In today’s episode, I’m opening up about something I’ve never fully shared before — my own thyroid journey. Even as a practitioner, I’m not immune to the hormonal shifts, viral triggers, and autoimmune quirks that so many midlife women face. My goal with this episode is to pull back the curtain, remove the shame, and give you a deeper understanding of what can really drive thyroid issues in perimenopause and menopause.

I walk you through the symptoms I experienced, what my lab work revealed, how my antibodies suddenly spiked, and the surprising reason why (hint: it wasn’t gluten or leaky gut). I also share how I’m supporting my thyroid now, including why I chose Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and how modern medicine + holistic strategies can work beautifully together.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, you suspect thyroid changes, or you’ve simply “never felt the same” since getting sick — this episode will give you clarity, validation, and a roadmap for next steps.

In This Episode, We Cover:

1. Practitioners Aren’t Superhuman (and Why I’m Sharing My Story) Despite being in the health field, I’m just as human as you—complete with my own health ups and downs. If you’ve ever thought you “should” be symptom-free by now or that health coaches never have issues, let me squash those myths. We all have things to manage, especially in perimenopause!

2. My Personal Symptoms I get candid about the main issues I’ve faced in perimenopause, especially my increase in migraines (thanks, hormones!), a bit more oily skin and hair, and some hair thinning (which was actually tied to being sick, not my hormones). I like to think I’m doing pretty well overall for 46—and that’s thanks to consistently taking care of myself over the years.

3. The Rollercoaster of Thyroid Health I share my postpartum thyroiditis experience after having my daughters, what my lab tests have shown over the years, and why certain numbers (like TPO antibodies) matter. Spoiler: your thyroid can swing up, down, or even sideways, and the numbers don’t always tell the whole story about symptoms!

4. What Actually Triggered My Antibodies Here’s where it gets interesting—I play “Two Lies and a Truth” with you about possible triggers and reveal that two back-to-back viral infections (COVID and then the flu) were the real culprits behind my antibody spike, NOT gluten or leaky gut. There’s so much hype and misinformation out there, but sometimes the answer is more straightforward (and backed by research) than you think!

5. How I’m Addressing Thyroid Autoimmunity I chat about why I decided to use Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and how we need to be more open to strategic use of modern medicines, especially as we get older. My antibodies started to come down after starting LDN, and I truly believe in balancing lifestyle strategies with evidence-based medication when it’s needed.

6. Hashimoto’s vs. Hypothyroidism – Clearing Up the Confusion Just because you have antibodies doesn’t mean you have hypothyroidism, or that you need medication. I talk about what the numbers mean, why your thyroid is extra vulnerable in midlife, and how everyone’s journey looks a little different.

7. Genetics, Gut Health & The Importance of Testing Your genes matter—but they don’t seal your fate! I explain some of my dodgy genetics, how I keep tabs on my gut health and thyroid, and why you need proper testing (not just internet hearsay or buying all the supplements) to truly know what’s going on.

8. When & Why To Check Your Thyroid If you’ve been sick or through a lot of stress, your thyroid deserves some attention! I recommend checking your full thyroid panel at least once a year, especially as we move through midlife.