From Frustration to Freedom: A Journey in Thyroid Health

A Journey to Health

One of my clients experienced a profound transformation, losing 20 pounds, reducing her headaches, and beating that nagging belly bloat without counting a single calorie. Imagine how freeing that would feel!

Meeting the Client

When we first met, she was a busy mom of four who had just moved across the country and was homeschooling her kids. She had already spent thousands on functional doctors, specialists, and supplements but still felt “blah.” Despite eating less and less, her weight kept going up. Running on caffeine left her wired but tired, and she was constantly dealing with headaches and exhaustion. Though she knew she had Hashimoto’s, it had been neglected in her medical care.

The Struggle

She had tried everything: intermittent fasting, eating less food, supplements, countless doctor visits, medications, and various diets. Nothing worked. Her doctor suggested taking thyroid meds, but she knew deep down that wasn’t the complete solution.

Flipping the Switch

We needed to unlearn old habits and reeducate her on the role of the thyroid. The thyroid regulates metabolism, energy, weight, digestion, focus, and more. When your thyroid, weight, and sex hormones are off, it’s often a sign of deeper imbalances. Factors like blood sugar levels, stress, gut health, inflammation, and vitamin/mineral status are fundamental to thyroid health.

Beyond Calories

Weight loss isn’t just about calories in, calories out. Our bodies adapt when we eat less, often slowing down metabolism and storing more fat. We need to unclog the metaphorical drain rather than never turning on the faucet. We focused on understanding her biochemistry, blood sugar, inflammation, and cellular communication to shift her body from fat storage to fat burning mode.

The BRAIN Method

I developed the BRAIN METHOD, a framework focusing on:

  • Blood Sugar Regulation
  • Regulating Inflammation
  • Adrenal Resiliency (Stress Management)
  • Intestinal Support
  • Nutrient Repletion

Implementing the Framework

We examined her blood sugar levels and found that her fasting blood sugar and A1c were elevated. This indicated the need for blood sugar regulation, which we addressed through balanced eating, vitamin/mineral optimization, and understanding her body’s response to insulin.

Addressing Inflammation

We identified signs of inflammation and poor methylation, impacting detoxification, hormone production, and vitamin activation. Addressing these helped reduce her sweet cravings and improve overall health.

Nutrient Deficiencies

We used blood and hair testing to identify deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and metabolites, crucial for cellular communication, detoxification, metabolism, and digestion. This was vital for her thyroid medication to be effective at the cellular level.

The Transformation

With all the investigative work and personalized strategies, we focused on implementation. We established a sustainable eating routine tailored to her schedule, created a repeatable framework for balanced meals, and included anti-inflammatory foods. We refined her supplement protocol, incorporated daily movement, and added detoxification methods.

The Results

In four months, she lost 20 pounds, improved her energy levels, reduced headaches, and regulated her digestion. She no longer relied on caffeine or naps and felt confident with her eating and digestive routine. Her healthy habits even influenced her family.

Join Us on This Journey

If you’re seeking similar changes, feeling stuck, or suspect thyroid dysfunction, we can help. I’m Nicole, and my partner Emily and I both have thyroid dysfunction and Hashimoto’s. We’ve helped hundreds of clients overcome similar challenges.

Let’s Connect

Reach out for a no-obligation chat to see if we’re the right fit. You’re not alone in this, and there’s a good life waiting for you beyond thyroid dysfunction. Apply for a private partnership, and let’s start your journey to better health.

Thanks for reading! We look forward to connecting with you.

Hey There, I'm Nicole!

Nicole Fennell is a functional nutrition dietitian and fellow Hashimoto's patient with first-hand experience navigating the ups and downs of living with thyroid and immune system dysfunctionn. Her unique approach to nutritional management of chronic disease and nagging symptoms includes focusing on nourishing and building the body up versus tearing it down with low-calorie diets and high amounts of exercise.

Nicole has a real food approach and believes healthy eating, physical activity, and peace of mind are key to disease prevention and management. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys being active with her husband and three kids, lifting weights, practicing yoga, walking cooking, eating, and being outdoors.
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Whether you’re dealing with exhaustion that never ends, a Hashimoto's diagnosis, thyroid issues, hormone imbalances, painful PMS, or stubborn acne that just won’t quit—please know you’re not alone. At Chews Food Wisely, we’re all about connecting the dots between your never ending list of symptoms and personalized nutrition solutions that last.

Let’s fix those hormone imbalances that are making you feel crummy!

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