My Personal Journey With Thyroid Disease

I was always the athletic, fiercely determined, healthy girl. I could work twelve hour days, hit the beast-mode button at the gym twice a day and still find the energy to stay closely connected to the people I loved. My normal was hectic. I was always on the go. And I’d told myself that becoming the queen of busy, was a good thing – that I could do it all. After all, I was strong and healthy.

But

THIS HEALTHY GIRL IGNORED ALL THE SIGNS

In 2016 that my doctor found a large lump in my neck. ‘This could be cancer’ she said. I was frozen and my stomach literally dropped to my toes. I swear. Nothing hits you quite like hearing the C bomb. But I didn’t have to sit in the sunken place for long.

After a slew of tests, it only took a couple of days to get the call. No cancer. But the lump in my neck was most likely a goiter caused by hyperthyroidism. It turned out that it wasn’t just an overactive thyroid. It was Graves’ Disease (an autoimmune disease) and my body was attacking my thyroid. ‘You are one very lucky girl’ she said

And

I HAD MY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TO THANK

After taking the biggest sigh of relief I could take, I was confused.

I knew my body. How could I not notice a lump in my neck? How could I not notice that my resting heart rate was through the roof? I had to be honest. My body had given me textbook signs and symptoms that something was wrong. I brushed every single one of them off.

Hair falling out by the handfuls.

Feeling exhausted all of the time.

Dealing with the symptoms of Graves’ was tough. Dealing with the side effects of medication was tough. But the toughest part was dealing with the fact that I hadn’t practiced the self-care I preached to my clients for years.

I was

DETERMINED TO REGAIN MY HEALTH

I completely shifted my mindset.

I nourished my soul, not just my body. I exercised with the intention of healing my body; not just to change the way my body looked. And it worked. For the first time in nearly three years, my thyroid hormone levels are normal. And I’m medication free!

Exercise and nutrition didn’t only help save my life, it helped me regain my life. I feel strong, full of life and I’m more determined than ever to help other women who are on this journey. I want to encourage them to choose wellness, to slow down, to make themselves a priority. And most importantly, I want to help redefine what it means to be a healthy woman.