Most people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are better able to handle the stress in their lives. While this is true for most people in general, and not just those with an autoimmune hypothyroid disorder, the fact is that stress can be one of the causes of this condition. And if it’s not the cause of your disorder, then it can certainly make your condition worse if you don’t do a good job of managing it.

What you need to realize is that our bodies were not designed to handle chronic stress, rather they were meant to deal with acute stress situations. So what happens is that when a person has chronic stress (which seems to describe most of us in this society), this in turn can weaken the immune system and can also have a negative effect on other areas of the body, such as the adrenal gland. acorns. This compromised immune system or stressed adrenal glands can ultimately lead to the formation of an autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

So the goal here is to provide you with twelve stress management tips that can help you restore your health to normal, prevent your condition from worsening, and/or reduce the likelihood of developing other conditions in the future. This may sound too good to be true. But when you understand that chronic stress is not something your body was designed to handle AND that there are a number of things you need to do to manage the stress in your life, you’ll realize that following the advice I’m about to giving it can do wonders when it comes to your health.

Here are the 12 stress management tips:

Tip #1: Try to keep a positive attitude most of the time. While a positive attitude alone isn’t enough to manage stress, having one can definitely help. Obviously no one can be positive 100% of the time. But many people seem to always have a negative attitude towards them, which definitely won’t help you deal with stress in your life.

Tip #2: Start a regular exercise program. You want to do some form of cardiovascular activity at least 3-4 times a week, ideally for at least 30 minutes each time. This can include taking a walk outside or on a treadmill, riding an elliptical machine or stationary bike, or anything else that makes you break a sweat. I realize that some people with autoimmune disorders may not have the energy to exercise. If this describes you, even 20 to 30 minutes of walking will be beneficial. In addition to cardio, other activities that can help you manage stress include yoga and Pilates.

Tip #3: Eat healthier foods. Most of us can do a much better job of incorporating healthier foods into our diets. I don’t expect anyone who has been eating poorly to immediately give up all the “bad foods” they love. But even making small changes to what you eat can have a big impact on your health.

Tip #4: Drink plenty of purified water every day. Many sources suggest that you should drink at least eight large glasses of water a day. The problem with this is that each person has different needs based on his weight, so I recommend he drink half his body weight in ounces. So, for example, if he weighs 140 pounds, then he’ll want to drink at least 70 ounces of water per day. And please don’t drink tap water as you should be drinking purified water.

Tip #5: Take quality nutritional supplements. Since most of us don’t eat a perfect diet, it’s important to take some quality nutritional supplements every day. At a minimum, you should take a quality multimineral vitamin and fatty acid every day. Many malabsorbable supplements are sold, so be careful. I personally recommend whole food supplements to my patients, rather than the synthetic vitamins most retailers sell.

Tip #6: Get at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night. I know this may seem difficult to do, especially if you need to get up early to go to work. And again, some people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis will have difficulty falling asleep and/or will wake up in the middle of the night. So until they fix this issue, it’s true that it will be difficult for them to get eight hours of quality sleep on a regular basis. Sleep problems are often caused by stressed adrenal glands, which is not addressed by most endocrinologists and doctors.

Tip #7: Avoid environmental toxins as much as possible. While it is not possible to completely avoid them, you need to realize that these toxins really take a toll on our health. I’m not going to discuss everything you can do to avoid these toxins, but I will tell you two things you can do to help you in the long run. First of all, install a filter in your shower that removes chlorine, as this can really help boost your energy levels. Second, stop buying household cleaning products with harsh chemicals and instead buy some natural household cleaning products at your local health food store.

Tip #8: Make love more often. Having sex increases endorphins in your body, which will also help you manage stress. So make love to your partner more often.

Tip #9: Get a monthly massage. Schedule an appointment with a certified massage therapist and enjoy a monthly massage. Massage therapy is not just about managing stress as it has many other benefits as well. But one of the great benefits of massage therapy is that it can help relieve stress.

Tip #10: Consider seeing a chiropractor. Okay, I admit I’m a bit biased here, as I have a background in chiropractic. But since spinal adjustments help balance the nervous system, getting them from a chiropractor can also help relieve stress. Just like massage therapy, there are many other benefits when it comes to chiropractic.

Tip #11: Talk to someone. Sometimes talking to someone can help relieve stress. This does not necessarily mean talking to a counselor, although it can be helpful in some cases. But even talking to a good friend, family member, or acquaintance can really help.

Tip #12: Don’t take life so seriously. This does not mean that you should not take certain aspects of your life seriously. But on the other hand, many of us let things get stressed out when they really shouldn’t. Write a list of some of the things that cause stress in your life, and then take a look at these tips I just gave you, and see how you can apply these tips to those things that stress you out on a regular basis.

For example, if you have a job that stresses you out, you may need to change your attitude (or change your job!). Or it may be that you are not eating well and/or not getting enough sleep. These lifestyle changes won’t eliminate stress from your life, but they will help you manage it better. If your spouse is stressing you out, counseling may be the answer for you.

So there you have it, if you follow at least 75% of these tips (9 out of 12), including the first six I mentioned, you will do wonders for managing your stress. Admittedly, this is an incomplete list, as there are other things you can do to manage your stress. But these are some of the most important ones that can really help restore your health and help you maintain your health.