Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

If you are interested in losing weight or simply maintaining weight then you need to pay close attention to your basal metabolic rate. This rate controls how many calories you burn at rest and it’s the most important factor when it comes to your weight. The question is, can you do anything to augment your basal metabolic rate to improve how many calories you burn at rest? And the answer to that question is yes. This is because your thyroid is primarily responsible for controlling BMR. It’s estimated that up to 40 to 60% of your caloric burn is regulated in part by your thyroid. And there are things you can do to improve your thyroid function to increase how many calories you are burning at baseline. One of those things is by taking thyroid hormones, especially t2 thyroid hormone. Emerging research is showing that T2 thyroid hormone is one of the thyroid hormones in your body that is primarily responsible for regulating your metabolism. And it just so happens that T2 is the only thyroid hormone t

Exercise is probably one of the best treatments for your thyroid that you aren’t taking advantage of. Don’t believe me? Here are just some of the benefits: 1. Higher free thyroid hormone levels. 2. Lower TSH level. 3. Faster weight loss. 4. Increased muscle mass and better muscle health overall. 5. Improved mood. 6. More consistent bowel movements. 7. Reduced inflammation. If you wanted to take advantage of a treatment that can help you almost as much as a thyroid medication (without the need for a prescription) then exercise is something you simply can’t ignore. But how can you exercise for your thyroid? And if you do, how do you know which exercises are best? Exercising with a thyroid condition is difficult, but not impossible. Symptoms like fatigue, and muscle pain, which can stem from low thyroid function, can limit your ability to exercise but the good news is that exercising can actually help alleviate these symptoms. If you are going to exercise, the best combination of exercises includ

Selenium may be one of the best and easiest ways to reduce thyroid antibodies if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease. Selenium is a trace mineral that is necessary for the function of certain enzymes and proteins. One of the functions of selenium is to create glutathione which acts to protect the thyroid gland from oxidative stress. When selenium is low, your thyroid gland is open to damage just from creating thyroid hormones. Taking selenium has been shown in several studies to help lower thyroid antibodies and even balance thyroid hormone levels like free t3 and free T4. There is some conflicting information, though, regarding selenium supplementation as not all studies suggest that it’s effective. The reason for this is probably because selenium supplementation works best for those people who need it and who are deficient. Should you take selenium as a thyroid patient? I think so because the benefits far outweigh the potential negative side effects and, even if it doesn’t help

Taking the right supplements has the potential to dramatically improve your thyroid and either help it work better or prevent future problems from occurring. Whether you’re trying to optimize your thyroid function because you have an existing problem like hypothyroidism or because you just want to prevent a future thyroid problem from occurring, these are, in my opinion, the 5 best supplements to take for your thyroid EVERY day: 1. A daily multivitamin. A multivitamin because your thyroid is incredibly active and chews through a lot of nutrients. The most important include zinc, selenium, vitamin A, iodine, and vitamin B12. A deficiency in any of these may impair thyroid function. 2. Protein powder. Protein powder makes the list because it’s one of my all-around favorite supplements for one reason: it helps you stay on track with your diet. In addition, there’s also a connection between your muscle mass and thyroid function. 3. Omega 3 fatty acids. Fatty acids help to lower inflammation which helps ensu

Yes, you’ve been lied to: brazil nuts are not the source of selenium that you’ve been led to believe! Yes, they are definitely the single best food source of selenium out there, but they have a few dirty little secrets that you should know about BEFORE you start eating them. These secrets are so impactful on their overall benefit that I think it often makes more sense to supplement with selenium as opposed to getting it from brazil nuts. Here’s why: The selenium content in brazil nuts varies dramatically from nut to nut. Some studies suggest that it’s as high as 6 mcg per nut all the way as high as 154 mcg per nut. The second reason has to do with selenium toxicity. It’s easier than you might think to accidentally take too much and when you couple this with the variability in dosing, you’re very likely to get much more or much less than you think. The third has to do with the potential increased risk that taking too much selenium can have on diabetes risk. The bottom line? Think twice about using

Your thyroid gland is the most important endocrine gland in your body (yes, I said it!) because it controls and regulates just about every cell in your body as well as just about every hormone in your body. It also happens to be sensitive to inflammation and if this happens, you will feel it. These are the most common signs of thyroid gland inflammation: 1. Fluctuating thyroid hormone levels. 2. Feeling run down. 3. Joint pain and muscle pain. 4. Allergies or reactions to foods. 5. Skin problems. 6. Symptoms of other autoimmune diseases. Because thyroid gland inflammation is never normal, you should always get it checked out. The most common cause of thyroid gland inflammation is the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s. If you feel you have inflammation make sure to get tested for this condition and make sure you take steps to reduce inflammation as quickly as possible! You can do this with natural therapies, changing your diet, and taking the right supplements. #thyroid #thyroidawareness #hypoth

Using the right supplements has the potential to help you manage your thyroid symptoms and support your thyroid. Using the wrong supplements can do the exact opposite. In fact, using the right supplements is even worse because not only will they not help you feel better, but you’re also wasting money. This video outlines some of the WORST supplements and WORST formulations that thyroid patients can take. If you are looking to improve thyroid function and better manage your symptoms then you’ll want to avoid these supplements and ingredients: 1. Magnesium oxide. 2. Zinc oxide. 3. High-dose iodine. 4. Cyanocobalamin. 5. Vitamin D2. Instead of using these formulations, you will want to opt for magnesium glycinate, zinc glycinate, low-dose iodine, methylcobalamin, and vitamin D3. #thyroid #hypothyroidism #thyroidsupport #thyroidawareness #hashimoto #supplements Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal rang

Wait, aren’t fruits harmful because they contain sugar?! Not by a long shot. Fruits are not only healthy for your entire body, they can also help support your thyroid gland. If you are someone with thyroid disease, or if you are just looking to support your thyroid to keep it healthy, this information is for you. Fruits work to help your overall health by providing a natural source of fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, and polyphenols. These ingredients help your body fight of inflammation, protect your cells, help with weight loss, and so much more. When it comes to your thyroid, a few fruits stand above others. These include: 1. Blueberries. Packed full of nutrients, blueberries clock in at 85 calories per serving. These are low carb and have some of the best health benefits of any fruit. 2. Goji berries. Goji berries act as both a fruit and an adaptogen which means they can help with adrenal fatigue, vitality, and cortisol imbalance. 3. Avocados. This fruit is high in healthy fats w

Magnesium is incredibly important for cellular health as it is involved in over 300 different enzymatic reactions. When magnesium levels are low, you WILL feel it. This leads a lot of people to use supplements to replace low magnesium levels. But here’s the problem: When you go looking for magnesium supplements you will be met with a huge array of different types. And these types and formulations of magnesium are NOT all created equal. Let’s talk about the best types of magnesium so you can replace lost levels and manage symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, and more. 1. Magnesium oxide. This is the cheapest and least effective form and should be avoided! 2. Magnesium citrate. This form is great for treating constipation. 3. Magnesium malate. This is a stimulating form of magnesium great for those with fatigue (don’t take it at night!). 4. Magnesium l-threonate. This form of magnesium crosses the blood-brain barrier and is ideal for treating conditions like depression. 5.

GLP-1 agonists are a class of medications that everyone is talking about right now because of their beneficial effects on weight loss. And while they are effective at helping with weight loss, there have been multiple studies that suggest that there is a link between their use and the new onset of thyroid cancer. Let’s talk about this connection in more detail to see if it is something you should actually worry about. First off, where does this information come from? Studies like this one (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36356111/) suggest that there is indeed a real risk of thyroid cancer with long term use of GLP-1 agonists in diabetes. This study showed that there were about 2,500 new cases of thyroid cancer in a sample size of over 3.7 million. The incidence of thyroid cancer in these patients was small but still real. It’s important to note here that correlation does not equal causation but this is just adding to the pile of studies that suggest a link between these medications and thyroid cancer s

Is your thyroid contributing to an overall look of fatigue or tiredness on your face? If so, you aren’t alone. And today I’m going to teach you how to get rid of this look so you that you can wake up feeling and looking refreshed. The stereotypical thyroid tired look comes from a variety of things including the impact that thyroid function can have on your face and eyes. Due to changes in your sleep and even changes in your facial shape from swelling, your thyroid can make you look chronically tired. The good news is that it doesn’t have to last forever and there are things you can do to fix it right up. Step 1. Get more sleep! Here are 3 tips to help you get more sleep: - Tape your mouth shut. - Set a bed time and protect it. - Allow your body to wake up naturally and get out of bed immediately upon waking up. - Step 4 (treat your thyroid but more on this later). Getting more sleep is ALWAYS important if you don’t want to look tired. Step 2. Do facial yoga. Facial yoga targets the muscles of facial

I probably don’t need to convince you that not all thyroid medications are created equal. If you’ve been a thyroid patient for any length of time then you know that there are some thyroid medications that just seem to work better than others. The question is why? There are several reasons for this but one of the main reasons has to do with the inactive ingredients. Every single thyroid medication contains similar active ingredients but they differ dramatically in their inactive ingredients. And it is these inactive ingredients that can cause a lot of issues for patients. Here are the BEST and CLEANEST thyroid medications on the market by thyroid medication class: The cleanest T4-only thyroid medications: Tirosint Tirosint-sol The cleanest T3-only thyroid medications: Sustained release T3 (SR T3) The cleanest NDT thyroid medications: NP Thyroid by a slight margin (WP thyroid be the best if it were available) #thyroidmedication #thyroidmedicine #levothyroxine #thyroidawareness #thyroidproblems #hypoth

Berberine is one of my favorite supplements out there and has been for several years. The reason is simple: berberine helps treat the biggest and most important conditions that people face including weight gain, insulin resistance, and gut dysfunction. It’s not only healthy for people who are already healthy, but it’s also amazing for people who want to stay healthy! You can use it to assist with weight loss, balance your blood sugar, build more muscle mass, or just optimize your physique. Let’s talk about the benefits of berberine and why you can make a strong case to use it. Many of the benefits we are going to be discussing today stem from Berberine’s ability to increase something called AMPK or AMP kinase. This is the same enzyme that is increased when you exercise. So when you think about the benefits, think about berberine as a tiny bottle of exercise. It doesn’t replace exercise but it’s helpful to wrap your head around how it’s working. Activating AMPK increases fat burning potential, mitochondr

Improving your gut health is one of the most important things you can do as a patient with Hashimoto’s. Targeting your gut can increase T4 to T3 conversion thereby providing your body with more T3, it can improve thyroid medication absorption, it can reduce inflammation, help you lose weight, and improve your overall health. Targeting your gut is a no-brainer and one of the easiest ways to do this is with the use of probiotics. But which probiotics are best? That’s exactly what we are going to be talking about today. #1. Soil-based organisms. These probiotic species come from the ground and we are no longer exposed to them due to the fact that we no longer drink well water and due to changes in our farming techniques. Soil based organisms have been shown to populate the intestinal tract which means they provide long-term benefit, they are long-lasting, they are heat stable, they can be used to treat conditions like SIBO, gas, distention, bloating, and more. Strains to look for: Bacillus coagulans, ba

T4 is the most abundant thyroid hormone in the body by far. Roughly 80% of all thyroid hormone floating around in your body right now is in the form of T4. It may not be the most powerful, but it’s obviously very important to thyroid hormone regulation because your body can draw upon your T4 store to create various types of thyroid hormone as needed. If you are someone who is trying to optimize your thyroid function for better health or because you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, you should find this information on how to increase your T4 levels naturally very helpful: 1. Diet: Look for foods that are high in iron, tyrosine, and iodine as all 3 of these nutrients are needed for thyroid hormone production. #2. Food volume: Not only are the type of foods that you eat important but also the quantity or volume of food that you eat. Avoid calorie restricted diets if you are trying to increase your T4 level. You may paradoxically see an increase in T4 temporarily but this comes at the cost of low T3 which

Iodine is critical for overall health, especially thyroid health. But the question is, how much should you be getting each day? This is an incredibly contentious topic because everyone seems to have a different opinion. What I’m going to do today is break down iodine dosing in a simple and easy-to-understand way so you understand how much you should be taking to minimize negative outcomes while maximizing positive ones. When you look at the RDA for iodine you’ll see that the recommended dosing should be between 150 and 270 (~300) mcg per day depending on whether or not you are a lactating woman or a pregnant woman. Those who are lactating or pregnant require more than the average adult because they need to make up for what a developing child needs. What happens when you don’t get enough iodine? You will end up with a goiter and hypothyroidism which is not ideal. What happens when you get too much? You increase your risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease. How

No matter how you look at it, your diet has the ability to negatively or positively impact thyroid function. Today I want to talk about what type of changes you can make to the foods that you eat to improve your thyroid if you have hypothyroidism. These tips and tricks will help your thyroid function more optimally so that you can not only produce enough thyroid hormone but also convert that thyroid hormone into its most active form. These tips are primarily targeted at those with hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, low thyroid, and a sluggish thyroid. Tip 1: Find a whole food-based diet and stick to it for at least 90 days. It doesn’t really matter which diet you use but here are some of my favorites and some that I have personally recommended to thyroid patients in the past: whole30, elimination diet, keto, carnivore, paleo, AIP, and gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free. Tip 2: Avoid calorie-restricted diets. It may be tempting to reduce your calories if you are trying to lose weight but it can be d

Thyroid nodules are incredibly common and impact up to 65% of people! The number of people who have thyroid nodules goes up as they age as well leaving a huge number of people with these bundles of joy toward the end of their life. Why should you care about thyroid nodules? Because sometimes (rarely) they may be cancerous. Luckily, 95% of the time they are benign and don’t do much except cause stress to the patient who has them but if they are present, you do need to keep an eye on them to make sure you aren’t one of the unlucky few who does end up with thyroid cancer over time. Because of this problem, many patients with nodules are looking for ways to shrink them so let’s talk about how that can happen right now. Here are 6 potential therapies that may help you reduce the size or eliminate your thyroid nodules but you should be aware that they don’t always work! But even if that’s the case, it’s still always a good idea to use these treatments because they won’t hurt and only have the potential to hel

Armour thyroid is one of the most popular natural desiccated thyroid medications on the market. For that reason, we are going to be taking a close look at both the inactive and inactive ingredients found inside of this thyroid medication to see what it’s actually made of. I plan to do this for all thyroid medications and if you’d like to see my previous video on levothyroxine ingredients you can find that here: When it comes to active ingredients, Armour thyroid contains the following: Standardized doses of T4 and T3 and non-standardized doses of T2, T1 (probably), and calcitonin. These are active hormones found inside of this medication. A non-standardized dose just means that it’s probably found in there but they don’t ensure any sort of level between lots. The inactive ingredients include calcium stearate, dextrose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, and opadry white. If you are having issues with Armour thyroid it is almost certainly due to the inactive ingredients as opposed to

Is Hashimoto’s considered a fatal disease? Technically, yes, but the reality is that most people will not die directly from Hashimoto’s. In order for this to happen you must neglect your health and thyroid for decades which is very unlikely to happen in developed countries like the United States. But does that mean you are free from risk if you have Hashimoto’s? Not at all. We know from twin studies that patients with hypothyroidism have a 50% increased risk of mortality compared to the average population and we also know that Hashimoto’s leads to hypothyroidism so this risk is likely relevant to patients with autoimmune thyroid disease as well. But what causes this risk? It’s not from the thyroid itself but from comorbidities that are associated with hypothyroidism. These conditions include: 1. An increase in cancer risk. 2. An increase in cardiovascular disease. 3. And an increased risk of obesity which leads to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and insulin resistance. This may