Healing Hypothyroidism Naturally: My Hashimotos Healing Journey

The post “Healing Hypothyroidism Naturally” was originally published in February of 2023

Suffice it to say, this year is looking far different than I thought it would. In my own mind, I imagined I would be pregnant with baby #2 on the way, designing a nursery and planning my home birth. But after months of trying for a baby and several failed pregnancy tests I decided it was time to dig deeper. 

I went in for a full lab workup to check on my hormone levels and make sure everything was functioning properly. After a thorough blood panel, my doctor shared the news: I have Hypothyroidism—specifically an autoimmune form of it. My body is producing antibodies that are attacking my thyroid.

This diagnosis helped explain our struggle to conceive. But beyond that, it was a major identity hit. I’ve always prided myself on being fit and healthy—running marathons, practicing yoga, hiking, backpacking, paddle boarding… I live a very active lifestyle. I’m intentional about what goes in and on my body: we avoid toxins in our home, I cook whole foods, and limit refined sugar and processed ingredients.

I thought I was doing everything I could to avoid chronic illness. But I’m learning our bodies are so much more complex. Stress, nervous system dysregulation, toxin accumulation, and more can have a massive impact on our overall health and hormone function. And knowing what I know now, this thyroid condition has been brewing for years.

As Charles Swindoll so famously said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”

My only option now is to move forward—to dive deep into learning how to heal my body. And as I’ve been researching over the past several months, I’ve realized just how common thyroid issues really are:

• Over 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disorder

• 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid condition in her lifetime

• Women are 5–8 times more likely to develop thyroid problems than men

• Up to 60% of people with thyroid disease don’t even know they have it

Healing Hypothyroidism Naturally: Why I’m Not Just Taking a Pill

When it comes to Hypothyroidism, conventional medicine often takes a one-size-fits-all approach. They check only one lab value (TSH – Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and if that lab value is out of the conventional lab range, a synthetic thyroid hormone medication is prescribed and you are told that you will need to be on that medication for life. They very rarely do a full thyroid work up including (TSH, Total T4, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPOAb, TGAb) to understand where the dysfunction is coming from.

If you know me, you know that kind of mindset doesn’t sit well with me—especially if there’s another way.

The reality is that there is something causing my thyroid to be under attack. If I can identify and address the root cause, I can heal.  There are so many potential root causes of thyroid dysfunction—things like:

• Toxin overload

• Chronic stress and adrenal fatigue

• A dyseregulated nervous system
• An sluggish liver

Even seemingly small changes like cutting out gluten or dairy, or supplementing with minerals like Selenium and Thiamine, can begin to lower inflammation and support thyroid health.

But while food is powerful, I know the deeper healing work goes beyond what’s on my plate. Healing at the cellular level takes time—often years.

My Holistic Approach to Healing Hypothyroidism Naturally

So here I am, fully committed to a new journey—one focused on healing hypothyroidism naturally and restoring hormone balance.

In the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing more about my specific healing protocol. But for now, here’s what I’m prioritizing:

• Deep nourishment

• Identifying and addressing food intolerances

• Healing my gut

• Rebalancing minerals

• Reducing my toxic load

• Healing my nervous system

There are so many variables at play when healing an autoimmune condition. But I believe in our body’s ability to heal when given the right tools.

And through it all, I know God is going to teach me an even deeper level of trust and reliance on Him.

I’m ready. I’m hopeful. And I’m committed to healing my body from the inside out.

I’ll continue to share updates on this blog, but for more frequent insights into my journey, feel free to follow along with my story highlight “Healing Journey” on Instagram: @wholisticmandy