Hashimoto''s Thyroiditis

Dr. Izabella Wentz’s Hashimoto’s Protocol revolutionizes how you understand thyroid disease. She rejects the idea that Hashimoto’s is simply a case of bad genetics, arguing instead that autoimmunity arises when three factors align—genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, and intestinal permeability. This triad gives you agency: while genes set the stage, triggers and gut health determine whether the autoimmune attack turns on. Wentz’s plan thus replaces passivity with a structured, investigative model that lets you heal by addressing root causes systematically.

Genes are not destiny

Citing Dr. Alessio Fasano’s research, Wentz emphasizes that autoimmunity only occurs when a trigger meets a susceptible host and a leaky gut. Since intestinal permeability and triggers are modifiable, you have meaningful control over your health. Lifestyle, environment, and nutrition can flip genetic switches on or off—a principle echoed by contemporaries like Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Alan Christianson in functional medicine. The book’s guiding declaration, “Genes are not your destiny,” infuses hope into every protocol.

The DIG‑AT‑IT investigative framework

To bring order to an often confusing process, Wentz introduces the mnemonic DIG‑AT‑IT—Depletions/Digestion, Iodine/Inflammation/Infection/Immune imbalance, Gut/Gluten, Adrenals/Alkaline phosphatase, Triggers, Intolerances, and Toxins. Each letter reminds you of categories to explore for hidden contributors. Instead of endless Google searches or random supplement buying, DIG‑AT‑IT provides a roadmap that balances logic with flexibility. The structure ensures you don’t miss overlooked drivers—whether nutritional gaps, endocrine disruptions, infections, or environmental toxins.

Sequencing: Fundamentals before Advanced work

Many patients, Wentz notes, fail to recover because they dive directly into detox or infection protocols without stabilizing their system. Her stepwise model begins with Fundamental Protocols—Liver Support, Adrenal Recovery, and Gut Balance—to patch vulnerabilities before deep “digging” for triggers. Once the liver, adrenals, and gut are resilient, you can safely pursue Advanced Protocols for infections, toxins, or emotional stressors. Clinical experience shows that premature detox often worsens symptoms; fundamentals prepare the body for true healing.

What remission looks like

Remission is not an abstract goal—it’s measurable. Wentz maps milestones: symptom relief, lowered antibody levels (below 100 IU/mL then 35 IU/mL), tissue regeneration on ultrasound, and normalized hormone function. Some patients even taper or discontinue medication under supervision. While traditional endocrinology insists Hashimoto’s is lifelong, Wentz’s surveys of thousands of readers demonstrate that functional remission is achievable when root causes are addressed.

Empowered patients and community

Wentz calls her readers “Root Cause Rebels”—people who reject the status quo and actively participate in healing. They measure, adjust, and learn from each other. Examples like Teresa, who requested a simple 90‑day roadmap, illustrate how patient empowerment shaped the book’s step‑by‑step design. Through surveys of over two thousand participants, Wentz refined protocols to reflect real‑world success patterns. The book thus embodies a fusion of clinical experience, community data, and scientific research.

Central message

Hashimoto’s is not irreversible. By controlling triggers, supporting your biology, and systematically reducing antigen load, you can rewrite the trajectory of your genes and move toward true remission.

The Root Cause Approach reframes Hashimoto’s as solvable, giving you not only protocols but a philosophy: your body is not broken; it’s responding to overload. Understanding this transforms recovery from a mystery into a journey of methodical repair—starting with fundamentals and ending in empowerment.

Wentz’s program begins with three foundational interventions that restore function to the body’s primary detoxification, stress, and digestion systems. Known collectively as the Fundamental Protocols—Liver Support, Adrenal Recovery, and Gut Balance—they form a 12‑week plan designed to reduce inflammation, correct nutrient deficiencies, and create tolerance for deeper therapy. Each protocol is time‑limited, practical, and sequenced deliberately.

Liver Support: starting the detox engine

You begin with a two‑week liver reset: remove reactive foods (gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, caffeine, alcohol), add liver‑supportive vegetables, filter water, and use gentle detox aids like NAC and magnesium. This clears congestion that interferes with hormone conversion and drug tolerance. Real cases—like Susan, who halved her chemical sensitivities in two weeks—show how dramatically this step improves resilience. (About 65% of Wentz’s clients report symptom relief after Liver Support alone.)

Adrenal Recovery: restoring energy and calm

The four‑week adrenal plan rebuilds the body’s stress axis through rest, blood‑sugar stabilization, de‑inflammation, and nutrient replenishment (vitamin C, B‑complex, magnesium). Adaptogens such as rhodiola or licorice help modulate cortisol rhythm. By sleeping up to 10–12 hours nightly and eliminating caffeine, you reset hormonal balance. Patient stories—like Lindsey, who recovered energy and lost weight by switching from intense exercise to restorative practice—illustrate how adrenal healing transforms fatigue and anxiety.

Gut Balance: repairing the intestinal barrier

The six‑week Gut Protocol focuses on sealing intestinal permeability. It combines food elimination (Autoimmune Paleo), enzyme restoration, microbiome rebalancing, and gut‑lining nourishment. You remove triggers, add digestive and proteolytic enzymes (Betaine HCl + pepsin and Wobenzym), reintroduce probiotics like S. boulardii or spore‑based options, and nourish the gut with L‑glutamine, zinc, and bone broth. When followed after liver and adrenal steps, this sequence accelerates antibody reduction and symptom remission.

Why sequencing matters

A supported liver tolerates detox; recovered adrenals prevent crash‑and‑burn; a healed gut calms autoimmunity. You don’t rush—each protocol builds on the previous one to prepare your body for Advanced Protocols safely.

Following these three steps gives you a strong baseline. Even without further stages, many readers reach partial remission here—less pain, fewer antibodies, steadier energy, and clearer thinking. The Fundamentals are not optional; they are the physiological scaffolding on which true healing stands.

Your liver is the body’s central processing unit for hormones and toxins—and in Hashimoto’s it often struggles under overload. Wentz devotes detailed attention to helping you cleanse safely rather than aggressively. Her Liver Support Protocol is a two‑week strategy of gradual detox and lifestyle cleanup that lays the foundation for recovery.

Four practical steps

• Eliminate inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, caffeine, alcohol).
• Add liver‑supportive foods (beets, crucifers, cilantro, turmeric, fermented greens).
• Reduce environmental toxins: switch to clean cosmetics, filter water, and improve indoor air.
• Support detox pathways with NAC, methylated B‑vitamins, magnesium, and milk thistle.

Gentle detox philosophy

Wentz warns against aggressive detox methods—coffee enemas, megadose iodine, or chelation—because weak adrenals and leaky gut can’t handle massive toxin mobilization. Her own experience with spirulina causing eye inflammation underscores the need for gradualism. Instead, you strengthen Phase 1 and Phase 2 liver pathways with balanced nutrients and hydration.

Toxin awareness and case lessons

A vivid example comes from Wentz’s arsenic exposure from a lip tint—confirming that cosmetics and personal‑care products can harbor heavy metals. By removing the toxin and supporting detox, her fatigue and anemia resolved. She extrapolates that small daily exposures (plastics, fluoride, mold, VOCs) may perpetuate Hashimoto’s flares, so the protocol also serves as environmental defense.

Clinical takeaway

Detox isn’t an event—it’s a metabolic tune‑up. When you “start with the liver,” you enable all later protocols to work better, tolerating supplements and medications while reducing inflammation and fatigue.

These two weeks often produce early wins: clearer skin, brighter energy, and reduced chemical sensitivity. The liver protocol exemplifies Wentz’s gentle philosophy—build capacity first, then confront deeper toxicity in Advanced work later.

Fatigue, anxiety, and poor resilience plague most Hashimoto’s cases, and Wentz attributes much of this to adrenal exhaustion. The Adrenal Recovery Protocol directly addresses this root dysfunction, stabilizing energy and hormone balance through rest, nutrition, and adaptogenic therapy. Repatterning your stress response makes every other intervention more effective.

Five pillars of recovery

• Rest deeply: prioritize 8–12 hours of sleep, cease intense cardio, and allow naps.
• De‑stress: use mindfulness, breath work, and restorative activity to calm cortisol rhythm.
• Reduce inflammation via diet (gluten‑free, dairy‑free, low glycemic).
• Balance blood sugar with high‑protein, fat‑rich breakfasts and steady meals.
• Replenish nutrients and add adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola, licorice) as suitable.

Nutrients and supplements

Key supports include B‑vitamins (especially thiamine), vitamin C, magnesium at night, selenium for anxiety, and adrenal blends like Rootcology Adrenal Support or Pure Encapsulations Daily Stress Formula. Wentz notes that combining morning selenium with evening magnesium often relieves anxiety. If progress stalls, saliva cortisol mapping can guide further therapy.

Rewiring stress patterns

Functional recovery also entails emotional repatterning. Chronic fight‑or‑flight states amplify gut and immune dysfunction. Wentz integrates trauma‑informed care—EMDR or therapy—for those whose histories of loss or abuse perpetuate autoimmune distress. (This aligns with broader psychoneuroimmunology findings that stress alters cytokine profiles.) Over time, calming the HPA axis returns your body to regeneration mode.

Clinical insight

You cannot heal a body that believes it is under attack. Rebuilding adrenal rhythm re‑establishes safety—the biochemical permission slip for thyroid and gut regeneration.

With restored adrenal resilience, fatigue lifts, inflammation calms, and emotional stability returns. The Adrenal Recovery Protocol thus functions as an energetic reboot—transitioning you from survival mode to sustainable repair.

Leaky gut sits at the core of the Hashimoto’s puzzle, and Wentz dedicates a large portion of her book to explaining, testing, and repairing intestinal permeability. Her Gut Balance Protocol uses four synergistic steps—Remove, Replace, Rebalance, and Repair—to restore barrier integrity and reduce autoimmune triggers.

1) Remove reactive foods

Advance from Paleo to Autoimmune Paleo by excluding eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshades, and other common sensitizers. Rotation prevents new sensitivities from emerging. This removal phase cuts inflammation dramatically, often lowering antibodies in six weeks.

2) Replace digestive enzymes

Low stomach acid and maldigestion perpetuate immune reactions. Wentz teaches you how to titrate Betaine HCl with pepsin: increase gradually until mild warmth appears, then step back one capsule. Proteolytic enzymes like Wobenzym, taken on an empty stomach, dissolve circulating immune complexes that fuel autoimmunity. Clinical evidence shows notable antibody reduction after several months of use.

3) Rebalance the microbiome

Reintroduce beneficial bacteria carefully. Start with fermented vegetables or coconut kefir; add probiotics in three categories—lactic blends, S. boulardii, and spore‑based strains. If you suspect SIBO, test first; otherwise, excessive lactobacillus can worsen bloating. Slow dose escalation avoids die‑off reactions, a transient detox response as pathogens perish.

4) Repair with nutrients

Feed the gut tissue with bone broth, L‑glutamine, zinc, NAC, omega‑3s, vitamin D, and adequate iron and B12. Optimal ferritin (70–100 ng/mL) supports hair regrowth and thyroid efficiency. Regular retesting of labs documents progress.

Guiding principle

Your gut is both battlefield and repair shop. Restore integrity here, and systemic inflammation—including thyroid autoimmunity—declines dramatically.

Together, these steps form a 6–12 week blueprint that has helped thousands reduce gastrointestinal distress, improve nutrient absorption, and lower antibodies. When executed after liver and adrenal support, the Gut Protocol anchors remission biologically.

Food acts as both trigger and therapy in Hashimoto’s recovery. Wentz outlines how gluten and other common antigens provoke immune reactions and how strategic elimination coupled with nutrient‑dense eating can reverse symptoms and antibody levels. This key idea integrates dietary science with patient experience data from thousands of survey responses.

Why gluten matters

Gluten induces intestinal permeability, even in non‑celiac individuals. Studies cited show gluten removal normalizes subclinical hypothyroidism for many. In Wentz’s surveys, over three‑quarters of readers reported symptom improvement gluten‑free and almost 80% felt better dairy‑free. She recommends at least a two‑week trial; for many, transformation starts here.

Managing delayed sensitivities (IgG/IgA)

Unlike acute allergies, delayed food sensitivities take days to manifest, creating diffuse symptoms—fatigue, joint pain, or brain fog. Tracking responses with elimination diets clarifies which foods perpetuate inflammation. Every reintroduction is an experiment; you become your own clinician.

Practical templates

Wentz transitions you through three adaptable diets: Root Cause Intro (gentle elimination), Root Cause Paleo (broader nutrient focus), and Autoimmune Paleo (strict healing phase). Meals emphasize 75% vegetables, 25% protein, bone broth, fermented foods, and green smoothies. Recipes like the Root Cause Smoothie combine greens, coconut milk, pea protein, and avocado for stable blood sugar and gentle detox.

Food as lab data

Each dietary change provides testable data: symptom relief, antibody reduction, or digestive calm. Because diet interventions are safe and low‑cost, they serve as first‑line therapy before complex lab work. Wentz’s results echo a broader functional nutrition principle: food is the most accessible epigenetic modifier you possess.

Takeaway

Change your plate, change your antibodies. Dietary precision is both the simplest and most transformative intervention on the path to remission.

Food, when applied like medicine, reprograms immune behavior. Rotating, eliminating, and nourishing systematically empowers you to identify triggers and rebuild balance long before pharmacological escalation is necessary.

After you stabilize with the Fundamental Protocols, Wentz’s Advanced Root Cause Assessments help you pinpoint lingering triggers. Instead of random tests, you use structured checklists to prioritize investigation—nutrition gaps, hormonal imbalance, infections, toxins, or traumatic stress. This turns confusion into clarity: each score directs you to a specific Advanced Protocol.

Categories of assessments

• Thyroid Hormones: persistent symptoms suggest optimization needs.
• Nutrition: flagging anemia, restrictive diets, or multiple sensitivities.
• Traumatic Stress: uncovering unresolved emotional burdens that perpetuate immune dysfunction.
• Infections: identifying chronic viruses, SIBO, or parasites.
• Toxins: exposure to mold, metals, or chemicals needing remediation.

Sequencing rule

Never jump ahead without stability. Wentz reminds you that detoxing or killing infections with weak adrenals and a congested liver backfires. Instead, use assessment results only once fundamentals are complete. Then pursue targeted testing—stool PCR, breath tests, or emotional therapy—as directed by your score.

Clinical priority

Use these assessments as a compass. The highest score shows your next area to explore—not all categories simultaneously. Healing thrives on precision, not overwhelm.

The Advanced Assessments complete Wentz’s diagnostic map, preventing wasted effort and aligning further treatment with your body’s priorities. From infections to trauma, each trigger becomes manageable when approached with sequencing and clarity.

Restoring thyroid function often requires hormone optimization. Wentz presents her four‑part decision framework—The Four Rs: Right Person, Right Way, Right Drug, Right Dose—to tailor therapy. She also describes emerging regenerative techniques like low‑dose naltrexone (LDN), low‑level laser therapy (LLLT), and glandular supplements for tissue repair.

Right Person and Right Way

You may need hormone replacement if symptoms persist and TSH exceeds ~2.0 μIU/mL. Proper timing and administration matter—take medication on waking, with water, and wait an hour before food or coffee to maximize absorption. Optimize digestion first; acid insufficiency, PPIs, iron, or calcium interference can distort results.

Right Drug and Right Dose

Options include T4‑only (Synthroid, Tirosint), T3 (Cytomel), or T4/T3 blends (Armour, Nature‑Throid). Many patients thrive when free T3 and T4 reach upper ranges while TSH sits between 0.5–2. Overshooting causes anxiety; undershooting leaves fatigue. Recheck labs every 4–6 weeks until stable.

Regenerative and adjunct therapies

• LDN (0.5–4.5 mg) modulates immune activity and may lower antibodies.
• LLLT (830 nm laser, 10 sessions) has shown potential thyroid tissue regeneration in small Brazilian trials.
• Glandulars (Thytrophin PMG) offer nutritional organ support under supervision.
• Aromatherapy (myrrh, frankincense, lavender) complements stress reduction and emotional healing.

Guiding insight

Medication is not failure—it's relief while regeneration catches up. Combining optimized hormones with root‑cause reversal enables functional cure and sometimes partial tissue regrowth.

Optimizing therapy with precision and pairing it with deep biological repair moves you toward long‑term remission where thyroid medication becomes supportive rather than permanent. Wentz’s approach merges conventional endocrinology with functional restoration to deliver hope beyond maintenance.