Feeling energetic

fiftysister

So many people ask me where I get my energy from. If I’m not hiking, I’m swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, working (of course!) or thinking of new projects. My mind is on fire!

This wasn’t always the case. 10 years ago I could barely walk, my legs so swollen and painful that I panicked at the prospect of standing for any length of time. My thyroid was in meltdown mode and went undetected for quite some time. It was only when I felt I couldn’t go on and begged my GP to help me that everything changed.

The first Doctor I visited told me I was fat because I was lazy and ate too much. If I lost weight I would be able to exercise and would feel better. But I was living on 600 calories per day, and that is no exaggeration. When your Thyroid becomes underactive, it saves all your calorie intake as fat and leaves none for normal functions. I wanted to sleep 24/7. Getting out of bed was a major task, and work became almost impossible.


I commuted several times per week to London which was a 412 mile round trip. I pinched my legs to stay away whilst driving, had a sleeping bag on the back seat to grab a snooze any opportunity I could.


My underactive thyroid caused weight gain, hair loss, brain fog, muscle spasms, severe fatigue, sensitivity to cold, depression, muscle aches and weakness, muscle cramps, heavy periods (I also had adenomyosis which meant I was bleeding so heavily I was severely anaemic), brittle nails & hair, dry skin, difficulty thinking and memory loss.

Fast forward and I am now feeling on top of the world with the correct medication and a plant based diet. I feel I have my life back. I am a little bit sad that I lost almost 10 years of my life feeling so ill, but I’m making up for lost time now.
Leggings (they are stunning and so comfy!!) : @famaraonline


#hypothyroidism #hypothyroid #chronicfatigue #plantbased #vegan #thyroxine #autoimmunedisease #foodasfuel #fitafter50 #healthyaging #over50 #silverhair #adenomyosis #anaemic #anaemia