Episodes

In this interview on The Dr. Hedberg Show, I had a great time talking to Shannon Garrett about Hashimoto's disease. We started by talking about Shannon's personal journey with Hashimoto’s disease. And then we got into how stress triggers Hashimoto's disease as well as emotions and early adverse life events in childhood and how they connect to autoimmune disease as an adult. Shannon's book Hashimoto’s: Finding Joy in the Journey. The many shades and stages of grief and Hashimoto's disease. Shanno...

Meditation for anxiety and depression is something I highly recommend for everyone suffering from these symptoms. Sometimes some of the most powerful tools to improve your health are built right into your own body and are absolutely free. Most of you are probably in a state of information overload with your mind racing at night, feeling stressed, out of control and you just can’t seem to calm down your mind to a state of happiness, clarity, and well-being. I've been meditating almost every day f...

The autoimmune paleo diet (AIP) also known as the autoimmune protocol diet is an extremely popular diet these days for autoimmune disease but there has never been any studies done to evaluate if it actually works. Although testimonials should be taken into account, and there are many all over the internet, the ultimate test for validity is a clinical trial. As of August 29th, 2017, we now have a study that looked at this diet and how effective it was for autoimmune disease. The paper is entitled...

What is Hepatitis C? The Hepatitis C Virus infects the liver and it can spread to other body tissues such as the thyroid gland. Once inside the thyroid gland, it multiplies and may cause Hashimoto’s disease. Hepatitis C has also been found to trigger arthritis, diabetes, autoimmunity to the liver, Sjogren’s syndrome, and autoimmunity to the kidney. Chronic infection of the liver causes liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer. What are the symptoms of Hepatitis C? This can be the tricky part becaus...

In this exciting interview on The Dr. Hedberg Show, I interviewed Dr. Izabella Wentz about everything Hashimoto's disease. We had a great conversation and covered some very practical information that everyone can use right away. Here are the topics we covered in the interview: How did you become interested in the thyroid? What are some of the common root causes of Hashimoto’s? You’ve now worked with over a thousand people with Hashimoto’s and figured out that you can accelerate healing and sympt...

Epstein-Barr Virus or EBV is a herpes virus (Herpes 4) that is significantly connected to Hashimoto’s disease and many other autoimmune diseases. It is the most common infection I see in my patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Testing for Epstein-barr virus is fairly straightforward but treatment can take a long time. How do you get infected? Epstein-Barr Virus is transmitted by saliva resulting in mononucleosis (“mono”) also known as “the kissing disease.” EBV can also be transmitted via seme...

Discovered in 1982 in those with gastritis and ulcers, Helicobacter pylori or “H. pylori” is one of the most common infections connected to Hashimoto’s disease and also Graves’ disease for that matter. Like Yersinia enterocolitica and Epstein-Barr Virus infections, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can be triggered by H. pylori through a process called molecular mimicry which basically means that the infection looks similar to your thyroid tissue so the immune system attacks the infection and the thyroid ...

Yersinia enterocolitica is one of the most common infections I see in my patients who have Hashimoto’s disease. Let us explore some basic information about Yersinia so you can understand it better and how it relates to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. What is Yersinia enterocolitica? Yersinia enterocolitica is a gram-negative bacteria that causes yersiniosis usually caused by drinking contaminated milk or water or eating raw or undercooked meat, usually pork (chitlins). Human-to-human infection is possi...

In this episode of The Dr. Hedberg Show I interview Stacey Robbins! This was a very unique interview because we didn’t focus on biochemistry, but rather how Hashimoto’s can affect your life and your relationships. Stacey Robbins (Certified Health Coach and Certified Yoga Instructor RYT200) is an award-winning Author, Speaker, and Integrated Wellness Coach. She is honored to work with senior executives in global organizations and is a trusted advisor to influential thought leaders, film producers...

In this podcast episode I interview Dana Trentini, the founder of the well-known Hypothyroid Mom blog. I really enjoyed our talk, in particular discussing thyroid issues with someone who is so passionate about thyroid health. Dana Trentini created the thyroid advocacy blog Hypothyroid Mom. Dana launched her blog on October 1st, 2012, in memory of the unborn baby she lost due to hypothyroidism. She set out on a mission to learn all she could about hypothyroidism and to share her discoveries with ...

The thyroid is a small gland that lies in the neck about the level of the Adam’s apple and weighs approximately one ounce. It produces thyroid hormone and calcitonin. The parathyroid glands are very small and lie on the outside portion of the thyroid gland and secrete parathyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone ignites your metabolism so you can burn fat and produce energy. We will be focusing on thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland is stimulated to make thyroid hormone by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TS...

The gut-thyroid connection is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of healthy thyroid function. Did you know that many diseases can be traced to a breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract? 70 percent of your immune system resides in this area - your gut, and the GI tract has many important functions for your health including digestion, nutrient absorption, elimination, detoxification, hormone metabolism and energy production. 99% of the neurotransmitters in your body are actually crea...

The ferritin test may be the most important blood test you ever get, especially if you have a thyroid problem. When I began my training in the diagnosis and management of internal disorders immediately after graduation, one of the first things we studied heavily was blood chemistry analysis. My teachers always stressed the importance of taking a careful look at iron levels in the blood and a rare test known as the ferritin test. What is ferritin? Ferritin is an iron-containing protein and is the...

Understanding the importance of gluten and Hashimoto's disease may be the key factor in healing your thyroid. The Link Between Gluten and Hashimoto's Disease Has your doctor talked to you about the link between gluten and Hashimoto's Disease? Hashimoto's Disease is an autoimmune condition that causes 90% of all cases of hypothyroidism. Gluten is a combination of proteins found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt and many others. Ongoing scientific research indicates that there is a dange...

Low Thyroid Symptoms in Women are Widespread Thyroid symptoms in women are sadly prevalent today. In general, women are more vulnerable to thyroid disorders than men for a variety of reasons. It is estimated that as many as ten percent of women suffer harmful effects from underactive thyroid, a condition also known as hypothyroidism. Thyroid symptoms in women are more frequently caused by the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Up to ninety percent of all cases of hypothyroidism are caus...

In this podcast, I chat with Michael Diettrich-Chastain about three things you can do for anxiety. We discussed the importance of having a daily routine that you sustain for a long time in order to get the best results. The following can be extremely helpful for anxiety that you can implement into your daily routine: Meditation Journaling Some type of movement such as exercise or just a walk in nature Spending more time with people and removing yourself from isolation Taking a break from technol...

Is Facebook making you sick? Many have the false belief that Facebook was created for the benefit of people to stay in touch and see what their “friends” are up to. In actuality, Facebook was created strictly to gather as much data as possible about its users for the single purpose of making a profit. Is Facebook Having an Ill-Effect on your Health? Is Facebook making you sick - nothing more than a “rat wheel” filled with advertisements, negative injections of news, agendas, depersonalization an...

One of my all-time favorite healthy foods is definitely sardines. This was certainly an acquired taste and I had to learn the hard way that some brands are absolutely disgusting and others taste great. The picture above shows the three brands of sardines I eat the most. Why are sardines so great? Sardines are nutritional powerhouses containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, high-quality protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, thiamin, riboflav...

In order to understand how to beat depression naturally, we must understand what causes depression. Inflammation and depression For many years there has been a generally accepted cause of depression with the treatment revolving around neurotransmitter manipulation through antidepressant medications. It has become quite clear however that inflammation is at the core of depression, anxiety, insomnia and other mood disorders in many people. And, you can beat depression naturally! Antidepressants ha...

The rate of osteoporosis continues to increase despite new drugs and an increase in vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Could it be that the focus on building bone has been going down the wrong path of drugs, supplements and hormone replacement? Although all of these can potentially help build bone, the key really lies in building lean muscle mass. As we age, we also lose muscle mass (known as sarcopenia) which results in the following health problems: Frequent falls resulting in bone fractur...

Have you ever wondered what causes hypothyroidism? Are you suffering from any of the following symptoms? Fatigue Weight Gain and difficulty losing weight Hair Loss Depression Cold Hands & Feet Constipation Insomnia Dry Brittle Nails Lack of Motivation Muscle pain Your thyroid could be a major contributing factor to these symptoms. Your thyroid may have been checked by your physician, but were you evaluated for autoimmune thyroid disease? What causes hypothyroidism? The number one cause of hypoth...

When I was bodybuilding in the 1990’s, we used to use the ketogenic diet to burn off that extra bit of stubborn fat. We would only do it for about 3-4 days however and would then cycle the diet for 2-3 weeks maximum. The ketogenic diet works well to burn fat while preserving muscle mass which is extremely important when you are dieting because lean muscle mass is vital for good health. What is ketosis? The ketogenic diet converts the body into a fat-burning metabolism known as ketosis which basi...

What are FODMAPs and how do I follow a low FODMAP diet? FODMAPs or Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols are a specific type of carbohydrate found in certain foods that you must avoid if you are following a low FODMAP diet. The family of FODMAPs include: Lactose from dairy products. Fructans: garlic, onions, wheat etc. Galactans: legumes such as lentils, beans, soybeans etc. Fructose: honey, certain fruits, high fructose corn syrup etc. Polyols: stone fruits such as avocados, peaches,...

Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant derived from turmeric root used heavily in traditional Indian cuisine. Turmeric is a close relative of ginger which I use quite a bit to improve digestion and reduce inflammation. Curcumin was first used about 4,000 years ago in Chinese and Ayruvedic medicine. Curcumin has a tremendous amount of research behind it and it is one of my favorite natural anti-inflammatories. But it's powers don't end with inflammation. Research has shown that curcumin has the follo...