Today’s post features a few key takeaways from a recent Wellness Your Way podcast interview.  Find the full episode here and be sure to subscribe to Wellness Your Way so you don’t miss future episodes!

Guest Bio: Dr. Anshul Gupta, MD

Dr. Anshul Gupta, MD is a  Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician, with advanced certification in Functional Medicine, Peptide therapy, and also fellowship trained in Integrative Medicine. He has worked at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Department of Functional Medicine as a staff physician alongside Dr. Mark Hyman. He believes in empowering his patients to take control of their health and partners with them in their healing journey. Author of the book “Reversing Hashimoto’s,” he now specializes as a thyroid functional medicine doctor and helps people reverse their unresolved symptoms of thyroid dysfunction.

Top Insights from Dr. Anshul Gupta’s Interview

1. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition of the thyroid gland. The body starts to produce antibodies against its own thyroid tissue. This starts a very slow destruction of the thyroid gland.
2. It can take years before a thyroid diagnosis is made. As the thyroid is slowly damaged and destroyed, it can no longer keep up with the amount of thyroid hormones needed by the body, leading to a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and low thyroid.
3. Most Hashimoto’s diagnoses are not immediate. After thyroid issues are found, most conventional practitioners do not look for the root cause. Instead, they put patients on medications, but neglect to test for Hashimoto’s.
4. Thyroid hormone production starts in the brain. The pituitary gland produces TSH – thyroid stimulating hormone. TSH signals the pituitary gland to produce a thyroid hormone called T4. T4 circulates the entire body but when it goes to the tissue or cells it needs to be converted to T3 to be used by the body.
5. It’s very important to get a complete thyroid panel, not just TSH. This will give you a complete picture of your thyroid so you can know where it lies with the T3 and T4 hormones. Also, ask for an antibody test for TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies. These tests are available in every lab (and Megan can order them for clients, so feel free to contact her).
6. The presence of antibodies can confirm Hashimoto’s. It’s important to know how high the antibodies are to know the severity of Hashimoto’s. You can then know what to do to get better.
7. Hashimoto’s is the most common autoimmune condition in the world. Even being the #1 autoimmune condition, it is still underdiagnosed.
8. Hashimoto’s happens because of the interplay between genetic makeup and the surrounding environment. The environment can include food, toxins, stress, deficiencies, etc.
9. Middle-aged females are most often diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. This could be because of the hormonal shifts this group experiences. The female hormonal system is much more fragile which can expose females to autoimmune issues.
10. Most people will have a slow build-up followed by a trigger that causes autoimmune issues, including Hashimoto’s. The trigger doesn’t have to be something big. Also, triggers can be missed due to delays in diagnosis so you may not know exactly what it is.
11. Hashimoto’s has a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms can include brain fog, low concentration, mood changes, gut issues, infertility issues, lack of energy, dry skin, weight issues, etc.
12. Levothyroxine is a band-aid for Hashimoto’s. It does nothing to help with the underlying destruction of the thyroid or inflammation. To lower your dosage and not have to take it forever, it’s important to reduce inflammation and treat the root cause.
13. Lifestyle changes are the cornerstone of treating Hashimoto’s. Focus on removing certain foods that have been proven to not be good for Hashimoto’s like gluten, dairy, soy, corn, sugary foods, and processed foods and meats. These foods can increase inflammation in the body. Also, focus on adding certain foods that are proven to heal like non-starchy colorful vegetables, quality protein, quality fats, and gluten-free grains.
14. Stress management is an important part of the Hashimoto’s protocol. This includes mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional stress. Every type of stress affects our bodies physically. It’s important to incorporate de-stressing techniques on a daily basis to build resilience which can include journaling and meditation.
15. Sleep prioritization is essential in healing. Our body literally heals itself while we are sleeping so it’s important to get good quality sleep. Quality sleep can also help with reducing inflammation.
16. Selenium can lower antibody levels in Hashimoto’s disease. Not many foods are high in selenium so supplementation can be useful. Selenium can be taken with Zinc for added benefits.

Want to hear the full episode, including what Hashimoto’s is, Dr. Gupta’s recommended supplements for people with Hashimoto’s, environmental triggers for autoimmune diseases, why it’s important to find the root causes of issues, and so much more?

Head over here to catch the full episode with Dr. Gupta!

Now it’s your turn!  What is one thing you learned from this interview?

️ Want to hear about this topic in audio format? → Check out the podcast episode here!