Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is a thyroid autoimmune disease that affects over 15 million people in the US alone. Let’s take a look at what exactly Hashimoto’s disease is and some very helpful holistic steps you can take to start feeling better.
What is Hashimoto’s disease?
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks your thyroid tissues.
It’s important to understand that Hashimoto’s is an immune system issue that can affect the thyroid. But, it’s not inherently a thyroid issue.
Hashimoto’s disease is also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis and chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
How is Hashimoto’s diagnosed
Hashimoto’s is most often diagnosed when TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies and/or TgAb (thyroglobulin antibodies) are elevated.
These antibodies can be present even when TSH, T4, T3, FT4 and FT3 levels are normal.
Labs and Tests
Thyroid antibodies test
If Hashimoto’s is suspected, then your practitioner will usually run a thyroid antibody test. The two main tests that are looked at are TPOab and TgAB.
It’s important to understand that around 90% of people with hypothyroidism also have Hashimoto’s, so if you have hypothyroidism, it’s a good idea to insist that your practitioner also runs antibody tests.
If you’re wondering what the difference is between Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, tap here.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test
TSH is a hormone that the pituitary sends out to tell the thyroid how much or how little thyroid hormones to produce.
Please note: TSH levels tell you what your pituitary is up to and the signal it’s trying to send to the thyroid. It’s important to understand that TSH does not tell you how much thyroid hormone your thyroid is producing. It also isn’t telling you how much thyroid hormone that is going to the cells of your body.
When it comes to Hashimoto’s, TSH levels can change a lot, swinging back and forth between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Everyone is biochemically individual, but in general a TSH level between 0.5-2.0 is the optimal range where people feel healthy and vibrant.
Free Thyroxine Test (fT4)
Free T4 is a hormone produced by the thyroid.
Ideally, you want free T4 to be in the middle of the lab range. So if the range is 1.0-3.0, you want your free T4 to be 2 or close to it. Each lab has a different range, so you have to look at what the specific range is to know what number to look for.
Free T3 Test
Free T3 is a hormone that mostly comes from T4. The thyroid makes free T4 and sends most of it to the liver to be converted to free T3. Free T3 goes to every cell of the body, so this thyroid hormone level is very important.
Ideally, you want free T3 to be in the middle of the lab range. So if the range is 1.0-3.0, you want your free T3 to be 2 or close to it. Each lab has a different range, so you have to look at what the specific range is to know what number to look for.
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies
TPO (thyroid peroxidase) is the key enzyme that helps your thyroid make thyroid hormones. Anti-TPO is an antibody that attacks TPO. This is the lab that is most often used to diagnose Hashimoto’s.
A normal anti-TPO level is usually below 30. Keep in mind that it’s normal to have a small amount of TPO antibodies in the blood.
TgAb Test
TgAb (thyroglobulin antibodies), sometimes referred to as TAA (thyroid antithyroglobulin antibody) are antibodies that attack thyroglobulin. Thyroglobulin is a protein produced and used by the thyroid to make T3 and T4.
An optimal TgAb level is 0.
What are the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease?
There are hundreds of symptoms, but here is a list of some of the most common symptoms:
Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
Depression
Exhaustion
Brain fog
Unexplained or excessive weight gain or loss
Loss of outer third of eyebrows
Dry or coarse hair
Nervousness
Irritability
Increased sweating
Heart racing
Hand tremors
Muscle cramps
Anxiety
Difficulty sleeping
Reduced libido
Hives
Rashes
Anemia
High cholesterol
Constipation
Thinning of your skin
Fine, brittle hair or hair loss
Weakness in your muscles—especially in the upper arms and thighs
More frequent bowel movements
Low Vitamin D
Low B12 or ferritin
Excessive appetite or loss of appetite
Irregular menstrual cycles
Water retention
Lots of energy (often too much)
What causes Hashimoto’s disease?
There are many different root causes for thyroid autoimmune disease, but here is the basic list (click here for a more comprehensive list):
Stress
Diet
Synthetic chemicals or toxins
Food additives
Heavy metals
Infections
Pharmaceuticals
Digestive issues (intestinal hyperpermeability)
Dental infections
Amalgam fillings
Root canals
Breast implants
Radiation
Trauma
In my practice, I’ve seen that there are always multiple root causes and gut issues and stress are always the primary two on the list, and then there are often 1-2 additional root causes.
How do conventional medical doctors treat Hashimoto’s disease?
A doctor may put you on thyroid hormone replacement if you have low thyroid hormones, but outside of this, there isn’t a conventional treatment for antibodies, so usually you’re left on your own to figure this out. Or, you will be told that there isn’t anything you can do for your antibodies, that your thyroid will eventually stop working and that you’ll be on meds for the rest of your life.
This is what happened to me. Thankfully, I learned that there are so many things you can do to work on your root causes and to put antibodies into remission!
Are there holistic steps I take for Hashimoto’s disease?
Yes! Antibodies can go into remission, hormones can balance and symptoms can greatly improve or completely go away when the body is given the proper tools. Here’s where I recommend starting:
1. Ask your practitioner for a thyroid panel. Getting a look at what’s actually going on with your thyroid will give you and your practitioner more insight as to what steps to take next.
Here’s the list of labs to ask for (if your doctor won’t order labs for you, you can order them here):
TSH
TPOab
TgAB
Free T3
Free T4
Reverse T3
2. Take steps to improve your digestion. The first way to do this is by eating in a relaxed state and making sure your body is producing enough stomach acid so it can properly break down and utilize the nutrients in your food.
Stomach acid (also known as Hydrochloric acid or HCL) is a necessary part of the digestive process. The acid is our first line of defense against pathogens, bacteria, parasites, etc. It also helps us digest our food properly.
This may sound like a trivial step, but I’ve never seen a client at our practice with Hashimoto’s disease that wasn’t also dealing with low stomach acid. Here’s an article I wrote that explains the steps to take.
Here is an article with my top tips for ways to heal the gut naturally.
3. Take steps to support your adrenals. Why? Because anyone with thyroid disease is also dealing with some kind of adrenal issue. Also, the health of the adrenals play a big part in the health of the immune system. And remember, Hashimoto’s is an immune system issue.
I can’t tell you how many people have taken the steps I list in this article and come back a month or two later telling me how much better they are already feeling!
4. Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar and stress basically do the same thing in the body (minus the calories), so to help balance your TSH and reduce antibodies, you need to watch your sugar intake.
If you’ve got massive sugar cravings right now (I’ve been there before!), make this recipe for buttermints and follow the directions listed.
5. Use castor oil packs to gently detoxify the liver and thyroid. Here’s an article I wrote that explains why they are so helpful, lists the supplies you need, and explains exactly how to do one.
6. Remember that your practitioner is working for you, not the other way around. It’s ok to ask them questions about the root cause of what’s going on. If they don’t treat you respectfully when you ask questions about what’s going on with your body, then it’s ok to find another practitioner to work with.
It took me 9 months of going doctor-to-doctor before I found someone who would listen to me and run tests. Being persistent to find the right practitioner to work with pays off!
7. Start moving away from processed foods and eat real, grain-free, nutrient-dense foods. Gluten and grains will only add more inflammation at this point, so it’s very important to remove them from your diet.
When you’re sick, I know this can feel completely overwhelming (I’ve been there!) but removing all gluten and grains from your diet can make a significant difference in your symptoms and antibody levels.
The good news is that I’ve got hundreds healthy recipes here on my site and another 125 in my cookbook, The Grain-Free Family Table. Eating healthy foods will reduce the strain on your body and help bring things back into balance.
Can Hashimoto’s antibodies be reversed or put into remission?
Yes!! While the conventional medical community will tell you this isn’t possible, it totally is and I see it happen over and over with my clients and with members of my thyroid course. And, many of you have written into share your test results with your progress!
I also saw it happen for myself. Here’s my story of how I reversed Hashimoto’s naturally.
It takes time to heal the immune system, so patience is definitely needed, but if you keep at it, overtime the immune system can heal and the body has the ability to stop the attack.
How can I learn more about the steps I can take for Hashimoto’s?
I have three fantastic options for you!
- To download my 50 of my top tips to support the thyroid and immune system naturally, tap here. I’ll also send you an educational email every few days to help you learn how to support your body naturally.
- If you’d like to learn from first steps you can take to help support your thyroid, check out my class, “3 Keys to Thyroid Hormone Balance”. It’s just 45 minutes and I promise you’ll learn something new!
- If you’re looking for a step-by-step plan for Hashimoto’s that truly works (no more piecing together info!), check out my 90-Day Thyroid Reset Program.
- Book a consult with me for one-on-one help. Here’s info about what working with me looks like.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is to give an overview of hashimoto’s from a holistic perspective. Due to biochemical individuality there can be many various reasons for the root causes of thyroid disease, and many ways to help improve thyroid in balance in the body. This information is not intended to take the place of your doctor’s advice.
