Ditch-The-Booze-And-Live-Thyroid-Gorgeously
Esther Blum, Guest
Thyroid Nation

How I ditched booze to live Thyroid gorgeously….

I wasn’t always the poster child for good nutrition.

In fact, if I had my druthers, I’d be a smoking alcoholic. And it all started when I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Let me explain

If you’ve seen Raiders of the Lost Arc, you can recall the first scene where Marion and Indy are reunited in a bar in Nepal. The scene begins with Marion entrenched in a drinking contest, trying to win a big pile of cash. I was captivated and amazed seeing this woman drinking a man straight under the table–shot after shot–until the man passed out and fell off his bar stool. Everyone cheered in victory as she swept up her winnings and proceeded to go about her business as if it was just a typical Tuesday night; she was barely affected by the booze. I was IN. A woman who could hold her liquor AND battle the bad guys? Swoon.



Fast forward to my high school and college days and throughout my twenties, when I prided myself on drinking vodka–straight up, on the rocks, or in a martini with olives–many nights per week. For me, drinking was my escape as much as it was about personal power and control. I loved it all and let it shape and integrate into my identity.

How I ditched booze to live Thyroid gorgeously Click To Tweet

Over the years, however, booze took its toll. I had health issues come up that killed my thyroid; mercury toxicity in my early thirties and a long and ugly battle with Epstein-Barr for the past seven years (happily I’m winning that battle, but I’m still in the ring fighting).

My thyroid has taken a beating big-time and had its ups and downs. So I’ve shelved booze for now. And you know what? I’m so much better for it.

My gut is healing, my thyroid is on the mend, and most importantly, I feel ridiculously clear, centered, and grounded. My energy is amazing. I don’t have mood swings. My PMS is under control. My skin looks so pretty. And my husband always has a designated driver. )wink(

Most importantly, though, is that I no longer let drinking define me or my identity. I can still rock any party and be just as funny and loose without booze. And miraculously, it no longer occurs to me to reach for a drink when I’m feeling stressed.

Just last week I was having a conversation with my bestie who was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s about 8 months ago. I’ve been concerned about her health because she struggles to create time in her life to care for herself. She is at the point where she remembers to take her meds every day, but she is only beginning to see just how much she has on her plate and that it’s time for her to release some of her burdens. She works full-time, has 2 children, and is completing a massive home renovation. Although she loves having many balls up in the air and thrives on the chaos, she is writing checks her body just can’t cash. And her downfall is red wine every night.

If you have thyroid issues, get checked for mercury toxicity Click To Tweet

We had a loving and supportive conversation about it because I’m seeing her get more and more exhausted in spite of taking medications and following a gluten-free diet. Which means that we now need to take a look at the role stress plays in her thyroid function. She was kind enough to listen to my advice to cut out booze for 30 days and give her body a chance to heal and rebalance. Let’s see how it goes for her.

What are some practical takeaways for you and your thyroid?

1. Make your body a priority before you have no other choice. Instead of denying or ignoring your stresses, why not hold space for them in your life and think about how you can manage your stresses every day? It’s much easier to install smoke alarms than it is to put out a burning fire.

2. Put technology to good use. I love the Headspace app for a quick 10 minutes of meditation, but do a little research and find ones that work for you. If it’s hard for you to sit and meditate, get out for a quiet walk in nature – works for me every time.

3. If you have thyroid issues, get checked for mercury toxicity and Epstein-Barr virus.  Both of those conditions can knock out your thyroid and often go undetected.  Epstein-Barr is extra tricky because it can disguise itself as a thyroid condition.

4. Cut out grains for 30 days and see how you feel. Grains can trigger autoimmune titers. Get back to your roots and stock up on sweet potatoes, winter squashes (butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash) and pumpkin. Swap out coconut and cassava flour in your baked goods. Use raw pepper halves in place of buns on sandwiches.

5. Hold off on booze. Alcohol can disrupt your hormones, interfere with a good night’s sleep, and put the pause on fat-burning. It can also knock out your thyroid function. So ease up until you get things under control.

I thank you for holding space for me today and look forward to hearing about how you enabled your thyroid to have its best year yet!

Live Gorgeously~ Esther

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About the Author

Esther-BlumEsther Blum, MS,RD,CDN,CNS is a wife, mother to a wonderful boy, friend, avid reader, networker, photographer, humorist, hunter-gatherer, clinical and holistic dietitian with 20+ years of experience, and bestselling author of Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous,Secrets of Gorgeous, The Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous Project, and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat. For more information on Esther, follow her at www.EstherBlum.com.

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Questions or anything to add about ditching booze for your thyroid?  We’d love your thoughts in the comments section–Please!