What's Making the Difference in My Hashimoto's Journey

Sep 2

Over the past six months, I've watched my thyroid antibodies drop from 1,900 to 279. That's over an 80% decrease.

For anyone living with Hashimoto's, you know that's not a small thing. It feels like finally having proof that all the tiny, daily choices add up. I still have a long way to go towards remission but I find this progress super encouraging after years of trial and error. I've had regressions before—my antibodies once dropped to ~700, then spiked back up to 1,900 seemingly out of nowhere. That wake-up call pushed me to pause, recalibrate, and get serious about building the habits that support me most.

This is what has helped me turn the corner:

Supporting My Body with the Right Tools

Switched to Tirosint: A cleaner version of levothyroxine that doesn't include fillers or dyes, which can sometimes irritate sensitive systems causing more inflammation.
Added progesterone: This has been huge for calming inflammation and supporting hormone balance, especially during perimenopause.
Working with the right healthcare team: Having providers who understand Hashimoto's and are willing to look beyond just TSH levels has been game-changing. This partnership allowed me to address hormone imbalances and nutrient deficiencies I wouldn't have caught on my own.

A Low-Alcohol Lifestyle

Earlier this year, I took a full pause from alcohol to let my body recalibrate, and now I only add it back in very sparingly. At this stage of life, we're already dealing with hormone shifts and inflammation. For me, alcohol can make symptoms worse and easily knock me off track. Choosing a low-alcohol lifestyle helps me feel more consistent and grounded. It’s also been a game changer for my anxiety levels and that equals a calmer nervous system for healing.

Nutrition & Daily Choices

Protein + Fiber focus: Adding more fiber has helped with digestion, hormone balance, weight management, and reducing water retention. I aim for a mix from veggies, seeds, and whole-food sources.
Hydration with minerals: Not just water—adding electrolytes has supported my energy and balance.
Eating clean: Reducing processed foods, gluten, dairy, refined sugars and inflammatory triggers.

Movement & Recovery

Gentle movement daily: Walks and yoga that don't spike stress hormones.
Strength training 2–3x/week: To build resilience, muscle, and support metabolism.
Sauna sessions: For detox, recovery, and a mental reset.

Personalized Supplementation

Instead of guessing, I test. In partnership with my healthcare providers, I run labs every three months and supplement based on exactly what my body needs at that moment. This has kept me from wasting energy on the wrong things and allowed me to target the right ones. The frequency of testing has been crucial—it's helped me catch patterns and make adjustments before small issues become bigger ones. It also tells me where I need to focus my diet to try to get those levels to optimal levels through my nutrition versus relying on supplements long term.

Stress Management

This might be the most important piece. Stress shows up in our bodies in ways we don't always realize. Making space every day for journaling, meditation, or quiet moments helps calm my system and keep inflammation down. Even just five minutes of deep breathing in the morning can set a different tone for my entire day. Sometimes this also means giving myself an evening to watch a good movie or a favorite show. When I do this, I DO NOT feel guilty about it, I make myself a special treat or meal and savor the down time.

The Bigger Lesson

This health journey has taught me that healing is not a finish line. It's ongoing maintenance, awareness, and flexibility. Life will always bring interruptions—trips, events, stressors—and what matters most is knowing how to come back to your non-negotiables.

For me, those are:

Stress management + Sleep
Movement (gentle + strength)
Consistent labs + supplements
Fiber + protein at meals
Hydration

These are not quick fixes. But they work.

Reflection for You

If you're on your own health journey, I'd encourage you to ask yourself:

What habits keep you grounded and feeling like your best self?
Which non-negotiables do you want to come back to, no matter what?
Do you have healthcare providers who truly listen and support your healing journey?

Remember: consistency beats perfection every time.

Want Help Calming Your Body?

One of the biggest shifts for me has been learning how to bring my nervous system out of stress mode. I put together a free resource, Calming the Body, with simple practices you can start today to lower stress and reduce inflammation.

Download Here