Day Four on Synthroid

One of the symptoms of my hypothyroidism is that I wake up in the morning feeling very tired, heavy, and just bad in general. Laying in bed does not even feel good, and it takes a lot of effort to get up. It is particularly worse in the winter because of my cold sensitivity - I cannot stand cold! That is weird because I used to really like cold weather and not be bothered by it all that much.

I take my hormone replacement pill every morning as soon as I wake up, and this morning was the fourth day of taking it. Maybe I am imagining things but I really am starting to feel a lot better. I would not say I am 100% yet better by any means (yesterday I did not feel very good at all) but I feel like I am making progress.

I have yet to completely start my new anti-inflammatory foods only diet. I did quit coffee (yay!) but yesterday I had pizza, beer, and cookies (all no-no) food items because it was around and was New Years Day and all that jazz. Today I am turning a new leaf, though. Santino and I have been trying to clear out all of the "bad" food items this week before we go food shopping tomorrow, and they are all almost gone. I am currently gathering recipes of soups I am going to make this weekend that we will be able to eat all next week. I have been pretty upset that I am having to give up all of my favorite foods, but I am viewing this as an opportunity to become healthier than ever. I know that I will be able to adjust my tastes to enjoy my new diet as much as my old one.

I have an appointment to see the Nutritionist on January 12th to get further guidance and hopefully get switched from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid ( a natural hormone replacement product). I have a lot of supplements/herbs that I need to go get and start taking. I am also researching Acupuncturists who have experience treating hypothyroidism. From all of the research I have been doing, I think I have a very good chance of curing my hypothyroidism if I combine traditional medicinal treatment with alternative therapy. One day I am hoping that my Endocrinologist will tell me that I do not have to take thyroid medicine any longer.

I think that most people never recover from their hypothyroidism because they never make the necessary dietary changes which this condition requires. I have been feeling for the past several years that a switch in my diet will be mandatory to my evolutionary path. It seems as if my body has finally flipped the switch and now I have no choice.  

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Soy and My Thyroid Gland

So last week I went to the doctor because my thyroid gland was swollen and I felt like I had a lump in my throat. The doctor said I probably have some sort of thyroid disorder and will more than likely be put on synthetic thyroid medication that I would have to take the rest of my life. Forget that! I went into panic mode and started reading like crazy. I am not giving up that easily.

I did a bunch of research and found that it is probably all the soy in my diet that is causing my thyroid gland to have problems. I really have been eating way too much soy ever since I became a vegetarian. For the past eight years I have excessively drank soy milk, eaten soy cheese, tofu, tempeh, soy butter, soy ice cream, imitation meats made from soy, soy chips... if it is made of soy you can safely bet I have been eating it. A lot.

From what I have been reading, soy is considered a "goitrogen" a food which inhibits the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland emits hormones which control our metabolism, amongst other things.

So basically, because of all of the soy I eat, and because I use sea salt instead of iodized table salt, I have an iodine deficiency and my thyroid gland has been screaming for help. It has not been able to do its job and I have been developing a condition known as hypothyroidism - which causes, fatique, depression, heavy menstrual periods, weight gain - even tooth problems(!) because the thyroid is also in charge some sort of calcium processes in our bodies.

Last friday, I stopped eating soy foods and started taking an iodine supplement. I feel 100% better! My thyroid gland is not swollen anymore and I have a lot more energy and am not as depressed.

Yesterday I rode my bike to go get my lunch (yay!) and tonight I am starting my new yoga class. Hopefully it is just a matter of time before my tooth completely heals and no more headaches...

I still cannot get over that the doctor did not ask me about my diet or come anywhere near the conclusion that I have an iodine deficiency. In fact, when I asked the nurse if that could be the problem and she said 'no'.

Instead of soy milk I am now drinking almond milk, hazelnut milk, and hemp milk. I am also having a pineapple smoothie for breakfast every morning (pineapple has iodine) and am going to try to start eating more sea kelp (sushi!!!). I am probably not going to completely eliminate ALL soy products, but I am definitely drastically cutting back.

The interesting thing is that I have been reading in health articles to avoid soy for a long time... now I think I know why. :)

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Detox Cleanse 2008 = Fail, Hemp Oil = Win

Well, okay... it was not a complete failure. It was a semi-failure. I did not go the full seven days, only five, but I was so hungry it was ridiculous. I do feel like a lot of toxins were eliminated from my body, but I do regret not finishing out the last two days of raw fruits and vegetables. When I broke the diet, I ate an extremely heavy and expensive meal which made me tired and stomach-achy for twenty-four hours after I ate it. Believe it or not, I ate a big meal of salmon and spinach! Why salmon? Well, I have been acutely feeling a lack of omega 3 fatty acids in my vegetarian diet and was craving some fish to provide it. I really do not like eating fish all that much, though. It is too heavy in my stomach and I am acutely aware that supporting the fishing industry inadvertently contributes to the clubbing of baby seals (seriously). One solution I happened upon this weekend is hemp oil, which has the same amount of omega 3 fatty acids as fish. It tastes a little funky, but it is better than the alternative.

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