From Hashimoto’s To Health Coach: My Holistic Healing Journey

My Health Journey

As a child and young adult, I mostly enjoyed excellent health. This was until about four years ago when I went through a breakup, moved my life over to Australia and took on a high-pressure job. I had always been a people pleaser and perfectionist, so when I was faced with a big work project, I let it take over my life and sense of self to the point where I completely ignored the signs that my body was struggling.

Doctors thought I had the flu and prescribed me with bed rest – it turned out I had a kidney infection. This wasn’t diagnosed until the point that I was in the emergency room. After a lumbar puncture procedure was performed to check for meningitis and I’d spent 24 hours on an antibiotic drip, the doctors discovered that we were too late and the kidney infection had spread to my blood – I had septicaemia (blood poisoning).

Recovery from this acute infection took weeks, and after that point, my immune system was never the same. For the next nine months, I experienced almost monthly UTIs, thrush, sinus infections, and more. Doctors told me that nothing was wrong and kept putting me back on antibiotics but I knew something wasn’t right.

I became my own health detective by reading extensively, listening to podcasts and getting testing done until one day, I self-diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and managed to convince a doctor to do the test which confirmed it. And so began my holistic healing journey… one that started with food and became about total transformation.

My diagnosis was both a eureka moment and a cry-fest all in one! It marked the end of a life I once knew but birthed the opportunity for me to get to know myself better; to build a stronger relationship with my body, mind, and spirit. What did I really want out of life? Where had I been ignoring my needs or denying my truth in order to fit in with people or society’s expectations?

This was an opportunity for deep healing and personal growth. An opportunity for dynamic change that came at the age of 23 – what a gift!

Turning Pain Into Purpose

The beautiful thing is that this experience – from rock bottom crisis to becoming the healthiest, happiest version of me – taught me so much. It sounds strange to say that I am grateful for it but in many ways, I truly am.

Firstly, I learned how important it is to set boundaries and value yourself. This process forced me to look at my anxious tendencies, low self-esteem, and self-worth issues in a way that has changed my life for the better. I believe it is no coincidence that people who are diagnosed with Hashimoto’s are often those who strive for achievement and perfection. This disease teaches you to practise self-care and slow down.

Hashimoto’s has also been the wake-up call I needed to change the direction of my life. I knew I wasn’t living in alignment with who I truly was but I kept doing it because I listened to society’s “shoulds”. I have made big changes in many aspects of my life to make sure it feels bursting with purpose and fulfilling for my soul – something which everybody deserves to feel. I re-evaluated relationships, developed a spiritual practice, overhauled my diet and approach to exercise, and even switched careers by leaving my “sensible” marketing manager role and training to become a certified health coach.

I love being able to spend my days inspiring, supporting, and guiding women to heal holistically from Hashimoto’s – a condition that can be reversed and put into remission with the right root cause treatment approach and dietary, lifestyle, and mindset changes. In fact, I live 95% of my life feeling better and brighter than I ever did before! I’m living proof that it can be done and it makes my heart happy to be able to share this information with the world.

Symptoms of Hashimoto’s

Thyroid hormone is present within every single cell of the body. That’s why, when left untreated or unmanaged, those with the condition can end up feeling pretty rubbish!

Unsurprisingly, as the autoimmune response ebbs and flows, symptoms do too. You can swing between hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms which can include:

• Weight gain or the inability to lose weight
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Puffiness and swelling
• Joint and muscle pain
• Constipation
• Brain fog and poor memory
• Cold sensitivity and body temperature fluctuations
• Infertility or difficulty getting pregnant
• Hair loss or thinning, brittle hair (and nails)
• Irregular or heavy periods
• Depression, anxiety, and mood swings
• Heart rate changes
• Neck swelling and hoarse voice

How to Thrive with Hashimoto’s

• Don’t freak out! There is so much that can be done (and Google isn’t always your friend!).
• Pick up Izabella Wentz’ books. These are a great starting point.
• Build a support team. This could include a functional doctor, a coach, a naturopath, an acupuncturist, and of course, loving relationships with family, your partner, others in the chronic health community, and friends.
• Think about how you can optimise your diet, lifestyle, and daily routine alongside the help of a health professional who can guide you.
• Explore the root cause and triggers of your condition. This is vital because Hashimoto’s is not simply a thyroid problem, but an immune system problem.
• Remember, health is not a destination — it’s a journey. There will be highs and lows, good days and bad days, but don’t beat yourself up over the flare-ups or the belief that you could have done something differently.
• Be your own health advocate and invest in your health – it’s the most important asset you have!

Becoming Vibrant + Thriving Again

If you or someone you know is struggling with Hashimoto’s, I’m here to help! I coach women on a 1:1 basis through my 3-month personalised health coaching program – Vibrant + Thriving – to help Hashimoto’s warriors heal, regain energy and mental clarity, increase self-confidence, and build more balance into their lives.

During our time together, we will dive into everything from diet to lifestyle factors like stress, relationships, career, spirituality, and exercise. We will also explore one of the greatest missing links: mindset and emotional healing.

This program is always tailored to YOU. It is my commitment to be your personal cheerleader and support system! I will motivate and inspire you to create lasting lifestyle changes that will lead you to vibrant, thriving health. Let’s get your mojo back today.