Hashimoto’s and 30 Days of Prioritizing Gentle

I don’t know about you guys, but I am ready for a spring refresh.

If you’ve been following me for a little bit, you might have heard me mention that I have Hashimoto’s Disease. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder that is most commonly experienced by women, and it’s a common cause of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). My husband and I receive primary care from an integrative medicine practice, and I am beyond grateful that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s prior to developing hypothyroidism. My anti-thyroid antibodies were super high, even though my thyroid hormone levels were still within the normal range! After the birth of my son (first kiddo), I developed hypothyroidism. Apparently this isn’t uncommon after pregnancy, and I’m glad that I was being followed closely by an attentive provider. With thyroid medication in addition to a gluten-free diet, my Hashimoto’s felt pretty well managed for quite awhile.

Today though, a teensy bit over two years since my daughter was born, my system is in need of a reset.

After dipping into hypothyroidism at the end of December 2018, my system never really seemed to get back to baseline. My most recent blood tests showed high cortisol levels, which explains some of that! I have maintained the gluten-free lifestyle that is so important for autoimmune conditions, but I need to step things up a bit.

Over the next 30 days, I am committing to be gentle with myself and focusing on prioritizing my wellness.

I’m not calling it a challenge, because that doesn’t feel gentle to me. Also, I’m not even calling it an experiment, even though that’s one of my favorite ways to refer to the new things I try. I’m just calling this what it is. Prioritizing gentle. Gentle everything. How I relate to myself and others (while maintaining boundaries), how I treat my body, and what I say yes (and no) to. What my system needs right now, instead of a shock-my-system-into-submission technique, is for me to show up in a gentle way.

That doesn’t mean not pushing myself; I believe we can show up as gentle and strong.

My plan is to share some of what I include along this pathway with you all, in hopes that maybe it will be helpful for you as well. If prioritizing gentle sounds great to you too, please join me! I love good company. I will be using #prioritizinggentle for my Instagram posts.

So far, I know my #prioritizinggentle journey will include:

• A weekly exercise group
• Daily 5-minute meditation (can include oracle cards!)
• Acupuncture
• Following up with my primary care doctor & continuing supplements
• Engaging in fun with my family without feeling responsible for whether they are enjoying themselves
• As many kid & husband snuggles as I can get
• Letting things around the house appear less than “perfect”
• Writing when I feel inspired, but not forcing it
• Sharing and finding connection with others who value gentleness as well

Find me on Instagram to see what I’m up to with my project (sure, let’s call it that!) and share your stories as well! And, just to be clear, I’m not offering advice on how to treat Hashimoto’s. I am sharing my story, which may or may not include things that could be helpful for you. What sounds gentle for you?