A Gluten-free Treat For You!

Fettle Vegan's - Samoa Macaroon

I thought I'd share a post from my Healthy Plate blog on a gluten-free treat that my fellow friends with thyroid challenges could enjoy.  Here ya go!

I am always on the look out for awesome recipes and treats I can make my family given all the food sensitivities in this household.  As a holistic health coach, I have studied over 100 dietary theories and utilize many of them in my practice.  So, when I go looking for recipes, I look everywhere - Epicurious, Food Network, Traditional Foods blogs, Gluten-free blogs, Paleo/Primal Blogs and Vegetarian/Vegan blogs.  There are so many great recipes floating around out there and all of them can be adapted to suit your needs.

Today, I really needed a treat and one that was gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free because that's how we role in my family.  For this reason, I started my search on some vegan websites (since their recipes don't include animal products like eggs and butter).

I found just what I was looking for at Fettle Vegan.  It's a great website on vegan living.  I really enjoyed my time there trolling the site.  I chose their take on the Girl Scout's famous Samoa cookies.  I had to tweak the recipe a bit for my needs (they weren't gluten-free).  Check out their recipe, use mine below for a gluten-free/low-sugar start or create your own!

Samoa Cookie Macaroons (mostly copied directly from Fettle Vegan

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded or flaked coconut, unsweetened
1/2 cup coconut oil ***Coconut oil should NOT be melted. (FV recipe: 1/4 cup coconut oil)
1/2 cup coconut flour (FV recipe: whole wheat flour, or you could try almond flour)
1 1/2 tbsp raw honey (FV recipe: 1/3 cup maple sugar.  This was way too much sugar for my family + you've read my "Sugar Addiction" post below so you know my challenges...)
3/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt (FV recipe: 1/2 tsp finely ground pink sea salt)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup of cold water (FV recipe: 2-4 teaspoons of cold water)
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened dark or other vegan chocolate

Directions:

1. Combine coconut, coconut oil, flour, honey, salt, almond and vanilla extracts.  
2. You want to have to fork the mixture together until the solid coconut oil has been completely smooshed up and combined with everything else. It takes about 2 minutes of dedicated forking.
3. Add water, starting with two teaspoons, and mix until mixture comes together and becomes sticky.
4. Once combined, use your hands to form the mixture into (about) 1 inch balls.
5. Once your macaroons are formed, set them on a paper lined cookie sheet in a cool place. The fridge will work beautifully here.
6. While the macaroons are chillin', melt about 2 ounces of chocolate. Use a double boiler (I don't believe in the microwave.  Not even for chocolate.)
7. Once chocolate is fully melted, remove macaroons from cooling area. Dip a fork in the chocolate and drizzle chocolate over the top (to keep the sugar low, minimize how much you drizzle or leave it out altogether.)
8. Once a little chocolate has been added, place macaroons back onto lined cookie sheet and let sit for about 20-40 minutes, allowing chocolate to set. This process can be sped up by placing the entire cookie sheet into the refrigerator until the chocolate cools completely. 

Enjoy!

As you can see, I had a great starting point and easily tweaked the recipe with substitutions to fit our needs.  They turned out delicious!  I only wonder if the "forking" could have been made easier by using a potato masher instead.  If you try this recipe out and use the potato masher, let me know how it worked out by commenting below.  Thanks!

What do you think of this recipe?  Join the discussion!

The Spiritual Side of Hashimoto's

I sat in front of the doctor in tears.  "I don't understand.  How did I get this disease?  I really can't handle anything else wrong with my body."  In addition to this new Hashimoto's diagnosis, I had been recovering from serious physical injuries to my body from an auto accident with a semi-truck.  I really didn't think I could handle any more bad news.  We had just finished a long legal battle with the truck company to pay for my medical bills.  Within a three month span, my dear grandmother had past as well as two of my friends (way too young.)  I was under enormous pressure and in the thick of deep sadness.  Now this.

My caring doctor looked at me and explained all the medical reasons as to why I had gotten this disease.  "But," he said, "there is a spiritual component as well."  What he went on to explain made perfect sense to me.  The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped organ located in your throat, your 5th chakra.  The 5th chakra is linked to your ability to communicate and be heard.  It is also correlated to faith and understanding. I had been through a 5-year long legal battle with this truck company.  Had my voice been heard?  No.  Did I have to squash so many negative and angry feelings just to survive this period? Yes.  Was I in a period of faith and understanding?  NO.  I had just lost two people in my life, who were under the age of 40, for reasons I couldn't comprehend.  I had little faith or understanding of why they had to leave this world.

What the doctor was saying struck a chord deep in my soul.  He explained that when you don't communicate your feelings, when you squash what's inside, your body reacts in ways to make you notice and put you back in balance.  When you have Hashimoto's/Autoimmune thryroiditis, your body is literally attacking itself.  You are attacking your thyroid, the seat of communication. My body was literally crying out, "Pay attention to your voice. Be heard.  It's time to speak."

When I thought back, I hadn't been myself for years. Once a brazen, loud-mouthed, jovial type who sang and laughed often, I found myself turned inward, never speaking my true thoughts. I always had a knot in my throat.  I often kept my mouth shut when I really had so much to say.   The doctor said, "You really have to find your voice again. This is the way you're going to heal."  

For the next couple of posts, I'm going to share with you the techniques I've learned to better communicate with myself and with others.  Do you believe there is a spiritual component to thyroid disease?  What are your thoughts?  Join the discussion!

Book Review: Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this excellent resource to our readers.  It was an absolute blessing that I came by the book, "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?" by Datis Kharrazian.  In his book, Dr. Kharrazian describes in great detail how one comes to have thyroid challenges, the different types of thyroid issues there are and the complications that arise system-wide from these issues.  In addition, he addresses thyroid issues in men and women and the many different methods for treatment.  I wish I had found this book sooner.  It really explains in layman's terms what is going on with the body.  After reading this book, I was able to have a more educated discussion with my doctors and healers and was armed with the questions that need to be asked.

What books or websites have you found helpful in managing your thyroid symptoms?  Please join the discussion!

The Stress Component: Massage Miracles

Having Hashimoto's can be very stressful.  Not only do the symptoms cause a lot of stress but handling stress itself is more difficult given our compromised nervous systems.  I know I used to pride myself on how well I handled stress.  In my previous life (pre-HT), I thought stress was for ninnies.  Just deal with things and move on was my attitude.  Not so much anymore....

My poor husband has to deal with a lady who breaks down all the time anymore.  Things that would never have bothered me in the past create not only a stress reaction now but a strong physical one.  As soon as I stress, my body goes into panic mode.  On top of that, the more I read and speak to doctors and healers, the more I receive the message, "Limit Your Stress.  It's exacerbating your condition!"  Well, if hearing that when you can't seem to control your nervous system isn't stressful, I don't know what is.

So, to nourish my sweet, sensitive nervous system these days, I get a massage as often as I can afford it.  It really has had a positive impact on my ability to manage stress and on my symptoms.  There are many ways that massage can help.  Here are a few of them:

• Getting an hour to yourself!
• Enhances Immunity
• Alleviates Pain
• Relaxes the Nervous System
• Stimulates the Lymphatic System

Really, the list could go on and on.  What about you?  Do you use massage to manage stress?  What kind of massage works best for you?

Live in the LA area and want the best massage?  Go to Burke Williams (my happy place) and make an appointment with Caroline (at the Santa Monica location).  She's the best!  Speaking of which, I should make my appointment now....

And don't forget, massage doesn't have to be expensive.  Trade massages with a friend or partner or even find a great massage therapist and trade services!

Beginning My Journey

My adventure with Hashimoto's began almost a year ago when I was finally, successfully diagnosed by Dr. Sadeghi at Behive of Healing.  After years of communicating symptoms with several different doctors, I finally found one who truly listened and went beyond the standard blood tests (see previous post on Why I Started This Blog.)  He actually did a full thyroid panel and tested my TSH and TPO antibody levels. Finally, I had a diagnosis and the healing could begin!

One of the first suggestions that Dr. Sadeghi made was to read, The Autoimmune Epidemic so that I could understand the disease. Honestly, I found the book frightening  and stressful to read but it did outline all the different forces that come together to create Hashimoto's in the body.  For that reason, it is a valuable resource I can recommend.

What I learned from the book was that there are many forms of toxicity that create an autoimmune response.  A lot of this toxicity comes from the environment.  One thing the book suggests we check are our heavy metal levels.  I had mine checked and my levels for mercury and lead were off the charts.  So, the first part of my healing plan was to address the heavy metal toxicity.

Have you had your heavy metal levels checked?  What types of treatments were presented to you to get rid of the toxins?

Why I Started This Blog

A few years ago, I began having what seem to be an all-systems breakdown of my body.  My body temperature seemed all over the place.  I was having allergic reactions to all sorts of food.  I was sleeping too much and then too little; always exhausted.  My hair was falling out.  My skin was really dry.  The list went on and on.  I began describing the litany of symptoms to my doctors.  As I was going through a particularly stressful time in my life, each doctor said these symptoms were due to stress or being a new mother.   After insisting something wasn't right, the doctors ran some standard blood tests.  NORMAL.  Then, I wound up in the hospital after a 24 hour digestive attack, not once but twice! More blood tests ensued.  Nothing, blood work was NORMAL.  Ultrasounds were performed.  NORMAL.  But I didn't feel normal and I'm not one for spending my days in doctors' offices and hospitals.  I didn't even birth my child in a hospital.  I had a natural home birth and now I'm begging my husband to call an ambulance during each of these digestive attacks.  I was scared.  I didn't know what to do.  I hoped that this all was due to stress knowing that this stressful period in our lives was about to end.  So I waited and worked on managing stress.  Nothing.  No change. I still felt terrible.  "Oh well," I thought.  This must be what motherhood feels like.

Then a miracle happened.  We were visiting a new integrative doctor for my son and he took one look at me and said, "What's going on with you?" I had never met him before but he saw right away my suffering. I broke down in tears and described my symptoms to him and he said," I know what this is but let's give you a blood test to prove it".  Sure enough, he knew what it was.  I had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  What a relief - we finally knew what was going on and it had a name!  Now, what were we going to do about it?

I learned very quickly that the standard medical community believes there is no cure for Hashimoto's.  The belief is that one will be on medication for life or have to have the thyroid removed.  This is the reason most doctors don't perform the full thyroid panel in the blood test.  Regardless of the outcome, the treatment method is the same.  Life-long medication.

Luckily, my new doctor, Dr. Sadeghi, had a different take.  There was hope.  My body could heal itself and he would help guide me on this path. I wasn't alone.  I wasn't crazy. I WAS going to get better.

This blog is about my journey to healing myself of Hashimoto's in a gentle, natural way.  It is a forum for the exchange of helpful ideas for those dealing with Hashimoto's.  It is not only my story.  I want to hear from you and what you've had success with and what your challenges have been.

We are not alone.  We are not crazy.  And, we now have a support group for additional methods of healing ourselves from Hashimoto's.  Thank you for being a part of my healing!