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When I first started noticing signs of my own thyroid issues, I had no idea how interconnected every part of the body really is. I’ve since learned that when one part is out of balance, like the gallbladder or liver, the thyroid often suffers too.
In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, I interview Divya Gupta, a board-certified holistic nutritionist and restorative wellness practitioner, whose personal journey through gallbladder removal and Hashimoto’s gave her a front-row seat to these interconnected systems. We dive deep into how the liver and gallbladder impact thyroid health, why gallbladder issues are so common in people with hypothyroidism, and what you can do if your gallbladder has already been removed.
Divya shares powerful insights from both her own healing and the thousands of hours she’s spent helping clients reclaim their vitality. You’ll leave this episode with a much deeper understanding of the liver-thyroid connection and practical tools to support your body.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why gallbladder issues can be a hidden trigger for thyroid symptoms: Even subtle signs like shoulder pain, sticky stools, or poor fat digestion may indicate early gallbladder dysfunction, and it’s more common than you think in those with Hashimoto’s.
- How bile production supports your thyroid at every level: Bile isn’t just for digesting fats, it helps clear toxins, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and even plays a role in T4 to T3 conversion and gut health. Impaired bile flow can sabotage thyroid function silently.
- What happens after gallbladder removal and how to thrive without one: Divya shares her firsthand experience and offers practical strategies to support digestion and hormone health, even after surgery – including the use of ox bile, bitters, TUDCA, and targeted nutrients.
- The thyroid-liver connection that often gets missed: The liver helps activate thyroid hormone and regulate cholesterol. Yet many people with “normal labs” still benefit from liver support, especially when fatigue, brain fog, or inflammation linger.
- Why high cholesterol isn’t always the enemy, but can be a clue: Rather than jumping to statins, Divya explores what elevated cholesterol can reveal about thyroid dysfunction, sluggish bile flow, estrogen metabolism, and more.
- Everyday strategies to support your gallbladder and feel better: From lemon water and dandelion tea to gentle liver detox, bitters, and beet recipes, this episode is packed with tools to boost bile flow, improve nutrient absorption, and support thyroid healing from the ground up.
Guest Resources / Connect with Divya Gupta
- Free Comprehensive Hypothyroidism Symptoms and Complete Labs Guide
- Learn more at Divya’s website
- Follow Divya on Instagram and Facebook
Supplements We Discussed
- Rootcology Liver and Gallbladder Support: Supports bile flow for the normal processing and elimination of toxins through a specialized combination of nutrients and herbs.
- Wellena Digestive Bitters: Aids digestion and liver detoxification through a combination of bitter herbs that increase bile flow.
- Dr Shade’s Bitters: Encourages bile production, digestive function, and detoxification.
- Betaine HCl: Contains betaine hydrochloride and pepsin, which are naturally occurring components of stomach acid that support healthy digestive function, aid in the breakdown of protein-containing foods, and support optimal nutrient absorption. Consider Rootcology Betaine with Pepsin.
- TUDCA: A bile acid our body naturally forms to support the digestion of fats and oils, helping detoxify the gut and liver. TUDCA is available here via Fullscript. If you don’t have a Fullscript account, you can sign up with my credentials here.
- Electrolytes: Includes the electrolytes sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride, which may contribute to maintaining normal hydration levels and healthy bile composition. Consider Rootcology Electrolyte Blend.
- Red raspberry leaf tea: A gentle uterine and liver tonic, especially helpful in pregnancy.
- Dandy Blend: Gluten- and caffeine-free coffee alternative (no withdrawal symptoms) made with dandelion root for liver support. (Dandy Blend is made with barley which is extracted with water, producing no malt; this special extraction process results in a gluten-free product.)
Other Tools and Resources
- GI-MAP Stool Test: Identifies fat malabsorption, dysbiosis, and liver markers.
- Food Sensitivity Testing: The MRT Mediator Release test by Oxford Biomedical identifies hidden food triggers for inflammation. (Also consider the Alletess 96 IgG or 184 IgG food sensitivity panels available from Rupa Labs.)
- Full Thyroid Panel: Includes TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO, and TG antibodies.
- Liver Function Panel: AST, ALT, GGT, and bilirubin to assess liver stress.
- Infrared Sauna: Supports detox pathways and liver function through the use of infrared. Consider Sunlighten saunas.
- Red Light Therapy: Gentle, non-invasive tool to reduce inflammation and support mitochondria. Consider options from the Lumebox.
Books and Articles About Liver, Gallbladder & Thyroid Health
- Top 10 Thyroid Tests and How to Interpret Them
- How Supporting the Liver Is Key to Recovering from Thyroid Disease
- How Your Gallbladder Affects Hashimoto’s and Fat Digestion
- Pancreatic Elastase, Fat Digestion, and Hashimoto’s
- The Ultimate Guide To Using Enzymes with Hashimoto’s
- 8 Benefits of the Infrared Sauna That Can Reduce Symptoms of Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism
- How to Use the GI-MAP Test to Find Your Root Cause
Get the Full Episode Transcript
Let’s Connect!
- Follow me on Instagram:@izabellawentzpharmd
- Get my FREE weekly thyroid & gut health newsletter: Sign up here
- Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate it on Spotify!
Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 🙂
About Our Host
Dr. Izabella Wentz
Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.
Dr. Izabella Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health, and her latest book, Adrenal Transformation Protocol.
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About Our Guest
As a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Restorative Wellness Practitioner, Divya helps busy professionals create a healthier future than their family history might suggest. Through personalized functional nutrition plans, she guides clients to regain their vitality and live life on their own terms.
Her journey bridges two worlds: a successful corporate career and a profound understanding of chronic health challenges. After experiencing gallbladder removal and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Divya intimately understands the limitations of conventional approaches. This personal journey transformed her into a passionate advocate for functional wellness.
As a mother of two (a 9-year-old and a newborn), she balances family life with her mission to transform others’ health. Based in San Jose, California, Divya embraces an active lifestyle – from hiking local trails to exploring new destinations, practicing yoga, and creating nourishing meals.
Her story embodies the transformation she offers clients: moving from managing symptoms to thriving in vibrant health.
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