Underactive thyroid?

I used to have hypothyroidism.

... alongside PCOS, insulin resistance and prediabetes. Basically, I was a metabolic wreck and my doctor let me know he expected me to have an unhealthy body composition for life because of all of this. Thankfully, I believed in my own body's ability to heal + evolve and said, "Hold my beer." as I got to work. P.S. I no longer have any of those conditions and he was quite shocked and wanted to know how I did it all without meds. He meant well but just wasn't even aware of our potential!



I'm actually not writing this newsletter to tell you about my backstory, but I did want to let you know I've had some experience here. Someone on instagram recently asked me if I had 'regular' hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's -- the auto-immune kind. I told her I wasn't entirely sure because I didn't know enough to advocate for myself back then and my thyroid antibodies weren't tested at the time of my diagnosis. But the cool thing is that it didn't matter a whole lot. I did the same things to aim to get to the bottom of it, regardless of what was causing the hypothyroidism. Namely, 1, I aimed to increase my metabolic rate and health (this directly influences thyroid output) and 2, aimed to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress (which would be incredibly important when there's any kind of autoimmunity).



Last week I created a highlight just for thyroid health -- a series of posts and reels -- in response to the increase in questions I've been getting (mostly from new followers who are hearing about my story for the first time). In that highlight, I discuss what I did and why, lab work to consider requesting, nutritional additions that have helped, protocols and things most docs don't know about yet and therefore aren't sharing yet. Since subclinical thyroid function is incredibly common at this time, I wanted to share with you too! Click that link above and you may have to scroll my highlight bubbles, but it'll be there! It's labeled "thyroid".




Whether or not you have an under-active thyroid, I think this reminder is always helpful: our body tends to do SO WELL when we give it what it needs and then get the heck out of its way. If you're on some kind of a healing journey, you're doing incredibly important work! Keep going. <3



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you'd like some help, here are a couple of ways we can work together:



1. My 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. We work on boosting metabolism (helping to rev up that thyroid) as well as aim to bring down inflammation + oxidative stress (potentially helping auto-immunity). Best part is that while I guide you on what to do and how, I also teach you about your body, metabolism and health optimization so that you can make informed choices for yourself going forward. The next round isn't starting until January, but there will be an opportunity to get early access around Black Friday if you're on this waitlist. ;-)



2. I do work with some clients 1:1. This is much more in depth with tons of customization and accountability. Spots are limited, but clients are often graduating out of the program, opening up spots so hop on the interested list if you'd like to chat more about this option.

When I was sick ...

Once upon a time, I was a metabolic WRECK.

I had PCOS, prediabetes, insulin resistance, and hypothyroidism. Our infertility journey brought about tons of extra testing that let me know things like I was NEVER ovulating. My cycle was all over the place and I didn't feel well, despite living a seemingly "healthy" lifestyle.




But let's rewind to before I got diagnosed. (Warning: sensitive subject matter about infertility)



At some point I went from looking for answers to feeling so hopeless and desperate to become a mother that the focus became getting pregnant and no longer on my body or what was going wrong with it. It was quite a long and windy journey with all the interventions, tests, and heartbreaking outcomes. But then it worked! One of the rounds of IVF had been a success and we had our daughter, Magnolia. Fast forward a couple of years and more heartbreak but then another IVF success! Our son, Jagger. 



I was just a whisper pregnant when I went back to the fertility specialist. She was going to graduate me out of her care and into the care of my OBGYN that day, except she was off. Her colleague knocked on the door and introduced herself instead, my file in her hand. "Hi Tara, I'm ______. Congrats on the pregnancy! I see you have PCOS so ....." 



I'm not sure what she said after that because I was stuck on the whole PCOS thing. You see, I thought I had PCOS for years! I was studying all about women's health and hormones in grad school and everything seemed to fit with what I had been experiencing. But my doctor told me in no uncertain terms that I definitely did NOT have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome ... a condition affecting about 10% of women). So imagine my surprise when I realize that my doctor changed her mind about that at some point, diagnosed me, wrote it on my chart, but never told ME. 



What followed was a visit with my OBGYN where I disclosed my new diagnosis and went for further testing only to find out I was also prediabetic already. Now prediabetes isn't something that happens overnight. Prediabetes comes after YEARS or DECADES of insulin resistance and is almost always preventable, manageable or reversible with nutrition and lifestyle choices.



Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism! My doctor said, "Tara, your body REALLY wants to be overweight!" (Insert eye roll)



When that doctor suggested meds for life and mentioned that there's nothing I can do to make things better on my own, I said, "Hold my beer." I mean not exactly those words but you get the idea. And I pulled together what I knew about the human body and metabolism from my education and filled in the holes with up-to-date and quality research. And then I got to work.

• I started eating in a way to balance my blood sugar.

• I tweaked my exercise routine to put on more muscle.

• I wanted to prioritize sleep but was still in the toddler and newborn phases and breastfeeding 'round the clock so that had to wait.

• I started paying attention to stress, toxins in my products and food, grounding, sunshine, gut health, heat and cold exposure.

• I said, "If our behaviors can make certain conditions worse, then how is it possible that different choices can't make certain conditions better? Of course they can!" And I stayed focused on that ... and still am!

• I made sure to see it as the challenge and opportunity that it was. I'm not a victim, I'm LUCKY. Imagine if my body let me get away with more? I would've abused it more I'm sure!

I can no longer be diagnosed with any of those conditions, but you better believe they're still on my radar! Those are my Achilles heels. If I'm not careful (and maybe even if I am! Time will tell), those conditions can definitely resurface again.



The thing about boosting our metabolism and optimizing our health is that it's hard, never-ending work. It's not a '30-day fix' or '6 weeks to a summer body'. There are no pause buttons when life gets busy or restart buttons you can press on Monday after an indulgent holiday weekend. But it is SO freaking rewarding to say, "I did that. I did that even while life was happening. I did that even though it was hard. I did that even while keeping indulgences in."


There's a lifelong confidence that comes from overcoming obstacles. If you're facing one right now, it might just be the thing that brings you an unfaltering inner glow one day ... the kind that only trusting yourself could really ever create.



Metabolism is everything about our body's functions. When it's not up to speed, anything can crumble. When anything crumbles, it won't be up to speed. It's. All. Connected.



If you're feeling frustrated that you have a long ways to go or tempted by your sister's Optavia weight loss, your friend's Ozempic results and your cousin's Weight Watchers journey that "works everytime" (except ... why does she keep having to go back if it worked???), I want you to know I get it. Those things ARE tempting. But they aren't real results (weight loss is just a proxy for fat loss + muscle gain, not the same) and they can also be incredibly dangerous and backfire on you.


Let's do a little exercise, ok?



Tell me, how would you like to feel for the rest of this week?
Now, what is ONE thing you can focus on for the rest of this week that will help you feel that way?



Maybe you want to feel energized so you go for a walk outside every morning.
Maybe you want to feel strong so you strength train 3 days this week.
Maybe you want to feel calm so you commit to journaling for 10 minutes every morning or night.



Whatever it is, pick ONE feeling. Then ONE (reasonable) action. And see it through. Watch your momentum soar by the end of the week.



You got this,
Tara



P.S. If you want to learn more about how your body works best and how to boost your metabolism to achieve your fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals, hop on the waitlist for the next round of my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. We start next month.

Thyroid Issues?

Know anyone with thyroid issues?

The thing about thyroid issues is that the issues themselves are not the problem, but rather a symptom of the problem. If it's auto-immune in nature, why is your body's immune system overreactive? If it's just your garden-variety hypo- or hyper- (or mixed) -thyroidism, why is your body not able to regulate the important functions of this mighty gland right now? Where might it be needing to put out fires elsewhere that it had to drop the ball?



I'm NOT against conventional treatment when necessary, but I strongly believe that conventional treatment or not, if we don't optimize, other health issues will keep popping up because nothing was truly fixed at the root.


Thyroid health is often so much more complicated than just looking at 1 or a few lab values. In fact, many doctors don't even order enough lab tests to get the full scope of what's going on. If you suspect a thyroid problem, be sure to seek out a medical practitioner you really trust and one who is comprehensive and willing to look for the root cause of why your thyroid is acting up in the first place.



Hyperthyroidism is out there for sure, but most people who come to me for help do so because of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can often cause weight gain or weight loss resistance, dry or brittle hair and nails, depression, cold intolerance, low libido, low energy, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, imbalanced blood sugar, and painful or missed periods.



Due to a bunch of recent questions on the topic, I decided to dedicate a whole week on my socials to thyroid dysfunction. Check out THIS POST where I discussed how I would induce hypothyroidism in myself if I wanted it again (I had it. Reversed it. Don't want it back, but it helps prove the point that our previous and current choices matter when it comes to this stuff.)



Here are ways to promote healthy thyroid function (alongside conventional treatment, on your own, or even if your thyroid is currently healthy and you want to keep it that way):

• NO yoyo dieting or over-restriction.

• Fuel your body well and with the right amount of food for your needs. This is something everyone should know about themselves, but few actually do. Make it a point to learn this!

• Eat enough carbohydrates. Most people eat too many. Some cut out too many. Just like the last point, know what you need. If you have hypothyroidism, I recommend adding an extra carb serving per day on top of your baseline needs.

• Avoid toxins in beauty and home products, extra hormones and antibiotics in your food supply wherever possible.

• Avoid overexercising or practicing a maladaptive ratio of exercise (like tons of cardio and no strength training)

• Eat and live your life in a way that promotes blood sugar balance

• Test of levels of micronutrients like zinc, iron, magnesium, iodine, selenium, vitamin B complex, vitamin D, vitamin A and / or be sure to include enough of them through your food intake. Consider talking to your healthcare practitioner about supplementation.

• Give yourself 7-9 hour sleep opportunities most nights of the week

• Reduce stress and work on stress management tools like breathwork, mindfulness practices, self care, boundaries, new hobbies, time outdoors, etc.

• When stress levels are normalized, consider adding cold exposure a few times a week. This helps convert some of our regular white fat to brown / beige fat - a more metabolically active type AND helps the thyroid gland produce better hormone ratios.

If you need help with one or any of these areas, make sure you hop on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. It's my 28-day course on boosting metabolism, healing, and we cover everything in the list above and more! The next round starts in September and if you're on the waitlist, you'll get a discount code and be notified when the cart opens so you can grab a spot.



Oh, and I put together THIS RECIPE COLLECTION for you. It contains thyroid-supportive recipes containing the nutrients listed above as well as a carb source, at least 5g fiber, 10-30g healthy fat, and at least 20g protein per recipe. Hope you love 'em!



XO,
Tara



P.S. I think you need my weekly newsletters. It’s time. You can sign up RIGHT HERE. :-)

Your metabolism isn't broken!

Your metabolism isn't broken...or too slow.

You see, your metabolism is ALWAYS exactly what it needs to be. It's a survival thing. So if you don't require much fuel before you'd start to store it as excess fat, there's a reason for that.



CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO if you've ever believed that your metabolism was broken... or even a little disheveled.



Questions? Comments? Need some help or guidance? I'm a simple email reply away. ;-)



Happy day,
Tara