This last year I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's a thyroid autoimmune disease, that leaves me exhausted all the time. Although, I had been on a Paleo diet, I was not diligent with staying away from gluten, and was doing a lot of my baking with almond flour and other kinds of nut flours. Slowly, while doing paleo type diet 95% of the time, I gained weight. I also began to lose all of my energy, to where it was hard for me to even get out of bed. Literally, I felt like I was slowly dying.
After a trip to the doctor, the blood labs came back with an elevated TPO antibodies. It has always been my goal not to take any medications, even advil. My doctor agreed with me, in not taking the medication for the time being, and I am giving my body a couple of months before I go into an endocrinologist to get more test done.
In my decision to not take medication, I have felt tired and wiped out. Around 3:00 p.m., is when I feel most tapped out and ready to go take a nap. Feeling groggy, with no energy, unable to even form a thought. I have been fighting through it, the best I know how.
There has been a lot of changes that I have made to my diet. Adapting to my body. Now, gluten is not even an option. It activates my antibodies to attack my thyroid for weeks to months, putting me at a higher risk of thyroid cancer. Soy, is another poison that I dare not touch. Strawberries have been eliminated and the list can go on.
Where I used to eat bacon, eggs, and coffee for breakfast, and still find myself hungry an hour later, I now have been drinking a smoothie, that fills me up for hours and gives me a boost of energy that last several hours too. This energy is incredible, and I feel amazing instantaneously. My husband (who used to hate everything that would make up this drink) has been drinking it as well, and is trading in his morning breakfast for this smoothie too.
Although, my new diet habits are evolving, I no longer consider myself paleo, but still do eat very close to that. Diets have never worked for me, but eating as healthy as I can, without depriving myself, has always been key. Our goal is to have another baby, and I know that my health is upmost important. Crash dieting will not solve my health problems, but listening to my body, to how food makes me feel, how exercising make me feel, will. I may not be at the weight have been at in my past, but I am happy now, and will honor and cherish this body. When I drink this shake, I feel like I am doing exactly that. Cherishing my body.
Here is my morning shake, (from Living Without)
- 1 ripe Avocado
- 1 cup of coconut water
- 1 cup of coconut milk ( in a carton, not a can)
- 1 cup of frozen mango
- 1/2 a lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons of fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon of local honey
- Dash of Kosher salt
