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Episode 202: Missing Strategies That May Ignite Your Weight Loss

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Release Date: 07/22/2025

Do Thyroid Antibodies Tell the Whole Story of Hashimoto’s?  – Thyroid Shorts Ep 18 show art Do Thyroid Antibodies Tell the Whole Story of Hashimoto’s? – Thyroid Shorts Ep 18

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Most people are told: “If you have thyroid antibodies, you have Hashimoto’s. If you don’t, you don’t.” In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage, creator of the Adaptive Thyroid Modelℱ, revisits that idea and shows why antibodies are only one piece of a much bigger picture. Discover how: ✅ Th1 and Th17 T-cells, CD8 T-cells, and low T-regs drive thyroid inflammation and tissue damage ✅ PAMPs (pathogen signals) and DAMPs (cell-danger signals) can bind to pattern-recognition receptors [PRRs] on thyroid cells, triggering cytokines and interferon activity ✅ Antibodies may confirm...

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Episode 210: Hashimoto’s Revisited - A Conversation with Dr. Izabella Wentz show art Episode 210: Hashimoto’s Revisited - A Conversation with Dr. Izabella Wentz

Thyroid Answers Podcast

In this episode of Thyroid Answers, Dr. Eric Balcavage sits down with pharmacist and bestselling author Dr. Izabella Wentz to revisit one of the most misunderstood conditions in modern medicine — Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. They explore how new research and clinical experience are reshaping what we know about autoimmune thyroid disease, why so many women still struggle with fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog despite “normal” thyroid labs, and what it really takes to recover thyroid function from the inside out. Dr. Wentz and Dr. Balcavage break down the differences between managing...

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Thyroid Shorts 17: Does Everyone with Low T3 Need Medication? show art Thyroid Shorts 17: Does Everyone with Low T3 Need Medication?

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Are you struggling with hypothyroid symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, or brain fog?  Have you been told the reason is that you have “low T3”? Many patients are told the solution is simple: add T3 thyroid hormone replacement. But is that the truth? Is that the correct strategy? In this Thyroid Answers Shorts episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage, functional medicine thyroid expert and host of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, explains: ✅ Why low T3 doesn’t always mean you need medication ✅ How stress, inflammation, and the Cell Danger Response affect T4-to-T3 conversion ✅ Why...

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Episode 209: Age Stronger, Live Longer with Dr. Mani Kukreja show art Episode 209: Age Stronger, Live Longer with Dr. Mani Kukreja

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Are you ready to challenge the myths of aging and discover how to stay strong, vital, and resilient for decades to come? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage sits down with Dr. Mani Kukreja to explore the cutting-edge science of healthy aging. We dive into: Why aging is not just about years—but about cellular health and resilience The hidden role of thyroid physiology in longevity and vitality Nutrition, movement, and lifestyle strategies that slow the aging clock The difference between simply “managing” disease and truly recovering health Practical steps...

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Episode 16: Bile, Bugs, and Barriers -  The Thyroid Connection You’ve Never Heard show art Episode 16: Bile, Bugs, and Barriers - The Thyroid Connection You’ve Never Heard

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Your thyroid doesn’t work in isolation. It relies on your liver, your bile, and even your gut bacteria to keep hormone conversion running smoothly. In this episode of Thyroid Shorts, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains how thyroid hormone T3 regulates bile acid production, shapes your microbiome, and keeps your gut lining strong in a state of homeostasis. But what happens when stress, inflammation, or the Cell Danger Response lower circulating T3? The liver shifts bile chemistry, gut bugs change, and your barrier can loosen. This isn’t necessarily dysfunction — it’s your body’s intelligent...

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Episode 208: Nitric Oxide - The Molecule That Could Transform Your Thyroid Health show art Episode 208: Nitric Oxide - The Molecule That Could Transform Your Thyroid Health

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Episode 208: Nitric Oxide - The Missing Link in Thyroid & Chronic Disease with Dr. Nathan Bryan In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage is joined by nitric oxide researcher and author Dr. Nathan Bryan, whose new book The Secret of Nitric Oxide explores why this tiny signaling molecule may be the key to preventing and reversing chronic illness. Together, they dive deep into: What nitric oxide is and why it’s foundational for human health. How nitric oxide is made in the body—through both enzymatic and dietary pathways. The connection between nitric oxide, inflammation, oxidative...

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Thyroid Shorts Episode 15:  Myth - Low fT3 Means You Just Need More T3 show art Thyroid Shorts Episode 15: Myth - Low fT3 Means You Just Need More T3

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Episode 15 – Myth: Low fT3 Means You Just Need More T3 Many people struggling with chronic hypothyroid symptoms are told the answer is simple: “Your free T3 is low, so you just need more T3 medication.” But is that really the solution? In this episode of Thyroid Shorts, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why low T3 is often an adaptive response to stress, not a sign that your body is broken. He explores how gut health, diet, inflammation, and immune activity drive thyroid conversion, and why simply adding T3 may provide temporary relief but can worsen long-term issues. Key insights include: ...

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Episode 14: The Role Your Mitochondria Play in Thyroid Recovery show art Episode 14: The Role Your Mitochondria Play in Thyroid Recovery

Thyroid Answers Podcast

In this Thyroid Answers Shorts episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage explores the critical role your mitochondria—the true powerhouses of your cells—play in thyroid health and recovery. Too often, thyroid care focuses solely on optimizing lab values like TSH, Free T4, or Free T3. But true recovery isn’t about chasing numbers. It’s about understanding what happens inside your cells. Dr. Balcavage explains how cellular stress impacts mitochondrial function, how this stress disrupts thyroid hormone conversion, and why patients can still feel hypothyroid even when their labs look “normal.” In...

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Episode 207: Emotions and Trauma as Drivers of Thyroid Dysfunction show art Episode 207: Emotions and Trauma as Drivers of Thyroid Dysfunction

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Are you stuck in "thyroid purgatory" - optimized labs but persistent symptoms? The missing piece might be emotional.   In this powerful conversation, Dr. Eric sits down with Licensed Professional Counselor and Board-Certified Art Therapist Kate King to explore the hidden emotional roots of thyroid dysfunction that conventional medicine completely ignores.   What You'll Discover: How ancestral trauma and intergenerational patterns literally encode themselves in your cellular metabolism Why your thyroid might be your body's intelligent way of protecting you from feeling too much...

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TS Episode 13: Reading Between the Lines of Your Thyroid Labs show art TS Episode 13: Reading Between the Lines of Your Thyroid Labs

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Tired of being told "your labs are normal" while you still feel terrible? This episode will transform you from a passive patient into an informed advocate who understands what comprehensive thyroid testing should include and how to interpret the results.   Dr. Eric Balcavage reveals why most doctors run incomplete thyroid panels and miss critical patterns that explain persistent symptoms. Discover the complete 9-marker thyroid panel you need, including the often-overlooked T3 Uptake that can reveal binding protein issues masquerading as hormone deficiencies.   Learn why "normal"...

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More Episodes
Dr. Eric Balcavage interviews Nagina Abdullah about why traditional weight loss approaches fail for women with thyroid issues, especially in midlife. Nagina shares her personal journey from yo-yo dieting to losing 40 pounds using metabolism-focused strategies and reveals the framework she's used to help 1600+ women.
 
Key Topics Covered:
  • Why "calories in, calories out" doesn't work in midlife
  • How perimenopause changes metabolism and increases inflammation 
  • The role of stress, sleep, and under-eating in weight gain 
  • Nagina's "Tested & Perfected Fat Burning Food Framework" 
  • Specific macro ratios: 40% protein, 35% healthy fats, 25% healthy carbs 
  • When to use advanced strategies like "feeding up" and intermittent fasting 
  • Why thyroid patients need digestive support and adequate carbohydrates
  • The connection between liver function and T4 to T3 conversion
Perfect for: Women over 40 struggling with weight despite "doing everything right," especially those with thyroid conditions seeking practical, science-based nutrition strategies.
 

Nagina Abdullah is the founder of MasalaBody. She is the metabolism expert for midlife women who feel like their bodies have turned against them. When nothing else works, she helps them fire up their metabolism, burn stubborn fat, and finally see results.

After maintaining a 40-pound weight loss for over a decade, she used her Bloat Busting Protocol to shed 14 pounds of perimenopause weight. With a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley & an MBA from NYU, she blends scientific research with practical strategies to help midlife women boost their metabolism, shed stubborn weight, and create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

While most midlife women are told to "eat less and exercise more," Nagina does the opposite. She replaces restriction with metabolism-boosting foods that melt belly fat & make healthy living effortless. Her proven methods have helped 1,600+ women finally break free from stubborn midlife weight, without frustration or deprivation.

 
Guest Links & Resources: 

🌐 Website: https://masalabody.com/

đŸ“· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masalabody

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masalabody

đŸŽ„ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MasalaBody

 

FREE GIFT - Nagina shares her "Sweet Spice Cheat Sheet" with the spice that is in your kitchen cabinet! It helps to lower blood sugar and curb sugar cravings. The cheat sheet includes: 3 health benefits of using this spice 5 ways to use it in your day An easy recipe using this spice https://masalabody.com/SweetSpicePDF/