Health Mysteries Solved

In the last episode, we met Justine. As a reminder, here are a few details about her case. The Case:  Justine is 44 and dealing with sudden abdominal weight gain. She is also experiencing brain fog which is causing her stress. Her PMS is getting worse and she just doesn’t feel like herself. She saw her gynecologist who suggested birth control and antidepressants.    The Investigation If you didn’t hear the first part of this story, please go back and give episode 153 a listen. In that episode, I spoke about Justine’s case with Emily Sadri, an expert in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and achieving hormonal harmony. Emily is a good friend to the show having previously shared her insights in episodes 141 on Semaglutide (like Ozempic) and Weight Loss and 107 on Birth Control Use with Thyroid Issues. In the last episode, we talked about the many misconceptions around hormones during perimenopause and menopause. Now, let’s pick up where we left off in the last episode by looking at the timing for hormone su

The Case:  Justine is 44 and dealing with sudden abdominal weight gain. She is also experiencing brain fog which is causing her stress. Her PMS is getting worse and she just doesn’t feel like herself. She saw her gynecologist who suggested birth control and antidepressants.  Medications are often the solution offered by traditional medicine but Justine wasn’t interested in going directly down that path. So, she came to me. I noted that she was still getting her regular cycle but suspected that the hormonal changes of perimenopause might be at play here.  The Journey to Hormone Balance My first step in helping Justine manage her changing hormones was to explore the connection between her symptoms and her hormonal changes. I reached out to Emily Sadri who is an expert in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and achieving hormonal harmony. You may remember Emily from past episodes, including 141 on Semiglutide (like Ozempic) and Weight Loss and 107 on Birth Control Use with Thyroid Issues.  The Fundamenta

The Case:  Mia has been dealing with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism for over 2 decades. Her Hashimoto’s wasn’t diagnosed until 15 years after her hypothyroidism diagnosis. She’s done a great job regaining her health but recently hit a plateau and started to regress.   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 Multiface

The Case:  Annetta is 40 and is suddenly noticing a lot of gray hair.  She has been coloring her hair for years and is afraid the chemicals may interfere with her thyroid issues and autoimmunity.  She’s noticed her hair has also been thinning and looking dryer than normal.    I’ve shared my journey to find chemical-free hair dye in the past because chemicals can be such a big trigger for Hashimoto’s. Check out episodes 121 and 142.  The Investigation When I met Annetta, I could tell there were a few things at play. She was already turning to more natural products but I knew there was more we could do. I also knew exactly where to look to solve her health mystery. Hypothyroidism and Hair Health Hypothyroidism (and Hashimoto's), plays a pivotal role in our hair's health. When our thyroid function is compromised, it can manifest externally through hair thinning, dryness, or even accelerated graying. Addressing the root causes internally is as vital as nurturing our hair externally.  While this is true,

The Connection Between Strep, PANDA/PANS and Strange Behavior in Kids The Investigation I’ve helped thousands of patients and have even overcome my own health mystery, but in this episode, I share one of the hardest health mysteries I’ve ever faced because it involved my son Jake.  As someone who has triumphed over health challenges and now helps others do the same, I believe in the power of sharing our stories - especially this one that shook my world. Suddenly Everything Mysteriously Changed  My son Jake was a lively five-year-old gearing up to start kindergarten. It was the summer of 2022, and I noticed shifts in his behavior. He craved more independence, which was only natural as he was growing older. However, alongside this newfound desire for autonomy, something else was brewing.   He started acting out, displaying anxiety, mood swings, and becoming increasingly oppositional. The changes were concerning, but as a loving parent, I attributed them to the whirlwind of transitions he was facing—starting a n

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: Thyroid and Hashimoto’s Nutritional Deficiencies Stress Hormonal Shifts PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) 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 Woes The 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 mistak

The Case:  Donna has had hypothyroidism for 10 years Medication helped at first but lately, she’s experiencing fatigue and weight gain.  She was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto's which sent her on a Google frenzy and left her overwhelmed by information.  She’s got 4 kids, a full-time job, and is trying to manage Hashimoto’s with diet, exercise, and supplements - it's all too stressful.  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

The Case:  Mira has Hashimoto's and also suffers from digestive issues.  These issues are long-standing and doctors or dietary changes have been ineffective Researching online has her feeling overwhelmed and lost.  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

The Case:  Helen has 2 different autoimmune diseases and hypothyroidism and rarely feels good.  She was experiencing fatigue, brain fog, body aches, and depression.  She wasn’t sure if the depression was a symptom or something caused by her struggles. The Investigation When I met Helen, I saw that there were many areas where we could start to intervene. I knew we had to look at her DNA blueprint if we were going to solve this health mystery. There are a lot of different ways that our DNA can inform us about our health but Kashif Khan has a unique approach. I knew he’d be the right person to talk to about Helen’s case. Thought Leader in Functional Genetics Kashif  Khan is the author of The DNA Way, a two-time TEDx Speaker and the Founder of The DNA Company, where personalized medicine is being pioneered through unique insights into the human genome. He is also the host of the Unpilled podcast. He knows firsthand the power of understanding your DNA blueprint because he was able to heal his own issues through

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: Hypothyroidism Brain 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 spec

The Case:  Laura has thyroid issues causing her to feel overweight and her constantly dry skin made her feel like she was aging too fast.   She suspected that her issues might be genetic so she did a DNA test which revealed that she had the MTHFR gene.  She tried biohacking; taking high doses of B vitamins and a cocktail of other supplements but nothing got her the results she was looking for.  Investigation My suspicions were that her various supplements might not be right for her. I also wanted to take a closer look at her diet and lifestyle.  Because I suspected that the answers were going to be found at the intersection of genetics, diet, and lifestyle I knew that Dr. Kara Fitzgerald would be the perfect person to consult with since she is an expert in epigenetics, nutrition, and aging. She is the author of two incredible books, Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better and Better Broths & Healing Tonics: 75 Bone Broth and Vegetarian Broth-Based Recipes for Everyone.  Unveiling the P

The Case:  Mindy has Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism and experiences low energy and anxiety She’s worried genetics may be making it worse because her mother also has Hashimoto’s She’s feeling like the genetic cards are stacked against her and there’s nothing she can do to feel healthy again.    The Investigation When I first met Mindy, I noted the stock she was placing on her genetics, missing things under her control. Genetics are important but they only account for 15% of our wellness picture. I knew that there were a myriad of things we could do to shift the impact of her genetics on her health. However, I also knew that a bigger shift might be needed at the epigenetic level.   The Epigenetic Expert - Anat Peri To look further into what might be going on for Mindy, I invited Anat Peri back to the show. Longtime listeners may remember her from episode 55 of Health Mysteries Solved when she shared her insights on emotional resilience. I highly recommend going back and listening to (or relistening to) that e

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

The Case:  Hadley has been struggling with weight loss for years and is now in perimenopause. She’s tried many diets but the results were temporary. She eats mindfully avoiding gluten, processed foods, and sugar. She was intrigued by the hype around Ozempic (semaglutide) but wanted to make sure it was safe and that there weren’t other issues at play in her weight mystery.   Weight Loss Struggles and Hormone Changes in Perimenopause Hadley’s struggle is so common. Perhaps it’s familiar to you too? You hear about the latest trend in weight loss and wonder (hope) that it’s going to be what helps you get your metabolism working in your favor so you can drop those last few pounds and keep them off. Ozempic has put semaglutide in the news with so many people talking about its popular side effect of weight loss with ease. But, like Hadley, you may have wondered - is it safe and does semaglutide really work for weight loss?  The Functional Medicine View of Ozempic for Weight Loss Emily Sadri is a long-time

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: Food Infection  Toxins (environmental and food) Stress   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

The Case:  Liana is dealing with fatigue, digestive issues, hair loss, joint pain, and lack of concentration She’s been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and has been trying to eat right and take supplements to support it but can’t seem to stick with the routine.  She’s struggling to find a balance that includes feeling good.  The Investigation One of the things I noticed when I met with Liana was she had some limiting beliefs about her ability to feel good again and, I suspected that she was subconsciously self-sabotaging. I knew then that if we were dealing with issues on a subconscious level, we needed to start there - and more specifically with Hypnosis. Understanding Hypnosis Grace Smith is one of the world's leading hypnotherapists and I knew she was the perfect person to have on the show to address how hypnotherapy can help chronic illnesses, like Hashimoto’s, from all angles, including beliefs, fears, stressors, and traumas.  Before we could dive into how it can help, we had to address the elephant in the

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 wr

The Case:  Alison has Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s and also experiences tons of digestion issues.  She often feels gassy and bloated and has trouble going to the bathroom. She’s tried taking all types of probiotics, eating super nutritious fermented foods, and done several colon cleanses, but nothing helped.    The Investigation When I met Alison, she explained that she had taken gut-support vitamins and eaten a healthy diet. However, I could see right away that she was missing a few big clues in solving her health mystery.    Gluten, Gut Health, and Hashimoto’s I’ve talked a lot about the connection between Hashimoto’s and our gut on the podcast in the past. I knew that this was at the core of solving Alison’s issues. To discuss it further, I invited Dr. Vincent Pedre, aka America's Gut Doctor, to the show.  Dr. Pedre is an internist and the author of the upcoming book The Gutsmart Protocol.  One of the first things he brings up is the connection between Hashimoto’s and gut health as well as gluten

The Case:  Amanda has Hashimoto’s and does not feel well. She is tired, experiences brain fog, and feels like she is just inflamed all over. She’s tried special diets and various supplements but nothing seems to work.    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. Marti

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 Protocols I’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 Advice Anyone with Hashimoto’s or autoimmunit