My journey with

Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which I ended with self-healing.  

When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called "Hashimoto's" almost 15 years ago, I couldn't do anything with it at first. I was told that it was an underactive thyroid gland, which was the reason for my severe symptoms and unfortunately could not be cured. I was prescribed L-thyroxine and it took about a year until I was correctly adjusted according to my blood TSH levels. However, my symptoms persisted and worsened. However, it was more important for the doctors to look at the TSH value, which had normalised.  As a working mum of two children, you also have a lot of stress, the doctors explained to me, and it had nothing to do with Hashimoto's or the possible side effects of L-thyroxine that I suspected. As a passionate trainer, I found it increasingly difficult to teach and some days I felt like an old sick woman. I didn't want to carry on like this and had received similar answers from various doctors, none of which helped me. So I knew that I could only help myself. I don't want to go into detail here because the subject is very complex. I will explain below the three milestones that led me to stop taking L-thyroxine three years ago and to feel full of strength and energy ever since. I have experienced fewer and fewer of the classic symptoms of this disease since I stopped taking the medication, until the time when I stopped taking milligrams of L-thyroxine and have not experienced any symptoms of this disease since then.  After further check-ups, my TSH value remained stable, as did the inflammation values, which have completely decreased. I could go on and on about this. But it would go beyond the scope of this page. It was important for me to share that the path of self-healing through an adapted diet, a different lifestyle and the free flow of my energy led me to healing. And that I am a living example that Hashimoto's can be cured after all. If you would like to know more about this, please write to me. Otherwise, take a look at my 3 milestones below. The following books have helped me a lot: Hashimoto and Basedow by Dr Berndt Rieger, My life with Hashimoto by Vanessa Blumhagen, Heal your thyroid by Anthony William.

Nutrition

I started with various detox programmes according to Anthony William. 3 months of fresh celery juice, which took a little effort at first, but in the end tasted more and more delicious. I also took various Schüssler salts, which supported me in my diet.  I took selenium, silicea, ferrum, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Today I only use them sporadically, but they are definitely part of my store cupboard.

 

I now tend to eat a vegan/vegetarian diet, although I do eat fish (salmon) and eggs from time to time. 

First I start with what I have cut out or reduced: products containing gluten, especially wheat flour, meat, especially sausage products, dairy products (I still eat yoghurt now and then), sugar products greatly reduced, Newly added or quantity increased:

Buckwheat, lupins, oats, rice flour as a substitute for my wheat / spelt flour, various pulses for our hummus such as chickpeas, black and white beans, various nuts for my morning muesli such as Brazil nuts (containing selenium), natural peanuts without salt, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, almonds. Beans, various nuts for my morning muesli such as Brazil nuts (containing selenium), natural peanuts without salt, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, vitamin D drops, algae oil, various oils to cover my omega requirements. Very important: 1 teaspoon a day. Algae salt as herbal salt - for the thyroid gland - goes on the home-baked gluten-free bread with tomato :), green smoothies or fresh juice alternate daily with carrots, beetroot, celery, apple and another fruit if I feel like it. Every day I drink a warm glass with half a lemon and then drink iron, as I always have a slight latent iron deficiency, which I manage well.

Once a year, I start the detox programme all over again to simply get rid of old burdens. 

Lifestyle

I have learnt to listen better. I say what I think and feel. I no longer hold anything back and no longer simply swallow anything. I am honest with myself and others and show myself as I really am. I try to give a lot to the world and express my "BEING" through creative work. Sometimes I feel completely free and love life as it is. 

 

I make time for my yoga practice every day and take great care not to get too carried away, especially in stressful situations. If it can't be avoided sometimes, then I try to spend at least 5 minutes in a quiet room

(can also be the toilet ;)

and let my breathing become deep again. 

As my children are now grown up, I naturally have more time for myself and can pursue my creativity such as painting, singing, writing or various handicrafts. I spend a lot of time with my yoga sequences and love to capture them in a video. The aim is to see the creative process leading up to the completion of the video rather than the end result. You can see 2 of them on my "photos and videos" page.

 Any issues that are bothering me, I speak out straight away and express them by telling a loved one.  Because words have a cleansing effect. 

My regular affirmations:

I am truthful and speak the truth freely and from the heart. I listen to my inner voice. I don't berate others, because everyone does their best.

 

Self-healing

Problems with the thyroid gland in general indicate an energy blockage in the throat area. I have tried many things to stimulate my energy flow, including yoga sequences that specialise in the chakras (our energy centres), especially the throat chakra. In addition, I have deepened my meditations with a focus on letting go, gratitude and finding my inner peace. I regularly practise breathing exercises (pranayama), which help me to relax, cope with stress and sleep better. All these practices help me to let my chakra energy flow freely. And to break down fixed blockages, which then changed my beliefs bit by bit.