Tag Archives: anti-inflammatory

5 Reasons Armour Thyroid Isn’t Helping You Lose Weight — And What No One Ever Told You

By A.L. Childers — written in the quiet hour when the counting-house candles burn low, and a woman must take inventory of her health the way merchants tally their fortunes.


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If you have ever sat at the edge of your bed — hands in your hair, heart in your throat — wondering how you can swallow a thyroid pill every morning and still feel heavy, swollen, tired, and trapped in a body that no longer feels like your own… this is for you.

Because Armour Thyroid is not the villain.
And you are not the failure.
The missing truth is simply this: no medication can fix what your doctor never measured.


🌾 An Old-World Tale of Modern Thyroid Trouble

Imagine, for a moment, an 18th-century counting house: tall ledgers, ink-stained fingers, and a clerk bent over columns of numbers, trying desperately to make the sums balance.

This, dear reader, is what managing hypothyroidism often feels like.

You take Armour Thyroid.
You wait.
You hope.
You pray the numbers will finally reconcile — the weight, the fatigue, the fog, the pulse, the mood.

But the ledger refuses to even out.

You are doing everything right… and yet the body behaves as though something is terribly amiss in its bookkeeping.

That is because Armour alone cannot fix the metabolic debts accumulated by inflammation, leptin resistance, reverse T3, under-dosing, or inactive ingredients your body rejects.

Let us now open the ledger and examine the five great discrepancies that steal your progress.


1. You Aren’t Being Dosed Correctly (The Most Common, Least Discussed Problem)

Armour Thyroid contains both T4 (inactive) and T3 (active) hormones.
Your doctor often doses it as if T3 were harmless — but T3 is three times more powerful than T4 at lowering TSH.

This leads to two common mistakes:

Mistake A — You were switched from Levothyroxine to Armour using an outdated conversion chart.

Most charts say:
100 mcg T4 = 1 grain Armour
But in reality:
50 mcg T4 ≈ 1 grain Armour

Which means many patients are silently cut in half.

Mistake B — Your doctor fears T3 and under-doses you.

Because T3 can cause heart palpitations if increased too quickly, many doctors start too low and never titrate up.

Result:
Your body stays hypothyroid no matter what the prescription says.


2. Your Body Needs More T3 Than Armour Provides

Some people — especially women — need much higher levels of T3 to move thyroid hormone into the cells.

This is especially true if you have:

  • High Reverse T3
  • Leptin resistance
  • Insulin resistance
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Low body temperature
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Long-term stress
  • Bipolar or mood disorders in the family

Armour Thyroid has fixed ratios, meaning you can’t increase T3 without also increasing T4 (which may worsen Reverse T3).

Adding a small dose of Liothyronine (T3) or Cytomel can be life-changing.


3. Leptin Resistance Is Blocking Your Weight Loss (This One Hurts… But It’s Real)

Leptin is the “fat thermostat.”
When leptin rises, metabolism should rise.

But when leptin breaks — as it does in hypothyroidism, stress, poor sleep, insulin resistance, and inflammation — the brain never gets the message.

Result:
Your metabolism lowers even while you gain weight.
Your hunger increases even while you diet.
Exercise hardly matters.

Most importantly:
Leptin resistance reduces T4 → T3 conversion.
Meaning:
Even Armour cannot help if leptin is choking the metabolic pathways.

A fasting leptin test > 12 usually confirms it.


4. You Are Reacting to Armour’s Inactive Ingredients (No One Warns You About This)

Not all thyroid medications are created equal — not because of the hormones but because of the fillers.

Armour contains:

  • Methylcellulose (binds the hormone and can delay absorption)
  • Dextrose (sugars some people react to)

If you have low stomach acid, SIBO, Hashimoto’s, IBS, or poor digestion, Armour may absorb poorly — or cause symptoms you mistake for thyroid issues.

Many patients do better on:

  • WP Thyroid (fewest fillers)
  • Nature-Throid
  • Tirosint (gel cap, extremely clean)

If Armour feels like it “stops working,” this is often why.


5. Your Reverse T3 Is Too High (The Silent Thyroid Saboteur)

Reverse T3 is like a broken key fitting into the thyroid receptor — blocking the lock without ever turning it.

High Reverse T3 means you can swallow thyroid medicine all day long… and none of it enters the cell.

Causes include:

  • Stress
  • Inflammation
  • Chronic illness
  • Dieting
  • Birth control
  • Certain medications
  • Insulin resistance
  • Leptin resistance
  • Too much T4 medication
  • Gut inflammation

If your Reverse T3 is high, Armour alone cannot help you lose weight.
You must address the cause and adjust medication.


✨ The Ledger Closes — And a New Chapter for Your Health Begins

Armour Thyroid is a useful tool, but it is not a magic wand.
It will not override metabolic blockages, poor conversion, under-dosing, or hormonal chaos.

If you aren’t losing weight on Armour, check the 5 metabolic “entries” in your ledger:

✔ Dose
✔ T3 needs
✔ Leptin resistance
✔ Inactive ingredient sensitivity
✔ Reverse T3

Only when all five balance out…
Only then does weight loss finally move in your favor.


📚 Recommended Reading by A.L. Childers

These books guide you through diet, inflammation reversal, thyroid support, and the deeper emotional journey of reclaiming your health.


📜 DISCLAIMER

The information in this blog reflects personal research and experience and is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not medical, legal, or financial advice. The author is not a medical professional. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before changing medication, supplements, or treatment plans. The author assumes no responsibility for any outcomes resulting from the use of information in this blog. Your health decisions should be made with a qualified professional. Empower yourself with knowledge — but proceed with care.


👩‍💼 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Audrey Childers — known online as The Hypothyroidism Chick — is a published author, investigative wellness writer, and thyroid advocate with over a decade of research experience. After reversing her own autoimmune and thyroid struggles, she now writes books, guides, and articles to help women reclaim the health the medical system often overlooks.

Her work includes nutrition, autoimmune healing, thyroid-friendly cooking, and lifestyle transformation rooted in both science and lived experience.

You can find her books on Amazon and connect with her at:
🌿 TheHypothyroidismChick.com





📣 CALL TO ACTION (SHARE IT!)

If this helped you, share it, love — you may save another woman years of confusion and suffering.
Drop a comment, repost on Facebook, and tag anyone fighting the same battle.
We heal in community.

 

 

Food, Friend or Foe: A Intimate Look

So much of our lives revolve around food. Its a staple everywhere from ads on social media to mouth watering  commercials  on television. I am a major foodie to the point where all of my books are about food! I blog about food all the time. Food is certainly a social lubricant at meetings, family gatherings,  award dinners, and basically every function you must attend but loathe with every being of your fiber. Food understands our emotions in ways no words will never. It certainly makes it easier to bear and a lot less painful with the understanding  that something tasty might be at that gathering that you are dragging yourself to attend.   It’s all fun and games until we step on that scale , we can’t button our pants or our skin starts to break out with acne like we are hormonal teenagers . What we eat should be fun, healthy, healing, sometimes funky and always fresh.

What do shellfish, tree pollen, bee stings, and peanuts all have in common? These are common allergies that we’ve all heard about. For some of you these allergy can be life threaten. Sometimes even a mild exposure to the above listed often results in an immediate allergic reaction of which create symptoms ranging from itchy skin, watery eyes, sneezing, severe anaphylaxis or even death.

A least less talked about area that people seem to ignore is starting to become more widely recognized. It’s food sensitivities. Most of the time these sensitivities seem to be more of a annoyance and not an immediate and/or severe allergic reaction. Therefore more people with food sensitivities are willing to annoy it, never look into their symptom’s without realizing that it can actually be disastrous to their health. More doctors, mainstream media journals and clinical practices are starting to realize how if they can start to identify and remove the  food sensitivities it can and will improve the  overall health and well-being of a individual. Thus, leading to a much better quality of life.

A food sensitivity has a  delayed allergic reaction. Food sensitivities trigger the delayed antibody response after being consumed.  For example, there are four different antibodies involved in a delayed reaction. IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgD — each of which can have a different and significant effect on our immune system.

Sometimes the delayed response can take up to three weeks before symptoms may appear. This makes it very hard to pin point which food, pollen, or substance is the cause of your symptoms! Some of the more common health concerns that can be triggered by a food sensitivity are:

  • Digestive disorders (gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, nausea)
  • Migraines
  • Weight gain
  • Mood/Attention disorder (anxiety, depression, irritability, hyperactivity, lack of concentration)
  • Joint pain/muscle stiffness
  • Skin conditions (itching, redness, swelling, eczema, rashes)
  • Lung conditions (Asthma, Bronchitis)
  • Loss of memory
  • Fatigue
  • General malaise

“…Diets high in refined sugars, for example, are harmful to the brain. In addition to worsening your body’s regulation of insulin, they also promote inflammation and oxidative stress. Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function — and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression.”

Eva Selhub MD
www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be so complicated.

 Most stores are starting to jump in this organic bandwagon and offer a nice selection of organic fruits and veggies. Check out Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Costco, etc. where the produce, seafood and meat are all very fresh and they give options for meats that are not loaded with hormones, antibiotics or fillers. Start small with a recipe and slowly work your way to more fresh whole foods. You can always look on pinterest for recipe idea’s or purchase any of these books with healthy recipes all ready written out for you all you have to do is make the time and buy the ingredients.  A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty, Reset your Thyroid, Hypothyroidism Clarity,  A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty: the slow cooker way and  Hypothyroidism: The Beginners Guide: How to stop surviving and start thriving.

Never skip breakfast. In all my books,  I have a ton of easy healthy breakfast idea’s with amazing delicious recipes from smoothies, overnight Oats, frittata’s and more. Of course, I also have mouth watering healthy lunch and dinner recipes too.

This is a  New Year and a new you. I want you in 2017 regardless of the many daily issues and tasks  that life throws at you. I want you to start putting  YOU and YOUR health first. Try a new recipe, pull out that blender and make a smoothie, throw some ingredients in a crockpot, stop grabbing that take out burger. At the end of the day, the food we eat is the most important step in achieving best health. Eating is also entirely within our grasp. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, famously said, ”   Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. In other words, food can be your friend and it can be your foe. It’s all up to you. It’s always been up to you. Eat with thought!

You and your health are important to me, Bon Appetit!

-A.L. Childers aka Thehypothyroidismchick

I want to thank you  for reading my latest blog.  Please let me know if you need any support with it. 

Otherwise, are we friends on Facebook yet?  If not let’s do that now, healing Hypothyroidism.   I like to connect on a more personal level there and often; offer social media only products that can only be accessed on my page and share daily updates along with recipes. Remember sharing is caring. Please share and post a comment to this blog! I would love to hear from you. Sign up for my blogs @ thehypothyroidismchick.com .  You can also  Follow me on instagram @ Thyroidismchick or Follow me on twitter @Thyroidismchick.

Health and Happiness,

Audrey
XoXo

 

Audrey Childers is a published author, blogger, freelance journalist and an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in research and editorial writing. She is also the creator and founder of the website the hypothyroidismchick.com. Where you can find great tips on everyday living with hypothyroidism. She enjoys raising her children and being a voice for optimal human health and wellness. She is the published author of : A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty, Reset your Thyroid, Hypothyroidism Clarity,  A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty: the slow cooker way and  Hypothyroidism: The Beginners Guide: How to stop surviving and start thriving. You can find all these books on Amazon.  You can also find her actively involved in her Facebook Group : Healing Hypothyroidism. This blog may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.

Disclaimer

The information and recipes contained in blog is based upon the research and the personal experiences of the author. It’s for entertainment purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable information. No warranties of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. By reading this blog, the reader agrees that under no circumstance the author is not responsible for any loss, direct or indirect, which are incurred by using this information contained within this blog. Including but not limited to errors, omissions or inaccuracies. This blog is not intended as replacements from what your health care provider has suggested.  The author is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any of the suggestions, preparations or procedures discussed in this blog. All matters pertaining to your health should be supervised by a health care professional. I am not a doctor, or a medical professional. This blog is designed for as an educational and entertainment tool only. Please always check with your health practitioner before taking any vitamins, supplements, or herbs, as they may have side-effects, especially when combined with medications, alcohol, or other vitamins or supplements.  Knowledge is power, educate yourself and find the answer to your health care needs. Wisdom is a wonderful thing to seek.  I hope this blog will teach and encourage you to take leaps in your life to educate yourself for a happier & healthier life. You have to take ownership of your health.

Resources:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

http://www.alive.com/health/the-dangers-of-fast-food/

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Slow-Cooker Wild Rice with Cranberries and Mushrooms

 

slowcookerwildriceSlow-Cooker Wild Rice with Cranberries and Mushrooms

Wild rice has a wonderfully gluten free nutty flavor and is actually considered an edible grass. Has twice as much protein as brown rice, very rich in antioxidants, high fiber content, essential minerals such as phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and folate, Vitamins A, C and E. Wild rice could even turn out to be one of nature’s superfoods. In Chinese medicine wild rice is used as a treatment for diabetes for it might help to reduce insulin resistance.  White button mushrooms can help enhance weight loss and it’s a good source of vitamin D, it has anti-inflammatory benefits, excellent for diabetic’s, helps to protect your liver and kidneys, increases blood flow, helps normalize your cholesterol levels. Mushrooms contain loads of vitamin B2 and vitamin B3 (niacin), just enough to jump start that metabolism.  Dried cranberries has antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation. Sounds like this dish is one of those must-eat for your health! Who knew being healthy can taste so good?

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice

1 tablespoon Ghee or coconut oil, melted

¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt or Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup red onion, diced

2 cans (14 ounces each) vegetable broth

½ cup of white button mushrooms, diced

½ cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Rinse the wild rice in cold water in a mesh strainer.  Sauté the onions in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or ghee. Mix all ingredients except almonds and cranberries. Cover with lid and allow to cook on low heat setting 5 hours until wild rice is tender. In ungreased cast iron skillet, heat almonds over medium-low heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until they start to brown, once it begins to brown , keep stirring until golden brown and smelling wonderfully fragrant; Stir in almonds and cranberries into rice mixture. Cover and cook on low heat additional 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Need more thyroid friendly slow cooker recipes!  Check out my latest E book for free!

Kicking Hypothyroidisms booty, The Slow Cooker way               

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