HEALING HASHIMOTO’S: MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Welcome to Episode 4 of Georgina Szabo TV! I was able to put my Hashimoto’s disease in remission within 6 months. As a result I was able to get pregnant naturally at age 39, and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. In the process I found my true purpose, which is helping others heal Hashimoto’s so we can all live a happy, fulfilling life.
In this episode of Georgina Szabo TV, I am going to share my experience working with a functional medicine doctor so that you can see how functional medicine differs from conventional medicine.
HEALING HASHIMOTO’S: MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE – Episode 4
(For Spanish Subtitles, or any other language, turn on closed captions by clicking on “CC”. Then go to Settings – the little wheel icon in the video control bar – then select Subtitles/CC. Next choose “auto translate” and select the language of your choice.)
So how did I even find out about functional medicine? Well, it’s a funny story. 2 months before I got diagnosed with Hashimoto’s I was at our local library browsing books for my kiddo. My husband pointed out a book on the shelf titled “Eat fat, get thin” by Dr. Mark Hyman. I was a raging cheese eater at the time so the title got my attention. I thought to myself- finally someone will tell me that eating cheese is totally good for you! Well, Dr. Hyman explains in this book the difference between good fat and bad fat, which ones we should have and which ones we should avoid. You can guess what he said about cheese.
Dr. Mark Hyman is a functional medicine doctor and by picking up his book I found out about functional medicine. What is functional medicine? To quote Dr. Hyman: “Functional Medicine seeks to identify the root cause of symptoms to correct imbalances and find long-lasting healing that supports the body, mind, and spirit as a whole and it’s completely personalized. This is the future of medicine—available right now. Their ultimate goal—helping people heal and live vibrant lives.”
Upon meeting functional medicine doctor Stephanie Daniel for my initial consultation that lasted about 90 min. we went over my family history, symptoms I was experiencing, when I started experiencing them, she also asked about my environment where I had lived the past couple of years to see what chemicals and toxins I may have been exposed to. I was fascinated to say the least. Not one doctor has ever sat me down and asked so many details about me.
Based on my answers she ordered specific blood tests and stool tests so we could get more information. While we were waiting to get the results back, she followed up with a detailed protocol targeted to my personal needs that included nutrition, supplements and additional considerations such as detoxification methods.
Detoxifying my body played a huge part of healing my Hashimoto’s. I highly highly encourage you to consult a functional medicine doctor before starting any hard-core detox plan. You don’t know what toxins you have in your body and how much. You may end up doing more harm then help. For example, I was put on specific binders that would help pull the various toxins out of my body. These binders act like magnets, a lot of type toxins cannot come out without using a binder. Doing it without binders can also make you feel worse. It’s also important to build up to a regimen. Again, be sure to consult a functional medicine doctor for guidance.
I was also instructed to green my home—which is to remove all toxic household cleaners such as those that contain chlorine, as well as installing shower filters that would remove chemicals from our water too. At this time I invested into a high-quality water filter that also removes fluoride from our drinking water. I share detailed info on the products I use in my home under the Resources section of my blog.
Next, when my blood testing and stool testing results came back I had another consultation call with Dr. Daniel to go over the results and address next steps. In a nutshell, I had some bad bacteria in my gut that had to be removed and certain supplements had to be added that I was lacking.
As you can see, various information is being looked at and being addressed in order to support the body’s ability to heal. Diet alone will not help. By working with a functional medicine doctor you can find out what needs to be removed from your body and what supplements you may need.
For example, before meeting Dr. Daniel I bought most of the supplements mentioned in Dr. Izabella Wentz’s book Hashimoto’s protocol. Turned out I didn’t need half of those.
To summarize, a functional medicine doctor will help identify what’s ailing you, how to remove it, and which nutrients you need more of. It’s impossible to do it without their help. Based on your story, they know which tests to order, how to read the results and put a plan together specific to your needs. Doing it solo on your own is like throwing darts in the dark.
Of course, there are foundational steps that everyone can take as a start such as detoxifying your home environment, start making dieting changes, practicing meditation or restorative yoga, and getting more sleep. These steps will help you set yourself up for success while you are waiting to meet your functional medicine doctor.
Additionally, you can educate yourself on Hashimoto’s to have a better understanding about the condition. For this reason, I co-hosted a wellness evening with my functional medicine doctor Stephanie Daniel. If you haven’t watched the science-based overview yet on how Hashimoto’s develops and what you CAN do to start reversing it, make sure to click the green button to get free access:
Thank you for tuning in and spending this time with me. If you have found value in this episode, please share it with anyone who may be struggling with Hashimoto’s and would love to know more.
“It’s more important to understand the imbalances in your body’s basic systems and restore balance, rather than name the disease and match the pill to the ill.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
Resources Mentioned That Will Help Healing Hashimoto’s
Eat Fat, Get Thin (Book) – Learn More Here
Why the fat we eat is the key to sustained weight loss and vibrant health. For decades we’ve been told that the fat we eat turns to fat in the body, contributing to weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and generally poor health. As Dr. Mark Hyman explains in Eat Fat, Get Thin, a growing body of research is revealing the immense health and weight-loss benefits of a high-fat diet rich in eggs, nuts, oils, avocados, coconut oil, and other delicious superfoods. Dr. Hyman debunks some of our most persistent fat-phobic myths and clearly explains the science behind fat’s health benefits. In addition to learning why fat is good and which fats are best, you’ll learn how to apply that knowledge in your day-to-day life.
Healing Hashimoto’s Naturally and Get Your Life Back (Video) – Watch It Here
In this short video Dr. Stephanie Daniel discusses how Hashimoto’s develops and what can be done to reverse it. I worked with Dr. Daniel and absolutely love her approach and the way she explains the entire process. In fact, with her guidance I was able to put my Hashimoto’s in remission within 6 months of working with her. As a result I was able to get pregnant naturally at age 39, and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. This convenient format fits any busy schedule- tune in while you drive to work, do dishes or go for a walk. If you have time to watch/listen to one thing, let this be it!
Green Your Home (Georgina’s Resources) – Learn More Here
If you’re wondering what my everyday go-tos are… check out my resources page! Here I list some of the essential resources that contributed to my healing, and are still part of my day-to-day wellness plan. In an effort to support my body’s ability to heal, I had to remove any and all toxicity from my home environment. It is crucial to eliminate the most common sources of toxins that can compromise our immune system such as in cosmetics, cleaning products, water and the air. Especially those in most cosmetics/personal care products because we feed these directly to our body via our skin.
Whether you just got diagnosed with Hashimoto’s or have had it for a while, I would love to hear from you. Drop me a comment below to say hello and ask me a question you would like help with.