Conventional thyroid care is broken. Most patients are handed a TSH test, put on Synthroid, and told they’re fine, even when they’re clearly not.

Board-certified internist and functional medicine expert Dr. Sarah Zielsdorf knows this firsthand. She spent years battling Hashimoto’s with little help from mainstream medicine until she discovered that thyroid issues are almost never just about the thyroid. 

They're about gut health, inflammation, immune dysregulation, environmental triggers, and trauma.

In this episode, Dr. Zielsdorf, the founder of Motivated Medicine, shares the real reason women are tired, bloated, anxious, and stuck on an endless search for answers. 

She explains what labs actually matter, why your meds might be making things worse, and how to finally start healing.

This episode breaks down what’s actually behind thyroid dysfunction, chronic illness, and autoimmune flares, and how the right testing, meds, and mindset can change everything.

Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

-TSH isn’t the full story

If your doctor is only testing TSH, they’re missing the real issue. Why do T3, reverse T3, and antibodies matter more than you think?

-You’re on the wrong meds

Many people are taking T4 but still feel awful. Why isn’t your body converting T4 to T3, and how can compounded meds change that? 

-Inflammation, not just hormones

Could mold, stress, diet, or your environment be behind your thyroid symptoms? Does your liver have to do with it?

-Low-dose naltrexone for autoimmunity

How does LDN help calm the immune system and radically improve mood and pain?

 

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Guest Bio

Dr. Sarah Zielsdorf is an internal medicine physician, functional medicine expert, and founder of Motivated Medicine, a cutting-edge practice based in the Chicago area. Motivated Medicine specializes in complex chronic conditions like thyroid disorders, autoimmune disease, hormonal imbalances, and digestive dysfunction. She holds a master's in microbiology and immunology and a medical degree from Loyola. Dr. Zielsdorf is a board-certified internist, and she's also certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine. What sets her apart is her ability to bridge rigorous science and real-world healing, something she knows first-hand as she's learned to do this as a Hashimoto patient herself. Dr. Zielsdorf is also a national educator and medical advisor for the LDN Research Trust, helping to advance the use of low-dose naltrexone in chronic illness care. Visit https://motivatedmedicine.com/ to learn more. 

 

 

About Your Host

Steve Hoffart is an award-winning pharmacist, entrepreneur, speaker and podcaster. As the visionary founder of Magnolia Pharmacy, Steve saw a need for a more personal pharmacy that could make a bigger impact. Today Steve and his team of experts deliver on that promise, working with patients and their physicians to solve medication problems and offer personalized solutions to achieve better health and wellness. As host of The Trusted Pharmacist podcast and through his combined reach of over 250,000 on social media, Steve shares actionable advice on nutrition, supplements, and wellness strategies while advocating for meaningful change in healthcare.

 

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