My Thoughts on Autoimmunity
I was first diagnosed with ”euthyroid” back in 2000 by my primary care physician.
He noticed that I had a goiter and sent me to an endocrinologist (a doctor who sees patients with conditions related to the endocrine system). I went to the endocrinologist – I don’t remember his diagnosis other than thyroid goiter, and he placed me on a common thyroid medication called Synthroid. I remember that I took it for about 6 months to a year. He noticed that the goiter was growing and decided the thyroid should be removed.
I didn’t agree with that conclusion and I ended up seeing a series of integrative physicians and energy healers. It was an integrative doctor who placed me on levothyroxine and many supplements. I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid and autoimmune condition. This happened in the early 2000’s.
However I began to study this condition on my own because I got curious about it and instinctively I wanted to get well.
What I discovered led me on a 20-year journey that I am still on to this very day and I’d like to share some of the things I learned:
• You must take responsibility for what’s going on in your body – you can heal from this condition. YOU are your own primary care physician.
• You must learn about how your body works
• You must learn to listen to the still small whispers in your body
• You must learn to eat the “clean” foods your body needs to heal; this includes removing most if not all “processed” foods because the ingredients are toxic to your endocrine system
• You must have some sort of exercise regimen, whether it be walking, running, yoga, Zumba – something that you enjoy. Don’t even think of it as exercise – you have to relearn “going out to play” like you did when you were little. Movement gets the lymphatic system (more on this later) working properly, along with other body systems. What was your favorite thing to do outside when you were little? Or for those of us who were lucky enough to have had gymnastics in school, what were your favorite sports?
• You must consider getting into some sort of counseling program, whether group or individual. The endocrine system and the immune system, ALL of our systems are interconnected, including what I now call the “emotional system.” They’re all interconnected. If the emotional system isn’t doing well, it impacts the nervous system, the immune system, etc.
Because of this understanding, I have been able to incorporate different foods into my own diet along with a few extra supplements here and there to help me come off of the thyroid meds.
I don’t know if I will be required to take the thyroid meds again but for now my body doesn’t need them. I also have gotten fairly extensive counseling for my “emotional system.” I have had high RA factors in the past, and recently found out that I have “positive” blood values for lupus. I also have had a fairly low white blood cell count for a number of years which may or may not be related to this condition. My thinking at this point is that there is more work, possibly emotional work that I have to do to lower these blood values.
I am sharing this information for your own enlightenment and personal growth.
This is not a diagnosis or treatment for your condition. I am not a doctor and I do not prescribe medications nor do I encourage anyone to come off of their meds. However I DO hope to spur you on in your own study of your condition and journey to health.