Recipes for Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism

Living with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism can be hard and it can feel like medication barely makes a dent in your symptoms!

It certainly didn’t for me!

It was only when I changed my diet and lifestyle in order to address the auto-immune attack that I finally started to see my symptoms disappear one by one.

The first to go were the insomnia, excess weight and digestive issues in a matter of just a few weeks!

Followed by the fatigue and brain fog in the following weeks!

I know it’s hard trying to work out what foods you should and shouldn’t eat or which diet is best suited to Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism.

What to eat vs What not to eat with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism

There is so much conflicting advice out there, here are some of the most common I see and get asked about:

  • Eat gluten/don’t eat gluten
  • Avoid soy/don’t avoid soy
  • Eat eggs/don’t eat eggs
  • Remove dairy/don’t remove dairy
  • Avoid brassicas/don’t avoid brassicas
  • Eat nightshades/don’t eat nightshades
  • Consume legumes/don’t consume legumes
  • Avoid histamine foods/don’t avoid histamine foods
  • Eat oxalates/don’t eat oxolates
  • Remove FODMAPS/don’t avoid FODMAPS

Seriously I could go on!

The problem is if you start removing all of these you’re going to be left with very little nutritious food!

And if you aren’t getting the nutrients you need your body is going to struggle to function as it should. This will increase inflammation and drive that auto-immune response! As a result your symptoms will get worse and worse.

70 Hashimoto and Hypothyroid friendly recipes!

I’ve taken the hard work out of figuring it all out for you with my Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook!

The Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook. Get your copy here.

Recipes that are tried and tested by me and my clients on our journey back to full health from Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism.

The recipes are all balanced to help you balance your blood sugar which will help you lower inflammation, get rid of the hunger and cravings and lose that weight as well as boost energy, improve brain function and mood regulation!

It walks you through how proteins, fibre and healthy fats can help you balance blood sugar and which foods contain all of these.

As well as giving you guidance on what a healthy plate should look like.

Quite simply it gives you exactly what you need to start making healthy, informed choices so that you can start to recover your health!

Here’s what you’ll find in the Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook

Not only have I included the usual sections on soups, salads, fish and meat but I’ve added a section on breakfasts as this tends to be a particular stumbling block for most and it can be crucial to get right!

I’ve also thrown in some healthy snack ideas and and some sweet treats to stop you reaching for the foods that are likely to trip you up and wreck your efforts.

Check out the contents page below to get the full idea of what you can find in the Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook:


Contents Page from the Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook

Check out some of the pictures from the recipes in the following photo’s all of which are packed full of flavour and nutrients:

Start your recovery now!

Grab your copy of the Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook here!

At only €17 it’s bargain and worth every penny if it helps you live symptoms free with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism!

Just think of all the things you’ll be able to do again when you’re not constantly battling the fatigue, brain fog or struggling to lose the weight!

For me getting my social life back and being able to play sports again not mention being able to work just by changing my diet and lifestyle was worth it!

Which is why I’m happy to share my recipes with you so that you can start doing the things you love again!

Want the recipes and my 1:1 help with your recovery?

Then drop me an email at helen@helenmallaburn.com

You can find out more about me and my background here!

The Impact of Leaky Gut on Hashimoto’s

What is leaky gut and is it even a real medical condition?

I’m often asked this!

And I’m also often told by sceptics of whether diet and lifestyle make any difference that leaky gut doesn’t even exist!

So is leaky gut actually real or not?

To clear things up leaky gut is a real medical condition, it’s referred to as intestinal permeability in research and the medical community.

Hashimoto’s has been linked with leaky gut (1).

Leaky gut has been shown to precede the development of auto-immune conditions such as Hashimoto’s. If leaky gut is not addressed it keeps that auto-immune attack going and this is what keeps you struggling with endless symptoms!

So how does leaky gut impact Hashimoto’s?

When the digestive tract becomes inflamed it impacts the mucous layer that protects your gut wall (2). Incidentally a huge proportion of your immune cells live in this mucous layer, so it affects immune function.

The digestive tract can become inflamed from a poor diet, food sensitivities, stress, low stomach acid, poor bacterial balance, etc.

An inflamed digestive tract

Once this mucous layer is damaged it allows the cells that line the gut wall to become damaged which creates gaps in which food particles and pathogens can pass through into your blood stream.

Intestinal Permeability allowing food particles and pathogens to pass into the blood stream
Intestinal permeability allowing food particles and pathogens to pass into the blood stream

These pathogens and food particles are then treated as foreign as they shouldn’t be in your blood stream, your immune system then creates antibodies against them and tags them in order to remove them.

Immune system activation: antibodies are created against the pathogens and food particles, increasing the likelihood of molecular mimicry
Immune system activation: antibodies are created against pathogens and food particles, increasing the likelihood of molecular mimicry

The protein structure of these pathogens and food particles may be similiar in structure to some of your own tissue, organs and glands, in which case the antibodies will also tag your own tissue. This process creates inflammation and damage, which eventually impacts the function of that tissue, organ or gland.

This is known as molecular mimicry.

Which is why addressing inflammation and gut health are the foundations of recovery!

Dietary Factors that can impact leaky gut:

There are various foods and nutrients that can impact leaky gut either positively or negatively.

Fibre, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Zinc, Anthocyanins, Amino Acids (cysteine, methionine, glutamine, tryptophan, arginine) can all help to improve leaky gut. Which is why a varied whole foods diet is so important for Hashimoto’s recovery.

On the other hand Gluten, Sugar (glucose, fructose), fats (not all, which is why it’s so important you go for healthy, anti-inflammatory fats), alcohol and emulsifiers (found in many processed, low fat foods) can actually increase leaky gut and in turn make your Hashimoto’s symptoms much worse.

Dietary components that affect intestinal permeability.
Dietary components that affect intestinal permeability (3)

Processed foods are therefore best avoided as they increase gut permeability, which in turn leads to an upregulated autoimmune response (4), this is in part due to the additives found within these foods. 

Processed foods also often lack fibre and essential nutrients, this combined can lead to further gut dysbiosis, inflammation and insufficient nutrients for vital bodily reactions and functions.

The end result is increased fatigue and other Hashimoto’s symptoms. 

Need a little help getting that leaky gut under control?

If you’d like help addressing inflammation and gut health so that you can get rid of persistent symptoms and start to feel normal again, then get in touch helen@helenmallaburn.com

Prefer to chat face to face? No problem, book a free 30 minute call here to find out how I can help with your recovery.

Or head over to my website to find out more about me and what I do.

References:

  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33746942/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8087346/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8087346/
  4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997215000245

Hypothyroidism: Lose weight for good!

Losing weight with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism can be an uphill battle! One that never seems to end!

That’s because most weight loss programmes do not take the extra difficulties that Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism present into account!

In fact most have no basis in science and go against your own physiology!

So it’s time to stop fighting against your own body and work with it instead!!

The 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme can help you healthily, easily and sustainably lose that weight!

The 8 Week Hashimoto’s Weight Loss Programme is for you if:

  • Your weight has crept up despite optimal thyroid levels
  • Calorie cutting has made you gain weight not lose it
  • Exercise is not helping in the slightest with weight loss
  • You’ve tried every fad diet and nothing has worked
  • You’ve been told to eat less and move more, but it hasn’t made any difference
  • You’ve been blamed for your own weight gain and called lazy even though you’ve followed their advice and seen no change
  • You eat healthily but still can’t lose weight
  • You manage to lose weight but put it straight back on as soon as you finish dieting
  • The cravings are out of control and are sabotaging weight loss
  • Menopause has caused excess weight gain and nothing that worked before works now
  • You eat your emotions

If any of this rings a bell with you then the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme can help. It is designed specifically for Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroid sufferers!

It’s the same method I used to lose my weight and the very same one I use with huge success with my 1:1 clients.

It works!! And not just short term but long term!

Why does the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme Work?

It works because it’s designed to work with your physiology and the techniques used are based in science, not simply something that I’ve plucked out of the air, which to be honest a lot of diets seem to be!

It’s not a diet as such but a lifestyle change, it’s sustainable and delivers results every time!

Check out what Gilly had to say after just 2 sessions working with me on weight loss:

“I’m doing really well, in fact I haven’t felt this well in years!! My diet is great, I don’t feel like I’m being deprived of anything, I no longer have that ‘starving ‘ feeling, no indigestion or reflux at all, I’m sleeping better and WEIGHT HAS FALLEN OFF!! So it’s’ brilliant!! I cannot thank you enough for taking that time to talk me through a program that definitely works for me!! This really has turned my future around and given me my life back!!” Gilly⠀⠀⠀ 

9 Reasons other than looking good that you need to lose weight with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism

There are various health conditions that you are at greater risk of developing if you have Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure, non alcoholic fatty liver disease and other autoimmune-immune conditions. Being overweight can increase the risk of most of these.

Losing weight can help:

  • Improve insulin sensitivity and decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • Lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of developing heart disease
  • Reduce the risk of developing non alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Improve hormone balance
  • Lower inflammation and calm the auto-immune response
  • Reduce joint pain
  • Improve sleep and energy
  • Ward of certain cancers

And obviously you’ll look good as well as improving those health risks!

So if you want to be able to fit into your old clothes again, shop in your favourite high street stores and to love what you see in the mirror every single day, then the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme can help you smash your weight loss goals and get you there!

Want to know more about the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll get with the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme:

  • 8 x 1 hour live weekly zoom sessions
    • Each week will teach a different topic around weight loss
    • With a Q & A session at the end
    • Wight-ins & measurements during the weekly live session
  • Dedicated Facebook Group
    • Accountability & motivation buddy
    • 10 person maximum un the group
    • Hands on help between live sessions from myself
  • Free Hashimoto’s Healthy Eating Recipe ebook
    • Full of recipes to help balance blood sugar and lose weight
    • All gluten, dairy and soy free
    • Recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snack ideas
  • Bonus 1: 30 minute 1:1 Food Dairy Analysis Session
  • Bonus 2: 30 minute 1:1 Thyroid Test Interpretation Session
  • Last minute extra Bonus 3: 30 minute 1:1 Follow-up & accountability session to be taken between week 8 and 12 (that’s an added 4 weeks of accountability and support)!

All of that is worth a whopping €627

But it’s all yours for €299

That’s a pretty good deal for 12 weeks of help and to see that weight fall off!

Works out at approximately €3.55 a day! That’s less than the price of a fancy coffee at your favourite coffee shop!!

Check out Kate’s weight loss results below, she used the same method that I’ll be teaching you in the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme.

Want to know more?

Head over and find out more HERE!

If you still have questions or want to know if the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme is right for you then why not book a free 30 minute call with me and get all your questions answered.

Book your free call HERE!

Deadline to sign up to the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme:

Sign up for the 8 Week Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroid Weight Loss Programme closes at midnight on Friday 29th September 2023 so don’t hang around.

Remember there are only 10 places available!

As soon as it’s all booked up I will open the wait list for the next programme, but if you don’t want to wait until next time to lose the weight, improve your health and feel great again then get your skates on!

Weight loss not an issue for you but would love to know how you can work with me to recover your health and feel like a human being again? Find out more HERE!

Balancing blood sugar with Hypothyroidism is key for weight loss!

Me at my heaviest before my thyroid diagnosis

Why is balancing blood sugar so important for Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism?

Balancing blood sugar is key to thyroid health, not just for weight loss!

If you ever hope to get your Hashimoto’s under control then you need to balance blood sugar!

If you ever hope to get your Hashimoto’s under control then you need to balance blood sugar!

I’ve certainly had my ups and downs when it comes to weight with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism!

Balancing blood sugar as part of an anti-inflammatory diet was part of what helped me lose that weight.

It was actually easy once my blood sugar was balanced, the weight just dropped off!

What happens when blood sugar isn’t balanced?

Poorly balanced blood sugar increases inflammation not just in the gut but systemically and can be responsible for so many symptoms associated with Hypothyroidism such as:

  • Brain fog
  • Poor mood regulation
  • Fatigue
  • Tremors
  • Increased weight/difficulty losing weight
  • Feeling Hangry
  • Afternoon slumps/need to nap
  • Increased thirst
  • Increased urination
  • Dizziness
  • Increased hunger and cravings
  • Blurred vision
  • Frequent Headaches
  • Tingling in your hands and feet
  • Skin tags 
  • Dark patches of skin on your neck and under your arms or on your hands and face
  • Frequent yeast infections
  • Poor wound healing
  • Gut issues

Is chronic inflammation such a big deal?

Long term Inflammation due to poor blood sugar balance is a major contributor to the development of most chronic health conditions such as auto-immune conditions, diabetes type 2, cardiovascular disease, PCOS, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, elevated cholesterol levels, etc.

So not only can improving blood sugar control help you lose weight but it can help you improve many of your other symptoms and head off the development of further auto-immune conditions and other inflammatory diseases too. 

It’s amazing how something so basic can have such devastating effects if left unchecked!

Here’s a little help for you to get Blood Sugar under control:

Next week I’ll be running a free Blood Sugar Balancing for Weight Loss Challenge. I will be teaching you how to balance your blood sugar.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • The foods that spike blood sugar levels
  • What a healthy plate should look like
  • Why protein, fibre and healthy fats are key to balancing blood sugar
  • How stress can disrupt blood sugar balance
  • Techniques to improve blood sugar balance

Every day you’ll be asked to complete a simple task, don’t worry it won’t take long or zap too much of your energy!

The challenge will take place in my Facebook group so you’ll need to be a member to take part – you can sign up to the challenge HERE and then follow the instructions to join my Facebook group if you haven’t already. 

But hurry as it starts on Monday 11th September.

I can’t wait to help you balance your blood sugar so you can not only lose that weight but so you can start to feel more energised, happy and more like yourself again!

Do you have questions about the Challenge?

You can get in touch by email: helen@helenmallaburn.com

And find out more about my journey with Hashimoto’s, how I turned it around and how I can help you do the same HERE!

At my natural, healthy weight since balancing blood sugar!

How to beat the summer heat with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism!

Heat intolerance can be a major symptom of Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism in the summer months!

If you’re anything like I was not only are you struggling to keep warm for the majority of the time but you can’t stand the heat either!

When I was at my worst with Hashimoto’s I spent about 90% of the time freezing my ass off and the other 10% so hot I felt like I’d combust!

Seriously having to spend the summer indoors whilst everyone else was basking in the sun was pretty lonely.

They’d be out on the beach or exploring new places on their holidays whilst I was hiding indoors. 

And if I did summon the courage to head out in the heat I’d very quickly find myself struggling with unpleasant symptoms.

Common symptoms of heat intolerance:

  • weakness, intense muscle fatigue 
  • shakiness and tremors
  • all consuming fatigue 
  • heat exhaustion
  • blurred vision
  • nausea
  • increased heart rate and breathlessness

It was pretty crap! 

Now that I have the auto-immune attack under control I no longer experience any of this and can spend the entire day wandering around on my holidays in the sun! But more importantly I actually feel part of things again, I can join in with all the stuff I was missing out on before. 

6 tips to help get heat intolerance under control:

1. Balance Blood Sugar:

Ditch the sugar, refined white carbs and the processed foods in favour of real whole foods! Eating these are keeping you on that blood sugar rollercoaster and are causing you to overheat!

2. Up the water intake:

Dehydration can make you feel the heat much more intensely. And whilst you’re at it avoid the caffeinated drinks as they act as a diuretic and will increase that feeling of dehydration. If you’re sweating a lot adding in an electrolyte to your water will help too.

3. Get Thyroid Levels Checked:

There can be a variation in seasonal thyroid medication dose requirements (1. If you’re still on your winter dose, it may be a little more than you need during the summer, this can impact temperature regulation. I have to adjust my dose very slightly from winter to summer and vice versa). Speak to your doctor about trialling a change from summer to winter. It can be a minute change that makes the difference; an extra quarter tablet a week in winter is a sufficient increase for me.

4. Improve Stomach Acid Levels

These can be low in those with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism (2). Low HCL levels can lead to EFA, mineral, electrolyte, and fat soluble vitamin deficiencies all of which are needed to help regulate temperature. You can improve stomach acid levels by improving eating habits and with vagus nerve stimulation (3).

5. Practice Stress Management Techniques

Low adrenal function due to chronic stress can cause you to sweat and feel the heat more. Introducing breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness will help. Stress causes changes in gastrointestinal secretions and can lower HCL levels (4).

6. Support Liver & Gall Bladder Function

Temperature regulation issues and flushing are a sign of poor liver and gall bladder function. The liver filtrates and detoxifies microbial products, harmful bacteria and their metabolites received from the digestive system (5). Low HCL can lead to dysbiosis in the gut, increasing the burden on the liver and gall bladder. Introduce liver and gall bladder supporting foods, ie; bitter greens, green leafy veggies, bright coloured veg and fruit, green tea, herbs and spices, lecithin containing foods and healthy fats.

Need help incorporating these changes?

That’s where I come in!

I don’t only focus on diet and the gut but on the whole system, including looking at lifestyle interventions.

How does spending time in the sun with the kids, your partner or your besties with no more shakiness, fatigue, nausea or breathlessness sound?

Good right!

Living without all those symptoms is completely doable!

Go ahead and Book a free 30 minute Hashimoto’s Health Discovery call to find out how the 1:1 Hashimoto’s Healing Programme can help you break out of that loop and get rid of the heat intolerance and many other symptoms too!

Want to know more about me and my journey? You can find more details here.

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9070835/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5405068/
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/cephalic-phase
  4. https://tahomaclinic.com/Private/Articles4/Stress/Konturek%202011%20-%20Stress%20and%20the%20gut.pdf

IBS: Is it all in the gut?

Long before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, Hashimoto’s or any of the other autoimmune issues I later acquired I was told my symptoms were due to IBS.

That was about the extent of the information I was given on the subject.

No dietary advice, no indication of what might trigger it or what might help, just learn to live with it.

In fact I was told there was no need to cut anything out of my diet at all!

Shocking right!! 

IBS & Hashimoto’s.

From the age of 21 to turning 40 I constantly lived with these digestive symptoms, even after being diagnosed coeliac and cutting out the gluten. 

Diet & IBS

IBS is common in those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and other autoimmune disorders.

Thankfully today there is research out there that shows that changing diet can have a massive impact. 

Diet and IBS

For me personally switching to the AIP protocol just after my 40th birthday helped stop all these digestive symptoms. 

The AIP protocol has been shown to be effective in improving inflammation markers, immune activity, symptoms and quality of life in those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (1).

The Low FODMAP diet is also another that has been shown to vastly improve IBS symptoms and quality of life (2)

DIY Dietary intervention vs Professionally supervised for IBS

Both the AIP protocol and the Low FODMAP diet are extremely restrictive, cutting out many food groups.

They’re not designed to be followed long term because of this. 

In fact trying to do them without the supervision of an experienced nutritional therapist can either lead to:

  • most giving up as it’s just too hard
  • getting stuck in the restriction phase
  • being unable to reintroduce any of the foods that were taken out. 

This in itself can lead to nutrient deficiencies and insufficiencies! 

I was lucky when I decided to go down the AIP route I had the assistance of nutritional therapist. I was able to reintroduce a few things no problem. But when she retired I found myself stuck not being able to tolerate any new reintroductions. 

Studying nutrition myself got me out of that loop.

But I know not everyone has the inclination, time or means to sign onto a nutrition course.

The Gut-Brain axis and IBS: Is it really a thing?

Not all gut related IBS symptoms are isolated within the gut.

The Gut-brain axis is bidirectional, gut microbes within the gut are able to communicate with the central nervous system via the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system (3).

Any disturbance whether from the gut, the gut bacteria or the brain can cause dysregulation of the cycle.

Stress, anxiety and trauma can all be triggers for IBS symptoms

In fact stress can alter the gut-brain axis interaction and can lead to IBS and IBD among other gastrointestinal disorders (4).

Stress can (4):

  • impact gastrointestinal motility
  • increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut)
  • increase visceral perception (pain),
  • decrease the gastrointestinal tracts ability to repair itself and to maintain the mucosal lining and the blood flow to it
  • imbalance gastrointestinal bacteria
  • alter gastrointestinal secretions

Can lifestyle interventions help with IBS?

Considering the discovery of the gut-brain axis it has opened up new avenues of research for treatment options for IBS.

In fact a recent study has shown hypnotherapy to be as effective at improving IBS symptoms and quality of life as the Low FODMAP diet and has greater efficacy in improving the psychological aspects of IBS (5).

Yoga: an effective treatment for IBS

Yoga, meditation and exercise are also showing promise as effective treatment options in improving IBS symptoms.

And although I have found no current research on the use of EFT (emotional freedom technique) tapping in the use with IBS, I have personally seen great improvement with it, in helping to break that dysregulation between the gut-brain axis much as hypnotherapy does.

Want some help making sense of all this?

That’s where I come in!

I don’t only focus on diet and the gut but on the whole system, including looking at lifestyle interventions.

How does no more bloating, belching, reflux, cramping, gas, diarrhoea or constipation sound? 

Good right!

Living without all those symptoms is completely doable! In fact when I work with clients those IBS type symptoms are the first to go!

Followed by the fatigue, brain fog and pain to name a few!

Go ahead and Book a free 30 minute Hashimoto’s Health Discovery call to find out how I can help you break out of that loop and get rid of those IBS symptoms.

Want to know more about me and my journey? You can find more details here.

Let me help you get rid of those IBS symptoms!

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31275780/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33585949/

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30023410/

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22314561/

5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27397586/

Surely a little gluten with Hashimoto’s can’t harm things?

Gluten & Hashimoto's
Can going gluten free help with Hashimoto’s?

Do you really need to be gluten free with Hashimoto’s?

I’m often asked if just a little gluten here and there is ok when you have Hashimoto’s.

I’m going to be straight up with you here, no sugar coating things!

No!

Even a tiny amount of gluten can tip the scales and it can last much longer than you anticipated.

Here’s what happens when gluten is eaten:

Gluten increases levels of something in your digestive tract called zonulin (1).

Zonulin when increased affects the tight junctions between the cells in you gut wall. The tight junctions act like gates keeping food and bacteria, etc in the gut and out of the rest of your system.

These tight junctions open more when zonulin increases (2). This increases intestinal permeability and allows food, bacteria, etc to pass into the blood stream.

Once in the blood stream your immune system treats them as foreign as they shouldn’t be there and tags them. They’re then taken to your liver to be processed and eliminated.

Increased levels of zonulin and intestinal permeability have been found in those with Hashimoto’s thryoiditis (2).

This process can result in the auto-immune response being triggered, in molecular mimicry and in chronic inflammation (2).

Gliadin contained within gluten is similar in structure to transglutaminase, this enzyme is abundant in the thyroid.

The immune system can attack transglutaminase as well as gliadin and cause continuing damage to the thyroid, a process known as molecular mimicry (3).

So what are the consequences?

The chronic inflammation, auto-immune response and the molecular mimicry take much longer to calm than it takes for symptoms to disappear.

So even after a little gluten, some may have no symptoms others may be severely ill for days.

However, whether you have symptoms or not this process is still going on in the background, driving the auto-immune attack on the thyroid and causing systemic inflammation.

So stopping gluten will stop the auto-immune attack?

For some the answer is that simple!

For others there are other factors at play too which need to be addressed. Either way removing gluten will be beneficial, even if you don’t feel it.

Other than removing gluten what other dietary interventions can help calm the auto-immune attack?

Gut dysbiosis can also trigger increased levels of zonulin (2).

So addressing gut health is critical. You need to look at what you are and what you aren’t eating!

Inflammatory foods that can lead to dysbiosis need to be eliminated, ie sugar, refined carbs (many of which contain gluten) and processed foods.

Processed foods themselves have also been shown to increase intestinal permeability increasing the auto-immune response (4).

Gluten free desserts can be just as delicious!

Sugar and sweeteners can both alter glucose homeostasis and change gut microbiota composition (5).

A continued dysregulation in blood sugar can increase inflammation due to continued raised cortisol levels. Inflammation is a major driver of autoimmune disease so needs to be controlled wherever possible.

Focus on real foods that your good gut bacteria love such as fibre, ie vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, pseudo grains and naturally gluten free wholegrains.

Is there anything else other than diet that can help?

Absolutely!

Stress has a profound effect on digestion, especially if it becomes chronic.

Stress reduces blood supply to the digestive tract, limits the release of digestive enzymes, bile, stomach acid and other digestive secretions, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients (6).

But it also slows motility, leads to intestinal permeability, slows repair of the digestive tract and upsets the delicate balance of the microbiome as well as up-regulating the release of mast cells and inflammatory cytokines (7).

So stress can be a major driver in the auto-immune process if it is out of control or even low grade but constant!

Introducing stress management techniques can be hugely beneficial in getting control of your Hashimoto’s, yet it’s an area that is often overlooked in favour of dietary interventions alone!

Need a little help getting things back under control?

No problem, I’m happy to help.

You can drop me a message at helen@helenmallaburn.com

Want to find out a bit more about me, what I do and how I can help you recover your health with Hashimoto’s? Then head over to my website!

Or book a free 30 minute Hashimoto’s Health Discovery call Here!

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7973118/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6996528/
  3. https://juniperpublishers.com/jojph/pdf/JOJPH.MS.ID.555563.pdf
  4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997215000245
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29159583/
  6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13792211_Gut_Permeability_Intestinal_Morphology_and_Nutritional_Depletion
  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22314561/

How to lose that Hashimoto’s weight…

Weight gain is one of the the most talked about symptoms when it comes to Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism. 

It can be so demoralising to follow all the advise given and still see the weight pile on. 

It’s something I see over and over again when clients first come to me. 

I also hear it multiple times a day in Facebook support groups – how do I lose this weight, I’ve tried everything! 

On T4 only medication with the typical hypothyroid puffy face & about 2 sizes heavier than I am now!

I’ve also suffered with weight fluctuations myself especially prior to diagnosis and when medication was not optimal! 

But making some changes to my diet and lifestyle saw that weight disappear!

My weight is now constant and is exactly where it should be. 

And I’m certainly not counting calories or exercising like a fiend! 

If you’re sick of hearing that you need to try harder or eat less and move more?

Which is BS by the way!! 

There’s more to weight loss than just food and exercise!

Poor gut health is often at the root of weight issues! Fix the gut and you’ll lose that weight!

Here’s what happens when your gut is not healthy:

  • Inflammation increases
  • Dysbiosis occurs, which is an imbalance between the good bacteria and the not so beneficial bacteria and yeasts. 
  • Yeasts and pathogenic or non beneficial bacteria prefer sugar as a food source and this will increase your cravings for these foods if they are out of control.
  • Risk of infection from parasites and other pathogens increases
  • Intestinal permeability or leaky gut as it’s often referred to increases
  • The immune system kicks into overdrive to deal with this and increase autoimmune activity in the process
  • The liver becomes overburdened as it has to deal with the processing of these immune antigen-antibody complexes. Whilst your liver is busy dealing with this it’s less able to focus on converting thyroid hormones. You’ll eventually start to notice hypothyroid symptoms increasing, including weight gain.

Did you know that the bacteria in the gut send messages to our brain and to immune system?

When the bacteria is in balance the messages will be anti-inflammatory in nature and everything will be functioning in harmony. When those bacteria get out of balance however the signals become inflammatory causing havoc to the normal functioning of the body.

Here’s how this impacts weight loss:

  • Inflammation in the gut or elsewhere triggers the release of cortisol to help deal with the inflammation.
  • Chronic inflammation leads to consistent and increasing levels of cortisol which causes more stress and inflammation. And you guessed it even more cortisol to deal with it.
  • Eventually this leads to overtaxed adrenals (which will impact thyroid function) and further digestive dysfunction.
  • When cortisol levels become chronic it causes weight gain by increasing cravings and appetite (often for sugary foods).
  • Cortisol triggers the release of sugar into the bloodstream for your muscles to use to either fight or run. When neither of these occur the brain triggers the release of insulin to lower the now dangerous levels of blood sugar. This now gets stored as fat in your cells.
  • Cortisol contributes to intestinal permeability and a leaky blood brain barrier! So not only are you likely to experience weight gain you’ll notice brain function, mood and energy are impacted too.

As you can see there are several areas that are linked to weight gain:

  • An overburdened liver and a decrease in thyroid hormone conversion
  • Bacteria and yeast driving sugar cravings
  • Increased cortisol leading to increased insulin levels, increased fat storage, increased appetite and cravings

There are several diet, lifestyle and environmental causes of inflammation in the gut that leads to dysbiosis:

  • Inflammatory foods, ie sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, emulsifiers in foods and pesticides used on produce all cause inflammation and leaky gut.
  • Food sensitivities cause inflammation and need to be removed whilst the gut is healed. These can often be reintroduced once healing has taken place.
  • Stress! It shuts down the digestive process, stopping the release of digestive juices and hormones as well as the muscular contraction of the digestive tract.
  • Poor sleep overtime leads to dysbiosis and poor detox and repair.
  • Environmental toxins can disrupt the microbiome and the endocrine system and have been linked to weight gain directly such as BPA, pesticides, emulsifiers, mould, heavy metals.  

Want some help losing that weight and getting your gut health in check?

There are 4 ways in which I can help you deal with gut health and weight issues:

The FREE Food Diary Analysis 5 Day Challenge, starting Monday 26th September. You’ll be asked to complete a mini 3 day food, mood and symptom diary when you sign up. I’ll then analyse your diary live during the challenge. This will give you a clear understanding of what your likely food triggers and eating patterns are that are stopping your recovery. Sign up here!

The Hashimoto’s Weight Loss Programme. Available now for €46 here! It comes with a pre-recorded video walking you through the factors stopping weight loss and how to address them. It’s accompanied by a 14 day meal plan, recipes, snack ideas and shopping lists to help you get that weight shifted.

The Gut Health Masterclass. Due to be released in October, this is a live Masterclass to help you fix those gut issues! If you’d like to go on the waiting list so that you’re the first to hear the details just let me know at helen@helenmallaburn.com

The 1:1 Hashimoto’s Healing Programme. This is a 6 month bespoke programme that is designed to help you get to the bottom of your autoimmune triggers so that you can say goodbye to the endless Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroid symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, brain fog and digestive issues. It’s about time you started to feel like you again! Book your free call to find out more here!

After switching to a T4/T3 combination medication and changing my diet and lifestyle I no longer have the puffy hypothyroid face, you can actually see my eyes! My weight is now constant and doesn’t fluctuate thanks to the changes.

Can you cure Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?

I often get asked if you can cure Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The short answer is NO! There is no cure for Hashimoto’s or for other autoimmune diseases!

That doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to living half a life though!!

Whist you can’t cure hashimoto’s yo can put it into remission and it can be done fairly quickly once you make the right changes.

That’s exactly what I’ve done.

I’ve gone from living in pain, with crippling fatigue and brain fog every single day for years on end to symptom free.

I finally feel like the old me again!

You can achieve that too!

Whats driving that autoimmune attack?

First we have to unpick what is driving your hashimoto’s and for every person that can be slightly different.

This is me 2 years after Hashimoto’s diagnosis. Swollen, puffy face, thinning hair, always freezing, swollen neck and thats just the symptoms you can see! I was severely depressed, struggled with massive fatigue and brain fog and my life revolved around bathroom visits!

It usually starts with a genetic predisposition.

Autoimmunity tends to run in families.

But its not always the same autoimmune disease. So your parents may have psoriasis or rheumatoid athritis but you have hashimoto’s or coeliac disease.

Just because you have that genetic predisposition doesn’t mean you’re definitely going to develop that disease.

That tends to rely on something triggering those genes to be switched on.

This can be anything from an infection such as Epstein Barr Virus, to a traumatic event or even to child birth.

And its rarely just one trigger, there are usually several!

We can’t change our genes or in most cases the things that triggered Hashimoto’s initially.

But what we can do is address the things that are keeping that autoimmune attack going.

How do you stop the autoimmune attack?

In order to stop the autoimmune attack we need to look at environmental factors.

This comes down to everything from diet to lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep and exercise to toxin exposure.

I hear what you’re saying! Can changing these factors really have such an impact and get rid of your symptoms?

I was sceptical too when I first heard this!

But believe me making some pretty small changes to what you eat alone can have a profound effect on how you feel.

Check out my blog on my attempt at the AIP protocol if you want to see the difference diet can make. Not that I’d now recommend this as a starting point for most people, its pretty restrictive. But done right it can be handy in some cases.

I wish the impact diet and lifestyle can have was common knowledge, something we learnt in school, that what you eat, do, think and surround yourself with can really affect your health in major ways.

Can you make these changes on your own?

Sure, but it can be tough and take a lot of trial and error!

I tried going it alone for so long, researching and reading, trying new things.

This is me now! No more swollen, puffy face, you can actually see my eyes! No more feeling exhausted or freezing cold! I actually feel normal again for the first time in years!

Trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t was frustrating to say the least.

Some things actually made me feel much worse as I hadn’t realised what works for one doesn’t always work for another.

It was like playing pin the tail on the donkey! Desperately fumbling around in the dark and hoping that this new thing would do the trick!

If you want quick results and to stop feeling like death warmed up every day then get some help from someone who knows what they’re doing!

Working with a Nutritional Therapist for the first time was probably one of the best things I ever did.

I was by no means fixed! But it was enough to push me to study nutrition myself when my Nutritional therapist retired.

Now I knew what could be done I wasn’t happy with just feeling a little better I wanted to feel like me again.

I wanted to enjoy my life again.

Once I figured out what pieces were missing in my diet and lifestyle the transformation to full health was rapid!

And I haven’t looked back since!!

Ready to make those changes and feel like the old you again?

I know how difficult living with hashimoto’s can be.

And I know making those initial changes can feel so daunting and it can be a struggle to know even where to start.

So I’ve decided to offer free 30 minute hashimoto’s help calls throughout January to help you kick start your recovery.

In just 3 weeks from changing my diet my constant digestive symptoms disappeared. No more bloating, cramping, pain, fluctuating diarrhoea and constipation or acid reflux. My insomnia disappeared too. Shortly after the brain fog started to lift along with my energy levels.

If you’d like to put a strategy in place so that you can start ditching those symptoms then claim your free session HERE!

Sessions are booking up fast so don’t hang around!

Know someone who really needs help with their hashimoto’s? Then spread the word! My mission is to help as many women struggling with hashimoto’s as possible get their health back!

Gut Health Retreat – in the stunning French Alps!

“Bad digestion is the root of all evil” – Hippocrates 400BC

It seems a little extreme to call bad digestion the root of all evil, but Hippocrates was way ahead of his time!

Gut health really is the key to good health! Get your gut health in order and everything else will fall into place!

Digestive issues such as bloating, cramping, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, reflux are so common these days.

But its not normal to experience these symptoms on a daily basis.

Its your body’s way of trying to warn you that something is not right.

Yet is so often gets dismissed as just one of those things and nothing to worry about!

If you don’t get it under control it can lead to a whole host of health issues!

Believe me I know the price of ignoring it and its not worth it!!

Which is why I’m collaborating with the lovely Marie Nordling-Stewart and Nikki Shields and hosting a Gut Health Retreat Day up at the beautiful Chalet Savoie Faire.

So that you can get rid of those digestive symptoms and start to feel great again!

If you haven’t already paid a visit to Chalet Savoie Faire you’re really missing a trick.

Chalet Savoie Faire is situated in the most tranquil location.

What you can expect on the day

To get the day started you’ll be welcomed with a lovely cup of tea.

Marie will then guide you through a specifically tailored yoga sequence designed to improve your gut health.

You’ll have worked up an appetite by the end of the morning!

You won’t be disappointed with the delicious food that Nikki has prepared.

Nikki really has a flare for preparing the most beautiful, tasty food. Not to mention making you feel right at home!

Lunch won’t be rushed! You’ll have time to relax, savour the flavours and get to know your fellow retreat members.

Post lunch we’ll relax in the comfy seats by the roaring log fire to discuss gut health.

I’ll be teaching you exactly what triggers those annoying and often painful digestive symptoms.

As well as how to fix them for good!

There’ll be time set aside before the end of the day for questions about everything you’ve learnt.

We’ll finish the day off with meditation and breathing techniques.

You’ll leave feeling relaxed and ready to make those changes to get your gut health working for you again!

Ready to reserve your space on the Gut Health Retreat Day?

The Gut Health Retreat Day will take place on Sunday 21st November 2021

Cost for the day is only €90

You can reserve your place here

Find out more about Marie, Nikki & Chalet Savoie Faire

Follow Chalet Savoie Faire on Instagram or Facebook you can also find more information on their website

You can follow Marie on Instagram too