Thyroid-Health-Remission-Trip-To-Dentist-Changed-My-Life
Carrie Vitt, Contributor
Thyroid Nation

Mercury Fillings, Heavy Metals And Thyroid Health

Sometimes life takes a turn and you end up on a path you never even imagined. That’s what happened to me. I took a simple trip to the dentist’s office because of a cracked amalgam filling in one of my teeth. The dentist removed the filling without taking the proper precautions. As soon as I sat up from the chair I felt terrible and knew something was wrong. I spent a week in bed, gradually regained some of my strength and went on with life.




A few weeks later, I started having problems with my complexion and then developed hives from the neck up that wouldn’t go away. My hair began falling out, I couldn’t sleep and I had allergic reactions to nearly everything I ate or came in contact with. I soon became very depressed and spent many days in bed with ice packs on my face because my skin was burning, red and peeling. Was it my thyroid health?

I spent nine months going from doctor to doctor without anyone really listening or running tests. Finally, I found a doctor who investigated my case and ordered the required thyroid health blood tests. In the spring of 2009 he diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

The doctor’s prognosis was unsatisfying: I could take a drug to potentially manage my thyroid health symptoms, but my thyroid would eventually stop working and I’d be on medications for the rest of my life. I decided to look for another path.

Years ago, I overcame chronic migraines, IBS and eczema with food, so I had a hunch my eating could play a role in my recovery. I began working with a certified nutritionist to help me get to the root of the problem.

Remember the cavity I had removed and refilled? After many tests, we discovered my thyroid had absorbed heavy metals from the amalgam filling. Consequently, my liver “backed up” so it couldn’t properly filter any toxins my body encountered. This helped explain the hives and the thyroid disorder.

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My nutritionist prescribed a grain-free, nutrient-dense diet and gentle detox therapies. Grain-free eating was new to me and a little scary. No bread? No rice? No pasta? What’s left? I discovered you can have grain-free versions of your favorite foods if you want, and if you look beyond the typical American dinner plate, you’ll be amazed at the delicious variety of foods available to you.

I was also very fortunate to have a supportive family. When learned of my need to drastically change my diet, my husband said, “If you have to do this, then we do it together”. So my husband and two daughters joined in for the ride and it’s been a fantastic experience for us all.

After many years of discipline and hard work, I’m happy to say my disease is in remission and I’m symptom-free! I can’t even tell you how much a grain-free, nutrient-dense diet has changed my life! I can now spend time with my kids, family and friends and be an active member of my community.

Thyroid Health Remission

Carrie-Vitt-BookMy health struggles and path to healing led me to write dozens of articles about thyroid disease, thyroid health and detox, create new nutrient-dense recipes for those struggling and I also wrote a second cookbook, The Grain-Free Family Table. In the book I share my entire story of recovery for thyroid health, tips to help reduce inflammation and encourage recovery from disease, and over 125 grain-free recipes to get you going on this new path.

I adapted this recipe from husband’s favorite breakfast – potato and bacon hash. I use finely chopped cauliflower in place of the potatoes. The first time I made it my husband was a bit skeptical, but after a few bites he said, “This is amazing!” It pairs well with scrambled or sunny-side-up eggs.

Cauliflower and Bacon Hash Recipe

Serves 4-6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

  • unspecified6 bacon slices (nitrate-free and pastured preferred), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 head “riced” cauliflower*
  • 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower has softened and some pieces are just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges. Stir the bacon in to the cauliflower mixture and serve.

*Cut the cauliflower into 2-inch pieces. Place half the cauliflower in the food processor and pulse for seven or eight 1-second pulses, or until the cauliflower pieces are about the size of grains of rice. Pour into a medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

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About the Author

Carrie-new-profileCarrie Vitt, Author, Blogger, Chef and Hashimoto’s Thyroid Health Warrior. Through unprocessed, organic food she’s overcome Hashimoto’s disease, chronic migraines, IBS and eczema. With the encouragement of friends she began teaching cooking classes out of her home. Before long she was overwhelmed with requests for information and recipes, so she started the cooking blog, Deliciously Organic, as an interactive and efficient avenue to teach and dispense advice and recipes on a much wider scale. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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