118: Addressing Thyroid and Hormone Root Cause w/ Gillis Pellegrin
Apr 14, 2024
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Gillis Pellegrin, a functional nutrition coach and hormone expert, discusses hormone dysfunction in women and lifestyle factors in thyroid health. Topics include comprehensive thyroid testing, alternative thyroid medications, liver health for optimal thyroid function, sleep hygiene, estrogen dominance effects on thyroid function, and strategies for fat loss resistance in women.
Hormone dysfunction in women requires attention and comprehensive treatment.
Proper nutrition, resistance training, and addressing underlying issues are vital for thyroid health.
A full thyroid panel and liver support are crucial for optimal thyroid function.
Deep dives
The Importance of Lifestyle Factors in Hormone Function
Ensuring a balance of lifestyle factors like proper sleep hygiene, stress management, and nutrition significantly impacts hormonal health. Lifestyle habits such as getting adequate sunlight exposure in the morning, avoiding technology before bedtime, and developing morning and evening routines play a crucial role in maintaining hormonal balance and overall well-being.
The Role of Medications in Thyroid Dysfunction
Medications like levothyroxine (Synthroid) and desiccated thyroid tissue supplements (e.g., NP thyroid) are commonly prescribed for thyroid dysfunction. Each medication type serves a distinct purpose, with levothyroxine primarily containing T4 and desiccated forms including both T3 and T4. Understanding the differences and implications of various thyroid medications is essential for effective treatment.
Addressing Circadian Disruptions and Shift Work Challenges
Managing circadian disruptions, particularly in shift workers, requires a strategic approach to sleep-wake cycles and lifestyle adjustments. Shift workers facing challenges in weight management due to circadian disruptions could benefit from focusing on improving the quality of their sleep, tracking sleep patterns, and ensuring adequate rest and recovery despite non-traditional work hours.
Impact of Food Timing on Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Quality
Eating habits significantly influence circadian rhythms and quality of sleep, especially for individuals with night shifts. It is crucial for night shift workers to be mindful of their food intake timing to support better sleep patterns. Consuming a proper meal composition before bedtime is essential to avoid disruptions in sleep, such as avoiding heavy meals like steak and wine close to sleep time.
Interplay Between Sex Hormones, Thyroid, and Fat Distribution
The relationship between sex hormones and the thyroid plays a crucial role in metabolic processes and fat distribution in the body, specifically affecting estrogen dominance and thyroid function. Excess estrogen levels can lead to digestive issues and impact thyroid function, contributing to hormonal imbalances. Addressing estrogen dominance is vital to prevent adverse effects on thyroid activity, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to hormonal health.
WOW WOW WOW.....In this episode, Jim and Aram interview Gillis Pellegrin, a functional nutrition coach and hormone expert. They discuss the importance of addressing hormone dysfunction, particularly in women, and the role of lifestyle factors in thyroid health.
Takeaways
Hormone dysfunction, particularly in women, is an important issue that needs to be addressed.
A comprehensive approach that includes proper nutrition, resistance training, and addressing underlying issues is crucial for thyroid health.
A full thyroid panel, including TSH, T4, T3, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies, is necessary to assess thyroid function.
Getting blood work done through a practitioner account with Evexia Diagnostics is a recommended option for comprehensive testing. Levothyroxine (Synthroid) is a common thyroid medication, but there are other options available, such as desiccated thyroid tissue.
The conversion of T4 to T3 primarily occurs in the liver, so it's important to support liver health for optimal thyroid function.
Sleep hygiene, including establishing a consistent sleep routine and avoiding technology before bed, is crucial for overall health and hormone balance.
Estrogen dominance can impact thyroid function, as excess estrogen can raise thyroid binding globulin (TBG) levels and affect the availability of thyroid hormones.
Shift workers face unique challenges in maintaining circadian rhythm and hormone balance, but prioritizing sleep quality and meal timing can help mitigate some of these issues.
Menopause is typically defined as the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months, but other factors like anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels can provide insight into ovarian reserve and the transition to menopause. Hormonal changes during midlife, such as declining estrogen and increased androgens, can lead to fat redistribution and insulin resistance in women.
Despite hormonal changes, women can still achieve fat loss and improve body composition through proper nutrition and training.
Individualized approaches and setting realistic expectations are crucial for success in fat loss during midlife.
Blood work analysis and coaching services can provide valuable support for women navigating hormonal changes and achieving their goals.