Healing Hashimotos: How I Got Hypothyroidism Into Remission Naturally

If you have been wondering whether healing Hashimotos naturally is a possibility, then you’re in the right place. Four years ago, I sat in a doctor’s office searching for answers as to why my husband and I were struggling to get pregnant with our second child.

When the test results came back, I was handed a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, a TSH hovering around 7, and a prescription for levothyroxine. My doctor gently explained that this was likely a lifelong diagnosis and that I would probably need thyroid medication forever.

I refused to accept that as my only possible outcome.

Instead, I began a deep dive into healing hashimotos naturally. I started learning from practitioners who specialized in thyroid and autoimmune health, and I quickly realized there was so much more I could do to support my body.

But I also realized this wasn’t going to be a quick fix.

If I wanted to give my body the best opportunity to heal, I was going to have to change the way I was both eating and living—and those changes couldn’t be a 30-day protocol. They needed to become a lifestyle.

I began to learn that while levothyroxine and other thyroid medications, replace the hormone your body can’t make on its own, it’s not addressing why your immune system is attacking your thyroid in the first place. I wanted to understand the deeper story, how inflammation, stress, sleep, gut health, and blood sugar were all speaking to one another. And how to support my body so that I could truly heal instead of use a bandaid just to optimize lab values.

I also learned that thyroid medications such as levothyroixine, over time create a dependence on the medication and also cause nutrient depletion in key nutrients such as B vitamins that are so important for optimal thyroid function.

So I made the decision to try to heal naturally. Within just a few months of making significant changes to my diet and lifestyle, I started noticing a difference. My labs began improving, and symptoms I had struggled with for years started disappearing. Within about 6 months my labs had a almost completely normalized and I was virtually symptom free.

But there was another piece of the story.

Trying to Get Pregnant With Hashimoto’s

My husband and I were still trying for our second baby. Although my thyroid labs were becoming more stable, I noticed that if I had any accidental exposure to gluten it would impact my TSH significantly.

Because thyroid hormone levels are especially important during pregnancy, my doctor and I decided that it would be helpful if I went on thyroid medication during this season as an added layer of support for the pregnancy. I did a ton of research and decided on a medication called Tirosint, which is simply T4 thyroid hormone and no junky additives.

And I’m incredibly grateful I made that decision.

Within about a month of stabilizing my thyroid levels, we got pregnant (the first time we tried) with our second baby.

I went on to have a vibrant, healthy pregnancy with zero pregnancy complications, and in August 2024, at almost 40 years old, I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl through a natural home birth.

What Happened After Pregnancy Surprised Even My Endocrinologist

After having my daughter, and under my doctor’s supervision, I began gradually weaning off thyroid medication.

This became one of the most empowering parts of my entire journey.

At the time, I was working with a conventional endocrinologist who told me she had never personally seen one of her patients with hypothyroidism normalize their thyroid function and successfully come off medication.

But as we reduced my medication, something unexpected happened. My labs didn’t get worse. They continued to improve.

Instead of my TSH skyrocketing as my medication decreased, it continued moving into a healthier range, until eventually, I was completely off of thyroid medication.

Today, I’ve been off of thyroid medication for about two years. My thyroid labs are near optimal, and I’m living symptom-free.

At a follow-up appointment several months ago, my endocrinologist told me that based on my current lab values and lack of thyroid-related symptoms, she doesn’t even consider me hypothyroid anymore.

For me, that was a pretty incredible full-circle moment.

Four years earlier, I had sat in a doctor’s office believing I was beginning a lifelong journey with hypothyroidism and thyroid medication. Today, my experience looks completely different.

And there wasn’t a “magic pill” or 30-day protocol that got me here.

It was the quiet, daily accumulation of small, intentional choices—the way I eat, the way I sleep, the way I manage stress, the way I support my circadian rhythm, and the nutrients I prioritize.

If you’re sitting where I was four years ago, I want to share exactly what that journey looked like for me and the core foundations that I believe made the biggest difference.

First: What I Mean by “Remission”

Before we dive into the details, I want to be transparent about what “remission” actually means for me.

There isn’t a single, universally accepted clinical definition of remission for Hashimoto’s, and I am not claiming my body has magically erased the diagnosis. Rather, I use “remission” to describe a dramatic transformation in both my diagnostic labs and my daily quality of life:

• TSH: Dropped from ~7.0 down to ~2.0 (optimal functional medicine range is .5-1.5)
• Free T3 & Free T4: Returned to optimal, normal ranges
• TPO Antibodies: Dropped down to ~20 (detectable, but very low)
• Medication: 0 mcg for two years (previously on daily medication)
• Symptoms: Completely symptom-free and feeling like me again

A Note of Caution: Hashimoto’s can fluctuate over time. I still monitor my labs regularly with my doctor and acknowledge that there may be a season where I may need more support. My personal story should never be used as a reason to stop taking prescribed medicine without strict medical guidance. This is just my experience and should not be taken as medical advice.

These are some of the lifestyle changes I made that made the biggest difference in my healing journey.

1. Supporting My Circadian Rhythm & Light Exposure

Surprisingly, one of the most powerful shifts I made had nothing to do with food or supplements. It was about syncing my body back up with the natural rhythm of day and night.

Sleep and circadian signaling regulate your nervous system, hormones, and immune function. And simply getting morning light in your eyes can help your body produce thyroid hormones such as T3. Instead of treating sleep like something I could sacrifice, I made it non-negotiable.

My Daily Circadian Routine:

• Morning Light: Stepping outside for 5 minutes of natural sunlight within 1 hour of the sun rising.
• Daytime Breaks: Getting outdoor light exposure throughout the day.
• Evening Environment: Dimming house lights after sunset, wearing blue-light-blocking glasses if using screens, and utilizing red light therapy for ~8 minutes every evening.
• Sleep Hygiene: In bed by 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. every night to secure 7–8 hours of restorative sleep. Up between 5am-6am.
• Red light Therapy: Targeted red light therapy over my thyroid for 8 mins before bed 5x a week. The research on red light therapy for thyroid health.  In this randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s), 10 sessions of LLLT (830 nm) led to a significant reduction in levothyroxine dose, lower TPO antibodies, and improved thyroid echogenicity. I use and recommend this thyroid panel.
  
  You can read more about all of the benefits of red light therapy here. This is the red light panel that I use and recommend.

2. Completely Overhauling How I Eat

Food played a massive role in cooling down inflammation in my body. My overarching philosophy shifted from eating for convenience to giving my body the maximum amount of nutrients possible while eliminating foods that triggered an immune response.

My Core Dietary Foundations:

• Strictly Eliminated: Gluten, soy, refined sugars, ultra-processed foods, and industrial seed oils.
• Minimized: Conventional dairy (but consume a lot of Raw milk!).
• Prioritized: Quality grass-fed meats, pastured eggs, dark leafy greens, berries, healthy fats, fermented foods, bone broth, and nutrient-dense whole foods cooked from scratch.
• Warm, Grounding Meals: I focus heavily on slow-cooked stews, soups, roasted root vegetables, and warm broth—especially in colder months—because they are easy on digestion and comforting to the nervous system. They also help warm your body which is very important for those with hypothyroidism.

What About Gluten & Hashimoto’s?

Going 100% gluten-free was an absolute game-changer for me personally. So much so that I went on a deep dive into the link between gluten and Hashimotos. Here’s what I found.

In modern hybridized wheat there is a protein called gliadin, which looks very similar to transglutaminase, which is an enzyme of high concentration in the thyroid. This gliadin protein is foreign to the human body, so the unfamiliarity leads to the initiation of an immune response when gluten is consumed. When the immune system attacks gliadin, the antibodies also attack the thyroid. Research cited here. As the immune response continues, the thyroid suffers damage for up to 6 months after gluten consumption.

Gluten is the number one dietary trigger for many people with Hashimotos, so it is one that I always recommend people with Hashimotos experiment with, to fully know if it is an issue for you.

3. Strategic, Targeted Supplementation

Supplements can’t fix a bad diet or chronic sleep deprivation, but they are incredible tools when used intentionally. Based on my lab work and personal needs, I incorporated targeted nutrients to support hormone conversion and immune balance.

Key Nutrients & The Science Behind Them:

• Selenium & Myo-Inositol: Selenium is crucial for thyroid hormone metabolism and protecting the thyroid gland from oxidative stress. A 2024 meta-analysis of 35 clinical trials showed that selenium supplementation helped reduce TSH and TPO antibodies in people with Hashimoto’s not taking medication. Furthermore, studies show combining Myo-Inositol + Selenium for 6 months significantly improved TSH, Free T4, antibodies, and overall quality of life compared to selenium alone.
  • Note: Selenium can become toxic in high doses—always check your total dietary intake before supplementing.
• Vitamin D: Low Vitamin D status is strongly associated with autoimmune thyroid conditions. Rather than guessing high doses, I test my levels regularly to keep them in optimal ranges. I use and recommend this brand.
• Methylated B Vitamins & Magnesium: These act as foundational cellular fuel. B vitamins support energy metabolism and nervous system health, while magnesium supports stress resilience, mineral balance, and deep sleep.
• Nutrient-Dense Foods as Supplements: I regularly include traditional foods like cod liver oil and grass fed beef liver for bioavailable Vitamin A, D, and essential fatty acids.

Two Nuanced Supplements to Approach With Care:

• Ashwagandha: While great for lowering perceived stress and balancing cortisol, ashwagandha can directly influence thyroid hormone output. Rare cases of thyroid overstimulation (thyrotoxicosis) have been reported, so it should only be used with medical guidance if you have thyroid issues. That said, Ashwagandha can be effective in improving thyroid function.
• Iodine: The thyroid needs iodine to produce hormones, but too much iodine can trigger or worsen an autoimmune thyroid flare. The key with iodine is adequacy—not mega-dosing. Never start high-dose iodine without working with a skilled practitioner.

4. Calming My Nervous System & Rooting in Faith

This was perhaps the hardest part to quantify on a laboratory panel, but it was the most transformative part of my healing journey.

An overstimulated, hyper-vigilant nervous system keeps the body in a perpetual state of “fight-or-flight”—which is antithetical to healing. I had to audit my life, my relationships, and my environment to figure out what was draining having the biggest impact.

How I Regulated My Nervous System:

• Digital Detoxes: Setting strict limits on screen time and social media intake.
• Setting Boundaries: I’ve never been good at saying “no” and have always been chronically busy and overcommitted. So I learned that I had to cut back and be very choosy with what I say yes to.
• Morning Quiet Time & Prayer: Before grabbing my phone or diving into work, I start every morning grounded in faith, scripture, and prayer. I try to be intentional about getting up before the kids so that I can start the day anchored in stillness before the Lord. This has been so healing.
• Time Outdoors daily: Morning walks daily, and time outdoors weekly with my family hiking and paddle boarding to reset and refocus.

5. Reducing Environmental Toxins

Another important part of my journey was reducing my exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals can interfere with the body’s natural hormone signaling, and research has found that certain EDCs—including PFAS, phthalates, BPA, pesticides and flame retardants—can affect thyroid hormone function.

I began slowly detoxing our home by switching to lower-tox cleaning and personal-care products, reducing plastic use around food, avoiding synthetic fragrances, and choosing organic foods when possible.

I didn’t change everything overnight, and I don’t believe it’s possible—or necessary—to eliminate every environmental exposure. My goal has simply been to reduce the exposures I can control and create a healthier environment for my body and family.

For me, this became another important piece of supporting my hormones and overall health.

Healing Is an Environment, Not a Quick Fix

If there is one thing I hope you take away from my story, it is this: there was no single magic key.

I didn’t take one miracle supplement or follow a strict 30-day detox. I also didn’t wake up one morning suddenly healed.

I simply chose to change the way I lived and began nourishing my body with nutrient-dense foods, respecting my natural circadian rhythm, calming my nervous system, supporting my body with targeted nutrients, and grounding my life in faith. Over time, my lab work naturally began to reflect the internal environment I was creating.

If you are navigating a Hashimoto’s diagnosis right now, please know that you have agency. You don’t have to copy my exact blueprint, but I hope my story encourages you to look beyond standard management and explore how deeply you can nourish your body and soul and create an environment where your body is ready to heal.

• Disclaimer: This blog post shares my personal health journey for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical care. Never discontinue thyroid medication or begin new high-dose supplement protocols (especially iodine, selenium, or adaptogens) without first consulting your physician or qualified healthcare provider.