Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. It’s an auto-immune disease, meaning that my own immune system was attacking my thyroid gland as though it were a foreign invader, big time.

Of course, the thyroid regulates the metabolism, so if it’s sluggish, you’re going to be low-energy and overweight. Mine was in the basement! Indeed, the medical team back-dated onset to 2 years earlier, when I had mysteriously gained 30 pounds in a single month without changes to diet or level of exercise (Zumba 3x/week). I went from deliciously curvy to plain old fat in a matter of weeks.

{Yep, I could’ve made a chunk of change if I’d known how to bottle it for sale to aspiring Sumo wrestlers!}

Energetically, auto-immune means that you don’t love yourself enough.

That knowledge was almost harder to bear than the considerable extra weight and the very limited energy I had access to, while running a thriving business, a house, and being mom to an active 8-year-old.

At the time I was diagnosed, my anti-thyroid antibody count was at 527.6, well above (as in, over 100 times above) the healthy range of 0.0-5.0. Every time I had my blood tested, about twice a year, it would come down 50 or so points; a positive trend, but nothing to write home about. I was still exhausted and overweight.

Well, last Tuesday, I walked in and my doctor said, “Your labs are really positive today!” By that, I thought she meant that my antibody count had come down, say, 80 points.

Nope. It was down by HUNDREDS. In fact, it was at 1.4, at the low end of the healthy range. Whaaaaa????? It took me most of our hour together to wrap my head around the news (yes, I was visiting a naturopath, so we actually had time to talk). It wasn’t really until I was heading to my car to share the news that it really hit.

I’m still riding high! Frankly, I expected that this would be a millstone hanging around my neck for life. Can hardly believe that it’s over…

When I announced this on my Facebook timeline, a number of people asked what I ascribed my speedy healing to. At the time, I wasn’t really sure, still more in a state of shock than anything else.

As I’ve meditated on the subject for the past week, here are a few things that have come up for me. Since the last time I had my antibody levels tested I have:

• Given up the coaching end of my practice, which has lightened my load considerably, both in my calendar, and in my emotional body. This has resulted in a better self-care regimen, and more self-love because I’m finally more aligned.
• Been more careful to really get out and get grounded several times per day, much more often, and more intentionally, than ever before. I think this had a major effect in reducing the inflammation. DO try this at home, boys and girls! Even if you think you don’t “need” it.
• Played more with my crystals! This means “asking for help,” energetically. Every crystal beams out its healing vibes, and our human bodies can’t help but take those vibes in. Plus, enjoying my crystals makes me happy. We can check the “self love” box here, too.
• Taken major steps to stand in my own Power, and stand up for my desires, especially in my home life, which is where it was needed most. No longer putting myself last makes for a tasty spike in the self-love graph, lemme tell ya.
• Made a major decision that I had been waffling over for years. This may in fact be the most influential of all of them. Again: major self-love spike.

So, I don’t know if my results are replicatable by people you know who might be dealing with auto-immune issues, but it’s worth a shot, right? And perhaps these observations will illuminate a dark corner somewhere in your life.

I’d love to hear how you’re considering increasing your daily dose of self-love! Let’s get an amazing list going in the comments below!