Gut Overview Thyroid hormones are the pacesetters of the body— from metabolic rate the intestinal peristalsis rate. Many who have thyroid dysfunction complain in some way of gastrointestinal symptoms, but the connection between thyroid and gut are rarely discussed and often treated as separate issues, when in fact there is an intimate relationship. Thyroid hormones affect nearly every aspect of gastrointestinal function, and the GI tract affects thyroid function. It is a classic example of “chicken or egg” in which each person’s root cause(s) differ from the next. Appreciating the impact that thyroid hormones have on each step of the digestive process magnifies just how hypothyroidism leads to a host of symptoms. Thyroid integrity is the rate limiting step in an orchestra of metabolic functions that has cascading effects when even the slightest bit off. Deviations from “normal” can lead to a snowball of events that creates a cycle of GI distress, intestinal alterations, and rebound thyroid hormone disruption that perpetuates this cycle. Hypothyroidism has been shown to be linked to autoimmunity in 95% of cases. Hashimoto’s is most common in women between the ages of 30-50 years old and impacts women 10x more than men. Genetic predisposition plays a...
Are you the person wearing a jacket in the summertime and fighting with co-workers to turn the air conditioner off? It’s possible your thyroid is the culprit behind your... Read More
The thyroid gland and the brain have a close-knit relationship. This two-way street of communication helps to maintain hormonal harmony in the body. When circulating levels of thyroid hormone... Read More
The topic of exercise in the hypothyroidism ruffles a lot of feather. I get it though. When an OB/gyn, personal trainer, sports medicine specialist, orthopedist, chiropractor, neurologist, or any other... Read More
Hands up if you’ve been personally victimized by your thyroid on your pursuit of weight management! Weight gain/weight loss resistance is one of the most pervasive symptoms of hypothyroidism.... Read More
If I’ve not been clear enough about my stance on carbs, allow me to shout from the virtual rooftops that I am Team Carb… especially for my fellow hypothyroidism... Read More
Is your TSH normal but you still feel hypothyroid? Here’s a possible reason why… The thyroid hormone receptors in the brain versus those in the peripheral (extremities, organs, etc.)... Read More
Before there was technology to assess thyroid hormones in labs, there was this marker… Cholesterol! Almost a century ago, medical scientists in the 1930’s discovered that suboptimal levels of... Read More
Ah, the debate over broccoli (and other goitrogenic foods) and thyroid health dates back to the 1950’s when research came out about the negative effects of foods like cruciferous... Read More
By popular demand, I am going to share some books I find to be helpful support materials as you learn about your thyroid health. While books written by providers... Read More
This topic is a bit heavy, however, I want to introduce it as a means to educate you that if you’re still dealing with hypothyroid symptoms and your labs... Read More
Supporting your thyroid with supplements seems like a good idea, but there are a few cases in which blindly supplementing with well-marketed thyroid-specific products can actually do more harm... Read More
If you’ve actually gained weight from dieting and exercising, you’ll want to continue reading. Gosh, it’s so tempting, isn’t it? The whole eating-less, working out more to lose weight... Read More
A quick Google search of “diet for hypothyroidism” reveals 92,200,000 different results. Yikes, that’s a lot to sift through. Before you succumb to paralysis by analysis, try focusing on... Read More
Welcome back! I wanted to spend time in this Thyroid School newsletter discussing one of the most crucial, yet most skipped over, aspects of thyroid health… the T4 to T3... Read More
Overwhelmed with thyroid information? Trust me, I get it. There is SO much to know about the thyroid that you may find yourself getting a serious case of paralysis... Read More
Last Thyroid School, I reviewed how to tell the difference between whether your hypothyroidism is autoimmune in nature or not. To review, autoimmunity is a problem when your immune system... Read More
This past week, I polled the audience about what I should cover in this Thyroid School e-mail and the popular vote was to review the two MAIN categories of... Read More
We’re still on the topic of thyroid hormone PRODUCTION. Here is a little recap: Last Thyroid School email, I reviewed nutrient deficiencies— why they happen, how to identify them,... Read More
Hello again! Last TS post, I reviewed the most common nutritional deficiencies that can affect thyroid function from the production level. Production of thyroid hormone is the first step... Read More
This week, Thyroid School is covering some of the common root causes behind hypothyroidism including poor overall production and conversion. It’ll take a few weeks to review them all,... Read More
Last Thyroid School email, I introduced the different “types” of hypothyroidism. If you missed it, you can read more about it here. Identifying your root cause is step one... Read More
If you missed Thyroid School: Issue 1, you can find that here! Let’s chat about where thyroid hormone production truly begins… THE BRAIN! When levels of circulating thyroid hormone... Read More
Ah, the thyroid. Such a little gland with such a big impact on our bodies! The thyroid sits at the base of the neck and produces thyroid hormones that play a crucial role in... Read More
