Thyroid Diet - Update 1

Overall, I feel pretty good.

Last time I weighed myself (which I didn't post here, for whatever reason), I was down almost a pound and a half despite the point in my cycle I'm currently in. Since I didn't lose any weight and even, some weeks, gained weight no matter what I did for over a month before this, I'm inclined to think of it as proof of how it's working. It's still early days--I've only been on this diet for less than a month--but it's something, and it's encourageing, and it makes me want to see if it'll keep getting better.

As for the other things I'm seeing if I can fix without medication...
- My mood is generally more stable. I had a big disappointment early in the week and it ruined my day but didn't linger for the rest of the week like previous disappointments have. I'm still figuring out motivation, but I feel better enough to plan stuff now; before, I was having trouble even getting that far.
- I'm still sleeping way out of sorts, but I got some chamomile tea and that helps me get sleepy when I should be and stay asleep better once I'm in bed.
- My hormones are still all over the place, but random floating pains caused by it are down to almost nothing--and that right there is amazing enough to make all this thinking about what I'm eating worth it! Beforehand, I was hurting all over in alarming ways, and now almost all of that is gone! I also have clearer skin and the afore-mentioned evener and more positive emotions.
- And my overall energy levels are up.

Here's what I've been doing:
- Taking vitamins and a few herbal suppliments
- Switching white carbs for brown ones, and generally trying to avoid sugary and fatty foods, especially when both are together
- Getting the thyroid-friendly foods into rotation: seaweed, lean proteins, whole grains, fresh veggies and fruits, coconut oil, omega-3s
- Avoiding the whole cabbage family unless it's cooked real well, trying to avoid corn and soy (almost impossible, but I can minimize), trimming gluten
- Taking ACV daily as a general tonic, ands drinking more green and oolong tea instead of just black tea.

And even though it could be placebo-effect, I feel a lot better.

So, all in all, not bad for only a few weeks and a little shifting of diet without a whole lot of exclusions!

How about you guys? Anyone on a diet, or trying to fix something with food instead of medicine? How're you doing?

heal thyself: toothache

A few years ago, I had a toothache that turned debilitating-- like, taken to the hospital from work by my boss, unable to speak, whole side of my head swollen up debilitating. That turned out to be an abcess, required two weeks of antibiotics, and an almost-five-hundred-dollar tooth extraction. Which was all my savings, and I haven't had more than 75 or a hundred to my name since, which just won't cut it if I need another extraction (and I certainly can't afford a root canal or whatever, and I'm severely resistant to pain killers, so it required two rounds before and I really don't want to do that again).

So yesterday, at the Day!Job, being as how it was Labor Day Weekend, it was crazy and I was stressed, and after sleeping all night with gritted teeth, I woke up and thought that's why my jaw hurt. This morning, however, I find that it's definitely because of a sort tooth. The pain has matured like a fine wine (whine?) and has become both sharper and more localized, and is definitely to do with one specific tooth.

I looked up holistic remedies to handle it while I still can, and at the very least to buy time so I can maybe make it a few more paychecks and scrape up some money. It seems I need to get my hands on activated charcoal tablets, calcium and magnesium suppliments, probiotic lozenges, baking soda rinses, and plantain leaves to make a poultice. Used teabags can help, and I always have those around, and green tea is proven to be good for teeth anyway. I can do this. These are all natural things, and I can manage them. They are not scary and they don't involve trays of shining tools that look like they're out of a Medieval torturer's bag. I'm planning on going to the store later today as soon as I crunch some numbers (rent is coming up, so I have to be careful), and seeing what's available at our local Tar-jay.

And this bugger is going down, naturally.