A 55-year-old woman came to my clinic with Hashimoto’s autoimmune hypothyroid. Despite being on thyroid medication, she still struggled with:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Gas and bloating
- Diarrhea
- High cholesterol
- Significant weight gain
She was extremely frustrated—nothing she tried was helping.
Today, I’ll show you how she improved her thyroid function, increased her energy, and dropped 21 pounds of excess weight in just 6 weeks by addressing her gut health.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the FreeDiet®.
Step 1: Identify the Root Causes
Most new patients come in with gut or thyroid issues, and this patient was no exception. The first step was uncovering her underlying root causes through functional lab testing.
- Gluten Sensitivity with Celiac Genetics
This is one of the most common root causes I see in Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune conditions. She tested positive for:
- Gluten sensitivity
- Celiac genetics
- Leaky gut
Leaky gut is strongly associated with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s.
- Dairy Sensitivity
Dairy was another inflammatory trigger contributing to her symptoms.
- Gut Infections
She had:
- Bacterial imbalance
- Candida yeast overgrowth
Candida is extremely common in Hashimoto’s and causes high gut inflammation markers.
- Nutrient Deficiencies
Due to malabsorption from leaky gut and candida, she had low levels of:
- Selenium
- Vitamin A
- B vitamins
- Ferritin (stored iron)
All these nutrients are essential for thyroid function.
- Adrenal Dysfunction
She had below-optimal levels of:
- DHEA
- Cortisol
Adrenal dysfunction can worsen thyroid symptoms and slow metabolism.
Step 2: The Anti-Inflammatory FreeDiet®
I put her on the FreeDiet®, which I developed years ago while healing my own autoimmune Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, fatigue, and skin issues.
Foods to Avoid on the FreeDiet®
- Gluten
- Grains
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Legumes
- Nightshades
- Processed foods
These foods are the most common triggers of inflammation, gut dysfunction, thyroid imbalance, and autoimmune flares.
If you’d like a copy of the FreeDiet® Phase 1 Food Chart, I’ll include a link below.
Step 3: Targeted Supplements
I also put her on the proper supplements, including the Functional Five:
- Multivitamin
- Vitamin D with K
- Magnesium
- Probiotic
- Fish oil
Plus:
- Gut-support supplements for leaky gut and candida
- Healthy Inflammation support
- Adrenal support
- Selenium
- Inositol
- Glutathione with NAC
- Other nutrients she was deficient in
These helped replenish nutrients, reduce inflammation, and support thyroid and adrenal function.
Her Results After 6 Weeks
When she returned for updated testing, she reported significant improvements:
Symptoms Improved
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Gas and bloating
- Diarrhea
Weight Loss
She dropped 21 pounds of excess weight—and was thrilled.
Lab Markers Improved
- TSH, T3, and T4 improved
- Thyroglobulin antibodies reduced 72%
- Needed less thyroid medication
- High cholesterol normalized
- Uric acid normalized
- A1C improved
- CRP (inflammation marker) dropped to optimal
- White blood count improved
- Cortisol improved to optimal
- Ferritin increased by 50%
5-Month Follow-Up
Her stool test showed:
- All three gut inflammation markers normalized
- Yeast overgrowth significantly improved
How She Achieved These Results
She followed the FreeDiet® and took targeted supplements to:
- Heal her gut
- Reduce inflammation
- Restore nutrient levels
- Support thyroid and adrenal function
By addressing her root causes, she was able to:
- Improve her thyroid
- Resolve her symptoms
- Lose 21 pounds
- Restore her energy
- Feel like herself again
The Bottom Line
If you’re suffering from gut issues, thyroid problems, or other chronic health conditions, it’s essential to get:
- Proper testing
- Proper interpretation
- Root-cause solutions
When you uncover what’s driving your symptoms and address it correctly, I believe almost anyone can get better.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
