The journey of Hashimoto's Part 3 (Intermittent fasting and clean keto)

When dealing with Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune conditions like Lupus, Celiac, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, or Type 1 Diabetes, there will be a whole host of biohacks and lifestyle shifts you can make that work synergistically to elicit symptom reduction. The focus of most of them is lessening inflammation in the body and, therefore, limiting chronic stress on the immune system. When you can begin to bring inflammation down and quell the body’s stress response, you feel more at ease, calm, and a terrain is created in which the healing can begin. Science points to the fact that once you have one autoimmune condition, you have a propensity to get more over time. So soothing and calming the immune system and reducing inflammation should be your number one concern if you’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.

One of my favorite biohacks for reducing inflammation in the body is Intermittent Fasting, or IF. It works positively in the body via numerous different pathways and processes. Firstly, it improves insulin sensitivity and boosts Human Growth Hormone levels, both of which can be helpful with weight loss, a primary concern for folks who suffer from Hashimoto’s. More toxic fat stored on the body equates to more inflammation, so losing body fat is always a positive move for autoimmune individuals. And, as anyone with Hashimoto’s knows, it can be VERY hard to achieve this result, far harder for us than for folks who don’t experience autoimmunity. For me, the clear cut parameters of IF feel simple, reasonable, and easy to follow. Secondly, when your body has a long break from digesting, it gets to focus on a cellular cleanup process called autophagy, and this is super helpful because as your body cleans up dead cells and damaged cells, it is freed up to fight any pathogens or infections that may enter your body. So, the benefits of autophagy are twofold : it rids dead and damaged cells from the body while fostering stronger and more resilient immune function. Sleep also improves when you reserve 2-3 hours after your last bite before bedtime. And the morning hours after waking but before your first bite can be a productive, energized, sacred time. A mild sense of euphoria is common, especially once you’ve gotten used to your IF schedule.

If you’re curious about Intermittent Fasting and want to get facts from studies or just read a bit more info from a trusted source, I love Mark Sisson. He has written some incredible books, including The Paleo Thyroid Solution, and also has a great blog called Mark’s Daily Apple. This article he wrote about thyroid disease and IF is informative and thorough. Another intervention that Mark Sisson recommends for folks with any autoimmunity is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. Read a little bit more about that here, where Mark also shares an exhaustive list of the symptoms of Hypothyroidism. I had about 10 of these symptoms when I was first diagnosed, and now have maybe 3-4.

I started eating what I like to call a Clean Keto diet about 8 months ago, following gaining a bit of weight at the beginning of the pandemic from stress, eating more takeout, and drinking more alcohol. I was still keeping gluten-free and dairy-free, but that is far from enough for me to maintain, or even begin to approach, an ideal weight. How Clean Keto looks for me is, my plate consists mostly of multiple colors of vegetables (usually between 3-6 types at supper), a small amount of protein (usually 3-5 ounces) and lots of healthy fats. So I’ll saute some veggies in coconut oil, duck fat, or tallow, add some sustainably raised poultry, grassfed beef, or wild caught fish, and maybe a sprinkle of Coconut Aminos (which are SO scrumptious) or a few dollops of coconut butter at the end. Lots of mineral rich sea salt also, and maybe even a dash of nutritional yeast for added B vitamins. It’s a satisfying, fulfilling way of eating that creates easeful digestion, clear skin, solid sleep, and doesn’t contribute to raised thyroid antibody numbers. Eating keto can be clean and full of whole, real foods, and doesn’t have to contain chemical sweeteners, pre packaged bars, or mounds of dairy. The goal is to get into ketosis, while eating nutrient rich foods. More on keto and ketosis in a future journal entry, as it’s an enormous and fascinating topic on its own.

If you haven’t yet been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease, but you fear you have one or the other, Stop the Thyroid Madness is a great resource. Education is our best tool and our smartest method of defense. Do not depend on your doctors to know everything and to teach you, or to even help you. Rely on yourself. Help yourself. I guarantee if you empower yourself to be your best ally, and don’t shy away from really finding the right fit with doctors instead of just taking whatever treatment, verbiage, or “facts” your current doctor is sharing with you, your healing could be sped up exponentially. Tap in, listen to your inner knowing. Sometimes the best doctors don’t take insurance, but wouldn’t you rather feel better than absolutely anything else? At least that’s how I felt. More soon. Stay sane out there, and give yourself a huge hug for me.

In health,

Chef Kerry