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Evidence-based insights and in-depth education on thyroid health, hormones, gut function, and root-cause healing — written by Lauren and the Functional Fueling® clinical team.
Evidence-based insights and in-depth education on thyroid health, hormones, gut function, and root-cause healing — written by Lauren and the Functional Fueling® clinical team.
Food Sensitivities: The Goal Isn’t Elimination – It’s Food Tolerance If you’ve been struggling with food sensitivities for months, or even years, you’re not alone. For many people, navigating chronic digestive symptoms or autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s can feel like an endless cycle of removing more and more foods in hopes of finally feeling better. […]
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Immune and Lymphatic Systems: The Missing Link in Chronic Inflammation and Thyroid Autoimmunity Immune and lymphatic systems work hand-in-hand to regulate inflammation. And yet, supporting the lymphatic system is often one of the most overlooked steps when trying to improve immune health. The body’s ability to effectively clear inflammatory byproducts is just as important as […]
Thyroid
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What 10 years has taught me about women’s thyroid health Podcast Episode: What 10 Years of Helping Active Women Taught Me About Why So Many Stay Stuck with Thyroid Symptoms Listen to the Full Podcast Episode In this episode of the Functional Fueling Podcast, I discuss: Why so many active women stay stuck despite […]
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Doing Everything Right But Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? Does it feel like you are doing everything right, but still struggling with thyroid symptoms? Maybe you’re eating whole foods, exercising consistently, taking high-quality supplements, prioritizing sleep, and yet you still feel stuck. Despite all of your efforts, you’re exhausted, battling brain fog, experiencing stubborn weight changes, […]
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Can You Come Off Thyroid Medication? Podcast Episode: Can You Actually Come Off Thyroid Medication? One of the questions I get asked most often is: “Will I ever be able to come off my thyroid medication?” The answer is probably not the one you’re expecting. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it’s no. But regardless […]
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Why Your Thyroid Medication Isn’t Working & How to Make it Work Better To treat underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, thyroid medication is often the first step. While thyroid hormone replacement can be incredibly helpful, it shouldn’t be the only treatment strategy. Maybe you’ve been told to take your thyroid medication on an empty stomach and […]
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Foods to Eat (and Avoid) for Thyroid Hormones The thyroid gland may be small, but it has a powerful influence on all aspects of health – from energy production and hormone balance, to metabolism and digestion. Nutrition is one of the most important, and often overlooked, foundations of thyroid function. The foods you eat can […]
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Food Sensitivities: The Goal Isn’t Elimination – It’s Food Tolerance If you’ve been struggling with food sensitivities for months, or even years, you’re not alone. For many people, navigating chronic digestive symptoms or autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s can feel like an endless cycle of removing more and more foods in hopes of finally feeling better. […]
Immune
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Pain, Swelling & Exercise Intolerance? This Lymphatic Tool May Help | Rush Simonson Podcast Episode 155: How to Improve Pain, Swelling, and Exercise Intolerance with Lymphatic Support w/ Rush Simonson, Founder of Juvent In this episode of the Functional Fueling Podcast, we discuss: Why not all vibration plates are created equal The hidden risks of […]
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Immune and Lymphatic Systems: The Missing Link in Chronic Inflammation and Thyroid Autoimmunity Immune and lymphatic systems work hand-in-hand to regulate inflammation. And yet, supporting the lymphatic system is often one of the most overlooked steps when trying to improve immune health. The body’s ability to effectively clear inflammatory byproducts is just as important as […]
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The Hidden Immune Connection To Endometriosis, HPV, Herpes & Recurrent Vaginal Infections: Causes, Triggers & Solutions with Christian Sohmen A few things we chat about in this episode The immune connection to fertility & unexplained infertility The overlooked immune drivers of endometriosis Why recurrent BV, yeast infections, HPV, & herpes keep coming back […]
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Immune System Support Starts with Understanding Your Immune Triggers Immune system support starts with understanding your immune triggers. Rather than trying to simply “boost” or suppress the immune system, the goal is to identify the energy leaks driving immune dysfunction. By first learning about your unique immune environment, we can then determine whether your immune system […]
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[The LOdown] The Truth About Healing Timelines for Thyroid, Fertility & Autoimmunity In this episode of The Functional Fueling® Podcast, we explore the truth about healing timelines for thyroid dysfunction, fertility, menstrual cycle recovery, and autoimmunity. Learn why root-cause healing is rarely linear, the importance of phased healing, how “energy leaks” influence healing timelines, and […]
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What Causes PMS? Understanding the Root Causes of Painful PMS Inflammation What causes PMS symptoms? If you dread your period because of painful cramps, headaches, or hormonal migraines, you’re not alone. While these symptoms are incredibly common, they’re often a sign of underlying inflammation, and aren’t something women simply need to tolerate. This inflammation is […]
Menstrual Cycle
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FFN Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Case Studies: Cycle Restoration, Fertility Outcomes, and Hormone Rebalancing Hypothalamic amenorrhea is characterized by the loss of a menstrual cycle for six or more months. Below are two case studies from patients of ours at Functional Fueling. We outline their initial presentations, our clinical approach, and how they recovered their menstrual cycle […]
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Understanding Stimulatory Hormones: LH, FSH, TSH In this episode, we break down the role of key stimulatory hormones—LH, FSH, and TSH—and how they influence ovulation, thyroid function, and overall hormonal function. You’ll learn how to interpret LH:FSH ratios (including patterns seen in PCOS), what low vs. high levels really indicate, and why timing your labs […]
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Hormonal Migraines: Why They Happen & How to Fix the Root Cause Have you ever noticed headaches or migraines showing up at the same time every month, especially around ovulation or right before your period? And have you been told the only solution is something like Botox injections? There’s actually a hormonal reason this pattern […]
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Prolactin: Understanding High Levels & Prolactinomas with Romana Prolactin is most commonly known as the hormone responsible for breast milk production during pregnancy and postpartum. However, elevated prolactin levels outside of pregnancy or breastfeeding—known as hyperprolactinemia—are far more common than many people realize and can significantly impact cycles, fertility, and thyroid function. Together Romana and […]
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Functional Nutrition for Endometriosis: Case Studies on What Actually Reduces Pain, Bloating, and Inflammation Patient 1: “Mary” 2 years post-excision surgery, wanted to try to manage bloating and pre-menstrual pain without another surgery if she could. Conditions: Endometriosis Symptoms: Severe abdominal pain(endometriosis) not just during period but throughout the month, fatigue, abdominal pain, brain fog, […]
[The LOdown] AMA: Navigating Toddler Sleep Deprivation and Balancing Business, Motherhood and Health
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[The LOdown] AMA: Navigating Toddler Sleep Deprivation and Balancing Business, Motherhood and Health A few things we chat about in this episode 👇👇👇 How I balance motherhood with work and healthy habits The strategies I used to help my toddler finally become a better sleeper (no crying involved) How I make time for movement […]
Perinatal
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Why Most Pregnancy Lab Work Falls Short (And What Women Actually Need) Most pregnancy lab work is designed for the average non-pregnant person, not the rapidly changing physiology of pregnancy. In this episode, we break down why standard lab testing often falls short during pregnancy and postpartum, and what that means for thyroid function, nutrient […]
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Pregnancy Support at Functional Fueling®: From Preconception to Postpartum Many women are told to “just take a prenatal,” but true nutrition support during pregnancy is far more nuanced than that. Pregnancy is a dynamic, constantly shifting process where your body’s needs evolve from preconception through postpartum. Your nutrition and lifestyle support should evolve right alongside […]
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My Morning Routine & Things I’m Loving (As a Functional RD + Mom) In this episode I’m sharing a realistic look at how my morning routine has evolved after having a baby—what’s changed, what I’ve simplified, and what I’ve kept as non-negotiables to support my hormone health, workout recovery, and overall wellness. We’ll cover how […]
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Pregnenolone vs DHEA-S: The Hormones Before the Hormones In this episode, we’re diving into two of the most overlooked hormones in women’s health: pregnenolone and DHEA-S — the hormones before the hormones. While estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone often get the spotlight, pregnenolone and DHEA play a foundational role in the hormone cascade and can significantly […]
Adrenal Hormones
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Adrenal Hormones Explained: A Complete Guide to Cortisol, DHEA, and What Your Labs Really Mean Adrenal hormones play a central role in energy, stress resilience, sleep, and hormone balance, yet they’re often misunderstood or oversimplified. Symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, poor sleep, burnout, blood sugar swings, and that “tired but wired” feeling are frequently tied to […]
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Stress and the Immune System: The Immune-Adrenal Connection and Why Healing Can’t Happen in Survival Mode Stress and the immune system are deeply interconnected, yet this relationship is often overlooked. Frequent infections, autoimmune flares, lingering inflammation, and poor recovery are commonly treated as either signs of immune weakness that needs to be stimulated, or immune […]
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Cortisol Imbalance in Women: 5 Signs Your Adrenals Need Major Support Cortisol imbalance plays an essential role in many women’s health challenges. But cortisol itself isn’t the problem. We need cortisol for a healthy stress response. The real issue arises when cortisol patterns become dysregulated, with either chronically high or chronically low levels. Women are […]
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Assessing Hormone Levels with the DUTCH Test The DUTCH Test, or the Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, is a helpful tool to assess hormone levels in the body. The DUTCH Test assesses adrenal hormones, such as cortisol, as well as sex hormones and organic acids. Assessing these different hormones and their metabolites gives insight […]
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Extreme Muscle Soreness: How Low T3 Can Impair Recovery & Exercise Performance Are you sore for 4-5 days after workouts that used to feel manageable? Losing motivation to train because your body never fully recovers? Needing extra rest days or feeling like workouts are suddenly harder than they should be? Chronic muscle soreness and poor […]
Exercise Performance
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The Top 3 Causes of Autoimmunity in Athletes & Active Individuals When thinking of the typical picture painted around autoimmunity, it often doesn’t match the reality of many active individuals and athletes. Maybe you eat healthy, train consistently, prioritize hydration, and “do everything right,” yet you have elevated autoimmune antibodies, chronic fatigue, digestive symptoms, and […]
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[The LODown] Overtraining Syndrome: When Your Body Stops Adapting and Starts Protecting Itself Overtraining Syndrome isn’t just about doing too much—it’s what happens when your body stops adapting to exercise and shifts into a protective, survival state. In this episode, we break down what overtraining syndrome actually is, why it affects both recreational exercisers and […]
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Wait…did I read that right, stopped working out? I know, it’s crazy for me to believe as well. I used to be a collegiate cheerleader, I spent over 4 hours a day, 6 days per week being active.
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[The LOdown] The Strategy Behind My Daily Meals & Grocery Shopping A few things we chat about in this episode 👇👇👇 What my weekly meal planning routine actually looks like How I balance intentional nutrition, ease, and real life as a busy mom The grocery shopping strategies that help me stay consistent throughout the […]
Recipes
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This hearty soup is easy to whip up and so satisfying. Great for feeding the whole family or for batching up and freezing! Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing in […]
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This protein-packed omelette is not just for breakfast! Enjoy it any time of day to get your daily dose of choline and omega-3 fats. Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing […]
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Great as a mid-day meal or snack — packed with omega-3 fats and protein! Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing in thyroid health, metabolism, fertility, and hormones. For more than […]
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This antioxidant-packed refresher is the perfect morning pick-me-up or summertime beverage, and is easy to batch up! Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing in thyroid health, metabolism, fertility, and hormones. […]
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This creamy, zesty dressing adds the perfect punch to your salads. Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing in thyroid health, metabolism, fertility, and hormones. For more than a decade, she […]
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