Wordless Wednesday: Wellness

 

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Spring Digital Link Up

Wordless Wednesday (1)

Wordless Wednesday (2)

Wordless Wednesday by XMasDolly 

What Are You Doing In April – Blog Hop

Extra Veg – April Linky

Be Inspired 

Hypothyroidism: Which Foods To Eat, And Which To Stay Away From

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links. Experiences and opinions are my own. See Discloser page for details

Thyroid Support Available On Amazon Now

Hypothyroidism is often called the silent epidemic. Hard to diagnose, until the symptoms are in a stage you can no longer ignore, they can represent any number of other diseases. It took me to have a goiter (an enlargement of the thyroid, visible on the neck), to realize I had the disease. I had previously explained my increasing acne, hair loss, and sudden weight gain away, by a lack of discipline, and something that might just happen to me. The fact that I always am cold is just another quirk that made me, me. I was wrong. I had hypothyroidism.

Thankfully, once diagnosed there are a variety of treatment options you can discuss with your holistic health care provider. I have decided to go the natural route and began by adjusting my diet to support my thyroid. Allow me to share some of my findings with you.

Foods that negatively affect thyroid function (hypothyroid issues only) , and therefore, can increase or create a goiter are on my “not to eat list”

1. pine nuts
2. peanuts
3. cauliflower
4. broccoli
5. kale
6. millet
7. spinach
8. soybeans (and soy products)
9. peaches
10. pears
11. rutabagas
12. turnips

Those should be only eaten in moderation, and only if cooked, as some health care providers think that cooking them will kill their goitrogenic properties. I have eliminated them completely, which is personally the best course of action for me.

Foods to add to your diet:

1. Eggs
2. dairy
3. shellfish
4. seafood
5. olive oil
6. nuts (no peanuts)
7. parsley
8. whole grains
9. whole wheat bread
10. winter squash

You should also increase your consumption of foods containing the following vitamins and minerals

1. zink
2. B2
3. B3
4. B6
5. B12
6. A
7. E
8. C

Because fluoroid can have negative effects on the thyroid I cook only with filtered water. Keep in mind, that black and green teas also contain fluoride

So far, this course of action has had a positive impact on my overall well being, and I am able to stay off medication, as long as I make a continous improvement.

Question: Do you have a disease that you control or improve with the help of dietary changes?

Disclaimer as required by law: Please make sure you check with your health care professional before making any dietary changes. This article only contains a personal account for what works for me, and is for educational purposes only)

Read More On The Subject:.

Hypothyroidism Diet: Natural Remedies And Foods To Boost Your Energy And Jump Start Your Weight Loss

.Available On Amazon Now!

How to Find Energy to Follow Your Dreams Despite Chronic Illnesses – 4 Tips

(Disclaimer: The following post includes affiliate links. Opinions and experiences are my own)

Living with chronic illness does not have to be the end of your dreams. In fact, it can be the motivating factor to do more, to live a better life, to take better care of yourself and those who you love. It is all about making the choice of what you want to do with what is given to you.

I speak from experience. I have hypothyroidism, chronic anemia, partial deafness, and various allergies while my daughter has a severe form of a  chronic tic disorder – which leaves her often in pain from involuntary muscle spasms, as well as allergies. Despite that, we do not let this stop us from following through with our dreams and goals. While it might take a little more effort, planning, and motivation to follow through, it also gave us an opportunity to test our resolve and find ways to make things happen, no matter what is in our way.

Here are four tips on how to find the energy to follow through with your goals, despite chronic illnesses

1. Exercise – exercise (of course done under the supervision of your medical health professional) releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.
2. Meditate – I know sitting in silence does not necessary sound like something that will give you energy, but it is amazing to find how energized, relaxed and stress-free you will feel when you begin adding a regular meditation routine to your life. Not only does it have a positive affect on your overall health, and therefore, whatever chronic condition you have, but it also gives you a positive, relaxed state of mind, which makes it easier to focus, an essential tool when you are trying to achieve a goal and stay motivated.
3. Eat right – that is a given. Whatever your dietary needs are to make your illness more comfortable or maybe even go into remission, follow through with it. No one can feel energized on a junk food diet. Remember what you put in, is what you get out. That goes as much for your work as it goes for your body and health.
4. Create rituals – a well thought out morning and evening ritual can assist you throughout your day. It is a lot easier to stay focused and motivated if you are following a carefully constructed routine, that prepares you for the upcoming daily activities. Tailor those rituals to fit your individual illness or disability, and if necessary, enlist help to get it set up.

Check out the following book on the subject for more information:

 

How To Live Well With Chronic Illness and Pain by Tony Bernhard

available on Amazon

Book Review: The Hypothyroidism Handbook

Title: The Hypothyroidism Handbook

Author: Lindsey P.

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Rating: 1/5

Usually I check the credentials of anyone who writes a book about any disease, with the exceptions of books that speak only about a personal story of overcoming such illness. Lack of credentials would then keep me from reading the book, but out of some reason, I broke my own rules with this one. And the result was as expected.

This book is filled with information that is contradictory, filled with the standard answers that are currently used to cure anything (go gluten free!?), and has some information that is just plain wrong, all presented by a woman who had Thyroid cancer. Mind you, she is not speaking off thyroid cancer in this book, rather Hypothyroidism, which is a completely different disease. Yet, her tone speaks of authority on a subject matter she knows nothing about, and which in turn can lead to serious complications for the person (like me) who actually have the disease.

She mentions nothing of a medical training, nor does she quote any reliable sources with some type of training in the related field. Advising people to drink Green tea is just one example of misleading information. I was told by many doctors, to stay away from caffeine, plus specifically green tea, even more so, when taking medication to treat the problem.

Lesson learned here: If you want alternative advice on aiding you in your illnesses, make sure you check the Authors credentials – people with knowledge in the alternative medical field can aid you tremendously, but not those who have no training, or “picked up” information as they went along. Your health depends on you to do the right thing, and research thoroughly.