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For years, I believed that removing more and more foods was the key to healing my gut and reversing food sensitivities. While eliminating gluten and dairy brought big improvements, continuing down the path of restriction left me stuck. Over time, I learned that there are deeper root causes behind food reactions – and healing often comes not from further restriction, but from building a more resilient digestive system.
In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, I interviewed my friend Steven Wright, health engineer, functional medicine practitioner, and founder of Healthy Gut. Steven shares his personal 15-year journey of overcoming IBS, anxiety, asthma, and multiple food intolerances, and how he now helps others break free from the cycle of restrictive diets. Together, we dive into the truth about elimination diets, SIBO, stomach acid, histamine intolerance, probiotics, and what it really takes to rebuild digestive resilience.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why endless food elimination often backfires. While cutting out certain foods can help in the short term, staying overly restrictive can harm the microbiome, create nutrient deficiencies, and worsen food reactions over time. Healing requires more than just “the perfect diet.”
- The overlooked role of stomach acid in gut health. Low stomach acid is common in people with Hashimoto’s and can drive SIBO, reflux, nutrient deficiencies, and ongoing inflammation. Steven explains how simple HCl support can restore digestion, energy, and overall resilience.
- How histamine intolerance fuels food sensitivities. Symptoms like headaches, rashes, diarrhea, anxiety, or migraines can stem from histamine overload. Steven and I discuss how mast cells, DAO enzymes, and butyrate help calm inflammation and support histamine tolerance.
- Why probiotics and prebiotics aren’t enough on their own. A healthy gut requires proper digestion, enzymes, and microbial balance. Butyrate and brush border enzymes may be the missing link in rebuilding tolerance to plants and fibers.
- Stress, the nervous system, and digestion. Even a perfect diet and supplements won’t work if you’re stuck in “fight-or-flight” mode. Discover practical ways to support your parasympathetic nervous system and adrenals, so your body can be in a state of healing.
Guest Resources / Connect with Steven Wright
- Learn more at Steven’s Healthy Gut website
- Follow Steven on Instagram
Supplements We Discussed
- Find supplements like Holozyme, HoloImmune, Tri-X, HCL Guard, HistaHarmony, BeSerene, and Tributyrin-X, at the Healthy Gut website, and get 15% off supplements with code WENTZ.
- Betaine HCl with Pepsin – Supports stomach acid levels, protein breakdown, and nutrient absorption; prevents recurrent SIBO. Consider Rootcology Betaine with Pepsin.
- Digestive Enzymes – Help break down carbs, veggies, and fibers that otherwise cause bloating and dysbiosis. Consider Pure Encapsulations Digestive Enzymes Ultra, Rootcology Pancreatic Enzymes Plus or Rootcology Veggie Enzymes.
- Butyrate – A postbiotic that reduces inflammation, stabilizes mast cells, supports the microbiome, and restores tolerance to foods. Consider Butyrate Balance from Rootcology.
- DAO (Diamine Oxidase) enzymes – Break down excess histamine from foods and help mitigate reactions like rashes, headaches, or gut upset.
- Adaptogenic herbs (e.g. tulsi, reishi, holy basil, rhodiola) – Support adrenal health, reduce sympathetic dominance, and improve resilience. Consider a blend containing adaptogens such as Rootcology Adrenal Support.
- Probiotics & Prebiotics – Work best when combined with proper digestion and postbiotics like butyrate. Consider Rootcology S. Boulardii.
- Serum-Derived Immunoglobulins (IgG/IgY) – Bind toxins in the gut and support immune balance.
- Biofilm Busters (e.g. NAC, Interfase Plus) – Support the breakdown of protective biofilms in infections like H. pylori. Consider Rootcology Pure N-Acetyl Cysteine.
- Resistant Starch – Feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports butyrate production for stronger digestion and immune health. Consider Rootcology Paleo Starch.
Other Tools and Resources
- Elemental Diets – Short-term therapeutic diets that can help reduce bacterial overgrowth while preserving nutrient intake.
Books and Articles About Gut Health
- IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Dr. Izabella Wentz’s upcoming book releases March 2026 and is available for pre-order now. Most people with Hashimoto’s have some degree of intestinal permeability, which can be a powerful trigger for autoimmunity! Yet, most of us were never told about it. Whether you’ve been struggling with Hashimoto’s for many years or you were just diagnosed with intestinal permeability (or IBS), this comprehensive guide will help you figure out the root causes of gut issues and help you heal.
- Adrenal Transformation Protocol by Dr. Izabella Wentz
- The Best Probiotics for Hashimoto’s
- How Betaine with Pepsin Can Help with Hashimoto’s
- The Ultimate Guide to Using Enzymes with Hashimoto’s
- Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Hashimoto’s
- Using S. Boulardii for Hashimoto’s
- Histamine and Hashimoto’s
- How Oxalates Affect Thyroid Health
Get the Full Episode Transcript
Let’s Connect!
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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 Adrenal Transformation Protocol. Her latest book, IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, will be released March 17, 2026, and is available for pre-order here.
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About Our Guest
Steven Wright is a Health Engineer, Kalish Functional Medicine Institute Graduate, and gut health specialist. Since 2009, Steven’s been researching, writing, and building products around gut, brain, and immune related issues. He has overcome a host of complex gut, brain, immune issues himself and uses these painful and challenging experiences to help others. Steven is the co-founder of Healthy Gut and he lives in Boulder, CO with his wife Shay and their two dogs.
Thank you so much for all your work helping people with Hashimoto’s.
Hi Eyahnna, Thank you so much for your kind words! It means a lot to hear, and I’m grateful to be able to support people on their Hashimoto’s journey.