thyroid support

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.

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. :-)