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.


Don't let anything crush you.  Let go and let God.  He won't crush you, He will lift you up and give you hope.

Thyroid to ground control.....HELP!

Hey Y'all,


I thought I should post the signs and symptoms of Hypothyroidism/Hashimotos.  I also want to give a brief list of things that your thyroid controls.  I wanted to post this, because last night I was watching Real Housewives of Orange County, yes, I do watch this train wreck of a show, and one of the lady's daughter has thyroid cancer, and has been dealing with symptoms for about 3 years now.  It made me realize how important it is to recognize all of these things and then get tested if it applies to you or someone you know.  Because if it is left untreated, it can cause cancer.  The thyroid truly is a tricky little organ that controls more of your body than you would think.


So here we go.  


What your thyroid helps your body do

• Helps regulate your heart beat properly 
• Helps regulate breathing properly
• Helps regulate digestive system function 
• Helps regulate proper muscle and bone growth
• Helps regulate proper brain function
• Helps regulate proper hormonal balance with the reproductive system

Symptoms

• Low body temperature
• Irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• Extreme tiredness
• Anxiety
• Depression 
• Brain fog (can't think clearly or focus)
• Digestive problems 
• Constipation
• Headaches upon waking up 
• Dizziness upon waking up
• Rapid weight Gain
• Ovarian cysts
• Irregular menstruation
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Ringing in the ears
• Loss of sex drive 
• Irregular blood pressure (high then low or vice versa)
• Course, brittle hair
• Dry, scaly skin
• Puffiness around the eyes or eyelids
• Slow speech
• Slowed reflexes
• Hoarseness of the voice
• Swollen throat (inflamed thyroid) and or lumps in the throat 
• Sensitivity to cold

Long list right? Believe it or not, this is a short list! I had most of these symptoms and didn't even think about any of them being a big deal until it was really bad and I landed in the hospital.   And, to be even more honest, I really had no idea what a thyroid did.  If you have ANY of these symptoms please get tested!  Especially if you are a new mom.  Hypothyroidism/Hashimotos is really common after pregnancy.  Also, if you have already been diagnosed and if you have children, please make sure that you have them tested as well.  Hashimotos is common is families.  I know this from experience.  My oldest daughter was recently tested and diagnosed.  What a rough road that has been.  It's hard on adults to be diagnosed, it's really hard for kids.  


Make sure you take care of you.  Leaving a thyroid undiagnosed can eventually lead to CANCER!  I know it's a scary reality, but that's why I am so passionate about people getting checked out.


Getting tested
You can ask your general practitioner for thyroid testing.  If you're a lady, you can also ask you OB/GYN.  Just a little side note, about 80% of people with hypothyroidism actually have Hashimotos.  Make sure you ask you doctor to also the test for Hashimotos (it's referred to as a TPO - thyroid peroxidase).  It is important to know if you have Hashimotos because unlike hypothyroidism, Hashimotos is when the immune system attacks/destroys your thyroid.  Which make it really important to eat gluten free.

After getting tested

• Make sure you get your levels read back to you and keep track of them.  Write them down!
• Be assertive with your doctor.  Not all doctors are understanding.  Most of them have a hard time realizing your levels can be normal, but you still have symptoms.  Most doctors also use the TSH levels as their main test to diagnose.  Some doctors use the old levels of a TSH of  0.5-5.  The current levels for normal TSH are 0.3-3.  Personally, I feel better at the lowest end of this range.  If I am above 0.5 I feel like warmed over poo. Not a good feeling!
• Change your diet!  I don't mean to be nagging you on this, but it really is key to getting better.
• Consider going to an Endocrinologist
• Consider going to a Naturopathic Doctor.  
• Go get the book Living Well With Hypothyroidism  By Mary J. Shomon.  It is the all time best book in my opinion to guide you on what to do next.  

I will be praying for all of you who are going through this struggle.
I hope this helps!  
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me.

My Advice

Hey Y’all, (no, I’m not from Texas. Just like to say Y’all, and usually in a southern accent too. Try it! It’s fun!).  



I should start by apologizing for the length of this post in advance.  It's my first one and I have a lot to say. 


Well, I decided to finally start a blog! I want to start this blog to reach out to others with Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune disorders. I simply just want to help those who want the guidance from somebody who has gone through all the tough times of having this lovely thyroid disorder. Thanks to all my family and friends who have loved and supported me through this. It has been a rough couple of years, but here I am ready to share with whoever wants to listen. I love you all so much!

Let me start off by telling you a little bit of my story. I am 31 years old. I am married to a wonderful, supportive and very loving husband who has made my life much, much easier by making me laugh at least three times a day (even when I am mad at him). We have three beautiful children all under the age of 10. I was officially diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in May of 2010, after a very scary four day stay in the hospital that started with all the symptoms of a heart attack. I will discuss more of that experience in another post. After trying to figure out how to deal with this new disease, doing tons of research and finally feeling better, almost two years later, I have decided to put it all together to help others who are struggling to feel “normal” again. 

So, lets get started! I am going to give you the four things that have taken me from feeling really crappy, most of the time, to being able to live with energy and purpose. 

First and foremost, I want to say that my Faith in Christ is the reason I am where I am now. It was a rough start for sure. I totally believe that He has been there every step of the way guiding me on what to do next. He was preparing me for this disease my whole life and I didn’t even know it. But that’s how He rolls. He has given me hope for my future with this disease and also has given me a purpose through the process. That being said, I believe that there is a  huge connection between health and spirituality. Whether you choose to follow Christianity or some other form of “spirituality” is totally up to you. But my stance is in Christ. So please be prepared to find the occasional Bible verse on this blog. Speaking of a good Bible verse, here is my favorite;
Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.



Along with the spiritual part of healing also comes an emotional part as well. Which, for me, is something I just learned. I went to get a therapeutic massage, in October 2011, and my massage therapist, (Anna Redman CMT) ended up schooling me on the emotional connection. She taught me about how my emotions were causing me to continue to feel sick. Anna ended up not giving me a massage. She ended up doing a foot detox and also did a technique called “Body Talk”. No joke, going to see her has been the best thing for me. Let me get a little deeper here. She told me that in Eastern medicine they teach that the thyroid is connected to feeling like you’re not being heard. Like you’re afraid to speak your “truth”. Which ,was exactly how I was feeling. She helped me get to a place where we were talking about specific events (past and current), in my life that made me feel this way and we worked on it together and I have to say, since I have started seeing her, I have felt like myself again. And, it’s been quite a while, (8 years or so). Anna truly has a God given gift and God Bless her for actually using it.

Next, and it’s a biggie! I’m Vegan! And Gluten free too! I know, I know, CRAAAAAAZY! Oh, I forgot to mention oil free too. But trust me, if you want to feel better you just might have to make that crazy a*# jump. I can’t tell you how great I felt once my naturopathic doctor, (yep I said it! Nat-uro-path-ic doc-tor. All together now =)..), told me I needed to give up all animal by products and gluten. I met with the best ND around, Connie Sanchez, and she was and has been so wonderful in helping me get balanced. It is so very important for Hashimotos patients to go gluten free. Here is an article that I think explains the reasoning very well. http://missionhillspt.com/2008/05/02/gluten-and-inflammation/

And lastly, I work out 5 or 6 days out of the week for at least 30 minutes. Depending on the day it can be just cardio, or lifting weights or doing a video of, p90x , Tracey Anderson, or my new fav, 10 minute trainer with Tony Horton. Exercise is very important. I know you may not even have the energy to think about working out, but once you get started it gets easier and you will start feeling better.

Well, there it is. These are all the things in my journey that have helped me feel “normal” again. I know it’s very overwhelming to think about. And trust me I have been there. But I started this whole journey by taking control of it (Hashimotos) before it could control me. I absolutely have had my ups and downs, and it wasn’t a “cake walk”. I have plenty of stories I can share about what a rough journey this has actually been. But I would not have changed any part of it. It really beats the alternative of feeling like crap. Going vegan and gluten free is hard , but I really truly believe Hashimotos can be controlled through diet.

If you are still reading and still interested, then great! Down below are a few things that can help you get started in your journey to getting better right away.

First, if you are not on Armour or Natur-throid, ask your doctor to change your medication. Second – start taking your medication at night, right before bed, for optimal absorption. 
Third – start eating gluten free. This is really important. By continuing to eat gluten you are causing your immune system to attack your thyroid and essentially slowly destroying it.

Here are the websites and books I found and use today to help me.
1. Living Well With Hypothyroidism By Mary J. Shomon www.thyroid-info.com I must say this is a fantastic guide. There is an autoimmune check list in the book and I am pretty sure there is one on the website. It was very helpful for me to actually see that all of my symptoms were there.

2. www.thenutritiondoc.com - This is my Naturopathic Doctor Connie Sanchez. If you happen to be in the Denver area and you need a wonderful doctor, she’s it. She also happens to be on Mary J. Shomon’s list for top Thyroid doctors in Colorado. She has changed my life. She is understanding and truly cares about the patient. I can’t even put into words what I think of this woman. Simply put, she is AWESOME!!!!!

3. www.wholefoods.com - There is an icon at the top of their home page labeled, Health Starts Here. I go there for recipes often. These are typically vegan and gluten free and also without oil. FYI, oil inflames the body.

4. www.stopthethyroidmadness.com – This is a great website for thyroid information.

5. I bought a book on Amazon called Unprocessed By Chef AJ. I love the recipes in this book!

6. www.crossroadsabc.com. - This is my home church. Our church has an online campus that allowed me to watch church online from the comfort of my own home when I was feeling too tired to even get up off the couch. Our Pastor is Kim Skattom and truly has a God given talent. He is a wonderful pastor and he has also changed my life. Because of something he said in a sermon (and also because of my beautiful mother and sister) I am doing this blog and reaching out. He said, “In times of struggle and pain run towards God and not away. Then reach out towards others for help and to help.” Those words changed my view of this Hashimoto’s business in such a positive light. 

7. www.klove.com – I listen to this radio station. It is a Christian station. It is very uplifting and encouraging. On bad days, I can hear one song and I feel much better. It really puts my life into perspective.

8. The 4th hour of the Today Show. Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, are such a funny part of my day. I started watching this when I was first diagnosed and so sick I couldn’t go to work. I am now back at work and feeling much better, but I still need to watch them, so I DVR it every day and watch when I get home. 


9.  www.annaredmancmt.com - This is my Massage therapist that I mentioned above. She is really a blessing.

Keep in mind, I am not a doctor. I am simply someone who is not going to let this disease take over my life. What has worked for me might not work for you. But then again it just might. This is all simply just trial and error for me. And you might need to do the same thing. I just hope and pray that my trial and error journey can help you cut through all the information and get to feeling better as soon as possible. I know all of this information can be grueling and overwhelming. When I first got diagnosed, I remember opening the Living Well With Hypothyroidism book and just crying. I didn’t even know where to start and I felt all alone and overwhelmed. I would cry simply because there was finally an answer to why I felt so crappy for so long and that I wasn’t a hypochondriac. Every little emotion would just simply come out because I opened up a book.

So, on the upside,I am just going to give you a sample menu of how I eat, because this is a huge part of feeling better.


Breakfast – Within the first hour of being awake Green smoothie – In a good blender –
2 handfulls of spinach, kale or romaine lettuce
2 cups filtered water 2 bananas ½ cup blueberries 2-3 tablespoons of flax seed

Lunch – Usually a big salad of kale, romaine or collards with diced up apple or pear with a small handful of nuts or seeds (I really like pecans), and a chopped green onion. For the “dressing” I usually sprinkle Mrs.Dash or pepper.

Dinner – Lentil Chili from the Whole Foods website under the Health Starts here icon, with some steamed veggies.

Here are a couple of snack ideas:
Fruit and a small handful of nuts or seeds Peanut butter (the natural kind without any sugar added) with fruit or celery. I really like eating a banana with PB. SOOOOO Yummy!
Kale chips

More Breakfast ideas:  
Gluten free oatmeal (I like Bob’s Red Mill) with a diced up apple, some raisins, some almonds and cinnamon. -
Coconut yogurt with fresh or frozen berries.

More dinner/lunch items: 
Quinoa pasta with tomato sauce and veggies 
Quinoa pasta mixed with a can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes and spices of your choice. I usually toss in fresh basil, garlic powder and a little onion powder. 
Corn shelled tacos with black beans and pico di gaillo and guacamole.

Here are the rules for how I try to eat: 
Try to buy organic as often as possible especially produce and eat WHOLE, unprocessed foods as often as possible. 
No meat 
No dairy or soy
No gluten 
No oil  
No sweeteners, (not even honey), Stevia is the only option  
No caffeine (except for green tea), although, being honest, I have a hard time with this one. I love coffee with soy milk. 
No alcohol - Right about now, some of you are thinking “No Fun!"


Keep in mind "everything in moderation". I do have a glass of wine every once in a while. And, if time is short I will eat something like quinoa pasta (which is processed), but hey it's better than regular pasta.  Just make sure you pay attention to your body/symptoms.  Your body was designed with the amazing capability of telling you what's wrong.  

I'm not gonna lie, it’s hard at first, but if it seems like too much to do all at once, start by removing gluten first and once you feel you have a grip on that, try taking out dairy, then meat and so on. It can be tough and there are days when I give in and have some cheese (that is my kryptonite) I pay for it later, but every once in a while, it happens. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Nobody is perfect!

Well that’s it for now! I hope this information helps somebody out there. I will be checking in, so please feel free to email me. I will try to respond as quickly as I can.