What in the World is Hashimotos Disease?

Hashimoto’s Disease, the autoimmune thyroid condition is sweeping our country.

According to Dr. Amy Myers, in her book The Thyroid Connection, at least 27 million Americans and 200 million people worldwide have it! In my estimation, that’s probably a low statistic because so many people are misdiagnosed or have the disease undiagnosed for years. The number of people who suffer from this autoimmune disease is probably a lot higher.

Did you know?

Hashimoto’s is responsible for 90% of cases of Hypothyroidism in the U.S.A according to Dr. Izabella Wentz as she mentions in her book, Root Cause.

Even scarier, Dr. Amy Myers says that one out of eight people have thyroid dysfunction and women are five to eight times more likely than men to be affected.

Friends, Hashimoto’s is a big deal and something that has to be addressed!

What to Do When You’ve Been Diagnosed With Hashimoto’s Disease

Though not very easily, I was diagnosed over a decade ago with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Disease. My endocrinologist at the time, the top in the state and endocrinologist to a Major League baseball team, in treatment did not do anything for my Hashimoto’s.

He only gave me T4 (thyroid hormone) and said I would be on it for the rest of my life. He mentioned that there’s nothing else he can do for how I was feeling. He also said that Hashimoto’s is not related to Hypothyroidism or my thyroid lab numbers!

If your story bears any resemblance to that, I’m here to tell you the information that a doctor often spews out is simply NOT TRUE.

There is A LOT you can do about your Hashimoto’s diagnosis to feel better and Hashimoto’s Disease is directly related to Hypothyroidism.

As a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I want to teach you what I have learned about remitting Hashimoto’s.

Much of this I didn’t understand when I was first diagnosed.

This information and understanding will empower you and help you discover what’s going awry in your body so you can begin to remit your symptoms.

Knowledge truly is power! You can take this information and begin to reverse your Hashimoto’s antibodies, remit your symptoms and get your life back!

A Short Lesson on Your Thyroid Gland

This butterfly-shaped gland is an organ you can feel in your neck right below your Adam’s Apple. It is responsible, synergistically, with other organs, for producing thyroid hormones that literally reside in every single cell in our bodies. The thyroid gland and its proper function are vital for a high-quality life because no cell can function without the hormones it produces.

Thyroid hormones that come from this gland have the role of:

• regulating our body temperature
• growth and development of our nervous system (which is why you need optimal levels when you’re pregnant)
• aid in producing other hormones (stress, sex, sleep, female and male hormones)
• help extract vitamins from food
• help obtain energy from food
• stimulate metabolism
• and many more complex micro-processes

Hypothyroidism Versus Autoimmune Thyroid

Before I jump into what Hashimoto’s is, you need to understand two important terms: Hypothyroidism and Autoimmune Thyroid.

Hypothyroidism

Hashimoto’s Disease is connected to Hypothyroidism in 90% of cases, so it’s essential to understand both clinical terms. 40% of the population suffers from low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) and women are most susceptible.

When a person is diagnosed with Hypothyroidism it means that their body is not making enough thyroid hormone (T4) for their body to properly convert to the active thyroid hormone called T3, which is utilized in the cells. This diagnosis can also mean that your body is not converting the T4 hormone into the active thyroid hormone T3 well and this can be due to a number of reasons.

Hypothyroidism is also known as an underactive thyroid. As I mentioned, above, 90% of people whose thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone and are diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, also have Hashimoto’s which is the autoimmune component of the thyroid dysfunction.

Autoimmune Thyroid

When your immune system actually starts attacking tissues in the body rather than the true foreign antigens that enter the body, that is called autoimmunity. The body goes rogue and thinks that your own organs (or the proteins they are made of) are alien and must be conquered.

The tissues and organs that get attacked could be anything from your skin, brain, nerves, liver, pancreas, heart, joints, intestines and much more – even blood. In the case of Hashimoto’s, your immune system is attacking your thyroid tissue and producing antibodies against it. It is treating the thyroid gland as if it’s a foreign invader.

So you can see, hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid are two different things. hypothyroidism is not autoimmune and does not cause an immune attack on the thyroid gland, the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s Disease does.

What Hashimoto’s Disease Is

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, as it’s medically called, is an autoimmune condition that creates an all-out attack on your thyroid when antibodies (TgAb & TPO) physically wage war on the gland and, if left untreated, will render the organ useless. This potent disease leads to inadequate thyroid hormone production and potential glandular enlargement called a goiter. Its peak effects commonly happen around puberty, pregnancy and menopause.

During the chronic attack, white blood cells pool around the thyroid and cause scar tissue to build up because thyroid cells are actually being destroyed. The results is a roller coaster of thyroid hormones surging through your body causing countless debilitating symptoms.

Symptoms and Risks of Hashimoto’s Disease

Honestly, the list can feel endless at times. Rather than write every tiny symptom that can occur, because there can be hundreds, I will share with you the main symptoms & risks that can happen with Hashimoto’s.

• Chest Pain
• Joint Pain
• Thyroid Cancer
• Increase Risk of Heart Disease
• Goiter
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood Swings
• Hair Loss
• Extreme Dry Skin
• Cold Hands and Feet
• Weight Gain
• Other Autoimmune Conditions: (Lupus, Celiac, RA, MS, Type 1 Diabetes, etc.)
• Constipation
• Brain Fog
• Insomnia
• PMS
• Infertility
• Low Blood Pressure
• Low Heart Beat
• Heart Palpitations
• Panic Attacks
• Weight Loss
• Weak Muscles
• Hives
• Rashes
• Itching

 

Root Causes of Hashimoto’s Disease

There is never just one cause of Hashimoto’s Disease. Usually, the cause stems from a combination of factors.

My personal causes were:

• a childhood diet high in refined sugar and processed foods (lowered immune system)
• too many antibiotics which caused dysbiosis and parasitic infections
• being vaccinated (which caused metal toxicity and an overdose of toxins in my body.)
• hormone fluctuations during my pregnancy with my first son
• chronic stress for 5 years (causing adrenal, blood sugar and gut dysfunction)
• silent infections from two root canals and crowns

In a nutshell, the top causes of Hashimoto’s can be:

• nutritional deficiencies
• leaky gut
• pregnancy
• poor detoxification pathways
• a traumatic life event
• chronic stress
• poor oral health
• infections (Epstein Barr, yeasts, parasites, molds and fungi)
• chronic sleep deprivation
• toxins from the environment, healthcare, skincare, food, cosmetics, toiletries, and cleaners

Hashimoto’s Disease – No One Size Fits All for Healing

Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all remedy for healing this autoimmune disease. However, be encouraged because it IS a condition that can be reversed and the destruction of the thyroid gland can be slowed and even stopped!

There’s hope that you can thrive in your life and live symptom-free so don’t let any doctor tell you otherwise.

My expertise is helping women remit their Hashimoto’s Disease naturally so they can get their life back. You might want to look into working with me one-on-one or in a group coaching session.

Even with a Hashimoto’s diagnosis, you can live your best life and thrive rather than just survive.

My Favorite Tried and True Hashimoto’s Books and Resources

Every single one of these resources has helped me in my over a decade-long journey with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. I can confidently recommend them to you because I know they will change your life. They will enlighten you, educate you and help you understand the intricacies of what you, or someone you love is dealing with in this complicated disease. They are all worth the investment of your time and money in order to get you on the path to healing!

Books: {Click in the Images to Get Your Own}

The Best Video and Audio Summits to Learn About Your Autoimmunity and Hashimoto’s

These summits have already aired so when you click on them you will see past dates of the actual launch. These awesome summits are still available for viewing/purchasing and they will educate you and change your life! I strongly recommend choosing a few and watching them. They are all excellent!

 

It’s Time to Take What You Have Learned and Put Healing Into Action!

Some other articles that will interest you are:

Reduce Liver Congestion to Improve Hashimotos
The Epstein Barr Connection to Hashimoto’s {& What to do About It}
My Top 7 Treatments that Put My Hashimoto’s Antibodies in Normal Range
3 Thyroid Details I Wish I Had Known Before Miscarrying My Babies
The Top 8 Food That Can Cause Reactions and Why You May Need to Avoid Them
6 Tools I Used to Stop My Hair Loss from Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto’s, Oral Health and Autoimmunity