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For about 6 years, I lived with fatigue, bloating, brain fog, and inflammation I couldn’t explain. My labs were “normal,” but my body was a mess. I actually remember the day it happened. Stress was the reason. I actually thought I was having a heart attack. But I ignored it for weeks. My heart would pound and race. My skin was dry and I had horrible allergies.
I finally made an appointment with the doctor and that’s when she discovered my thyroid was swollen. You couldn’t see it on the outside but she felt it. I was sent for labs and a ultrasound and they discovered I had Hashimotos thyroiditis. My TPO numbers were in the 300 range, which was high. I had one goal and that was to get them lowered as quickly as possible. I didn’t know what was wrong with me so I spent a lot of time researching. From diets to exercise. I tried just about everything except meds. My numbers were up and down over a few years.
I was determined to never get on thyroid medication and to get my body back. I have heard horror stories with medication. I mean, medicine has its place, but for me I wanted to do things natural. I listened to podcasts and researched as much as possible. I knew it was my gut but I didn’t know how to fix it. I had a leaky gut.
Here are the 10 things I did to reset my gut and support healing — naturally and prayerfully.
1. I Let Go of Inflammatory Foods
I stopped eating gluten, dairy, refined sugar, soy, and processed foods — even the sneaky ones labeled “healthy.” I focused on just eating organic grass fed beef. And if you can get it local that’s even better. I also ate organic pastor raised chicken. I rarely ate out before but now I never do. I eat at home.
2. I Focused on Anti-Inflammatory Veggies and Fruit
Many doctors say stay away from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. But many say the opposite. When it comes to the thyroid, I am learning there is no one size fits all diet. We all respond differently. To this day, I have a hard time with tomatoes where as some one else may not. I think research is in favor of cruciferous vegetables for the thyroid so that’s what I eat every day. For me, it has helped tremendously. Dr. Izabella Wetnz is a fan of these vegetables. Her books are filled with a lot of information. She reversed her thyroid condition. I filled my plate with carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens that calm inflammation and nourish my body.
3. I Drank Bone Broth
Bone broth is rich in collagen and minerals — a healing balm for my gut lining. I also love this bone broth protein. I wanted a clean, organic, made in the USA from US farmers bone broth protein. And this is hands down my favorite. I put it in soups, and smoothies, or just sprinkle it on my food.
4. I Traded Coffee for Herbal Teas
I let go of coffee and caffeine, including chocolate over 25 years ago, so that wasn’t a problem for me. Caffeine flares the thyroid and raises cortisol). I’m often asked where I get my energy from at 50. I believe getting rid of caffeine woke my system up which naturally gives me energy. Instead I drank peppermint, chamomile, and ginger teas — which gentle supports for digestion, and helps stress. I drink a lot of filtered water which is my primary go to drink.
5. I Made Rest A Priority
In this extremely busy world we live in rest seems so impossible. But your body needs time to heal. Sleep became a non-negotiable. I took supplements to help with this. I took Magnesium Glycinate, Zinc, Vitamin D, Fish oil, B-12, and probiotics. It took me some time before I found the right supplements for me. I stayed away from synthetic and bought third party tested supplements.
6. I Supported My Liver the Natural Way
Instead of expensive detoxes, I used food: beets, greens, ginger, turmeric, and lemon water. I let my body clear toxins gently and consistently. I had my mercury fillings removed by a biological dentist. This needs to be done safely.
7. I Healed My Relationship with Food
I stopped obsessing and started praying. Every bite became a chance to give thanks, not to fear. I’m allowing God’s goodness on the earth to help me heal my body. Again, I’m not saying there is no place for medicine because everyone is different. Always consult your doctor. My doctor never wanted to put me on medication.
8. I Ate Fermented Foods
I ate sauerkraut, and fermented veggies helped restore my gut flora — but I added them slowly and watching how my body responded.
9. I Simplified My Supplements
No more handfuls of random pills. I focused on what I truly needed: magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and a clean probiotic. Less overwhelm, more impact.
10. I Gave Myself Grace
Healing didn’t happen overnight. There were hard days. But I can say once I reset my body and did the elimination diet for a month, within 10 days, almost all the inflammation fell off. I felt amazing. For several years, it seemed I couldn’t hardly eat anything without it causing indigestion. But I stayed the course and gave my body time to respond.
So here’s what I did. For 30 days, I had to reset my body. My diet was limited to beef, some chicken, and a few vegetables and blueberries. After a couple of months I began adding a few more foods. I also have my labs tested often. This is something you can do on your own at your local lab if insurance won’t pay for it. The cost is somewhere around $100. I always check my TPO antibodies.
If you have a leaky gut, I want you to know — you’re not alone. Many many people do and most don’t know it. A few months ago I added fresh milled bread that I made back into my diet and my body didn’t respond well. I currently still don’t eat any grains except very little oats. I completely removed dairy as this has been a huge trigger for my gut.
Photo Credit by Ella Olsson
