HOW I HEALED HYPOTHYROIDISM NATURALLY
Growing up, I lived in a health-conscious household. My childhood was filled with ballet from ages 3 to 7, tennis from 8 to 10, and competitive swimming from 11 to 18. Junk food and soda were never in the house, fast food was a rarity, and watching TV for hours just wasn’t part of our routine. I carried this disciplined mindset into college, intentionally scheduling 8 a.m. classes to maintain a structured day. I worked out over 90 minutes daily and avoided unhealthy foods like the plague.
For the most part, it worked. I was energetic, focused, and felt in sync with my body—no brain fog, fatigue, or unexplained weight gain. That is, until my junior year.
The Turning Point
At 20 years old, seemingly overnight, everything changed. Within a few weeks, I experienced brain fog, facial puffiness, hair loss, irregular menstrual cycles, chronic fatigue, and inexplicable weight gain. I was blindsided and humiliated—I had worked so hard to treat my body well, so why did it feel like it had betrayed me?
Desperate for answers, I visited a doctor who ordered blood tests for TSH, T3, and T4. The results confirmed hypothyroidism: a high TSH and low T3 and T4. She prescribed me levothyroxine, and I began my so-called healing journey.
Years of Frustration
Fast-forward a few years, and nothing had improved. Despite my strict diet and intense workouts, the brain fog, fatigue, or weight clung on. I was growing increasingly frustrated and, worse of all, developed a toxic relationship with food and exercise. At 27, I hit my breaking point. Something had to change.
Exploring Natural Solutions
I started researching alternative ways to manage hypothyroidism. What caught my attention wasn’t just diet or exercise—it was stress. I learned that stress manifests in four forms: emotional, physical, environmental, and psychological, all of which can wreak havoc on your body.
Initially, I tried to tackle all four types of stress at once, which, ironically, caused more stress. Eventually, I realized I needed to approach this systematically, focusing on one area at a time. By reflecting on my life, I identified the stressors that weighed heaviest and started there.
Tackling Stress: One Step at a Time
Emotional Stress
Emotional stress often arises from relationships, life changes, or unresolved feelings. I discovered that for me, keeping my emotions bottled up was a significant stressor. While meditation didn’t resonate with me—it made me feel more restless—talking to someone I trusted was the game changer. Opening up allows me to process emotions and feel a sense of relief.
Physical Stress
I used to pride myself on pushing my body to the limit, thinking I could “catch up on sleep later” and that intense workouts were always beneficial. I was wrong. Chronic sleep deprivation and overtraining were wreaking havoc on my body. I learned to prioritize sleep, slow down, and adopt gentler workouts like body weight training and walking, which feels restorative rather than depleting.
Environmental Stress
Environmental stress comes from surroundings, including toxins in food, products, and even the air. I started spending more time in nature, using air purifiers, choosing organic foods, and swapping out typical household cleaners and hygiene products for non-toxic alternatives.
Psychological Stress
Persistent worrying and self-inflicted pressure had become a norm in my life. I needed to make a change. I worked on setting boundaries, creating daily routines, and reframing my mindset to embrace optimism. It allows me to release the pressure I place on myself.
Stress has one of the largest impacts on hormone systems in our body. Looking for more information on how stress can impact your hormone balance? Hop over to my other post here!
The Healing Journey
Recognizing the harm stress was causing my body—and learning to manage it—was the first major breakthrough in my healing journey. I gave myself permission to slow down and truly listen to my body. This wasn’t an overnight fix, I am over 5 years into my healing journey. I continue to learn everyday. I recognize that I do not practice a completely stress-free life all day every day, but staying mindful and working to keep on track gives me the motivation I need to continue working on my healing journey.
My journey with hypothyroidism taught me the incredible resilience of the human body and the importance of nurturing it in every way. If you’re on a similar journey, know this: healing is possible, and it starts with listening to your body and mind. At Live Lueur you can find all things that will impact your healing journey.
Hi there, and welcome to my little corner of the internet! I’m Kaitlyn, and I am so excited to have you here. The Live Lueur blog is fueled by my personal journey toward healing my thyroid by living a healthier, more balanced life, and to inspire you one step at a time, through small, sustainable changes.
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