“Thyroid is the monster that just transforms your body and health for bad” this was the line that someone told me when I was diagnosed with thyroid. My life was shattered and so was I. I had no clue as to what will I do and how will I deal with the situation. The doctors had started my medication but then popping a pill on daily basis for a disease that was considered to be incurable was heartbreaking.
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The silver lining in dark clouds was the fact that my friend was herself in this situation a few years earlier and had almost cured it through medications. A conversation with her opened my eyes and I realized that it is not a monster but just like any disease that is curable if managed aptly.
What is thyroid?
Thyroid is situation where your body is not making a particular hormone. The doctor will prescribe a medicine to replace that hormone in your body. However, along with medical dosage it will be required that the affected person makes some lifestyle changes. In my case the stance where I changed the way of living I started to feel much better.
The lifestyle changes that I made were as follows:
Watch what I eat- I started to eat clean. Trust me the complete process of clean eating and eliminating the toxins from body was so relieving and had wonderful effect on my body. Clean eating is eating whole foods that are not processed or just minimally processed. I incorporated as fruits and vegetables in their raw format in my diet. Also it is advisable to stop eating junk and deep fried foods. Not only they cured thyroid but also made me look and feel fresher. It will be only fair to admit that I do have my cheat meals but then I don’t enjoy them as I did before. It was a very holistic and natural way to deal with the issue.
Exercise and yoga- being a mom of two, homemaker, wife, and mommy blogger I already had too much of things in my hand. It was overwhelming but then I knew I had to start with active lifestyle and give up the sedentary life that I was living. I was taking care of all chores, working on blogs and tried being a hands mom for my kids but then I was not exercising and this was essential. Therefore I started to walk wherever it was possible, like for grocery, or dropping kid to school or taking stairs in place of lift. Initially it was not easy but the with time I got accustomed and started with a proper yoga regime. Those meditation sessions and breathing exercises did wonders for my health. Not did they improve my health but gave me more energy and calming effect. Also if you can’t go out for a walk there are millions of videos on youtube to start working out at home. I was happy my energy levels shot up.
Maintaining ideal body weight- I don’t have unrealistic expectations from my body weight or shape. After birthing two babies and with thyroid I know what my healthy weight is and I try to maintain that. I have downloaded an app for it. Maintaining healthy weight works great for balancing the hormones. With clean eating and yoga regime I was able to maintain my healthy weight.
Sleep habits- It maybe the most difficult thing to do but the it is also the most important aspect to be taken care off. We tend to have a very misbalanced and wrong sleeping pattern and this is can be disastrous for our overall health including hormone levels. Therefore I try to get undisturbed good eight- hour sleep along with a power nap of 20 minutes during the day.
Thyroid is not something that you need to be afraid of rather fighting it the need of hour and that I did with the above listed lifestyle changes. Giving up on life or yourself because of it would be silly as it is getting common day by day. Many people are getting affected by it from all parts of life but with correct medications, stress free life, proper exercise regime, and correct eating pattern I could resolve the issue and emerge as winner. It is hormonal misbalance disease and nothing more than this. Also please don’t skip your pills without consulting doctors, it’s really very important to maintain harmonal balance despite of having these Lifestyle changes.
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My younger sister has thyroid and I am sure this post is going to be really helpful for her. Saving it and sharing it. Health is indeed our true wealth.
Lifestyle changes are most important in managing a thyroid condition. And of course, regular medication and follow up.
Thanks for the informative post.
Lifestyle changes help not only with thyroid but with other diseases… But those changes are the hardest to incorporate… Once we do that the changes are evident… Useful ideas written in a very easy to under manner…
What a coincidence, just a few minutes back I was checking a few youtube videos on lifestyle changes for thyroid problem and then i read this post. I have hypothyroidism and will surely try to follow these changes. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed. Lifestyle change is the key !
I am going to forward your post to my niece who has this issue.
Thank you for writing about it
I have thyroid and I just hate it. The lifestyle changes you have mentioned do work wonders but only if done regularly. I can only do all of that for a few days and then something happens & the routine breaks. It needs a lot of discipline to inculcate these lifestyle changes, hope to do it someday.
Lifestyle changes and adequate sleep are important factors to keep a human body functioning properly. I will share this post with my friends who suffer from Thyroid related health issues.
these are some great tips to control thyroid. i agree healthy lifestyle always help a lot in managing lifestyle diseases. with gradual efforts, we can cure them too.
Good tips about thyroid…clean eating is a distant dream for me! 🙂 but I do try…
I had thyroid while i was pregnant the first time. Not sure about the second time. But it went away coz my lifestyle is generally like how you have said it has to change…
Thank you for this post. I have been diagnosed with thyroid too and have been on thyronorm 75 mcg since years. Thyroid messes with my menstrual cycle too. Will try to incorporate the changes in my lifestyle too.
Very nicly put. My mother has thyroid problem hence I always stay cautious. I get my tests done regularly. From last 6 months my habits have gone crazy as I delivered a baby. However, your post came as a reminder to go back to the way I was living before pregnancy. Thanks
Thank you for this post, much needed for me. I will work on sleeping habits!!
Going to bookmark it. My husband’s thyroid fluctuates and this post will definitely help us to take better care of him. Thanks
Preeti, these are some amazing transformations that you have made in life. I have had a friend who was suffering from thyroid and as you have mentioned here, she adhered to a disciplined diet, exercise regime and always sleeps by 9.00 till date and have overcome thyroid and is a fitness expert now.
Both of you are so inspiring.
Apparently majority of the world suffers from Thyroid issues. Me included.
Yes lifestyle changes help give us a positive outlook on the disease and our general well being.
Good article.
Lifestyle matters a lot in controlling the thyroid….my sis and sis in law both have thyroid will forward your post to them too. Very helpful write up!
Minding your lifestyle is the most important when fighting against Thyroid. Your post is very helpful for those in this situation and also for those who need to amend their lifestyle for betterment.
Thanks for this informative article I myself have thyroid and I will certainly bring these lifestyle changes pretty soon.
I have Thyroid too and I do agree with your post. Apart from medication, we have to make Lifestyle changes to handle it. A very helpful guide this post is.
With such huge chunk of population falling sick due to lifestyle diseases, it is imperative all of us understand the reasons and ways to avoid them. Very well written post!
My friend had thyroid & that too during college days. With homeopathic treatment, her disease got completely cured.
This is such a useful post. Thyroid is so common nowadays and life style change can certainly help with these life style problems.
Along with medication lifestyle changes can help us cope any disease. You are strong and determined to continue the lifestyle changes.
Very timely post. Thyroid has become so universal especially in the metros where lifestyles have become sedentary. Great tips to follow for those suffering from it.
Lifestyle changes are very important be it any disease
I know so many cases who have thyroid and the complexities that come with it. Thank you for this post and for reminding me again to align my lifestyle on a proper track again.
Thanks for the article, I have thyroid issues for more than a decade and try to eat less processed food, reduce body weight. But I have moved cities at least 5 times in the last decade and the changes still cause problems.
lifestyle modifications definitely help in many diseases. a few things should also be avoided in Hypoth. like cabbage, broccoli, kale etc. (goitrogens) diet also plays an important role in being healthy.
As someone who suffers from the disease, I totally understand that your tips are useful and to the point.