The Dr. Westin Childs Podcast

Did you know that there are at least 10 different tests for your thyroid? Well, there are actually more but these 10 are by far the most important. If you are someone who is still feeling poorly despite taking thyroid medication or if you are someone who has been told that they are "normal" even though you don’t feel normal then this information is for you! It’s also helpful for pretty much anyone...

Is it possible to naturally increase free T3 levels? The answer is yes! There are actually two ways to do it. The first way I call the easy way. This way is easy because it involves the use of thyroid medications like Cytomel and liothyronine. If you take T3 thyroid medication then you will increase your free t3 levels. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to get those medications from your doctor which i...

Did you know that hypothyroidism can cause chronic pain? It’s one of the top 10 most common side effects from low thyroid function and not many people are aware of it. Chronic pain can come in the form of joint pain, muscle pain, or just aches and pains throughout your entire body and it is directly tied to thyroid function. Why does it occur in thyroid patients? Through something called tissue le...

LDN, which stands for low dose naltrexone, can be used to treat various treatments including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. But what is LDN? How does it work? And how do you dose it? We are going to talk about all of these today. LDN is a medication used to treat alcohol addiction but is sometimes used off-label to treat autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. LDN works by blocking opioid r...

Should you go gluten free if you have a thyroid problem? My answer is probably and, in this video, I lay out 5 reasons as to why I think most thyroid patients should consider it. Going gluten free is almost always a good idea if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease because these are autoimmune diseases. And we know from many clinical studies as well as patient reports that thyroid p...

Thyroid detox is one way that you can naturally improve your thyroid to help manage your symptoms. Whether you realize it or not, you are coming into contact with chemicals each and every day that have the ability to negatively impact thyroid function. These chemicals are referred to as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and they can sit on the thyroid receptor on your cells and prevent your thyroid f...

5 reasons your thyroid really, really needs zinc. Zinc is important for supporting thyroid function regardless of what type of thyroid problem you have. It's important if you have Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, no thyroid, if you've had your thyroid ablated, and even if you've had hyperthyroidism. Why is zinc so important for your thyroid? Check out these 5 reasons: #1. Zinc deficiency inhibits TRH...

What is the best form of zinc to take for your thyroid? Zinc is one of the most important nutrients for your thyroid. Zinc is required for T4 to T3 conversion, it is required for binding of T3 to thyroid DNA receptors, it's needed for TRH production, and much more. The bottom line is if you don't have enough zinc then your thyroid won't function optimally. Many thyroid patients know this which is...

If you are like many thyroid patients then you know that finding a good thyroid doctor can be very difficult. You probably know that medications like NDT and T3 can really help and you may even know they are right for you but what good is that information if you can't find a doctor to prescribe them? If you fit into that category then this video is for you! Here you will find tips and tricks that...

These 6 nutrient deficiencies can cause hypothyroidism and low thyroid function if present. The good thing about these nutrients is that they can be targeted and replaced which means that you may be able to reverse your thyroid condition (assuming it was caused by a nutrient deficiency!). Not all cases of hypothyroidism are caused by nutrient deficiencies but taking these supplements can still hel...

Magnesium plays a very important role in both regulating your immune system and your thyroid. In this video, we are going to discuss the importance of healthy magnesium levels in Hashimoto's and 5 big reasons why you need to make sure your magnesium levels are optimized! Magnesium is one of 3 big nutrients that are required to prevent thyroid gland damage from thyroid gland inflammation, the other...

Are you suffering from Hashimoto's related hair loss? If so, you are one of many thyroid patients suffering from the same condition. The good news is that while your thyroid may result in hair loss and hair fall, it doesn't have to forever. We are going to talk about 3 types of hair loss as well as 4 of the most common causes of hair loss in Hashimoto's patients. The 3 main types of hair loss incl...

Many people believe that iodine is dangerous if you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and that it should be avoided? Is this actually true? Not exactly. In this video, I will explain the logic behind why I recommend that every thyroid patient use iodine. For starters, iodine is required for thyroid function. If you don't have enough iodine in your body then you won't be able to produce thyroid hormone....

Free T3 and free T4 are incredibly important lab tests that all thyroid patients should be aware of. Having said that, is one better than the other? The answer is yes, and it will become obvious as we have this discussion. First: what are free thyroid hormones and why do they matter? Free thyroid hormones differ from other hormones that you can test because they represent the amount of hormone tha...

When you take your thyroid medication matters quite a bit when it comes to your thyroid lab tests. If you take your medication RIGHT before you get your labs drawn then you risk making your lab tests look more hyperthyroid than they really are. Conversely, you can avoid taking your thyroid medication for a few days prior to when you get your labs drawn to make yourself look more hypothyroid than y...

Which is the best type of doctor to see if you have a thyroid problem? It's a question that many thyroid patients ask. Why? Because so many thyroid patients don't feel like their regular doctors are either helping them or listening to them when they talk about how they feel. With that in mind, let's talk about the various types of doctors that you CAN see if you have a thyroid problem. You can pla...

Did you know that acid blockers can be harmful to your thyroid gland? Acid blockers are commonly used to treat conditions like acid reflux which thyroid patients are prone to experience! Acid blockers, such as proton pump inhibitors and h2 blockers, cause several issues for thyroid patients. What are acid blockers? Acid blockers work by blocking the production of acid in the stomach. They are used...

These foods should be AVOIDED if you have Graves' disease. These foods have the potential to cause problems due to how your body processes them in the hyperthyroid state. How do you know if you should avoid them? Well, here I'm talking to people who have ACTIVE graves' disease. Active Graves' disease means that you are taking thyroid-blocking medication like methimazole or if you are currently hyp...

This is a list of signs of thyroid problems in women! If you are not feeling like yourself and experiencing symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, or hair loss then it may be your thyroid! Low thyroid function impacts up to 20% of the population (or more). Find out how thyroid problems manifest in women here. Both men and women can get thyroid problems, that much is true but the way that thyroid p...

Should soy be avoided if you have a thyroid problem? The answer is not as clear as you might think. Soy is actually somewhat controversial because there are many studies which show that it is helpful and others that suggest it may be harmful to thyroid patients. I'm speaking specifically to thyroid patients when I talk about soy! It may be the case that soy is beneficial but I want to make the cas...

Want to know which thyroid medication is best for weight loss? The short answer is pretty much anything that contains T3 thyroid hormone but some of my favorites include cytomel and liothyronine. Other thyroid medications that contain T4 thyroid hormone can be used but they rarely ever help with weight loss. Here's why: Thyroid patients struggle with losing weight, there's no disputing this. If yo...

Your thyroid needs these 3 vitamins in order to create thyroid hormone. If you have a deficiency in ANY of these nutrients then your body will not be able to produce thyroid hormone and you may feel the symptoms of low thyroid. The good news is that you can take this information and use it to potentially help you feel better if you have low levels of any of these nutrients. The 3 main vitamins nee...

The 5 most common causes of a low TSH. TSH is often used to diagnose thyroid problems in both men and women but it isn't always perfect. In this video, I explain the various triggers of a LOW tsh and what they meant for your body. First, let's talk about what the TSH is. TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone and it is produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. TSH then goes into your bloo...

Are you currently taking thyroid medication? Have you ever wondered about trying to get off of your thyroid medication? You were probably told that you have to take it for the rest of your life, right? What if I told you that that may not be the case? Well, it's true. There are a lot of thyroid patients who are taking prescription thyroid medications who ultimately want to stop taking them if at a...

Are you feeling worse on your thyroid medication? If so, you are not alone. Many thyroid patients feel this exact same way! But how can the very medication that is supposed to help you feel better make you feel worse? It's actually not that complicated but in order to understand what is happening, you have to understand some basic thyroid physiology. Here are the top 3 reasons people feel WORSE wh...