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I thought it was the gluten-free treat that I ate at the Christmas Market that did it: the facial swelling, the joint pain, the body temperature that I just couldn’t get under control and the depression. It all hit me the next day. But I thought it was the gluten-free treat that did it.
But I was wrong, it wasn’t what caused my Hashimoto’s flare up.
It was so much more than that and in this video and post, I wanted to share my insights on this because while not everyone with Hashimoto’s will experience a flare up, many will and it is a very real thing. It’s also why I created a free thyroid masterclass where you can get even more answers. Grab your spot here.
So first and foremost, what is a Hashimoto’s flare up?
This can be characterized as periods where an individual with Hashimoto’s can otherwise experience an intensity of their symptoms which may include:
- Sudden tightness and swelling in the neck.
- Inflammation or swelling in other areas of the body, especially the face.
- Fluctuating temperatures from hot to cold or one extreme of the other.
- Hives or rashes.
- Constipation.
- Dry skin.
- Brain fog
- Feeling like you’re on the verge of getting sick.
- Depression, anxiety or irritability.
- Joint pain or muscle weakness.
- A sudden bout of extreme fatigue.
This is usually following an extreme bout of stress, sleep deprivation, burning the candle at both ends, a stretch of poor eating habits or even a sudden high exposure to chemicals.
Now you may be wondering, “What causes a Hashimoto’s flare up?”
The answer is, it’s rarely ever one thing.
Around the time I ate that gluten-free butter tart, I was working like a dog. I had several late nights prepping for a launch, so my sleep was neglected. And because my sleep wasn’t what it used to, my inner critic was firing up and my ability to handle stress was much lower.
Because of this, my body was in a vulnerable state. A professor once compared our capacity to a bucket. He said,
Normally we can handle a lot. But if we’re sleep deprived, not eating well and there’s added stress, then one small thing can floweth the bucket over! It’s literally the straw that broke the camel’s back. Meanwhile people think it’s one thing that did it when we’ve been working up to it and filling that bucket until it couldn’t hold anymore.
Which brings me to how to overcome a Hashimoto’s flare up.
The first thing: Take radical responsibility.
Until you can see how you got where you’re at, there is no way that you’ll get out of it . A part of healing and not making the same mistakes over is understanding how we caused it.
Second: Parent yourself in a big way.
This means getting added sleep – and I’m not just talking about sleeping in as much as I mean going to bed earlier. Ask for help, set boundaries and limit your time on social media which can increase cortisol – the hormone released in response to stress which impacts our thyroid function!
Third: Clean up your diet.
If you’re eating gluten (even once in a while) cut that shit out. Gluten is absolutely disastrous for those struggling with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune condition where gut health is crucial.
Even dairy should be removed because casein (a protein found in dairy) and gluten have similar protein structures as the thyroid gland. When these foods are consumed, the immune system may get confused and attack the thyroid instead.
Also consider removing lectins which are found in cereal grains, nuts, seeds, beans. Lectins irritate the gut lining and in all Hashimoto’s patients of mine, I advise that they avoid them entirely.
Other foods that should be avoided are all refined foods, grains and really consider cutting down the starches. Yes, a gluten-free donut is gluten-free but at the end of the day…it’s still a donut.
Lastly, cut out the alcohol and really give the coffee a break. Your adrenals, liver and thyroid will thank you.
Fourth: Take these supplements
- Megamucosa – take 1 scoop in water away from food (this helps to repair and heal an inflamed gut)
- Wobenzym Plus – take 1 tablet one hour away from food. This helps to eat away at inflammation. I wouldn’t suggest doing this long term as Wobenzym is a biofilm disruptor, meaning it eats away at the mask that parasites and pathogenic bacteria can hide behind which can cause some digestive upset.
And lastly, be patient with yourself, go easy and know that the symptoms are temporary and you can overcome it. For more tools, make sure to join my free thyroid masterclass now to get the answers to start healing your thyroid now.