Before my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, I was sleeping under two blankets while living in southern California, and wearing sweaters and scarves to my office, while everyone else showed up in short sleeves. I would also complain to my husband that our house was too cold, only to find that the thermostat was set at 73 degrees Fahrenheit! Cold intolerance is a common symptom many of us have… The thyroid gland has been called a thermostat for our body, as it helps to regulate heat. People with hypothyroidism are prone to having low body temperatures and cold intolerance. It’s one of those symptoms that ..read more

Wow… do the years just fly by! I can’t believe that it’s been over 10 years since I started the thyroidpharmacist.com blog in 2013, and now 2023 is almost over. Around this time of year, I tend to be very introspective. I was visiting with my family and my mom commented about how quiet I have been… but I love this time of year… the end of the year is always a perfect opportunity to reflect, let go of the past, dream, and plan for the future. For me, the New Year is always a great time to shed the old me, and start fresh! As we head into New Year’s Eve, I wanted to send a quick note to wish y ..read more

As a pharmacist, product safety and superiority is very important to me. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that many supplements are not only ineffective, but some are even downright unsafe. When I was navigating my own health challenges, I was very skeptical about using supplements. This is because I had learned about various adulterants found in supplements, how some supplement manufacturers don’t actually put the products that are on the label in the bottle, or that the dosages listed on the label may be completely different from what’s in the products. The truth is that most supplement companie ..read more

Got reflux? I had reflux, too. It started with a chronic cough, pain, burning, and choking sensation. I tried every over-the-counter product possible. I saw my primary care doctor, an allergist, a gastroenterologist, and an ear, nose, and throat doctor. I even had a barium swallow test where I swallowed a nasty, chalky substance, and the test revealed I had a sliding hiatal hernia with spontaneous reflux. I drank gallons of milk trying to soothe the burn. I drank bottles of Mylanta, and always had a bottle of Tums nearby. I tried Nexium, Prilosec, Aciphex,&n ..read more

One of my favorite things to do is to be super prepared (just ask my husband!). This translates to having lots of first aid kits and a fully stocked medicine cabinet (or two). Last October, my son started catching all of the preschool bugs (and bringing them home). I wasn’t quite prepared for preschool bugs, so not only did my little one keep getting sick, but then I kept getting sick from caring for him during those times! I made a resolution to be more prepared this year, so this past September, I made a calendar appointment for myself to restock my medicine cabinet in preparation for kind ..read more

Histamine is such a fascinating chemical, and I feel like my knowledge and appreciation for histamine is ever-evolving! As a young pharmacy technician, I was excited to learn about antihistamines, and their effects on allergies. Then in pharmacy school, I learned about how psychiatric medications have histamine-blocking properties as well. Additionally, I had the rare honor of doing a rotation at the Pfeiffer Treatment Center under Dr. William Walsh in my early twenties, where I learned about ortho molecular medicine and two seldom known biochemical imbalances: histapenia (not enough histamin ..read more

I recently had the pleasure of connecting with a lovely lady who was very concerned about her thyroid nodules. She was a new mom who had just given birth and found that the nodules she had on her thyroid had grown. She was planning on getting them biopsied and potentially removing her thyroid, and wanted to know what her options were for addressing this concern. I frequently receive these types of questions about thyroid nodules — why they happen, and what to do about them. While I personally did not present with thyroid nodules, I have had a few clients and readers with Hashimoto’s and nodul ..read more

Female hormones are thought to play a role in the development of autoimmune thyroid conditions. Pregnancy, puberty, and perimenopause (periods of major changes in female hormones) are three of the most common times in a woman’s life for the onset of thyroid disease to occur. Sex hormones have an important role in modulating the immune system and may impact autoimmune disease. Estrogen can also change the requirements for thyroid hormone, and this may result in an autoimmune condition, especially in the presence of nutrient deficiencies. While my own thyroid journey started much earlier (likel ..read more

I just returned from a trip to Poland to visit family with my five year old son, and I am reflecting so much on how far I have come in my health! The last time I visited my family in Poland was in 2014. I was newly in remission from Hashimoto’s (due to eliminating a lot of things), and I had to be so careful about what personal care products I had packed and what I ate (I was following a diet close to the AIP diet at the time). I was so nervous during the trip, and felt withdrawn, passing on many family activities because I wanted to conserve my energy… yet I still got sick with digestive iss ..read more

I don’t know about you, but I love the fall season… the excitement of back-to-school, the crisp change to the weather, the beautiful array of colors as leaves change, and the promise of new beginnings. There’s an inspirational energy this time of year, and I like to use it to tackle areas of my life that I want to change or address. This season, I want to bring some attention to the environments we live in, and how to make low tox living a bit more approachable. Toxins in our daily environment are what I call “low hanging fruit” in terms of our health. You’ve heard me share often about how to ..read more