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The Unsung Hero

The Unsung Hero

Thyroid function and metabolism

In this workshop, Paula Fortin explores the thyroid's often-overlooked role in metabolism and how it connects to the way you feel day to day. You'll hear her explain how this small gland fits into the bigger picture of your overall wellness, and why paying attention to it matters. Come with your questions and leave with a clearer understanding of what she covers and language you can use in conversations about your own health.

$25

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Your Presenter

Paula Fortin

Paula Fortin

APRN, Family Nurse Practitioner

Direct Primary Care Lead

Paula is known for identifying root causes that other practitioners miss. Her functional medicine approach and genuine listening have earned her consistently…

About This Workshop

In this workshop, family nurse practitioner Paula Fortin, who specializes in functional medicine, explains what the thyroid does and why it affects so many systems in the body. She discusses why standard TSH-only testing can miss important information, describes a fuller thyroid lab panel, and explores how gut health and chronic stress interact with thyroid function. The session closes with practical nutrition, sleep, stress, and lifestyle steps participants can take, along with common thyroid myths and audience questions.

What's Inside

  1. 1Welcome and Workshop Overview
  2. 2What the Thyroid Affects Throughout the Body
  3. 3How the Thyroid Gets Its Signals (HPT Axis)
  4. 4T4-to-T3 Conversion and Reverse T3
  5. 5Symptom Self-Check: Low and Overactive Thyroid
  6. 6Types of Hypothyroidism
  7. 7The Lab Gap: Normal vs. Optimal Ranges
  8. 8A Fuller Thyroid Lab Panel
  9. 9Case Example: "Sarah"
  10. 10Q&A: Mixed Symptoms and What Causes Thyroid Issues
  11. 11The Gut–Thyroid Connection
  12. 12Stress, Cortisol, and Thyroid Function
  13. 13Working on Gut, Thyroid, and Stress Together
  14. 14Nutrients That Support the Thyroid
  15. 15Practical Next Steps: Nourish, Rest, Regulate, Support, Move
  16. 16Common Thyroid Myths
  17. 17Where to Start and Recap
  18. 18Closing Q&A: Recovery Time, LDN, and Tremors

What You'll Take Away

  • The presenter emphasizes that TSH primarily reflects the brain's signal, not the full activity of the thyroid, so testing only TSH can miss important information.
  • According to the presenter, a fuller thyroid panel includes TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies (TPO and thyroglobulin), with antibodies indicating whether the condition is autoimmune (Hashimoto's).
  • She explains that T4 (the storage form) must be converted to T3 (the active form), and that sluggish conversion — sometimes pushed toward reverse T3 by stress, illness, or nutrient gaps — can leave people feeling unwell even on thyroid medication.
  • The presenter frames gut health, stress/cortisol, and thyroid function as an interconnected 'triangle,' suggesting improvement often requires addressing all three together.
  • She distinguishes 'normal' lab ranges from 'optimal' ranges and stresses that how a participant feels should be considered alongside their numbers.
  • Her practical suggestions include a food-first approach (protein, selenium, zinc, iron, vitamin D, tyrosine), consistent 7–9 hours of sleep, stress regulation and boundaries, gut support, and balanced movement.
  • She recommends testing before supplementing iodine, noting that more iodine is not always better, and shares that cooked cruciferous vegetables are generally fine for most people.
  • She encourages participants to work with a provider willing to order a complete panel and look at root causes rather than dismissing symptoms because a single number is 'normal.'
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