Many of my patients have admitted that they have trouble focusing and blame it on many factors ranging from SIBO, systemic candidiasis and even leaky gut. The problem is that while yes those are contributing factors, as well as our hormone imbalance, something else plays a role… acetylcholine. This is especially true for those suffering from Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism.

Can’t meditate? Can’t focus? Feeling something that resembles ADD or ADHD? Perhaps you will want to take notes.

Everything about our body has to do with balance, from our hormones to our ability to stand up without falling over. When our acetylcholine levels are balanced we feel great, we feel happy and our creative juices are flowing. But when it is out of balance we can find ourselves feeling out of sorts. From memory issues, learning disabilities (or so they seem), language issues, attention issues, our thought process can be jumbled and our creativity may have completely tanked.

What can we do? Easy fix would be to eat foods with high levels of acetylcholine such as:

• Avocado (healthy fats for brain health!) and loaded with potassium
• Artichokes
• Grass Fed Beef
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cucumber
• Liver (I take desiccated liver caps daily!)
• Cabbage unless it’s slightly steamed and slathered in grass fed butter and himalayan salt or sauerkraut.
• Eggs, preferably duck eggs as they are easier on digestion and have higher levels of nutrients
• zucchini

For those of you who like to get a jump start and supplement go for it. Be sure to take these in the AM and throughout the early afternoon for best effects.

• Choline and phosphatidylcholine
• Acetyl – L – Carnitine
• DHA
• Thiamine
• B12
• Taurine

There are a few others that some practitioners are a fan of but I do not use in clinic. For reference sake here they are:

• Pantothenic acid
• Huperzine-A
• Ginkgo Biloba (use caution with this one)
• Korean Ginseng (use caution with this one too)

What else can you do to avoid issues and support your hashimoto’s journey?  Watch those blue lights (cell phones, electronic devices), EMF’s are not your friend, turn down the lighting at night especially avoid fluorescent lighting. get as much of the aluminum, fluoride, toxic load of chemicals, heavy metals, oh and stress out of your life as is humanly possible.

Managing stress is an important part of the healing journey, soft lighting is fabulous and of course being gentle on yourself. Watch the dairy and the gluten, try to get as much organic, non gmo foods as possible and remember to love yourself. It’s a long journey so let’s be kind to ourselves.