Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed

The Case:

• Lynn has Hashimoto’s and experiences fatigue, brain fog and mood swings.
• She takes thyroid medication and various supplements but still struggles to feel well.
• She’s frustrated because she eats well and follows a good thyroid protocol without the results.

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...

Have you noticed more wrinkles, and your skin looking dryer and perhaps even thinner along your thyroid journey?

What if I told you that expensive lotions are not the root answer and that there is something else you can do from the inside out that is super simple?

Meet Alicia, my latest case. She, like many of us, has been dealing with frustrating Hashimoto’s symptoms - fatigue, bloating, and also a lot of skin issues (dry, irritated, saggy, and wrinkly skin).

In this episode we dive deep into Alicia's journey and uncover the surprising root cause behind her struggles—the intricate interplay between her gut, skin, and thyroid health.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. William Davis - if you are not familiar with him, he is the author of the Wheat Belly book series and Super Gut and what an amazing conversation this was! As famous as he is, he is one of the most down to earth, kind and generous people I have connected with recently.
Here's a glimpse into what we uncovered:

• The SIBO connection to common skin conditions like dryness, redness, and even wrinkles
• The power of one very very specific probiotic bacteria (it's not one that is typically in your probiotic blends) that holds the key to skin moisture
• How this specific probiotic bacteria can actually get to the bottom of SIBO without the need for antibiotics
• An innovative approach to combating SIBO and also combatting endotoxemia (endotoxemia is a process where SIBO can create toxicity in your whole body, not just the gut) with a special type of yogurt that you can make at home

We also discuss a product (its NOT a cream) that supports all this. I don’t want to mention it here without explaining it properly as there is a lot to it and it would make this email super long to write it all out so please listen to the episode so you can hear ALL the details, plus there is a discount as well.(Ok ok I will mention it in case you really can’t wait another minute. It’s called Gut To Glow and you can get a 10% discount using code “GLOW”.

But please be sure to listen to the podcast because it will explain much more about what it is, how it works and how you can use it both orally and in yogurt to help with wrinkles, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and also your gut.

You can read the FULL SHOW NOTES AND SUMMARY HERE to get see ALL the details we discuss in the episode.

Last week I shared some of the questions you wanted answered about Hashimoto’s. I covered topics like the relationship between heavy metals and Hashimoto’s, the role the adrenals play in Hashimoto’s, the relationship between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Hashimoto’s and how to reduce the risk for kids of people with Hashimoto’s. All of them were very important questions that have a lot to do with the triggers of Hashimoto’s. If you missed it, here is a link to episode 068.

In this episode, I answer more of your questions about Hashimoto’s.

Question #1: With Hashimoto’s, is TSH a reliable indicator of the body’s thyroid hormone needs? If not, what else can we use to know what the body needs?

This can be very confusing for anyone with Hashimoto’s. The short answer is, no. TSH is not a reliable indicator. The ranges for TSH are very broad (typically between about 4.5 - 5 depending on where you live. This range is not really optimal. The optimal range for TSH is between 1.8-3 (if you’re on thyroid medication this shifts a bit).

But, TSH is only one indicator and you need to look at the big picture including your total T4, free T4, total T3, free T3, and reverse T3. This is because TSH is not actually created in the thyroid - it's the thyroid stimulating hormone created in the pituitary gland. So, only looking at TSH doesn’t tell us which hormones the thyroid is producing and at which ratio. And, it doesn’t tell us how well the body (primarily the liver and the gut) are converting these hormones or how the hormones are actually utilized. Essentially, TSH shows a very very small part of a much bigger picture and that is why its not nearly complete. With Hashimoto’s you also want to track your antibody levels so that you can determine which triggers (listen to episode 068 for more on the four triggers) are affecting you and your levels.

I’ve listed the various tests I recommend to get the whole picture of your thyroid functionality and optimal levels for each in the show notes for episode 027. If you are looking for a lab to do these tests, here is a link to a helpful resource and lab.

I’m in the process of creating my thyroid course which is going to get way more in depth about this and how you can figure out your pattern and exactly what to do about it. The course will launch this fall. Add your name to the wait list if you’d like to be personally invited to join.

Question #2: Why does someone with Hashimoto's feel tired all day long? How can we help this and what can we do to wake up feeling refreshed and have more energy throughout the day?

While Hashimoto’s is an issue, we need to look at the root cause of the fatigue. It’s true that Hashimoto’s causes the immune system to attack the thyroid and often causes hypothyroidism which has a common symptom of fatigue. So, the first step is to make sure that you are supporting thyroid function optimally with what your body needs (foods, supplements or if necessary thyroid medication that is dosed appropriately) and you are also by avoiding Hashimoto triggers (noted in last week’s episode).

If you are doing these things and continue to feel tired, then you may want to consider the role your adrenal glands may be playing in your fatigue. The adrenals and the thyroid are very interrelated. Stress is a key trigger for Hashimoto’s and it can also impact adrenal function.

Clean eating is also recommended but if you continue to feel tired, you may be having some issues with absorption which could be caused by a gut issue. This could be the real cause of the fatigue as well

And finally, check that you are not deficient in nutrients that help us feel more energized like iron, B12 and other B vitamins. As you can see, feeling tired is quite multi faceted so we have to look at it from all angles.

Question #3: My diagnosis of Hashimoto's only came after being on thyroid medication for years. Can this medication be contributing to Hashimoto's?

In my opinion, I don’t think it did. What often happens is that the Hashimoto’s is undiagnosed for many years. Conventional doctors will often stop looking for answers once they diagnose hypothyroidism. So, the Hashimoto’s may have been there or been developing all along. I don’t think that the medication could cause Hashimoto’s because whether you’re ...

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:

• Food

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.

• Infection

There are a variety of infections that can become chronic causing the immune system to malfunction.

• Toxins

Environmental toxins (like those found in some cleaning products and beauty products) as well as heavy metals can serve as a trigger.

• Stress

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 sensit...

The Case:

• Diana is 36 and suffers from irregular bowel movements and stomach upset.
• Endoscopies, colonoscopies and genetic testing for celiac disease provided no answers
• She tried adjusting her diet but nothing has helped and her doctor was stumped.

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:

www.glutenfreesociety.com

Thanks for Listening

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