Jessica Turner Australian clinical nutritionist Jessica Sepel was doing all the textbook things in the name of good health when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease in 2014.
As a wellness advocate, she was naturally a health nut in terms of eating, but besides that, she was well versed in managing stress by living a balanced life.
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder that’s more common in women than men. It is characterised by the immune system attacking one’s thyroid gland.
The thyroid gland, located under the Adam’s apple on the base of the neck, is responsible for controlling body temperature, metabolism and heart rate.
When it’s not functioning properly, there can be an array of physical symptoms which may include anything from dry skin to total exhaustion to fluid retention.
After the diagnosis, Jessica was experiencing all these symptoms simultaneously and nothing seemed to be helping.
It wasn’t until she took matters into her own hands, and began extensively researching autoimmune disorders, tuning into her body, that she was able to find relief.
“When it comes to Hashimoto’s it’s so important to be strict with gluten because studies have shown that gliadin (the protein found in gluten) can worsen the auto-immune response,” Jessica elaborates.
“Dairy can also be a problem as it can interfere with the conversion of T4 to T3 (the thyroid hormone) so I minimised it to 1-2 portions a day maximum. I was very careful with how I cooked my brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli) because they can leach iodine.
“And adding lots of nourishing good fats was essential for my hormone stabilisation – which is linked to thyroid health. I started a strict thyroid protocol, which I created based on everything I’d learned – I’ve shared this in my book.”
Living The Healthy Life, Jessica’s book, outlines a 12 week program, complete with recipes, designed to help anyone achieve optimum thyroid health.
She tells SPA+CLINIC her tips for tuning into your body, and shares her recipe for walnut pesto.
Jessica Sepel’s Tips For Tuning Into Your Body:
- Meditate for 10 minutes. Close your eyes. Focus on you breathe and simply feel goodness flowing through your body.
- Go straight to your gratitude journal and write down 3 things you love about yourself and your body.
- Practice yoga ASAP.
- Focus on what matters. Your health. Not how perfect your body looks. There are sick people in the world. If you have your health, you have everything.
Essential Walnut Pesto
Ingredients:
- 2 large cup basil leaves
- 1 cup walnuts, raw and unsalted
- 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1-2 tbsp. water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Himalayan salt and ground black pepper to taste
Method:
1. Combine the walnuts with the basil leaves in a bowl of a food processor. Process until the nuts are well ground and the basil is well incorporated.
2. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and season with salt and pepper. With the motor running, pour In the water ( as much as you think). The pesto should be smooth and creamy. If not dairy free, consider adding 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
3. Place in a bowl and refrigerate after use.
Passionate about having a wholesome relationship with eating, Jessica has also released an 8 week guide to quitting diets and finding balance with weight and food. The JSHealth program is available online via www.jessicasepel.com.
Jessica Sepel (BHlth, Adv Dip Nutritional Medicine) is a clinical nutritionist, bestselling author, international health blogger and travel expert. She is also the beloved voice behind ‘JSHealth’, passionately advocating how to achieve a balanced lifestyle through wholefoods. Her philosophy is focused around building a healthy relationship with food, placing emphasis on balance, rest and indulgence in moderation.
