Holidays with Hashi's: How to Celebrate While Avoiding a Flare

Exciting news: I’m opening Back to Balance as a group program in January with a low monthly cost! This is where I teach women with Hashimoto’s how to become their own root cause detective and find out how to steady their energy, lower inflammation, and finally feel better! If the holidays usually leave you wiped out, this will help you walk into the new year with a clear roadmap. Details at the end of the post!

The holidays can be fun, but they can also be hard when you’re dealing with Hashimoto’s.

Between sugar, late nights, stress, travel, and leftovers that sit in the fridge a little too long, symptoms tend to pick up at the worst possible moment. There are ways to lessen the possibility of a flare, though! Read on for tips.

Keep blood sugar steady

This is one of the biggest needle-movers for fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and energy swings.

How:

↣ Eat protein & fiber before carbs

↣ Pair sugary treats with meals

↣ Add colorful fiber to every meal & snack (berries, nuts, veggies)

↣ Don’t go more than 4–5 hours without food

If your blood sugar stays steady, your mood and energy will stay steadier too!

Protect your sleep!

A couple late nights are fine. A whole month of them isn’t (and remember, you don't have to earn rest)!

Sleep supports:

↣ Magnesium glycinate at night (always check with your doctor before changing up your supplement routine)

↣ Getting morning sunlight (even if it’s cloudy)

↣ A consistent bedtime as often as possible

Your thyroid and immune system both rely on circadian rhythm, so keeping things on a schedule is super helpful.

Give your digestion a little support.

Hashimoto’s often slows stomach acid and motility, which means the holiday menu can cause all kinds of chaos!

Simple ways to help:

↣ Eat something with protein before coffee

↣ Add lemon water, ACV, or a little bit of pineapple before heavier meals

↣ Go for a short walk after eating

↣ Use digestive enzymes if they work for you

Small habits here often reduce bloating and that overfull feeling, plus keep things regular.

Watch the histamine.

Turkey, wine, aged cheeses, charcuterie boards, slow cookers, and leftovers are all high histamine, and they pile up fast.

If histamine issues are part of your life:

↣ Avoid leftovers (or freeze them soon after cooking and reheat later)

↣ Keep alcohol modest

↣ A DAO supplement before meals can help (my favorite is VitaMonk HistaResist)

This can cut down on headaches, flushing, palpitations, sinus symptoms, and random anxiety spikes.

Support stress (because the holidays are… a lot)

Stress hits every root cause area connected to Hashimoto’s: immune regulation, hormones, blood sugar, digestion, detox… all of it.

Try:

↣ Saying “no" without over-explaining

↣ Doing some nervous system regulation daily

↣ Enjoying calming herbal teas (chamomile, lemon balm) in place of alcohol

↣ Building a relaxing bedtime routine

Your body will thank you.

Keep your immune system happy

All that travel, the get togethers, the events, the sugar, the gluten...it can trigger your immune system.

Some strategies:

↣ Make sure you keep handwashing on point, and try not to touch your face when out and about

↣ Xlear and Astepro nasal spray have some science backing them as ways to up your nasal defenses against germs (doing nasal rinses can also help).

↣ Sugar knocks your immune system out for a bit, and causes inflammation, so avoid the sugary treats unless they are your very favorites!

↣ Gluten has been linked to Hashimoto's - avoid it!

A quick recovery plan if you flare anyway

The best laid plans can sometimes not be enough. Support your body by:

↣ Prioritizing sleep for a few days

↣ Protein-packed meals

↣ More water, fewer leftovers

↣ Add movement after meals

↣ A couple days without alcohol

↣ Lower-histamine foods if you’re prone to reactions

Most people feel noticeably better within 3–5 days.

How to go deeper:

1. Download my free Thyroid Lab Guide to make sure you’re testing the right markers.

2. If you want to understand your thyroid labs beyond TSH, the free Thyroid Pattern Guide walks you through what to look at and what the patterns mean. Download the free Thyroid Patterns guide.

3. Ready to run a full thyroid panel? You can order directly through Fullscript. No doctor visit required, and I'll give you my full interpretation. Order the Thyroid Panel

Disclaimer: I do not diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition. Nothing I share with my clients is intended to substitute for the advice, treatment or diagnosis of a qualified licensed physician. I may not make any medical diagnoses or claim, nor substitute for your personal physician’s care. It is my role to partner with you to provide ongoing support and accountability in an opt-in model of self-care and any changes should be done under the supervision of a licensed physician.