How I Feel About My Hashimoto’s No Longer Being in Remission
In September 2020, six months after giving birth to my first child, I received the news that my Hashimoto’s was no longer in remission. Continue reading “How I Feel About My Hashimoto’s No Longer Being in Remission”
How To Improve Fertility with Hypothyroidism
Originally published on 25th Apri1 2017 Last updated on 10th January 2021
Thyroid function and fertility are closely linked.
Abnormal thyroid levels can lead to miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, anaemia, stillbirth and the baby developing congenital hypothyroidism itself, yet many doctors don’t think to check thyroid hormone levels. Continue reading “How To Improve Fertility with Hypothyroidism”
4 Habits to Address to Get Back into a Thyroid Healthy Routine
Originally published on 1st January 2019 Last updated on 6th January 2021
Whether you’ve just celebrated an event like Christmas, a wedding or the New Year, or perhaps went on holiday or took any other kind of break, you may be finding that getting back in to a good routine is daunting and tricky.
But it’s crucial for your thyroid health.
Continue reading “4 Habits to Address to Get Back into a Thyroid Healthy Routine”
TW: Mental health, suicide
Every year, January is Thyroid Awareness Month. A month dedicated to talking about thyroid disease – the conditions and symptoms, importance of diagnosis and treatment, but also the many issues we face as thyroid patients.
Many people with thyroid conditions (and I focus mainly on hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s as these are what I live with too) do not get the treatment or testing they need to feel better. Continue reading “Thyroid Awareness Month 2021”
Thyroid Patients: 6 New Year Resolutions You Should Make
Originally published on 1st January 2017 Last updated on 1st January 2021
I’m writing this blog post after Christmas Day, having overindulged in food and spending the last few days feeling grateful for the friends and family in my life who have made the festive season special.
However, now that Christmas is (sadly) over, we’re approaching New Year celebrations, which always gets us reflecting over the past year, what the high and low points have been and what (if any) resolutions we may make for the next year. Continue reading “Thyroid Patients: 6 New Year Resolutions You Should Make”
What if Weight Loss Wasn’t Your New Year’s Resolution?
Originally published on 28th December 2018 Last updated on 1st January 2021
I’ve spoken at length about my own issues surrounding obsessive weight-loss, dieting, body image issues and more, since having a thyroid condition. I personally believe that more of us should be focusing on our health and wellbeing, fuelling our bodies with real nutrition, over focusing on weight and numbers alone.
Here, nutritionist and dietician Emily Kyle, who wrote the thyroid cookbooks The 30-Minute Thyroid Cookbook: 125 Healing Recipes for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s and The Hashimoto’s AIP Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Thyroid Healing on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, shares her thoughts on this topic, too.
What if Weight Loss Wasn’t Your New Year’s Resolution? Continue reading “What if Weight Loss Wasn’t Your New Year’s Resolution?”
10 Songs For Thyroid Patients: Part Seven
This is part seven of my selection of songs that motivate, inspire, uplift or otherwise connect with me on tough health days.
You can also see: part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six.
I find music to be the best remedy for when I’m feeling low, fed up, defeated or frustrated, especially during thyroid flare up periods, so I’m going to share my favourites for when I feel down, defeated, frustrated or otherwise struggling. I hope you like them too.
You can find the playlist on my YouTube channel here. Continue reading “10 Songs For Thyroid Patients: Part Seven”
Mood Swings With Hypothyroidism
We already know that thyroid conditions Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s often come hand in hand with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, but rarely do we talk about briefer swings in mood.
Read the last blog in this series.
It has been over a year since my last General Update blog and although I am still on maternity leave from having my first baby at the start of the year, I’ve managed to squeeze in some time to put all my personal health updates down in to a blog post!
Weak and Splitting Nails and Hypothyroidism
Our nails can perhaps surprisingly tell us quite a bit about our health (and thyroid health). Weak, brittle nails which break, split and peel easily can be a common sign and symptom of hypothyroidism and or Hashimoto’s.
Continue reading “Weak and Splitting Nails and Hypothyroidism “
Gift Ideas for People With Hypothyroidism
Originally published on 21st November 2017 Last updated on 6th December 2020
Having a thyroid patient on your gift shopping list can seem daunting, especially if they follow specific diets or avoid certain chemicals, to help manage their condition/s.
So here I am with a list of ideas for gift giving. I hope you find it useful!
(Pssst! If you’re a thyroid patient, you may want to pass this on to your friends and family!)
Continue reading “Gift Ideas for People With Hypothyroidism”
Christmas Checklist for Managing Your Thyroid Health
Christmas is supposed to be fun for all, but for many with physical health conditions (and often mental health conditions too) it can feel extra stressful and difficult.
As well as my other Christmas-themed posts:
3 Ways To Make a Gluten-Free Guest Feel Welcome at Christmas
6 Tips For Enjoying The Festive Season with Hypothyroidism
Thyroid Patients: 6 New Year Resolutions You Should Make
I thought I’d create a checklist of sorts, that you can use to help look after your thyroid health and more, during this busy time of year.
You may wish to print this off and physically tick them once completed.
Continue reading “Christmas Checklist for Managing Your Thyroid Health”
There Is No ‘One Size Fits All’ for Hypothyroidism
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt whilst having hypothyroidism and speaking to thousands of others with it too, is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to treating and managing it.
Continue reading “There Is No ‘One Size Fits All’ for Hypothyroidism”
“Stop Dismissing Thyroid Patients as ‘Only Borderline’!”
Michelle wanted to share her experience of having her ‘borderline’ hypothyroidism downplayed, dismissed and ignored for many years.
Stop Dismissing Thyroid Patients Continue reading ““Stop Dismissing Thyroid Patients as ‘Only Borderline’!””
When Thyroid Medication Doesn’t Fix Everything
If thyroid medication ‘corrects’ hypothyroidism, shouldn’t it remove all symptoms?
There is a general misconception that those with hypothyroidism take a pill everyday and then get better and feel absolutely fine, but it’s far from the truth for many of us. Not everyone feels better by taking standard thyroid medication alone. Continue reading “When Thyroid Medication Doesn’t Fix Everything”
An Interview: “I Created an Album About My Wife’s Hypothyroidism and Our Struggles.”
Tony Manfredonia, a Michigan-based composer and orchestrator, reached out to me to share his latest work – an album which chronicles his wife’s experience with hypothyroidism, their marriage throughout her suffering and what it means to be a spouse to someone who’s suffering from chronic illness; the ups and the downs.
I wanted to interview Tony about their experiences and how this led to his new musical creation. Continue reading “An Interview: “I Created an Album About My Wife’s Hypothyroidism and Our Struggles.””
Stop Hindering Your Thyroid Healing
TW: Mental Health, Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
I have written before about being your own thyroid advocate and thought I would expand on how not doing so will only hinder your health and recovery of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s.
Continue reading “Stop Hindering Your Thyroid Healing”
Ongoing Thyroid Symptoms Could Be Due to Low Iron Levels
Low levels of iron or ferritin (stored iron) are commonly seen in those with thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. In fact, when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, I was also found to be anaemic in iron at the same time and started on iron supplements to improve levels.
Continue reading “Ongoing Thyroid Symptoms Could Be Due to Low Iron Levels”
To My 2020 Baby,
What a year it has been. It started with excitement to meet you and then, before not too long, we finally met. One final push, you took your first breath, I scooped you up in my arms and exclaimed “I know you!”.
You wrapped your hand around my finger and we gazed in to each other’s eyes.
14 Missed Signs of My Thyroid Condition Before I Was Diagnosed
Looking back on my life, I had symptoms of Hypothyroidism (and signs of Hashimoto’s) from a young age.
From sixteen-years-old, following a bout of swine flu that left me feeling never quite the same since, a lot of the major symptoms started, such as ongoing fatigue and muscle aches and pains, which lingered despite being over the flu for a long time. Yet doctors repeatedly told me that they didn’t know why.
However, even before having swine flu at sixteen, there were possible signs of my impending thyroid condition from an even younger age. I’m going to explore all of these here. Maybe you’ll realise that you had some signs of a thyroid condition, too.
Continue reading “14 Missed Signs of My Thyroid Condition Before I Was Diagnosed”
