Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations with Dr. Izabella Wentz

In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, Dr. Izabella Wentz interviews functional medicine health coach and Hypothyroid Chef founder Ginny Mahar about creating sustainable daily rituals for thyroid health. Drawing from her personal Hashimoto’s journey and professional culinary background, Ginny shares how food, lifestyle, and mindset work together to support healing – without overwhelming patients or requiring perfection.'

Together, they explore the thyroid trifecta of care, the Eight Daily Rituals of Thyroid-Healthy Living, and how nutrition, gut health, sleep, stress management, and movement all influence thyroid hormone function. Ginny also debunks common myths around goitrogenic foods and explains how thyroid-friendly eating can be personalized, nourishing, and enjoyable.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


Why medication alone rarely resolves thyroid symptoms. Ginny explains the “thyroid trifecta” – medical care, nutrition, and lifestyle – and why relying on TSH and levothyroxine alone often leaves patients stuck with fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation.


The eight daily rituals that support sustainable thyroid healing. From sleep and stress management to movement, detox support, and nourishment, Ginny walks through her “Eight R’s” framework and explains how small daily habits compound into real, lasting change.


How to approach thyroid-friendly eating without overwhelm. Ginny shares how anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense eating can be made easy, why personalization matters more than perfection, and how elimination and reintroduction diets can be used as tools (not life sentences).


Why gut health plays such a central role in thyroid function. Because thyroid conditions increase the risk of gut issues, impaired nutrient absorption, and medication malabsorption, daily gut support is a cornerstone of healing.


The truth about goitrogenic foods and common thyroid myths. Ginny breaks down why cruciferous vegetables are often misunderstood, when they might be problematic, and how cooking, quantity, and iodine status change the conversation entirely.


How food can be both medicine and joy. Healing doesn’t require bland meals or culinary misery. Ginny shares how flavor, pleasure, and connection in the kitchen actually support consistency and long-term success.

Tune in to learn how small, daily choices can lead to lasting thyroid healing.

Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/ 

For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/
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In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, Dr. Izabella Wentz interviews nutrition consultant and educator Caitlin Weeks about how a carnivore-style diet helped put her Hashimoto’s into remission after years of fatigue, digestive issues, and so-called “normal” thyroid labs.

Together, they explore why some people with autoimmune thyroid disease feel worse on plant-heavy diets, how anti-nutrients and gut irritation can drive symptoms, and why personalized nutrition – not one-size-fits-all advice – is essential for healing.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


Why a carnivore-type diet can act as a powerful reset for Hashimoto’s: Caitlin shares how removing plant foods (and eating meat) helped calm gut irritation, bloating, and constipation and coincided with her thyroid antibodies dropping from the 600s into single digits.


How “normal” thyroid labs can mean undiagnosed autoimmune disease: Caitlin explains why she was dismissed for years due to a normal TSH, and how testing thyroid antibodies was the key to finally identifying and addressing Hashimoto’s.


The link between vegetables, anti-nutrients, and gut inflammation: This conversation explores how compounds in veggies, such as oxalates and lectins, may aggravate gut inflammation, bloating, and pain in sensitive individuals, particularly those with autoimmune conditions.


Why diet alone is not enough for healing: From shifting away from punishing exercise to addressing stress, toxic environments, and self-expectation, Caitlin explains the non-diet lifestyle changes that supported true recovery.


Who may benefit most from trying the carnivore diet, and who should proceed cautiously: Digestive issues, IBS, bloating, histamine intolerance, and stubborn thyroid antibodies may all be clues that the carnivore diet could help – but preparation, personalization, and context matter.

Tune in to learn whether less plants and more nutrient-dense foods could be the missing piece in your Hashimoto’s healing journey.

Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/ 

For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/
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In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, Dr. Izabella Wentz interviews functional medicine physician Dr. Vincent Pedre about the hidden root causes of IBS, gut inflammation, and chronic digestive symptoms that often precede autoimmune disease.

Together, they explore how stress physiology, nervous system dysregulation, environmental toxins, mold exposure, microplastics, and mitochondrial dysfunction can damage the gut – even in people who are already gluten-free and eating “clean.” Dr. Pedre also debunks common myths about coffee and gut health, sharing how high-quality, clean coffee can be enjoyed without triggering reflux or inflammation.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


Why IBS is often the first warning sign of deeper immune dysfunction. Dr. Pedre explains how years of gut inflammation can dysregulate the immune system, increase intestinal permeability, and eventually contribute to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s – long before labs reveal antibodies.


How stress and nervous system dysregulation quietly sabotage digestion – even when you feel “fine.” Chronic stress suppresses vagal tone, lowers stomach acid and enzyme production, and slows gut motility. Your body always tells the truth.


The hidden gut disruptors most people never test for. Mold exposure, parasites, yeast overgrowth, microplastics, and environmental toxins can damage the gut lining and microbiome, even without classic digestive symptoms.


Why elimination diets don’t always lead to true healing. Removing foods can reduce symptoms, but true healing often requires repairing the gut barrier, addressing toxin load, supporting mitochondria, and calming the nervous system.


The truth about coffee, gut health, and thyroid symptoms. Coffee itself isn’t the enemy – poor-quality beans, mold contamination, pesticides, over-roasting, and plastic exposure are. Dr. Pedre shares information on coffee that is cleaner and gentler on the gut.


How targeted therapies can dramatically speed gut healing. Dr. Pedre shares how phospholipids, peptides, sauna therapy, and mitochondrial testing are helping patients tolerate foods again – often in months instead of years.

Tune in to learn how to heal your gut at the root – and reclaim your health.

Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: ⁠https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/⁠ 

For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: ⁠https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, Dr. Izabella Wentz interviews integrative psychiatrist Dr. James Greenblatt about a whole-body, root-cause approach to depression. They discuss why many people don’t fully improve on medications alone, the lab work most clinicians skip (vitamin D, B12, ferritin, full thyroid panel), and how digestion, amino acids, omega-3s, hormones, and environmental factors (gluten/celiac, mycotoxins, infections) shape mood.

They also clarify nutritional lithium (lithium orotate) versus prescription lithium, how to approach thyroid-aware monitoring, and why very low total cholesterol is a red flag in stubborn depression and suicidality. Listeners will walk away with practical labs, supplement considerations, and a step-wise framework that can complement therapy and medication.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


Why depression isn’t a “Prozac deficiency.” Modern research has moved beyond a single-neurotransmitter theory, and depression can stem from many biological drivers: nutrient gaps, hormone shifts, gut issues, toxins, infections, and genetics. Addressing these foundations often makes therapy and medications work better, and sometimes reduces the need for them.


The lab work most people never get (but should). They walk through vitamin D, B12, iron/ferritin, and a full thyroid panel as accessible first steps, then expand to amino acids, fatty acids, copper/zinc balance, celiac screening, and targeted functional tests. Optimal, not just “normal,” ranges matter, especially for B12 and vitamin D.


Digestion is destiny for neurotransmitters. You can eat protein all day, but low stomach acid and weak digestive enzymes mean you won’t liberate the amino acids needed to make serotonin, dopamine, and more. Correcting HCl and enzyme deficits can lift mood by restoring raw materials, particularly in those with reflux, thyroid issues, or trauma histories that push the nervous system out of “rest-and-digest.”


The quiet saboteurs: gluten, mycotoxins, infections, and very low cholesterol. Celiac disease/gluten intolerance can drive global malabsorption – along with anxiety, depression, and even eating-disorder patterns. Mold/mycotoxins and post-infectious syndromes (PANS/PANDAS, Lyme, post-viral) can inflame the brain. And very low total cholesterol (often genetic) correlates with depression and higher suicide risk.


Nutritional lithium, clarified. Lithium orotate (low-dose “nutritional lithium”) is different from high-dose lithium carbonate. At low milligram doses, it has been utilized for mood stability and even dementia risk reduction in emerging research. For thyroid health, it is important to monitor labs, personalize dosing, and distinguish carefully from prescription lithium, as dose and monitoring make the difference.


Medications: a both/and approach. Antidepressants can be appropriate and lifesaving for some; others can successfully taper when foundations are optimized. The aim is personalization: start with biology (labs, nutrients, digestion), layer therapy and meds as needed, and keep revisiting root causes as you heal.

Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/ 

For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, Dr. Izabella Wentz explores the often-overlooked connection between thyroid dysfunction and mental health. Drawing from both clinical experience and her own personal journey with Hashimoto’s, Dr. Wentz explains how symptoms like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, OCD, and mood instability can be rooted in thyroid autoimmunity – even when standard thyroid labs appear “normal.”

Listeners will learn why relying solely on TSH testing can miss critical clues, how thyroid antibodies can directly affect brain function, and why nutrient deficiencies, poor T4-to-T3 conversion, and blood sugar instability can all contribute to emotional distress. This episode offers a compassionate, root-cause-focused perspective for anyone who has felt dismissed or misdiagnosed on their healing journey.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


Why mental health symptoms are often misdiagnosed when thyroid labs look “normal.” Many doctors rely solely on TSH testing, which can remain in range for years even while autoimmune thyroid antibodies are actively attacking the thyroid and affecting brain chemistry, mood, and cognition.


How Hashimoto’s antibodies can directly impact the brain. Elevated thyroid antibodies have been linked to anxiety, depression, OCD, panic attacks, and even more severe conditions like Hashimoto’s encephalopathy, where immune activity interferes with neurological function.


The thyroid–mood rollercoaster many patients experience. Early-stage Hashimoto’s can cause alternating hyperthyroid and hypothyroid symptoms, leading to cycles of anxiety followed by depression, fatigue, and emotional instability that can feel confusing and frightening.


Why T3 is critical for mental health – not just T4. Even when taking thyroid medication, poor conversion of T4 to active T3 can leave the brain under-fueled, contributing to persistent depression, brain fog, and lack of motivation.


The overlooked nutrient deficiencies that can mimic or worsen mental health conditions. Low ferritin (iron storage), vitamin D deficiency, methylation issues (like MTHFR), selenium deficiency, and blood sugar instability can all profoundly affect mood and should be evaluated alongside thyroid health.

Tune in to learn how supporting your thyroid can transform not only your physical health, but your emotional well-being, too.

Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/ 

For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices