Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed (Inna Topiler)
Explore every episode of Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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| 14 May 2020 | 059 The Unexpected Diagnosis: Empath w/ Lori Kennedy | 00:42:20 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation After years of seeing specialists in conventional medicine, she turned to alternative medicine. Unfortunately, naturopaths, homeopaths, and functional medicine doctors were also unable to determine what was causing her ongoing symptoms. That’s when Eva came to see me. She mentioned that she was frustrated but that she’s always been overly-sensitive. When I asked her if she’d ever heard of an empath (and explained what that was) she cried. Lori Kennedy is the CEO of The Wellness Business Hub, the host of the Business Of Becoming podcast and she is a mom of 2 kids. She’s also an empath so I was excited to discuss Eva’s case with her.
What is an Empath? Lori explains that an empath is someone who is highly sensitive to stimuli. This might be in the form of smells, sounds, light, other people's energy, or the environment. An empath will also feel other people’s emotions. Oftentimes, an empath can physically experience the emotions of another person, including their emotional reaction to physical pain. She describes the experience as absorbing the emotional experiences of others, which can be incredibly draining especially in enclosed, crowded spaces. Having the capacity for empathy is different from being an empath.
Symptoms of Being Empathic An empath may not recognize their symptoms right away. They may feel tired after being exposed to stimuli. They may also feel anxiety, restlessness, anger, frustration, an inability to cope, grumpiness, physical fatigue and they may have difficulty sleeping. Unchecked, these symptoms can lead to things like digestive issues and other physical manifestations as they did with Eva. Tests will reveal no cause, which may also be an indication of being an empath.
Diagnosis of Empath There is no formal diagnosis of ‘Empath’ however, anyone one who suspects they may be an empath can start, as Lori did, with some online quizzes and researching their symptoms. Lori suggests books by Dr. Judith Orloff. Here are a few things to consider:
Dealing with Being Empathic Recognizing you’re an empath is the first step in managing it and the physical manifestations of it. Lori says you have to learn what will trigger you and avoid those situations. She also says that you need to learn how to release the energy you’ve absorbed. For her, that means having sufficient quiet after being overly stimulated and also having daily alone-time. Recognize your limits and support your nervous system. Learning how to release energy you may have absorbed is also key - for Lori, that means having a little dance on her own. Moving your body is a great way to release that energy because energy can’t be destroyed; it can only be moved. Staying healthy with a nutritionally sound diet, watching your blood sugar level, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep are also ways to support yourself.
The Gift of Being an Empath While it may seem like a bad thing to be empathic, Lori says she sees it as a gift to others. It’s a way to help them and give them some needed energy. If you set boundaries and learn how to protect yourself, you can provide much needed compassion, support, love and gratitude.
Mystery Solved Eva had never heard of an empath before. When I explained what being empathic meant, she started to cry which solidified my suspicions. We started by introducing some stress management and health practices (beyond the nutrition and supplement regimens she was following). Specifically, she carved out 30 minutes of time in the mornings just for her, and she explained to her family what she needed from them in terms of support around guarding her energy. Eva also started visiting an energy practitioner who helped her learn how to better control and protect her energy.
Happy Ending After adopting these self-care measures, it only took a few weeks before Eva felt a significant change in her health. She was calmer, had more energy and the bad days were far less frequent. With continued practice controlling and protecting her energy, a few months later, she was stronger and her bad days were behind her.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Eva we were able to find that unexpected but completely significant missing piece of the health puzzle. By identifying and managing her empathic nature, she regained her health and has a much better outlook on life. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources Mentioned Thanks to my guest Lori Kennedy. You can connect with her on Instagram, Facebook or through her website - The Wellness Business Hub.
Related Podcast Episodes:
EPISODE #021 The Case of Body Tingling and Internal Vibrations w/ Stephanie Roman
EPISODE #037 The Case of Constant Flu-like Symptoms w/ Dr. Luis Garcia
EPISODE #055 Investigating Emotional Resiliency with Anat Peri Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com PLEASE NOTE All infor... | |||
| 09 Jul 2020 | 067 How Very Healthy Foods can Create Aches, Pain and UTI Symptoms w/ Dr. Beth O’Hara | 00:48:49 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation When I hear that a healthy diet makes someone feel worse, I immediately suspect that the food they are choosing, while healthy on the surface, may not be right for them. This was my suspicion with Robin and I knew it could be one or more of a few things in her diet causing the issue. I’ve been wanting to invite Dr. Beth O’Hara on the show for a while and I knew this case was right up her alley. Dr. O’Hara is a Functional Naturopath and the owner of Mast Cell 360, a Functional practice specializing in root cause approach to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Histamine Intolerance, and related conditions such as oxalates, mold toxicity, and chemical sensitivities. She is a Research Adviser for the Nutrigenetic Research Institute and also works in-depth with genetic analysis.
What are Oxalates? Plants are made up of compounds and oxalates are one of these compounds. Under a microscope, oxalates appear to look like tiny razor blades - they are very sharp molecules. Certain plants have a high number of these compounds which serve as a defense mechanism for the plant. Foods that we consider to be very healthy, could be high in oxalates like spinach, beets, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, and almonds. Oxalates can also be created by our bodies and some fungal species may create oxalates in the body. While many people are able to metabolize these compounds without any issue, there are also many that may not.
The Risk of Elevated Oxalates in the Body Some people struggle to process these oxalates and this can be due to many things and the oxalates build up. The immune system wants to get rid of this excess which results in inflammation. Overtime, this can become chronic and cause other health issues including kidney stones. however kidney stones are just the tip of the iceberg and oxalates have also been associated with thyroid issues, autism, endometriosis, bladder issues, vulvodynia, PCOS, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, breast cancer, osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Causes of Elevated Oxalates One of the causes of elevated oxalates is eating a diet rich in foods with high levels of oxalates. However, there are plenty of people who eat these foods and don’t have an issue. There are a few other factors that can cause elevated oxalates.
There are four genetic predispositions that may make someone more susceptible to developing an issue with oxalates.
A deficiency in B1 or B6 can cause an issue with oxalates
When there is a break in the intestinal lining, oxalates can move into the bloodstream and to muscles, joints and even bone, potentially causing many issues.
Exposure to mold can result in that mold colonizing in the body, which demands a lot from the immune system and can make it difficult for the body to deal with oxalates. Additionally, its possible the dysbiotic bugs may produce even more oxalates to add to the load.
Symptoms of Elevated Oxalates Kidney stones are often noted as a key symptom but only 1% of people experience these. More often, it’s seemingly unassociated symptoms that are hard to nail down like fibromyalgia, joint pain, joint issues, visual problems (including cataracts), lung issues (including asthma), vertigo, urinary tract issues (pain and burning during urination as well as urgency that present like UTIs but no infection is present), and vulvodynia (stinging, burning, and irritation of the vulva).
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Scientists have been studying Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or MCAS since the 90’s but it has only recently (2016) been given a diagnosis code. As a result, many conventional doctors do not know about it. The immune systems ‘front-line defenders’ are known as Mast Cells. It’s their job to recognize a virus, injury, toxin, or bad bacteria that is threatening the body and mount a defence against it (usually causing inflammation to the area) and then signal the immune system to do its job. However, when there is a chronic issue, like elevated oxalates, the Mast Cells become dysregulated, fail to trigger the immune system and cause MCAS. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome affects an estimated 10 - 17% of the general population and is estimated to impact over 50% of those with chronic illness.
MCAS and Elevated Oxalates Oxalates stimulate an enzyme called NOX. The role of this enzyme is to kill off pathogens and stimulate mast cells. When there are elevated levels of oxalates in the body, there is an over stimulation of mast cells which dysregulate over time and triggers MCAS. Oxalates can also cause physical damage on a microscopic level (because they are sharp and can wedge into tissue) which causes further mast cell stimulation.
Diagnosing Elevated Oxalates The key to diagnosing oxalates is to look at the four key causes, starting with a genetic predisposition to hyperoxaluria (high oxalates). There are labs that can do this test and there are four markers to look for:
The next step is to test for a vitamin B1 or B6 deficiency and an LDH. And, to make sure a leaky gut or mold toxicity are not issues. Dr. O’Hara likes to use the Great Plains organic acid test as it has three markers for oxalates. The first two are glycemic and glycolic (related to the human biochemical pathways involved in oxalate production) and third is oxalic (which will show oxalate from over consumption and it should be around 75). However, that is not going to show any oxalates that have been embedded into tissue or muscle. Treating Elevated Oxalates Reducing oxalates in the diet is going to provide almost instant relief to symptoms of elevated oxalates. However, Dr. O’Hara says that you definitely DO NOT want to eliminate all foods with oxalates from your diet at once. Going ‘cold turkey’ can cause problems (including kidney stones). Instead, she suggests a gradual reduction over 6-12 months. She also suggests taking epsom salt baths and introducing binders (like magnesium, biotin, and calcium) as supplements to help ferry the oxalates out. Of course, it is also important to deal with any compounding issues like vitamin deficiencies, mold toxicity, leaky gut or candida. Every individual treatment plan is going to be different and based on the person.
Mystery Solved In Robin’s case, we found a high level of candida, a B6 deficiency and high oxalate markers through an organic acid test. My suspicions were confirmed. And, it made sense because she was drinking celery juice, putting tons of spinach in her shakes and salads, and eating more nuts in her effort to eat fewer grains. All of which lead to high oxalate in... | |||
| 30 Sep 2021 | 102 How to Support Your Body Even if Supplements Make you Sick with Guest Katie Hess | 00:42:22 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation I have many clients who tell me they are very sensitive to supplements and we have to pay close attention to their support but Mara’s case was more extreme. I knew we had to avoid detoxes but still get her results without overtaxing her very sensitive body. I knew just the method to start solving this health mystery -- flower power.
Flower Power is Not Just for Hippies Katie Hess is a flower alchemist. She uses flower essences to help people regain their health. She is the author of Flowerevolution and founder of LOTUSWEI, one of the world’s leading floral apothecaries. With her signature elixirs featured in The Oprah Magazine, The New York Times and the LA Times, her flower-powered community is thriving today in over 15 countries. Using flower essences for healing is a practice that can be found in different cultures around the globe since well before the development of modern medicine. Present-day shamans and alternative health practitioners still turn to them today.
What are Flower Essences? Traditionally, the flower essences were procured by sipping the dew off of a specific flower. Medicine men and women believe that the life force of the flower is captured in this dew. The dew collection process has been modernized over the millenia, and now these essences are captured through solar infusion. Now, significantly more flower essence can be captured and bottled at scale. Drinking a few drops of this essence is essentially, using the life force of plants to harmonize our own body’s energy. Katie explains that it’s kind of like an acupuncture treatment without the needles.
How are Flower Essences Different from Essential Oils? Many people have heard of (and used) essential oils so it’s easy to get the two confused. Katie shares that essential oils come from the plant material itself (and one drop requires a lot of plant material). To get essential oil from the plant or flower, you have to squeeze or distill the juice of the plant. Often Essential oils are also highly aromatic and usually need to be diluted to use it. Flower essences used in flower remedies require fewer plants and are much more gentle on the system. This is what makes them very effective for people who are very sensitive including the elderly, pregnant women, and even infants. You are not ingesting any of the chemical plant parts so it’s different from taking an herbal tincture.
Selecting the Right Flower Essence There are so many different types of flowers and so many issues that people might want to treat, how do you determine which flower will help someone? There is a long history of different plants being used for different purposes so there is much to draw on. Many flower essences and flower essence combinations have been created over the years. When it comes to finding a new treatment, the clues are in the flowers' appearance. Intuition also plays a role for Katie. Katie also uses her group for testing. When she believes that a certain plant will deliver a specific benefit, her group of flower essence enthusiasts will try it out and report back on how it made them feel. She has created a quiz that helps people discover the elixir that is right for them.
The Science Behind Flower Essences I love scientific studies so I had to find out what kind of science backs up this historical evidence. Katie says there have been numerous studies that look at the energy transfer from plants to humans. She points to the practice of Shinrin-yoku or ‘forest bathing’ in Japan where the government encourages people to spend time immersed in nature because they found those who did experienced a sustained drop in cortisol levels (a decrease in their stress hormones) and an immune boost. There were also studies done in the UK that showed proof that plants emit energy or vibrations as evidenced by how bees find flowers (it’s not the color or the smell!)
How Quickly do Flower Essences Work? Katie says that many people can feel the energy from the flower essence right away but as a rule of thumb, she usually tells people that they should feel a difference within 3-5 days if they are taking the flower essences 4-5 times a day. Those who are sensitive or more aware will likely feel a difference within minutes. It’s a bit like taking vitamins, it’s going to take a bit of time for the body to feel the benefits but in some cases, when it’s for a specific symptom, the benefits might be felt quickly.
What Can You Support with Flower Essences? Flower essences are used for a variety of issues ranging from digestive issues to fatigue, anxiety, and painful periods. Mindset support and emotional healing are also reasons that people turn to flower essences. For example, they might use certain essences for treating limiting beliefs, procrastination, grief, or even dealing with past traumas.
How to Use Flower Essences Flower essences are traditionally taken orally either in an elixir or a few drops added to another liquid like tea or coffee. Katie also blends them with aromatherapy that can be put into a diffuser, added to anointing oils, or bath salts. These make for nice self-care rituals. Katie’s research shows that the energy from the plants is equally transferred regardless of how the essence is administered. While there are no known interactions with supplements or medications, anyone using psychotropic drugs, antidepressants, or anti-anxiety medication should expect for the effect of the flower essences to take significantly longer. Instead of three days, it might take as much as 30 days.
Mystery Solved What I love about flower essences is that they are so gentle but can also be so powerful. This was exactly what Mara needed and thankfully could tolerate. I started Mara on the elixir called ‘Inner Peace’. After a few days, she was surprised to discover that she was feeling calmer without any negative reactions. A week later, we added ‘Quiet Mind’ and between both of those elixirs, she was able to fall asleep easier. A few weeks later it was even easier to fall asleep and she was able to sleep through the night most days of the week (instead of waking 4-5 times per night). She decided to try more, including ‘Joy Juice’ which she loved because it gave her a pep in her step and then ‘Self Heal’ which she felt helped her feel a bit less sensitive.
Happy Ending Once Mara was sleeping better, her energy improved drastically. At that point, we were able to start supporting her liver with binders and very low doses of NAC (250 mg) to get her body primed - both of which she is tolerating and feeling better.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Mara we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for y... | |||
| 29 Apr 2021 | 091 Weight Gain and Irregular Periods: The PCOS Connection with Dr. Erin Kinney | 00:50:22 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Frustrated by not getting anywhere with her primary doctor, Laura was ready to just start taking the pill again to make the symptoms go away, but she knew this would only be a band-aid solution, and that’s when she decided to see if I could help.
The Investigation Difficult to manage menstrual cycles is an issue I often see, and there are a number of underlying factors that could be at play. With Laura, we did more bloodwork and saw that her DHEA sulfate was elevated and her testosterone was also on the higher side. I wanted to make sure this did not become just another health mystery. Dr. Erin Kinney is a Naturopathic Doctor. In her private practice as well as her workshops and retreats, she helps women rebalance their bodies so they can achieve optimal health and become their best selves. So, I knew she was the perfect person to share Laura’s case with.
Getting Your Period Back When the Menstrual Cycle Stops In a case like Laura’s, the first priority is to have her cycles return because bleeding on a monthly basis is very important so that the lining is able to build up and then properly shed. Conventionally, using 2 weeks of progesterone may do the trick but it does not get to the root of the issue. To help things work from the inside out, it is important to check estrogen and progesterone levels. If progesterone is not rising, its possible there may be too much estrogen and if so, speeding up the estrogen detox is very helpful to bring the body into balance. If estrogen levels are fairly normal but progesterone is low, then Dr. Kinney does not typically recommend too much liver detoxing so that we don’t push out too much of the needed progesterone and instead use things to help naturally boost progesterone.
2 Lab Markers to Explore When Dealing With Irregular Periods Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): FSH helps control the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries. Ideal levels are 5-65 Luteal Stimulating Hormone (LH): Luteinising hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is one of the main hormones that control the reproductive system. Ideal levels are under 12.
Hormones, PCOS, and Stress Hormones are produced on a daily basis and without a way out, they can build up in the body. When we are under stress, it is harder for the body to detox and so high stress levels (which often translates to high cortisol levels) will impact detox and in turn create more hormone imbalances that can lead to PCOS.
Natural Ways to Support Your Liver with PCOS There are a number of natural and healthy ways to help support the liver with its natural detoxification process. For those with PCOS, it’s critical to consider the role the liver plays in wellbeing and recovery. Diindolylmethane (DIM): used for improving estrogen levels, DIM is a compound derived from the digestion of indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous vegetables. Milk Thistle: one of the best liver cleansing herbs. Since excess estrogen gets filtered out of the body through the liver, this is very important. Cruciferous Vegetables: eat things like broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and kale to assist in the liver’s natural detoxification process. N-acetylcysteine (NAC): Helps with Phase 2 liver detox and glutathione production. Inositol: May help with controlling blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity, and may also improve fertility in PCOS cases.
What About Elevated DHEA? When DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone, also known as androstenolone, an endogenous steroid hormone precursor) is high, cortisol may often be off as well. There is a relationship between high DHEA levels and other hormones like testosterone and it is very helpful to test the full panel to get a clear picture.
Listen to Your Body’s Natural Energy Cycles Overall, it is important to pay attention to what Dr. Kinney calls the ‘body benchmarks’. Even though numbers are useful, what’s going on in the body and the physical symptoms are much more important. Breathing, yoga, meditation, and doing less is the best way to reduce stress and lower cortisol. One other way to lower cortisol is to build in rest on Days 18-25 when your body is asking for extra rest. Doing this will help your adrenals build more cortisol in the second half of your cycle. In Laura’s case, she was eating well. But, if blood sugar is a concern then you may want to look into a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, checking Hemoglobin A1C (average fasting blood sugar), or Fasting Insulin levels. Keep in mind that diet changes are best done gradually. If you are stressed out by a new diet or if it feels too drastic, that in itself can raise cortisol so starting slow and going at your own pace is very helpful.
Mystery Solved It was clear in Laura’s case, that there were many factors causing her issues. Stress isn’t only emotional but can be physical too. In this case we looked at food sensitivities and she had issues with dairy, corn, and oranges and eating those foods was creating a physical stress on her body. We took out those foods and worked on balancing her blood sugar (which is important, due to the insulin/PCOS connection). We also added PS 150 for Cortisol, and mind-body exercises to help manage stress even further. After that, our focus went to the liver to make sure old hormones were getting processed. To support the liver, I added Livton Complex (which helps with Phase 1 & 2 liver conjugation), and Calcium D -Glucarate to help lower the beta-glucuronidase enzyme because when this enzyme is high, it slows excretion of hormones and other carcinogens. We then added OmegAvail Ultra, a concentrated fish oil and chaste tree supplement which helps to balance progesterone.
Happy Ending The treatment outlined above may look like a lot of work, but truly it only took 3 months for Laura to get her period again! Her skin cleared up, and she was finally losing weight. At this point, I knew we could stop the liver support. We kept going with fish oil and chaste tree to maintain everything. Laura was consistent, so when we retested her labs, we were pleased to see that her DHEA-S and testosterone levels are now completely normal. Another mystery solved!
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Laura, we were able to find that missing piece of the heal... | |||
| 04 Jul 2024 | 171 From Overwhelmed to Energized: Hashimoto’s Transformation with Beth Mosher | 00:44:51 | |
Get ThyroLove Now It Feels Like You’re Handling Stress but Your Body Tells a Different Story
This was the case for Judy. The medication didn’t seem to help. She found herself struggling with simple tasks, unable to spend quality time with her kids, and feeling like life was passing her by. That’s when I met Judy and I knew we needed to dig deeper to solve her health mystery. So what is the Role of the Immune System in Hashimoto's? To help me unravel Judy's complex symptoms, I invited Beth Mosher to join the conversation. Beth is a brilliant board-certified nutrition specialist and has worked with me in my practice for 13 years. Together, we’ve been solving various thyroid and health mysteries. Press play to find out: Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 12 Nov 2020 | 079 Anti-Aging Treatments for People with Autoimmunity w/ Dr. Rahi | 00:45:36 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Lori and I had been working together for months to get her health back on track due to her autoimmune condition. She asked me about how her condition might be affected by potential anti-aging therapies. I’m glad she asked because many doctors or aestheticians who provide anti-aging therapies don’t even think to ask a patient about other health issues. Dr. Raheleh Sarbaziha (aka Dr. Rahi) is not one of those doctors. In her practice, she makes sure to take a full health history before she will recommend potential therapies for skin rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction. Aging is a natural process and part of that is the degradation of collagen which shows up most visibly as wrinkled or sagging skin.
Better Skin Through Diet Dr. Rahi believes that great skins starts within. You have to take care of the inside before you can expect great results from any external treatment. Dr. Rahi recommends a mostly plant-based diet. She says it’s important to understand how to read a label and to eat whole food.
Supplements for Better Skin Here are the top supplements Dr. Rahi recommends for healthy looking skin: 1. Collagen Since collagen is such an important part of healthy, young looking skin, collagen supplements can help. 2. Magnesium This is one of her top recommendations because it improves the quality of skin but it’s also so important on a cellular level. Most of us are deficient in magnesium so supplementing is valuable inside and out. Magnesium Citrate is a good option. 3. Turmeric This supplement helps decrease inflammation in the body and many skin disorders are a result of inflammation. 4. Fish Oil or Omega-3 A good, clean fish oil can help with healthy looking skin. For anyone who is vega, a good Omega 3 is an option. 5. Prenatal DHA This is something Dr. Rahi takes even though she is not pregnant. Look for brands like Designs for Health or Vibrant Beginning that have 90% triglycerides. 6. Vitamin C Vitamin C is super important in collagen production and it also helps keep your immune balanced. You can take it as a supplement or get it through diet (but likely both).
Micro-needling Micro-needling is a process of making many micro-punctures in the skin using a special tool. This brings the blood to the surface which stimulates your immune system and regenerates collagen production. It’s considered a minimally invasive, very safe treatment that generates amazing results. It can be uncomfortable or even painful depending on your pain tolerance and the quality of the numbing cream used. Dr. Rahi also says that patients may be more sensitive during menstruation or if you are tired or stressed. There are a variety of options for increasing the efficacy of the treatment including coating the skin with hyaluronic acid (so that it is injected with each micro-puncture). Other options include adding vitamin C, B Complex or glutathione. Another popular option is the PRP or Platelet-rich Plasma. This is extracted from your own blood using a centrifuge. Using PRP during microneedling increases collagen regeneration and gives the practitioner the option to localize treatment (for example on deep lines or scars).
PDO Threads PDO threads are small sutures that are injected under the skin to pull the skin back and make the skin appear tighter. The threads themselves degrade over time and are absorbed by the body. There are many different types of threads (smooth, twisted, and barbed) that serve different ‘lifting’ purposes. As a foreign object under the skin, they also trigger an immune response and stimulate collagen production. This treatment is generally not recommended for those above the age of 65 if they have thinner skin. Dr. Rahi says that it could trigger a response for anyone with an autoimmune disease but she’s never seen a negative reaction.
Radio Frequency Radio frequency treatments trigger an immune response when the frequency is emitted through the skin and causes the dermal layer to heat up resulting in a burn, almost. There are two options using radio frequency - a sort of probe onto the skin (kind of like getting an ultrasound) and in combination with microneedling (Morpheus8) . This kind of treatment should be safe for those with autoimmunity because it is simply stimulating collagen production.
Fillers There is the potential for immune reactivity with fillers so be sure to select an informed technician or doctor. Dr. Rahi also cautions against irreversible fillers, favoring dissolvable fillers instead. This option allows you to dissolve it if you don’t like it for any reason. Common fillers contain Hyaluronic Acid and BDDE (butanediol diglycidyl ether) as a cross linking agent which can cause an immune reaction. For anyone with autoimmunity, Dr. Rahi cautions against Volbella, Vollure, and Voluma. The safer options (according to Dr. Rahi) are Juvederm Ultra, Ultra XC and Restylanes.
Neurotoxins Dr. Rahi says she hasn’t personally seen any autoimmune sort of reaction to Botox, Dysport or any other neurotoxin injectables. She has heard reports of people developing a resistance to specific neurotoxins like Botox after extended use (6-10 years).
Next Steps In this episode, we outline many options for anti aging treatments but depending on your body and your immune system, some are more natural than others and therefore can be safer than others, especially for those who have autoimmunity and are more sensitive.
Happy Ending Lori and I discussed everything in detail and opted for microneedling with vitamins as well as doing the PRP injections with her own platelets. The great thing about these treatments is that there are no added toxins or chemicals but they do actually work! Lori found her skin to look much better and smoother after 6 months of treatments.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Lori we were able to find a way to help her age gracefully without triggering an autoimmune response. Could one of these options be what you or someone in your life is looking for?
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Rahi. You can connect with her here through her website https://doctorrahi.com/ or on Instagram.
Suggested Products: | |||
| 01 Sep 2022 | 126 The Misleading Case of Bad Breath, Sensitive Teeth, and Digestive Issues with Youn Chang | 00:42:24 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation After meeting Evelyn and learning about her challenges and health history, I knew there had to be other pieces to this puzzle! I suspected that we needed to investigate a few more areas of her oral care and her nutrition. Understanding the Vital Importance of Oral Health Our mouths are so important to our overall health and often we disregard it. Youn Chang is the founder and CEO of OJOOK, an oral care company with a mission to help people develop mindful rituals that create harmony between the mind, body, and the environment. The concept for the business comes from her Korean heritage where mouth health and spine health are considered the key to vitality. Philosophically and scientifically, her culture recognizes that the mouth is the gateway for all nourishment to enter the body, it’s where digestion starts (with chewing), and is also the first of two microbiomes (the other being the gut) that dictate good health. From this perspective, it’s easy to see why oral health is vital to overall good health. She also shared in this episode that many of the dentists she works with will tell patients to seek medical help when they see things like sores, dry mouth, or other mouth issues because these are often the first signs of deteriorating health. Oral Health is More than Healthy Teeth We tend to think of oral health as keeping our teeth clean and cavity-free. We focus on going to the dentist and routinely brushing and flossing our teeth. But, Youn points out that the mouth is so much more than just a place for our teeth. Our gums and the inner mouth lining tissue are membranes similar to our armpits and sexual organs. It’s a lot more absorbent than our regular skin so we need to be very aware of what we expose it to. When we put things in our mouth that contain chemicals, it is basically an expressway to the bloodstream. Many conventional toothpastes contain chemicals, color dyes, SLAs, preservatives, endocrine disruptors, sweeteners, synthetic flavors, and even alcohol so we have to be careful what we put in our mouths. Cautions Around Conventional Toothpaste Youn says the problem with conventional toothpastes is that they focus on cleaning. Our approach to dental care is all about scrubbing our teeth clean (I’m still working on not over brushing!) and sanitizing our mouths. She says that this approach focuses too much on preventing issues that could be caused by bad microbiomes and bad bacteria or food particles, but it doesn't really think of what could happen from over cleaning and over irritating the mouth as an organ. She says the mouth environment has a very delicate balance. All too often, the focus is on killing the bacteria (which we know from our understanding of the gut) doesn’t allow for that healthy balance. She uses a great analogy in this interview comparing how we treat the cleaning of our teeth to how we approach our skincare. The Problem with Fluoride-Free Toothpaste There has long been a debate about the use of fluoride and it’s impact on overall health. Youn’s toothpase does not have flouride but she, and the dentist advisors at her organization, don’t discount the value of fluoride for dental health. However, she points out that anyone with a thyroid problem, autoimmune disease or fluorosis should consider the impact of fluoride on their health. If someone is looking to avoid fluoride for health reasons, they have to be careful with fluoride-free toothpastes because these can leave the enamel of the teeth vulnerable and unprotected. This is why they include a fluoride alternative in their toothpaste formulation. What is Nano-Hydroxyapatite in Toothpaste Our teeth are made up of 90% Hydroxyapatite. This is what forms the enamel. Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) is the same but broken down into nanoparticles so that when you brush with it, it’s easier for these particles to adhere to the teeth. This is how the toothpaste is able to remineralize teeth, protect them from decay, and even reduce sensitivity to cold, heat, or certain foods. Youn says that this new layer of hydroxyapatite also makes the teeth stronger and helps them appear whiter and brighter. She does caution that you want to make sure there is enough nHA in the toothpaste or it won’t do the job. Also, she says to be aware of the use of non-nano hydroxyapatite because the particle are too big to settle into the small holes in the enamel which is how nHA works to remineralize teeth. In addition, the larger particles can be abrasive to the teeth. Toothpaste Choices for Dry Mouth Many people experience dry mouth but especially those with thyroid issues, pregnant women, cancer patients, and the elderly. Certain medications can also clause the mouth to be dry. This becomes an issue if those with a dry mouth are using regular, fluoride toothpaste because saliva is how fluoride is activated. Salive is also important to protect and neutralize the acid in your mouth and create a healthy mouth pH. This is why OJOOK also has sea salt in it’s formula. The salt stimulates the saliva. However, it is not just regular salt which could be abrasive on the teeth and tissue of the mouth. They process the salt using bamboo which refines it and add a natural but mild anti-inflammatory element. And, it does this without harming the mouth’s microbiome balance. She also cautions against charcoal for toothcare as it is also abrasive and can impact the mouth pH levels. Balancing the Mouth’s pH The mouth should have a pH of seven which is fairly neutral. This balance can be affected by eating too frequently, including consuming coffee, carbonated water lemon water, vinegar water and other things that are consumed for the health benefits. One of the interesting things that Youn shared is the negative effect of consuming these types of drinks slowly over time. It doesn’t give the mouth time to reset it’s pH. Sugar and the frequency of having sugar in the mouth can also affect the mouth microbiome since bacteria grow quickly in a sugary environment which can produce acid as a byproduct. A slightly alkaline toothpaste can be helpful but lifestyle (like frequency of snacking or consumption of acidic foods) can also impact the balance of the mouth environment. Turning Routine into Ritual Youn is passionate about creating rituals around oral health. Because we are in the habit of cleaning our teeth first thing in the morning and right before we go to bed, this opens up an opportunity to make this routine more intentional. She points to the science around how our first and last thoughts of the day can transform our mindset. By using the teeth-brushing time to be more mindful, we can shift the way that we are in the world. This is one of her passions. Happy Ending Evelyn and I needed to address her issues from a whole body perspective. Because she’d been using conventional oral care products containing alcohol and other toxins for so long, we needed to support her microbiome and her liver. First I needed to find out what was re... | |||
| 01 Feb 2024 | 160 How to Support the Nervous System for Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism with Dr. Cathleen King | 00:45:26 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Full (detailed) Episode Show Notes Available Here:
I have seen Terri Ann’s Hashimoto’s symptoms before and I knew something was lying under the surface. My first step was to get her access to the Primal Trust Program since they specialize in tough chronic cases like this. Also if you don’t know your thyroid type of your immune triggers, please join me at my next Free Hashimoto’s Training Here
Who better to discuss Terri Ann’s case than the creator of the Primal Trust Program, Dr. Cathleen King? She’s a renowned physical therapist and neuroscience-based mind-body practitioner. As the CEO and founder of the Primal Trust Academy & Community, Dr. King specializes in addressing chronic illnesses, including autoimmunity, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue, long-haul COVID, mold issues, and Mass Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Her unique approach combines brain retraining, vagus nerve toning somatics, and trauma-informed practices to unlock self-healing so I knew she’d be so helpful with this case.
If you’ve listened to this show for a while then you know I am a staunch believer in having a multifaceted approach to supporting anyone with Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism. Dr. King is also a big supporter of this approach so we kick off our conversation by exploring how interconnected systems are affected, because having one autoimmune disease often links to others. Triggers for these conditions vary, from infections to toxins and mold, which is exactly why we need a comprehensive, whole-body perspective. Our conversation starts with looking at the foundational role of the nervous system, something often overlooked in conventional approaches.
There is no minimizing the foundational importance of the nervous system in addressing autoimmune and thyroid conditions. As the master regulator, the autonomic nervous system influences organ functions, endocrine processes, and digestion. Stress responses mark the beginning of these health challenges, prompting compensatory measures by the body. Dr. King focuses on the intricate control panel aspect of the nervous system, highlighting the potential for positively influencing the autonomic nervous system. In other words, we can make a difference in managing our thyroid issues by managing our nervous system.
Despite being the master switch that runs the show, the nervous system often takes a back seat in health discussions. Dr. King explains that this is because we have all normalized stress in our lives, a factor often overlooked in conventional medical approaches. Instead of stress analysis and tailored exercises for the nervous system, the focus is usually on blood tests and markers. And Dr. King would know because, as she shares in this episode, her decade-long journey included a battery of tests, supplements, and protocols, missing the crucial piece of the puzzle: the state of her autonomic nervous system. This gap in the medical approach is the fire that fuels her mission – redefining how we handle chronic illnesses by making nervous system regulation a central part of the strategy.
So many of us are juggling busy lives. Dr. Cathleen King outlines a practical approach to nervous system support for anyone who has a million things on the go. She suggests the polyvagal theory (coined by Stephen Porges), where you map your nervous system states throughout the day, identifying moments of fight or flight, immobilization, or a safe mode. Here are the three states and how to determine which you’re in:
In this first state, the ventral vagal state, there's a sense of safety, open connection, and calmness.
The second state, the sympathetic state, encapsulates the fight/flight response to stress. Chronic activation can lead to stress-related challenges.
The third state, the dorsal vagal state, is characterized by shutdown, collapse, and immobility. Recognizing stress responses normalized in this state becomes crucial for self-awareness. Mapping when you are in each of these states throughout the day is the key because this awareness allows for subtle course corrections within the demands of a busy life. Consciously taking a breath or responding differently becomes a realistic starting point for those managing multiple responsibilities.
Dr. King provides some great tools for connecting to your nervous system so you can better control it. Feeling into your body might sound like a new concept for many accustomed to being trapped in their heads. It's about tuning into the sensations in your body, a shift for those not used to being present in their bodies. Nervous system tools come in handy, offering diverse approaches from vagus nerve toning to brain retraining and somatics. The diversity of the toolkit she shares recognizes that there's no one-size-fits-all solution, catering to different time constraints and preferences.
Dr. King shares the benefits of vagus nerve toning exercises, especially for anyone dealing with thyroid issues or Hashimoto’s. The vagus nerve acts as the conductor orchestrating the harmony of bodily functions, serving as the on-off switch of illness. Various exercises, including breathing techniques and Voo-Woo breaths, aim to bring this powerhouse nerve into optimal shape. These exercises involve using your voice to stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting a sense of safety and toning the fifth chakra, where the thyroid resides. The focus on stimulating the vagus nerve is akin to working out a muscle at the gym, enhancing organ function, and improving communication between the brain and body.
The throat chakra and our ability to express ourselves connect with the broader nervous system. Engaging in nervous system work provides the capacity to feel safe expressing our truth. Dr. Cathleen King emphasizes the importance of working on trauma patterns by developing more states of safety. Speaking your truth requires feeling safe in your body, a journey that may take ... | |||
| 04 Jun 2020 | 062 An Underlying Cause of Autoimmunity and Inflammation w/ Dr. Don Wood | 00:44:19 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
When inflammation, malaise and autoimmunity persist despite doing everything possible to heal the gut, clean the liver and support the immune system properly, there is something bigger going on. I knew we had to dig deeper into her past to find the root cause of her issues.
The Investigation I spoke with Maria for over 2 hours. At some point, the conversation moved from her condition to her personal history. When she started talking about when her parent’s divorce during her childhood and then her mother’s unexpected death, I knew there was a link. We just had to connect the dots. A lot of people think that these experiences can’t possibly be the root cause of physical conditions like autoimmune disease. But, Dr. Don Wood, through his research has proven the link between the traumas we experience and our physical conditions. He’s the founder of the Inspired Performance Institute where he’s developed technology called TIPP as well as programs to ‘reboot’ the mind around past trauma that our body continues to feel. I’m thrilled to have him join me for this episode.
Understanding Trauma Dr. Wood separates trauma into two camps. Most of us think of trauma as a clearly defined, often injury-inducing event like a car accident or a mugging. He calls this big ‘T’ trauma. The second type of trauma he calls emotional concussion. These are experiences that affected us psychologically but may be more loosely defined or harder to pinpoint. Dr. Wood says that a very large percentage of the population is dealing with unprocessed trauma when you consider these two types of trauma.
How Trauma May Cause Autoimmune Issues When we experience a traumatic event, our body has a physical response to that trauma. Trauma triggers that fight or flight (aka active state) response. This creates inflammation in the body as a way of pausing the immune system so that the body can use all resources to respond to the trauma. When we are no longer in danger, the body allows everything to return to normal. What a lot of people don’t realize is that when we have unprocessed trauma, we think about it. And, when we think about it, we relive it which results in the same fight or flight response. We have the physical response to the trauma just by thinking about it! If we are doing this constantly, the immune system can’t function properly, which overtime results in autoimmune issues.
Diagnosing Trauma as a Trigger Often we dismiss the idea that trauma is the cause of an issue because we may not recognize the experience as trauma. Dr. Wood uses a great analogy in this episode that points to the high-definition memories we have of traumatic times in our past vs the muted memory we have of a non-threatening event (like the dinner we had last night). These high-definition memories can be very powerful and can trigger a physical response. The first step in identifying them as triggers sit to recognize the level of the memory and the physical response it brings. In Dr. Wood’s program, they actually monitor the brainwave state to determine the response to memories.
Treating Trauma Triggers Recognizing the physical response to memories of past trauma is not enough, the brain needs to be reconditioned as to how it responds to that memory. This is what Dr. Wood does with TIPP. This program gets the mind to reset that high-definition memory into the same format as a day-to-day memory. By doing this, the body no longer sees that memory as a threat and it no longer triggers the fight or flight response. The brain is no longer sending an error message. Dr. Wood points out that far too often we treat the symptoms caused by these trauma responses. For example, treating anxiety, depression, or inflammation that will never be resolved if the trigger memory is not reset.
Blocked Trauma Memories Many people block bad experiences or they dismiss them as not being traumatic. This may lead them to believe that these experiences can’t be the cause because they don’t have these vivid memories Dr. Wood is talking about. However, these memories may still be operating on a subconscious level and can still put the body into an active response state. This happens because our minds receive too much information for us to actively process. So, the mind does something academics refer to as ‘time slicing’. This is when the mind takes in information and slices off some to be stored in the subconscious where it can be processed or accessed later. Then, when we encounter something similar, the mind goes searching for reference and the stored memory, resurrecting the memory in full color. This can trigger an active state response.
Avoiding Trauma Memories For many people, the idea of unearthing or talking about their traumatic memories feels traumatic in itself. Dr. Wood says that his patients don’t need to actually discuss the experience or share the memory. This type of work can be done without having to revisit the event consciously. This is a relief to many people.
Mystery Solved In order to get to the root problem with Maria, I ran a comprehensive blood test and an organic acid test. She’d already worked on many areas of her physiology but we still found an issue with oxalates and sulfites. We removed those and supported some of the nutrients she was missing like Vitamin C and Zinc. I also noticed that she was overdoing it with certain supplements that her test showed she didn’t need. I also noted that she was taking Echinacea which is contraindicated in autoimmunity because it can overstimulate the immune system and create even more of an autoimmune attack (a common misunderstanding) With all of that sorted, I presented Maria with the possibility of past traumas being at play. She’d never heard of this connection and was willing to try. We worked on connecting her mind and body with many of the mind body code techniques I use and she noticed her pain decreased in just a few weeks.
Happy Ending Encouraged by the progress we were able to achieve, Maria was excited to sign up for Dr. Wood’s program and finally deal with her health struggles.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Maria we were able to find that final missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Right now, Dr. Wood is offering Health Mystery Solved listeners the opportunity to join his online program and save 10%. Just use this link to take advantage of this offer.
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Don Wood. You can connect with him and learn more about his TIPP online program HERE.
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| 20 Jul 2023 | 148 How to Manage Health and Thyroid Issues When You're Pressed for Time with Megan Sumrell | 00:43:38 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
When I met Donna and heard about her busy life and her health struggles, I knew the two things were connected. She was doing a lot right by supporting her nervous system and immune system through diet, exercise, and supplements but in truth, they were no match for the stress she was under. Taking care of herself became the straw that broke the stress-camel’s back. I knew exactly where to look to help her solve her mystery. The Stress of ‘Never Enough Time’ One of the greatest challenges we face in our lives is managing our time effectively. It often feels like there are never enough hours in a day to accomplish everything we need to do. That's why I was thrilled to have Megan Sumrell, a time management expert, on this episode of Health Mysteries Solved. The first thing we tackled is the concept that there is never enough time in the day. Megan believes that there is a lot at play here. While many people rush to blame inadequate time planning for their unfinished tasks, our present-day world presents distinct challenges compared to the past. The expectations we impose on ourselves, as well as those imposed by others, have significantly evolved over the years. Looking back on her own journey, Megan acknowledges the tremendous increase in the number of responsibilities she now juggles compared to 15 years ago. To overcome this hurdle, Megan suggests that we find a balance between the influx of tasks and our capacity to handle them. It's crucial to reassess how we plan and manage our time, distinguishing between what is realistically achievable and what is not. Why Managing Tasks Can Be Challenging in Today's World Megan sheds light on two primary reasons that our task lists never seem to get done. First, she emphasizes the onslaught of distractions, particularly in the form of technology and all of these beeps, bings, and message notifications. She reminds us that, while technology has its benefits, if we don't learn to control it, it can easily control us. Additionally, the instant gratification culture we live in contributes to the perception that we have more to do, even if it's not the case. The second reason Megan highlights is the "just in time living" mindset many people operate in, where they only focus on their daily to-do list. Without systems in place to accommodate unforeseen events or changes, any disruption can lead to a cascade of delays and overwhelm. This was exactly Donna's experience. She found herself buried under an ever-growing pile of to-do lists. Interestingly, Megan challenges the traditional notion of relying solely on to-do lists. While they have their time and place, she doesn't recommend solely depending on them. Megan acknowledges the satisfaction of checking off tasks but suggests that creating a list just to check it off may not be the most effective approach. Transforming a Task List into an Effective Plan Megan emphasizes the crucial distinction between a task list and a plan. While a traditional to-do list may contain all the tasks we need to accomplish, it lacks the essential elements of when and how long each task will take. Megan draws an analogy by comparing it to a shopping or grocery list without knowing how much money you have. Similarly, without turning our task list into a plan, we risk over-committing ourselves and not considering the feasibility or efficiency of our tasks. Megan highlights the importance of budgeting our time just as we would money. By incorporating time constraints and prioritization into our planning process, we can make more informed choices about what tasks to tackle and when. This approach allows us to maximize efficiency, consolidate errands, and focus on what truly matters. Without this level of organization and prioritization, we may find ourselves perpetually trapped on a hamster wheel, feeling busy but not truly productive. And that is stress-inducing! Mastering Prioritization and Overcoming Overwhelm Understanding how to prioritize tasks can be challenging, especially when dealing with health issues or experiencing overwhelming thoughts. Megan suggests using a prioritization matrix that combines various approaches. When we find ourselves in a state of panic or anxiety, it's crucial to recognize that it's not a reflection of our intelligence or capabilities. Our brain's chemical reactions during these moments can lead to irrational decision-making. Listen to this episode to hear about Megan’s practical exercise that allows us to operate at our highest capacity. This includes a time-limited approach to creating a list and then identifying what truly needs to be done within the next 24 hours and has negative consequences if not addressed. By narrowing down the list to these critical tasks, we can create a focused action plan. Consulting our calendar, we can determine when to tackle these priority tasks. This approach helps us break free from the overwhelming feeling of urgency by taking a step-by-step approach. By calming our brain, focusing on specific tasks, and creating a plan, we can overcome overwhelm and maintain momentum. Designing the Perfect Planner: Seeing the Whole Week When it comes to effective time management, finding the right planner is key. Megan emphasized the importance of using a planner that provides a week-at-a-view layout with hourly slots. This design allows us to see our entire week at a glance, empowering us to assess our available time and commitments. By visualizing the bigger picture, we can strategically plan our days and make informed decisions about our priorities. Having a holistic view of the week enables us to stay organized and focused on what truly matters. This includes your food. I always talk to my patients about planning the weekly menu. When you do this, you can buy fresh produce and cook in bulk. This saves time and reduces decision fatigue. I also recommend using those daily pill containers for your supplements to keep them straight and streamline the process. Planning for Success: Balancing Predictability and Flexibility The beauty of weekly planning lies in its ability to strike a balance between predictability and flexibility. By creating a weekly plan, we gain clarity and can allocate dedicated time for important projects and tasks. However, life is full of unexpected changes and challenges. Megan emphasized the need to plan for uncertainty. Whether it's a sudden health issue or a last-minute travel plan, we must be adaptable. Megan's advice was to allocate flexible time blocks or leave room for unexpected events. This approach allows us to manage our time effectively while still being able to adapt to unexpected circumstances. The To-Don't List: Letting Go of Unnecessary Tasks One of the most transformative concepts Megan shared was the idea of the to-don't list. It involves identifying tasks that we don't enjoy doing or that can be delegated to others. By starting with these tasks, we can explore creative solutions to eliminate or outsource them. This practice liberates our time and energy, allowing us to focus on what truly matters. It's essential to let go of tasks t... | |||
| 09 May 2024 | 167 Did Hashimoto’s Cause Your Gut Issues or The Other Way Around? (How to Improve Both with Josh Dech) | 00:59:14 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Jump to the complete episode #167 show notes HERE. The Case:
When I met Beth in my Hashimoto’s program, she was overwhelmed trying to research the connection between her gut and Hashimoto’s. She was frustrated that her traditional doctors weren’t offering any solutions beyond treating the symptoms and wanted to reclaim power over her own health journey. That started with her joining the Thyroid Mystery Solved program where she discovered that she didn’t have to figure it all out on her own. I knew exactly where to start to get to the bottom of her thyroid mystery. Press play to find out the role Hashimoto's might be playing with your gut health. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 13 Jun 2019 | 013 The Case of Becoming a Health Self-Advocate with Misty Williams | 00:46:45 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation We Americans tend to trust our medical system despite statistics that show a failing system. We feel lost when a doctor tells us something is fine when we know in our gut it’s not. We don’t speak up when we’re told our symptoms are normal and that we should just get used to living with them. We ignore our instincts because we believe someone who’s been educated must know more about our bodies than we do. Misty’s experience is all too common. She was given few options and dismissed. She was told that because her labs were ‘normal’ she should get used to these symptoms. When more mysterious symptoms showed up and were dismissed (like a 45 lb weight gain) Misty knew that she had to fight for her quality of life. Since then, she’s not only become her own health advocate and solved many of her unexplained health issues, she’s also become a champion for others struggling with a medical system that’s failing them. Misty isn’t just a case in Health Mysteries Solved. She’s also the creator of Healing Rosie a resource website for women who want to get to the bottom of their concerns by becoming a health self-advocate. She’s passionate about helping people stand up for themselves and demand both answers and a quality of life. Misty also facilitates an online community where women can share their stories and knowledge as they navigate their way to better health. Doctors Don’t Have All the Answers While medical doctors do have a great deal of knowledge and play an important role in diagnosing conditions and finding treatments, we can’t assume that they know everything. Anyone wanting to become their own health advocate must get comfortable with questioning their doctor, finding answers elsewhere, and not accepting the doctor’s opinion as final. It’s okay to keep looking even when a doctor says that ‘labs are normal’ or that you have to get used to living with certain symptoms or limitations. Women Normalize Suffering One of the biggest reasons that we fail to get to the bottom of our health issues is that women accept suffering as part of the female condition. Our mothers, other women, and doctors have trained us to believe certain sufferings are ours to bear - especially around menstruation. And, all too often, we put others’ needs before our own. We are culturally programed to take care of our children, our spouses (and sometimes our bosses or employees) before we take care of ourselves. We simply accept that it’s normal to be tired, have brain fog (especially after a certain age), gain weight, be irritable, and deal with chronic pain. We have to stop accepting suffering and start expecting to feel good. Set Health Goals Even as health self-advocates, we need doctors to help us navigate the medical insurance industry. One way that Misty recommends getting doctors on board with your quest for good health is to discuss health goals with your doctor. This makes your requests less about whether your labs are normal or if you should be accepting a certain symptom as unavoidable. Instead, it gives the whole process an outcome that the doctor can get behind. Personalize Your Health Goals Every person is going to have different goals for their health. Misty offers 10 basic health expectations but each individual has to prioritize their own list. Some of her goals include having a regular and pain-free period, maintaining a healthy weight that is under 30% body fat, having energy for your day, getting great sleep, having a healthy libido, and having good digestion. All 10 health goals are discussed in this episode. Find the Right Doctor Sharing your health goals with your doctor is a good way to determine if this is the right doctor for you. If your current doctor is not receptive to assisting you with your health goals, you may want to find a different doctor. This can be a time consuming process so Misty suggests having an initial consult with a potential doctor before going through the process they have for becoming a new patient - which can take months. It Takes a Team What many women fighting for their own good health need to know is that it takes a team of practitioners to get results. Misty suggests having a doctor (who is onboard with your health goals and willing to request labs needed to support them), a functional medicine doctor and a nurse practitioner. Affording Good Health All of this can seem out of reach financially for many people, especially if their insurance is limiting. Misty provides some great tips on how to get as much as possible covered and to do a certain amount of work on your own to decrease out-of-pocket expenses. This includes communicating with your insurance company to gain clarity on how to get certain labs covered. Or, it might be leaving the country for inexpensive procedures like dental care in Mexico. Her community has also proven to be a great resource for people looking to be savvy with their health dollars. Good Resources are Available One of the first steps in becoming a health self-advocate is educating yourself. Misty recommends multiple books for various conditions and suggests that most women will want to heal their gut first and keep an eye on their thyroid. But most importantly, don’t settle for poor health and a compromised quality of life - get to the root of the problem and be your own advocate. Eliminating Health Mysteries Misty was able to really dig in to find the root cause of each issue despite the complicated collection of concerns. She continues to fight for her own quality of life and empowers others to do the same. Could standing up for yourself and becoming your own health advocate be what you need to reclaim your health? Perhaps you know someone else who needs to become their own health advocate? Share this episode with them. Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Misty Williams. You can connect with her through her website, Healing Rosie or join her free Facebook Group or follow her on Instagram.
Suggested Resources: The Paleo Thyroid Solution: Stop Feeling Fat, Foggy, And Fatigued At The Hands Of Uninformed Doctors - Reclaim Your Health! by Elle Russ Healthy Gut, Healthy You by Dr. Mike RuscioOvercoming Hashimoto’s Summit Claim your free spot to this 7-day virtual summit featuring the top experts in Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism so that you can overcome this diagnosis and feel better. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/2KigemW
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of | |||
| 05 Aug 2021 | 098 [Ask Inna] Answers to Your Questions about Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s | 00:29:56 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Please be sure to grab my free THYROID GUIDE to make sure your doctor is not missing your thyroid issue
The Question I work out and watch what I eat but every year, I gain weight. I can’t get rid of it. Is there anything I can do? Inna’s Response Yes. There is absolutely something that you can do! The first step is to get a clear picture of what’s going on with your thyroid levels. Make sure you get the full thyroid panel including TSH (which is where most tests stop), T 3, free T4, Free T3, and reverse T3. I also recommend testing thyroid antibodies and T3 uptake. For more on these tests and how to understand your results, you can download my FREE THYROID GUIDE This has to do with unexplained weight gain because your levels may not be optimal (even if your doctor doesn’t note it). If you have Hashimoto’s, you may experience thyroid destruction so you need to make sure your levels are optimal To improve weight loss, you will also want to balance inflammation and support your immune system. This could include eating anti-inflammatory foods and balancing blood sugar. Resist the urge to skip meals and avoid carb-loading. If you eat regular, balanced meals and your blood sugar is balanced you will have much more success.
The Question Is it true that if you have Hashimoto’s, you can easily develop other autoimmune diseases? Inna’s Response Sadly, this is true. When we have an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s, the immune system has become confused about what it should be fighting against. In the case of Hashimoto’s the immune system is attacking the thyroid. If the immune system stays confused and nothing is done to help balance and calm the system then it can attack other organs. And there's something called cross-reactivity where antibodies of the thyroid can cross-react with other tissues and potentially cause another autoimmune disease. This is all the more reason to balance inflammation and support the immune system, not just the thyroid with medication. I dive a little deeper into this in this episode but you can also find more information about solving the autoimmune mystery by listening to episode 32 of Health Mysteries Solved.
The Question Can I have thyroid symptoms if my TSH is just a little bit outside of the reference range? Inna’s Response The answer is yes, especially if your other thyroid hormones (like T4 and T3) are low. This is why I always say that you have to look at the full thyroid panel because the TSH is not a clear enough indication of what’s really going on with your thyroid. You need thyroid hormone for everything in your body so you can definitely have symptoms if your levels are outside of optimal. If you have Hashimoto’s, some symptoms could be due to the inflammation or your immune systems struggle to regulate.
The Question How do you know if Synthroid is working or if you need to switch? Inna’s Response There are two key things you need to look at. The first is to check your thyroid levels. If this is a new medication, you want to check all of your thyroid levels within the first 4-6 weeks to see how it is working. Synthroid isT4 so it does not give you any T3, the active hormone which your body needs so you want to check t3 to make sure you are able to convert it properly. For some people, this conversion is an issue. So, they may be taking Synthroid but the body is not converting it properly and they continue to have symptoms. This is why it’s so important to not rely solely on the TSH levels. The second key thing is how you actually feel. Sometimes the labs are picture perfect but the person still doesn’t feel well. This could be for a couple of different reasons. One is that medications have fillers, excipients or colorings which can cause a reaction. There are other options and brands that are slightly different. For example, one is called Tirosint which is easy to absorb (it’s a gel cap) and it doesn’t contain any excipients or desiccated thyroid which works a little differently in the body and some people feel a difference with those.
The Question Why does my thyroid medication stop working after several months? Inna’s Response If you have Hashimoto’s, you can experience flare-ups where the thyroid gland is under attack. Some people have more flare-ups than others. Over time, these flare-ups can destroy the gland itself so that it is less able to produce hormones requiring more medication. So, even if you’ve been on the same dose of medication for a long time, you may suddenly feel like it has stopped working but in actuality, you just need to adjust your dose. There is a second possibility that has to do with absorption. Your body’s ability to absorb the medication can fluctuate depending on inflammation in the body, exposure to toxins especially things like plastics or pesticides. These can block the receptors so that even though the medication is coming in, your cells can’t absorb it. In either of these cases, you will want to pay close attention to triggers. To help reduce triggers, focus on eating a clean diet (keeping it organic when you can), reducing stress, checking ingredients of personal care and clearing products. This should help reduce some of the triggers and inflammation.
The Question Will I be on medication forever? Inna’s Response This depends on whether you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s. If it’s hypothyroidism not caused by Hashimoto’s, it could be due to some type of inflammation or it may have been triggered by toxin exposure or a virus in the thyroid. In those cases, it is possible for the thyroid function to return and for medication to be stopped. In the case of Hashimoto's, the thyroid gets destroyed over time. The goal here is not so much to get off the medication as it is to stop further attack on the thyroid. It is possible for the thyroid to regenerate but it is unknown if it can regenerate enough to no longer require medication. Let me address something here because I know that a lot of people think medication is bad and that Synthroid is bad because it’s synthetic and unnatural. I try to get people to shift their thinking around this because thyroid is an essential hormone that you need for all of the cells in your body. So, this medication is replacing something that, for whatever reason, your body is not producing but absolutely needs. It’s essential. It’s much worse for your body to be deficient in thyroid hormone than to take the hormone. I do get it. I struggled with this for a long time but was able to reframe my thinking around it because for me, it is something my body really needs. I think that especially with Hashimoto’s, it’s about keeping things balanced to prevent more attack and the need to increase the medication. If you can do that and keep your medication at the same dose without the need to increase each year, you are doing a great job!
The Question At my last check, my TSH was where we wanted it to be and I’m doing well and losing weight. However, I have hair loss. Why is that still the case? Inna’s Response It’s true that your thyroid plays an important role in your hair health but it’s not solely responsible! There are a lot of other things at play when it comes to yo... | |||
| 19 Jan 2023 | 135 My Most up-to-date Immune Protocol that's Hashimoto’s and Autoimmune Safe | 00:29:57 | |
Get ThyroLove Now This time of year, it can feel like everyone around you is getting sick. Whether it’s a cold, the flu, RSV Covid, Strep, or some other virus - it can feel a bit like it’s impossible to stay healthy during this time of year. This is especially daunting for those who have autoimmunity, Hashimoto’s and thyroid issues because the standard advice about boosting your immunity could actually lead to a flare up. This is certainly the case for those with Hashimoto’s. Staying up to Date on Immune ProtocolsI’ve shared my immune protocols that are safe for Hashimoto’s and other autoimmunity in the past but there are always new ways of looking at things, new research, and new ideas to consider. So, in this episode, I’m sharing my MOST up-to-date Hashimoto’s-safe immune protocols to help you stay healthy this winter. It’s important to stay on top of things and I’m thrilled to be sharing these Hashimoto’s-safe immune boosting strategies with you. Don’t Follow Generic Immune AdviceAnyone with Hashimoto’s or autoimmunity has an immune system that functions differently than a normal immune system. Many people don’t realize that this means you can’t follow standard immune boosting advice. When you have an autoimmune disease the immune system is already overactive. Most immune boosting supplements stimulate your immune system. For anyone with autoimmunity, this extra stimulation could put your issue into overdrive and make you feel even worse. It seems logical - if you are fighting an infection, you want to boost your immune system. But, for those with autoimmunity, you don’t just stimulate the part of it that fights infections, you stimulate the whole thing, even the part that also fights your own organs! Immune Boosting Herbs and Supplements to Avoid With Hashimoto’sSome of the most commonly recommended immune-boosting supplements that those with autoimmunity and Hashimoto’s should avoid include:
Be extra cautious because some of these herbs are included in different immune formulations. It’s always best to read the ingredients to double check that they’re not present in a formulation you're considering. Green Light for These Immune Supporting Supplements for Hashimoto’s PatientsYou might be thinking, if I can’t take these or anything with them in it, how am I supposed to stay healthy this winter? Don’t worry! There are other nutrients that are not only super effective but also very safe when it comes to both autoimmunity and preventing immune dysregulation. Here is my go to list of immune-boosters safe for Hashimoto’s: Vitamin CMany of us know about the power of vitamin C but I feel it gets overlooked. I’ve been using this for years with great results. My recommendation for general immune support for a typical 150 pound adult is 1000-2000 mg of vitamin C per day. I personally use the C+BioFizz from Designs for health which makes a yummy fizzy drink. However, capsules like Stellar C are also great. If you have digestive issues, vitamin C can cause loose bowels. If that happens for you, Liposomal Vitamin C is a wonderful solution to this problem (just remember to keep it refrigerated!) If you are already symptomatic, you will want to increase your vitamin C significantly for 7-10 days. I suggest doing this in divided doses. For example, take 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C every 30-60 minutes until you get diarrhea (this is your body telling you it's saturated). Vitamin DVitamin D is important for everyone as we go into the winter. The dosage is going to vary for each person so it’s a good idea to do a lab test to get your levels so you know how much you actually need. I like to have my patients in the range of 50-80. If you don’t know your levels, 5000 IU of vitamin D would typically be recommended. Vitamin D really helps balance the immune system so it’s key for anyone with autoimmune dealing with a virus or infection as it will prevent upregulations. Keep in mind that Vitamin D should ideally come with vitamin K to prevent calcification of tissues and organs. I use Emulsi-D3 Liquid (great for anyone who struggles with fat soluble vitamins). Vitamin D Supreme capsules work really well for those who don’t need a liquid. One more recommendation. If your levels are really low and you can’t seem to get them into optimal range, you may want to try the Hi Po Emulsi D3. It gets levels up quickly but make sure you are getting vitamin K from another source (like a multivitamin). Zinc + QuercetinThis is the dynamic duo. Zinc is excellent for a short period of time however, it stays outside the cells unless it gets a bit of help. Doctors will prescribe medication but I recommend taking Zinc with Quercetin. Quercetin is completely natural, no prescription necessary and does not have any controversy around it. Quercetin is great at getting zinc into the cell. I use the DFH Quercetin and Nettles and recommend 250 mg daily for prevention. If you are sick, you can up the dosage to about 1000 mg of quercetin. Zinc and quercetin is definitely a power couple and I see great results with both prevention and also healing from infection. There is one big caution with zinc and that is that it will push copper out of the body. You want to keep these minerals in balance and the best way to do that is to either limit extended use of zinc or take a supplement that has a bit of extra copper. Check your multivitamin for this or you can take copper separately. GarlicI love garlic because it works so well, so quickly and I typically don’t see many side effects. Garlic naturally has antiviral and anti-microbial properties so it can work on bacteria, yeasts, and other bugs. Even though I’m a big fan, I don’t recommend taking garlic long term or for general immune support. I use it when I’ve been exposed to someone sick, if I feel something coming on, or when I’m symptomatic. You want to keep it to these times because it’s so powerful it can affect your microbiome negatively if you don’t give your body a break from it. Plus, you could build up a tolerance and decrease efficacy when you really need it. My go-to favorite is Allimax. I like it because it’s a patented allicin extract with high potency. And, it’s odor-less. I recommend 4-6 capsules a day for the duration of illness. This is also the dose if you’ve been exposed or feel something coming on. Liposomal GlutathioneGlutathione is a powerful antioxidant and an immune balancer. You can use it everyday (1 tsp per day) but if you are sick, you can double the daily dosage. This will really help support the immune system while it is fighting off the infection or virus. I use the Apex | |||
| 26 Sep 2019 | 028 Navigating the Thyroid Treatment Mystery with Inna Topiler | 00:26:14 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Last week we unravelled the mystery of finding underlying issues with the thyroid. We specifically looked at how blood tests should be read to give a clearer picture of the thyroid function. I got a whole bunch of emails thanking me for the clear explanation but also asking me how they can get the correct tests and what they can do about their numbers. In this episode, I share a few strategies for getting the right tests done to get the full picture of what your thyroid is doing. I include options that will hopefully help you find someone locally who can help (and who is covered by insurance). Once you have your numbers, that’s another story. The truth is, every case is different; their symptoms are unique to them. It’s important to look at all levels to determine what is happening and what pathways are driving it. To give you a sense of how different each situation can be, I wanted to share a few of my past clients’ stories with you. Click play to hear about Cindy, Cara, Melody and Erin and their struggles with underactive thyroid glands.
Case #1 - Cindy:
I suspected that the problem was further ‘upstream’ from the thyroid in the pituitary gland. We supported pituitary function with supplements and within 3 weeks, she was feeling better. It took 6 months to see her levels move back into optimal range, but we did that without treating the thyroid at all.
Case #2 - Cara:
After 6 weeks, all of her levels were back in the normal range. And, her very next menstrual cycle was balanced and devoid of those extreme PMS symptoms. Case #3 - Melody:
I could see immediately that she wasn’t converting her T4 into T3. We knew that the solution was going to involve the liver. She did a liver cleanse and also took supplements to support the conversion of T4 to T3. After 6 weeks of liver support and supplements, Melody had increased energy and improved mental clarity. Test revealed that total T3 was now back in range at 100 and her free T3 was also back in range at 3.1. Her T4 and TSH maintained their healthy levels.
Case #4 - Erin:
There was one thyroid test that was missing from her workup that I wanted to run - the reverse T3. Sure enough, it was at 29 when the reference range is 8-24 (optimally it should be under 17). Stress (and the cortisol associated with it) can cause reverse T3 to rise. Helping Erin’s thyroid issue started with stress management techniques including meditation. She also took a natural supplement to lower her cortisol. Erin noticed he symptoms decreasing almost right away and within 2 months her reverse T3 had gone from 29 to 15!
Mysteries Solved As you can see from these four cases, thyroid was behind all of their health mysteries but solving each one was vastly different. If your thyroid numbers are out of line, make sure you thoroughly investigate what can be at play. It could be a version of hypothyroidism, a thyroid conversion issue, something to do with the pituitary function or a high reverse T3 pattern. The answers (and treatments) are out there and there is hope!
Next Steps If you have symptoms of a thyroid condition but your lab tests say otherwise, it may be time to look a little deeper to make sure all the labs were run and interpreted properly . I put some links to labs below but I do encourage you to work with a healthcare professional who is willing to help you dig deeper. Your health and well being are worth it.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Cara, Cindy, Melody, and Erin we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help them regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Please share this episode with them so they can feel better too.
Links: Resources Mentioned: LABS https://yourlabwork.com/innatopiler/
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
Related Podcast Episodes: EPISODE #027 Solving the Thyroid Mystery w/ Inna Topiler EPISODE #02... | |||
| 17 Mar 2022 | 114 How to Support your Thyroid and Immune System Through Authenticity with Dr. Mario Martinez | 00:45:51 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation When I met Lynn, I saw that her TSH was fluctuating so we needed to stabilize her immune system. She was already following much of my advice with her diet and supplements. There were a few minor improvements we could make but my sense was that something else was playing a role in addition to her biochemistry.
What is a Psychoimmunologist? If you’ve never heard the term psychoneuroimmunology (sometimes referred to simply as psychoimmunology) it is the study of how the mind can affect the immune system. Dr. Mario Martinez, a best-selling author is a thought leader in the field of psychoneuroimmunology with his books, “The Mind-Body Code: How the Mind Wounds and Heals the Body” and “The MindBody Self: How Longevity Is Culturally Learned and the Causes of Health Are Inherited” as well as his online courses, groups, and mentorships. He’s been a popular guest on the show before and I knew he was perfect to join us to shed some light on this health mystery. Especially because lately, he’s been working on the role that authenticity plays in our immune health and our thyroid health.
What is Authenticity? Dr. Martinez says that there is a tremendous misconception around authenticity and inauthenticity. He explains that many of us were raised in a culture where being authentic simply means to be yourself and be honest. But, he says, that’s not enough. In his research, looking at the origin of the word ‘authenticity’ and how philosophers have pondered it in the past, he feels that being your honest self is only a surface version of yourself. This is because we internalize, morph, and sometimes forget who we are and what we want, in order to fit in with our tribe or cultural expectations. And then, we lose or forget our true self.
How Inauthenticity Causes Illness Behaving outside of our truth creates a stress response that over time, can create a real health issue. Even when we think we are being authentic, we may be fooling ourselves. The more we repeat these false beliefs about ourselves, and the more we speak about them (because language has power), the more concrete these false-perceptions feel. These feelings become our truth, even though they do not represent our true authentic self. And this can subconsciously cause an imbalance in the immune system through the mind-body connection because our language does not match our true authentic self. For example, if you say, “I am a good person”. Your psycho terminology may trigger your mind to look for evidence of whether you're a good person or not. And if you begin to look at when you're not being a good person and that you have a history of not being a good person, you create an incoherence which triggers a stress response. If this continues, then you may find yourself with chronically high levels of cortisol. Which, in turn, can release inflammatory molecules, increasing a propensity for particular illnesses. Dr. Martinez shared another hypothetical example about a little girl who learned to be submission to survive an abusive father. This submissiveness was necessary at the time. However, she may begin to believe that this is part of who she truly is. But, when she carries it forward into parts of her life where it is not necessary for survival, she may struggle to get the things she wants. Her learned truth and her real truth are out of balance. She is so used to being oppressed that she falls into a perceived helplessness. The moment that you feel helpless, like you don't have resources to deal with something overcoming you, your natural killer cells go down, your ideas go down, your inflammation goes up, and your immune system becomes helpless because you have a helpless consciousness. But, when you are an adult and the context is different (you actually do have resources, you’re not in danger of being hurt) and you have this response, there is a disconnect between your behavior and the reality of the situation. Overtime, this can lead to serious health issues. It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean inauthenticity causes illness but it can increase the propensity for it.
How Do You Know If You're Being Inauthentic? If being authentic isn’t simply being honest and has so much to do with the subconscious mind, or learned false-beliefs, how can you tell if you are being inauthentic? Dr. Martinez says the answer is in your innate response. When you are behaving in a way that is inauthentic, you can feel it. However, many of us have become desensitized to these physical responses. Awareness and learning to identify that feeling of being inauthentic (for example, saying yes in an effort to people-please) is the first step in moving out of living an inauthentic life.
How To Stop Being Inauthentic The first step is that awareness. You must realize when the feeling comes up so you can identify what you are being inauthentic about. The next is to start to honor your authentic self. For example, if you don’t like Italian food and someone asks if you’d like to go to an Italian restaurant. Your instinct may be to acquiesce but this will trigger a physical response because you know you don’t really want to go there. So, you need to speak up and say, no thank you (and then maybe suggest a place you would like to go). Acting more in accordance with your authentic self is important but it can be harder than it sounds. Dr. Martinez explains that it can help to remember how it felt the last time you were in alignment with your authentic self. For example, if your belief is that you are a nervous person. You need to remember what it felt like to not be nervous as you are telling yourself that you are not a nervous person. Immersing yourself in the sensation of the memory will help you feel aligned with your authentic self. In this episode, Dr. Martinez also shares some great questions you can ask yourself to help you stay in authenticity.
How Quickly Will You See Health Benefits from being Truly Authentic? Dr. Martinez says that the physical response to stepping out of inauthenticity is very quick. He explains that because you're changing the cycle terminology, the body will no longer be in that state of alarm. This should help your basal cortisol drop and your inflammation should decrease because there is no longer a need for this stress response. However, he warns that changing your language and thought patterns (that may be very well ingrained) may take some time. You have to continue to watch your reactions to situations, your natural tendencies that may be to act inauthentically, and the language you use about doing things you may not want to do even if you’re doing them with authenticity. He says that you should approach situations with novelty and curiosity because these two things put your brain into ‘discovery’ which reduces stress. Mystery Solved Lynn’s TSH was constantly fluc... | |||
| 06 Feb 2025 | 184 The Hidden Ingredients Worsening Your Thyroid Symptoms with Jen Smiley | 00:42:43 | |
Get ThyroLove Now If you’ve been doing everything right—going gluten-free, taking the right supplements, and following all the advice—but still struggling with fatigue, stubborn weight gain, or hair thinning… It's time to look beyond the obvious. In this episode, Inna sits down with Jen Smiley, founder of Wake Up and Read the Labels, to uncover the hidden ingredients lurking in so-called “healthy” foods that could be sabotaging your thyroid health. They break down why many gluten-free and packaged foods still contribute to inflammation, how sneaky additives like maltodextrin and “natural flavors” impact your gut, and the surprising places toxic Forever Chemicals (PFAS) are hiding in everyday foods and drinks. Plus, you’ll hear how Carol, a Hashimoto’s client in Thyroid Mystery Solved, turned things around by making simple swaps that finally helped her body respond—losing weight, restoring her energy, and even regrowing her hair. Press play now for really simple and actionable ways to make clean swaps that can make all the difference. Full Show notes: https://innatopiler.com/podcasts/hidden-food-ingredients-worsening-thyroid-symptoms-jen-smiley/ Please be sure you follow Inna on Instagram for everything Hashimoto’s www.instagram.com/innatopiler More at: https://innatopiler.com/ Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 21 Jan 2021 | 084 When is CBD the Only Option for Pain? | 00:37:30 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
When it comes to inflammation and pain, many things are at play and like most things in health, things are interconnected. We often talk about inflammatory cytokines but my instinct was that there really was more going on and we had to dig to find the root cause.
The Investigation My instinct was to focus on the endocannabinoid system, which I suspected might assist in understanding and solving Paulina’s case. When I went over the history and looked at all the things that she tried for inflammation, my sense was that she may not be able to process the inflammation properly because another system was dysregulated. Pat Gawrysiak is a formulation scientist and the Founder and CEO of RSPrecision Pharma, a pharmaceutical manufacturing and compounding company and President of 7 Leaf Compounds, (a company that grows and manufactures CBD products). I knew he’d be the ideal person to speak with about this. Endocannabinoid System and Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Endocannabinoids are a system of cell receptors. This molecular system balances many body processes, such as immune response, cell communication, appetite, mood, metabolism, memory, and sleep. Phytocannabinoids are plant molecules, such as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD-A, CBD-G, and CBD-N. The phytocannabinoids are from plants, and endocannabinoids are from mammals. High quality CBD products are known to activate the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors. Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency is a medical theory which suggests that a deficiency of endocannabinoids is the underlying cause of migraines, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Not all CBD Products are the Same Many people are familiar with CBD but may not really know how or why it works. And, while many may have tried CBD, they may not have gotten the results they were looking for because they were not taking ones that are fully broad spectrum. Or, they may have gotten their dosages wrong for their weight. Anyone taking CBD for inflammation should ensure the product has proper testing (cannabinoid content, metals, pesticides) and is grown organically to get the best results. There can also be different results depending on the person. Treatments can be designed for balancing or acute treatment with doses varying for the desired effectivement. This is why it’s important to consult an expert. The recommended dosage is 50-100 mg for an average adult.
Proper Absorption and Bioavailability Proper bioavailability is important and the method of consumption and dosage will impact this. You always want to work with an expert to ensure you are getting the right dosage for your body. CBD is similar to a water soluble vitamin in that there’s only so much that the body can absorb. The rest of the cannabinoid will be rejected by the body if it is not needed. Despite there being little to no risk of overdosing on clean CBD, it’s vital to get the right dosage to avoid feeling unwell.
Mystery Solved Because Paulina was so sensitive to anti-inflammatory medications, I knew that we had to look at her gut. However, while we were waiting for those results to come back, I recommended we start with a potent CBD both orally and topically to get the inflammation under control. Paulina had never tried CBD before because she didn’t really know how it worked, but after I explained the pathway, she was excited to try it. She took 50 mg of the Physicians Only CBD twice a day and she applied a little topical cream to her neck 3 times a day. By the 3rd day, she noticed a considerable reduction in her pain -- she reported that it was almost cut in half! She continued on the same dose and the pain stayed at that level for the next 2 weeks. I knew there was more inflammation in her body and so we continued on the same dose. 2 weeks after that, she felt another drop and now the pain was about 75% gone. She was really excited! By then, we had the results of her stool test and saw a few bugs and evidence of leaky gut. We did a GI cleanse with GI Microb-x and FC Cidal, worked on her digestion and her intestinal lining with L-glutamine and zinc carnosine. After the gut protocol, she noticed less bloating, something she didn't even realize she had until it was completely gone!
Next Steps Paulina is continuing with the CBD, along with multivitamins and omegas for maintenance, and to keep everything at bay.
Happy Ending The CBD helped to reduce the pain she was experiencing by 75%, by also balancing and healing the gut, she is now at a place where her symptoms are almost completely gone. I’m so thrilled this was the solution for Paulina!
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Paulina, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources Mentioned: Physicians CBD - Use INNA10 to get 10% off your order
Thanks to my guest Pat Gawrysiak. You can learn more about him through his websites for 7 Leaf Compounds and RS Precision Pharma.
Suggested Products: ... | |||
| 11 Apr 2019 | 004 The Case of Exercise Zapping Energy w/ Dr. Kasia Kines | 00:51:58 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Despite having typical symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, Patti’s levels were well within the normal range. With that off the table, we had to really think outside the box. I started to wonder if it might be an infection or some sort of virus. That’s when I looked into Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). According to the CDC, “ Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4, is a member of the herpes virus family. It is one of the most common human viruses. EBV is found all over the world. Most people get infected with EBV at some point in their lives. EBV spreads most commonly through bodily fluids, primarily saliva. EBV can cause infectious mononucleosis, also called mono, and other illnesses.” It’s estimated that 90% of the population are infected with EBV at some point in there life. There’s no medical treatment but there are some natural health options that can speed up recovery. One of the leaders in developing a natural approach to EBV is Dr. Kasia Kines. Kasia is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition and the CEO of EBV Educational Institute and Holistic Nutrition Naturally. She’s also the author of the Amazon best-seller The Epstein-Barr Virus Solution. She joins me on the show to discuss the symptoms and solutions for this very common problem. It’s a Global Issue This virus has been around for a long time and scientists have been searching for a vaccination since it’s discovery. Nothing has been found. Most Doctors Completely Dismiss EBV Despite the virus being very well known, many conventional doctors miss the symptoms. Some doctors don’t even want to test the blood for EBV markers. Symptoms Range Greatly In an acute episode, symptoms can resemble a really bad flu including feeling achy, swollen lymph nodes, and scratchy throat. This is the typical presentation of ‘mono’. At a chronic level, the symptoms could be fatigue, exercise intolerance, brain fog, hypersensitivity to mosquito bites, and can even develop into autoimmune diseases like arthritis, Crohn’s, or Hashimoto’s. There are Four Antibodies to Look For Once you get the right labs (blood tests) you can use this graph (from Dr. Kines’ website) to determine what your lab results indicate. Even After Recovering from Mono, the Virus Can Hang Around While you may feel fully recovered from ‘mono, the virus can stick around. It doesn’t live in the bloodstream, it only comes into the bloodstream when it reactivates (usually when the immune system is challenged). If the virus is not taken care of, it can go deeper into the organs, tissues, joints, and even the brain. MYTH: EBV is Not Treatable Many doctors believe that nothing can be done about acute or chronic EBV. But, this is not true. It is reversible with nutrition modification, environmental toxins exposure reduction, and a lifestyle shift away from stress. This is key because the virus really responds to stress hormones. In addition, specific supplements have proven helpful (see below) and in some cases, reducing exercise may also speed up the recovery process. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Patti we were able to identify the underlying issue behind her health mystery. Patti reduced her usual workout to very light exercise, shifted her diet, got a lot more rest, and took additional supplements to support fighting the virus. After 3 months, she felt a lot better. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Remember, the presentation of EBV is very individual. If you suspect this might be what’s behind your unexplained health issues, it’s worth exploring. Note that if you follow the EBV protocol, you should notice a change in a couple of weeks. If you don’t, then this might not be the answer to your particular mystery. Resource Links: Resources and products mentioned on the podcast: Thanks to my guest Dr. Kasia Kines. You can connect with her on Facebook or via her website. Here is where you can find her book The Epstein-Barr Solution. Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Say hi to me on Facebook and Instagram. Comment on this episode and let me know if it helped. Or at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
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PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 30 Jul 2020 | 070 The Case of Mercury Fillings w/ Dr. Kourosh Maddahi | 00:45:38 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation My investigation started by looking into Emily’s dry mouth and bad breath. Her oral health was quite poor despite frequent brushing and I noted that she’d had several root canals and many silver fillings. I know this was going to be a key piece in solving her health mystery because even though these may not seem related, everything in the body is connected. “Silver fillings” or Amalgam fillings are actually about 54% elemental mercury and mercury can cause all kinds of health issues. On top of that, our oral health can seriously impact our overall health, even when we think we are practicing good oral hygiene. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi is a dentist to the stars, the author of 'Anti-Aging Dentistry' and the founder of the research-based Lumineux Oral Essentials. He joins me in this episode to shed some light on what might be going on with Emily.
Your Mouth is a Gateway to Your Body The mouth is the first entry point for the digestive system with regards to disease or infection. The mouth is the most vascular area which means that it is easy for bad bacteria and viruses to be transmitted through the mouth vascularly as well as by swallowing. We know that chronic inflammation is a key component in many diseases and the mouth is also susceptible to inflammation. Gingivitis, for example, is chronic inflammation of the gums. This inflammation can increase the chances of transmitting disease because swollen gums are more likely to have tiny cuts (and bleed) which removes the barrier between bad bacteria or viruses and the bloodstream.
Signs of Inflammation in the Mouth The first and most common sign of acute or chronic inflammation is bleeding during or after teeth-brushing. A second sign is if there is discomfort when eating, especially if there is pain when biting or chewing. Pain during eating can be a sign that there is an infection under the tooth, in the gums, or in the bone. Dentists can do X-rays and probe the gums to confirm chronic inflammation and/or a suspected infection.
Causes of Inflammation in the Mouth & How to Avoid It Inflammation can happen quickly. For example, Dr. Maddahi says that a build up of hardened plaque causes inflammation and plaque can harden on your teeth within 24 hours. That’s why brushing frequently is so important. He says the simplest way to avoid inflammation is to remove plaque before it can harden - in other words, floss and brush regularly and see your dentist to remove hardened plaque every 6-months.
Health Risks from Silver Fillings (Amalgam Fillings) Silver fillings contain mercury which is known to cause health issues. Mercury exists in three forms: solid, liquid, and vapor. The vapor form is the greatest concern in the mouth because it can leach out when we are chewing or drinking hot liquids and enter various tissues and organs. Of particular concern is that mercury vapor can break the blood-brain barrier and the half-life of mercury in the brain is 20-years. As mercury accumulates in organs, it can reach toxic levels. Mercury toxicity can impact the nervous, digestive and immune systems. It can also negatively affect the development of children in utero and in early life.
Testing for Mercury Toxicity Common practice is to test your hair and urine to determine mercury levels in the body. However, Dr. Maddahi says this is not a true indication because the mercury could be absorbed in the tissues and organs. Instead, he suggests doing a challenge test.
Should You Remove Mercury Fillings? This is a controversial question for a lot of dentists and health experts. While it may seem like an obvious solution, given the leaching of mercury vapors into our system, the drilling and removal of silver amalgam fillings can cause a significant release of vapors - as much as 100 times more than the you might experience by not removing them - during a very short time period. If the patient is healthy and doing the removal as a precaution, then Dr. Maddahi suggests only doing one quadrant at a time.
Safety During the Removal of Mercury Fillings Anyone choosing to remove mercury fillings should select a dentist who will take the greatest precautions to reduce the potential exposure to mercury vapors. For example, the patient should be on oxygen so that they are breathing through their nose and not through their mouth during the removal. There should also be a vacuum to capture the filings and aerosol caused by the drilling. And, Dr. Maddahi also gives patients an activated charcoal rinse to coat the gums and stomach which reduces the chances of mercury being absorbed.
What is Biocompatibility Dentistry? Biocompatibility Dentistry is the matching of dental products to the individual based on sensitivities they may unknowingly have. This process involves doing a Clifford Test prior to dental work that tests the patient’s blood for incapability issues they may have to certain (commonly used) dental materials. This is really important because without it, a patient may get a crown or a veneer using materials they are incompatible with and constantly have issues with and around that tooth (including discoloration, inflammation, pain, and bleeding).
Detecting Infections in Teeth and the Mouth Aside from mercury fillings, there is another hidden dental issue that can impact overall health - infected teeth or bones in the mouth. Infections can happen inside teeth - especially in the case of a poorly-done root canal. Dr. Maddahi says that these infections have been linked to immunity issues. Detecting this kind of infection can be done using an X-ray or, in some cases, a cone beam scan. Another source of infection is through cavitations in the bone caused by the removal of a tooth. A scan can also help with detecting this. Mystery Solved The first step in solving Emily’s health mystery was for her to see a biological dentist and get some good scans to determine if infections or cavitations may be the culprit. And, to discuss whether removing her silver amalgam fillings might be beneficial. This visit revealed a lot! While she worked closely with this dentist to address all those issues, I supported her detox pathways with glutathione and binders to make sure she was not absorbing any of the toxins that were being removed from her mouth. Emily and her dentist took the removal of her silver fillings slow to ensure her body could detox and adjust. She had 10 fillings changed over and had one tooth pulled (a previous root canal had become infected) over the course of 3 months. In that time, she had no detox reactions and noticed an improvement in her energy and brain fog when all the dental work was done. While doing the dental work, we also began a cleanse with anti-microbial herbs to deal with several infections that we d... | |||
| 15 Mar 2019 | Welcome to Health Mysteries Solved | 00:01:29 | |
Health Mysteries Solved with Inna Topiler is a weekly podcast that finds the answers to nagging health issue so that more people can feel better and live well. The show is hosted by Inna Topiler, a Clinical Nutritionist who practices a holistic and functional medicine approach to her patients’ health concerns. Each episode, she introduces you to a real case from her files, discusses it with top health experts, and then explains how they were able to dig a little deeper, unravel the clues, and solve the health mystery. This podcast is perfect for anyone who has ever been told that there’s no explanation for what they’re experiencing or worse, that it might all be in their head. But, it’s also for anyone who has ever known someone who has had to go through this infuriating circumstance. Subscribe now. The next health mystery might sound quite familiar and the answers are out there. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com | |||
| 19 Sep 2024 | 174 A Tick Bite, Lyme Disease, and the Hashimoto's Connection with Dr. Darin Ingles | 00:48:15 | |
Get ThyroLove Now How a Tick Bite Sparked My Daughter’s Lyme Scare and What It Means for Hashimoto’s. Jump to the FULL SHOW NOTES HERE for all the links
Lyme Disease and Hashimoto's: How They Intersect I invited Dr. Darin Ingles back to the podcast to dig deeper into the issue of Lyme disease and its connection with Hashimoto’s. Dr. Ingles, a naturopathic doctor and expert in Lyme disease, is the author of The Lyme Solution and has helped countless patients with Lyme and related conditions, including Hashimoto’s. Lyme disease is the fastest-growing infectious disease in the world, with thousands of cases often going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, especially when symptoms overlap with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s. In our conversation, Dr. Ingles shared insights on why Lyme disease can trigger thyroid issues and other chronic conditions, like Hashimoto's, and why it's essential to address these root causes early. For more visit: https://innatopiler.com/podcast/ Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 18 Jul 2019 | 018 The Case of the Unlikely Lyme Disease w/ Dr. Darin Ingels | 00:53:10 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
It’s not uncommon for people to turn to functional medicine to deal with headaches and inflammation but there was something that made me think there was something else at play in Kim’s case. The biggest clues were that aside from the pain, she also said she didn’t feel like herself. I knew that we had to get to the source of the inflammation and the roving joint issues. The Investigation My suspicion was Lyme disease but Kim is a city girl and hadn’t been hiking in areas where she might have been exposed. I needed to investigate whether this might be the cause of her issues as it certainly seemed to explain the collection of concerns. Dr. Darin Ingels is an expert in Lyme disease and a respected thought leader in natural medicine. He’s the author of “The Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fight the Inflammatory Autoimmune Response and Beat Lyme Disease”. His practice deals with chronic immune dysfunction and he’s been successful in using natural methods to reduce the symptoms of Lyme (including his own). What is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease (also known as Lyme Borreliosis) is a bacterial infection transmitted primarily by Deer ticks. It’s unique because it has the capacity to penetrate different parts of the body in a way that other bacteria can’t. This means, it can travel around the body and it can be difficult to treat. Lyme is also known as the great mimic because the symptoms of the disease can look like many other illnesses and traditionally, doctors have found it very hard to diagnose. Also, there are upwards of 300 different strains of Lyme disease worldwide, with about 100 strains in the U.S. Know Your Ticks There are many different types of ticks and the one that most commonly carries Lyme disease is the deer tick. If you find a tick on you, it’s helpful to know what kind of tick it is. Here are a few pictures to help you identify them. (HealthMysteriesSolved.com)
If You Find a Tick If you find a tick crawling on you, brush it off. If it hasn’t bitten you, then you are unlikely to have been infected. However, you should do a full tick check since you now know you’ve been in an area where ticks are. When a tick bites you, it stays attached while it feeds. The disease is transmitted from the saliva it secretes into your bloodstream while it is drinking your blood. If you find a tick that is attached to your skin, remove it using tweezers and a magnifying glass, pinching as close to the bite as possible and pulling the tick out slowly. Avoid the instinct to squash it or scratch it away. Gentle, intentional removal will decrease the amount of the bug’s fluids that enter your system. If possible, save the tick (in a plastic bag with a moist cotton ball so it doesn’t dry out) and bring it in for testing. Not Just Ticks Lyme disease is most commonly caused by a bite by a carrier known as a deer tick but it’s not just ticks that transmit the bacteria. Some research suggests that mice, rats, and squirrels may also be carriers. Many people write off the possibility of having contracted Lyme because they haven’t been in nature or in a region that is known for having infected ticks. There is also some research being done about the possibility that Lyme disease may be transmitted by mosquitoes, horseflies, fleas, and through the exchange of human body fluids. None of these have been proven conclusively. Where in the World are Lyme-Infected Ticks? Another factor that can cause doctors to write off the possibility of Lyme is location. For a long time, Lyme was primarily found in ticks located in specific regions of the US (the Northeastern and Midwestern states) but in the past few years, infected ticks have been found in every state - including Alaska. Symptoms There are some tell-tale signs of Lyme infection, the most significant of which is the appearance of a red bulls-eye like rash around the bite area. This is called erythema migrans and is the most conclusive symptom because it only occurs with Lyme. However, not everyone who gets Lyme disease will develop this rash so doctors have to rely on a collection of other symptoms. These symptoms may include fever, chills, joint pain (that may travel from one area to another), Bell's palsy, swelling of the lymph nodes, sleep disturbances, headaches, and general flu-like symptoms. Over time, symptoms can progress into neurological symptoms like balance problems, coordination issues, fatigue, brain fog, sensitivity to light and short term memory loss potentially leading to cognitive decline. Diagnosis Diagnosis of Lyme disease is tricky because unless the patient has (and sees) the erythema migrans mark, the symptoms could be a myriad of other things. Often a patient is initially misdiagnosed and it’s not until the collection of symptoms are considered that Lyme is tested for. The CDC recommends testing for a specific antibody through a blood test to begin. If this antibody is not present, then they will determine it’s not Lyme. If it is present, then they move to additional blood tests. False Negatives and False Positives for Lyme Disease One of the issues with the traditional Lyme screening method is that the antibody test is just proof that you’ve been exposed. And, there have been issues with that test returning false negatives too because it only picks up 40 - 50% of the people who have it. The challenge with this is that for people dealing with false negative results, the traditional medical system can no longer move forward in diagnosing. Functional Medicine Approach to Diagnosis Many functional medicine practitioners skip the initial antibody test and go straight to the other blood tests. There are a variety of labs that will conduct different types of tests that can help confirm a Lyme infection. However, many of these lab tests are not covered by medical insurance. It’s important to do multiple different tests because of how many different strains of Lyme there are. See the references section below for a list of labs. Traditional Treatment Lyme disease is a bacterial infection so the traditional course of action is to treat it with antibiotics. Often the prescribed length of prescription is not enough to permanently kill off the bacteria (which can go into remission or dormant). During the time of dormancy, antibodies can continue to change. Dr. Ingels says that it’s not uncommon for Lyme disease symptoms to reappear after some time of dormancy. This is what happened to him. The traditional approach is to attack it again with more (sometimes different) antibiotics. Chronic use of antibiotics may cause severe side effects that can lead to other health issues. Natural Approach to Treatment There is no consensus on the treatment of Lyme disease and so it comes with some controversy. Dr. Ingels doesn’t say that people should not take the antibiotics, but he does believe that there are lifestyle and diet changes that can help keep symptoms at bay. He is also a proponent of the Traditiona... | |||
| 11 Apr 2024 | 165 Can Candida Cause Hashimoto's and What Can You Do About It with Dr. Michael Biamonte | 00:51:35 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Over 50% of those with Hashimoto’s can also have Candida BECAUSE people with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism are more susceptible to it. But please don’t worry, I would never tell you something that may seem negative if there was not a solution.
I sat down with my friend and colleague, Dr. Biamonte, (he was actually my original naturopathic doctor and the countries top candida expert) to bring you everything you need to know so that you can start taking action and feel better! In this episode, we discuss:
You can read the FULL SHOW NOTES AND SUMMARY HERE to get see ALL the details we discuss in the episode. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 03 Oct 2024 | 175 Perimenopause and Hashimoto’s + My Personal Hormone Journey | 00:35:24 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Unexplained Weight Gain? What You Need to Know About Perimenopause and Menopause Jump to the FULL SHOW NOTES HERE for all the links Many women are surprised to learn that these changes could be linked to perimenopause, which can start as early as age 35 and last from 10-15 years. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone begin to decline at different rates depending on the individual, which can cause a variety of symptoms long before we experience symptoms we associate with menopause like hot-flashes. Today, I'm sharing My Personal Hormone Journey. https://innatopiler.com/podcast/ Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 07 Nov 2019 | 034 The Case of Unrelenting Depression and Anxiety w/ Dr. Loren Marks | 01:00:39 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety affects over 18% of the US population and is the most common mental illness in America. They also report that it’s not uncommon for depression and anxiety to be experienced together. The website lists risk factors as genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. I had my suspicions that genetics were at play with Allison. My instincts were to test her DNA for the MTHFR gene and determine if there might be a problem with her methylation capacity. To talk more in depth about this, I invite a methylation expert to join me on the show. Dr. Loren Marks is a chiropractic physician who has been practicing in New York City for over 35 years. He’s the founder of the Integrative Assessment Technique, or IAT which is an assessment methodology embracing nutritional-biochemistry, emotional health, and structural neurology. He's also a postgraduate instructor, a noted speaker, and frequent lecturer. What is Methylation Methylation is an important metabolic process. Methylation happens in every cell; in every organ of the body. And, it takes place more than a billion times a second. To understand the process, you first have to know that there is a molecule called methyl which is composed of carbon and hydrogen (CH3). This molecule occurs in the cell and plays an important role in many processes in the body including eliminating heavy metals, detoxification, repairing damaged DNA, and creating new cells. Mental Health and Methylation Methylation plays a role in energy production, mood balancing, and neural transmission in the brain. The three main neurotransmitters that are controlled or expressed through methylation are serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine - all of these correlate with depression, anxiety, and other issues with mental health. It’s important to note that the methylation pathways in the brain depend on good nutrition. What is the MTHFR Gene? Many people become familiar with methylation in relation to the MTHFR gene which can be identified through commercial DNA tests like 23 and Me. MTHFR is short for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. When geneticists looked at the different genes that control the methylation process, MTHFR has the highest molecular weight, which means it's the largest gene in a pool of over 20 genes. They assumed it had significant impact on methylation because of this dominance but further research has revealed that the smaller genes actually they can significantly impact the effectiveness of methylation. The MTHFR gene is responsible for the metabolism of methyl folate. MTHFR has two different alleles that, if they are mutated (which is common), can render the gene incapable of metabolizing methylfolate. What Does it Mean to Have Mutated MTHFR Gene? Many people become concerned that they have a mutation but Dr. Marks says that it doesn’t necessarily mean you're in trouble. There are many other things to consider including how this is impacting your ability to process methyl. The MTHFR can be expressed due to a predilection based on the genes that you inherited from your parents, but your lifestyle choices (the food you eat, the water you drink, the air you breathe, the stress that you're living with day to day) play a role. Research shows that lifestyle can trigger the expression of MTHFR gene. Diagnosing Methylation It’s important to work with a doctor to determine what’s happening with methylation. Having the MTHFR gene doesn’t mean there is a methylation problem - you could be balanced, be an over-methlator, or an under-methylator. There are two blood tests that can determine methylation efficiency. One is called a whole blood histamine. The normal range on this test is 40 to 70. If you're in that range, even if you have MTHFR, then your global methylation status is actually balanced out by other genes. The second test you can get is the SAMe ratio test. Testing the S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) ratio will reveal whether you are net over or under in methyl. How to Treat Methyl Related Depression and Anxiety Rebalancing methyl levels may help with depression and anxiety. Depending on whether you are over or under methylator, there are supplements that can help. But, the wrong supplements can be problematic. For example, in some cases methyl folate can lower serotonin which is not what someone wants if they are dealing with depression or anxiety. Dr. William Walsh identified 5 biotypes of depression: undermethylation, folate deficiency, copper overload, pyrrole disorder, and toxic metals. Identifying which biotype is behind the depression will inform the correct supplement treatment. Additional tests can further inform treatment which could include: SAMe, methionine, antioxidants, zinc and B6 (if you have pyrrole disorder) and copper.In the majority of cases, applying the right nutrient therapy, reducing oxidative load, improving diet, and exercising. For Over methylators, Dr. Marks suggests niacin or niacinamide for over methylators (because it binds to methyl), calcium fulminate, mineral manganese, B12, B6, zinc, vitamin C and a special form of vitamin E called tocotrienols. He also recommends taking antioxidants for the oxidative load. Mystery Solved DNA tests revealed that Allison had the MTHFR gene. Further testing revealed that she was an over methylator. She had reacted to the B vitamins she’d taken because they were methyl based and her over methylation had spiked her methyl levels. To balance this, Allison took 1 capsule of Niacin CRT per day to soak up the methyl. We also used a supplement called B12 ND from premier research labs which is B12 in the adenosyl cobalamin form and folinic acid instead of methyl folate for source of natural folic acid. After 3 weeks on this protocol, Allison noticed a change. She described it as something lifting, almost like a veil. Allison also had an elevated level of copper which we saw that through a hair test. I gave her 90 mg of Zinc Supreme, 3000 mg of Vitamin C and 250 micrograms of Molybdenum to balance that. Please note that those zinc dosages are high due to her specific high level of copper. I don’t normally recommend that someone supplements with such high doses of zinc daily unless they have high copper and are under the care of a professional. We monitored Allison’s copper levels over the next few months and on the 3rd hair test we saw the levels back in the normal range at which point we stopped the extra zinc, vitamin C and Molybdenum. With the copper down and her methylation more in check, we were able to stop the ni... | |||
| 31 Mar 2022 | 115 How to Stop Feeling Invisible and Alone in Your Health Journey with Guest Meghan O'Rourke | 00:44:56 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Many people dealing with autoimmune diseases or rare genetic issues find themselves beyond the textbooks of traditional medicine. This can lead to being given false diagnosis (like, dry skin or hormonal shifts due to menses), or being sent off to specialist after specialist without any diagnosis. When you are caught in this loop, it seems like treating the issues is impossible and the journey can be emotionally draining. The most heartbreaking part is that women who find themselves in this situation start to question if there are any answers out there, if maybe it is all in their head, or if they will ever feel well again. This is often when they find me and I’m always so glad when they do and I can help to solve their health mysteries. I feel it’s my purpose to help them get out of despair and on the road to health.
The Invisible Kingdom Meghan O’Rourke is on the same mission. In her book, The Invisible Kingdom, she shares her own journey and what it took to reclaim her health. She shares this story and everything she learned along the way so that others will know that they are not alone and that there are answers when you know where to look. The book is completely aligned with this podcast, so if you’re a long-time listener, you’ll understand why I had to have her on the show. In this episode, we break from our usual podcast format so that Meghan can share her inspirational story.
Meghan’s Personal Health Mystery Story For over 10 years, Meghan dealt with health issues that no doctor could explain. It started with neurological symptoms like when she started to feel electrical shock sensations run up her leg. The doctor told her it might be dry skin. Then she started to experience vertigo, fatigue, daily hives, brain fog, joint pain, and excessive night sweats. While certain symptoms were treated others were blamed on stress or she was told not to worry about them. Much like gaslighting, she started to question whether she was actually feeling these things. She started to buy into this message that something was wrong with her mind. She started to blame her diet and that everything she was experiencing was somehow her fault. Eventually, she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. She was also diagnosed with a genetic condition as well as Hashimoto’s. This is when she realized that it wasn’t all in her head and started to understand the scope of suffering by those whose symptoms are dismissed.
Shifting Away from Conventional Medicine Meghan’s medical struggles changed course when the sister of a friend (who is a nurse) suggested that she see a functional medicine doctor. The first thing they did was run labs that no conventional doctor had even considered. This was how the thyroid anomaly was found leading to a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s disease. Even though she was starting to get answers, it was difficult for her to let go of the belief that conventional doctors were the ultimate authority on health. Many people experience this because we are raised to trust traditional medicine and to be skeptical of alternatives. But, the more she started to view her body as a whole system, the more she was able to understand the role the individual symptoms were playing in her overall health picture. She started to figure out the root causes of her symptoms.
Lyme Disease Diagnosis Lyme disease had been the root cause of several of her symptoms. She’d had a number of strange rashes at different times but they weren't classic bullseye rash known to indicate Lyme. She had dismissed Lyme as a possibility because of the lack of this tell-tale rash. It turns out that many people go undiagnosed for this same reason. The longer you have Lyme without treating it, the more damage it can do. Meghan was hesitant to treat her Lyme disease with antibiotics because she found that certain lifestyle choices significantly helped reduce her symptoms. However, this state of being “almost symptom-free” didn’t always last. Her functional doctor convinced her that the medication was necessary. Many people are surprised by this but the risks of Lyme going untreated are seen as far more harmful than the negative impact on your gut flora from taking antibiotics. It took some time for the medication to work, but once it did, she was able to focus on repairing the damage the antibiotics may have done to her gut health.
Fecal Microbiota Transplant Fecal Microbiota Transplant is a cutting edge approach used to restore a severely-imbalanced gut. While this is still somewhat experimental, Meghan was willing to be a guinea pig. She’s glad she did it because in the end, she found it profoundly improved her health. But, it wasn’t a rosy path. Firstly, it’s an expensive treatment that is only covered (in the US) by insurance for treating C Difficile. The transplant (using a donor's fecal microbiota) process took two weeks. They warned her that there might be an immune reaction and there was. She experienced flu-like symptoms and felt ill. They adjusted the treatment due to this reaction but felt confident that it was working. Two weeks later, Meghan reports that she felt a level of energy and good health that she hadn’t felt in 15 years.
A Mindset of Resilience for Autoimmune Disease One of the biggest lessons in Meghan’s book is the importance of mindset when you’re dealing with chronic illness and autoimmune diseases. She shares in her book coping mechanisms and a strategy for surviving it. The focus is so often on the physical challenges and we end up disregarding the mental and emotional challenges being faced. This can sometimes include a lack of trust in the medical system and even in what you’re feeling.
Trust Your Intuition and Advocate for Yourself One of the strategies Meghan talks about is trusting your intuition so you can be an advocate for your own health. She said it played an important role especially when she was feeling overwhelmed and getting mixed messages from the various experts. However, she points out that you want to avoid ‘search fatigue’ where you spend so much time researching, finding partial answers and getting frustrated. This can cause stress and sometimes you need to take a break. You also need to advocate for yourself outside of your treatment. You need care. You need access to better diagnostics. You need your job and for your bosses to support you and understand your disability. And, you need that social safety net and the promise of future treatment. And all of these needs can’t be met if you stay invisible in your struggles. So, you need to advocate for yourself. The Power of Tracking One of the most important strategies for Meghan was to track everything. This gave her a clearer, objective picture than ... | |||
| 26 Nov 2020 | 080 The Link Between Dry Eyes and Your Thyroid w/ Dr. Rani | 00:41:18 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Eye irritations can range from dry, itchy eyes to puffiness. Most people reach for over-the-counter eye drops or antihistamines for temporary relief. If it’s caused by the environment or allergies, this might solve the issue but when it persists - there may be a bigger issue at play.
The Investigation My sense was that another organ was driving her eye issues. I suspected that it actually wasn’t an eye issue, so to solve this health mystery, we had to look outside the box. And, I knew just who to contact, Dr. Rudrani Banik (Dr. Rani). She’s a board-certified and fellowship-trained Neuro-Ophthalmologist with a functional medicine approach. You may remember her, she was on episode 50. Dr. Rani confirmed that eye issues aren’t always just about the eyes.
The Eye Thyroid Connection The thyroid is related to the health of your eyes. The receptors on the thyroid look very similar to the receptors that are found on the connective tissue in the eye socket. When there are issues with the thyroid, specifically autoimmune issues, there is the possibility that the eyes can be affected. There are a lot of different eye issues that are related to either Graves Disease or Hashimoto’s (autoimmune issues related to the thyroid). However, sometimes the eye issues present before the autoimmune issue is detected or diagnosed making the connection difficult to make.
Symptoms of Thyroid Eye Disease The symptoms of thyroid eye issues can start out like many eye issues. For example, you might have dryness, irritation, redness, puffiness or swollen lids. The usual course of action for these symptoms might be to use drops (including over the counter and steroid gel drops), antihistamines or both but if these don’t work, these may be symptoms of thyroid eye disease. Additional characteristics of thyroid eye disease may include the swelling or puffiness of the upper eyelids especially in the morning with the swelling decreasing through the day. Other symptoms may include chronic redness or a shift in the width of the eye socket. The latter may result in the eyes appearing bigger or wider. There may even be some inflammation causing the eyes to protrude or bulge (proptosis). If left undiagnosed and untreated, the muscles behind the eye socket can get involved and cause double vision and even vision loss. Note that this does not happen overnight - it’s a severe advancement of the condition but it’s worth noting what can happen if the situation is not dealt with.
Diagnosing Thyroid Eye Disease The most important part of tying an eye issue to the thyroid is to get blood tests. But, it’s not enough to just test the TSH or T3 as many doctors will do as a thyroid test. Dr. Rani says she likes to get the full antibody panel including TPO (thyroid peroxidase), Tg (thyroglobulin antibodies), and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) receptor (which tends to be elevated in thyroid eye disease patients). Dr. Rani also says an eye exam is very important. She measures the lids very carefully to see if they are more open. She also tracks this over time to watch for changes. She’s also looking for congestion in the eye socket, asks about double vision, and checks the ocular motility. Finally she uses an exophthalmometer to determine how the eye rests within the socket. Sometimes a CAT scan or MRI are required.
Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease Once the issue has been properly diagnosed, there are several things that can be done to help treat thyroid eye disease including:
Treating eye redness, dryness, and irritation can be done with topical medications (typically drops or ointments). Sometimes patients require medications (antihistamines or topical steroids but Dr. Rani only uses steroids in extreme cases (when vision is at risk) because there is a risk of side effects like developing glaucoma or herpetic infections.
Certain foods may be triggering thyroid issues (for example, gluten, dairy, and goitrogens like cruciferous vegetables). Avoiding these foods may help.
Dr. Rani says it's really really important to avoid any kind of smoke or fumes. Studies show that people who smoke have a much worse prognosis when it comes to thyroid eye disease, so it’s suggested that they quit smoking and even avoid secondhand smoke. Cooking fumes can even create a problem.
When it comes to managing the thyroid, stress is a major factor. Stressful periods can trigger thyroid issues so ongoing stress-management is important.
A European study found that selenium (a mineral) can reduce the symptoms of thyroid eye disease. In that study, they used a supplement (100 mcg twice per day) but selenium can also be found in Brazil nuts, eggs, beef, chicken, and pork. Selenium can also be helpful for the conversion of T4 to T3.
Zinc is really important for healthy thyroid function and producing hormones. You can take a zinc supplement, eat foods rich in zinc or do zinc lozenges. Treatment Cautions There are a lot of eye drops for reducing dryness, redness and irritation but Dr. Rani encourages people to read the label. Look specifically for polyvinyl alcohol. It is a lubricant but the pH is not balanced to the eye so it can be very toxic to the surface of the eye and make dry eyes worse. Some brands that Dr. Rani says are free of alcohol are Refresh, Systane, and Genteel.
Who to See - Optometrist vs. Opthamologist Many people aren’t sure about the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist - and who to see if they think they may have thyroid eye disease. Both are doctors but the optometrist is a doctor of optometry (OD) and must go to college for four years and then optometry school for four years. Ophthalmologists are MDs (medical doctors) with four years in school, four years in medical school and then an additional internship and residence (another four years). It’s training in both medical and surgical aspects of the eye. For thyroid eye disease, Dr. Rani says you would want to see an ophthalmologist because you may need to get special treatment which may include surgery.
Mystery Solved Jane didn’t specifically present with many classic thyroid symptoms, but knowing the connection, I knew I needed to evaluate this further. Comprehensive lab tests revealed that Jane’s TSH, T4 and T3 were completely normal however her thyroid peroxidase antibodies (associated with Hashimoto’s) were 325. Ideally they should be below 35. We didn’t know how long her antibodies had been elevated but the good news was that (unlike many others with Hashimoto’s) her actual thyroid function had not been affected. The eye issues were the first symptom. .With the mystery solved, we knew we n... | |||
| 09 Jan 2020 | 041 Demystifying Annual Check-ups & Why They Fall Short | 00:18:39 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Annual check-ups are supposed to confirm your health or raise flags on potential issues. But, could they be a false sense of security? I’ve had so many clients come in with a ‘clean bill of health’ from their doctor that doesn’t match how they feel. Today, we’re going to investigate why so many annual check-ups fall short.
Insufficient Blood Tests Are you getting the right blood tests with your annual check-up to truly determine if your healthy? It depends on your doctor. What tests are run is up to each individual doctor. I find that, unless you are seeing an integrative doctor, chances are good that your blood work is very basic. An integrative doctor will ensure that the blood work includes specific markers to get a complete picture of what’s going on in the body.
How Health Mysteries Start So often, clients dealing with a health mystery tell me that they’ve had an annual physical and that the blood work came back totally normal. Without more comprehensive blood testing, they presume that nothing is wrong and as a result, doctors may dismiss complaints or rule out issues prematurely. When we presume that things are ‘normal’ it can be very hard to dig deeper to find out what is really going on. And remember, imbalances often start months and years before symptoms appear and a disease is actually found. So, imagine if getting the right blood tests could mean that you catch things before they can turn into a health mystery!
Avoid Becoming a Health Mystery The number one way to avoid developing a health mystery is to use your annual check-up as an opportunity to do more comprehensive testing. What does this look like? Ask your doctor to do more than just the basics. You need to be specific, otherwise, you might still fall into a false sense of security about your health.
Normal is Too Broad Another way that issues can slip through the cracks is when our results come back inside the ‘normal’ range. The normal range is not the same as the optimal range and can vary depending on where you live. If you want optimal health, you have to compare your results to the ‘optimal’ range and not the normal range.
What Blood Tests Should be in an Annual Physical Most routine physicals will include a complete blood count (CBC), a metabolic panel (looks at your glucose, liver and kidney markers), and a lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides). This is typically not enough. Here is what tests you should have done and the optimal ranges to look for:
Redefining the Basic Tests Most doctors will run the basics, including a CBC, Metabolic and Lipid Panels. Here are the key things to look for:
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| 04 Apr 2019 | Introducing Health Mysteries Solved with Inna Topiler | 00:09:30 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation This was my very first Health Mystery case. It was my own. I was so frustrated with how the system worked (none of the specialists talked to each other and none of them considered that my symptoms might be related). I was disheartened by the prospect of a life of ‘living with’ chronic IBS which essentially meant accepting my suffering. And, I was angry. I didn’t want to be reliant on medication for the rest of my life. I refused to accept this fate. So, I do what a lot of people do in this circumstance - I started searching the internet for answers. Luckily, I found the right people to help me. The Answers Were Out There It took a lot of digging and testing but through functional medicine and nutrition, I was able to get to the root cause of my ailments - and yes, they were related. The Right Tests Revealed Everything By taking the right kinds of tests, I discovered a whole battery of issues including bacterial infections, viruses, subclinical hypothyroidism, copper toxicity, mercury overload, nutritional deficiencies, and hormone imbalances. No wonder I felt unwell all the time! I Wasn’t Crazy As hard as it was to hear that all of these things were wrong with me, I felt so relieved. Now that I knew what was actually causing the issues, I could get busy working toward getting better. And, most importantly - I felt validated. The doctors had made me feel like it wasn’t all in my head. But this proved, I wasn’t crazy to think there was something more going on. I Was Not Alone As important as it was to find answers, I also discovered that there were a lot more people like me out there. As I conducted my research, I read story after story of women just like me. The symptoms may have been different but the story was the same - the system was failing them and they felt helpless and sick. The Turning Point It took me some time to deal with all of my issues. But, as symptom after symptom began to disappear, I discovered what being in good health really felt like. Perhaps for the first time in my life. It was like a revelation. And then I remembered all of the other women dealing with their unsolved health mysteries. I knew then that I had to do something for them. Health Detective I quit my job and decided to dedicate my life to helping others find the missing pieces to their health. I studied clinical nutrition and knew I wanted to build my practice with a functional medicine approach. Since then, I’ve been able to help hundreds of people solve their health mystery. This Podcast Was Born I know that the mysteries I solve in my practice are not entirely unique. And, if I’m encountering them in my corner of the world then there are sure to be a lot more out there. So, I’m sharing these mysteries through a weekly podcast so that more people can become their own health detective and feel empowered to advocate for their well-being. My Promise to You, the Listener. Each week on this podcast, I’ll share a real case from my files (first name only, of course), discuss it with a top health expert, and reveal how I was able to solve the health mystery. By listening to this podcast, you’ll be armed with the information you need to start on the path to regained health. Putting an End to Health Mysteries The information I share is not medical advice. I share it to help you ask the right questions, look in the right places, and demand answers so that you too may be able to solve your own (or someone you love’s) health mystery. I need you help in letting people know that the answers are out there. Here’s what you can do.
Thanks for listening to my story. I’d love to connect with you on Facebook and on Instagram or at http://healthmysteriessolved.com Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 30 Mar 2023 | 140 Power Up Your Hashimoto's and Thyroid Healing Journey with Hypnosis, Part 2 with Grace Smith | 00:40:05 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case: In the last episode, we met Liana and heard all about her issues with fatigue, digestion, hair loss, joint pain, and lack of concentration. As a person living with Hashimoto’s, she knows many of these symptoms are related but was struggling to stick to the healthy routines that could make a difference. That’s why I decided to discuss her case with Hypnotherapy expert, Grace Smith. In episode 139 of Health Mysteries Solved: Thyroid and Hashimoto’s Revealed, Grace busted the misconceptions surrounding hypnotherapy and explained so clearly how it works. I encourage you to jump back and listen to that episode before proceeding to learn how hypnotherapy can specifically help those with Hashimoto’s and how it helped Liana with her issues. Stress as a Trigger for Hashimoto’s There are four main triggers for Hashimoto’s:
Of these, stress is so often overlooked. And one of the causes of stress that is easy to overlook because we may not be fully aware of is past trauma. This is where hypnosis can play a big role. Sometimes it could be big T trauma (a specific event that is easily identifiable as the source of trauma), but for others, it could even be smaller things. For example, it could be that they may have been rejected from something, or that they struggle with self-worth because of their upbringing. There's also a really big connection between shame and Hashimoto’s and inflammation in general. These small t traumas or limiting beliefs can be the stress trigger for Hashimoto’s without people realizing it. Grace explains that many of these issues develop in the subconscious before the age of 7. What’s significant about this is that the brain has not yet started to produce beta waves. And so, from seven and under, we're almost completely in the hypnotic state. This is why kids learn so quickly - our brains can easily absorb new information and make new neural pathways in the hypnotic state. However, those neural pathways and ideas we are taught at an early age, tend to stick. This is why it can be hard to change our way of thinking - especially if our brains are stuck in a beta brain state. Rewriting Childhood Neural Pathways Since many of our beliefs (limiting and otherwise) are created before the age of 7, hypnosis can help to take us back to that time and allow us to understand where these ideas come from and rewrite those neural pathways. Grace shares a great example of this in our conversation where she’s talking about a kindergarten teacher picking on someone’s drawing and how that can lead to them feeling shame, unworthiness, or even fear of being the center of attention. As kids, we have a reaction to that and it’s hard to believe that a single event can affect us years later but Grace says it can be the cause. The good news, she says, is that through hypnosis, you can go back and rewrite that script. And, by doing that, you shift those long-held beliefs and feelings. Subconscious Self-Sabotage When we looked at Liana’s case, we discovered that she had this subconscious belief that she was not worthy of good health. As a result, she couldn’t trust that feeling good would last or that it was really how she felt. That’s why she couldn’t stick with a routine - she never believed it would work, and when it started to, she couldn’t believe it would last. She didn’t think she deserved to be healthy. Grace says this is so common and something that can absolutely be addressed through hypnosis. She shares a great story about a grandmother in her late 70s who was dealing with chronic pain. Doctors and their tests could find no cause. Through hypnosis, Grace was able to get the patient into the theta brainwave state and have a conversation with the woman’s subconscious. It was here that the real cause of the pain was revealed - the woman was afraid to heal because she believed that her family visited her only because she was sick and that if she was healthy, they would not visit as frequently. In this episode, Grace reveals how she was able to rewrite this belief and have the woman come out of hypnosis no longer debilitated by pain. What Does Hypnosis Feel Like? Everyone is going to experience being in the theta brainwave state differently. Grace is quick to dismiss the ‘Hollywood’ version of hypnosis where you’re watching a movie on the inside of your eyelids. She explains that some people are more auditory while others are more kinesthetic. It’s important for anyone curious about hypnosis to keep this in mind because they may go in expecting to see something when they can simply know it or feel it and still have it be effective. When people don’t have the ‘Hollywood’ experience of being able to visualize, they can sometimes question the validity of the work. It can lead to them not believing in hypnosis. Grace says this is okay because belief is not required. The results will come whether you believe it or not. Free Sample Hypnotherapy Session Because I know people are curious about the experience of hypnotherapy, I asked Grace to help you get into the theta brainwave state. In this episode, she walks you through a simple exercise - be sure to listen in a comfortable position (and that you’re not driving or walking while doing it!) The exercise shows how effective moving into a theta brainwave state can be for reducing stress levels. Be sure to note your stress level before the exercise and then again after. This is a 5-minute exercise and most hypnotherapy sessions done by Grace or her team are 45 minutes, so this really is just a little sample of what it’s like to experience hypnotherapy. Grace also has an App where you can continue exploring the benefits of hypnotherapy. Conclusion Taking a look at what Lianna was doing to support her thyroid, I discovered that she wasn’t clear on her thyroid type. Her thyroid type is ‘unavailable thyroid type’ which means that her thyroid was functioning but her body was unable to absorb the T3 and T4 she was producing. We were able to improve that by supporting her estrogen levels and also addressing her stress. But, much of her stress was coming from her limiting beliefs so I knew that hypnosis would help. She was game! She discovered through hypnosis that she had a subconscious belief that nobody feels good and that suffering is part of life. No wonder she didn’t feel like she deserved to be healthy! Through hypnosis, she was able to rewrite these beliefs and as a result she experienced a reduction in the pain in her joints and she had more energy. She also saw a reduction in hair loss which I think was a result of the shifts in her biochemistry as well as the hypnotherapy sessions and the self-hypnosis she is now doing. Personal Update I hope you enjoyed this conversation about hypnosis. I personally have been doing hypnotherapy and have had some major breakthroughs. In fact, I loved the process so much that I am getting my certification for hypnosis as well. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here as your guide on your Hashimoto’s or thyroid journey - I’ll just have one more tool on my belt! For me, it’s all about getting to the root of the problem so we can heal and enjoy life. And hypnotherapy is definitely one of the way... | |||
| 20 Aug 2020 | BONUS: Quick Podcast Update | 00:04:32 | |
Get ThyroLove Now **Show Announcement** As many of you may already know, I'm expecting a baby girl and she is due any day now. I have been super busy trying to get the last of my patients in before my maternity leave starts, cutting it really close here! The show is taking a short break so that I can focus on our growing family. But, don't worry - we'll be back on Sept. 17th, 2020. I've recorded this bonus episode to share a little bit more with you guys. And watch for the next bonus episode when I plan to introduce you to my baby girl. When we return in September, I'm excited to share some really inspiring cases and eye-opening interviews when. We'll be talking about thyroid eye disease, alkalinity from a different perspective, histamines, candida and I will also be sharing some of my products and protocols because so many of you have been asking me what I eat and what I use so I am doing an episode on that as well. In the meantime, this might be a good time for you to catch up on past shows that you may have missed! Listen on your favorite podcast app or at https://healthmysteriessolved.com And remember, when it comes to your health issues, please don't give up! The answers are out there and there is HOPE! Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 18 Jul 2024 | 172 Solving the SIBO Mystery in Hashimoto's Patients | 00:24:56 | |
Get ThyroLove Now
Inna Topiler Reveals the Root Causes of SIBO in Hashimoto’s Patients and How to Address Them The Case:
Press play to find out how we helped her control the bloating and help her lose weight. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 27 Jun 2019 | 015 The Case of Relationships in Danger w/ Alicia Munoz | 00:37:09 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
For every person dealing with an unresolved, or undiagnosed illness, there’s a group of family and friends who are also dealing with it. Whether they have to take on the task of caregiver, reframe their relationship and activities to accommodate limitations created by the illness, or struggle as they watch someone they love suffer. When I work with clients, we focus on their issues but I am always aware that they are not the only one who is impacted. Alicia Munoz is a couples therapist and the author of “No More Fighting”. She’s been helping couples transform their relationships and marriages for over 10 years. Alicia has seen the strain a health issue - especially one that is unexplained and chronic - can have on families and couples. Take Care of Yourself Individuals can sometimes sacrifice their own well being to care for others. Alicia says that taking care of yourself creates and upward spiral in a relationship. If you’re energized and healthy, you have more resources to offer to your partner and family. The converse is also true. Relationships Require Energy When you don’t have enough energy for your relationship, it’s easy to get frustrated and have a reduced tolerance. Fights can happen because without sufficient energy, we tend to blow things out of proportion and be reactive in the moment. Deficient Feeling Literacy When we are tired or worried about our health our ‘feeling literacy’ can be negatively impacted. This is when we become unable to read our own body cues or other’s cues. Our mood is hard to interpret which makes our behaviour unpredictable. All of this opens the door for disagreements, resentment, and emotional pain. This is especially true when conditions and symptoms are unexplained and we start to doubt what our body is telling us. Focus on the ‘Heart Brain’ We have three brains; the one in our head, the one we feel with (in our heart), and the one in our gut. When we are dealing with chronic illnesses or unexplained illnesses, we are less in tune with our heart brain and this can impact our relationships. Feeling Literacy Can be Developed Whether feeling literacy was lost or was never fully developed, it can be recovered. Alicia says there are many ways to do this but the most successful will be based on the individual but the key is to tune into your body. She suggests looking into different modalities like meditation, yoga, ‘Focusing’ by Eugene Gendlin, ‘Somatic Experiencing’ and other therapies that explore ways to tune into your body. A good place to start is with some tech-free quiet time. Vulnerability Can be a Trigger When people are dealing with health mysteries that they don’t have the answers to, the can feel vulnerable. They might feel helpless or fear becoming dependant and have a general sense of anger, fear or uncertainty about the future. This can leave them feeling emotionally unavailable or irritable. It can also cause them to project those emotions. All of which creates fertile ground for fights - although it might feel like the fight is about something small like dishes in the sink or laundry. Recognize the Fight Alicia says the first step in stopping a fight is to recognize it as it. That awareness is part of developing your ‘feeling literacy’. If you can do that, before it gets out of control, the opportunity to stop it presents itself. Alicia says the key steps to gaining control are recognizing it in the moment, taking some deep breaths, acknowledging your reactiveness, and step away. Create Love Rituals So often, when we are so focused on our illness or our partner’s illness we get so caught up in the struggle to feel better or find a solution. We can become hyper-focused on it and as a result, we forget to leave room for love and feelings of love. Alicia provides some great tips on how to create daily love rituals that incorporate gratitude and appreciation into your schedule. Mystery Solved The first step in solving the mystery of a relationship in danger is to acknowledge that it’s in danger. With Alicia’s tips and communication tools, it seems so simple. But, of course, they require work and commitment from all parties in the relationship. Develop your Feeling Literacy, embrace love rituals and create a container for communication. With these tools, you and your family will feel emotionally ready to take on solving the health mystery at hand. Eliminating Health Mysteries Could your relationship be in danger because of a chronic or unresolved health issue? Consider trying some of the tips Alicia shared in this week’s podcast or pick up her book for more ideas. Links & Resources: Thanks to my guest Alicia Munoz. You can connect with her via her website https://aliciamunoz.com/ or on Instagram and Facebook. And, you can find all of her books here: https://aliciamunoz.com/books-by-alicia-munoz/
Overcoming Hashimoto’s Summit Claim your free spot to this 7-day virtual summit featuring the top experts in Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism so that you can overcome this diagnosis and feel better. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/2KigemW Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 28 May 2020 | 061 10 Reasons Your Hair is Falling Out w/ Deb Matthew | 00:53:25 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Many women experience hair loss for a variety of reasons. And, many go through the same trials and tribulations as Stacy - seeing specialists and trying every supplement that promises hair growth or thicker hair. But, without knowing the root cause of the problem, these approaches seldom work.
The Investigation When I first met with Stacy, I reviewed her past test results and noted that she had a lot of stress in her life. The blood work she’d had done by other practitioners was very basic, so I knew that we had to get more extensive tests done if we were going to solve this health mystery. I suspected that her hormones were at play in this mystery so I invited Dr. Deborah Matthew back on the show to discuss Stacy’s case. Dr Deborah Matthew is a Functional Medicine physician, author, speaker, wife, and mom of 4 boys. Like me, she focuses on the cause of the problem instead of simply prescribing something to cover-up the symptoms.
How Common is Hair Loss for Women? Hair loss and thinning hair is much more common in women than most people think. Forty percent of women experience some form of hair loss by the age of 40. That goes up as women age. By the age of 65, there are 50-75% of women who note hair thinning. Despite the prevalence, many women find hair loss or hair thinning to be distressing and frustrating.
Causes of Hair Loss for Women There are many different factors in determining the root cause of hair loss. It may be one thing or it could be a combination of several. Here are the main culprits in female hair loss:
Treating Hair Loss for Women The treatment depends on the root cause of the problem. You want to determine what that is (or if it is a combination of factors) and treat accordingly. Thankfully, most of these are able to be corrected fairly easily once the root cause is identified and there are so many functional approaches that address looking at this from every angle. The last cause (genetics) is really the only one that is more difficult but Dr. Deb shares that women who are experiencing balding caused by genes do still have options. In those cases they can look at PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy, laser light treatments or in very extreme cases hair transplants are also available. Hair transplants can be very expensive, costing upwards of $10,000 but again, this is really only used for extreme cases that are less likely than most of the other underlying causes. PRP can also be expensive and depends on the practitioner but may be in the neighborhood of $1500 and may require ongoing treatment. Laser light treatments range in efficacy. Dr. Deb recommends avoiding the ones that look like a comb and instead use the ‘cap’ that you put on your head. She specifically mentions LaserCapMD and Cappilus as popular brands. These caps start at $1000.
Conclusion Determining the cause of Stacy’s hair loss issues was our first step in solving her mystery. I tested her hormone levels and found that her thyroid and adrenals were challenged (which was also causing gut issues) We worked on natural approaches to deal with her thyroid issue, specifically to help her convert her T4 to T3 using Thyro-CNV, extra Selenium and a liver supplement called LV-GB Complex. The detailed blood work also revealed that Stacy’s iron was actually sub-optimal so we added 1 capsule of Ferrochel Iron from Designs for Health which provides 27 mg of iron in a very gentle-on-the-stomach, non-constipating form. I also ran a DUTCH test and an organic acid test. These showed that her estrogen/progesterone/ cortisol pattern was off. We worked on that with a combination of lifestyle factors including reducing exercise, getting more rest and balancing her blood sugar with foods. I gave Stacy Calcium D Glucarate, my favorite supplement for estrogen dominance and Adrene Vive by Ortho Molecular Products to help balance her adrenals along with Methyl B Complex and vitamin C. We also found a sensitivity to dairy and eggs (through a food sensitivity test). We removed them from her diet for 3 months.
Happy Ending Within 6 weeks, she started to notice less shedding. After 10-weeks, she started to see new hair growth! We stopped the Calcium D Glucarate after 3 months, but continued with the clean and balanced diet. At this time, we shifted her adrenal support from Adrene Vive to Adren-ALL by Ortho Molecular Products. We also added a supplement called H-S-N Complex which is a powder that contains collagen, glutamine and biotin to help the hair that is coming back to grow thick and strong. After 6 months, Stacy feels like she has a whole new head of hair - it’s thicker, smoother and a lot healthier looking.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Stacy we were able to find all of the culprits in her health mystery and get her back to feeling and looking good. Could one or a combination of these be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Deborah Matthew. You can connect with her through her website or on Facebook. You can also download her free book called “This is Not Normal: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance” through her website: www.isityourhormones.com
Suggested Products: | |||
| 17 Oct 2024 | 176 Is Self-Sabotage Causing Your Weight Gain and Fatigue? How to Get Over It with Elyssa Smith | 00:51:09 | |
Get ThyroLove Now What Causes Weight Gain and Fatigue Even When You Have a Healthy Lifestyle?
Addressing More Than Just the Thyroid To dig deeper into Dana’s health mystery, I invited Elyssa Smith, a trauma-informed life strategist and highly regarded speaker, onto the podcast. Elyssa specializes in helping people overcome trauma and self-sabotage so they can live their best lives. Her perspective was invaluable in addressing the mind-body connection, particularly how trauma can impact our health. Elyssa shared insights into how trauma—both big and small—can contribute to chronic health issues like those Dana was facing. While Dana's biochemical factors such as her thyroid levels, diet, and exercise regimen were important, Elyssa explained that trauma could still keep her body stuck in a state of fight-or-flight, preventing healing. Press Play to find out if trauma might be at the root of your inability to lose weight. Find out more about Inna here: https://innatopiler.com/podcast/ Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 02 Feb 2023 | 136 Unconventional Ways to Help Hashimoto’s and Overall Inflammation with Dr. Mario Martinez | 00:59:26 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
When I first met Amanda I saw how much work she’d already put in but I know that many of the approaches were too general. We were going to need to dig a little deeper and look at the mind-body connection to solve her health mystery. Inflammation Markers for Hashimoto’s and Autoimmunity Whenever I see the body is not responding to good, healthy changes, I immediately think of the work that Dr. Mario Martinez is doing. He is a psycho-immunologist who studies the relationship between the mind and the immune system. He is also the bestselling author of "The Mind-Body Code" and "How the Mind Wounds and Heals". He’s a good friend of the show (this is his 4th appearance!) and I know that he was the right person to talk to about this health mystery. Check out the other episodes featuring Dr. Martinez: 007, 051, 114. Anyone with autoimmunity or Hashimoto’s knows that inflammation plays a big role in optimizing thyroid health and managing autoimmune conditions which greatly impact how we feel. Dr. Martinez explains that there are different markers to look for when assessing acute inflammation such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukins, and C-reactive proteins. He goes on to explain that there is something called glycogen, which is a sugar protein that is present in all cells, especially in the IGG antibody which fights pathogens. The glycan marker helps to track the amount of inflammation in the body and shows the level of glycation. Glycation is caused by glucose molecules reacting with proteins and fats leading to damage on a cellular level. If left unchecked, it can increase inflammation throughout the body. Understanding glycation on a deeper level is an essential part of understanding autoimmune-related issues and identifying underlying causes before embarking on any type of treatment plan. Could Shame be Causing Autoimmune and Hashimoto’s Flare-Ups? Dr. Martinez has done a lot of research into the relationship between autoimmune diseases and shame. He found that states of shame can cause systemic high levels of inflammation making people more prone to autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, guilt does not have the same effect since guilt is about taking the blame for something (which allows them to feel empowered) versus the helplessness that comes with shame. He further explains that this can lead people to look for environments that continually shame (because they are familiar with it) or they turn to shaming others unknowingly which results in inflammation and can lead to or exacerbate autoimmune illnesses like Hashimoto’s disease or arthritis. In this episode, we also talk about the connection between the fifth chakra, free self-expression, and shame. Dr. Martinez shares some techniques for identifying patterns of shame in your life that may be contributing to symptoms related to Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune diseases. Shame also has a connection to increasing your biological age (beyond your chronologic age) which is also related to the overall amount of inflammation in the body. How to Use Centenarian Consciousness to Decrease Inflammation and Early Aging Dr. Martinez believes that you can address chronic inflammation by using a mind-body approach known as centenarian consciousness. This is a mindset that requires a shift in your perspective of time. So many of us feel the pressures of time. We are always (and even rewarding ourselves for) multitasking, rushing, and micromanaging. However, Dr. Martinez says that this can lead to increased levels of stress hormones like cortisol which can contribute to inflammation. To counteract this, Dr. Martinez suggests practicing taking more time with tasks by engaging in slow activities such as Zen walking or setting projections for how long something will take even if it could be done faster than expected. This allows the brain’s neuropsychological projection system to adjust accordingly rather than expecting too much out of an inadequate amount of space/time given. This may feel counterintuitive or, for some of us busy moms, impossible. Dr. Mario Martinez suggests that people who feel chronically rushed try delegating tasks and practice various stress reduction techniques. He also recommends having fun with tasks, being aware of how much time is needed for each task, and looking at what resources can be used to make things easier. Banning Busy-ness for Your Health It’s also helpful to look at where our perceptions of busyness come from. Dr. Martinez says cultural components can lead to feeling overwhelmed, such as the belief that idle time is bad or one must work hard in order to succeed - which may have been passed down from generations before us through stories and mannerisms rather than direct comments about laziness or lack of productivity. Getting beyond this cultural conditioning or learned beliefs may require you to create your own model by going into a meditative state and affirming yourself while providing evidence of being a good person throughout the week. This practice will shift your neuro map, which, over time, will change your beliefs and allow you to let go of your belief that being busy is good. Joy as an Antidote to Inflammation? There is a counterbalance to the stress that causes inflammation and its joy. This is another mind-body solution that Dr. Martinez champions. He suggests that while we are dealing with issues related to Hashimoto’s or autoimmunity, we do not think of ourselves as fighting them but rather overserve them and try to reduce their intensity. He says the best way to do this is to find joy while repairing yourself. This can be done by creating a semantic differential space. To do this, feel the space where the pain exists. Give it a size, a color, a pain rating - anything that will help you visualize the space. Then, go to a part of the body that is not in pain and do the same. Switch back and forth between these two spaces in your mind. This creates confusion in the brain and neural maps causing the pain to decrease.
In addition to using this semantic space differential technique, Dr. Martinez offered these tips for allowing joy in while repairing:
Can Curiosity Lower Inflammation? He also discusses how curiosity plays an important role in elongating time in our minds; when we are curious about something, it feels like time passes more slowly because our brains pay attention to what excites us. This is part of the centenarian consciousness, which in turn is an a... | |||
| 28 Oct 2021 | 104 My Most Up To Date Immune Protocol | 00:23:54 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation As we head into cold and flu season during the second year of the pandemic, it’s important to provide support for your immune system - especially if you have an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s, Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Addison’s, Grave’s, and Celiac disease. As someone with Hashimoto’s and who works with a lot of people with Hashimoto’s I’ve created a protocol that I have been updating month after month and here is my latest version. This protocol is great for overall immunity and best of all, it is absolutely safe and recommended if you have an autoimmune disease as well.
Herbs & Supplements to Avoid with Autoimmunity I always need to remind those with autoimmunity that the supplements you often hear about for supporting the immune system can do real damage if you have an autoimmune disease. These supplements stimulate the immune system. For those with autoimmunity, an overstimulated immune system can lead to flare ups. Here are the commonly suggested supplements to avoid:
My Autoimmune-safe Immune Support Protocol Here are the things that I take to give me the best chance for avoiding the flu, colds and other viruses as well as how I use them to decrease symptoms if I do get sick. These are my go-to recommendations:
Vitamin C For general immune support, I usually recommend for an average, 150lb adult, a dosage of 1000 - 2000 mg of vitamin C per day. I personally use C+Biofizz from Designs for Health which you plop in water for a fizzy drink (if you prefer capsules, try their Stellar C). Please note that if you experience loose stools when taking vitamin C, you may want to try liposomal vitamin C because it helps the body absorb through the mucous membranes in your mouth first (just remember to keep it refrigerated.) If you are already sick, vitamin C can be very helpful in decreasing recovery time from infections, cold, flu or other viruses. You can increase your daily dosage but make sure you divide it and take it over the course of the day. That might mean taking 500 to 1000 mg of C (it can be powder, liposomal or capsules) every 30-60 min to bowel-tolerance (until you get diarrhea which is when your body says it's saturated and had enough). You would then restart it later in the day or next day. Do this for a few days when you are sick. There is a ton of research about high dose vitamin C in helping fight infections. Alternatively, you could look at getting a vitamin C infusion through an IV for prevention or treatment.
Vitamin D Vitamin D is imperative for many different things but specifically supporting your immune health. Many people have low vitamin D and it tends to decrease during our shorter winter days here in the Northern Hemisphere. You can determine how much vitamin D you need by checking your levels through a blood test. Ideally, you want to be in the range of 50-80 on that test (the lab range is wider, typically 30-100). If you don't know your vitamin D levels (and you're not regularly supplementing) the typically recommended daily dose is 5,000, IU. If you are already sick, you will want to make sure that you are also taking vitamin K with your vitamin D to prevent calcification of tissues and organs. You can either take a vitamin K supplement or a multivitamin with vitamin K. I use Vitamin D Supreme which is a capsule but if you have issues with fat soluble vitamins, you could try a liquid form of vitamin D or, if you also struggle with energy issues, you could try Hi-Po Emulsi D3 from Designs for Health.
Zinc & Quercetin There has been a lot of talk about Zinc online and in the media lately as a great way to boost your immune system during the COVID pandemic and into cold and flu season. What many people don’t realize is that Zinc mainly stays outside the cell and you want it inside the cell for optimal immune support. One natural way to do that is by taking it alongside Quercetin. I take Designs for Health’s Quercetin and Nettles blend and I recommend 250 milligrams to about 500 milligrams daily. Quercetin is something that I've added to my protocol a bit more recently because I'm seeing such great results. When combined with zinc, it’s great for both prevention and also healing from infection. Please keep in mind that extended use of zinc can cause a copper deficiency so you want to make sure you are balancing these two minerals. If you are taking zinc for a long time, consider supplementing with copper or a multivitamin that contains copper. To be extra sure that you aren’t deficient in copper (which can have serious health repercussions), a hair analysis will reveal both your copper and zinc levels. If you already have recent hair test results, you would want to look at, not just the individual zinc or the copper level, but actually, the ratio of the two. Ideally, the zinc to copper ratio should be right around 8. If your levels are lower than 8, then you can use more zinc. If you are above 8, you would need to supplement with copper.
Garlic (Allicin) This one is a favorite because it really works and I typically don’t see any side effects. Garlic has both antiviral and antimicrobial properties which means it can work on bacteria, yeast and other bugs in addition to viruses. For general immune support, I don’t recommend it long-term (unless your practitioner has you on a specific protocol). Instead, consider garlic for immune support when you’ve been around someone who’s sick, you’ve been exposed to a virus or when you feel like you’re coming down with something. It can be difficult to get enough garlic in food form so supplementing is best. There are many on the market but my absolute favorite is Allimax. It’s a potent (and patented) allicin extract which has all the benefit with way way less of that garlic odor. I recommend 4-6 capsules a day for the duration of illness or for a few days if exposed or feeling off. I also give this to my kids when they come home with a runny nose or they’ve been exposed to a virus and it's really fantastic.
SPM’s and Liposomal Glutathione Two things I’ve added recently to my immune support protocol are SPM’s and liposomal glutathione. SPM’s stands for Pro Resolving Mediators and they literally go in and resolve inflammation.... | |||
| 23 Jan 2025 | 183 How the 10X Principle and the 80/20 Rule Can Transform Your Thyroid with Ina Coveney | 00:53:34 | |
Get ThyroLove Now In this episode, Inna explores how two innovative business strategies—the 10X Principle and the 80/20 Rule—can revolutionize the way individuals approach Hashimoto’s and thyroid health. If you are feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice or frustrated with their lack of progress this episode is for you. Inna shares the story of her client, Tricia, who was struggling to see results despite trying countless diets, intense workouts, and multiple protocols. Together, they shifted focus by setting a bold health goal, not just a little one and by applying these principles, Tricia was able to lose over 25 pounds and regain her energy. Joined by Ina Coveney, a business coach and host of the Superhuman’s Podcast, Inna and Ina (I know, almost name twins) delve into how these transformative strategies—typically used in business—can be applied to health for a real transformation. They discuss how aiming for bigger, more impactful goals helps to break free from ineffective habits and encourages a fresh perspective. You will see how you can simplify your wellness journey, focus on what truly drives results, and create a plan that fits your unique needs. It’s a new way of thinking about what you want for your thyroid and your health and how to get there way faster. Full Show notes: https://innatopiler.com/podcasts/thyroid-weight-loss-ina-coveney/ Please be sure you follow Inna in Instagram for everything Hashimoto’s www.instagram.com/innatopiler If weight loss is a struggle, please check out Inna’s 10 Day Hashimoto’s Weight Loss Transformation www.innatopiler.com/jumpstart - a weight loss plan specifically or hashimoto’s that is simple, effective and super affordable. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 03 Aug 2023 | 149 Experiencing Hair Loss, Thinning, Shedding, Breakage? Here is What to Do Now | 00:25:39 | |
Get ThyroLove Now One of the more common issues I hear from my patients is one I have also dealt with - hair loss, thinning, and breakage. Throughout my nearly 20 years of experience helping people with thyroid and Hashimoto's, I've noticed that along with fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain, hair problems are a common occurrence. In the latest episode, I shed some light on the top reasons for hair loss. But, don’t worry, I also share practical solutions to bring life back to your locks. Here are the top 5 most common causes of hair issues:
Let’s dive a little deeper into each one and look at ways you can support hair health for each of these root causes (pun intended!) Hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, and Hair WoesThe thyroid plays a significant role in our overall well-being, including our hair health. Hypothyroidism, where your body produces insufficient thyroid hormone, and Hashimoto's, an autoimmune disease that mistakenly attacks the thyroid, often lead to hair shedding, thinning, and brittleness. To address these issues, it's vital to take a comprehensive approach. This starts with a thorough understanding of your thyroid status - you have to know your numbers! And, you have to know all of them. Many doctors will only test TSH but that won’t give you the full picture. A full thyroid panel is essential. This includes TSH, Total T4, Total T3, Free T4, Free T3, T3 Uptake, Reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies. A thorough evaluation will help identify any imbalances, especially if Hashimoto's is the underlying cause. And, these results will also help you understand your thyroid type. Once you know where your thyroid stands, it's time to support it effectively. A personalized approach to thyroid health, combined with measures to calm the immune system, can slow down or halt the attack on the thyroid by Hashimoto's. A well-rounded strategy is key to combating hair issues. Take Control of Your Thyroid HealthAll too often, I meet with patients who only half understand their thyroid status because their doctor is only giving them half the story. That is why I created a free Hashimoto’s training to help you determine your thyroid type and support it with a two-fold approach. In this workshop, I help you navigate your way to the full picture so you can advocate for yourself and your health. Sign up here. Gut Health and Hair LossThe gut is a powerful player in our overall health, and that includes our hair health. What many people don’t realize is that thyroid health impacts gut health because when your thyroid is off, it can slow down gut transit time, leading to constipation and impaired nutrient absorption. Additionally, leaky gut, where the intestinal lining becomes permeable, can further exacerbate hair problems by allowing unwanted particles into the bloodstream. Balancing thyroid health and gut health goes hand in hand. And, when your gut is healthier, your hair is healthier. Nutrition and Hair LossEven when the gut is healthy, hypothyroidism can still lead to poor nutrient absorption. When thyroid hormone levels are inadequate, the hair follicles may not receive the necessary nutrients for proper growth and maintenance. As a result, hair can become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. Key nutrients essential for healthy hair include iron, zinc, and B12. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport and is necessary for healthy hair growth. A deficiency in iron can lead to hair loss and thinning. Zinc also plays a vital role in hair health, as it helps with tissue growth and repair, including hair follicles. Additionally, B12 supports the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the hair follicles. To address nutrient deficiencies, consider adding supplements like Ferrochel Iron, liquid B12 such as the Methyl B Complex from Quick Silver Scientific, or the B12 ND from Premier Research Labs. For a zinc deficiency, you could try adding Reacted Zinc to your daily routine. However, it's essential to note that addressing nutrient deficiencies goes beyond supplementation. Ensuring proper digestion and absorption of these nutrients is equally vital. Iron-rich foods, a balanced diet, and a well-functioning gut play crucial roles in maintaining healthy hair and overall well-being. Thinning Hair Caused by StressStress has a significant impact on our body, including hair health. Whether it's emotional stress or physical stress from illness or inflammation, the body's response can lead to hair problems. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, can play a role in hair loss, specifically a condition called telogen effluvium. In this condition, the hair follicles enter a resting phase, leading to increased shedding and hair loss. Managing stress is essential for maintaining healthy hair and overall health. Incorporating stress-reducing techniques into your daily routine can make a significant difference. Mindfulness practices, meditation, acupuncture, and hypnosis are valuable tools for reducing stress levels. If you missed our episodes on hypnosis, be sure to go back and check out episodes 139 and 140. Additionally, phosphatidylserine (I recommend PS 150), a supplement that helps lower cortisol levels, can promote better sleep quality and a calmer state of mind. Hormonal Shifts and Hair LossHormonal shifts, particularly those experienced during perimenopause and menopause, can influence hair health. As estrogen levels decrease, many women experience hair thinning, texture changes, and sometimes even hair loss. These hormonal imbalances can exacerbate existing thyroid-related symptoms, making it a challenging time for those with Hashimoto's. Addressing hormonal shifts often involves balancing hormone levels and supporting the body during this transition. Bio-identical hormones and hormone-balancing supplements can help alleviate symptoms and improve overall well-being. However, it's essential to make well-informed decisions about hormone replacement therapy and consult with healthcare professionals. Stay tuned and subscribe for more on this in upcoming episodes. Cause of Hair Loss #5, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)For those with PCOS, hair issues are commonly linked to hormonal imbalances, particularly high testosterone and estrogen levels. PCOS is also associated with issues related to blood sugar regulation. Balancing hormones and blood sugar levels are essential components of managing PCOS-relat... | |||
| 03 Oct 2019 | 029 The Case of Tooth Pain Causing Fatigue with Naturopath Dr. Christine Shaffner | 00:41:14 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Lisa has had a lot of dental work for someone so young. It seemed impossible to me that her health mystery wasn’t related in some way to her dental work. Dentists are trained to look at teeth and take X-rays and if they don’t see anything out of the ordinary, there isn’t much more they can do. I knew we had to dig deeper to get to the root of this mystery. Joining on the show to discuss Lisa’s case is Dr. Christine Shaffner. She’s a board certified Naturopathic physician and the Clinic Director of Sophia Health Institute in Woodinville, Washington. The Oral Health Connection Dr. Schaffner started off by explaining that interference fields are often found in the mouth and these can be barriers to healing. There is a neurological connection between our teeth and our brain and nervous system because during embryonic development, they are all developed from the same tissue. The American Heart Association and conventional cardiologists link oral health to heart health because of different microbes or bacteria that can affect cardiovascular inflammation and can lead to heart disease. From a Qi perspective, every tooth sits on an acupuncture meridian so there’s an organ relationship with each tooth. Damage to a tooth can create stress in the associated organ, which can lead to other illnesses. Cavities and Root Canals Dr. Schaffner also talked about how our oral health is related to our cranial nerves and to our lymphatic system. It is possible for non-bio-compatable materials in our mouths (and teeth) could potentially cause issues for the brain and drain into our lymph nodes and cause a variety of health issues. Wisdom Teeth The wisdom teeth sit on the heart, small intestine, circulation and also endocrine meridien. Issues with the wisdom teeth can show up as chronic digestive issues or poor circulation. Even if the wisdom teeth have been removed, there can still be a build up, a cavitation (empty space) or hidden infection that can cause chronic issues. Mouth Pain Sometimes these hidden focal infections in the mouth can lead to mild mouth pain. These symptoms are often ignored. However, Dr. Schaffner says that these could be the key clue to bigger health issues like chronic digestive issues. Why Your Dentist Won’t Understand This kind of thinking is too much of a paradigm shift for dentists. The conventional approach is to inspect visually and look at X-Rays. If microbes or minor infections are present, they likely won’t be detected unless it causes a visible infection. The idea that a minor infection in a cavitation or old root canal could be the cause of health issues is too much of a paradigm shift for most dentists. Amalgam Fillings and Gold Fillings Amalgam fillings are a combination of different metals including mercury (which is a neurotoxin). The American Dental Association says these are safe. Dr. Schaffner explained that over time, certain conditions in the mouth can release mercury vapor which we unknowingly inhale. Gold fillings that oppose mercury fillings present a different concern because they can cause electro galvanism which produces electrical disturbances in the body as well as speed up the dissolution of mercury in the mouth. Testing for Filling Sensitivities One of the common metals used in root canals is titanium however some people have a sensitivity issue with this metal. Dr. Schaffner says you can test for hypersensitivity using the Melisa Test. Sensitivity to metals in your fillings could affect your immune system making it hypersensitive. Assessing the Problem It’s not realistic and likely not necessary for every person who has health issues to have their fillings removed. In fact, it poses its own dangers. Here are a few things you can do to determine if your dental work is causing health issues:
Mystery Solved Despite my suspicions that Lisa’s issues were connected to her oral health, I knew that we had to start by calming her system down and ruling out other potential contributing factors. I referred her to a biological dentist who understood the functional medicine approach. They discovered that Lisa did in fact have a cavitation and there was an infection in the root canal. Test revealed that Lisa also had deficiencies in her B vitamins, her liver was not functioning optimally and she had a lot of free radicals. We continued the elimination diet while supporting her liver with N-Acetyl Cysteine and liquid glutathione and I put lisa on a Methylated B vitamin called B Supreme. We also used a broad spectrum antioxidant called Ultimate Antioxidant Full Spectrum, high dose of vitamin C (about 5000 mg per day in her case) and 100 mg of Coenzyme Q10 in the form of Ubiquinol. This is called the reduced form of CoQ10 which has the ability to quench more free radicals vs the ubiquinone form which is the oxidized form and not as effective. Happy ending Lisa started to feel stronger and less sensitive to things a few months after the dental procedures, diet changes and supplements. Six months later, she reported that she had a lot less sensitivity to her environment, had much more energy, and felt like she was back to her old self. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Lisa we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could hidden oral health issues be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Listen to the Body Electric Summit for Free Thanks to my guest Dr. Christine Shaffner. I was particularly excited about our conversation around the upcoming Body Electric Summit. If you were intrigued by energy meridians and the role they play in our overall health, then I encourage you to sign up. It starts Oct. 7th and if you sign up in advance - it’s FREE! | |||
| 13 May 2021 | 092 Your COVID19 Vaccine Questions Answered | 00:34:01 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation I’ve been getting so many questions from my clients and listeners about the various COVID vaccines. I know it can feel like a real mystery, especially if you have an autoimmune issue like Hashimoto’s. I am not an MD but I know you look to me for all types of answers because I can address things from a whole body perspective, explain things in a clear way but also can be unbiased. One of the key questions I get is whether or not someone should get the vaccine. Some have even asked if it’s better to contract COVID 19 as a way to build natural immunity. I unfortunately can’t tell you if you should or should not get the vaccine because I think it’s very personal and the decision is yours and only yours. I am not here to tell you what to do, but my hope is that if I answer your questions and clear up some of the confusion and mystery around it, it will hopefully make the decision, whichever decision you make easier for you. Speaking of which, research on the vaccines is ongoing and new information is coming in each week. This episode was recorded in early May 2021 and refers to the most up to date information at that time.
Impact of Symptoms There are a variety of possible responses to both contracting COVID and the vaccine. When it comes to contracting the virus, reactions can range from a few mild symptoms to severe (fatigue, neurological symptoms, headaches, cardiovascular issues, blood clots, or death). These are often exacerbated by underlying conditions. However, research has shown that even those who have minimal symptoms can develop ‘long COVID’ or extended symptoms that last a long time. Research suggests that eating healthy, following a healthy lifestyle, and having sufficient levels of zinc and vitamin D can all lower the severity of the infection and possible symptoms. However, the long term effects are what a lot of people are worried about especially because we don’t know the full extent of them at this time so just getting Covid and “getting it over with” so to speak is certainly not that easy because even if your symptoms are mild, there is a chance for these long term issues and that is not something we want to take lightly.
COVID Vaccine Options: What’s the Difference? If you choose to get the vaccine, there are a few options to consider, depending on where you are in the world. There are two main differences between the options: mRNA vaccines and Adenovirus DNA vaccines. Moderna and Pfizer are both mRNA vaccines. Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and AstraZeneca are DNA vaccines also referred to as adenovirus vector vaccines.
COVID Vaccine Options: How do the Vaccines Work? mRNA Vaccines: The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines contain mRNA which code for the spike protein (those are little crowns you can see on the coronavirus when you look at it microscopically). The mRNA itself is very fragile so they have to wrap it in polyethylene glycol which is a lipid nanoparticle. Once that mixture gets into the cells, our cells then read and code it to make the spike protein. Our immune system can then respond by producing B-cells and T-cells. The B-cells produce antibodies so that if we contract COVID, we can fight it off. The T-cells attack and neutralize the virus directly. The difference between the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine is in the dosage. Pfizer has 30 micrograms of mRNA while Moderna has 100 micrograms of mRNA. Adenovirus Vaccines: The Johnson & Johnson and the AstraZeneca vaccine are a bit different but they're actually not that much different. These vaccines use an adenovirus (which, by the way, cannot replicate in your cells or mutate) that has DNA injected that codes for the spike protein. The adenovirus gets into our cells, the gene for the spike protein that was inserted into the adenovirus is then read by the cell and copied to mRNA and then the process is the same as the mRNA vaccine so essentially these vaccines are 1 step before the mRNA vaccines and once it becomes mRNA the immune system takes the same steps to create an immune response. It’s important to note that these vaccines are not live viruses and as such, are incapable of viral shedding (as has been falsely shared on social media and websites). More traditional vaccines, like the chickenpox vaccine, for example, may have viral shedding but these COVID vaccines do not.
Vaccine Side Effects mRNA Vaccines: With the mRNA vaccines, there are two shots required and it is not uncommon to have side effects. While nobody likes to feel bad, these side effects are not necessarily a bad thing because your body is creating antibodies. When you get the second shot (or booster shot) your body already has these antibodies and they are responding the way they should which is why those symptoms are there and for many people, symptoms don’t typically last longer than a few days. Remember the Moderna vaccine dosage is three times as much as the Pfizer which may be why we are seeing different reactions to the two different mRNA vaccines. I still think it depends on the person and believe that your reaction to the vaccine depends a lot on your immune system. Adenovirus Vaccines: AstraZeneca and the J&J vaccines only require 1 shot so they don’t typically have the same reactions as what people notice after the 2nd shot of the mRNA vaccines however there can be some similar reactions for a few days following the shot. While many people have mild symptoms from either of the vaccines, there are some people, especially those who may be more sensitive, that are noticing extended reactions lasting for more than just a few days and as long as a few weeks or even longer. Some have questions whether the toxins in the vaccines can be causing these but these vaccines are different from traditional vaccines in that they DON’T have heavy metals or formaldehyde. There are other ingredients including polyethylene glycol and polysorbate 80 which, for some people, can create an allergic reaction but another mechanism of action that is not as widely talked about is an immune reaction to the antibodies themselves which brings me to our next and very important question.
Vaccine and Autoimmunity There is a possible connection between the vaccine and autoimmune issues. This can happen because of cross reactivity, also referred to as something called molecular mimicry. A study done in January 2021 found that when you make antibodies to the spike protein they can look similar to your own tissues and can cross-react by a process called molecular mimicry. This is very similar to what happens with gluten and Hashimoto's as well as other autoimmune diseases. For example, if your body has an issue with gluten, you would make antibodies to gluten. There are similarities between compounds on the antibodies and on various organs, like your thyroid, for example. So, if your body sees gluten and you have gluten antibodies, it attacks the gluten. And because of the similarities to say your thyroid, it might also attack the thyroid. This is why immunologists and experts are studying the potential cross-reactivity with these vaccines. A study done by Drs Vojdani and Dr. Kharazzian found that the immune system’s response to covid antibodies (which we would get from contracting covid or getting the vaccine as both make antibodies) can be connected to autoimmunity because out of the 50 tissues they tested, they saw cross reactivity with 28 tissues including thyroid, pancreas and mitochondria. Interestingly, it is thought this cross reactivity does not necessarily happen in only those wit... | |||
| 19 Mar 2020 | 051 Unconventional Ways to Boost Immunity & Fight Coronavirus Fears w/ Dr. Mario Martinez | 00:46:42 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case: At the time of recording this (March 17, 2020), the Novel Coronavirus is a global pandemic. Entire countries are now on lockdown, store shelves are empty, children are not in school and the news cycle is non-stop COVID-19 updates. The cause and the result of this is escalating fear. But, fear is an emotion and it's something we can each individually control. And, controlling that fear, could play an important role in keeping us healthy. To explain how, I’ve invited Dr. Mario Martinez back to the show. Dr. Mario is a psycho immunologist and the best-selling author of The Mind Body Code: How to Change the Beliefs that Limit Your health, Longevity, and Success as well as the learning series How the Mind Wounds and Heals and How Longevity is Culturally Learned and the Causes of Health Are Inherited. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and lectures worldwide on his research and theory of biocognition.
Reducing Risk Before we talk about ways to improve the immune system, it’s important to note that these ideas are in conjunction with recommendations for reducing risk (like washing your hands properly and often as well as practicing social distancing).
Fear and Panic and the Immune System We talked about ways to boost the immune system through health practices and supplements in Episode 49 - Demystifying the Coronavirus. However, Dr. Mario says there is another layer to boosting our immune that has to do with its response to stress. When we experience stress, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol which suppress immune function. He explains that the best friend of Coronavirus is the panic and fear it causes because these actually help it spread.
The Challenge of Reducing Fear and Panic About COVID-19 It’s not easy to simply ‘not panic’ because our brain is trained to take signals from our ‘cultural editors’. These include authority figures like parents, teachers, doctors and newscasters. These people may have vital information but they may also provide us with so much information that it creates a fear or stress response that suppresses the immune system.
Improving Immune Function To fight a virus like Novel Coronavirus, the body needs to produce an antibody called Immunoglobulin Type A (IGA). There are ways to help the body increase the production of IGA. Studies show that emotions like fear, shame, chronic anger and an inability to forgive can actually decrease IGA production. So, being aware of these emotions and working to reduce them is important. Conversely, the research also found that being a loving person who cares for yourself and others increases IGA production.
Social Connections and the Immune System Having a connection with people increases your oxytocin and other kinds of hormones and peptides that help support the immune system. While you should still head the advice of experts to practice social distancing, it’s important to maintain social connections. This might be regular phone calls or video chats. Self isolating doesn’t have to be social isolation.
Positive Mindset during a Pandemic Despite the evidence that a positive mindset is beneficial to the immune system during a pandemic, it can be difficult to do. Here are some top tips from Dr. Mario for staying positive and supporting your immune system internally. 1. Create Rituals. Our routines are good for our health and right now many of us are out of our routines so Dr. Mario says it’s important to create new rituals like dining by candlelight or playing board games as a family. 2. Be Self-Aware of your Interpretations. We choose how we interpret situations and scenarios and we can choose to interpret them positively which ultimately decreases fear and panic and increases production of IGAs. 3. Practice Heart-Breathing and Generate Feelings of Compassion. Dr. Mario shares a breathing technique that helps the parasympathetic nervous system and triggers the production of oxytocin. 4. Care for Yourself and Others. Caring for others has a positive effect on our mindset but we have to be careful not to forget caring for ourselves or the benefits are negated. 5. Avoid Emotional Vampires Some people are so caught up in their negative loop that they steal from our emotional well. It’s best to avoid these people if possible or limit the time and emotional energy we give them. 6. Adjust your Emotional Default Mode to Positive We have an emotional default mode that we may not be aware of. It is possible to adjust this default to be more positive. 7. Maintain Perspective It’s easy to lose perspective with all of the dire news, but putting things into perspective can help us from falling into fear and panic, which is hard on our immune system. 8. Decrease Unnecessary Exposure to the News It’s important to stay informed, but Dr. Mario says we can over do it. He suggests getting your news only once a day.
We’re in this Together While there are things we can’t control, you do have control over what you focus on and think about. Instead of focusing on fear, let's choose to focus on what we CAN do right now. We’re all in this together and, as we learned in this episode, helping others and being compassionate helps the immune system! Let’s work together, support each other with positivity and hope, and help each other get through this!
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Mario Martinez. You can connect with him on his website. You may also enjoy reading more about this in one of his recent articles about the Coronavirus and Panic: https://medium.com/@themindbodycode/panic-is-the-corona-viruss-best-friend-a49587956a79
Here are some links to his books: The MindBody Self: How Longevity Is Culturally Learned and the Causes of Health Are Inherited The Mindbody Code: How to Change the Beliefs That Limit Your Health, Longevity, and Success
Suggested Products I hope these tools inspire you to do what you can within yourself. If you want to support your immune system from the outside, here are my supplement recommendations: Sambucus Formosana Nakai has shown positive effects against other coronaviruses (which doesn’t mean it's specifically effective against the Novel Coronavirus but it does have antiviral properties). Other natural antivirals include Vitamin C, Oil of Oregano, Silvercillin, Lomatium and Monolaurin. High doses of | |||
| 02 Mar 2023 | 138 Revealed! The Equation for Feeling Good with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's | 00:21:04 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Most Hashimoto’s diagnoses come with many mixed emotions. On one hand, there is finally an explanation for all of your many symptoms, but on the other hand, the diagnosis brings on a slew of emotions like frustration, feeling lost, and uncertainty. And, for some, it can bring a devastating sense that life will never be the same again. I get so many questions from my community like, can I still get pregnant with Hashimoto’s? Can I have balanced hormones with Hashimoto’s? Can I ever get my energy back? Can my hair ever grow and be thick again? Can my digestive issues resolve? Can I ever get rid of my brain fog? And the list goes on and on and on. I am here to tell you that as mysterious as many of the symptoms may seem, having Hashimoto’s doesn’t have to be a barrier to you living a good, healthy life. My Personal Experience with Hashimoto’s I was first diagnosed at 25. Everything was so overwhelming and I worried that my health would be compromised for the rest of my life. I was so wrong. I was able to have children (I have 2). I have more than enough energy to take care of my young kids, run a full-time practice, and run an online business educating and supporting hundreds of students through their own Hashimoto’s journey. I’ve also been able to defy the norms of Hashimoto’s by having strong healthy hair and clear skin. I feel healthier now than I did when I was first diagnosed. My fears were unfounded and I want you to know that everything is possible. I was inspired by my friend, Hal Elrod who wrote The Miracle Equation because I believe that the first step in overcoming issues related to Hashimoto’s starts with his approach:
You need both of these for the equation to work. If one side goes, everything comes tumbling down. You need to take action and believe that you can be healthy and feel good again. If you need support on either part of this equation, you’ve got me in your corner. Through this podcast and, more specifically, through my Thyroid Mystery Solved free training and complete program, I’m here to help you get clear on the actions you need to take. I’m also there to help you keep the faith! The Two-Fold Approach to Healing Hashimoto’s When it comes to what actions you need to take, the picture can be a bit confusing. There is so much conflicting information out there and so many people who feel that this or that tactic didn’t work. I know exactly why these don’t work. It’s because you have to use a two-fold approach. You cannot deal with your Hashimoto’s symptoms in a vacuum. You have to also support your immune system. This is the most important thing to remember when you are working at improving your health with Hashimoto’s. It does not matter what you do for your Hashimoto’s if your immune system is not supported, it will continue to attack your thyroid. And, you can’t just support your immune system without addressing your Hashimoto’s symptoms if you want to see improvements in your health. The two-fold approach is the only thing I have seen work in my long experience helping clients with Hashimoto’s. Why The Slow Road is Better for Hashimoto’s In this episode, I share the stories of two friends. These stories perfectly illustrate why, despite it being the harder path, we do sometimes have to take the slow road to recovering our health. Quick fixes seldom stick. I know this is hard to hear when you’re suffering with Hashimoto’s but the process of working your way through your issues and drilling down until you find the root of the problem is going to mean that you land on a solution that is sustainable. Plus, you will appreciate your hard-won health and so, will respect it and continue to stay committed to maintaining it. Your current health journey is a necessary part of your future good health. Remember to keep that faith that you can get better! How to Get Support on Your Path to Living Healthy with Hashimoto’s As I explain in this episode, you need to both take action and you need to be steadfast in your belief that living healthy with Hashimoto’s is possible for you. These two things helped me regain my health. That’s why, when I decided to create a program to help you overcome Hashimoto’s I included elements that address both the mindset and the specific and customized actions you need to take to regain your health. I also created this program because I know how hard you work to try to find all of the answers. I know that you’ve hit that wall of frustration and thought, why can’t there be one place with all of the answers and a clear plan for me to follow. I know because I’ve sat across from client after client who have said that exact thing. I know because I’ve been there. In this episode, I give you an overview of the Thyroid Mystery Solved program and invite you to discover for yourself what it feels like to be on your path to living healthy with Hashimoto’s instead of being stuck in that limbo of research and half efforts. This program is different from anything you’ve found online because we start by identifying your thyroid type. This is critical because the actions you need to take are based on your thyroid type. Most other approaches are a one-size-fits-all. Next, we look at the thyroid issue from every angle, taking into consideration all of the different systems involved. This goes beyond that two-fold approach I mentioned earlier - it is far more extensive. Yes, the program does cover diet (it even includes meal plans and recipes), exercise, mindset, and how to support your different systems and organs that is specific to you and your thyroid type. Plus, you will uncover and solve your specific Hashimoto’s triggers (this will be different for everyone which is another reason why we don’t want a one size fits all approach and why its so important for things to be customized) You will also have access to me. I don’t mind sharing that this is one of the ONLY ways that you can get access to me because my practice calendar is full and I am not able to take new clients. You can jump the queue and have access to me directly through this program. I think this is also where so much of the value of the program comes from. Maybe you’ve already paid for doctor visits that resulted in more frustration. Maybe you’ve even gone to see an integrative doctor and paid to get one or two answers. Now imagine having access to me for all of your questions. How many hundreds of dollars will you save getting your questions answered through the program instead of having to pay for each one? It’s an incredibly extensive program that is totally customized to you and your journey. That’s the best part; YOUR path is clearly laid out for you so that all you have to do is take action and believe that you can get better. And I’ll be there to keep you on track. <... | |||
| 14 Sep 2023 | 152 5 Daily Must-Haves to Help Manage Your Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism | 00:29:16 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
In my years of clinical practice, I've encountered countless cases like Mia's. Despite her Hashimoto's going undetected for such a long time, she had a remarkable journey to better health. She eliminated gluten and dairy from her diet, optimized her medication, and delved into understanding her Hashimoto's triggers. She also addressed Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), gut health, and heavy metal detoxification. She even attended retreats focused on limiting beliefs and trauma release. Despite her efforts, Mia saw her symptoms return including fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, and brain fog, along with rising antibody levels. She hadn't changed her routine, so she sought my guidance to uncover the missing pieces of her health puzzle. The Multifaceted Approach to Thyroid HealthHaving worked with numerous thyroid cases over the past two decades, I've learned that supporting thyroid health requires a multifaceted approach. While biochemistry is crucial, it's not the only piece of the puzzle. Mia had already made significant strides in this aspect, but there was more to explore. Just as you can't eliminate every bacterium during a gut cleanse, we can't address every trigger. Instead, we must focus on what we can, allowing the body to take care of the rest. Our bodies possess remarkable healing capabilities, but they need the right environment to flourish. Often, our bodies are in a constant state of stress, preventing them from healing naturally. This is why I firmly believe that alongside biochemistry, we must consider our emotions, beliefs, past traumas, thoughts, and even our connection to something greater than ourselves. Daily Integration of Mind-Body PracticesMia understood the importance of the mind-body connection and had engaged in programs to address it. However, she, like many, struggled to maintain lasting results without daily integration. I shared a similar experience with a belief workshop I attended. Although I felt lighter and different immediately after the workshop, I didn't consistently practice the techniques provided. Over time, the benefits waned, and doubts resurfaced. This pattern can apply to you as well. Perhaps you've completed a course or retreat but struggle to apply what you've learned daily. It's easy to get triggered by everyday stressors, from traffic jams to unexpected delays. While activities like meditation and yoga classes help, they often serve as reactive measures. What if we could proactively maintain a state of balance and relation instead of reacting to stress? Nervous System Regulation for Enhanced ImmunityMaintaining a balanced state enables us to regulate our nervous system. When our nervous system is in check, our immune system functions optimally, even addressing triggers we may have missed. The body possesses innate healing abilities; we just need to get out of our own way. If you're thinking, "I'm already so busy with life," remember that it's not about doing more; it's about working smarter. By integrating daily practices that enhance our ability to relate rather than react, we can profoundly impact our thyroid health, immune system, overall well-being, and mood. Five Practices to Lower Stress and Enhance Thyroid HealthIn this episode, I go into greater detail on the 5 things that you can do right now to decrease reactivity and deepen your body connection. These practices can have profound effects on your thyroid, and immune system health, as well as your overall mood and general health.
Mia’s Case Study in Turning Her Hashimoto’s Around Mia and I focused on integrating these practices into her daily life. While the techniques are powerful, they're not time-consuming and can be seamlessly woven into your routine. The results were astounding. In just two months, Mia transitioned from feeling isolated and exhausted to meeting an amazing person, relocating to a better place, securing a higher-paying job, and experiencing increased energy. Her thyroid antibodies decreased significantly, and her T3 levels improved. It was remarkable how quickly and powerfully these changes occurred. If you resonate with Mia's story, know that there are ways to become aware of and address daily challenges. I'll be hosting a workshop on this topic to help you clear anything that hinders your thyroid health and immune system. The process is easier than you might think. Please reach out to me on Instagram (@innatopiler) for more information. Your Health Answers Are Within ReachNo matter what health issue you're facing, remember that solutions exist. Sometimes they align with your expectations, while other times, they take a different path. Regardless, don't give up. Your body has incredible potential, and by exploring different angles and daily practices, you can unlock your full health potential. Eliminating Health MysteriesFor Mia, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Related Podcast Episodes: 5 Ways to Downregulate the Nervous System and Heal Faster 4 Ways to Calm the Immune System and Support Hashimoto’s How to Support your Thyroid and Immune System Through Authenticity
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of | |||
| 23 Jun 2022 | 121 Hair Dyes and Autoimmunity - What's a girl to do? With Jennifer Barker | 00:45:37 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Full disclosure, this week’s case is about ME and my struggle to find a healthy way to stave off the grays without triggering and worsening my Hashimoto’s. I was determined to find an answer and I did. The Investigation I was shocked to discover that there are many hair dye options that present themselves as a healthy option but that still contain many chemicals. Several ‘ammonia free’ options have chemicals that could be potentially worse. And, the addition of ‘organic’ to a label or name does not mean there aren’t chemicals, it just means some of the ingredients are organic. How frustrating! Luckily, I did find a solution that is safer and still works. It’s called Hairprint. Like with most things, it has its pros and cons. To find out a bit more about the product itself, I invited Jennifer Barker on the show. Jennifer has been in the hair industry for over 20 years. She's a hairdresser and colorist and now she’s the director of customer experience at Hairprint. Are Hair Dyes Toxic? Jennifer explains how conventional hair dye works and why so many hair dyes contain potentially harmful toxins. Ammonia or nanolumens are used in many hair dyes to pull apart the layers of the hair protein to give the dye access to the hair shaft. Ammonia-free dyes often use chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and PPD (Paraphenylenediamine) to do the same thing. It’s worth noting that PPD is so potentially harmful that it is banned in Canada and the EU. This chemical-process compromises the whole structure of the hair internally and externally. Chemicals may also seep into your bloodstream during the dying process if the chemicals are on the scalp. These toxins can harm the immune system, the respiratory system, the liver, the kidneys, and can trigger serious allergic reactions. Can Hair Dye be Triggering for Autoimmune? Anyone with an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's or with any type of chronic illness may be more sensitive to the toxins in conventional hair dyes and the toxins can be triggers for any autoimmune disease. For some, they will experience itchiness or hives right away or a few hours later. Sometimes, it’s cumulative so it may not happen the first few times someone uses a hair dye and then the third or fourth time there’s a reaction. The reaction can differ too. It might be itchiness, a rash, or even hives. It may also be when the immune system is already being challenged by another trigger. In some cases, like in mine, there may not be a direct scalp reaction but the accumulation of toxins in the body can create further immune confusion and therefore further attack of our organs by our own immune systems. The Truth about Organic Hair Dyes I often see organic hair dyes and I think it must be better than the conventional options but Jennifer says that it’s a bit misleading. She says that the FDA doesn't define, recognize, or regulate the term ‘organic’ in the personal care industry. This means that companies can add natural ingredients and call their hair dye organic but does not mean there aren’t chemicals in the dye. Often the added botanical or organic elements have nothing to do with the dying process; they are just in addition to the usual chemicals in a conventional hair dye. It’s basically marketing, according to Jennifer. How Does Hairprint Work? Hairprint really is a different process than regular hair dye - in fact, Jennifer doesn’t like to put it in the same category and I can see why. It has 8 food-grade ingredients and the key ingredient is melanin from velvet beans. Melanin is what determines the color of our skin and eyes. The process of Hairprint is more like biomimicry than dye. It takes unpigmented hair (gray hair) and puts the melanin back into the hair. It does this without the harsh chemicals required to open up the hair follicles and hair shaft but this means that the process does take a bit more care. The Hairprint Process There is a learning curve when it comes to using Hairprint and it does take a bit of preparation. There can’t be any residue or buildup on the hair before the treatment. So, Jennifer says it’s best to pause all conventional hair care products for seven days. It's known as the seven day cleanse. The next step is to use the chelating shampoo. This may need to be repeated as many as 4 times over the course of a week in order to remove any residual silicones, calcium and other minerals (more prevalent if you use hard water), chlorine, or excess sebum. The chelating shampoo draws the impurities out. After that, there are three steps to the process - the prepare, the restore, and the complete. The ‘Prepare’ stage is a pre-treatment shampoo that you leave on for 5 - 25 minutes depending on how sensitive your scalp is (everyone is different but the standard duration is 15 minutes). This softens the hair cuticle. If you have color treated hair, you only need to treat the untreated hair during step one. Step two is ‘Restore’ which is when you restore the pigment of gray hairs. You can choose between pigment that is light brown or dark brown. These contain the same ingredients, they just have different ratios of pigment. You are mixing it together and once you see it turn a reddish color, you want to get it on your hair within 6 minutes of mixing. If you're doing your whole head then put it everywhere but you can just do your roots if that’s all that needs coverage. Allow it to process for 15 to 20 minutes and then repeat. For those who are more than 30% gray, you would do this step an additional 3rd time after which you would rinse is out. If you are transitioning from conventional hair dye to Hairprint, you will want to make sure that you are only applying the mixture to your virgin hair. If you apply it to previously colored hair, you will not have a uniform color. Instead, apply shea butter to the previously colored hair to avoid the Hairprint color from getting on to the previously colored hair. Over time, your previously colored hair will grow out and you will be able to skip the shea butter application. The final step is ‘Complete’. Some people who are used to coloring their hair compare this step to applying toner but what it’s actually doing is helping push the pigment further into the hair cuticle. This step warms up the color by increasing the hair’s light reflection. It also helps with the longevity of the color. Can You Apply Hairprint to Henna Treated Hair? Don’t be tricked into thinking that because Henna is natural, it’s not dye. There are two types of Henna - the kind you use for body art which is pure and and the kind sold as a hair color treatment which is compound. If you are using the hair treatment, it may contain chemicals like PPD, so you will want to avoid applying Hairprint directly onto this color treated hair. Jennifer says it’s best to allow the Henna treated hair to grow out instead. My Experience with Hairprint Like many people, I thought it was going to be impossible to cover up my grays without chemicals. I had worked so har... | |||
| 15 Oct 2020 | 077 Are you Getting in Your Own Way of Healing? | 00:14:29 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Have you ever read a crime novel or a mystery where the main character or detective gets distracted by a random clue only to discover that it had nothing to do with what actually transpired? They spend all kinds of time and energy trying to solve a clue because they can’t let it go? As a health mysteries detective searching for the root cause of an issue, I look at all of the different angles to get to the bottom of it. Sometimes that means chasing a dead-end clue. When it comes to solving our own health mysteries, it’s easy to do this but it is possible to overthink, over-analyze, and over do it. We may even cause more problems trying to find unnecessary answers. In other words, we get in our own way. Common Health Scenario Does this sound familiar? You’re feeling okay and then one day a symptom pops up. Perhaps it’s a new symptom, or it may be a flare up of a symptom that comes and goes. When it happens, your mind turns to curiosity, worry, or even fear. What did I do wrong? What did I eat that I was not supposed to? Where is this coming from? How do I make this go away? What if it never goes away? I’ve been there! More times than I would like to admit. For me, those thoughts and feelings come from the fact that I always like to know (fueled by that universal human need for certainty). For some, the need to know is more pronounced - I’m one of them. I like to know. I want to know what’s happening and what might be coming. Sometimes I can’t help it! I guess one may say I like to control stuff. And while it’s really important to try and figure out which things come from where, there is a fine line and we can all sometimes flop over to the other side.
The Dangers of Responding to Every Symptom Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should ignore these symptoms. But, realize that these first thoughts come from fear and anxiety which brings in stress. Stress and anxiety upregulates the nervous system. When the nervous system is elevated it is very hard for the body to have enough energy to do what it actually knows how to do -- HEAL. If we indulge the fear and anxiety, it breeds stress which makes it harder for the body to naturally deal with the issue. In other words, we get our own way of healing! I’m not saying ignore these symptoms but know that there is a fine balance. I’m not saying I don’t try to figure things out but at the same time it’s important to be mindful of the thoughts that you have, where they come from, and when they elevate stress and trigger the nervous system into a response.
Mindful Response to Troubling Symptoms If you do start to not feel well or experience symptoms, pay attention to your thoughts in that exact moment. If your first thought is, ‘oh no, what’s happening?’take a breath and just acknowledge where you are in that moment. See if you can feel your body. Rather than question things that you may not have an answer to in that exact moment, acknowledge what is happening in the body. Feeling the body can mean different things for different people. You might get in touch through breathing, feeling energy, or just feeling the feeling of not being well without judging. Doing this simple exercise will calm the nervous system. Once you’re calm, the body is going to have more energy and resources to start to do what it needs to do. By practicing mindfulness, YOU will be able to use your mind and brain to think more clearly and gain answers from a place of calm rather than anxiety. After you feel your body and breathe (preferably through your nose) park the thoughts about where things came from and shift to solution-based questions. What can I do in this moment? What can I be grateful for in this moment?
Make Choices that Reduce Stress If you’ve listened to the show, you know how often stress plays a role in resolving a health mystery. Stress affects everything in the body. We often forget that our thoughts and the questions we ask ourselves can trigger a stress response. Sometimes these thoughts are fleeting and we don’t even have time to catch them before they create stress. So, when I talk about getting out of your way in healing, what I mean is, be aware of the questions you ask and catch them in that moment so they don’t create more stress and stop your healing.
Shifting Worries to Positive Thoughts I just actually experienced this personally the other week. It is three weeks postpartum and I started to feel feverish. I didn’t have many other symptoms and I’m not used to feeling feverish for no apparent reason - which caused me to question why I was feeling this way. I caught my train of thought - almost right away (I’ll admit to a few alarmist worries!). Once I caught those thoughts, I was able to reverse them and ask myself questions that create more power rather than fear. If you ask yourself questions, your brain will find answers to them (even if they are not true - we’re just wired to find an answer). By changing the questions I was asking (and having them come from experience instead of fear or anxiety), I was able to find positive answers and avoid creating a stress response. Next time you find yourself in a situation where you are spiraling and asking yourself these worry-based questions, notice it, stop, and see if you can reframe the questions so that the answers are more positive. For example, ask yourself what you could do right now or if you have experienced this feeling before and had a positive outcome. Once you do that, you can restart from a calmer and better place.
Practicing What I Preach I love being home with my newborn and 4 year-old but it is a lot on top of continuing to run my practice in some capacity and publishing this podcast. I found myself experiencing stress. I do have an autoimmune condition and postpartum is a time where anyone with autoimmunity is more vulnerable. So, I took a moment to acknowledge these feelings and instead of asking how I was going to deal with it all (which would have induced more stress), I asked, ‘what can I do to reduce my stress?’ So, I decided to change my podcast schedule to every other week for the next little while. I wanted to let you know so that you don’t worry when you don’t see an episode from me next week. I’m not going anywhere! But, by going to every other week, I can provide you with the same quality content while being true to myself, take some necessary time for myself and my family, and keep my nervous system calm.
Eliminating Health Mysteries Could checking your mental and emotional response to symptoms be a part of the solution for you or someone in your life? Share this episode with them!
Related Podcast Episodes: Investigating Emotional Resiliency with Anat Peri An Underlying Cause of Autoimmunity and Inflammation w/ Dr. Don Wood The Case of Always Feeling Tired w/ Dr. Deborah Matthew
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on | |||
| 08 Jun 2023 | 145 Top 4 Reasons for Brain Fog and What You Can Do About It | 00:21:28 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Back in my 20s, I started to notice that sometimes my brain was just not clear. It might be me forgetting a friend's name or missing an appointment. It happened so often that I started to normalize it. I would shrug it off even when friends pointed it out with concern. When I did bring the issue to my conventional doctor, it was dismissed. But, even back then, I knew there was something else going on. I knew that I had to get to the bottom of this health mystery around my brain fog. Decades later, I know a lot more about brain fog and in this episode, I want to share 4 of the most common causes of brain fog and what you can do about it. Reason #1: HypothyroidismBrain fog is closely linked to hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones. This deficiency affects the membranes that support brain function, leading to cognitive difficulties. To overcome brain fog caused by hypothyroidism, it's essential to prioritize thyroid support tailored to your specific needs and, most importantly your thyroid type. If you don’t know your thyroid type, it’s really essential for supporting your thyroid just for you. I will be showing you how to figure this out on June 15th so that instead of feeling stuck, confused and frustrated, you will have clarity and certainty which means you will know exactly what to do to support your thyroid. And ultimately what this really means is that you can finally have peace of mind that you are not alone in your struggles because you will have support from someone who really gets it. Click here to register. Reason #2: Hashimoto’s DiseaseAnother primary contributor to brain fog is Hashimoto’s disease because of all of the inflammation that comes along with Hashimoto’s. What happens with Hashimoto’s is that the immune system gets confused and starts to believe the thyroid is a threat. It attacks it but that’s not just bad for the thyroid, it has repercussions throughout the body because the immune system is stuck in attack mode. The brain is one of the areas under attack and as a result, inflammation occurs causing brain fog. To combat brain fog associated with Hashimotos, it's crucial to identify and address triggers that contribute to inflammation. Our upcoming training is also helpful for those dealing with Hashimoto’s as it includes in-depth knowledge and effective strategies to help you on your healing journey, empowering you to reclaim mental clarity. Reason #3: Shifts in Estrogen and Hormonal BalanceFluctuations in estrogen levels during puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause can wreak havoc on our cognitive abilities, making it another potential cause of brain fog. This foggy state is particularly evident when estrogen levels drop, resulting in symptoms like "Mommy-brain" after childbirth or during menopause. If you have both Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, it's paramount to prioritize support for your thyroid as it directly impacts hormone balance. Maintaining hormonal balance is crucial for optimal brain function. Strategies such as stress management, regular exercise, and targeted supplements can support hormone balance and alleviate brain fog related to hormonal fluctuations. You can also explore natural support options like Fem Guard or consider hormone support, as discussed in episode 96 and also episode 110 of Health Mysteries Solved, where we demystify hormones for perimenopause and menopause. Reason #4: Inflammation and Free RadicalsThe fourth major cause of brain fog is the presence of free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage our cells and when the body is inflamed, free radicals are created. Even if the inflammation doesn’t start in the brain, it can travel and spread into the brain and cause brain fog. This is a significant concern for those with Hashimoto’s or other autoimmunity issues but even for people who don't have autoimmunity, the initial inflammation could be caused by exposure to certain toxins, foods, oxidative stress, or other triggers. It's crucial to adopt measures that reduce overall inflammation through lifestyle modifications and dietary choices. By doing so, you can minimize the negative effects on your cognitive abilities and experience improved mental clarity. Supplements for Brain Fog that Really WorkWith decades of experience and exploration in reducing inflammation and the brain fog that comes with it, I’ve discovered a handful of supplements that I like to recommend. As always, please consult your own personal health practitioner before starting a new supplement regimen. Here are the ones I find to be effective:
Annatto-E 300 is a remarkable brain fog supplement. It contains unique forms of vitamin E that are 50 times stronger than conventional supplements. This potent formulation specifically targets lipid oxidation, which plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal brain function. By incorporating Annatto E 300 into your daily regimen, you can support your brain health and combat brain fog effectively. We offer 10% off any Design for Health products on our website just enter the promo code: DFH10.
Biotoxin Binder is a powerful supplement that combines humic and fulvic acid, known for its ability to bind toxins, chemicals, allergens, and molds. What sets this supplement apart is its compatibility with other supplements and the fact that it can be taken with food. The convenience and efficacy of Biotoxin Binder make it an excellent choice for supporting your brain health and combating brain fog.
NeuroFlam is a meticulously crafted brain fog supplement that provides a range of potent antioxidants to support optimal brain function. By combating oxidative stress and inflammation, NeuroFlam helps promote cognitive clarity and combat brain fog effectively. Including NeuroFlam in your daily routine can be a valuable step towards regaining mental clarity and banishing brain fog. Please note that you will need to create a free account to purchase this product. (it only takes 3 seconds) Take Action A... | |||
| 25 Apr 2024 | 166 Hashimoto's Disease and Mold Exposure: Symptoms, Testing & Solutions with Jason Earle | 00:44:40 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Jump to the complete show notes here:
After we started to address her immune triggers, Bonnie wondered if maybe mold might be the culprit but wasn’t sure how to figure it out. I knew exactly where to start. In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome back Jason Earle. We last chatted with him in episodes 117 and 118. Jason is an indoor air quality crusader and is so informed about all things mold. He’s the founder & CEO of 1-800-GOT-MOLD and MycoLab USA. He even created the GOT MOLD?® Test Kit so I knew he’d be able to shed some light on where Bonnie could start in investigating the potential link between her Hashimoto’s issues and mold.
Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 20 Jun 2019 | 014 The Case of the IBS Relapse w/ Debi Silber | 00:42:01 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Naomi seemed like a typical IBS case. We did some testing and were able to identify some intestinal infections and food sensitivities. These we were able to address through natural remedies and diet changes. She felt better than she had in decades. It seemed like it her case was closed; her health mystery solved. But then, she started to experience flare-ups of her old IBS symptoms. Further testing gave us no clues - everything was clear and normal. There were no new life events or stressers either. The only clue I had was that she seemed to hold on to so much fear around her symptoms coming back that I started to wonder if perhaps her emotions might be the culprit in this mystery. I turned to the work of Debi Silber. She’s an expert (in fact she coined the term) Post Betrayal Transformation. Her work in helping women heal after betrayal has landed her on CBS, Fox, TEDx, and The Dr. Oz Show. Redefining Betrayal A lot of people think of betrayal as one person disregarding someone’s trust or loyalty. We often think of cheating spouses or self-serving business partners. Debi says that we can trust and believe in ourselves and suddenly find that we’ve betrayed ourselves or that our body has betrayed us. Betrayal has a Physical Manifestation When we experience betrayal, even if our mind is not identifying it as betrayal, we can feel the effects physically. It is similar to the way that stress (acknowledged or otherwise) can impact us in many ways. Often, betrayal can show up as a digestive issues. Think about how we describe the shock of betrayal as ‘like I was punched in the gut’ and the connection seems much clearer. Symptoms of Betrayal We can’t always pinpoint our health issues to a feeling betrayed, Debi has created a list of symptoms to look for that might indicate that you’re suffering from post betrayal syndrome. She has also created a quiz (link below) that will help you determine the impact of a betrayal. Some symptoms include low energy, difficulty falling asleep, exhaustion, sadness, anger, stress, anxiety, and a hesitation to trust anyone. Stages of Betrayal Like grief, betrayal has stages. The first is the set-up stage. The second is shock. The third is survival. Stage four is moving on. And, the final stage is healing and rebirth. Debi goes into great detail in our interview about each stage. And, we relate each stage to the body-betrayal experience that Naomi was going through. Stuck in Survival Mode Many people get stuck at stage three and stay here for years, even decades. This is where serious health issues can develop. If we think about what we know about the ‘fight or flight’ response and stress, it makes perfect sense that we would experience the same adrenal strain by staying in the survival mode of a betrayal experience. The Post Betrayal Transformation Getting through the stages to healing requires a paradigm shift. Debi says that the only way forward is to face it, feel it, heal it. She encourages women to stop letting the betrayal define them but rather to see it as a part of what shapes them. Debi encourages her patients (through her 8-week program) to find the silver lining in their betrayal and use it to write their next chapter. Mystery Solved Naomi didn’t realize that she was suffering from post betrayal syndrome until we did some work looking at how she felt about the medical system and her own body. We’d already gotten to the root of her problem and solved it but the fear lingered and manifested the symptoms of her IBS all over again. Once she realized this, she was able to work her way through the steps and regain her regained health for good. And, we also used EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to reprogram her thought process around her body betrayal. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Naomi we were able to find that final missing piece of the health puzzle and help her reacquaint herself with good health. Could post betrayal syndrome be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Links: https://pbtinstitute.com/quiz/ Thanks to my guest Debi Silber. You can connect with her on her website: https://pbtinstitute.com/ Overcoming Hashimoto’s Summit Claim your free spot to this 7-day virtual summit featuring the top experts in Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism so that you can overcome this diagnosis and feel better. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/2KigemW
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 16 May 2019 | 009 The Case of the False Negative Celiac Test w/ Dr. Peter Osborne | 00:24:01 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
My first suspicion was that her Celiac test was a false negative or that she had some underlying gluten-sensitivity. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats and many people may have the sensitivity. It’s estimated that 30 – 40% of people are genetically positive for gluten-sensitivity. Many go undiagnosed. Dr. Peter Osborne is world renown in the field of gluten and grain sensitivity. He is the author of the highly acclaimed bestseller, ‘No Grain, No Pain’ and is a Doctor of Chiropractic and board certified in clinical nutrition and pastoral medicine. He is the clinical director of Origins Healthcare in Sugarland, Texas and is also an advisor for Functional Medicine University. He joins me in the discussion of this case to share his significant expertise in this field. Confusion Around Gluten Terminology Many people mislabel conditions relating to gluten and mistakenly use gluten-sensitive, gluten-intolerant, gluten allergy, and celiac interchangeably. So, what is the difference between gluten sensitivity and gluten allergy? What’s the difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease? Dr. Osborne explains that gluten sensitivity is a state of genetics which is not a disease. However, this sensitivity can lead to the development of celiac disease which is an autoimmune disease. Gluten intolerance is a reaction to gluten without the genetic disposition. The body cannot digest gluten properly because it is not producing the necessary enzyme. This can result in irritable bowel, gas, bloating and other intestinal discomforts. An allergy to gluten it very rare. Classically, this would show up as an acute response similar to other food allergies which often have symptoms like hives, swollen lips, and throat constriction. It’s potentially life-threatening. Traditional Testing for Celiac is Insufficient Most doctors will test two genetic markers for celiac disease but there are 5 antibodies that should be tested. Some people, like Diane, are told they don’t have Celiac disease and can eat gluten when that is not the case. Comprehensive tests that specifically include HLA DQ2 and DQ8 as well as the wheat zoomer (see below for links to these tests) are needed to completely rule out gluten issues. These tests are a simple cheek swab and a blood test. Gluten Sensitivity due to Genetics is Permanent While some people may feel better after giving up gluten for a period of time, this does not mean they can return to eating gluten. Dr. Osborne says that it can’t be reversed and his best advice is to stay away from it if they want to maintain their health. Eating gluten (for those that have the gluten genes) is unhealthy for them so if they go back to it, they’ll soon feel the repercussions of their unhealthy ways. Consider the Quality of Grains People who do not have the genetic markers for gluten sensitivity, antibodies to gluten, or the presence of autoimmune disease do not need to follow a gluten-free diet. However, it’s important to look at the quality of the food they’re eating. Grains can have mold or mycotoxins (see episode 006). They may also have trace amounts of pesticides that could include glyphosate which has been linked to cancer, neurodegeneration and fertility issues. In addition to that, many grains have been genetically modified. You Can’t Just Take a Pill There are enzymes available in supplement form that will help the body digest gluten. While this might seem like a ‘get out of jail free’ card, it’s not. If you have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease these are meant only to protect you against unwitting exposure (often through cross contamination in non-gluten-free restaurants or homes). It’s not a magic pill that you can take and then go devour a pizza. Sorry, guys. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Diana we were able to get to the real root of the problem and help her regain her health. Could a gluten sensitivity be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Please share this episode with them so that they can feel better too. Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Peter Osborne. You can connect with him through his website: https://drpeterosborne.com/ You can get a copy of his book No Grain, No Pain here:
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
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PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 03 Mar 2022 | 113 The Surprising Brain Connection that Could Improve Your IBS with Guest Angela Privin | 00:41:46 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation When I met Amanda, I knew there were underlying issues. Her doctors told her it was in her head, and I suspected they were right but not in the way they meant. I wanted to explore the gut-brain connection and find out if it was having an impact on Amanda’s digestive issues.
Digestive Health and Hypnotherapy Mention hypnotherapy and most people will think of the Hollywood version of it where an audience member is hypnotized and made to cluck like a chicken. This is not the practical application of hypnotherapy, as my guest, Angela Privin explains in this episode. Angela had her own journey with IBS in her 20s and 30s. She was able to improve her digestive health naturally, but years later when she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, her old symptoms started to return. That’s when she started to look into the brain/gut connection, internalized stress responses, trauma, and how the unconscious mind works on all of these. In doing the mindbody work, she was able to lower her Hashimoto antibodies. This led Angela to explore hypnotherapy and now she uses rapid transformational therapy as part of her digestive health coaching to help her clients let go of the limiting beliefs, past traumas, and stories that may be causing the body to have an inflammatory response.
The Role the Autonomic Nervous System Plays The autonomic nervous system provides the connection between the brain and the gut. The main nerve providing this connection is the vagus nerve which is attached to the digestive organs and regulates breathing, motility, and blood pressure. This all happens unconsciously - we don’t have to do anything to make it work. However, when the nervous system is dysfunctional, it stops sending the proper messages to the organs and problems arise. This can even be triggered by our subconscious thoughts and our stress.
The Conscious and Subconscious Mind Most people know that we have conscious thoughts and subconscious thoughts but what most people don’t realize is that our conscious thoughts are not the dominant thoughts. Our conscious thoughts include logic and our ability to analyze but these intentional thoughts that we are very aware of, are only 10-20% of our mind, according to Angela. The subconscious mind is the emotional mind. It is also where we store our memories and experiences. And this subconscious mind is what drives our behavior. The subconscious mind is “running the show” and we aren’t even aware of it. For someone who has a history of illness or of dealing with an issue, this can sometimes lead to that person’s subconscious mind believing that the body is broken or that it will never be well. This subconscious thought triggers a stress response which sends signals to the nervous system and immune system, creating a negative loop that can keep someone in a state of illness.
Where do Subconscious Thoughts and Beliefs Come From? There are many ways that beliefs and ideas get locked into the subconscious mind. For many, it comes from a childhood experience. These experiences do not need to be extreme or dramatic for them to lock in for a long time. It could be something as simple as the belief that a certain food or diet is dangerous or unhealthy. The subconscious mind locks that in without the conscious mind realizing it.
Unlocking Harmful Subconscious Thoughts Some of these thoughts around food, can have the body believing a fear so deeply that it triggers that immune or nervous system response - which perpetuates the belief. All of this is happening without the brain realizing it. So, how do you get rid of these powerful thoughts or beliefs if you don’t even know you have them? Angela says the first step is to slow down. She recommends meditation or spending time in a meditative state (this is essentially what hypnosis is). She also says that journaling or engaging in free-flow speaking are other ways to get in touch with the subconscious mind.
How does Hypnosis Work for Someone with IBS or Digestive Issues? The key is to track down the subconscious thoughts that are triggering the nervous system and rewire those thoughts. Angela does this through hypnosis by helping someone relax to the point where their brainwaves change from beta brainwaves (which we experience in the conscious mind) to alpha or theta brainwaves. You experience this shift naturally when you are, for example, in a flow state or hyper-focused but you may not be aware of it. So, hypnosis guides you into that state. Once in this state, Angela will help you find the triggering thoughts and then create affirmations that counter those thoughts. It’s kind of like a negative belief antidote. She says that her clients then slip into a meditative state and listen to a recording of these affirmations daily to unlock the critical subconscious thoughts. In this suggestive, susceptible state, the subconscious rewrites the negative thought into a positive. She also encourages people to use visualization of the positive outcome to help the brain see the optimal outcome as a reality.
Next Steps for Amanda I knew that restricting Amanda’s diet even further was not going to be the answer. My conversation with Angela reaffirms what I believe. The nervous system controls everything so when physical solutions are not enough, we need to figure out what feelings, thoughts, and emotions might be triggering a response. With Amanda, we did that with various mind-body techniques utilizing the MindBody Code, EMDR principles, coaching aspects, releasing the past exercises, as well as self-hypnosis.
Happy Ending In just two short months it was amazing how much things shifted for Amanda. She felt lighter, more inspired, and much more in control of her body. As she started to feel better we then looked more into her biochemistry. We tested her stool and organic acids. We discovered that her gut had an overgrowth of bacteria (dysbiosis). We addressed that with antimicrobials and then re-populated the gut with probiotics. Next, we supported it with short chain fatty acids.
Her organic acids test showed that her mitochondria was not properly supported so we used a formula called Mitochondrial NRG as well as Molecular Hydrogen to provide the needed support. These supplements were not a replacement for the mindbody work of course but worked in tandem as she continued with her practices. Once we had these areas supported, we needed to get curious and investigate her diet. I had her journal on h... | |||
| 16 Jul 2020 | 068 [Ask Inna] Answers to All Your Hashimoto’s Questions | 00:25:13 | |
Get ThyroLove Now I asked what you wanted to know about Hashimoto’s and the questions came flying in! In this episode, I’m going to tackle half of them and tune in next week as well because I’ll answer the rest there! Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. Like other autoimmune diseases, what happens is that the immune system gets confused and starts to see the thyroid as a threat. In other autoimmune diseases, the system attacks a different part of the body (the myelin sheath with MS, joints with rheumatoid arthritis, connective tissue with lupus). Under this attack, the thyroid can’t perform optimally and the result is often hypothyroidism. Conventional medicine treats Hashimoto’s by only addressing the hypothyroidism if present or waiting for hypothyroidism to begin or suppressing the immune system with medication. The functional medicine approach is to find the root cause of the Hashimoto’s and fix it. I support the functional medicine approach and it starts by understanding what’s going on first. Which is why, I’m so happy to answer your questions!
Autoimmune Triggers There are four main triggers that can get the immune system in a tizzy. Here are the key triggers for autoimmune diseases:
Individuals may have food sensitivities, or lack the proper enzymes or stomach bile to properly digest food. If the food we eat doesn't work for our body its a huge trigger for autoimmunity.
There are a variety of infections that can become chronic causing the immune system to malfunction.
Environmental toxins (like those found in some cleaning products and beauty products) as well as heavy metals can serve as a trigger.
The immune system handles stress by shutting down other non-essential systems. Over time (especially if it’s chronic), this can be a trigger for autoimmune disease.
Question #1: What is the relationship between heavy metals and the root cause of Hashimoto's? Heavy metals are things like aluminum, mercury, arsenic, lead and they can really do a number on our system. Our bodies can handle a little bit of heavy metals but when they build up, they become a toxin (which is one of the triggers). Even copper can become a toxin if it gets out of control (usually due to a zinc deficiency). Mercury has an affinity for the thyroid, so this heavy metal (in particular) should be monitored to ensure it hasn’t reached toxic levels in the body. There are lab tests that will determine if heavy metals might be the root cause for you. A standard hair analysis is one test but it doesn’t show both types of mercury. My go-to tests for heavy metal are the Quicksilver Scientific Tests because it includes a full heavy metal panel and looks for mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair. If heavy metal is a problem, then a detox using binders and herbs like Milk Thistle are often used. However, you’d want to consult with a functional medicine practitioner to make sure you’re doing the right kind of cleanse.
Question #2: What is the connection between Hashimoto’s and the adrenal glands? Stress is one of the four triggers. The adrenal glands deal with stress by producing the hormone cortisol. When too much is produced, the immune system takes that to mean that it’s an emergency putting things like thyroid production on the backburner. Cortisol also has a relationship with TSH. When cortisol is off, TSH can be off as well and directly affect thyroid function. There is one other potential connection. The symptoms of hypothyroidism are very similar to the symptoms of adrenal fatigue (weight gain, fatigue, depression, hair loss) and so the symptoms may be misinterpreted.
Question #3: What is the true connection to EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus)? This question sparked a secondary question involving the Medical Medium and the things he’s said about EBV being connected to everything, including attacking the thyroid before causing Hashimoto’s. I get asked about this a lot but remember the four triggers - one of them is infection which is exactly what EBV is. There is some research that EBV can get into the thyroid gland (as well as other organs) but I wouldn’t say it’s conclusively linked. However, it is an infection which is a trigger. It’s worth noting that once someone gets EBV it’s always in the system and it can flare up due to stress, toxins, and other infections - it has the same triggers as autoimmune.
Question #4: Can you Address Food Sensitivities with Hashimoto’s? Another listener also asked about her experiences with cutting out gluten and dairy and subsequently developed other food sensitivities. (Be sure to check out the episode I did on food sensitivities for more on this) Food is one of our four triggers, so we know there is a connection. Food sensitivities are not typically things are born with, they develop over time. So, I always recommend that you get tested to see what your sensitivities are using a test that will look comprehensively at antibodies and genetics (not just the general antibody test). But also we want to look at where the sensitivities come from (before eliminating more and more foods) because if there’s inflammation in the body, you're more prone to sensitivities. Another thing to consider is if you might have gut issues, dysbiosis, candida, parasites or bacteria. This could create a lot of inflammation in the intestines, causing leaky gut. And, if you are lacking the right enzymes or your bile is off, you may not be digesting your food which could result in food getting into your bloodstream. So, sensitivities can definitely be a trigger but you also want to make sure that it’s not your gut health (and infections) causing the issue.
Question #5: Hashimoto’s tends to run in families, especially daughters and females. Is there anything I can do to keep my daughters from getting it down the line? I love this question because there’s so much we can do to protect our children’s health. Prevention is the key when you’re dealing with any disease - especially autoimmunity. Start by considering the four main triggers. Testing for food sensitivities early can be helpful as can genetic testing - specifically the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 which is related to gluten which has a big connection to autoimmunity (not just Hashimoto’s). Keep an eye on their gut healthy - especially with regards to antibiotics that can disrupt the microbiome and cause dysbiosis (which introduces another trigger - infection). Consider a good probiotic for kids and doing a regular stool test to get a sense of their microbiome. Toxins can be minimized by control chemicals in the home (including cleaning products and beauty products). And finally, try to help them learn how to deal with stress. I like the book The Goodnight Caterpillar: A Children's Relaxation Story to Improve Sleep, Manage Stress, Anxiety, Anger by Lori Lite and Emily Fletcher (who appeared on episode 005) has a new meditation program for kids. And, remember that kids learn from watching us, so make sure you model good stress-management skills too.
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| 20 Jan 2022 | 110 Demystifying Hormones for Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Jim Hrncir (Part 2) | 01:03:49 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Women experience a range of physical and emotional changes when they enter the perimenopause stage. These symptoms vary greatly from person to person and may include:
For a lot of women, they hold the false belief that this is something they have to suffer through. There are treatment options out there but with conflicting reports and information, it can be a challenge to figure out the right one. This confusion and fear is another reason that so many women resign themselves to just suffering through this period of their life. In episode 96 of Health Mysteries Solved, we spoke with Dr. Jim Hrncir about this issue. The response I got from that episode was fantastic but I could see that there were more questions too. So, I decided to invite Dr. Hrncir back to dive deeper into these questions around the safety and efficacy of compounding bioidentical hormones for treating the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
An Advocate and Expert in Compounding Bioidentical Hormones Dr. Jim Hrncir is a hormone expert and compounding pharmacist. In fact, he’s one of the pioneers of modern pharmaceutical compounding. Jim is responsible for the formulation of many bioidentical hormones, as well as dermatological, nutritional, and anti-aging compounds available throughout the US. And, he’s one of the driving forces taking on big pharma (and congress) to clear the path for the use of bioidentical hormones in the US. He’s passionate about what bioidentical hormones can do for women’s health; not just in reducing symptoms but in supporting optimal health.
The Benefits of Compounded Bioidentical Hormones (Beyond Reducing Menopause Symptoms) While most women turn to bioidentical hormones to help them deal with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, Jim says that there are additional health benefits to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) that often get overlooked. He claims that his bioidentical hormone replacement therapy patients experience better health as well as a higher quality of life. According to Dr. Hrncir, women who are on bioidentical hormone treatments will have a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke (which, he explains, is the number one killer of women with 400,000 female deaths related to heart attack and stroke each year). He also says that bioidentical hormones help reduce osteoporosis. Breast cancer is often a concern for women and those on bioidentical hormones can see a decreased risk here too, according to Dr. Hrncir. He also says that these hormones can help with anti-aging, colon health, brain health, and sexual health. In this episode, he shared some unbelievable statistics about the degree of risk reduction. Dr. Hrncir says that women who use these hormones “are going to have a 50% decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. A 50% decreased risk of osteoporosis. Twenty percent decreased risk in breast cancer risks… also 78% decreased risk in dementia. And, what about colon cancer? Reduce risk 50%. Longevity and antiaging, you know, none of us want to age faster than we have to. Plus, isn't it nice to know that these hormones, not only are they sex hormones, but they're also anti-inflammatory hormones, which means they're going to be reducing inflammation, not only in your body and your joints and your muscles, but also in your brain, you know brain inflammation leads to all kinds of disturbances including dementia.”
When Can Women Start Using Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Dr. Hrncir says that women don’t need to wait to have symptoms of perimenopause before starting on bioidentical hormone therapy since the health benefits are reason enough to start. He feels that even women who are pre-perimenopause and who are post menopause can enjoy the health benefits of hormone therapy. He has his 84-year-old mother on bioidentical hormones. While some feel that they shouldn’t mess with nature because menopause is a natural process, Jim points out that our bodies are still operating on a much shorter life expectancy than we currently have. So, he feels there is no need to suffer through a reduced quality of life and with an increased risk of disease given that we are living much longer these days. Testing hormone levels early on can help to establish a baseline and track how well hormones are balanced. A baseline test might look at estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, adrenals, DHEA, DHEA sulfate, and cortisol.
How Long Can Women be on Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Women can start thinking about bioidentical hormone therapy when they reach the age of perimenopause and can stay on it for as long as they like, according to Dr. Hrncir. There have been studies that point to the health risks of staying on BHRT for more than five years, but in recent years the study that is often cited has reversed its findings, points out Dr. Hrncir. He believes that some people may still be hanging on to these old findings and he encourages his patients to look at the upsides and research that shows reduced risk instead.
What’s in Bioidentical Hormone Treatments? The treatment is to replace what a woman’s body is no longer making. After menopause, a woman's body makes estrone own automatically. The adrenals make DHEA which is then converted into estrone. Women also get estrone from fat tissues. So, there is no need to give extra estrone (plus estrone has three metabolites, two of which are risky). As women age, they stop making estradiol and estriol, for the most part. For this reason, most treatments are a combination of estradiol (the most potent estrogen in supporting the brain, heart and bones) and estriol (a protective estrogen). Dr. Hrncir loves something called Biest, which is a combination of estriol and estradiol. The ratio is up to the doctor. Some give 50/50 each while others might go with 80% estriol and 20% estradiol.
How is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Delivered? Pill or Patch? Dr. Hrncir prefers transdermal applications although he doesn’t love the patch because he says many women are allergic to the adhesive. He also warms about estrogen being taken orally because, as he says, it goes from the stomach, right to the liver. This can induce clotting factors in the liver, which then go to a higher level and could increase the risk of forming a clot, like a DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis. Topically applied hormone replacement creams do not have the same risk of clots. This might be cream applied to the skin but there is also the option of getting a lower dose to apply to the labia. The labial application works quickly and effectively because the membrane absorbs the hormones easily. In his practice, he says about 90% of his patients are on transdermal hormones with the other 10% using t... | |||
| 16 Sep 2021 | 101 5 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight with Guest Esther Blum | 01:04:30 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Eliana’s challenge is a common one. Many women find that despite eating right and being active, they struggle with unexplained weight gain or an inability to lose weight. There are a lot of things that can cause weight gain or make weight loss very difficult. To find out what was the root of Eliana’s weight loss mystery, we needed to explore the most common causes. Esther Blum is an Integrative Dietitian and High-Performance Coach who has helped thousands of women permanently treat the root cause of their health struggles and find joy in their lives once again. Esther is the bestselling author of Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat as well as The Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous Project.
Doing Everything With No Weight Loss Millions of people looking to lose weight often find themselves frustrated. So many of them feel like they’re doing everything they can by eating clear, reducing calories, and exercising regularly but they can’t lose weight. In fact, despite their best efforts, some even gain weight. This is because weight loss is more complex than just calories in and calories out. Esther Blum shares the most common 5 culprits when someone can’t lose weight.
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance. Aside from the difficulty to lose weight, there are many symptoms to look for. In men, it might be ‘man boobs’. In women, it could be heavy, painful periods, ,longer cycles, water retention and headaches around the menstrual cycle. Testing for Estrogen Dominance. The most common test for determining estrogen dominance is the DUTCH test. This is a urine test that shows hormone levels and can be used to track progress as you work toward getting out of estrogen dominance. Supporting Estrogen Dominance. The key is to determine the root cause of the dominance and work on that. It might mean hormone replacement therapy, shifting diet and lifestyle, opening up detoxification pathways, and/or taking supplements like DIM (Diindolylmethane).
Supporting Adrenal Dysfunction. The main way to treat adrenal dysfunction and get the adrenals balanced again is through lifestyle changes and getting stress levels down with self-care and stress releasing practices. There are some supplements and adaptogenic herbs that may help, including:
It’s also important to get to the root cause of the stress and address that.
Exposure to certain toxins can cause the thyroid to underperform. When this happens, the metabolism slows down and it can be very difficult to lose weight. Common toxins that can contribute to this include:
Diagnosing and Treating Toxin Triggered Low Thyroid The best way to detect toxins in the system is through a urine metabolite test. Blood tests will provide a picture of the thyroid. Treating the thyroid may require medication however, bringing down toxins like mercury could shift the need for thyroid medication. Detoxing mercury can be done through chelation, glutathione-vitamin C IV therapy, and also through specific detoxification protocols. Infrared saunas and epsom salt baths are also good for the detoxification process.
An inability to sleep and having high stress can be a bit of a vicious circle when it comes to weight loss. A lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain (and make weight loss difficult) because it affects blood sugar, cortisol levels, and causes the body to store fat while breaking down muscle. The key is to determine the root cause of the insomnia. Common causes include:
You need a healthy gut to lose weight. Your gut health can be affected by inflammation and leaky gut syndrome (which can lead to nutritional deficiencies even if you eat healthy). Another way the body gets robbed of nutrition is when you are harboring a parasite. Many think that parasites only come from third-world countries but they can be found on food in North America and can also come from restaurant employees not washing their hands. H. Pylori is also a consideration because it can cause real issues with digestion including gas, bloating, heartburn, acid reflux, and low digestive enzymes and stomach acid. Some easy ways to increase digestive enzymes are to chew food more thoroughly, drink a celery and aloe smoothie before breakfast, and avoid eating in a hurry or while distracted.
Conclusion If you are struggling to lose weight and you know you’re eating well and moving enough, one of these 5 causes might be at play. Be sure to check with a functional medicine doctor or practitioner to find out. As for Eliana, I looked at her thyroid, hormones, toxins, GI, and lifestyle to see which areas needed support. Her thyroid was all good but when we ran a DUTCH test to look at her hormones, we found our answer. Her less favorable estrogen (4-hydroxy) was high. We also did a heavy metal test and found mercury.
Next Steps We used DIM along with Calcium-D Glucarate. We also used BroccoProtect by Designs for Health. To help reduce the mercury in her system we did a Push Catch De... | |||
| 27 Apr 2023 | 142 Hair Color and Autoimmunity - My Hairprint Journey Continues | 00:23:07 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Those of you who have been listening to the show for a while might remember the challenges I had with coloring my hair during the pandemic. This upset to my regular routine led me to seek out a healthy, at home option. I was particularly curious about how dying my hair may have impacted the management of my Hashimoto’s. You can hear more about that in Episode 121. Well, it’s been a year since then and I wanted to give you an update. In this episode, I deep dive into the problem with hair dye for people with autoimmunity, Hashimoto’s and thyroid issues. Plus, I share my review of Hairprint after one year of continuous use. The Problem with Traditional Hair Dyes for Autoimmunity and Hypothyroidism Chemicals in hair dye act as immune triggers. This can be a big issue for anyone with an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s because the immune system is already confused and attacking the thyroid. More confusion means more attacks which can result in a flare up or subtle symptom shifts. If you have hypothyroidism, you may already be dealing with:
Unfortunately, using traditional hair dye can make it worse. Traditional hair dyes use harsh chemicals like ammonia or nanolumens to break apart the layers of the hair protein to give the dye access to the hair shaft. Even ammonia-free dyes use chemicals like Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) that are potentially harmful (they’re even banned in Canada and the EU). Moreover, chemicals in hair dyes seep into the bloodstream during the dying process, causing harm to the immune system, respiratory system, liver, kidneys, and can trigger serious allergic reactions, hair loss, and hair breakage. Why You May Want to Avoid the ‘Organic Hair Dyes’ The term ‘organic’ is not defined, recognized, or regulated by the FDA in the personal care industry. Companies can add natural ingredients and call their hair dyes organic or natural, but it doesn't mean that they're chemical-free. Often, the added botanical or organic elements have nothing to do with the dyeing process and are there in addition to all the usual chemicals that are in conventional hair dye. It might just be a marketing gimmick. Hairprint: A Safer Alternative to Traditional Hair Dye? I was thrilled to find Hairprint last year for all of the reasons I listed above. Before I share more about the product, I want to clarify that this is not a sponsored post - I genuinely use the product and love the product. And, in the past year of using it, I’ve learned a lot about how to get the best results. First, let me share a bit about Hairprint (in case you missed episode 121). It’s a unique product that doesn't break up the hair follicle and degrade it in any way, unlike traditional hair dyes. This makes it a safer alternative for everyone but especially for those with thyroid issues or autoimmune diseases. It actually restores the natural pigment in hair without using harsh chemicals. How to Apply Hairprint (and Get the Most Out of It)If you've been using Hairprint or plan to use it, it's important to note that it can have a slight drying effect on your hair, even though protein is great for hair. To combat this, I highly recommend hair oiling. You can use moisturizing oils such as amla oil, argan oil, or jojoba oil. You can apply the oil to the full length of your hair or just the ends depending on where you need it and if you want to avoid adding oil to an oily scalp. Now, if you have a dry scalp, you can apply it there as well. Apply the oil 15-20 minutes before shampooing, or even better, leave it in overnight and wash your hair in the morning. I have noticed a significant improvement in my hair's manageability and moisture since starting this practice. I apply the oils right after I do my Hairprint application and then once a week, or sometimes twice a week if I have time. This has made such a difference for my hair, and I highly recommend it for anyone with dry hair, whether or not you are using Hairprint. Guilt Free Hair Coloring One of the great things about using Hairprint is that it's natural, so you don't have to feel guilty about coloring your hair more often. You can do it at home without spending a lot of money or spending time traveling to a salon. It's empowering to be your own self-advocate and take control of your hair health. My Final Take on Hairprint By now, you can tell that I love it. If you have been hesitant to try Hairprint, I encourage you to give it a try and take care of your hair naturally. Eliminating Health Mysteries If changing how you color your hair can reduce your exposure to toxins, it might just be what you need to shift the scales and help you solve your own health mystery. If you think this episode could be helpful to someone you love, please share it. Links: Related Podcast Episodes: 10 Reasons Your Hair is Falling Out w/ Deb Matthew 139 How to Power Up Your Hashimoto’s and Thyroid Healing Journey with Hypnosis Part 1 [Ask Inna] Answers to All Your Hashimoto’s Questions [Ask Inna] More Answers to Your Hashimoto’s Questions (Part 2) Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses.... | |||
| 25 May 2023 | 144 The Case of Premature Aging: How Lifestyle Changes and DNA Methylation Lead to Big Breakthrough with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald | 00:48:11 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Investigation
2. Herbs and Spices: Dr. Kara highlights the impact of polyphenols found in various herbs and spices. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, curcumin, turmeric, quercetin, and resveratrol are just a few examples of potent gene regulators. It's important to note that while we may inherit some gene expression patterns from our parents and ancestors, we still hold the reins and have the power to influence our health destiny. Understanding this gives us the opportunity to make informed choices and take control of our well-being. Dr. Kara emphasizes the vital connection between epigenetics, aging, and thyroid disease. Aging acts as a primary driver for various chronic conditions, including hypothyroidism, Graves' disease, and subclinical hypothyroidism. Exploring the changes in epigenetic expression and DNA methylation provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of these conditions. Epigenetic Lifestyle: A Holistic Approach to Optimal Health Dr. Kara uses her study and others as examples to showcase that it's not just about individual foods but a synergistic combination that maximizes the effects on gene expression. She explains that her program incorporates low glycemic choices, intermittent fasting, exercise, and other crucial lifestyle factors. The Power of Simple Lifestyle Changes Dr. Kara says the key to success is by making simple, doable lifestyle changes to improve our health and slow down the aging process. She emphasizes that the goal is not to engage in extreme measures but rather to focus on sustainable habits that can positively impact our overall well-being. That was the motivation behind her research team’s design of a program called "Younger You" that aimed to create meaningful changes in participants' health. The program included a simple exercise prescription, prioritized quality sleep, incorporated basic meditation practices, and recommended the use of a greens powder and probiotic supplement. The results she shared were truly astonishing to me. Understanding the Role of DNA Methylation DNA methylation plays a crucial role in gene expression and epigenetics. We’ve talked about this before (on this episode about the MTHFR gene) but it’s important to go beyond that. Methylation is involved in numerous essential processes in the body, from metabolizing hormones and neurotransmitters to maintaining optimal cell function. Methylation is influenced by various factors, including nutrients, gut health, and the microbiome. Comprehensive testing is needed to assess methylation status and overall metabolic function. This involves looking at biomarkers such as homocysteine and methylation cycle intermediates. A functional medicine approach goes beyond the methylation cycle and explores other m... | |||
| 04 Feb 2021 | 085 The Case of the Unnecessary Thyroid Medication | 00:13:40 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Even though Linda was happy to have an answer, something didn’t add up. She was told to get on the medication, regardless of whether she showed typical symptoms or not. Linda wasn’t convinced. That’s when she came to see me.
The Investigation Linda was right to question her results and her treatment even though her numbers were very high. I knew I needed to figure out the root cause of her elevated TSH and determine if there might be a way to get her back into optimal range.
Normal Range for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) The regular lab range for TSH is between .5 and 4.5, but the more functional range that we want to aim for is really between 1.8 and 3 if not medicated. Linda’s TSH was at 19, which was why her doctor was immediately alarmed.
Evaluating Thyroid Markers or Why You Need To Test All Thyroid Markers In order to truly evaluate the thyroid, it is very important to test all of the thyroid markers (as I explained in Episodes 27 & 28). We ran a second blood test with TSH and all the thyroid hormones as well as all 3 antibodies: TPO, thyroglobulin, and TSI antibodies. When the results came back with high TSH (even higher than before!), the interesting thing was that the other actual thyroid hormone markers were completely normal. Linda’s T3 and T4 were at optimal levels. Typically, when those thyroid hormones drop, the body’s signal to correct that would be raising the TSH. We were able to see here that the other hormones had not dropped in the first place, so that was not the reason the TSH was up.
High TSH with High Thyroid Antibodies In Linda’s case, she didn’t have typical hypothyroid or slow thyroid symptoms and her thyroid hormones were normal. Her TPO antibodies however were 529, which is quite high. Her thyroglobulin antibodies were also slightly elevated at 42 and her TSI antibodies were negative. TSI antibodies are representatives of Graves disease, so she didn’t have that, but TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies are representative of Hashimoto’s. Linda’s results were positive for TPO and Thyroglobulin, which showed us that she had Hashimoto’s.
Hashimoto’s and Thyroid Inflammation When there is Hashimoto’s there can also be thyroid inflammation. I have found that when the thyroid is inflamed, the TSH can go up without it triggering any low thyroid hormones. This is not what the textbooks say in typical cases, but as we know here at Health Mysteries Solved, many of us are not textbook cases, and issues can be complex!
Misdiagnosed Hypothyroidism Our bodies have tons of feedback loops and when all the loops work like they are supposed to, then we can follow a textbook pathway to healing. But, in many cases, there are other issues at play from stress to autoimmunity to toxicity, to the foods that we eat. It’s not uncommon that the feedback loops may not work the way we think they should. In this case, High TSH is showing inflammation of the thyroid rather than an actually slow thyroid. This not only explains why she didn’t have hypothyroidism symptoms, but also that the inflammation could have actually been triggering the anxiety and sleep issues.
Medication when Necessary I was so happy that I met Linda so that we could work on the inflammation. In her case, medication was actually not necessary because her thyroid hormones were normal. Even though I am always trying to find natural solutions, I am not anti-medication when truly necessary. Especially when it comes to thyroid medication. As some of you may know, I take a small dose of compounded thyroid medication because I have hypothyroidism. My perspective is that when the thyroid truly is slow, medication is replacing something that the body can’t make but absolutely needs. This is a very important medication for me to have. However using it when you don't need it is a different story.
The Link Between Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism? While many people with Hashimoto’s do in fact have hypothyroidism (because of damage to the thyroid), other times, we can catch the Hashimoto’s and the inflammation it may cause early before the thyroid gets damaged. In this case, if we address the inflammation and underlying immune triggers driving the autoimmune response, it is possible to save the thyroid from being destroyed. By the time I found out I had Hashimoto's, my thyroid was already affected but even if that is the case for you, there is still a lot you can do to stop the progression of the attack by addressing the triggers.
Next Steps For Linda, we caught the Hashimoto’s early before it actually damaged her thyroid. We worked on lowering inflammation and calming her adrenal glands (the glands that deal with stress), which was one of her triggers. We did a genetic test for gluten, the D2 DQ8 which showed that she was positive for both the DQ8 and D2 (meaning her body was not genetically predisposed to process gluten). There is a big connection between gluten and Hashimoto’s due to molecular mimicry (where there are similar molecules at play so the body attacks all of them by mistake). We took gluten out of her diet and used PS 150 and liquid GABA to help lower her cortisol and support her adrenals and sleep. Stress can be both physical as well as emotional and so for Linda, we reduced the physical stress caused by her body trying to process gluten. She also added mindfulness exercises to further lower her cortisol. This helped her calm down, relax and feel less anxious which, along with the GABA, improved her sleep. The better she slept, the more her adrenals were able to heal. We retested her full thyroid panel of markers in 6 weeks and her TSH had returned to normal! We were both thrilled. Eliminating Health Mysteries Can you see how this could have become quite a health mystery had she not explored this further? I am so glad she did reach out for support, and hope you can keep her story in mind in case you ever get similar results. For Linda, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle so she could regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Suggested Products Related Podcast Episodes: EPISODE #028 Navigating the Thyroid Treatment Mystery with Inna Topiler EPISODE #027 | |||
| 19 Dec 2022 | 133 Super Simple Tips to Protect Your Thyroid Over the Holidays + Contest | 00:10:28 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Listen to hear how you can win access to the Thyroid Mysteries Solved Course! Super simple tips to protect your thyroid health over the holidays. This is a quick happy holiday episode with 2 tips on staying present and helping your thyroid. I will be back with new and exciting episodes on Jan 5th where we will be revealing all things thyroid, Hashimoto’s and autoimmunity and I can’t wait to connect with you more then! Happy Holidays! See you in 2023! Thyroid Mysteries Solved Course https://www.thyroidmysterysolved.com/ Follow me on Instagram and Facebook Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 28 Mar 2024 | 164 5 Pivotal Hashimoto's Hacks: The Empowered Approach to Thyroid Health | 00:24:47 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Jump to the FULL Episode Show Notes here: As soon as you find out that you have a thyroid issue, or that you’re diagnosed with Hashimoto's, your instinct is to learn as much as you can. As the internet becomes more and more crowded with information, it can be so difficult to find useful information. And, it can be hard to determine who to trust as you try to navigate your way to overcoming your Hashimoto’s and hyperthyroid symptoms. I know because I was once in this position and because I’ve spent the last decade helping Hashimoto’s and hypothyroid patients regain their health. A lot has changed in this time - and more changes are coming (more on that at the end of these show notes) but over the years, I’ve discovered that there are 5 key drivers of success when it comes to overcoming your thyroid issues and Hashimoto’s symptoms. I share them in this episode along with a big announcement about this show and support for anyone dealing with autoimmunity, Hashimoto’s, and hypothyroidism.
These five proven strategies have made a huge difference for me and many of my clients struggling with Hashimoto's. 1. Diet: Balancing Blood Sugar Is Key It all starts with food! While everyone's needs are unique, there's one common thread: balanced blood sugar. Eating a balanced diet with all the macronutrients – carbs, proteins, and fats – is crucial. Avoid blood sugar spikes by avoiding excessive carbs at once and pair your meals with protein and healthy fats. Remember, stress can be physical too! Unbalanced blood sugar creates stress on the body, hindering progress. 2. Clean Eating: Ditching Chemicals and Going Organic Our world is full of chemicals like pesticides and herbicides. Research shows these chemicals can negatively impact our health. So, the cleaner you eat, the better. Prioritize whole, unprocessed foods straight from the earth. Consider going organic, especially for the "Dirty Dozen" – the foods most heavily laden with pesticide residues (check the Environmental Working Group's list). Organic meats and dairy are also beneficial to avoid added hormones and antibiotics. 3. Identify and Address Food Sensitivities Gluten is a common culprit for many with Hashimoto's. Not everyone needs to be gluten-free, but some may have the DQ2 and DQ8 genes, making gluten processing difficult. When you consume gluten, even without immediate symptoms, the immune system attacks it. This can lead to accidental attacks on the thyroid due to molecular similarities between gluten and thyroid molecules (cross-reactivity). I personally struggled with gluten for years, but identifying it as a trigger made a significant difference. Consider exploring food sensitivities to see what might be hindering your progress. 4. Targeted Supplements for Personalized Support Supplements can be extremely helpful, but a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. Our immune triggers and thyroid types vary. However, some supplements have been particularly beneficial for me and my clients:
5. Calm the Nervous System The nervous system has a powerful influence on the immune system. A calmer nervous system translates to a more balanced immune system. Here are some ways to achieve this:
I find meditation and movement particularly helpful. Experiment and find what works for you.
Mornings can be tough, but incorporating a self-care routine can shift the entire day. I recommend starting your day a little earlier, even before the kids wake up (believe me, I get it, I'm not a morning person either!). The book "The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod offers great tips on establishing a morning practice and provides ideas to optimize your early-start time. It’s hard to believe but the benefits of improved sleep quality and stress reduction outweigh the initial sacrifice of a little extra sleep.
This may sound surprising, but it's incredibly powerful. We all want optimal health, vibrant energy, and freedom from Hashimoto's. But sometimes, we struggle to allow ourselves to truly receive these things.
This might feel like a strange concept, but explore it. Notice any tightness or resistance in your body when you imagine complete freedom from symptoms. Do you feel undeserving of such good health? We often have subconscious beliefs about deservingness. We may feel good things like joy, love, and health need to be earned. This can block our ability to receive the very things we desire. You’ve heard the stories about lottery winners who lose their winnings quickly. This is often due to a deep-seated feeling of not deserving it. They sabotage their own success. The same can happen with health. If you don't feel deserving of good health, your nervous system won't feel safe receiving it. This can lead to unconscious sabotage of your healing journey. Learning to receive is crucial for overcoming Hashimoto's and any chronic health issues. I have entire programs dedicated to overcoming these blocks: "Clear Your Thyroid Blocks" and my signature program "Thyroid Mystery Solved." You can find more information on my website … which brings me to my important announcement! New Podcast Name and New Website - More Focus on YOUR Needs | |||
| 22 Dec 2020 | 082 Forget New Year's Resolutions. Do This Instead | 00:18:56 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Resolutions don’t work. In this episode of Health Mysteries Solved, we’re going to explore why and what you should be doing instead.
New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work We all make them, and most of us fail at them. Or, we have small successes that don’t last. Why? I think there are a few reasons:
The New Year’s Resolutions Replacement I want to share an exercise with you that is much more powerful than the typical New Year’s Resolution practice. This is something I do (and I have my clients do) consistently throughout the year - not just at New Year’s! Do this when you have about 10 minutes in a quiet, comfortable spot where you can focus on your desired future. Make sure nobody will interrupt you. Don’t do this while driving - this is not something you want to be multitasking! Health Visualization Exercise I’ll explain the process but I highly recommend you listen to the podcast so I can walk you through it.
Year-Round Keep visualizing. Remember this isn’t a once a year empty exercise. To help make your visualization a reality as quickly as possible is consistency. Envisioning your dream is something you can do as often as you like, ideally each day. Download and save this episode so you can listen to it and revisit your visualization or do it on your own. Really seeing and feeling what you want will help to bring it closer to you. You my friend, deserve all of the things that you wrote down and I want your dream to become a reality in the coming year. Connect! I would love to hear how this exercise went for you, what you noticed, what happened a few days later and what opportunities come your way. Drop me a line on Instagram or use the contact form on the Health Mysteries Solved website. I love hearing from you!
Related Podcast Episodes: Beyond Mysteries: Create Your Best Year of Health Investigating Emotional Resiliency with Anat Peri 6 Ways to Improve Your Life When Self-Isolating
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information.
Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 10 Dec 2020 | 081 The Mystery of Histamine Overload w/ Dr. Beth O’Hara | 00:52:11 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation This battery of symptoms may seem unrelated but I suspected that they were all connected. My first clue was in her diet - which was not unhealthy but did have one common element that raised my suspicions. It’s found naturally in many foods and many traditional doctors don’t know to look for it - despite the fact that it’s estimated that as much as 17% of the population may have a reaction to it. Dr. Beth O’Hara is a Functional Naturopath and the owner of Mast Cell 360, a Functional practice specializing in root cause approach to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Histamine Intolerance, and related conditions such as oxalates, mold toxicity, and chemical sensitivities. You may recall that Beth appeared on episode 67 when we discussed a case involving oxalates. This time we’re focusing on mast cell activation syndrome and histamine intolerance, which I suspected in Rachel’s case.
What is Histamine Intolerance? Most people think of allergies when they think about histamines because antihistamines are taken to deal with the symptoms. However, histamine has a much bigger role in the body than reacting to allergens. Histamine helps regulate estrogen levels, the sleep-wake cycle, acts as neurotransmitter, activates stomach acid and plays a role in digestion. The body can build up high levels of histamines to a point where the enzymes that break down histamine can’t keep up. At this point, it exceeds the threshold causing a histamine intolerance that leads to many different symptoms.
Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance There are a wide range of symptoms and they vary from person to person. Here are the big ones:
Causes of Histamine Intolerance There are many things that can push histamine levels over the top including environmental toxins and certain foods. Some of the most common foods that are high in histamines include:
Click here for a comprehensive list of high and low histamine foods. In addition to diet and environmental triggers, there are also genetic factors to consider. Specifically the genes that are coded for histamine degrading enzymes like ABP1 and AOC1 that produce diamine oxidase (DAO). Also, Histamine N-Methyltransferase (HNMT) which is another gene with the function of breaking down histamines. Alternatively, a gut issue where the microbiome is impeding the natural creation of DAO can also cause a histamine overload.
What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Sometimes a histamine intolerance is caused by mast cell activation. Mast cells are the frontline defenders of the immune system and they produce histamine. These cells are activated when there is a threat like a virus, bacteria, parasites, mold or toxins. When they find this issue, they surround it with inflammation producing molecules and call to other immune cells to come in and do the rest of the clean-up process. This activation can result in an over-production of histamine. If the body is under constant attack (from toxins or stress), then mast cell activation can turn into mast cell activation syndrome. This can manifest in many ways with a variety of symptoms and can be difficult to diagnose.
Testing for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Diagnosing mast cell activation syndrome is to see if there are symptoms involving two or more systems of the body. For example, GI issues, headaches, hives or others listed here. One of the first diagnostic tests is to have the patient take an antihistamine to see if the symptoms are related to histamine. However, you have to make sure that the antihistamine does not have mast cell triggers like dyes or titanium dioxide. The final piece of identifying mast cell activation syndrome is a genetic test showing a positive result for one of the mast cell mediators like tryptase, N-methylhistamine, prostaglandins, or cytokines.
Treating Histamine Overload or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome The most important step is to reduce histamine intake. This is most commonly managed through a low-histamine diet. It’s important to note that foods that are seen as health-promoting, like fermented foods or spinach smoothies, can in fact be quite high in histamines. Eating organic is also important (to reduce pesticide exposure) as is making sure your protein is clean and fresh. In particular, you want wild caught fish that is frozen at sea. Histamines can be elevated in food over time which is why it’s also important not to eat old leftovers (best to freeze them right away instead of leaving them in the fridge). And, avoid processed foods especially canned foods (including fish and meat). The next step is to make sure there aren’t any other triggers like mold, parasites, bacteria (including in the gut microbiome), or viruses. And the final step is to support the body in breaking down histamines. For some this may mean supporting the gut with supplements like DAO and if needed Betaine HCL, . Dr. O’Hara will also recommend herbal treatments (to patients who aren’t too sensitive) such as Baicalin (Chinese Skullcap) and Perimine (perilla extract) to support the mast cells. Every treatment has to be specific to the individual since the presentation of symptoms and the triggers are often unique to the individual.
Mystery Solved As you can see, histamines can play a role in a multitude of symptoms and this was in fact the case for Rachel. The first step was to remove high histamine foods from her diet and add a DAO enzyme to break down the histamines. Just doing this resulted in a significant reduction in her skin irritations and headaches. But, I suspected that the histamine issue was secondary to other imbalances. We ran an organic acid test and a stool test and saw she had a lot of Candida. She was already eating well and didn’t over consume starches or sugars so we worked on it through supplements. I used | |||
| 11 Jul 2019 | 017 The Case of the Stubborn Hashimoto’s w/ Dr. Kyrin Dunston | 00:40:01 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Avery’s experience is not totally uncommon. The traditional medical system helped treat her symptoms but it wasn’t until she turned to functional medicine that she was able to get to the real root of the problem. Or, so she thought. When I met with her, I knew there was still a piece of the puzzle that was missing and it would required her to be open minded about the cause of her health issues. The Investigation When we feel ill or our body is not functioning the way we want it to, we think about all of the physical things that could be wrong with it. For many people, solving their health mystery doesn’t need to go any further than this. But, for Avery we had to go beyond the physical and dig a little into the health of her energy. This is the truly holistic approach. Dr. Kyrin Dunston learned this through her own personal journey. She was a busy and successful OB GYN who struggled every day with her own physical health. She was overweight, lethargic, and dealing with the chronic pain of Fibromyalgia. She tried all of the traditional ways to regain her health but all of her tests came back normal, leaving her stumped by her persistent ill-health. She was as surprised as anyone that her solution did not lie in traditional medicine (which she loved, practiced, and was devoted to) but rather in functional medicine and energy work. Now, she shares her new approach to women’s health through online programs and her podcast, Her Brilliant Health Radio. Physical is a Manifestation of the Energetic Our physical body is a manifestation of our energetic body and this is true for everyone. This might seem unscientific but research has proven it. For example, our electromagnetic field can be red outside of us (using HeartMath technology) proving that it goes beyond the one job we originally assumed it did. These energies are accessible for health, healing and communication. This is new in the Western world but other cultures have believed this (and build their health care around it) for centuries. Acupuncture is a good example of this. Consider the Underlying Energy In any physical healing from disease, we have to consider the underlying energetic component. For instance, in Hashimoto’s or issues with the thyroid, it’s important to look at the energy center in the throat, or Throat Chakra. This is where energy is affected by and affects our communication and ability to speak our truth. Energy disturbances here could come from a long-held inability to speak up or share our true authentic self. Until that energy is addressed, the physical body will struggle. Little ‘t’ Trauma We talked in episode 007 about how our belief systems can impede our efforts for optimal health. In this episode, Dr. Kyrin explains that beliefs and long-held traumas interfere with the health of your energetic self. Traumas come in many forms. The ones we often think about are easy to quantify - a major accident, experience violence, witnessing something horrific - but there are other traumas that can also have an impact. Referred to as small t traumas, these could include incidences in your childhood that even you wouldn’t consider traumatic but that have left a scar on your energy or psyche. Even if they don’t register as traumatic experiences, they can still shape our biology. Energetic Comes First Before a physical illness, we experience an energetic interference. Every physical illness has an energetic counterpart. To get to the root of potential energetic origins of illness, Dr. Dunston suggests looking into the history of the issue and making a personal inquiry with journaling. For many people, this is too hard to navigate on their own and they may want to seek the help of an expert on integrating physical issues with chakras or doing energy work. This is important because it can be complex. For example, an issue like Hashimoto’s deals with the throat (thyroid) but also with the root chakra - so there may be more than one energetic blockage or disturbance at play. The Spaces Between Despite being raised by a ‘hippie’ who helped her connect to her energy and intuition at a young age, Dr. Kyrin was drawn to medicine. After she rediscovered the importance of energy work in her own health journey, she didn’t want to let go of the scientific side. Luckily, science has proof of something beyond the physical. She cites the Nobel Prize being awarded to the discovery of Higgs-Boson Particle which looks at the space between the known particles. She believes that there is a consciousness of the universe - and we should be careful what we ask for because it answers both negative and positive requests (as she discovered). Energy Work + Functional Medicine Often, when we can’t find an answer to a health mystery, the final clue is not physical at all. Dr. Dunston believes that you have to do the energy work along with the functional medicine. Doing one without the other is addressing only half of the issue. If you focus on only one, you may miss key imbalances or issues and your health mystery may never truly be solved. Happy Ending It was a long and frustrating journey for Avery. Everytime she got an answer, she was able to feel a little bit better. Once she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s she was able to address several triggers and felt a little bit better but she knew there was still something, underlying, that was keeping her from experiencing optimal health. We looked into her past and found that she was hanging on to limiting beliefs about self expression and was struggling to connect with her authentic self - exactly the kind of issue Dr. Kyrin spoke of in relation to the blockage of the throat chakra. Avery confronted her past, released some long-denied truths, and through meditation she activated her 5th chakra. We also solved some stubborn biochemical challenges with a heavy metal detox. Three months later, she was feeling so much better. The proof of all of this work showed up in her physical blood tests too - her antibodies had dropped significantly. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Avery we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could energy blockages be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Kyrin Dunston. She has also offered up a free medication called “Meditationfor Her Brilliant Hormone Balance” which you can download here: https://kyrindunstonmd.lpages.co/meditation-gift/ You can connect with her on her website: Kyrindunstonmd.com or on social media - Instagram or Facebook Mentioned Supplements IMD https://www.completenutritionandwellness.com/shop/intestinal-metal-detox.html Glutathione | |||
| 04 Apr 2019 | 002 The Case of the Missing Periods w/ Nutritionist, Aynsley Kirshenbaum | 00:35:01 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Birth control pills are a common solution for irregular periods caused by PCOS but they are not the only solution. And, they are certainly not the right choice for someone who suffers bad side effects or who is wanting to improve fertility. According to the National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association, PCOS affects up to 15% of women and is the leading cause of infertility. Which is why it’s often a catchall diagnosis. I knew I had to dig a little deeper into Jen’s case if we were going to overcome her PCOS symptoms, improve menstrual cycle regularity, and increase fertility. I connected with clinical nutritionist, personal trainer and creator of The Sugarpurge, Aynsley Kirshenbaum. That may seem like an interesting place to start digging but as you’ll discover in this episode everything is connected. Plus, Aynsley is speaking from personal experience. We discuss how important it is to look at everything that is going on in the body to assist the body in resetting. That includes looking at diagnostic criteria that is beyond the typical tests done for PCOS. The most important is the hormone panel, which we discuss at length in this episode. Our Endocrine System and Hormone System Work in Concert Aynsley and I discuss just how intricately the bodies systems work together. If one thing is out of whack, it can affect all of the other things. And, conversely, if you can control one system or create change in just one area, then that will affect other systems too. Sugar is Everything Aynsley and I also discussed why it’s so important to test the Hemoglobin A1c to determine insulin sensitivity levels. This was one of the key clues in Jen’s case. As was a shift in her overall diet. What does a PCOS diet look like? We break it down and look at some possible connections between gluten and PCOS (although more research is needed). Don’t Ignore Stress And finally, we dive into the role that stress can play in PCOS as well as the presentation of symptoms of PCOS. All of these changes are not an overnight magic bullet. The resetting of systems (not to mention them having an affect on other systems) takes time. Expect for it to take at least 3 - 6 months. When it comes to missing periods caused by PCOS, birth control is not the only answer. In the case of Jen. Within a year, her cycle was back to normal and she was able to conceive a child. All without having to take medication that made her unhappy and feeling unlike herself. She now has a beautiful baby and continues to be in control of her PCOS symptoms. Mystery Solved For Jen, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could diet, blood sugar, stress reduction, and hormone balancing be the missing clues for you or someone in your life dealing with irregular periods, PCOS, or infertility? Share this information and demand answers. Your health does not need to remain a mystery. Resources: Thanks to my guest Aynsley Kirshenbaum. You can connect with her on Facebook or Instagram on through her website. If you’re interested in the Sugar Purge 12-Day Challenge she spoke about, click here to learn more. Product Links I mentioned some products that helped Jen reach her goals. Here they are for your reference. Podcast listeners enjoy 10% off the above mentioned products. Use coupon code: DFH10 at checkout. Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Say hi to me on Facebook and Instagram. Comment on this episode and let me know if it helped. Or visit http://healthmysteriessolved.com/ for more.
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PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
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| 09 Jan 2025 | 182 Health Planning for 2025 - Inna's 6 Essential Steps to Thrive with Hashimoto's | 00:32:04 | |
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| 28 Apr 2022 | 117 Busting the Biggest Myths about Mold and Mycotoxins with Guest Jason Earle(Part 1) | 00:51:32 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation When I met Allison, I decided to check her thyroid again but everything really was normal. We talked about a lot of other possible root causes but when she told me that things had gotten worse after she moved to her new house, I started to suspect that her issues may have something to do with her environment. It was time to see if there was mold in her house.
Indoor Air Quality Crusader and Mold Expert Jason Earle is the founder and CEO of 1-800-Got-Mold as well as the creator of the Got Mold Test Kit. He’s appeared as an expert on The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, and Extreme Home Makeover. Jason is passionate about mold because his childhood in a moldy farmhouse resulted in several health issues for him.
What is Mold? Jason explains that mold is, on a very basic level, the beginning of decay. This decay, which is nature’s way of breaking things down, causes a smell that serves as a warning sign to humans. Some people are more sensitive to molds and therefore find it easier to smell mold when it’s in the air or the environment. Mold sends you a signal that the air is not healthy and you want to heed that warning because mold problems just get worse if they are not dealt with.
Unhealthy Building or House Moisture is the enemy of a healthy building. Mold is a natural byproduct of prolonged dampness. Plus, mold spores become airborne and are constantly looking for the right conditions to take hold, germinate, and form mold. Spores can cause allergic reactions including sinus issues, dermal reactions, and itchy eyes. These spores also carry a by-product of mold called mycotoxins. And, mold produces a musty smell known as microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs).
The Dangers of Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs) MVOCs can make people very sick. Research shows that living in a home with ‘musty odor’ increases the risk of asthma in children by 250%. Additional research, being done by Dr. Joan Bennett at Rutgers University is looking at the link between musky odor and reduced dopamine production. Such a connection could lead to potential links to Parkinson-like symptoms, depression, and cognitive issues.
Testing for Mold There are different types of tests available but they aren’t all created equal. Jason doesn’t think the ‘petri dish’ tests are very accurate because petri dishes are made to grow mold. He says that spores are everywhere so the presence of spores doesn’t mean there is mold. He does sell his own version of testing kits called Got Mold Testing Kits. You can also hire a mold inspector but he also warns against expensive inspectors who may capitalize on the presence of mycotoxins and then charge thousands to treat it without removing the source of the mold. It’s important to note that there are two kinds of mold problems - the kind you can see and the kinds you can’t (sequestered) because it’s hidden in the walls or ceilings. When inspecting a house, it’s important to look for both kinds of mold. Jason has a free ebook called “How to Find Mold in Your Home” that you can access at https://www.gotmold.com/mysteriessolved/
Finding a Professional Mold Inspector Hiring a trustworthy inspector to detect mold in the house is important. Jason warns against hiring anyone who may be associated with a remediation company as there may be a conflict. The free guide his company created (downloadable) includes questions you should ask a potential inspector. Mold Remediation Jason’s company does remediation. They remove the area with the mold issue and ensure there is no more moisture. They then clean the house to remove any MVOCs without adding more (using chemical cleaners). Mold remediation is about removing the mold and its by-products from the home. It’s not about killing the more or killing the mycotoxins. Remediation is a controlled interior, demolition of affected materials, safe removal and then thorough cleaning of the affected areas in the building. One of the tools professionals use in cleaning up after the removal of mold is a vacuum with a HEPA filter used many times. In order for remediation to be effective, the cause of any underlying moisture problems have to be corrected to avoid mold coming back. Many people don’t realize that mold occurs within 24-48 hours of a moisture problem. If porous materials stay wet for 72 hours or longer, they are automatically considered moldy and will need to be removed. Mold can be very expensive but the faster you take action, the less it will cost in remediation. Jason explains that any mold-afflicted area larger than 10 square feet must be removed by a professional.
Using Foggers to Deal with Mold in the House Many people try to deal with their mold issue by using a fogger. The concept of this is that by putting fog in the air (tiny water droplets) you will collect the mold spores and they will no longer be airborne. Jason says there is a logical flaw here because the last thing you want to do in a moldy home is increase the moisture. Plus, he points out, many companies use an antimicrobial fog but this is not necessary in most remediations. If there is potentially bacterial contamination (like if the water incident came from a sewer) then an antimicrobial treatment might be beneficial. However, many people who have mold sensitivity also have chemical sensitivities and fogging the house with chemicals could cause more issues.
Keeping the Air Clean and Healthy Running a HEPA filter air purifier will help keep the air healthy after remediation. In addition, wipe down areas and vacuum often to keep the spore count lower. We can’t avoid spores, but we can avoid air filled with MVOCs (which come from chemicals and plastics). MVOCs can make people very sick. Also, get rid of anything that has a musty smell clinging to it (like clothing or towels) - especially if you wash it and it still smells musty. Jason says that his preferred brands of air purifier are Medify and IQ Air. He says the important thing is to look for a true HEPA filter that has activated carbon in it (this is what will remove the VOCs). And finally, ventilate the room. Open a window to let the musty odor out and let the fresh air in.
Avoiding Mycotoxins Jason is a mold expert but his personal healthy journey has taught him a lot about where mycotoxin exposures may happen. For example, there may be mycotoxins in foods like processed foods, sugar, grains, and peanuts (including peanut butter). Exposure through diet can cause inflammation and other health issues. So, before blaming the house, check your diet.
Next Steps in Mitigating Mold Issues Join us next episode for the conclusion of this health mystery solved case. We’ll continue our conversation with mold expert, Jason Earle and learn about how the body deals with mold exposure and how to support your body after mold exposure.
Eliminating Health My... | |||
| 16 Apr 2020 | 055 Investigating Emotional Resiliency with Anat Peri | 01:01:32 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Our experience with the Novel Coronavirus shifts everyday. Some of us are feeling new levels of fear, anxiety, stress, and/or scarcity. But what is really behind these feelings? Is the crisis the cause or just an accelerant? Can we cope better if we develop more emotional resilience? To help me investigate these questions, I reached out to Anat Peri. She’s a transformational coach with over 15 years experience in development work. Her focus is on helping people see their emotions as allies so that they can find the success and happiness they desire.
Understanding Suffering Anat describes suffering as a state when you are in an argument with reality. It is your rejection of what’s happening either externally or internally. You might be resisting the truth, spending emotion wishing it was different or that it would go away. When we deny the present moment experience, we create suffering.
What is Emotional Resilience? We can’t always control our circumstances and the emotions they evoke. However, Anat says that we can build our capacity to be with any emotion. When you know how to be with an emotion, you can handle it and be resilient through any circumstance.
Emotions vs. Sensations There is a difference between emotions and sensations. To understand the difference, you have to look at the context we give to emotions. We label our emotions (happy, sad, scared, frustrated, etc) based on the language we learned as kids but emotions are actually ‘energy in motion’. Before we knew how to label these emotions, when we were kids, we simply experienced the energy in motion by crying, screaming or laughing, etc. When we started to understand what we called these sensations, or feelings, we also started to categorize them as good or bad. Laughing is good. Crying is bad. That’s when emotions moved out of being a feeling or sensation and became a thought. We moved them out of our body and into our head.
Emotional Paradigm Shift At the time of recording this episode, the world is in the grips of the Novel Coronavirus and COVID-19. The pandemic has forced many people to deal with new or heightened emotions. If we think of emotions as energy in motion we can change the way we address these feelings. We can move from the head reaction and return to the natural body reaction. When we feel our emotions in the body, we can process them much better and faster then when we let our minds take over.
How to Deal with Intense Emotions Shifting your emotional response from your mind back to your body can be challenging since this conditioning has existed from infancy. Anat shares an exercise in this podcast that starts by seeing your emotion as a child. The next step is to be the mother to that child and offer up unconditional love and acceptance. You don’t have to fix that emotion, you just have to sit with it in love. Another approach Anat shares is to go deeper into the feeling and really explore the sensation of it; experience it in all its forms. Does it have a temperature, a color, texture? What size is the vibration? Is it moving?
Why Numbing Doesn’t Work Many people ignore their emotions by distracting themselves with busy-ness, self-medicating, or overeating but that does not allow you to deal with that emotion. This is why so many people are experiencing difficult emotions right now because as our lives slow down, we are forced to confront the emotions we’ve been numbing. Anat suggests you think of yourself as a garden. The things that you don’t want to feel, those emotions you’ve been avoiding are weeds. Many people simply trim those weeds with numbing behaviours (watching TV, eating ice cream, working long hours, etc). But, when you trim the weeds, they just come back uglier and stronger. This can cause additional anxiety, stress, sleeplessness, and other issues. The key to keeping your garden weed free is to deal with those weeds from the root. You have to figure out what the sensation is that has translated (by our minds) into this emotion. Sometimes these roots are very long, so you have to keep digging until you get down to the very base sensation.
90 Seconds of Feeling Once you know what that root cause is, the next step is to experience that emotion. This can be very difficult as we are fighting a lifetime of conditioning that tells us feeling this sensation is bad. But, once you really get to the root sensation and you really step into feeling it and give it permission, the process only takes 90 seconds. After that, the body has processed that feeling and you can move on. If you don’t feel that release, then dig deeper - you haven’t reached the real root.
Creating a Sense of Safety During times like these people want to feel safe within themselves. In order to do that, we need to stop letting our ego and our mind control our experience.
There are three things Anat suggests we do to cultivate feelings of safety: 1. Body When we feel safe, we hold our body a certain way. The first step in feeling safe is to sit the way we would sit if we are feeling safe. 2. Breath When we are scared, we breathe differently. So, in order to cultivate feelings of safety, we have to breathe as if we are calm. Watch for inadvertent shifts in your breath like rapid, shallow chest-breaths or holding your breath. Switch to rhythmic, deep belly breathing. 3. Language What we tell ourselves triggers a response. Instead, Anat suggests you replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts or mantras.
Put these three steps together to ‘prime for safety’. Anat says to sit in a meditation position with palms up, take some deep breaths into your diaphragm and imagine breathing your whole body. Next, repeat your positive mantras. You might say, ‘I'm safe to be in my body. I'm safe to experience this. I'm safe to feel. I'm safe.’ Keep repeating these mantras until you feel your whole system relax and you feel yourself drop out of your head and into your body; into yourself. Anat shares more techniques for feeling safe and for processing emotions in this episode which are well worth a listen.
Experiencing the Now is Freedom This inner work takes time and commitment. Facing your ego, your inner critic, the stories you tell yourself and a lifetime of conditioning is not going to go away without a bit of work. But, the work leads to freedom. You can start to access this freedom right now by giving yourself permission to be with exactly what is happening right now. You’re not denying it anymore and that makes you free.
Gratitude Popcorn We wrapped up this episode with Anat sharing one of her favorite exercises to breed positive emotions. She calls it gratitude popcorn. Think of making popcorn. The kernels don’t all pop at once; there’s a few that pop right away and then slowly the others start going and then suddenly they’re all popping. She says gratitude can be like this. If you start by being grateful for one thing (say what you’re grateful for and say thank you), then the next thing you’re grateful for will pop into your head. Pretty soon, your gratitude will be popping like popcorn. By the end, she says she feels elated from the positive vibrations she’s generated with her gratitude. For Now and For the Future We are talking about emotional resilience now because so many people don’t know how to react to how the COVID-19 pandemic is making them feel. Using the techniques that Anat shares in this episode, we can buil... | |||
| 01 Feb 2022 | 111 What Is Your Thyroid Type? (and How to Manage It) | 00:15:48 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation Thyroid issues are not a one-size-fits-all. If you’ve been listening to my podcast for a while, then you know I talk a lot about hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s because I see so many people struggling with these issues. One of the main reasons they struggle is because traditional medicine tends to treat hypothyroidism one way - by measuring TSH and then medicating to get TSH back into range. There is so much more to optimizing the thyroid and the key is to take a more individual approach. The best news is that you can balance your thyroid and your immune system and you CAN feel good again. You can feel like the old you, the pre-war you as I call it, when your body was not battling itself every day. Yes, it is possible to be:
But this can only happen when you look at your thyroid not from the perspective that it is slow, but more about what type of slow down you have. There are several types of slow downs. I call these “Thyroid Types”. Knowing your Thyroid Type will allow you to properly balance it, not just reverse the speed of it. When you balance your thyroid, you can actually deal with the symptoms that are hanging around even though your doctor says your thyroid tests show the medication is working and you are in range. That’s right, you do not have to put up with those symptoms anymore once you understand your Thyroid Type! This is also true if you have Hashimoto’s but the support needs to be twofold to make sure that you aren’t just addressing the thyroid issue but also balancing the immune system. In order to identify your Thyroid Type you will need to have a full panel of thyroid tests. Having just the TSH is not enough. You also need all the other markers. A full thyroid panel includes TSH, Total T4, Free T4, Total T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, T3 Uptake and TPO and TG Antibodies. Let’s look at these different Thyroid Types.
Type 1: High TSH This is what many doctors will diagnose and prescribe medication for (such as Synthroid). The lab range on this is pretty wide, so I like to look at the optimal range which is 1.8 - 3 if you are not on medication and .5-2.5 if you are on medication. The typical lab range is .5-4.5. This High TSH is just one type and most people who have issues that do not seem to be resolved by their initial approach would typically fall into the other types.
Type 2: Low T3 This is very common and is easily missed if you are not looking at the full thyroid panel. T3 is converted from T4 and is needed for cellular health but just boosting T4 doesn’t always solve the issue. In this case, it’s important to find out why T3 is not converting.
Type 3: Unavailable Hormones Type You are this Type if you have a normal TSH and a normal total T4 and T3. In other words, most doctors would not diagnose you as having a thyroid issue. But, you have symptoms that scream thyroid issue. We determine this Thyroid Type by looking more closely at Free T4 and Free T3 to see that while they may be in the wider range, they are not in optimal range. I call this Unavailable because the hormones are there but they are not available to your cells. There is a specific underlying reason for this and unless that is supported, those hormones will continue to be unavailable and cause symptoms.
Type 4: Understimulated Hormone Type This is you if you have a low TSH and a low T4. It can be hard to catch because the TSH is fine so doctors never look deeper but with a low T4, there is not enough stimulation happening. All of these types can come with or without Hashimoto’s. The last Type is for those who have Hashimoto’s
Type 5: Normal Type (with Hashimoto’s) This one is when your thyroid is not low - it’s actually in range. But, you do have Hashimoto’s. I’m including it because it can be super deceiving and so often, people are told that nothing can be done and they just have to wait it out. Basically, they are told to wait until their Hashimoto’s destroys the thyroid enough to trigger an elevated TSH to warrant starting on medication. However the symptoms you are experiencing can be there from the inflammation even if thyroid is completely normal. But, you CAN start supporting the immune system to prevent more destruction. Understanding your Thyroid Type is the key to understanding why you still have symptoms even if you are getting good labs or taking your medication. Now that you know your Thyroid Type you can find the right solution for you. For this, I use my Thyroid Trifecta approach. The thyroid trifecta has 3 steps.
This last step is key because a general approach would not typically work because we all have different thyroid types. I have been using this approach in my practice for years and it really works! The problem is, I’ve been so booked up with clients in the last few years, the number of people I’ve been able to help has been limited.
Until now.
My approach in designing a custom thyroid action plan is now accessible to you through my brand new online course called “Thyroid Mystery Solved”. I am so excited to put these tools in your hands so you can get back to feeling good again. This course is actually personalized so that you get the support for you! Including:
Basically, everything you ever wanted to know (and a few things you didn’t know you should know) put in a step by step comprehensive plan customized to get your thyroid back on track. Just imagine finally creating balance so that you can have better energy, less brain fog, improved sleep, more balanced digestion, less bloating, less PMS, decreased moodiness, better body composition, more strength and vitality and start to actually enjoy your life. Imagine feeling in control of your body and your health. I am so excited to share This Course with you and to watch you finally get answers and reclaim your power.
Eliminating Health Mysteries If you are dealing with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s (or both) this program is for you. And, if you know someone with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s (and you like them) make sure you share this link because it has the potential to be life changing! www.thyroidMysterySolved.com.
Links: Resources mentioned PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect ... | |||
| 13 Oct 2022 | 129 How to Lose that 'Menopot' and Sail Through Menopause with Guest Esther Blum | 00:42:59 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation While menopause is normal for someone Lisa’s age, suffering through the symptoms doesn’t have to be. There are many things that can be done and I knew that we needed to explore the options. Esther Blum is an integrative dietician, high-performance coach and the author of many books including her latest, See Ya Later, Ovulator. She joined us on Health Mysteries Solved episode 101 to talk about a weight loss mystery so I knew that she was the perfect person to talk about Lisa’s case. Demystifying Menopause: Quick Facts About Menopause A woman is considered in menopause when she has gone 12 consecutive months without a period. Perimenopause is the phase of life that happens before that (and can last up to 10 years). The average age of menopause is 51. During menopause, there are a many biochemical changes that affect a woman from the brain down to the vagina. The most significant change happening is that the woman stops ovulating and can no longer get pregnant. As the ovaries decrease hormone production, the adrenals step in. This hormonal shift can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
Some or all of these symptoms may be a part of a woman’s menopause experience. Women are Not Prepared for Menopause (and They’re Doctors Aren’t Helping!) Despite the fact that menopause happens to every woman, many find they are not prepared for it. Esther says that they often don’t have the tools, testing, or any sense of how to advocate for themselves and their body. When they visit their doctor to discuss the symptoms, they are often told that it’s just menopause and often doesn’t give them any solutions. When solutions are offered, it might be to take birth control pills, get an IUD and even to take daily antihistamines! Preparing for Menopause During perimenopause, it’s a good idea to do some tests to get a sense of your baseline however, keep in mind that estrogen levels can fluctuate as much as 30% on any given day in menopause. For this reason, some doctors may be reluctant to test estrogen levels. Additional tests might include a urine test (Dutch Complete) to look at metabolites, detoxification pathways, and methylation, a stool test, and a GI map to test for the enzyme beta-glucuronidase. It is possible to start using bioidentical hormones in low doses during perimenopause to help regulate hormones based on what these tests reveal. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy vs. Hormone Replacement Therapy There are two common types of hormone therapy for women in menopause and perimenopause. Traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is made in a lab, so it’s synthetic. Bioidentical hormones are usually plant based (yams and sometimes soy) making them much more compatible. Esther prefers bioidentical hormone therapy over hormone replacement therapy because:
How Long Can You Stay on Hormone Therapy for Menopause
Many women would wait until their symptoms are really bad before going on hormone therapy for menopause because they think there is a limited time they can be on them. Now that thinking has changed on how long you can be on hormone therapy, there is no reason to wait. Starting on hormone therapy during perimenopause can decrease the impact of symptoms and make menopause more comfortable. Why Hormone Therapy is Not Enough during Perimenopause and Menopause Doing hormone replacement therapy is not a magic bullet to symptom free menopause. Esther says that there are many things women can do to support their body during these changing times. Here are few ways to optimize hormone therapy during menopause:
These healthy habits will especially help if you are trying to get rid of any weight gained on the abdomen (aka ‘menopot’). Creams, Pills, Patches, or Pellets: Which is the Best Way to Take Hormone Therapy for Menopause There are many ways to introduce hormones to your system. Here are a few options you may be presented with: Topical Creams: These are commonly where therapy starts. Many are given progesterone to start and then as menopause progresses, estrogen will be blended in. You can also get creams specifically for treating vaginal dryness. You are also in control and could do things like microdosing. Patch: This is an alternative way to have hormones slowly released into the system. Usually, these stay on for a month. Pills: These are ingested which means they have to go through the gut and liver. Pellets (aka BIOTE): This requires a minor surgical procedure. These pellets contain a 6 month supply that is meant to be slowly released. The downside is that they are inserted into a small incision usually on the backside so there is a risk of infection. This is also a more expensive option and you don’t really have control over how the hormones are actually released and metabolized however the claim is that it is released in a way that works with your body. Mystery Solved With Lisa, it only took a few test to get a clearer picture of what was going on with her menopause. We did a Dutch test and found that she had low DHEA, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. Her progesterone and DHEA were particularly low. ... | |||
| 07 Jul 2022 | 122 Counting Calories Not Working for Weight Loss? Try This Instead with Brian Keane | 00:47:36 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Far too often we focus on following a specific (often strict) plan or we think the only way to lose weight is by counting calories. But weight loss requires a much more holistic approach. To discuss this approach further, I invited Brian Keane on the show. He’s a personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning coach, and a sports nutritionist. He’s also the host of the Brian Keane Podcast and is the author of two best-selling books, ‘The Fitness Mindset’ and ‘Rewire Your Mindset’. The Importance of Custom Diet Plans Brian has seen a lot of people struggle with their weight loss and he chalks it up to the idea that a diet or eating plan is a one size fits all. So many people try to make a nutrition plan fit into their schedule or their lifestyle. This makes following the plan challenging and unsustainable. On the other hand, a custom plan is created for your goals and takes into consideration your body, your lifestyle, and your schedule. It also needs to include foods you enjoy to ensure you will continue to follow it. Tracking Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss Brian points out that many people he’s worked with in the past have been tracking the wrong thing - they focus on the numbers on a scale. It’s so common to aim at lowering the numbers on a scale but for many, a better goal might be to reduce the amount of fat on the body. For someone who is 50-100 pounds overweight, Brian says that weight tracked in pounds on a scale might be the right metric. This can be done using photos or simply how your clothes are fitting. It’s important that people track the correct thing - this will allow them to find the right holistic nutrition plan. Weight Loss Challenges When someone is checking the scale every day or even every hour, it can create a fixation or even a bit of an addiction. Checking the scale gives you that instant feedback which can deliver a little hit of dopamine. This is why people fall into that cycle of checking the scale too often. It becomes a challenge when you see the weight fluctuate as it can be frustrating. But, there are many things that can cause this fluctuation - especially if you are dealing with IBS, thyroid issues, or a hormonal imbalance. Even the amount of sodium you’ve eaten or water you’ve drunk in the day can shift that scale number. And, because exercise can add muscle, the scale may go up even as the body loses fat. This is why Brian feels it's better to focus on other metrics and not just the numbers on the scale. How your clothes fit or even your measurements are going to be a better indicator. What is the Holistic Approach to Weight Loss? Taking a holistic approach to weight loss means that you’re not just focused on the calories in vs calories out. A holistic approach means that you are looking for a sustainable routine that includes the right (for you) nutrition and fitness routine. As a personal trainer and sports nutritionist, Brian encourages anyone looking to lose fat to include resistance or strength training. Adding this to the plan boosts the metabolism which continues well after the workout session. He also says that we can’t forget about how important sleep is for weight loss. This is because it’s during our sleep that we are able to down regulate our nervous system which allows all of our other systems to function optimally - including balancing our hormones and managing hunger and food cravings which can lead to self-sabotage.
The holistic approach is based on three pillars:
If there were a fourth pillar it might be mindset because how you think about the process can make a huge difference. This is part of why Brian suggests replacing weight loss goals based on the numbers on the scale with goals related to your motivations like feeling better, looking better in your clothes or feeling sexy without clothes. Does Weight Training Make Women Bulky? One of the biggest reasons women avoid adding weight training or strength training into their holistic weight loss plan is a fear of getting big and bulky. They’re afraid that they’ll end up with bulging muscles. Brain says there are ways to avoid gaining big muscles. He also points out that it is not as common for women to really bulk up the way men do because they don’t have the testosterone levels that lead to that kind of muscle bulk. He generally recommends a low calorie nutrition plan that contains nutrient dense foods including complex carbs, healthy fats, complete protein sources, and plenty of fruits and vegetables (although each individual is going to have a different plan as was previously discussed on the podcast). He would also encourage a training element that boosts the metabolism (weight training, strength training and resistance training do this) so that you are burning calories while you rest. Mystery Solved As we learn in this episode, weight loss is really a full body approach. It’s so much more than calories in and calories out! Eleanor’s diet was super clean so we knew we needed to look at which types of foods worked best for her. After doing some experimenting, we discovered that her body actually did better with less fats and more carbs. This was the opposite to how she’d been eating. We kept her caloric intake the same but we could see that we needed to change up the ratios. Conclusion Eleanor was nervous about eating carbs but I explained that including clean carbs (mostly grain-free) in the right proportion would actually benefit her weight loss goals. We also addressed her emotional connections to food by working on her limiting beliefs around weight loss and food. Stress management was another piece of the puzzle so we connected her mind and body with a few simple techniques. Next Steps In addition, we also looked at her gut because Eleanor mentioned that her weight gain had been predominantly around the belly. She also noted experiencing bloating. We did a stool test and found an overgrowth of yeast as well as a few different types of bacteria in her gut. To address this, I create a custom protocol with some antimicrobial botanicals, digestive enzymes and some hydrochloric acid. We did this protocol for six weeks. At first, she did feel a little bit more bloated but a detox reaction is not uncommon. This extra bloating only lasted three to four days and then the bloating reduced and she felt much better. Happy Ending Six weeks into the shift in food ratios, the gut cleanse, and all of our emotional work, Eleanor had lost 8 pounds. After years of struggling, she was thrilled to see the weight coming off (and stay off). We continued to work on the foods and emotional connections, and we supported her liver to improve how it processed toxins. Two months later, this additional support resulted in another 5 pound weight loss. Eleanor couldn’t be happier wit... | |||
| 06 Feb 2020 | 045 The Case of Headaches, Sleep Issues & Restlessness w/ Dr. Catherine | 00:49:13 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation I could see how difficult life had become for Molly. She told me that she’d often felt overly-sensitive growing up but these latest developments were unbearable. The more we talked about her lifestyle, the more I noticed that she was extremely connected in a digital sense. She constantly wore a bluetooth earpiece, she had many devices that she used frequently and she boasted about her super-high powered router. I became suspicious that all of these technological conveniences might be an important part of solving this health mystery. The potential health threats from exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (also referred to as Electromagnetic Frequencies or EMF) has been in serious question since the 90’s when studies were done about possible links between power lines and childhood cancer. Over the decades, our exposure has significantly increased. The volume of electronic devices in homes and public spaces has increased and the generation of wifi is also significantly grown. Wifi is all around us and the signals are getting stronger and stronger (from 2G to 5G) with technological development and increased consumer demand . Dr. Catherine Clinton is a licensed naturopathic physician and the founder of the website WellFuture. She is also an author, speaker, pediatric health advocate, and is in the process of completing a book about the impact of EMF on human health. She joins me in this episode to discuss Molly’s case.
Human Bodies Generate Electromagnetic Fields When we think about EMFs, most of us think about wifi and electronic devices, but our bodies also generate EMFs. Dr. Clinton explains that EMFs in the body are small electrical signals between the cells in our body. We witness these if we get an EKG (which measures the currents of the heart) or an EEG (measuring the currents in the brain). But, these are just the most common. Every cell in our body, and especially in our organs, communicate using electrical signals or frequencies. This is important to understand when we look at how outside EMFs might disrupt or interfere with our internal EMFs. And, that’s not all. Plants and the earth also have a natural EMF that our bodies are conditioned to interact with.
Potential Symptoms of EMF Disruption If our body’s EMF frequencies have been disrupted, the body can respond in a variety of ways. This makes it difficult to diagnose the problem because the symptoms could be caused by a myriad of other things. Potential symptoms caused by over exposure to external EMFs include:
This list is by no means complete. For kids, symptoms might include:
EMF and Autoimmune Disease EMF disturbances tend to cause issues wherever the body is weakest, so if you already have a propensity for gut issues, then this is how it might present. Autoimmune patients are more susceptible, too. In fact, Dr. Clinton shared a study that looked at patients with autoimmune disease. The study found that 90% of autoimmune patients felt better with the removal of some of the EMFs in their environment.
Sources of EMFs Cell Phones might be the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about EMFs - everyone seems to know that these devices generate electromagnetic fields. However, Dr. Clinton revealed that there are many other sources. Here are a few common examples:
If you are uncertain about the volume of EMFs in your home environment, there are companies that can test it for you with an EMF meter.
It’s Science. Not Woo. While there is always a need for more research, currently research is proving that this topic is not “woo” but based in real science. Dr. Clinton explains how, on a quantum physics level, these EMF frequencies can affect the cells in our body. This research is proving that there is electric communication between cells, within cells, in the proteins on the outside of the cellular membrane - they're all set up to work in a certain electrical electromagnetic frequency. And when you start changing that, even the smallest changes have big effects cellularly.When we start to look at that on a very small level, what's happening with the electrons, what's happening with the molecules, we start to see how the body is really made up of these phospholipid bilayers. And they have this communication that's dependent on water and electricity and the proteins being in the right configuration. When we have the water in the right amount and we have the electron conduction from whatever kind of source, we're talking about an electromagnetic frequency that is actually driving energy into the cell.
How do you Reduce EMF Exposure? After realizing how significantly EMFs from our environment can impact our body and our well-being the next question is what can we do about it? These EMFs are everywhere! Here are a few ways to decrease exposure:
Reverse Effects of EMF Exposure It is possible to reverse the effects of EMF exposure by reconnecting with electromagnetic frequencies in nature. This might include spending some time with your hands in the dirt, walking barefoot on the ground, and just get some safe UV exposure by being outside. Sitting by a fire can also help your natural EMFs restore.
Our EMFs are closely connected to mitochondria function (which is critical to our health as it controls the production of free radicals). So, one additional way to reverse the effects of electromagnetic fields is to increase our intake of antioxidants. This can be done through a diet with who... | |||
| 08 Jul 2021 | 096 Demystifying Hormones for Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Jim Hrncir | 01:03:31 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Every woman experiences perimenopause and menopause differently. There are some common symptoms like hot flashes and irregular menstrual cycles, and some symptoms attributed to this hormonal shift that may or may not be related, like brain fog and dry skin. Jill and I both agreed that we needed to find out the root of her issues
The Investigation When Jill came to see me, I took a look at her history and labs. I saw her declining hormones, so I knew that at least some of the issues could be because of this. I also know that as hormones decline, they affect our organs (including the thyroid) and can be triggers for autoimmunity like Hashimoto’s. I knew some of the symptoms could be thyroid related (dry skin and mood swings) but was the thyroid the root cause or simply being affected by the hormone shifts of perimenopause? It was important to find this out before deciding on her treatment.
Solving Hormone Imbalance Mysteries When it comes to female hormones, there are so many angles, confusion, and misinformation because the story is quite complex. No wonder Jill was struggling to figure out what was going on. I knew just who to turn to for help with Jill’s case. Jim Hrncir is one of the pioneers of modern pharmaceutical compounding. Jim is responsible for the formulation of many bioidentical hormones, as well as dermatological, nutritional, and anti-aging compounds widely used throughout the U.S.
Compounded Bioidentical Hormones vs. Hormones The main difference between hormones that a traditional doctor might prescribe (that you would get at a regular pharmacy) and compounded bioidentical hormones is that synthetic hormones first and foremost synthetic and foreign to the body and are one size fits all while compounded hormones are identical to our own hormones and customized to the specific need of the patient. Bioidentical hormones are just as the name suggests, they are exactly the same structure as the hormones that your body has been making your whole life. The second consideration when looking at synthetic hormones vs. bioidentical hormones is the detoxification process. We produce hormones, typically every day and the body has to metabolize and detoxify them. And so, whether it's our own hormones or other hormones, we have to make sure that they're leaving the body properly. The difference is that synthetic hormones take 21 days to be metabolized compared to the mere hours it takes for bioidentical hormones to move through the system.
Risk Factors and Misinformation about Bioidentical Hormones It’s a common misconception that bioidentical hormones increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, dementia, and colon cancer - especially for those using these hormones for more than 5 years. Dr. Hrncir says this bad information comes from a study that was done in 2002. While it was a large study, the data was miscommunicated to the media and it stuck. Other researchers have tried to correct the damage of this study but many people still believe that hormones pose a risk. Dr. Hrncir believes that bioidentical hormones, because they are a match to what the body is already producing, are much safer than synthetic hormones that are created from non-human sources. For example, he explains, Premarin is created using the urine of a pregnant mare (horse). The second piece of false information to come out of that study, according to Dr. Hrncir, is that women should not be on bioidentical hormones for more than 5 years and this does not seem to hold true.
Testing and Managing a Hormone Imbalance Continuing to monitor hormone levels is an important part of the process. The DUTCH Test (a urine test) looks at the metabolites to gauge how well the bioidentical hormones are being metabolized. This is especially important for anyone with the MTHFR defect because the methylation pathways are necessary to detoxify the hormones. Thankfully the methylation pathways can be supported and there is alot you can do to help. To learn more about the MTHFR and ways to understand and support it, please check out Episode 34. Blood tests and saliva tests may also be used and additionally Dr. Hrncir always has patients do a lifestyle questionnaire because test levels alone don’t tell the whole story.
Treatment of a Hormone Imbalance with Compounded Bioidentical Hormones As mentioned, this hormone therapy is customized to meet the patients needs and their hormone signature. Different hormones will be administered in different ways. Dr. Hrncir prefers to deliver estrogen transdermally. He encourages his patients to move the cream application site around the body so one area doesn’t get a build up. In some cases, patients will apply the cream to the labia with the side benefit of treating vaginal dryness, supporting the bladder (and spontaneous leakage), and decreasing UTIs and bacterial vaginosis. Other hormones may be delivered in time-release capsules.
Why aren’t Compounded Bioidentical Hormones as supported by the FDA This is a very big question and good fodder for conversation. Dr. Hrncir has reason to believe there is bias against compounding in the FDA because it doesn’t fit the business model of Big Pharma. Be sure to listen all of the way to the end of this episode for more on this. It’s not just hormones related to menopause, there are many other hormones (including thyroid) that can be compounded and may be at risk. Jim is passionate about keeping compound bioidentical hormones available to the public. If you agree, you can visit this website to add your voice to the cause.
Mystery Solved Hormone changes are no joke and can cause so many different symptoms making it difficult to know what’s really going on. Jill saw all the research and felt natural hormones were the way to go for her. She wanted to feel better and prevent diseases that may result from low hormones. But first, we had to figure out which symptoms were related to her hormone imbalance. We ran a DUTCH test to get her baseline and look at her estrogen metabolism. Her overall hormones were low but we were able to evaluate their pathways. For her, she was converting a bit more to the 4-hydroxy estrogen which was not ideal, her homocysteine was high and her methylation capability needed support. We tested her thyroid and while everything was in the lab range, her TSH was a bit out of the optimal range at 3.5. Before starting compounded bioidentical hormone therapy, we had to fix a few things to make sure she would be able to metabolize the hormones once given. This included adjusting her diet to support a healthy gut biome. And, adjusting a few nutritional imbalances. We started Jill on DIM (Diindolylmethane) twice per day. We made sure she was getting enough methylated B vitamins i... | |||
| 14 Mar 2024 | 163 Effective Strategies to Manage Inflammation and Reduce Hashimoto's Symptoms with Dr. Tom O'Bryan | 00:44:48 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Jump to the FULL Episode Show Notes here:
Controlling Common Symptoms of Hashimoto’s While these are common symptoms of Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, Nancy was eager to better manage her condition. When I met Nancy in my Hashimoto’s program, I knew that inflammation was the driver and to get to the bottom of her thyroid mystery, I knew just who to share Nancy’s case with as he’s often called the “Sherlock Holmes for chronic disease”. Dr. Tom O’Bryan is an expert in food sensitivities, environmental toxins, and the development of autoimmune diseases. He’s on the faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine and the National University of Health Sciences. He’s also the author of You Can Fix Your Brain and The Autoimmune Fix. I’m looking forward to his new docuseries, The Inflammation Equation, being released widely on March 20th. He joins me on the show to explore Nancy’s case and right away, we discuss what is at the root of many autoimmune diseases (including Hashimoto’s): inflammation.
Inflammation isn't inherently bad. Dr. O’Bryan explains that it’s actually our immune system's way of protecting us from invaders like germs. Imagine your immune system as a highly trained army ready to fight off any threat. Inflammation is how it sends in the troops to battle an infection. And while this is a necessary acute response, if it keeps happening and inflammation becomes a chronic state, the inflammation can stop being helpful. Dr. O’Bryan reminds us that chronic, low-grade inflammation is linked to most chronic diseases, including Hashimoto's as well as diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. With Hashimoto’s, the inflammation causes the immune system to attack the thyroid.
Many things can trigger inflammation but Dr. O'Bryan mentions some incredibly pervasive and somewhat surprising culprits:
This is where things get interesting for Hashimoto's patients. Our confused immune system, constantly battling these microscopic plastics, starts mistaking healthy thyroid cells for invaders. It creates antibodies that attack the thyroid, leading to the symptoms we experience with Hashimoto's. Why We Need to Address Inflammation, Not Just the Thyroid So, we've established that inflammation is the real culprit behind Hashimoto's, not a malfunctioning thyroid itself. Dr. O'Bryan uses a powerful analogy to explain this. Imagine your body as a chain, constantly regenerating with new links (cells) replacing the old and damaged ones. Your immune system normally creates antibodies to remove these old cells, making way for the new. Here's where things go wrong with Hashimoto's:
Where Does Inflammation Hide? It’s clear that in order to get a handle on Hashimoto’s symptoms, we need to deal with the inflammation but what triggers this inflammation in the first place? Dr. O'Bryan encourages us to ask ourselves: "Where might the inflammation be coming from?" This simple question can be a powerful starting point. By being open to possibilities and exploring the root causes, we can start to identify and address our individual triggers. Here are two areas to start investigating: 1. Environmental Triggers We often think of food sensitivities as the main dietary culprit for inflammation. Dr. O'Bryan highlights the importance of considering environmental factors as well. Aside from the microplastics, he also mentions mold as a potential trigger. Many people may not realize that exposure to mold in their homes or workplaces could be contributing to their inflammation. 2. Diet Of course, diet still plays a crucial role in managing inflammation. We’ve covered this in many episodes but Dr. O’Bryan places particular emphasis on the role of gluten in Hashimoto's. Gluten sensitivity is a common concern for Hashimoto's patients because of the link between gluten and the HLA genes. Gluten’s Impact on Hashimoto's Dr. O'Bryan shares some very interesting studies in this episode to showcase the science behind why gluten can be such a problem for people with Hashimoto's. Here's a breakdown of his key points:
Dr. O'Bryan emphasizes a crucial point: all humans experience some level of inflammatory response to gluten. The difference lies in how it manifests. For some, it might be gut problems, while for others, it shows up as thyroid symptoms like those experienced with Hashimoto's. The Problem with Traditional GlutenSensitivity Tests Dr. O'Bryan feels that traditional gluten tests haven't always been reliable. He uses the Wheat Zoomer test because he finds it to be a more comprehensive test that identifies gluten sensitivity more accurately. Thi... | |||
| 24 Jun 2021 | 095 What Does a Nutritionist Feed her Kids to Foster Good, Lifelong Eating Habits? | 00:37:00 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation In a previous episode, I revealed what I eat on a regular basis to stay healthy and I was thrilled to get so much positive feedback about it. So, I thought I would pull the curtain back a little further and share what I feed my kids to keep them healthy now and to help them develop a good relationship with nutritious food. In this episode, I walk you through what my 5 year-old son and 9-month old baby daughter eat now and what they ate getting to this age. I know that kids are not easy when it comes to food. I hear, ‘my child is a picky eater!’ all the time and mine are too. It can be tough, but remember, that even if they don’t like something, it does not mean they won’t like it forever. In fact, studies show that kids have to try a food over and over again before they learn to like it so don’t give up after one or even a few tries.
Introducing Healthy Foods Early You can expand a child’s palate and willingness to try new things by introducing healthy foods and supplements at an early age. For example, I started giving Jake, my 5-year-old, liquid fish oil (Omega Marine Liquid) at such a young age, that he is totally used to the taste. He will even remind me when I’ve forgotten to give it to him. And the baby gets excited now whenever I pull that fish oil bottle out of the fridge. I also introduced Jake to probiotics at an early age by opening up the capsule and sprinkling it into his food. Sometimes you have to get creative! It’s worth it because the more you introduce to them early on, the more they will get used to these foods and it will be easier later.
When to Start Babies on Solid Food There’s always been debate over exactly when babies should start eating solid foods. These days, pediatricians recommend introducing solid food between 4 and 6 months (it used to be 6 months). The thinking is that introducing solid food earlier (including potential allergens) may decrease the chances of the child developing food allergies to things like peanuts, dairy, egg etc. I think there are a few sides to this story though. First, some kids are just not ready for solids so pushing those too early may be stressful for both you and the child. Second, while I understand introducing small amounts of allergens early is sort of like doing allergy shots, you have to remember that babies are born with essentially a leaky gut. It takes time for that to fill in. In my opinion, it’s better to wait especially if there’s a family history of autoimmune disease. In my case, I have Hashimoto’s and I have the DQ8 gene for gluten so I knew that my kids would be at risk of also having this gene. In fact, I had my kids tested to determine if they inherited this gene (there’s no such thing as too early for genetics) and I discovered that they actually had both the DQ2 and DQ8. As a result, I have never given them gluten. For dairy, I waited until Jake was a year old. If you have a dairy intolerance, be sure to listen to the full episode because I explain how introducing dairy too early could result in cross-reactivity or molecular mimicry with dairy and the islet cells on the pancreas which can lead to an autoimmune reaction for type 1 diabetes. Of course there are many other factors involved but I just personally felt that dairy was not necessary for us and waited till a year after which this may be less likely to happen.
How to Start Babies on Solid Food If you were to follow the conventional recommendations for slowly adding in solid foods, pediatricians suggest putting rice cereal in the breast milk or formula. After that, introducing rice or oats and soft foods like bananas and other fruits. My recommendations are a bit different. If they are getting enough calories from breast milk or formula, there is really no need for grains or fruit so early on. Instead of helping them develop a taste for sweet food, encourage them to experience veggies instead. With both Jake and Juliette (the baby), I started with zucchini that I steamed and pureed. I added a bit of breast milk but you could also just add a little water too.
Pureeing Your Own Veggies for Babies I know there are a lot of healthier options for buying pureed baby food but I prefer to make my own because, as I said, I want to avoid the sweeter fruits and veggies early on so I can help the kids develop a palate for things other than sweet. I started with zucchini (which I peel to avoid too many lectins), avocado, green beans, bok choy, and cauliflower. As the babies got a little older, I added in kale, broccoli, butternut squash, and swiss chard. Next, I started to integrate sweet potato and beans. The next addition was pureed meat, egg, and nuts. All of this was before I introduced fruit around the 8-9 month mark.
Are Puffs Really Good for Babies? Anyone who’s had a baby in the last few years knows what puffs are - they’re everywhere. The idea is that they help babies develop because they have to pinch them to pick them up s its good for their fine motor skills and they dissolve in the mouth so they’re not hard to eat. I suggest really looking at the ingredients before jumping on this trend. I did find one brand of puffs, Lesser Evil Puffs, that seemed to be not too bad. I prefer to make bite-sized soft foods myself. This might be pressure cooked chicken or lamb, or veggie puree rolled into balls and baked. The baby can still grab it and I know that healthy, whole foods have been used to make them.
Helping Picky Eaters Love Vegetables I know a lot of parents deal with kids who are picky eaters. Often, when we find one healthy food they like, we continue to give it to them until they get bored with it. That doesn’t mean they don’t like it anymore, it just means it’s time for a break. I try to rotate his foods and always have a balanced plate (grains, veggies, and protein) just like I do for us adults. Another thing you can do is pay attention to what your picky eater does like - it might not be the food they’re rejecting but how it’s prepared so you can look for patterns. Do they like soft foods, crunchy foods, certain colors or flavors? If so, work with that. I noticed that Jake really likes crunchy foods so I try to make our healthy food crunchy so he’ll eat it. For example, I’ll bake asparagus tips or zucchini fries in the air fryer.
Meal Plan for a Child Here is a typical day of eating in our house. Breakfast: Birch Bender Paleo Waffles with cashew butter OR 2 oat and banana muffins with either cashew or almond butter. Sometimes eggs and gluten-free toast or Grain-free Buns from Coco Bakes. Lunch: A protein (grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, lamb), a side (oats, rice, sweet potato, beans) and veggies (asparagus tips, steamed green beans, air fried eggplant, zucchini, broccoli). Dinner: Similar to lunch and we will often rotate these around. If we include a dessert, it’s usually frozen berries, NadaMoo! dairy-free ice cream or chocolate (HU Chocolate is low in sugar). Sometimes I’ll make muffins or brownies using the SimpleMills mixes. School Lunch: Meat sandwich (turkey or meatballs)... | |||
| 20 Feb 2025 | 185 The Overlooked Link Between Estrogen and Hashimoto’s with Dr. Felice Gersh | 01:18:39 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Most people don’t realize that estrogen is a powerful immune modulator—and when it comes to Hashimoto’s, its role is much bigger many realize. So many talk about “estrogen dominance” but there is way way more to this story, especially if we are over 35. While many conversations around estrogen focus on whether levels are too high or too low, the real question is how estrogen influences the immune system and thyroid function. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Felice Gersh, a world-renowned expert in hormone health, to unravel the connection between estrogen and Hashimoto’s. And the truth is astounding—this link is rarely talked about, yet it plays a massive role in why so many women struggle with thyroid issues. We dive into how estrogen directly impacts immune function, thyroid health, and metabolism—far beyond the simplified idea of just balancing hormones. Dr. Gersh explains how estrogen shifts at different life stages, why women with Hashimoto’s often struggle with fluctuations, and what symptoms could signal an imbalance. We also explore why women are far more prone to Hashimoto’s than men, and how estrogen plays a direct role in triggering and regulating autoimmunity. Dr. Gersh shares how changes in estrogen—whether from birth control, pregnancy, perimenopause, or menopause—can create the perfect storm for thyroid dysfunction. Most importantly, we discuss what women can do to support their hormones naturally, from key nutrients and lifestyle shifts to the right kind of hormone testing and, in some cases, targeted hormone therapy done in a very specific and supplemental way. This is one of those episodes that will completely change how you think about your hormones and your thyroid. So many women have never heard this before, and it’s information that could make all the difference. Don’t miss this conversation—tune in now and find out what you need to know. Find the full show notes here: https://innatopiler.com/podcasts/link-between-estrogen-hashimotos-dr-felice-gersh/ For everything Thyroid and Hashimoto’s please visit Inna at www.InnaTopiler.com
Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 06 Aug 2020 | 071 The Dangers of Ignoring your Mouth’s Microbiome w/ Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, DDS | 00:39:35 | |
Get ThyroLove Now In our last episode, we met Emily who was dealing with fatigue, brain fog, dry mouth, bad breath and problems with her gut health. We discovered that the root cause of her health issues was in her mouth - namely that she was suffering from undetected infections and was experiencing Mercury leaching from her silver amalgam fillings. Dealing with this root cause carefully while supporting her immune health resulted in a massive improvement in her day-to-day well-being. Plus, she even reduced her Hashimoto’s antibodies significantly!
If you missed that surprising episode - listen to it here.
The Investigation Helping me out with the last case was dentist to the stars, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi. Our conversation went well beyond the dangers of mercury fillings and hidden dental infections. We also talked in depth about the importance of paying attention to the microbiome of your mouth (yes, your mouth - it’s not just your gut that has a microbiome!) That conversation was so important that I wanted to make sure to share it with you. So, this week, we are continuing our conversation about obtaining optimal dental health to support your overall well-being.
How Food Impacts our Dental Health Most of us know that sugar can cause tooth decay, but Dr. Maddahi says that our diet has a bigger impact on our oral health than this. He believes that pesticides we ingest (when we are not eating organic food, for example) can seriously impact our mouth’s natural biome. The Microbiome of the Mouth When people hear ‘microbiome’ chances are their thoughts go to the gut. It’s what we talk about the most! But, your body has other biomes including a delicate one in the mouth. And, like the one in your gut, the mouth needs both good and bad bacteria to balance out to optimal. Dr. Maddahi says that the mouth’s microbiome has been under attack with the increasing focus on eradicating all bacteria in the mouth. Mouthwashes, sprays, toothpastes all promote being anti-bacteria (usually in their promise to get rid of bad breath). However, these products don’t just kill the bad bacteria, they kill the good bacteria too, leaving the cells in the mouth unprotected and the mouth’s microbiome in an unhealthy state. In addition, the body requires certain bacteria to stimulate the creation of certain vitamins. For example, it’s required for the production of Vitamin K. Without proper levels of vitamin K, blood may not coagulate properly.
Digestion Starts in the Mouth When we think about digestive issues, we don’t often think about where the process starts. In order to digest our food properly, we have to first chew it properly. We also need a healthy mouth biome for the food to start breaking down. The gut has 144 strains of microbiome and about half of those are also found in the mouth. So, the process of digesting our food really does start in the mouth.
Dry Mouth Can Cause Big Problems Saliva is a part of the defense mechanism in the mouth as a natural antibiotic. It plays a role in maintaining a healthy microbiome. However, there are over 450 medications that cause dry mouth. This is more than a discomfort. Dry mouth increases the chances of cavities. Without sufficient saliva, these cavities can develop very quickly - even with good oral hygiene.
Maintaining Healthy Microbiome in the Mouth Ninety-eight percent of the bacteria in your mouth is good bacteria. However, that percentage can fluctuate when bad bacteria spikes. These spikes are caused by things like eating sugar, nutrition, not cleaning the mouth regularly and allowing plaque to harden on the teeth. The fear of bad mouth bacteria causes some people to reach for an antiseptic mouthwash. While these products do kill the 2% of bad bacteria, they also kill off the 98% of bacteria that’s good - the bacteria that’s protecting your mouth (and your gut). It’s much better to avoid sugar, toxins, and practice good dental hygiene to control the bad bacteria.
Brushing Your Teeth Properly Brushing and flossing regularly is key to removing plaque before it can harden on the teeth. However, Dr. Maddahi says that most people are doing it wrong. In fact, he says improper brushing or use of the wrong kind of toothbrush causes 50% of the recessive gums he sees in his practice. Toothbrushes should have soft bristles otherwise, it will damage the gums. He also says that you should not be scrubbing your teeth or going back and forth with the brush because it can damage the gums and remove important tooth enamel. Instead, he recommends holding the toothbrush at a 45°, starting at the gum level and brushing down (or up for the bottom teeth) followed by a very gentle circular motion to remove plaque. If using an electric toothbrush, don’t use it the same way you would a manual toothbrush; let the mechanics do the work instead.
Select a Non-Toxic Toothpaste Dr. Maddahi says that it’s important to select a toothpaste that is not going to disrupt the balance of your mouth’s microbiome and that is not going to introduce toxins. He has developed a dental care product line that naturally neutralizes the toxins and bad bacteria without destroying the good bacteria. Dr. Maddahi has created a natural tooth-care product line called Oral Essentials that he says is proven effective in 51 clinical research studies. There are a variety of products including one for whitening (without the enamel damaging peroxide) and one for kids.
Conclusion After my conversation with Dr. Maddahi, I changed the way I brushed my teeth and was inspired to try the Oral Essentials. We can’t take our teeth for granted but there is so much more to caring for them than just making sure they are sparkling white. Since the mouth is the gateway to our guts, how well we take care of it will directly affect our gut-health which we know is so central to good health.
Eliminating Health Mysteries Could a simple change to your oral health practices have a big impact on your overall health? There are so many health mysteries that could be caused by the microbiome in the mouth. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi. You can connect with him through his website or on Instagram. You can also check out his line of natural dental care products - Oral Essentials here and make sure you use the promo code INNA15 to save 15%!
Suggested Products OralEssentials.com (save 15% with promo code: INNA15)
Related Podcast Episodes: The Case of Mercury Fillings w/ Dr. Kourosh Maddahi The Case of Tooth Pain Causing Fatigue with Naturopath Dr. Christine Shaffner
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on | |||
| 12 Mar 2020 | 050 The Case of the Headache-free Migraines w/ Dr. Rudrani Banik | 00:46:03 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation I often meet people with a bunch of symptoms that seem unrelated. That was the case with Mary. In our conversation she also mentioned that she often felt like something was crawling under her skin. When I probed her more she also recalled that she would get headaches here and there. My sense was that it had to do with how her nervous system was responding to something, which is where I started my investigation. My first suspicion was migraine syndrome. It’s estimated that over 33 million Americans suffer with some form of migraines. About 11% of the world’s population has migraines. What most people don’t know is that migraine syndrome isn’t just about bad headaches. There are a lot more symptoms to consider. To help me unravel Mary’s mysterious symptoms, I asked Dr. Rudrani Banik. Dr. Banik is a board-certified and fellowship-trained Neuro-Ophthalmologist with over 20 years of medical experience. She is the Founder of Envision Health NYC in New York City. She shares my root-cause approach to solving problems and specializes in integrative eye and brain health so I knew she was the right expert to discuss Mary’s case with. What is Migraine Syndrome Migraine Syndrome is a neurologic disease that can manifest in several aspects of bodily function. There are very specific criteria that the International Headache Society have proposed for making a diagnosis. Firstly, there have to be at least five attacks of symptoms which may or may not include a headache. Headaches, when they do occur, last from 4 - 72 hours (longer than a typical headache) and usually also have a pulsating quality. Additional symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity and sound sensitivity. Additionally, some experience dizziness, vertigo, gastrointestinal issues which can include cramps, bloating, and diarrhea. Frequent urination and sweating may also be present. Dr. Banik says that she sees patients with a variety of different symptoms. Who is at Risk of Having Migraine Syndrome Migraine Syndrome is very common. According to Dr. Banik, one in ten people have migraines and women are 3 times more likely to suffer from it. If someone in your family has Migraine Syndrome, you are more likely to be affected. Children of migraine sufferers are 50% more likely to also suffer from migraines. Keep in mind that Migraine Syndrome often goes undiagnosed so you may be predisposed to it and not know it because family members are unaware that their symptoms are related to migraines. The Migraine Gut Connection A lot of people don’t realize the connection between gastrointestinal issues and migraines - in fact many doctors are unaware of it too. There are many connections between the brain and the gut. The primary connection is through a nerve called the vagus nerve which carries parasympathetic information from the brain to the gut. It helps control digestion and other GI functions. Plus, there's actually a nervous system in the gut called the interior nervous system. So, the gut releases neurotransmitters that send signals back to the brain. These two systems represent a dual neural-pathway between the brain and the gut. Common Migraine Triggers Migraine triggers are unique to the individual but there are some more common triggers to be aware of. Food sensitivities can trigger migraines. These foods may be foods you love (like red wine, beer, chocolate, and cheese) that do not trigger any other symptoms. Fermented foods or foods that are high in histamines or sulfites are common culprits. Caffeine can cause migraines, but it can also help some people. In order to track down what foods may trigger a migraine for you, Dr. Banik suggests keeping a food diary or using a free app like MigraineBuddy. This app will also help you track stress as this is a very common trigger. Additional triggers include toxins (especially inhaled toxins) as well as certain mold. Determining the Root Cause of Migraine Syndrome Because of the close connection between the gut and the brain, Dr. Banik usually starts by testing for the root cause of migraines in the gut. She will help heal the gut by bringing the gut microbiome back into balance and see if that alleviates the migraines. It’s also important to test for deficiencies because these can play a role in migraines, especially magnesium. Genetic testing that can identify the MTHFR gene which is common in migraine cases. In this case, a methylated vitamin B may be helpful. There are some tests that can help identify possible causes include an MRI, a food sensitivity panel (the IgG Panel), or a stool sample. Conventional Treatment of Migraines Conventional doctors are most likely to treat migraine syndrome with a prescription and not bother looking for the cause of the migraines. They're relatively safe, but they can have side effects. Many migraine treatments are in the class of either blood pressure medication. Some of them are anti-seizure medications, some of them are antidepressants. There are some newer classes of treatments called CGRP (Calcitonin gene-related peptide) which is thought to play a major role in migraine. These are biologic agents that need to be injected. Treating Migraines Naturally In addition to treating any root cause (like a deficiency or the MTHFR gene), Dr. Banik always focuses on the diet first. She starts with an elimination diet to help determine triggers and will sometimes recommend the mitochondria diet. She also encourages patients to avoid night shades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants) because they tend to release histamine and can be pro-inflammatory, especially in patients with an autoimmune predisposition. As for supplements, Dr. Banik often suggests melatonin because it helps stabilize sleep patterns which can be interrupted by migraines and also cause migraines. And finally, stress-management is key to treating migraines. This can be accomplished by reducing stressful situations, meditation, doing something you enjoy, using relaxing essential oils (such as peppermint, lavender, and frankincense) as well as getting exercise. Another technique to try is EFT (emotional freedom technique - also known as tapping). The key is to prioritize self-care to ensure stress does not trigger migraines. Mystery Solved For Mary, we started by running a food sensitivity test (the Alcat test because it can test for as many as 200 foods). We discovered that Mary had a bunch of food sensitivities. She removed them all out of her diet. Additionally, we cut out some of the very high histamine foods like kombucha and spinach. We also ran a stool test and found she had some bacterial and fungal overgrowth (not picked up on the doctor’s stool test when they tested her for parasites). We used rotated Allicillin, | |||
| 18 Apr 2019 | 005 The Case of the Soul-Crushing Insomnia w/ Emily Fletcher | 00:30:52 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation There was no question that Amanda’s case was not your typical insomnia case. When we discussed her busy lifestyle, it became clear to me that stress was playing a role in her issue. We worked on controlling her elevated cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and rebalancing her nervous system. And even though she felt calmer and more in control, sleep still evaded her. I could tell that supplements alone were not going to put out this stress-fire. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates that 35% of Americans do not get enough sleep. A lack of sleep becomes insomnia when it causes you to feel impaired during the day and persists for over a month without any other discernible cause. About 6% of Americans fall into this category. Emily Fletcher is very familiar with insomnia because she suffered with it for a long period of time. It caused her to feel worn down, stressed out, and unhappy despite having a dream job she’d worked her whole life to get. Luckily, she discovered meditation and it changed everything for her. Since then, she’s taught a technique she developed called Ziva Meditation to thousands. She also wrote the book, “Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance”which she hopes will also help people get a handle on their stress and conquer their insomnia. Stress and Insomnia are Intermingled The effects of stress on the body can be significant, especially over time. One of the things that stress does is release hormones that keep the body and brain alert. When it comes time to sleep, the mind simply can’t relax. And then, we experience stress from not being able to sleep. Emily says it’s like the chicken and the egg conundrum - you can’t really say which comes first. When we are tired, we feel stressed. When we are stressed we feel tired. The Modern World Isn’t Helping In addition to our stress, there are other things in the modern world that may be contributing to sleeplessness. Emily points to our screen time (blue light mimics the daylight and tricks our circadian rhythm into thinking we should be awake). Our modern diet also plays a role in sleep issues because we generally consume too much caffeine and sugar. In addition, we are living in a time where everyone is busy and sleep is not seen as a priority. Emily says that tiredness and busy-ness trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which in turn makes it hard to sleep and further fuels our stress. Stress Makes us Stupid, Sick, and Slow Being in a perpetual state of stress slowly breaks down our body and our mind. We might place the blame on lack of sleep or insomnia, but it’s really the stress. Emily believes that meditation (not mindfulness) can reset this cycle. By meditating each day, you give your body the time to deal with the stress so that when it comes time to sleep, you can actually dedicate that time to sleep. When the stress is taken care of, the insomnia goes away. If you never deal with the stress, you will forever be using sleep time for stress relief and never actually experience reparative sleep which is essential for optimal health. Eliminating Health Mysteries Amanda tried Emily’s technique and was amazed that after a couple of weeks she actually slept through the night. It took some time to undo the damage done by 5 years of insomnia but with a regular meditation practice and the right supplements, we were able to get Amanda’s health back on track. If you suffer from insomnia or known someone who does, please take a look at stress management techniques like Ziva Meditation - it could be the missing piece of the puzzle. And, remember that just because so many people shrug their shoulders because everyone is stressed out, it’s not okay to let it get to the point of insomnia and start an avalanche of health issues. The answers to your insomnia and stress are out there and accessible to you. You can solve this health mystery. Be sure to share this episode with anyone you know who is struggling with insomnia.
Resource Links: Resources and products mentioned on the podcast: Magnesium (in the glycinate form)
Thanks to my guest Emily Fletcher. You can connect with her here: https://zivameditation.com/ If you’re interested in her online meditation program go here. Or, Grab her book: Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance plus when you use this link, you’ll get a bonus gift that’s just for Health Mysteries Solved listeners!
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com Say hi to me on Facebook and Instagram. Comment on this episode and let me know if it helped. Overcoming Hashimoto’s Summit Claim your free spot to this 7-day virtual summit featuring the top experts in Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism so that you can overcome this diagnosis and feel better.
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price the product... | |||
| 06 Jul 2023 | 147 Can Mold Cause Digestive Issues and Increase Hashimoto's Symptoms? With Evan Brand | 00:41:44 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
There’s so much confusing information online and when that is paired with a doctor telling you that there is nothing to be done or that tests show no issues, it leaves many Hashimoto’s patients suffering from gut issues resigned to never feeling good again. That’s why I was so glad that Mira came to me so we could do some real investigating to find the root cause of her digestive issues. The Investigation I turned to a good friend of the Health Mysteries Solved show, Evan Brand. He is a functional medicine doctor and he also has his own podcast, The Evan Brand Show. He’s shared his expertise with us before, if you haven’t listened to episode 6, I encourage you to go back and give it a listen - it was a very eye-opening look at the hidden risks of mold. We discussed mold in this episode as well but I wanted to start our conversation talking about digestive issues for those with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. Digestive Issues Triggering Autoimmunity (including Hashimoto’s) May Start in Childhood We don’t often think about the relationship between our gut health and our immune system but they are incredibly connected. Evan shares that some of these issues start at a very early age. Evan believes it is crucial to address children's gut health as resolving these issues early on may help prevent the development of Hashimoto's and other autoimmune conditions in their teenage and adult years. He specifically points to autoimmune-triggering bacteria such as Klebsiella, Morganella, Strep, Staph, and Pseudomonas, which have been linked to various autoimmune conditions. Evan encourages parents to consider gut health as a potential cause for behavioral issues, hyper-sensitivities, attention challenges, or other personality changes that could easily be presumed to be ADHD, OCD, or personality quirks. These could in fact, says Evan, be signs of a bacterial imbalance, parasites, or mold toxicity. He stresses the importance of dealing with these issues early because they can develop into long-term consequences such as anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, weight issues, sleep problems, behavioral issues, and learning difficulties as they grow older. Evan also notes that dysbiosis, an imbalance of gut bacteria, can occur at a young age, regardless of whether the child was born via C-section or vaginal birth. Lyme Disease and Babesiosis As Autoimmunity Triggers Evan also notes that babies can contract Lyme disease through the placenta of an infected mother or directly through a tick bite. He notes that tick bites are a growing problem. Evan points to a recent statement from the CDC called Trends in Reported Babesiosis Cases which points to the significant increase in babesiosis cases from 2011 to 2019. Interestingly, he says that if cases go undiagnosed, these issues could be the cause of Hashimoto’s. This concept aligns with what we talk about all the time on this show regarding the triggers of Hashimoto’s including bacterial overgrowth, stress, and mold or toxin exposure. Evan explains that addressing these underlying issues often leads to a decrease in antibodies associated with Hashimoto's, highlighting the domino effect of these interconnected health conditions. Are Hashimoto’s and Autoimmunity a Purely Modern Health Threat Evan and I discuss how our ancestors may have dealt with these infections and pathogens in the past. While these issues likely existed, they weren't as prevalent due to differences in environmental factors, stress levels, and exposure to chemicals and technology. Our modern lifestyles contribute to chronic inflammation and dysbiosis, leading to the autoimmune misery we see today. It's important to address these root causes, including gut health, to alleviate symptoms and improve overall well-being. Testing for Hidden Causes of Ill-Health Diagnosing dysbiosis, infections, and autoimmune diseases requires tests that go beyond what a conventional doctor (or even a gastroenterologist or endocrinologist) will order. Evan suggests combining DNA stool testing with an organic acids test (if budget permits), as it provides a broader picture of gut health and mitochondrial function. These are exactly the tests I recommend to my clients because these advanced tests allow us to uncover underlying infections, dysbiosis, and other issues that may be contributing to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's. Where to Start in Solving Dysbiosis and Other Potential Hashimoto’s Triggers Comprehensive testing, as mentioned above, is the key to knowing where to start. In most cases, treatment begins with dietary changes, supplements, as well as lifestyle changes. However, even with these actions, if the root cause of the issue is not addressed, the issues will pop back up eventually. This is why it’s so important to find the root cause and address it. If gut issues go untreated or under-treated, it can also lead to low energy levels, poor fat metabolism, anxiety, reduced sex drive, and lower self-confidence. This can create stress which further exacerbates the issues. This is why it’s so important to get the tests and treat the root cause, not the symptoms. This is especially true if mold is the root cause. The Impact of Mold in Our Homes and on Our Health Mold is more than just a cosmetic issue; it can have a significant impact on our well-being. Mold spores can trigger allergic reactions, and respiratory issues, and even contribute to chronic conditions. Recognizing the potential health risks associated with mold exposure is the first step toward protecting ourselves and our loved ones. To test your home for mold, Evan suggests using the petri dish method because it allows you to identify specific rooms in the home where mold issues exist. For example, you may find that the basement has the highest concentration of spores but that your daughter's bedroom is fine. This allows you to treat specific areas and not feel like your entire house is hurting you. This is important because the stress of thinking that your entire house is a threat to your health can have a serious impact on your stress levels which can also impact your thyroid. It’s so important to know that mold can be mitigated and the impact of the mold in your home can be managed. Not panicking and dealing with the issues calmly are an important part of staying healthy through this issue. In addition, doing stool and urine tests can help you track the impact of mold and the results of removing the mold. How to start addressing gut infections and underlying mold In this episode, we discussed many protocols for addressing bacterial and parasitic infections and gut inflammation. There are many over-the-counter options but ultimately, it’s ideal to work with a holistic practitioner for personalized guidance. If you want to take action on your own, Evan suggests using binders as a starting point, considering the prevalence of toxins, chemicals, pesticides, and mold in today's world. He mentions that binders are generally safe and necessary for detoxification but suggests not just using charcoal - ... | |||
| 09 Jun 2022 | 120 Could Self-Discovery be the Real Secret to Managing Autoimmune Struggles? With Sara Katherine | 00:48:58 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
We so often focus on the biochemistry side of autoimmune issues that we forget the importance of taking care of our emotions and connection to life. In other words, there’s more to feeling good than just the physical. The Investigation Getting to the root of health issues, especially chronic and mysterious ones, is quite multi faceted. We really have to address it from all angles. While biochemistry is important, it's just one part and there are many areas that also play a very large role. This was what was missing for Leila and felt it was going to be important for her to really connect with herself and discover her true self. This is not always easy so to help out, I invited a self-discovery coach to join me on this episode of Health Mysteries Solved. Sara Katherine is the host of the podcast, Be Your Own Badass and the author of Your Self-Discovery Journal, I’m Awesome: Here’s Why, and Be Happy. Be Calm. Be YOU. Her mission is to help women achieve their goals without letting people-pleasing or perfectionism get in the way. What is Self-Discovery? Before we can dive into self-discovery, it’s important to be able to frame it. For Sara, self-discovery is understanding what you want and what makes you you. She says the ultimate goal of being in tune with who you are, your values, what motivates you and your passions is that the more you’re in tune with these, the more action you can take in life. And, that action will feel authentic and right. For someone like Leila, or anyone who is so focused on their symptoms and their health journey, it’s easy to start to feel disconnected with that authentic self. Being able to tap into what makes you you again will help you take care of your symptoms and day-to-day issues but also remind you that you’re more than what you're dealing with right now. How to Get Started with Self Discovery For anyone who has never looked into self discovery, it can be a bit daunting. Sara recommends starting small by tuning in to your intuition (which is just like doing a gut check). She says to hold space and check into how you’re feeling about something. Pay attention to how your body responds to that thought. Too often our minds are going a mile a minute and we don’t stop to check in with ourselves. She explains the concept of listening to our intuition as having an inner mentor (the opposite of the inner critic). It's the part of you that understands you and wants the best for you. It has the best results for you in mind. Checking in with your inner mentor can take as little as 5 minutes. To do it, start by sitting in silence. Then, do a life audit and scan through what you’re going through on a day-to-day basis. Pay attention to what comes up from your inner mentor. This is a great first step in reconnecting with yourself again. How to Tell Intuition from Fear The challenge that many people have with intuition or listening to their gut is that sometimes, when we have fear, we call it intuition. Sara says that she has also struggled with this because anxieties can creep up and get in the way of intuition. She says it’s all about understanding that deep connection to your truth which comes with practice. Practice by paying closer attention to your emotional and physical responses to things. Meditation is also a way to hone your intuition skills. She also suggests paying close attention to which feeling comes first. Usually, the fear comes first but when you sit with it for a moment you can let the intuitive response in. Misconceptions Around Self-Care Ask someone for an example of self-care and chances are the response will be either get a message or take a bubble bath but are these really examples of self-care? Sara says they may be but only if that’s what personally fills you up. Self-care is personal. Each person has a different way of recharging their batteries. For some, it might be connecting with friends while others prefer time alone. There is no one size fits all for self-care - it is highly personal. If you don’t know what fills you up or recharges your batteries, you need to try new things and pay close attention to how it feels before, during and after. But, don’t wait until your cup is empty - find what fills it up before you need it filled. For example, for me, if I don't sleep, I don't feel well. One of my forms of self-care is going to bed early and getting lots of sleep. If I wait until I’m tired to get more sleep, it’s already too late. The Difference Between Self-Care and Self-Love The act of self-care is an act of self-love because it cultivates self-love. Sara also says to think of self-care as the action and self-love as the state you achieve. Being able to take care of yourself and understand yourself throughout the process, that helps you be kinder to yourself and appreciate different pieces about you. This all brings self-love into your life. Self-love also has to do with the inner critic versus the inner mentor. When we are in a state of self-love, we listen more to our inner mentor instead of our inner critic. Being kind to ourselves, and honoring the inner mentor can be a challenge especially for those who are people-pleasers or perfectionists. The inner critic is strong in these personalities, so there is a lot more work that needs to be done to combat the inner critic. For anyone dealing with autoimmune issues or who are on a health journey, it can be very hard to focus on the inner mentor because things don’t always go smoothly and the path isn’t always linear. So, practicing self-care and cultivating self-love are really important because a negative mindset can affect the healing journey. How Can a Lack of Self-Love Manifest Physically While this is difficult to prove scientifically, anecdotally there are many stories of people struggling with health until they are able to cultivate self-love. Sara says that she notices it physically. For her, it’s the digestive system that responds to times when she is allowing stress to creep in, when she’s not getting enough sleep or when she listens too much to her inner critic. When you let the inner critic win, you end up in a negative state and that can spiral. You stop appreciating the positives, you may not do the things you need to do to feel good (like take time to go for a walk in nature or even just to take some deep breaths). It can compound if you don't combat it with some self-care practices. Fueling Self-Care and Confidence Confidence and self-care go hand in hand. When your self-care and self-compassion are low, it affects your self-love. If your self-love is low then it’s hard to be confident. For anyone dealing with autoimmune disease, this confidence is critical. However, Sara points out that nobody feels totally confident every single day. Confidence comes and goes. Sara says that confidence is more like a muscle than a state of being. Building (and maintaining) confidence requires regular practice, just like self-care. One common way to boost self confidence is through daily affirmations. Another is to remind yourself of what’s good in your life by keeping a daily gratitude jou... | |||
| 04 Apr 2019 | 003 The Case of the Insidious Fatigue w/ Dr. Justin Marchegiani | 00:31:09 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation When fatigue is a symptom, the thyroid is often involved. I wasn’t about to take that possibility off the table. According to the American Thyroid Association, an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. But, it is more prevalent in women. One in eight women will develop a thyroid condition in their lifetime. I invited Dr. Justin Marchegiani to join me in discussing Sally’s case. He is a virtual functional medicine doctor and the author of the Thyroid Reset. He knows all too well that the typical tests done in traditional medicine don’t tell the whole thyroid story. We spend the first part of our discussion explaining exactly how the thyroid works, it’s connection to the brain (the hypothalamus), the pituitary gland, the adrenal glands, and how that all affect metabolism. Which is why symptoms can vary widely. Most will experience fatigue as Sally did, while others may also experience feeling cold all the time, hair loss, moodiness, depression, and/or constipation. A Normal TSH Doesn't Mean the Thyroid is Functioning Properly. Dr. J explained that the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) range that is considered normal by traditional medicine doesn’t tell the whole story. There are too many other factors at play in how the thyroid gland actually functions. It’s important to look at how the connected systems are functioning too. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis May be the Cause Studies have found that the antibody associated with Hashimoto’s disease is much more common than previously thought and may be the cause of hypothyroidism even at a subclinical level. This was something I knew I needed to test Sally for. Consider Optimal Range Not Normal Range If there is one thing that Dr. J stressed throughout this interview it’s that we can’t just look at whether TSH, T3, or T4 each fall into the normal range. We need to look at the relationships of these hormone levels. And, we need to strive to have them all in optimal range because when they are not in optimal range, they are not functioning properly which means they are not supporting the other glandular systems that dictate how we feel on a day to day basis. Mystery Solved Testing your thyroid function is far more complex than what traditional labs will cover. As Dr. J pointed out, thyroid function is critical to optimal health so we need to dig a little with the appropriate tests, to ensure that it’s truly is functionally optimally. For Sally, doing a few more tests revealed that her original hunch was correct - her thyroid was the cause of her fatigue. We were able to uncover where the system was breaking down and correct it. While medication was an option, she chose to try a functional medicine approach first. After a liver cleanse, we were able to help support her thyroid conversion through natural supplements and an anti-inflammatory diet. After a month, her energy had returned and she no longer needed naps to get through the day. If you are dealing with fatigue (or any other hypothyroid related symptoms like hair loss, feeling cold, moodiness, depression and/or constipation) but your doctor says your lab results are ‘normal’ do yourself a favor and do more in depth tests to determine if in fact your thyroid is not functioning optimally. If could totally change how much energy and joy you have to face your day. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Sally, we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Resources and products mentioned on the podcast: ThyroCNV - You must create an account to access this regulated product. Free Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet PushCatch Liver Detox (30 Days) Thanks to my guest Dr. Justin Marchegiani of Just In Health Wellness Clinic. You can connect with him on Facebook. Or, listen to his podcast, Beyond Wellness Radio or his watch his Youtube videos. Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Say hi to me on Facebook and Instagram. Comment on this episode and let me know if it helped. Or visit http://healthmysteriessolved.com
Overcoming Hashimoto’s Summit Claim your free spot to this 7-day virtual summit featuring the top experts in Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism so that you can overcome this diagnosis and feel better.
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 06 Mar 2025 | 186 Over-Detoxing & Hashimoto’s: How to Support Your Liver & Adrenals with Dr. Izabella Wentz | 00:55:56 | |
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Dr. Izabella and Inna investigate detox pathways and adrenals and show you how and why gentle methods that keep toxins moving out smoothly are so crucial, and how stress can derail healing even when the best of intentions are at play. You will see the strategies that work better for Hashimoto’s and thyroid issues and things you can do to help your body detox and support your adrenals. Tune in to learn practical tactics that turned a frustrating backslide into a powerful comeback. If you or someone you know has felt stuck despite multiple cleansing attempts, this discussion could be the key to solving that thyroid mystery. For full show notes: For more information about everything Hashimoto’s please visit www.InnaTopiler.com If you are struggling to lose weight with Hashimoto’s, Inna has a 10 day plan just for you at www.InnaTopiler.com/jumpstart If you don’t yet know your thyroid type, please be sure you sign up for Inna’s next free training at www.InnaTopiler.com/training Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 24 Sep 2020 | 074 Want to Know What a Nutritionist Eats? Plus Ideas for You | 00:27:45 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation As a clinical nutritionist, many people email me asking me what I eat to stay healthy. They want to know how I stay gluten and dairy-free without falling off the wagon and how I keep things interesting with meal ideas plus all about which supplements I take. I’ve gone through my share of health challenges (and had a health mystery or two as well) and had to get to the root of my problems to regain my health. My diet has been a big part of what put me on the path to where I am today which is being able to thrive after all those struggles. So, in this week’s episode, I’m revealing some of the things I eat as well as some foods and brands I have found that can make eating a clean diet delicious and fun. I guess you could say I’m flipping the investigation around to me.
Starting My Day One of the things I try to do each day is a short, intermittent fast. So, I usually don’t have food in the morning until 12 hours has passed since I ate the night before. One of my favorite ways to start my day is a peach smoothie (see recipe below) that includes Whole Body Collagen, and maybe a gluten-free Paleo Waffle from Birch Benders with some almond butter. My son Jake loves oatmeal muffins (see recipe below) in the morning and sometimes I’ll enjoy one or two myself. When I do, I like to add some fat and protein to make sure to balance my blood sugar. This might be a collagen protein drink with flavoured protein by Paleo Pro or Pea protein. On other days, I might make protein pancakes (see recipe below), some eggs with veggies or baked sweet potato slices.
Lunch Time (on a Tight Timeline) My lunches tend to be quick. A lot of time I have a salad (I cut up the veggies ahead of time). I usually include a protein like chicken, turkey, shrimp, or salmon (make sure they’re clean and don’t contain nitrates). I also like to include a carb like lentils, black beans or kidney beans that I’ve made in the Instapot ahead of time once a week. You can use canned beans (make sure they are BPA free cans) but the pressure cooker destroys lectins (those can be an issue for those who have autoimmune diseases) so that is why I love using the pressure cooker. If you have to buy canned beans, Eden Foods actually pressure-cooks their beans before canning them so you get the lectin-reduced benefit with them. Sometimes, I’ll do a sweet potato for the carb or I also like the Siete Tortillas which come in a variety of flavors and are actually grain-free. They have ones made with cassava flour, almond flour, cashew flour and chickpeas, very yummy! Simple Kneads Bread is also a very tasty gluten free bread option (they’re also yeast free) that is clean and delicious. It does contain grains but if you are ok with grains, its one of the best gluten free breads that I have found recently.
Snack Time I like coconut yogurt because it’s dairy free and I like the So Delicious brand, specifically the unsweetened vanilla which I mix with some Paleonola Granola. Or, I might do fruit and nuts, hummus and veggies, or a protein drink similar to my breakfast smoothie.
Dinner I like to balance my plate with a protein, a veggie and a starch. An example is to have baked chicken (I do the whole chicken early in the week so I have chicken for lunch the next day) or add a homemade BBQ sauce (see recipe below). Another favorite in our house is tacos. We saute grass-fed beef or turkey and we love to use the Seite tacos (they have hard and soft shells) because they’re super clean. We load up the tacos with veggies. We also like to grill wild-caught shrimp and put it over zucchini noodles in a vegan pesto sauce from Gotham. Or, we might have beef stew, turkey thighs or burgers with veggies.
What I Drink A lot of people want to know about my water. I don’t recommend tap water. We have filtered water but because we are on a well and the house didn’t have good filtration before we moved in, I worry about what is in the pipes and so we actually subscribe to Mountain Valley Springs which is a water service that delivers clean water in glass jugs. Its a great option if you are looking for delivery and trying to avoid plastic bottles which I really recommend. For others, I recommend a 7-stage reverse osmosis water filter if you are able to install it under your sink. If you live in an apartment or are not able to install under the sink, a great counter top option for reverse osmosis is AquaTru.
My Supplements Regimen Over the years, I have taken a variety of supplements based on what my tests indicated I needed. My supplement regimen is always changing (and it did while I was pregnant for sure). Most of the time, I take fish oils - specifically, OmegAvail Ultra from Designs for Health and I also take two krill oil gel caps called XanthOmega from Designs for Health. Whenever I do a hair test, I am always low on magnesium so I also take the Magnesium Buffered Chelate from Designs for Health. Lately, I’ve also been taking a lot of extra vitamin C and I rotate between the Stellar C and the C+ BioFizz (both from Designs for Health) to support my immune system as well as Zinc a couple of times a week. At bedtime (well away from when I take my other vitamins), I also take some Tocotrienols and Glutathione to balance my immune system (which is important for me because I have Hashimoto’s). In addition, I take a vitamin D (dose depends on my lab tests), probiotics (I rotate between the Ortho 100, Ortho-Biotic, and ProBioMed. And finally, I take pancreatic enzymes and Betaine when I have a meal that's a litt... | |||
| 01 Aug 2019 | 020 The Case of the Relentless Acid Reflux w/ Lisa Pomeroy | 00:45:18 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux diagnoses have been increasing dramatically for the past 20 years. So much so that it is now considered a very common disorder with an estimated 20-30% of the Western population experiencing it. However, many people who suffer from it are prescribed acid-blocking medications like Prevacid, Omiprezole and Nexium however, these options come with their own concerns and cautions. Few patients are encouraged to look for the cause of their issue, but when Candace came to see me, I knew that was exactly what we needed to do. The Investigation Candace experienced some relief by following a strict course of probiotics and digestive enzymes however it didn’t completely relieve her symptoms. I knew that there had to be something that was continuing to cause inflammation and an imbalance in the gut. Lisa Pomeroy is a naturopathic doctor and functional medicine consultant. She coaches and offers online training through the Pomeroy Institute for Functional Nutrition. She is also a clinical consultant for two of the top functional laboratories where she guides the experts in interpreting functional lab test reports and developing effective nutritional protocols. Causes of GERD and Acid Reflux The increase in occurrences of GERD and acid reflux may be attributed to the increase in gastrointestinal infections. Many of these go undetected and over time cause acid reflux. Lisa also thinks that our shifting diet (including refined processed foods and non-organic foods) is also a culprit in the increased rate of GERD diagnosis. And, our eating habits can also contribute to the development of GERD. Common GI Tract Infections There are many potential infections that can affect the stomach but the most common is Helicobacter pylori (aka H pylori). This infection of the upper digestive tract can cause symptoms of stomach pain (especially within an hour or so of eating), feelings of hunger when there shouldn’t be, and acid reflux. Food is usually digested within 90 minutes of eating so feeling like food is ‘sitting like a rock’ in the stomach 90-minutes or more after eating can also be a clue that H Pylori might be the present. An aversion to protein may also be an indicator. Symptoms of H Pylori In addition to the above mentioned gut issues, H Pylori can also manifest as sleep issues, fatigue, malnutrition (not absorbing nutrients), or skin issues such as rosacea, acne, psoriasis or eczema. Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune issues can be triggered by H Pylori. Mental health issues like anxiety or depression may also be a result, or exacerbated by H Pylori. Too Little or Too Much Stomach Acid A lot of people think that acid reflux is because there is too much acid in the stomach, however, it can also be caused by not enough acid in the stomach. Acid is required to break food down so when there is too little, it can cause an imbalance of digestive enzymes and other digestive issues. Acid is also what helps keep food in the stomach by triggering the lower esophageal sphincter or L.E.S. When there is not enough acid, this can open up and allow food and stomach bile to travel back up into the throat. Testing for H Pylori The conventional test for H Pylori is a serum antibody test however Lisa does not like to use this test because there are a lot of false negatives and there is no way to know if the infection is new or old. A breath test is also common in conventional medicine but this can also deliver a false negative. Additionally, traditional doctors will do an endoscopy and biopsy which may or may not find the infection. Lisa’s preferred method of testing for H Pylori is a stool test (and there are few versions of this type test to consider). Detecting H Pylori with PCR There is one stool test that Lisa prefers over others (and I agree with her) and it’s a DNA stool test using PCR technology. We like it because this technology not only allows us to test for the H Pylori at a DNA level but it also can identify the virulence of the infection. When we know how active the infection is, we are in a better position to effectively attack it. Treating H Pylori Conventionally Once H Pylori is diagnosed, treatment will often include antibiotics (the strength of which may be adjusted according to the virulence of the infection) as well as proton-pump inhibitor medication. This is the more conventional approach and Lisa says that it’s only effective half the time and can do a lot of damage to the body. Treating H Pylori Naturally Lisa uses a clinically-proven botanical protocol to treat her patients with H Pylori. This includes a higher-dose mastic gum in combination with DGL (deglycerized licorice root). This approach does take a couple of months but it’s effective and a lot more gentle on the digestive system. Other Contributing Infections H Pylori often attracts other infections and parasites to the gut. There are two that are commonly attracted and: dientamoeba fragilis and blastocystis hominis which are both protozoa parasites. It is not uncommon for the epstein Barr virus to join in the party. Often these infections aren’t discoverable until after the H Pylori has been dealt with. These parasites may be treatable with herbs but an anti-protozoa medication like ‘Alinia’ might be the better bet depending on how the individual responds. Avoiding H Pylori H Pylori is a communicable infection so you can catch it from saliva (even a little bit of it). This means that if you or someone you know is diagnosed with it, then anyone who you may have kissed, shared a straw or a fork with should be tested (even if they don’t have symptoms because they could be a carrier). This is especially important because even if one person gets rid of the H Pylori, they can catch again from their spouse or anyone close to them from whom they might ingest saliva. Happy Ending for Candace We did a full GI Map using the PCR technology from Diagnostic Solutions Labs which revealed that Candace did indeed have H Pylori along with a few other dysbiotic bacteria. Some of the supplements she was taking were contributing to the issue not helping. We adjusted her supplements and treated her H Pylori with Pyloricil and Mastica . We followed this with an antimicrobial protocol and introduced a strong probiotic. It took some time but soon she was symptom free and her stool tests proved that she was also H Pylori free.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Candace we were able to get to the real root of the problem so she could get off the medication and feel well again. Could H Pylori be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Lisa Pomeroy. You can connect with her through her website: www.Pomeroyinstitute.com or Facebook.
Suggested Products: | |||
| 30 Jan 2020 | 044 The Truth about Insomnia (and What to do About It) | 00:20:07 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Investigation It’s estimated that more than a quarter of Americans are suffering with insomnia. Are you? Did you know that all troubled sleeping is considered insomnia? In this episode, we’re going to solve the mystery of sleep troubles and share valuable information about natural supplements that can help get you back to healthy sleep patterns.
Two Types of Insomnia Many people are surprised to learn that there are two types of insomnia. Type 1 is when you have trouble falling asleep. Type 2 is when you can fall asleep but you struggle to stay asleep through the night. Specifically, if you wake up and struggle (for 20 minutes or more) or are unable to get back to sleep. Causes of Insomnia When You Can’t Fall Asleep There are many reasons someone may struggle with falling asleep. Common reasons are stress that has caused a high cortisol level. Low melatonin (which may be a result of low serotonin related to gut issues like dysbiosis) is a common factor in difficulties falling asleep. Did you know that bright lights used too close to bedtime (yes, that includes your TV, laptop, smart phone) can destroy melatonin? Mineral deficiencies, especially calcium and magnesium are also potential contributors to the problem.
Causes of Insomnia When You Can’t Stay Asleep If you fall asleep but then wake up in the middle of the night (especially from 2 - 4 am) then the biggest suspect causes are high cortisol and liver issues. Cortisol is our stress hormone, and while we hear about it a lot, it’s a little more complex than just having too much. Our hormones need to be in balance throughout the day in order for us to function optimally - and that includes being able to stay asleep. The liver also plays a key role in a good night’s rest. If the liver is sluggish (overburdened) or toxic it can turn into physical stress that will wake us up.
Natural Treatment Options for Insomnia The first part of determining how to treat your sleep issues is to determine what might be causing them. If stress is part of the problem (as it is for most people) you want to look into ways to down regulate your sympathetic nervous system. I recommend a dual pronged approach - mind & body and food & nutrition.
Meditation for Sleeplessness Meditation is one of my favourite ways to address sleep issues. I encourage you to listen to episode 5 which dives deeper into meditation for insomnia featuring my meditation teacher, Emily Fletcher. Even if you are resistant to meditation or you think it’s too hard, this method of meditation can help you break through and really implement meditation as a treatment for sleep issues. Other things that can help with sleep issues are journaling and doing visualizations. Supplements for Troubles Sleeping From a supplement perspective, one of my favorites for lowering cortisol levels at night is phosphatidylserine. I use a product called PS150. It lowers cortisol and helps balance the adrenal gland. Typically, a 130 pound person can take 300 mg of phosphatidylserine. If cortisol is part of the issue, results can be expected in 1-2 weeks. I mentioned that a magnesium deficiency is a common cause for insomnia, so taking a supplement can often help. Magnesium helps with stress as it calms and relaxes the body. My favorite form of magnesium supplement for sleep is the glycinate form because it gets into the tissues much better than magnesium citrate. We all have different magnesium levels in our bodies and some people may need more than others, but for most of the clients that I see, a 300 mg dose can be a great start. There is another form of magnesium called Magnesium threonate and that is magnesium bound to the amino acid threonate. This form of magnesium is great for the brain and can also be helpful for sleep when there is an overactive mind.
Liver Detox for Better Sleep First, you will want to determine if the liver is a potential cause for your insomnia. You can test this with an organic acid test which will look at certain liver pathways. However, if you have a history of consuming alcohol 3 or more times per week there is a good chance your liver detox pathways may be sluggish. Other causes of liver sluggishness are certain medications (even NSAIDS or birth control pills), eating out at restaurants several times per week or if you have not cleansed your liver in the last year. Herbs such as milk thistle and dandelion are wonderful to support the liver. I typically like going with synergistic formulas because all the ingredients work together. Some of my favorite combinations are the Push Catch Detox from Quicksilver Scientific, LV GB from Designs for Health and Livton Complex from Standard Process.
Additional Supplements to Support Good Sleep If lowering cortisol (through meditation or other exercises) and liver supporting supplements don’t work, there are many other options. Valerian root and lemon balm are two herbs well-known for their nerve calming properties. Many people have found success with a synergistic formula called Myosedate which includes those from Designs for Health. Another good option is GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA is the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter which prevents overstimulation and therefore promotes calm. GABA works best sublingually (hold it in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing). I have great results with a liquid and chewable form of it. The liquid is the Liposomal GABA from Quicksilver Scientific and the chewable is the Pharmagaba from Designs for Health. If you have tested low for melatonin (a urine test can determine this) you can also try taking Melatonin. If you’re under the age of 50 I don’t suggest melatonin unless you know for sure your levels are low. Taking melatonin when you are not deficient can reduce your body’s ability to naturally produce the hormone. Melatonin only helps you fall asleep, so if your struggle with waking up in the middle of the night, this likely won’t help.
CBD for Improved Sleep Another supplement that might be helpful is CBD. CBD oil comes from the hemp plant and is extracted in a way that removes the THC. This means that you don’t have to worry about ‘getting high’. CBD doesn’t just help with sleep, it also reduces inf... | |||
| 25 Apr 2019 | 006 The Case of the Dizzy, Tired, Confused Brain w/ Evan Brand | 00:43:06 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Jena knew there was something going on even though all of the doctors and tests revealed nothing. When she came to me, we looked at a bunch of possible causes that the specialists may have missed. But, when she told me that she’d recently moved into an apartment where they had recently repaired some water damage, I knew we had our first clue to the real cause of her problems. Mold can cause a great deal of health issues, even if you can’t see it. Evan Brand knows this from personal experience. Now, he’s made it his mission to reveal just how prevalent and harmful mold can be to our health. Evan is a Clinical Nutritionist who has been studying the effects of mold on the brain and body. His interest came about when he discovered that exposure to mold was the root cause for his own personal health mystery. With his research as well as the clinical work he’s doing with his clients, Evan has joined a handful of experts on this topic in America. I was excited to share Jena’s case with him and find out more about mold in our environment and food supply. The List of Potential Symptoms is Extensive When mold is present in an environment, it releases ‘mycotoxins’. If a significant amount of mycotoxins enter the body, it can cause a wide range of symptoms including anxiety to heart palpitations to depression to anger and irritability to insomnia, blood pressure problems, cold hands, cold feet, dizziness and vertigo. He says some people have experienced tremors or twitching which could lead to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Mycotoxins Have an Affinity for the Cerebellum Many different types of mycotoxins attack the cerebellum which is a part of the brain. This area of the brain is responsible for spatial navigation. This is why people with mycotoxins in their body may find themselves dragging their feet, twitching, experiencing vertigo or feeling dizzy like Jena was. It’s Not Just Black Mold Most people know that black mold in a home is unhealthy but when they don’t see black mold, they think their home is fine. As Evan explains, there are a variety of different molds (some that are hard to spot) that can give off mycotoxins. Myth: Mold Causes Allergies or Sinus Problems Many people who are affected by mycotoxins from mold do not experience any allergy-type symptoms, sinus issues, or breathing problems. There are many ways that mycotoxins present so people should be aware that an absence of typical sinus-related issues does not mean that mold is not the cause of health issues. Mycotoxins Can Also be Ingested Inhalation of mycotoxins (usually from being in a moldy building) is the number one issues but we can also ingest mold and their byproduct; mycotoxins. Mold on foods is often not visible. The most common carriers of mycotoxins are grains (corns, rice, wheat), peanuts, coffee, chocolate, and wine (grapes)). And, Evan believes that as GMO foods become more prevalent, the risk of mold infections increases. How to Test for Environmental Mold in Your Home The gold standard for testing your home or office for mold or the presence of mycotoxins is called the ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index). This is where a sample of the air is collected. Evan feels that this is not the most accurate test. Instead, he recommends doing a ‘plate test’ which can be acquired from Immunolytics Labs (see below for links). These can be used to test your home, your office or even your car - wherever you are spending a significant amount of time. Testing for Mycotoxins in the Body Determining levels of mycotoxins in your body requires a specific urine test. Evan recommends also doing an organic acid test just to see the full picture of fungal metabolites at play. This test can be repeated once actions have been taken to gage successes in detoxifying the body. Detoxing Mycotoxins can be Challenging When we start to experience symptoms as a result of mycotoxin exposure, it usually means that the body is at a breaking point. We often talk about the bucket being full before we notice anything. To start emptying out the bucket, the environment has to be cleared of mycotoxins, then the diet needs to shift and finally, we have to actively encourage the mycotoxins out of the body. However, we can’t live in a bubble so when we get exposed to mycotoxins in other environments (whether that’s a store we go to or a friends house), our bucket starts filling back up before it’s had a chance to empty. For this reason, detoxing can take a long time. Mystery Solved Evan believes that most of us experience a high level of exposure to mycotoxins which results in almost everyone having some form of toxicity. If you struggle with health issues that seem to have no other explanation, then a simple test may provide you with the answers you’ve been looking for. For Jena, this was absolutely the case. Once we were able to pinpoint the issue, the investigation moved to her apartment. Luckily, her landlord was proactive. When he discovered that the old leak had not been fixed, he fixed and cleaned out the HVAC system too. Jena was finally living in a mold free environment so the next step was to rid her body of the toxins. We put her on a strict diet protocol which also included a variety of supplements. Within a few months, her blood tests showed a significant difference in her mycotoxin levels and she was feeling so much better. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Jena we were able to track down the root cause of all of her health mysteries and help her feel better. Could mold and the mycotoxins they release be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Consider getting tested - it could give you the answers you’ve been looking for. And please share this episode. It could change someone’s life. It changed Jena’s. Links: Thanks to my guest Evan Brand. You can connect with him on Instagram, Facebook or his website: www.EvanBrand.com If you are interested in testing your environment, here is where you can access the ‘plate test’ we discussed.
Immunolytics Labs
Here is a list of the supplements I mentioned: Anti-Candida (Antimicrobials)
Gut Healing
Mitochondria Support | |||
| 04 Aug 2022 | 124 How to Choose Between Keto, Paleo, AIP and other Popular Diets with Risa Groux | 00:46:30 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation
CONS
What is a Ketogenic Diet?
CONS
What is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet?
CONS
What’s in a Low Lectin Diet?
CONS
What is the Low FODMAP Diet? | |||
| 03 Apr 2025 | 188 My Long Road to Healing Hashimoto’s and The New Shortcut with Inna Topiler | 00:44:35 | |
Get ThyroLove Now In this heartfelt solo episode of Thyroid Mystery Solved, Inna shares the personal story she’s never fully told on the podcast. From the confusing early symptoms to the years of trial and error, she opens up about what it really took to begin feeling like herself again. You’ll hear about the many paths she explored, the moments of deep frustration, and the breakthroughs that came from digging into the research and listening to her own body. Inna also reveals how her experience led her to something new. Something she wished she had from the very beginning. The creation of the first, all in one bottle, multi nutrient formula specifically for those with Hashimoto’s. She dives into the creation process, the research and all the behind-the-scenes of this supportive daily formula she created after years of piecing together supplements for herself and her clients. She explains how this approach came together, what makes it different, and how it can help fill the gaps for those navigating thyroid challenges. If you’ve ever felt lost in the process, or like no one really gets what you're going through, this conversation will make you feel seen—and offer a new perspective (and shortcut) to support your own healing journey. ---------- For full show notes, please see https://innatopiler.com/podcasts/healing-hashimotos-shortcut-inna-topiler/ Get ThyroLove - the first all in one bottle multi-nutrient comprehensive formula designed specifically for those with Hashimoto’s at ThyroLove.com - use code “Podcast” to get 10% off and free shipping For more information about everything Hashimoto’s please visit InnaTopiler.com If you are struggling to lose weight with Hashimoto’s, Inna has a 10 day plan just for you at InnaTopiler.com/jumpstart
Get ThyroLove Now | |||
| 05 Jan 2023 | 134 How to Make 2023 your Healthiest Year Yet (Even with Hashimoto's) | 00:19:20 | |
Get ThyroLove Now It’s time to park the usual health and lifestyle resolutions and access something much more powerful. When I talk to my thyroid clients about what they want for their health, they will often mention what they don’t want. They say things like:
It may be easier to talk about what’s wrong but focusing on what we don’t want doesn’t always help us. Shifting Perspectives for Positive ChangeWhen it comes to solving our thyroid issues, we need to shift our perspective to the health we want instead of what we don’t want. Think about it this way, if you are planning a trip and you go to a travel agent and you tell them, ‘I don’t want to go to California’ they might struggle with figuring out what to book for you! However, if you walk in and tell them you want to go to Texas, well then they can start figuring out some of the logistics around how to get you there or when you want to go. It’s the same with your health. You want to be really clear about what you DO want for your health, not just what you don’t want. That makes it a lot easier to make a plan for. I call this your health dream and you want it to be as specific as possible. How you get there may be unique to you, but you need to know where you’re going if you’re going to create a plan. In this episode, I help you create your health dream for 2023 so you can put it on the map and start planning how you’re going to get there. Key Questions for Creating your Health DreamThere are several questions that will help you get clear on what your health dream looks like. Here are a few to consider:
The answer is one that only you can determine as this is a very individual thing. For some of my clients, thriving means waking up each day with great energy that they can sustain all day. For others, it’s feeling fueled by healthy food that they digest with ease. Or, it may be about parenting from a place of calm and staying present with the family. Whatever thriving means to you, be specific about it.
Close your eyes and really step into this state of being. Imagine it with all of your senses. In this episode, I walk you through a short and very powerful visualization so that you can bring what you want a lot closer to you. It's something I do for myself every year and incorporate into my client work with profound results. The Time for Your Dream Health is NowIt’s very easy to put your ideal health on the backburner. You may have very good excuses and promise yourself that you'll get to it later…maybe when that project is done, the kids are in school, you’ve made more money. Yes, you could wait until then but I can almost guarantee that a new set of excuses and time-pressures will crop up. If, on the other hand, you take the time now, you will be in a completely different place. And, you may even find that all of those things on your to-do list get a little easier too. That’s the thing about thriving, everything in your life feels the benefits. If there is something that you want, the time is now. Free Training for Taking Charge of your Thyroid and Hashimoto’sI’m so excited to start the new year with a free training that will show you how to support your Hashimoto’s with a 2-fold approach. The training is coming up on January 19th (but don’t worry if you are reading this after that date - just make sure you’re on my email list so you don’t miss my next free training for Hashimoto’s support). This training is so much more than a webinar! When you join, you’ll get access to the live training plus a week-long support group as well as live Q&As. All totally free. Like I say in this episode and as I said above, the time is now. Support to Make This Year Your Healthiest with Hashimoto’sI’m committed to helping as many people with Hashimoto’s and thyroid issues thrive this year. That’s why I go the extra mile with my trainings. And, don’t worry if you can’t make it live at that time on the 19th as there’s a recording and lots of opportunities to ask questions for 5 days afterwards so that you feel fully supported in creating your plan to reach your health dream in 2023. This is for you if you are frustrated with symptoms (whether you’ve been dealing with them for a while or you’re newly diagnosed). This is for you if you don’t have the time (or the patience) to dive down every rabbit hole on the internet in search of reliable information about living with Hashimoto’s. I’ve done all the work for you. This is for you if you’ve been feeling alone with your diagnosis. One of the things past participants have loved is the connection to others with Hashi’s in the event Facebook group. So many connections have been made, friendships that have been formed, and so many aha moments and healing that have happened in these groups. I can’t wait to show you: 👉What it means to support Hashimoto’s with a two-fold approach 👉How to lower thyroid antibodies 👉How to get to the root of your symptoms (even if your labs are normal) 👉How to audit your thyroid and figure out your type 👉How to best support your type 👉Why you are struggling when doctors don’t have an answer and so much more... This truly ISN’T just another free workshop. Let’s get the ball rolling on your 2023 health dream. See you in the pre-training group. Links:www.thyroidmysterysolved.com/podcast Related Podcast Episodes: 4 Ways to Calm the Immune System and Support Hashimoto’s Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Do This Instead The Super Simple Mindset Shift to Help Hashimoto’s What Is Your Thyroid Type? (and How to Manage It) Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the cons... | |||
| 12 Sep 2019 | 026 The Case of Incurable Fibromyalgia w/ Dr. Rodger Murphree | 00:52:17 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
An estimated 4 million Americans are diagnosed with fibromyalgia. While symptoms can be present much earlier, most diagnoses are between the age of 35 - 45. And, women are much more likely to suffer from this condition.
The Investigation This health mystery is a little different from most of my cases. Natalie already had a diagnosis and was already treating her condition. When she came to me, she hoped there was a better way. She didn’t want to accept that she would have to take medication for the rest of her life or that she should just get used to the idea of getting worse. She wanted to know if there was any hope of her feeling better despite her fibromyalgia diagnosis. I knew we had to connect all the pieces of the puzzle to find the true underlying cause of her condition. Joining me on the show today to discuss Natalie’s case is fibromyalgia expert, Dr. Rodger Murphree. He is a board certified chiropractic physician, nutritional specialist, and author of 5 books including “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”
Conventional Fibromyalgia Diagnosis Unfortunately, a lot of doctors don’t recognize Fibromyalgia. They see this long list of symptoms and they label the patient as a hypochondriac or someone who is lazy, crazy or depressed. Often, patients will have to see many doctors and go through a battery of tests to eliminate all known conditions before they actually get a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. This can take years since so many doctors don’t recognize the syndrome. Doctors who understand Fibromyalgia (and who are willing to give a diagnosis) often don’t really know how to help the patients because there’s no prescription, no drug-based therapy that will solve all of the issues. As a result, most doctors will tell patients to treat the symptoms and ‘learn to live with it.’
What is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a syndrome made up of a group of symptoms. This collection of symptoms often includes achy, sometimes disabling pain, fatigue, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, irritable bowel, low moods and brain fog. When a combination of these symptoms are present and there is no other medical explanation, it’s likely to be Fibromyalgia. There is a sort of Fibromyalgia spectrum so not all Fibromyalgia patients are going to have the same experience or combination of symptoms. Dr. Murphree says that true fibromyalgia involves central sensitivity pain syndrome where the pain threshold becomes very low. Essentially, pain is magnified. Other senses may also be heightened such as sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises. Stress can also become magnified.
Stress and Fibromyalgia Up to 70% of Fibromyalgia patients say that stress was a trigger for their symptoms. It’s no surprise because stress is a trigger for most inflammatory reactions, which is the driver of most illnesses. In Fibromyalgia, we see a loss of plasticity to stress, or an inability to rebound from stress. This places the patient into a chronic state of stress that often shows up as pain and an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. The stress causes more and more symptoms which causes the patient more stress and it becomes a vicious cycle.
Diagnosing Fibromyalgia Dr. Murphree looks at sleep when considering a Fibromyalgia diagnosis. He says that almost all patients who he suspects of having Fibromyalgia have pain and sleep issues. Many of the other symptoms that are commonly associated with Fibromyalgia, like IBS, low mood, and brain fog stem from the lack of quality sleep over time.
Treating Fibromyalgia Naturally Dr. Murphree says that he encourages his patients to shift their mindset away from the idea that drugs are the answer. He’s seen many patients who discover, after years of medicating, that drugs don’t help Fibromyalgia. All they do is poorly mask the symptoms without actually fixing the issue and they leave you vulnerable to side effects. It may seem impossible, but he says the only hope for patients is to get healthy.
Sleep is Critical for Healing Fibromyalgia Getting sufficient restorative sleep is step one in Dr. Murphree’s strategy for treating Fibromyalgia. Regular restorative sleep can decrease the amount of inflammatory chemicals your body release. A lack of deep sleep causes the metabolism to slow down which causes lethargy, weight gain and heightened pain sensitivity. It also causes brain fog and a decreased ability to deal with stress. For patients struggling with sleep, Dr. Murphree suggests temporarily taking melatonin to restore their sleep cycle.
Serotonin for Fibromyalgia Many of us know it as the happy hormone. Having healthy serotonin levels is critical in treating fibromyalgia. Serotonin increases your pain threshold, it improves digestion, and it decreases anxiety. Conventional medicine recognizes the importance of serotonin for Fibromyalgia patients. Unfortunately, the typical conventional solution is to prescribe anti-depressant medication like Celexa, Paxil or Cymbalta. The problem with this approach is that these drugs don’t increase the production of serotonin (which is what is needed) they only serve to maintain serotonin levels, or hang on to the existing serotonin in the brain. It doesn’t help to fix the problem. The natural approach to encouraging serotonin release is with a healthy diet - specifically where you are getting enough of the amino acid, tryptophan. Tryptophan, when combined with certain B vitamins, magnesium and vitamin C turns into serotonin. Additionally, patients may supplement with 5 HydroxyTryptophan (5HTP) to further support serotonin production. However, deep, restorative sleep is still a critical part of this treatment plan. Dr. Murphree outlines his recommended protocol at the 18 minute mark of this podcast.
Does 5HTP Work for Fibromyalgia Dr. Murphree has been working with patients with Fibromyalgia for decades and this is the protocol he’s seen to be most effective. Some patients have concerns because they are on antidepressant medication (which is contraindicated). He’s worked with many of these patients and has seen successes. However a very small percentage do report feeling nauseated or having headaches. It’s important to work with someone experienced with Fibromyalgia (like Dr. Murphree) if this is a concern for you.
Natural Stress Reduction One of the biggest challenges that patients with Fibromyalgia face is reducing stress - often the trigger of the Fibromyalgia in the first place. Dr. Murphree has been working hard to find natural ways to support the adrenal glands (which are responsible for the body’s stress response). He recommends adrenal glandulars. However, he cautions people to make sure that they get the cortex only type because most adrenal glandulars have both cortex and adrenaline. Too much adrenaline can cause adrenal fatigue.
Final Step in Fibromyalgia Recovery In addition to sleep, adrenal and serotonin support, the final step patients need to take is adjusting their lifestyle. A healthy diet is key as is regular exercise. Creating a mi... | |||
| 19 Sep 2019 | 027 Solving the Thyroid Mystery w/ Inna Topiler | 00:20:09 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case: This episode, we’re not looking at just one case, we’re looking at many.
The Investigation There’s so much confusion around the thyroid. Symptoms can often be explained away as other things - like poor sleep, poor diet, poor exercise habits. The sad part is, these easy explanations can be a part of the missed symptoms. And, conventional medicine tends to diagnose thyroid issues using only one test. This means that many people, including those with Hashimoto’s may be misdiagnosed or not have the full picture. In order to truly understand the thyroid and solve thyroid issues, you need the whole picture and you need to get to the root of the problem.
Thyroid Expert Over the years, I’ve become very familiar with this issue because of the countless clients who come into my office complaining of symptoms I know are related to their thyroid but they tell me that their doctor has told them that their levels are normal. I also know all about it because I personally went through it too. I went through the frustration of being told my thyroid was fine. I went through the doctor’s failing to diagnose my Hashimoto’s. And, I went through years of not properly treating this condition.
Hypothyroidism 101 In this episode, I’m demystifying hypothyroidism and giving you everything you need to know about having an underactive thyroid gland. Many people think that thyroid issues only affect your energy levels. In fact, the thyroid impacts everything in the body including your hair, skin, digestion, brain, and bones. The thyroid can also affect your fertility and how well your organs functions - especially your liver. Thyroid hormones are needed for every cell in your body - so we should never underestimate how it can impact our wellbeing if it’s not functioning properly.
Symptoms of an Underactive Thyroid The most common symptom, and the one most people think of is fatigue or a general lack of energy. There are many other potential symptoms of an underactive thyroid including dry skin, brittle nails, thinning hair, sensitivity to cold, constipation, brain fog, irregular menstrual periods, weight gain, hoarseness of the voice, muscle aches and cramps, low blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, fertility challenges, and sleep irregularities. There are other symptoms too but these are the most common. However, not all hypothyroid patients will experience all of these symptoms. In fact, it’s common for them to have a variety of symptoms that could change over time.
Misdiagnosis of Hypothyroidism Many people who have hypothyroidism are misdiagnosed or a diagnosis is just plain missed. This happens because doctors have a strict set of guidelines for diagnosis (which is different depending on where you live). Doctors who have patients that don’t fall into the guidelines, will often rule out a thyroid issue without doing any further testing. There are a number of additional tests that should be run, but these don’t fit into the conventional approach to diagnosing thyroid conditions. I go into detail as to why and how this happens in this episode.
Understanding TSH Anyone who has ever had their thyroid tested has to try to make sense of a hormone called TSH. This is often where confusion sets in. In this episode, I explain all the T’s involved in thyroid function including the TRH (the activation signal from your brain to your pituitary gland), TSH (the signal from your pituitary to your thyroid) and the T3 and T4 that the thyroid makes in response. T3 is the active hormone that is needed by the body and can be absorbed and used by your cells while T4 is called a pro hormone which has to be converted to T3 in order to be used. A lot can go wrong with the production and absorption of these two hormones and signals can get crossed - triggering the thyroid to stop or slow down production.
Get the Right Tests for Hypothyroidism Conventional blood tests for hypothyroidism only looks at the TSH level. This can result in misleading information. The result is that up to 50% of patients with hypothyroidism are misdiagnosed or given treatment plans that don’t address the real issues. That’s usually when they end up at my office. We have to look at the whole picture.
Here is what I recommend patients get tested (either through their family doctor or alternative health practitioner):
Assessing Your Lab Results So often, a doctor will tell you that your test results are ‘normal’. That means that according to their guidelines, they fall into the normal range. You may have subclinical hypothyroidism but you won’t hear it from them. It’s important that you see your results. Here are the optimal ranges you should be in:
Be Your Own Health Advocate My aim is for the information in this episode to empower you to take control of your health. Use it to ask the right questions, get the right tests, and understand the results. You can’t fully diagnose or manage hypothyroidism if you don’t have the whole picture.
Eliminating Health Mysteries If the symptoms we talked about in this episode feel familiar, make sure you dig deep enough to solve your own health mystery. If these symptoms or medical frustrations sound like someone you know, make sure you share this episode with them.
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information.
Never miss an episode - Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, | |||
| 09 Apr 2020 | 054 The Case of Chronic Acne and Skin Irritation w/ Dr. Trevor Cates | 00:48:44 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation Many people don’t connect their nutrition to their skin condition but when I met Amy, she told me about digestive issues she was having and I knew this was where we needed to start the investigation into her skin issues. When it comes to skin and natural health, it felt obvious to turn to Dr. Trevor Cates. She was the first woman licensed as a naturopathic doctor in the state of California. She wrote the Amazon bestselling book Clean Skin From Within. She is known as The Spa Doctor and developed a skin care line under the same name.
Skin Warning Signs Dr. Cates says that all too often, when we have something out of balance with our skin, the traditional method of treating it is to suppress it with, for example, a steroid cream. They don’t tend to look for the cause. And so, the issue continues to manifest with different (and worsening) symptoms over time that experts may not track back to the initial skin issue. The skin is sending a message that something else is wrong. Erasing the message doesn’t change the fact that something is wrong internally.
Hormonal Issues Presenting with Skin Conditions There are a number of hormonal concerns that may show up first as skin conditions. Hormonal issues with estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, adrenal hormones and more have symptoms related to the skin. For example, sex hormone changes can cause acne, dull skin and premature aging in skin. Thyroid issues can cause dry skin or oily skin depending on the issue. Dr. Cates calls inflammation affecting the skin ‘skinflammation’. This is when you have internal inflammation and it shows up on the skin. This might be caused by hormonal imbalances.
Nutritional Deficiencies and Skin Issues Various nutritional deficiencies show up as skin conditions. In fact, doctors will also look to the skin first to determine if there might be a deficiency or poor nutritional absorption at play. Zinc, essential fatty acids, iron and B vitamin deficiencies all present as skin issues.
Skin Microbiome Our gut microbiome can also affect the condition of our skin. In addition, the skin itself has its own microbiome. The skin has an organization of microorganisms that live on the skin and keep it healthy and disease free. When it is in balance, we have glowing skin that ages gracefully.
Testing the Skin Microbiome Unlike testing the gut microbiome balance, there aren’t any true tests for determining the balance of your skin microbiome or microbiota levels. One of the reasons for this is that the state of your skin is affected day to day by your environment. If you have pets in your home, if your space is clean or dirty, if you use antimicrobial agents or cleaning products with certain chemicals - your skin is immediately affected. Researchers focus on testing the pores around the nose, but one of the best ways to determine the health of your skin microbiome is to look at the condition it’s in. If you’ve got dryness, dullness, breakouts, redness or irritation, then the microbiome is likely out of balance.
Protecting the Skin Microbiome There are things that can definitely interfere with the balance of the skin microbiome. Dr. Cates points to our overly germophobic society as part of the problem. Overuse (or unnecessary use) of hand sanitizers, antimicrobial soaps, antibiotics (internally and externally), antibacterial cleaning products, and other toxic chemicals in our cleaning routine can all negatively impact the microbiome balance. She suggests using them only when necessary.
Probiotics on the Skin Maintaining a balanced gut microbiome (by ensuring the body is getting enough probiotics) will help the health of skin (a healthy gut leads to healthy skin). Do we also need to apply probiotics to our skin to support a healthy skin microbiome? Dr. Cates says that probiotics in skin products is a bit of a trend right now but our skin doesn’t work like our gut. If people do get good results by using probiotic skin products, it’s more likely to do with the acidic nature of probiotics. The skin has a natural mild acidity to it but many products used on the skin have a very high pH. Soaps, cleansers, even water can strip the skin of natural oils and disrupt the pH balance of the skin.
Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare Products Dr. Cates has spent many years formulating her skincare line. There are several things she suggests you watch for in your skincare products. The first is an ingredient called Dimethicone which you might spot in lotions, creams and various forms of makeup. It is often added because it ‘traps moisture’ which can result in the skin appearing dewy and moist. However, it doesn’t allow the skin to breathe which can lead to an imbalance of bacteria on the skin. Dimethicone is not considered toxic (so it often doesn’t get flagged) but it can be harmful to the skin microbiome. Another category of ingredients to avoid are hormone or endocrine disrupting chemicals. Common to watch for include the general term ‘fragrance’, diethyl phthalates, and oxybenzone. These bind to hormone receptors in the body (because the skin is a delivery system to the internal cells) and can mimic hormones. Extensive use of these chemicals in skincare products may be why we are seeing a rise in hormone related diseases like hypothyroidism. Dr. Cates recommends using the resource EWG.org (Environmental Working Group’s database of products that contain toxins or common allergens) to find healthy skin care products.
Healthy Skincare Regime Maintaining healthy skin requires a daily routine that includes cleansing (not with a soap that is going to create an unhealthy pH level), a serum that can rapidly deliver antioxidants into the skin, a moisturizer and sunscreen. You can also incorporate a hydrating or purifying mask and gentle exfoliant once or twice a week to support skin cell turnover.
Mystery Solved Before I could really look at Amy’s skin issues, I had to find out if it might be related to her digestive issues. We started with a stool test and saw a ton of dysbiosis. I put Amy on an elimination diet and worked on cleaning up her gut. We used digestive enzymes and bitters to help her better digest her food based on her test results and a combination of biofilm disruptors and antimicrobials that have both anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic characteristics to address the imbalance. She took Oil of Oregano, Silvercilin, Micro-gone and Allicilin along with Interface for the biofilm. We then added a stro... | |||
| 05 Dec 2019 | 037 The Case of Constant Flu-like Symptoms w/ Dr. Luis Garcia | 00:54:10 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation I use an analogy on the show all the time about our ‘bucket’ getting full from a variety of issues but it's the last thing into the bucket that causes symptoms (though everything together is what creates the problem). I could see pretty quickly that Susie was dealing with several undiagnosed issues and that her symptoms were not likely to lead to a single issue. Solving multiple health mysteries can be a real challenge, so I decided to rely on a technique that has worked for me and my family in the past - biomagnetismtherapy. Not only does it help diagnose difficult to detect infections, it also provides a non-invasive, drug-free way to treat them. Dr. Luis Garcia is such a strong believer in this therapy that he gave up his practice as a medical doctor to focus entirely on biomagnetic treatments. He stabilizes the body’s pH and stimulates the immune system through the use of magnets and bio energetic therapies. These help the body regain its self-healing bio electromagnetic balance so it can fight off infections. What are Stealth Infections? Stealth infections are infections that are difficult to detect either because they lay in wait without causing symptoms or they are sub-clinical. Often, they go undetected because they are not tested for. Infections that are commonly missed include mosquito-borne viruses (Zika, Dengue, Malaria, and Chikungunya) and other infections transmitted by insects like Lyme Disease. At a subclinical level, symptoms of these types of viruses, like fatigue or joint pain, might be attributed to more common causes like stress or aging and then treated with medication. Or, these viruses may not present symptoms at all until other stressors are added on the immune system and the ‘bucket’ overflows. How Does Muscle Testing Work? Dr. Garcia uses kinesiology to conduct muscle tests that allow the body to reveal what illnesses are impacting specific areas of the body. I’ve done these tests with Dr. Garcia, so I’m able to share my personal experience in this episode. What he does is have a patient lay down on the table. He put shoes on so that he can get a level read on the movement of the leg muscles. He lines up your feet and then asks the body very specific questions watching for the involuntary contraction of certain muscles. When he sees these ‘tells’ he can ask clarifying questions to really pin down what’s going on. This Muscle Testing Sounds Fake! I know it’s hard to believe that this process actually works because it sounds so impossible. But, I can tell you from my personal experience, Dr. Garcia was able to diagnose me with a condition I definitely did not know I had (listen to find out the shocking truth). As a traditional doctor, he was also skeptical. So, for the first dozen or so patients, he had his patients run labs to confirm his diagnosis and, after his treatment to confirm that it worked. He was stunned to see the results - results that lead to him giving up his medical practice to work exclusively with biomagnetic therapies. Treating Viruses and Infections with Magnets Once the infection or virus has been identified and located in the body, Dr. Garcia uses magnetic force to shift the circulation in the body part or organ in order to flush out the infection. This detoxification process can happen as quickly as one session but longer held infections may take months to clear. He has successfully scanned for and treated bacterial infections, viruses, fungus, parasites, endocrine or organ dysfunctions, as well as certain emotional issues attributed to past traumas. Sometimes, these are layered on top of each other so treatment requires dealing with one issue at a time until everything is gone and the pH is restored. Mystery Solved Solving Susie’s health mystery required two lines of investigation. First, I looked at her test results and saw that she was not dealing with viruses well, especially when she became stressed or had hormone changes triggered by her menstrual cycle. I knew her immune system was under strain and unable to handle things under any kind of challenge. I suspected that there were subclinical viruses or stealth infections to blame. I sent her to see Dr. Garcia to determine what was going on. He found a ton of hidden stuff, including Epstein Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus, both German and English measles, malaria, yersinia, and pseudomonas to name a few. These infections were not acute, but they were collectively burdening the immune system. Susie had a biomagnetism treatment and felt more energy within just a few days. At the same time, because she had so many sensitivities I took a deeper look at her liver and detox pathways with an organic acid test and saw some pathways were compromised. To detox the liver, I put her on a product called LV GB and NAC from Designs for Health. I also started her on an antiviral protocol with Lysine, Selenium and Zinc. To support her gut health, she also took Orthobiotic Probiotic and Colostrum. Happy Ending A month after treatment, Susie was no longer experiencing those ‘viral’ or ‘coming down with something’ feelings. She continued with monthly biomagnetic therapy for 3 months. She was so happy to find that she was completely symptom free. While she still has to avoid exposure to chemicals, she discovered that her sensitivity to scents had decreased by at least 50% after 3 months on the detox protocol. We hope that with continued detoxification, she will see that sensitivity disappear.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Susie’s case we were able to find all of the hidden illnesses that were causing her strange collection of symptoms. Through bio magnetic treatments, she was able to regain her health. Could stealth infections be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Luis Garcia. You can connect with him via his website: USBioMag.org, or learn more about him on YouTube or Facebook.
Suggested Products: | |||
| 22 Jun 2023 | 146 Going a Step Beyond DNA Testing to Solve Your Health Mystery with Kashif Khan | 00:58:26 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation | |||
| 30 May 2019 | 011 The Case of the Super Low Libido w/ Lauren Handel Zander | 00:38:30 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation A sexless marriage is defined as one where the couple has sex less than 10 times a year. For Elise, her disinterest in sex had been going on for 5-years. There were many factors that played into this - including being on an opposite work schedule to her husband - but she knew that it was primarily because of her low libido. I ran some additional, more comprehensive lab tests (to make sure that her doctors hadn’t missed anything) but found nothing out of the norm. I did notice one thing. When Elise talked to me about her issue with sex drive, she seemed embarrassed. She giggled nervously everytime she mentioned sex. I suspected that something in her past or her upbringing might be the clue we need to find to solve this health mystery. I turned to Lauren Handel Zander. She’s the co-founder and chairwoman of the Handel Group and has been a life coach for over 20 years. She’s also the author of “Maybe It’s You: Cut the Crap, Face Your Fears, Love Your Life.” She is passionate about helping people create the life of their dreams from every angle. Viability of a Great Relationship Lauren believes that the depth and viability of a great relationship relies on both the enjoyment of life and the romantic partnership. It’s non-negotiable. Couples who explain away their low libido with time-constraints, stress, kids, or disinterest put their relationship at risk. People are Lazy Lauren points to the ease with which we can move sex to the bottom of the to-do list. It can easily become something that we don’t have the energy for. But, like going to the gym to stay fit, we need to find the energy for a healthy sex life. Make a Commitment to Sex Lauren recommends committing to sex the way you would commit to the gym. Promise yourself and your partner that you’ll meet x-number of times per week. You have to make it a priority and commit to it. She even encourages people to have a consequence for not keeping your promise. Shame and Epigenetics May Affect Libido A few weeks ago we spoke with Dr. Mario Martinez (Episode 007) about how shame and personal belief systems set by our parents can create a physical reaction. That includes a low libido. Epigenetics (which is the expression of our genes based on learned behaviour from our parents) can likewise affect our sexdrive. Have the Sex Talk To get to the root of this potential cause of a low libido, Lauren encourages her clients to talk to their parents about sex. Yes, even though they are adults, she suggests they finally have an open and frank ‘sex talk’. This releases the taboo around sex and can bring some honesty and reality to what married sex is really all about. It also takes the awkwardness and embarrassment out of the topic which can be incredibly freeing. Know What You Want It’s important for couples who are dealing with a sexless marriage (or a low-sex marriage) to get in touch with what they actually want. And, that they express this to each other. Lauren uses a visualization method that she encourages people to do specifically with their sex life. Low Libido Can be Hormonal A reduced sexdrive can be the result of hormone levels. In Elise’s case it wasn’t but if you’re suffering with a disinterest in sex, it’s important to have your estradiol, progesterone, Testosterone and DHEA-S tested. Lowered sex drive can also be experienced by those dealing with a thyroid issue so be sure to have your doctor check that as well. Mystery Solved Elise didn’t have any hormonal reasons for her low libido so we started to employ some of the methods offered up by Dr. Mario Martinez and Lauren Handel Zander. Elise was a bit resistant at first but she followed through. She even had ‘the talk’ with her parents and was able to let go of the awkwardness she felt around sex. For Elize, her sexual health mystery was solved with some emotional work and a commitment to being more sexually engaged with her husband. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Elise we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her sex drive. Could shame, epigenetics, or laziness be your missing piece of the healthy sexlife puzzle? Have you listened to a friend complain about a low libido or sexless marriage? Be sure to share this episode with them.
Links: Thanks to my guest Lauren Handel Zander. You can connect with her on Instagram or Facebook. She also has an online course that I recommend AND my listeners get $75 off by clicking my special link and using the promo code HEALTHMYSTERIES75
Mentioned Supplements Chaste Tree (not available online, speak to your health practitioner)
Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode – Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 007 - The Case of the Teacher Who Was Always Sick w/ Dr. Mario Martinez Episode 003 - The Case of the Insidious Fatigue w/ Author, Dr. Justin Marchegiani
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PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses. | |||
| 29 Sep 2022 | 128 How to Get the Health Benefits of Home Cooked (Even if You Have No Time) with Guest Carolyn Williams | 00:52:18 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
There are so many things that go into a proper supplement regime because everybody is different so I was happy that Liz came to me so we could trace the root cause of her issues instead of treating her symptoms. The Investigation When I met with Liz I looked at what supplements she was taking and took a detailed health history. I’m a big fan of supplements but often, they are a part of the solution not the whole solution. When I saw that Liz didn’t do a lot of cooking, I knew that there was a clear path we could explore. Adding Anti-Inflammatory Foods with Ease All too often we think about what foods we should be avoiding but sometimes, it’s the foods we add into our diet that make all the difference. Dr. Carolyn Williams is a renowned dietician, culinary nutritionist, and James Beard Award-winning journalist. I know that she would be the perfect person to consult with on Liz’s case - especially when you consider she wrote the book on introducing anti-inflammatory foods to your diet with ease. It’s called “MEALS THAT HEAL ONE POT: 100+ Recipes for Your Stovetop, Sheet Pan, Instant Pot, and Air Fryer – Reduce Inflammation for Whole-Body Health | [The Experiment, September 22, 2022]”. I love this because so often, the reason we struggle to eat the foods we know we should be eating is because we are all so, so busy. Signs of Chronic Inflammation When we think of inflammation, we often think of the obvious signs like visible swelling, aching, and pain. But inflammation doesn’t always show up this way. These symptoms are usually associated with acute inflammation where the immune system is responding. Chronic inflammation is usually triggered by lifestyle issues or habits that irritate the body. Things like diet, sleep and stress can all play a role in keeping the body in perpetual inflammation but of these causes, Carolyn says diet is a key component. There are red flags that are like your body warning you that inflammation is up but they can be subtle. The red flags could be things like:
These may seem insignificant but they are the early warning signs that inflammation may be becoming a chronic issue. The individual needs to note and act on these because many doctors won’t pick up on them being an issue. And, inflammation can develop slowly so someone might not connect the dots on certain lifestyle or diet choices being the catalyst for chronic inflammation. Getting Started on the Anti-Inflammatory Diet People may be surprised to hear Carolyn tell people not to start by eliminating things from their diet. This is such a common approach but Carolyn thinks it’s more important to add healthy foods in first before you start to take foods away. She starts by adding foods that will address the inflammation. Carolyn top 3 inflammation reducing foods are:
By starting with adding anti-inflammatory foods, you’ll naturally decrease other foods which is a better approach than restricting foods. Cooking with Anti-Inflammatory Foods There are many ways to incorporate these three foods into your diet and Carolyn gave many great suggestions in this episode. Some of the key takeaways were to roast your cruciferous veggies (chopped equal sizes, wash and dry well, add a light coating of avocado oil and bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes). She also suggested baking other veggies like kale until crispy. To get more leafy greens into your diet, add baby spinach to smoothies, soups, sauces, or serve your roasted veggies on a bed of fresh greens. Also, salads don’t have to be just a side dish at dinner or for lunch. You can also create a breakfast salad with a poached egg on it. Lunch time can also be a great time for a salad if you keep proteins on hand as well as greens, it can be a healthy option to pull together quickly. Keep Salads Healthy with Dressing Topping a healthy salad with commercial dressing might reduce the nutritional value of your meal. Be conscientious about what your salad dressings are made of and avoid dressings with lesser oils (like canola or soy). Carolyn says there are many healthy options available these days if you take the time to read the label. Another option is to make your own dressing - it doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether it’s homemade or store bought you want to look for a healthier oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, vinegar, lemon juice and a very small amount of natural sweetener like sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Carolyn believes that fat is an important part of every diet so even those who are watching their fat intake, she believes, they should still use a little bit of dressing to feel satiated and get some healthy fat. Keep it Simple, Keep it Tasty Carolyn’ book was based on the idea that we want to eat healthy, well balanced meals but we don’t always have time or the energy to cook elaborate dishes. Her book is all one pot wonders that you can add carbs to if you want. She even had her kids taste-test the recipes so that they are all kid approved. And, the one pot might be a sheet pan or a skillet so each dish is a bit different. And as a bonus, the clean up is as quick as the cooking. Conclusion When dealing with chronic health issues, what we eat is so important. What I love about Carolyn’ cookbook is that she understands that eating healthy also has to fit into our busy lifestyles. I knew that part of what kept Liz from eating well was that she didn’t have time to cook. We took the same approach to shifting her eating as Carolyn suggested. We started adding organic berries smoothies that included protein powder and greens. We made sure she had easy salad ingredients, like roasted chicken, on hand so that preparing a quick meal was that much easier. I helped her think of her meals in 3 food groups and creating healthy, well-balanced meals became her new normal instead of take out and processed foods. Happy Ending Liz almost didn’t believe the difference she felt just 2 weeks after swapping the processed dinners and take out for clean, home-cooked meals. She was also shocked at how little time it actually took her to make those fresh meals. Eliminating Health Mysteries For Liz we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Carolyn William... | |||
| 05 Sep 2019 | 025 The Case of Erratic Heart Palpitations w/ Dr Christopher Kelly | 00:35:20 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
A racing heart or heart palpitations are described in many ways. Some might say, ‘my heart is beating out of my chest,’ or ‘my heart skipped a beat’. It can also be described as being able to feel your heartbeat in your ears, or like it’s banging against your rib cage. You might even feel like you can’t catch your breath. However you describe it, it’s scary. We get used to not really noticing our heartbeat - to just knowing that it’s in there, doing its job. So, when we suddenly feel it, we worry that something must be wrong. In some cases, heart palpitations can be a sign of a more serious issue so Erica was right to see her doctor and a cardiologist first. However, when she came to me with no answers from those specialists, I knew we had to dig a little deeper to get to the root cause of these frightening and erratic heart palpitations.
The Investigation The heart is very responsive to other types of stimulation. When you see a cardiologist, they generally don’t have a lot of time to look into these other causes. Understandably, they focus on major issues or events that are life threatening and if those are not the cause, they may dismiss your concerns as ‘nothing’. But, that doesn’t stop them from happening or make you feel any better about it when it does happen. Luckily, some cardiologists go beyond the ‘it’s not a heart attack’ diagnosis to get curious about what’s actually going on. One such cardiologist is Dr Christopher Kelly. He practices at the North Carolina Heart and Vascular (part of UNC Health) and is the co-author of the book, Am I Dying?!: A Complete Guide to Your Symptoms--and What to Do Next. I was thrilled to invite him in to discuss Erica’s case.
Could it be a Heart Condition? We know in Erica’s case it wasn’t but how likely for a fairly healthy 37 year old to have a heart condition? Dr. Kelly says that without a pre-existing condition (that you may have been born with) it’s unusual to see heart disease in people under 50. However, he’s seeing a trend where the average age of his patience is getting younger. He attributes this to the American lifestyle which is making people sicker, sooner.
What are Heart Palpitations? Dr. Kelly describes heart palpitations as an extra beat or a skipped beat, a racing heartbeat, or your heart beating hard enough that you notice it. Generally this is without explanation. For example, we know that when we are working out or running, we are going to feel our heart beat faster. Or, if we have a scare or we’re understandably nervous, then we know why our heart might be racing. However, heart palpitations can seem to come out of nowhere and for no apparent reason. This is why they are so disconcerting.
How Common are Heart Palpitations? Having a spontaneous, unprovoked heart palpitation occasionally is very common. However, when it seems to be happening regularly, without explanation, this is not common and should have you seeking professional help. The first thing you want to do is rule out that these heart palpitations are not related to heart disease.
What Causes Heart Palpitations? When a heart condition is ruled out, there are several other places that we can look to find a cause for heart palpitations. The heart is very sensitive to a lot of inputs. One of the inputs to the heart is adrenaline which is the fight or flight hormone. We release adrenaline when we are scared, nervous, or excited but we can also release it when we are stressed or experiencing anxiety. In some cases, we may not be fully aware that we are in a state of stress or anxiety but the adrenaline is released anyway which is what can cause the seemingly unexplained heart palpitations.
Heart Palpitations May Be a Side Effect Certain medications may cause heart palpitations. For example, some decongestants (cold or flu medications) actually contain adrenaline stimulants. Likewise, certain medications used to treat attention deficit disorder (like Adderall and Ritalin) also stimulate the heart.
Does Coffee Cause Heart Palpitations? Coffee and many teas contain caffeine which does stimulate the heart. Excess caffeine intake can cause heart palpitations. So, what is considered too much coffee? That depends on the individual as some people are more sensitive than others to the stimulant. Each person is going to discover their limits when they drink so much caffeine that it causes their heart to race.
Heart Palpitations When Pregnant When a woman becomes pregnant, in addition to having to supply blood to her own body, the heart has to pump blood to the placenta and the fetus. This can cause the heart to work overtime and this can cause the heart to race or skip a beat.
When Heart Palpitations Mean Something Bigger There are other conditions that can cause heart palpitations. One condition is anemia. This causes heart palpitations because in this state, there is a low number of red blood cells in your body. When your body is not making a normal amount of blood, your heart has to work harder to pump the blood in order to deliver enough oxygen to the rest of your body. Hyperthyroidism is another condition that can cause the heart to race. The thyroid gland controls your metabolism. When it is overactive, it can overstimulate the metabolic process which can cause heart palpitations. This same thing can occur for people who are treating an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) especially if it is caused by Hashimoto’s disease because then thyroid production tends to fluctuate.
Tracking Heart Activity One of the best ways to determine the root cause of heart palpitations (if it has been ruled out as a heart condition by a doctor) is to track when you have episodes. Keeping a diary involves writing down things like the time that it started, what you were doing (or thinking about), and how long it lasted. This can reveal a pattern and the cause. If possible, also include your pulse rate in the diary and note any irregularities in the rhythm. If you don’t have a smartwatch or fitbit that tracks your pulse, Dr. Kelly explains how to do this manually in the podcast.
Worsening Symptoms If left unaddressed, heart palpitations can become more frequent or become more intense (some people say that their racing heart is so forceful it actually hurts). For some people, heart palpitations interrupt the flow of blood so much that it can affect the blood pressure and cause light-headedness or even loss of consciousness. If this is the case, it’s not something to be ignored. Look at eliminating potential causes (including caffeine and stress) and speak to your doctor about what may be causing heart palpitations as a side effect. Be sure to bring your heart diary to your doctor appointment!
Treating Heart Palpitations The treatment for erratic heart palpitations depends entirely on the cause of the palpitations. If through jour... | |||
| 20 Jun 2024 | 170 [Ask Inna] Why Your Thyroid Medication May Not Be Working and What To Do About It | 00:27:08 | |
Get ThyroLove Now Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroid Questions Answered by Expert, Inna Topiler Common Questions about Hypothyroidism & Hashimoto's As an expert in hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, I get a lot of questions (especially on Instagram). So, every once in a while, I like to dedicate an episode to answering these questions. In this edition of “Ask Inna”, I’m tackling some of the most common questions including why medication doesn’t always make us feel better (even if it used to), whether being a little bit out of range can cause symptoms, and whether or not thyroid medicine is a forever commitment. If you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, chances are you’ve wondered these things yourself - so let’s get to the answers.
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| 25 Jul 2019 | 019 The Case of the Reversible Autoimmune Diagnosis w/ Dr. Keesha Ewers | 00:43:42 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation An elevated ANA can mean a lot of things but generally it indicates that there is an autoimmune issue which could be lupus, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or a variety of other diseases. However, a positive ANA is not considered enough to diagnose any of these. In Camille’s case, I could see from the additional blood work I ran that there was more to this story; that there was perhaps more than one puzzle piece missing to complete this picture. Dr. Keesha Ewers is an integrative medicine expert, a popular speaker, and the best-selling author of Solving the Autoimmune Puzzle: The Woman’s Guide to Reclaiming Emotional Freedom and Vibrant Health. She’s board certified in functional and Ayurvedic medicine and the Founder and Medical Director of the Academy for Integrative Medicine Health Coach Certification Program.
Holistic Medicine Includes the Mind When we are dealing with a physical ailment, like Camille was, we assume that the cause of the issue is entirely physical. However, as Dr. Keesha explains, we need to look at these issues from a holistic perspective. Our emotions send signals to our mind which can create a biochemical reaction. We’ve discussed in past episodes how long held beliefs can manifest into physical ailments (see episode 007) and this is certainly the case with autoimmune disease.
How Emotions Affect Us Physically Dr. Keesha conducted a study in 2013 called the ‘Healing Unresolved Trauma Study” aslo known as the HURT study. In this study she found that young brains that are not fully developed (up to the age of 26) are affected by any kind of trauma (emotional and physical) that they encounter. These traumatic experiences can be as innocuous as feelings of rejection or being not good enough. Young minds try to make sense of these experiences by creating stories around them to give them meaning. These become beliefs. In turn, the young mind develops an adaptive strategy (to avoid future negative emotional experiences) which becomes hardwired into the brain and we carry that with us into adulthood. When we experience a similar emotion as adults, without knowing it, our brain references back and triggers a response.
What’s Happening in the Body During Fight or Flight? We’re all familiar with the fight or flight response but Dr. Keesha explains that the brain can trigger this response even when there is no real danger as a result of these early emotional experiences. The physical response is however the same even if the trigger isn’t a tiger but something like rejection. The brain sends a message to our adrenal glands to release cortisol. This sends oxygen to our muscles, raises our blood pressure and our heart rate (all thing needed for fight or flight). At the same time it shuts down the unnecessary systems including fertility, sexual desire, and digestion. It also changes the way we take in information – it shifts our focus away from the now to the future (or from here to there – where safety is) Our hormones are not designed to be continually in that mode. Eventually, we run out of cortisol. This causes a new chain reaction (because your body is still in fight or flight) so the body starts to steal your progesterone stores from your reproductive organs. This creates a hormone imbalance.
The Root of the Root Cause I talk a lot about getting to the root cause of the problem on this podcast, but often it can be tricky to see the root of the root. We might be able to trace the issue back to a hormone imbalance (and correct that) but we need to keep digging to see what caused that hormone imbalance. This can be a very challenging thing for people because we tend to not tie our physical condition to long held beliefs or emotional triggers from our youth. And, often we feel that this ‘new’ problem can’t be related because it came on ‘all of a sudden’. However, it’s more likely that the condition or symptoms were the result of a system breaking down after long-term stress.
Capital T vs. Small t Trauma Many people think of trauma in the sense of what Dr. Keesha calls capital T trauma like sexual abuse, abandonment, PTSD, domestic violence, neglect, or psychological abuse. However, research shows that lower case t traumas does that exact same thing to your hormones, biochemistry and brain function. Dr. Keesha says that everyone experiences some form of lower case t trauma in their life.
Is Autoimmune Your Fault? Dr. Keesha is adamant about shifting this paradigm of blaming ourselves for developing an autoimmune disease. Yes, our brains may be the cause but we were never in control of how our brains are wired as a result of our childhood experiences. That’s biological. Blaming and shaming is not going to fix the problem. Instead, she believes that we need to face these old traumas. Ayurvedic medicine says that autoimmune is undigested anger and so, we need to digest our anger, emotions, feelings, memories and experiences from our past. This often requires some professional help.
Can Autoimmune Be Cured? Dr. Keesha is an example of how dealing with old emotional wiring can change your physical health. She had rheumatoid arthritis and was able to reverse it through counselling and adjusting her diet. Remember, it’s a holistic approach. It’s not just the mind but the body too. She says that dealing with autoimmune is like taking the hero’s journey. Once you acknowledge the challenge, you need to find a mentor to help you develop the skills that will help rewire your brain and response to emotional triggers. You’ll also want to work with a holistic nutritionist and or a function medicine doctor. Dr. Keesha also shares her top three tips for anyone dealing with autoimmune in the podcast.
Mystery Solved This holistic approach worked for Camille. First I introduced her to technique called T.R.E. which stands for Trauma Release Exercise (more on this in an upcoming episode!). Next, I worked with her on her diet to balance her immune system and lower her inflammation. She also worked with a reputable counsellor to deal with her emotional triggers (which were not related to any big T traumas and she had no idea were the source of her physical issues). Within 6 months, her ANA results were negative and she no longer presented with autoimmune issues.
Eliminating Health Mysteries For Camille we were able to find those hidden missing pieces of her health puzzle and help her turn her day to day well being around. Could past traumas be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?
Links: Thanks to my guest Dr. Keesha Ewers. You can connect with her on her website here: https://www.drkeesha.com/ and through Facebook and Instagram. Dr. Keesha has is also offering you her Autoimmune Blueprint for free. ... | |||
| 21 Jul 2022 | 123 The Insomnia Paradox and How to Get Out of It with Devin Burke | 00:43:44 | |
Get ThyroLove Now The Case:
The Investigation
People who identify with one of these are likely to be making up stories about sleep or their abilities to sleep which can lead to limiting beliefs. The Fear of Insomnia Paradox One of the challenges Devin finds with people who have created meaning or a story around their sleep abilities is that they slip into fear. The fear is usually around what will happen if they don’t get enough sleep. They might worry about the next day and how it will impact their performance, or they might concern themselves with long-term health issues that a chronic lack of sleep will cause. These fears drive the stress response up and make it harder to get to sleep or to get back to sleep. Creating elaborate routines or rituals around getting to sleep or falling back asleep can also backfire because the person may have expectations that their efforts are going to work and if they don’t then they slip back into that stressed state again that keeps them awake. It can also backfire if they are unable to perform these rituals (because life gets in the way) because they may have a belief that they can’t sleep without their routine. What are the Triggers for Poor Sleep or Insomnia? Devin says that most sleep issues have a trigger. This might be stress in a relationship, a health scare, or some kind of stressful event. The problem is that many people turn to medication as a quick fix for this acute problem. That can lead to a psychological attachment to the drug where the person believes they need the medication to fall asleep. If this stops working, then they try new things and it becomes a mission to solve their sleep problem. The whole time, they are becoming more and more stressed about sleep which is keeping them from sleeping. One potential trigger for sleeplessness is trauma. This could be big T trauma or little t trauma but it could continue to cause sleep issues if it is not dealt with. So, if that is a possible cause, then it’s important to get some psychological support. How to Deal with Your Sleep Stories Devin says that they will often help people let go of the stories they are telling themselves about their sleep situation. Here is the process he takes people through:
Ask yourself what are the things that you're telling yourself right now? What beliefs do you hold true? It might be something like, ‘I've tried everything,’ ‘I’m never going to be a good sleeper,’ or ‘not getting enough sleep is going to make me sick.’
Recognize that these thoughts are not useful to you.
This could be rejecting these thoughts or beliefs. It could also be accepting them. Devin explains this process as embodied acceptance where you let go of the control and you may even forgive your body for being awake when you want to be asleep. Don’t judge it. Don’t resist it. Just let it be. This removes the stress.
Sometimes people go through this process and see their insomnia improve and then they have a trigger event and they are back in the loop of thinking the problems are back. This is when it’s important to repeat this process. What to Do When You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep is a common problem and can happen even after you’ve done some of the work letting go of your sleep stories and limiting beliefs about sleeping. While tackling your sleep stories and getting out of the insomnia paradox are important, you also need tools for when you wake during the night. The first thing is to not slip back into creating a story about the current circumstance - don’t judge your wakefulness or give it any more meaning than if you just happen to be awake. To get back to sleep, Devin says to make sure to have “a plan and a place”. If you are lying awake in bed for more than 15 minutes, get up. You should not stay awake in the place where sleep happens. Go somewhere else and have a plan to do something relaxing or boring (not to think of them as things you do specifically to get back to sleep because that places too much expectation on them). Good Sleep Habits & Tips Without placing too much expectation on these techniques, Devin says it is still important to do what you can to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. One of the things we chat about in this episode is the connection between gut health and sleep so I encourage you to give it a li... | |||