Episode 68: All about the Thyroid with Jill Grunewald

Jill was diagnosed with Hashimotos in 2008 which started her own journey in finding answer to a more natural treatment with auto-immunity.

She first went to the doctor with lower back pain and hair loss in search for solutions for her pain.

What is the role of the thyroid?

What is Hashimotos?

What do we get tested?

Conventional medicine has “failed” for thyroid issues as they don’t test for what we need to find out.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test is the most common but still doesn’t find out everything we need.
Traditional Doctors may only test TSH test
Get the thyroid panel: T3, T4, Reverse T3 and antibodies
T3 active form of hormone – feel sharp, energetic and digestion system working
T4 to be converted into T3 but most people don’t make the conversion due to digestive issues, stress and liver congestion
Free T4 and free T3 (most important test)- active form of the hormone and tells us what is unbound and body is able to use.
Reverse T3 is valuable to test. Interpretation varies lab to lab.
Find a doctor that will do the full panel (www.nourishbalancethrive.comwill do thyroid panel)

What are so many people on Thyroid Medication and how to get off meds?:

Some people may need to be on thyroid medication
Hashimotos is an auto-immune system issue
Slow and reduce the antibody attack on thyroid – tissue destruction.
Immune system- get antibodies down then you can wean yourself off thyroid meds but must talk and work with your doctor!
Nourishment and nutrients the body needs to heal then start to make more of your thyroid hormone
Thyroid hormone replacement is mostly metabolized in the gut.
70-80% immune system in the gut
Heal the gut to improve immune system and teach body how to make own thyroid hormone.

How can we heal the digestive system?

Improve our immune/ digestive system- better absorb nutrition and start healing the gut
We can get hair and bone loss on thyroid medication and low thyroid issues…double whammy!
Stabilize the blood sugar- insulin levels.
Improve the energy levels with the right macronutrient ratio to balance blood sugar levels

Adrenals, Thyroid and the Gut!

Hypothyroid is related to Adrenal Function and blood sugar balance
Cortisol has a 24 hour cycle and optimize the cycle- work for you and not against you
All roads lead back to blood sugar and the adrenals…address the gut health and blood sugar
Low thyroid function = fatigue = kick adrenals into gear to create more adrenaline and cortisol
Adrenals –low function = fatigue = adrenaline and cortisol = hormones slow thyroid
Lean on adrenals for coping mechanism hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) which are meant to be made in small amounts
We are over generating the stress hormones because the way we live today
Negative feedback loop
More adrenal hormones –more made will slow down the thyroid function
Most Americans needs adrenal support: sleep, energy and fatigue
Not to stress about being stressed!

All systems connected!

Product adrenal hormones- pancreas- insulin- blood sugar
Balance your blood sugar levels (listen to our last podcast with Jill on “balancing blood sugar”)
Support your adrenals (listen to one of our many podcasts on Adrenal with Dr. Kalish)
Get off the blood sugar “bungee” cord everyday as it just produces more stress hormones

Heal your thyroid with nutrition!

When possible heal your gut and thyroid with nutrition
Thyroid health is mineral dependent than vitamin dependent
Adaptagenic herb for adrenal function
Gut/Digestive healing: glutamine to heal gut wall lining, bone broth or collagen gelatin supplement and a multi-strain probiotic (soil based organism) to repopulate gut with friendly bacteria
Leaky gut- precursor to auto-immunity with levels of gut wall lining permeability
Dietary changes, healing gut and reducing toxic environment
Auto-immunity treatment is essential or the immune system can go attack another system!

Find Jill for coaching as well as her cookbook, books and many resources: