Emily AmesCondition: Hashimoto’s, Adrenal Fatigue, Mold Exposure, Dysbiosis & Leaky GutDiagnosed Year: Age 28Foods I Love:Lard Coconut oil Avocado Olives Sweet Potatoes Bone Broth Chorizo Grass-fed beef and protein Raw chocolate Fermented pickles Spinach Turmeric Unfiltered apple cider vinegar Himalayan SaltFoods I Avoid:Gluten Dairy High sugar fruits “Low fat” foods Juice Soda Refined sugar Processed foods Legumes Soy Caffeine CoffeeMy Recipes & ArticlesEveryone Thought I Was a Hypochondriac. It Was Actually an Autoimmune Disease Called Hashimoto’s. on August 6, 2015Personal Pan Cauliflower Pizzas on April 22, 2015Chopped Kale Salad with Thai Sesame Dressing (Soy-free) on April 6, 2015Chicken Wings with Tandoori Coconut Milk Marinade onMy StoryBefore I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, I never made the connection between what I ate and how I felt. I had always been a skinny cross-country runner that could eat whatever I wanted. Fast forward to years later when I slowly started having seemingly unrelated issues crop up: anxiety, insomnia, swollen ankles, exhaustion, restless legs, acid reflux, acne, brittle hair, dry skin, cold hands and feet, lightheaded when standing, joint pain, weight gain, digestive issues, headaches, mood swings and hypoglycemia. Friends and family jokingly called me a hypochondriac because I always had something wrong with me even though I “looked healthy”. It wasn’t until I went to a dermatologist (who happened to practice both Eastern and Western medicine) for a routine checkup, that I finally got some clarity. She looked at me and said that I had trouble coping with stress, had a low thyroid, and I had a gluten and dairy intolerance. After years of being “borderline” hypothyroid (even though every single member of my family has a thyroid disorder) an endocrinologist finally diagnosed me with my autoimmune condition. Even though I was put on medicine, I didn’t like the thought of my body attacking my thyroid, so I read everything I could on the disease. After going to a naturopathic doctor, he also diagnosed me with adrenal fatigue and possible mold exposure. I went through a four month mold detox and low carb/low sugar diet. I finally realized the impact that holistic nutrition has on my disease. Over time, I have learned the importance of nutrient-dense food to control and hopefully put an autoimmune disease into remission. I am now gluten and dairy free and will be experimenting with the Autoimmune Paleo diet soon. Through diet and supplements alone, I’m happy to report my antibodies have been lowered to 22.
