I used to be overwhelmed by stress, a serious stress bucket, to be exact! I would easily turn a molehill into a mountain without realising it. Much of this response was rooted in childhood patterns. I could blame this and that, but ultimately, it was my doing.
Back then, I believed my stress was caused by external factors. I thought it was the things happening around me that were to blame. However, I came to realise that it was internally driven all along.
My perfectionism, my constant drive to do and be more, my disappointment in myself for not achieving success or fitness—it was all self-imposed pressure. I was so fixated on the outcome that I lost sight of the journey. I pushed myself to extremes in order to excel in everything I did. But it was never enough. I never felt good enough.
It never occurred to me that I was the trigger for my Hashimoto’s disease.
Fast forward several years, and I’ve gained wisdom through experience. I now understand that stress is never solely external; it is always influenced by our internal state.
I used to stress myself out to be fit and healthy. Isn’t that ironic? While being fit and healthy can help prevent chronic diseases, it’s not the be-all and end-all. That’s a misconception.
Here’s the truth: most of my clients already have super-healthy diets compared to the typical standard diet. So, supplements, diets, and fitness regimes alone can’t fix your thyroid condition. They certainly support overall health, but there’s a bigger picture to consider.
The reason supplements may not work is that if your nutritional foundation is already compromised and you’re constantly under chronic stress, it takes a toll on your hormonal health, adrenal function, digestive function, and nervous system. Chronic stress breaks down these systems, affecting your immune system, cardiovascular rhythm, and the entire endocrine network. It’s a domino effect that eventually erodes your once-strong resilience, leading to symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, and erratic digestion.
Thyroid issues, such as Hashimoto’s, Graves, and Hypothyroidism, often occur during stressful tipping points in life, like post-partum, perimenopause, and menopause. However, they can occur at any time if you’re prone to the stress bucket syndrome, as I was.
My new approach revolves around a different way of being. I’m becoming more aware of my own story and actively choosing not to buy into it. I’m strengthening my heart-mind connection, recognising my perfectionist tendencies and the trap of overachievement.
Embracing a “less is more” approach has brought tremendous harmony, bliss, joy, and love into my life beyond anything I could have imagined.
As human beings, we naturally strive for more. It’s part of our genetic makeup in an ego-driven world, whether or not we’re perfectionists who beat ourselves up. However, if our internal stress response is poor, our thyroid suffers. And if this cycle of stress continues, thyroid disease becomes inevitable.
Stress is a major trigger for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, especially when the body’s systems are already compromised due to various factors, such as poor nutrition, gut infections, or immune system depletion.
As The Thyroid Naturopath, my role is to help clients understand their bodies and triggers. I encourage them to listen to their hearts and trust their intuition rather than being solely guided by their minds. It’s not an overnight process; it’s a unique journey for each individual. It involves removing band-aids and delving deeper within ourselves, uncovering the true gold.
Because together, we are more powerful than we realise.
“Intentionally choose to feel elevated emotions of the heart rather than waiting for something outside yourself to evoke those emotions.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza
This is what I consider heart intelligence to be. By regularly practising this, we shift our focus from constantly thinking about the future or dwelling on the past to simply being in the present moment. Of course, the past helps us understand our growth, and the future holds our mystery and potential.
As a Thyroid Specialist Naturopath, I’ve personally discovered, both for myself and my clients, that supplements alone aren’t effective. They serve as a supportive bridge, buying time to facilitate healing. The real path to healing lies in doing the internal work.
By exploring our inner wisdom and internal mechanisms for stress management and resilience, we stabilise our thyroid condition and bring Hashimoto’s into remission. Stepping away from our analytical minds, which can create chaotic stress in an instant, allows us to strengthen our emotional intelligence by tuning into our hearts.
In doing so, we can experience the present moment fully and appreciate the beauty in the world around us. Whether it’s finding joy in a breathtaking sunset, connecting with loved ones, playing with our pets, or savouring the scent of a rose, connecting with the simple pleasures of life on a regular basis automatically reduces stress.
By managing our minds and connecting with our hearts, we can lower our stress hormones and cortisol levels. This is where our power lies. The ripple effects of this shift are profound: reduced overall body inflammation, regulated immune system, improved thyroid function, and enhanced functioning of various body systems such as digestion and cardiovascular health.
Of course, there are practical tools that can aid in relaxation and stress management, such as meditation, exercise, and mindfulness activities. However, what if we could change our state of being to rely less on external tools? That’s where true resilience comes in. It’s about developing emotional intelligence and trusting the unknown—our future.
If our state of being is driven by trust and listening to our hearts, I believe that abundance in health is inevitable. And does this mean letting go of fundamental pillars for health and well-being? Absolutely not! It’s about coupling those pillars with a flexible approach, living in flow—freedom to feel and thrive.
If you’re like me, diligently pursuing good health and interested in exploring the deeper layers of Hashimoto’s remission and true health abundance, simply type the word “HEART,” and let’s chat.
As a leading Thyroid Naturopath, I choose to work with fewer women, not more, so that I can provide personalised, bespoke, and private 1:1 packages. This allows us the time and space to address barriers and delve into the four realms of healing: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.