Episode 283: How to Support Your Thyroid… When You Don’t Have One
There’s a lot of information out there on what to do when you’re hypothyroid. There’s a bit less information on what to do when you’re hyperthyroid. But there is a whole lot less information on what to do once your thyroid is gone (usually due to Hashimoto’s, nodules, or thyroid cancer).
This information gap was brought to my attention by an attendee of my free hypothyroid heroes q&a coaching call (which I’ll be hosting again August 21, 6-7 pm, click here to grab your spot) and it was a topic that seemed worth exploring here with you.
So I’m here to answer the question: "If I don’t have a thyroid anymore, do I still need to follow a gluten-free diet, focus on healing my gut, or pay attention to specific nutrients that support thyroid health? Is there anything I can do to feel better?"
On the surface, it might seem like once the thyroid is gone, the work is done. You’re on your thyroid medication, your levels look “normal,” and your doctor gives you the green light to go live your life.
But the truth is just because the thyroid is gone doesn’t mean the problem is gone.
Having your thyroid removed is usually the final result of a long chain of problems in the body. But if we don’t go back and address what led to the surgery in the first place, it’s like cutting off one head of a hydra—only to have three more grow back.
Why should you support thyroid health if you don’t have a thyroid?
1. The root cause is still active in your body.
If your thyroid was taken out due to Hashimoto’s or inflammation, you were dealing with an immune system issue—not just a thyroid problem.
Autoimmunity, chronic inflammation, gut dysfunction, stress, toxins… these are all upstream drivers of thyroid damage. And if left unaddressed they can easily shift gears and target something else once your thyroid is gone—your joints, your brain, your skin, your other organs.
So finding and addressing your root causes holistically is about preventing that next domino from falling.
2. You still have to process and use thyroid hormones.
Even if you're taking thyroid hormone replacement, your body isn’t off the hook.
You still need to:
- Convert T4 to T3 (which mostly happens in the liver and gut)
- Get those hormones into your cells
- Actually respond to them properly at the cellular level
And guess what? Things like nutrient deficiencies, poor gut health, a high toxic burden, and chronic stress directly interfere with all of that. So yes, thyroid-supportive nutrients and lifestyle strategies very much still matter.
3. Autoimmunity is systemic.
If you had Hashimoto’s before the surgery, you still have it after. Removing the thyroid doesn’t cure autoimmune disease—it just removes the organ under attack.
That means your immune system still needs some serious attention and healing. The biggest levers?
Healing the gut (70–80% of your immune system lives there), getting your stress in check, and ditching foods like gluten and dairy which look molecularly similar to thyroid tissue and can still trigger an autoimmune flare and subsequent inflammation.
4. You're trying to prevent future dysfunction.
Functional nutrition isn’t about putting out fires, it’s about creating an environment to prevent them so you’re not constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the next diagnosis to manifest.
Which is why we always want to prioritize the 5 steps of the Metabolic Makeover Method: manage stress, balance blood sugar, optimize the gut, support the liver and detox pathways, and lower inflammation. This sets us up to feel our best now, and give ourselves the best shot at protecting our energy, hormones, metabolism, and longevity.
TL;DR?
Even without a thyroid, your body is still impacted by the same systems that led to its dysfunction. Ignoring those systems is like patching a leaky roof but leaving the foundation to rot.
So yes—go gluten-free. Heal the gut. Take your selenium and magnesium. Manage your stress. Work with practitioners who get it.
You deserve more than “your labs look fine.”
You deserve to feel amazing in your body—thyroid or not.
Want help putting these pieces together and finally uncovering the root causes that sent you down this road to begin with? Click here to book a free consultation.
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