Okay, so this was challenging. If you’ve never done yoga, this could be the thing that makes you turn and run. Please don’t. You can’t quit. This is the conversation I had with myself this morning.

Then I tortured myself for five minutes with a cold shower. The cold shower is supposed to help with inflammation.

If you’d like a glimpse of the 20 minute yoga video, you can see it here.

In today’s video, Brice discusses yoga with Emmie. She shares with us the “real” yoga. And the struggles that come with the practice. This morning I worked through the above practice with Ashtanga Nurse. I must admit it was a challenge. Not having done ashtanga yoga before, I found myself stiff and clumsy. But I’m not quitting. I’ will finish this challenge.

We are bound to come up against a wall on occasion. There is so much to learn from this challenge. You can learn about day two here.

I hope you will consider joining us in this challenge. Cold shower and all. We can all learn something from this process. I look forward to the shadow work.

You should join us.

It was the worst and best day of my life. I thought I was healthy. I never thought to look at my weight or eating habits. The day I was diagnosed however, I stopped to consider how my life had progressed. My eating habits were terrible. I had migraines all the time. I used Excederine, migraine, Tylenol sinus and a bottle of coke to ease the pressure. That worked for a while but it took it”s toll on my stomach. And my thyroid.

I ate fast food, once or twice a week. And without even thinking about it I went from a size 3 to a size 7 pants. All this happened over a period of years. I was unhappy and never stopped to consider why.

So, the Hashimotos diagnosis was really a life saver. It didn’t happen over night, but over time I’ve learned how to live a better life.

Today, I’m continuing the lessons. I’m joining Brice Watson as she offers up a 30 day challenge to those who want to do their “shadow work”.

If you’re not familiar with the term “shadow work”, then let me help you understand. Some of you may not subscribe to this mindset, and that’s okay. You can let go of what doesn’t resonate with you, and politely read the post while being respectful to those who find value in what I write.

We are all born into this 3D matrix by our design. We plan out the lessons we want to learn. We participate in a soul contract whereby we will experience ideas, places, and lesson so our soul can grow and learn. We come into this world in a state of amnesia, which gives us the opportunity to experience this life without prejudice.

Included in this decent into 3D, is the memory of all that is experienced in all our incarnations. Those memories and experiences, which we agreed to, now leave a shadow on our soul. This is our shadow work. We listen to our body, we experience pain and heal it so our soul can move up and we can complete the lessons.

While this is only a summary of how I see the idea of shadow work, it is a starting point. Anyone who wishes to join us on this journey can do so by contacting Brice at shadowworkchallenge@gmail.com

I am excited to uncover and bring into the light that which has remained hidden. That which is keeping me from moving to the next phase of my life.

One of the things those of us with Hashimotos are told is, learn how to manage your stress. That being said sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and there is nothing you can do about the stress, except ride out the storm. I’m going through one such storm now.

In 2017 I found out my spouse was keeping a big secret from me. This in addition to a habit that left me uncomfortable among other things. I’m not going to go into details about what was done, because, even though I’m hurt and disappointed, and I’ve also been left traumatized, I’m not vengeful.

For the last 2 years I’ve struggled because I stayed with my spouse, hoping he would make amends, and make things right. He did not. Last fall I asked him to leave. It took until this month to get him to finally leave.

I share this information only to bring to light another form of trauma. One that affects many more people than we know. Yes, betrayal trauma. It is a thing.

For years I thought the symptoms that present with Hashimotos were only related to that. However, I have come to realize that the symptoms I had long before I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, were symptoms of betrayal trauma. While I’m not going to share here the story of betrayal, I’d like to share a little about betrayal trauma.

Betrayal trauma is the impact of being traumatized emotionally by a person close to you who has violated the trust of the victim. In my case it was my spouse.

Because the betrayal is so personal in nature, it can be more destabilizing that strictly fear based trauma (I don’t discount fear based trauma. It is terrible too). Betrayal trauma has also been associated with the following:

•             Anxiety

•             Hypervigilance

•             Feeling overwhelmed

•             Withdrawal & isolation

•             Difficulty concentrating

•             Difficulty regulating intense emotions

•             Avoidance

•             Flashbacks

•             Negative thoughts

•             Numbness & detachment

•             Sleep & appetite disturbances

•             Headaches (I had migraines all the time)

I can tell you the above list is pretty accurate. My experience included most of those on the list.

When he left, a wave of emotions passed over me. I cried tears of relief for the first day. I’m hoping I can heal from this trauma now that he’s gone. It may take a while, but I’m determined I won’t live the rest of my life like this.

If you think you have experienced a similar trauma, please know you’re not alone. I’m going to work through this, you can too.

You may read these words and think it’s impossible. But I assure you nothing could be further from the truth. We all know the phrase, “You are what you eat.” That being the case there was nothing natural about my being. Most of what I ate was processed in one form or another. My eating habits were what drove me to the brink of what was near disaster.

I don’t think we often associate what we eat with how we feel. That is until we get physically sick. Unfortunately for me, it took years of eating “junk” before I felt the effects of such a lifestyle. Each year I got worse. I remember when I was twenty-nine years old, I went to the doctors with complaints of exhaustion and total body pain. My joints ached, I was unfocused and felt tired most of the time. The doctor diagnosed my condition as Fibromyalgia. That didn’t help the way I felt, it just gave me an excuse to feel the way I felt.

I moved through the next twenty years in a fog. My migraines got worse. I would dose them with sinus medication, Excedrin Migraine, and a bottle of coke. By the time this concoction made it through my system, I was nauseous, jittery, crabby and I didn’t sleep for two days. In the beginning, it made the pain of the migraine tolerable, but as time passed the headaches got worse and my makeshift meds, didn’t touch the pain. I couldn’t take traditional migraine medication, because I was hypersensitive and reacted to everything my doctor prescribed.

Not only did the pain of the fibro make it difficult to enjoy life, but the migraines made it nearly impossible. It took all I had to keep up with my two girls. Beyond that, I couldn’t focus or find enough energy to “have fun” or “enjoy life.”

I tell you this because most symptoms we experience can be a misdiagnosis for another condition, illness or disease. In my blog BLOG POST HERE, I list some of the symptoms of Hashimoto’s, some of which are confusion, numbness, exhaustion and total body aches and pains. Then there is weight gain and a feeling of desperation that steals away your joy.

My husband used to joke about my wearing socks and sweats to bed in July. Yes, I was cold all the time. Then there was the contest to see who could leave the most hair in the corners throughout the house, the dog or me.

Listen to me when I say, if you experience these symptoms, consider your thyroid as the source. Listen to your body. If you think something isn’t right, chances are something is wrong. Remember, your regular doctor can draw blood and send it off to the lab, but the results will not be accurate. Your TSH results may come back normal and yet your T3/T4 and antibodies could be out of control.

In the next few posts, I will be discussing more of what it means to live with Hashimoto’s and how it affects your life. I hope anyone who reads this series will share it with mothers, daughters, wives, husbands, and sons. Yes, that’s right, men are not immune from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Look at your children and consider the possibility that their behavior issues could be driven by their thyroid. We will discuss that possibility too.

I hope some of you will share your experience in the comments. Your story could help another to seek out and get diagnosed so they can start living again. In the next post I will talk about how, as Hashimoto’s gets worse, we become disassociated from the life we used to love. I hope you will read it.

Red Marine Algae is an alga that grows in the ocean and has been used for centuries by Chinese and Japanese cultures for its nutritional benefits. I use Gigartina Red Marine Algae so that is what I will discuss today. Gigartina Red Marine Algae is one of 4000 species of red algae and one of the most beneficial.

Gigartina Red Marine Algae Benefits

When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, I went on a quest to find a way to live a healthy lifestyle while getting control of my thyroid. One of the things I came across in my research was the benefit of red marine algae. Gigartina (papillate) is an active strain found to benefit the skin and immune system. It’s rich in sulfated polysaccharides, unique protein-bound carbohydrates that are found to support the body’s immune response to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins.

Gigartina Red Marine Algae contains carrageenan, which is a sulphuric acid extracted from sea vegetables. The carrageenan component in Gigartina Red Marine Algae appears to help direct the beneficial immune-enhancing effects of Gigartina toward the skin. It is also believed to boost the immune system and protects against the shingles virus, HIV, and cold sores.

In addition to boosting the immune system, Gigartina Red Marine Algae is found to support Eye and skin health. Red algae contain zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that are shown to prevent macular degeneration.

Reducing Pain and Inflammation

Red marine algae are one of many algae that relieve pain and inflammation due to high amounts of chlorophyll and omega-3 fatty acid content. It is a natural source of compounds containing biological properties some of which are gastroprotective, analgesic and anti-inflammatory disorders. Anyone with Hashimoto’s knows the value of reducing pain and inflammation.

Because red marine is packed with antioxidants, it is known to boost the immune system. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and assist in moving toxins out of the body. For this reason, they are considered a natural detoxifying and may assist in detoxification of heavy metals, encourages weight loss, and restores blood pH levels.

In addition to the above algae has been shown to naturally lower cholesterol and protect against herpes.

Learning More About Red Marine Algae

The scientific community has proved that Red Marine Algae has anticoagulant and/or antithrombotic, immunomodulatory ability, antitumor and cancer preventive, antilipidemic and hypoglycemic, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. When you have an autoimmune disease, finding a product that reduces inflammation and boosts your immune system is promising.

There is much to learn about our bodies and what we put in them. It is through research I found answers that are helping me live a healthy lifestyle. I continue with research hoping to learn more about how I can live a better life. I will share whatever I learn with those who are open-minded and willing to verify any information I post.

 I have been using Gigartina Red Marine Algae successfully for three years and would recommend it to anyone who suffers from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446615/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2015/825203/

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/plant-genetic-resources/article/potential-of-marine-algae-sea-weeds-as-source-of-medicinally-important-compounds/2676ECE7F87ADD74E58C330DD1974BDF

How Could This Happen?

A torn rotator cuff? How could that happen. A month earlier I fell on the ice and injured my right leg and hip. Nothing was broke, thankfully, but I struggled with limited mobility for a little over a week. It was once I regained full use of my leg that my shoulder started bothering me. Originally, I thought it hurt because I was somehow over compensating for my right leg and it affected my left shoulder. That is what prompted me to see the chiropractor.

Initially I did nothing about the shoulder. I think I was in denial and hoped it would heal on its own. When two weeks later I still suffered with pain, I called and made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon that specialized in shoulders. The week before the appointment I was talking to my father about the shoulder and he said I should see a different chiropractor; I should get a second opinion.

I gave some thought to what my father said and called another chiropractor who was willing to see me the following day. The result of that appointment was not a confirmation of the diagnosis of a torn rotator cuff, but a diagnosis of calcific tendonitis.

Torn Rotator Cuff or Calcific Tendonitis?

The symptoms of calcific tendonitis are like those of a torn rotator cuff. One major difference, at least as far as I can tell, is with a torn rotator cuff your strength is gone, while with calcific tendonitis (of the shoulder) you retain some strength and the range of motion isn’t as limited. When the second chiropractor did a muscle strength test, I still had some range of motion and strength in the arm. Once he completed the exam and adjusted me, he determined I suffered with calcific tendonitis of the shoulder.

I was relieved that I didn’t have a torn rotator cuff. I know surgery is not always necessary, but the thought of it didn’t please me. I didn’t want to be without use of my shoulder over the summer. That would keep me from my garden. Now I know what ails my shoulder. The chiropractor suggested exercises to help me through what I believe will be a long process of healing, yet without having to be immobile.

Through research I found many people suffer or have suffered with similar complaints as what I mentioned above. In some instances, people suffer such debilitating pain that it keeps them from enjoying life in its simplest form.

Symptoms of Calcific Tendonitis

• The pain often occurs in the morning.
• Stiffness in the shoulder – which leads the physician to assume frozen shoulder or a torn rotator cuff based on primary examination.
• Significant sleep disruption due to pain. I wake up when in my sleep I turn on my left side and experience pain with movement.
• Reduced range of motion. I can only lift my arm at a 90-degree angle.
• Limited activities of daily living due to pain. I can’t lift anything over my head or to my left side.

I am fortunate, because I went to a chiropractor knowledgeable enough to recognize the signs of calcific tendonitis. Others haven’t been so lucky. Some of the stories I’ve heard tell of people who have suffered in pain while making visits to orthopedists, physical therapists, and neurosurgeons which resulted in prescriptions and injections and ultimately unnecessary surgery. This, only to experience pain again with no explanation.

Does Any of the Above Sound Familiar?

If so, please have it examined to rule out problems related to joints and surrounding tissue. If you have Hashimoto’s you may want to check your T3, T4, and vitamin D levels to be sure levels haven’t changed. If your lab results change and your thyroid may be under stress it could prompt a secondary condition such as frozen shoulder of calcific tendonitis.

I went to a knowledgeable chiropractor who was able to recommend the proper exercises and massage techniques. If your shoulder pain is due to a change in your thyroid condition, you may want to refrain from rigorous therapy. It may increase the pain.

I began the exercises recommended by my chiropractor and began using Arnica Rub to ease the pain. It helps relieve the pain associated with massage and exercise. Follow your doctor’s guidelines when it comes to exercise. You don’t want to over exert yourself.

On the Mend

It has been a long three months, but I’m on the mend. I have increased mobility of my shoulder. The exercises have helped tremendously and knowing what points to massage has relieved the pain. I’m not fully recovered but expect to be back to my old self in a couple of more weeks.

I share this story with you today because I have been researching shoulder pain with regards to Hashimoto’s and thyroid disease. At this point it is not known why, but people who have thyroid disease often suffer from shoulder pain. Sometimes the pain is a result of adhesive capsulitis also known as frozen shoulder. In other instances, it is a result of calcific tendonitis as in my case.

I hope that by sharing the information in this post it will make more people aware of the possible connection of shoulder pain to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I am living a good life and continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle medication free. However, on occasion I still experience these little symptoms that remind me I need to focus on good health. I will continue to share these experiences to bring more awareness to Thyroid disease in hopes to help others recognize and heal.

I was still tired. For years I was tired, unfocused, irritable and in pain.
My doctor thought I had fibromyalgia, which was a new medical diagnosis at the time. I gave up and lived with the pain.

When I turned fifty, everything changed. I was still in pain, tired, and unfocused. Plus, now I was having trouble remembering simple things; tasks that I performed at work on a regular basis, and at home. I went in for my physical and again was given a clean bill of health. This time, however, the blood work revealed something new. Hashimoto’s, as it turned out.

My doctor wanted to put me on medication. “I’m a healthy person,” I thought. “I can’t be on medication for the rest of my life.” I shook my head and looked at her and said, “No. Give me 30 days to try to get it under control without medication.” To my surprise, she agreed.

For the next 30 days, I spend every free moment researching, reading, and changing my diet. What you will read in the following posts will show you how I managed to defy Hashimoto’s hell and live a life free from pain and the fog that I lived in for all those years.
I hope my journey will save you time and money and sanity. Here’s to enriching and renewing your thyroid health.