Health Up

Your thyroid could be the missing link behind stubborn fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and the kind of exhaustion that does not go away no matter how much you sleep. Dr. Sam Shay breaks down why "normal" TSH is not enough, and why so many people are told they are fine when their body is clearly not thriving.
Anthony Hartcher sits down with Dr. Sam Shay, DC, a functional medicine practitioner, international trainer for FitGenes, and stand-up comedian, to unpack the real drivers of thyroid dysfunction - from adrenal stress and estrogen dominance to genetics, mitochondria, nutrient depletion, heavy metals, and gut health. If you have ever felt dismissed by a blood test that only checked one marker, this conversation will change the way you think about thyroid care.
You'll discover why the thyroid and mitochondria are so tightly linked, how chronic stress can shut down long-term healing in favor of short-term survival, and why a comprehensive thyroid panel should include more than TSH. Dr. Shay also explains the role of inflammation genetics, detox pathways, exercise recovery genes, and food triggers like caffeine and histamine in shaping your energy and resilience.
We break down the six major layers that can influence thyroid function - comprehensive thyroid markers, genetics, mitochondria, adrenals, estrogen, nutrients, and gut integrity - and why each one matters if you want to move beyond guesswork. Dr. Shay shares how leaky gut, infections like H. pylori, Epstein-Barr virus, and even gluten can trigger autoimmune thyroid issues through molecular mimicry.
This episode is especially valuable if you have been told your labs are "normal" but still feel unwell, or if you are trying to make sense of why your energy, weight, mood, or hormones seem stuck. It is also a powerful reminder that better information leads to better decisions, and that the right testing can save you time, money, and years of frustration.
If you want a clearer, more holistic way to understand thyroid health - and practical direction on what to investigate first - this is essential listening.

The advice to stay clean, stay indoors, and avoid dirt may be making us sicker.
Clinical nutritionist and lifestyle medicine specialist Anthony Hartcher makes the case that our growing disconnection from nature is one of the hidden drivers behind poor mental health, gut issues, weak immunity, and dysregulated nervous systems. If you care about your health—or your kids’ health—this conversation will change how you think about sunlight, grass, rain, dirt, and the outdoors.
Anthony connects insights from Indigenous living systems, personal childhood memories, and what he sees in clinic to show why modern life can leave us overstimulated, under-grounded, and more vulnerable to disease. He argues that the further we move from earth, movement, and natural environments, the more our bodies pay the price.You’ll discover:
Why connection to land and environment is central to resilience and healing
How indoor living and overregulation may be contributing to anxiety, ADHD, and poor immune function
Why getting children outside, dirty, and moving freely can support calmer, more regulated behavior
The link between nature exposure, digestion, metabolism, and nervous system health
Why fear of sun, rain, mud, and bacteria may be costing us vitality
Anthony also challenges the modern obsession with sanitizing every risk out of life, making the case that a little wildness is part of being well. He shares what he notices when kids in his karate classes move outside, and why those moments reveal how quickly the nervous system can settle when we reconnect with the environment.
If you want practical perspective on how to support better health through simpler, more natural living, this episode is essential listening. Perfect for parents, health-conscious listeners, and anyone who feels better after a walk, a swim, or a little time in the dirt.

This episode focuses on why hair loss happens, how to identify the real cause, and what listeners can do to support healthier hair before considering a transplant. Anthony Hartcher speaks with Dr. Adriana Nicole Rosales, a family medicine physician with a background in Navy medicine and a private practice spanning wellness, aesthetics, and hair restoration. They discuss common medical and lifestyle drivers of shedding, including androgenetic alopecia, thyroid issues, nutritional deficiencies, stress, and rapid weight loss associated with GLP-1 medications.
Key topics
Dr. Adriana Nicole Rosales describes her path from family medicine and Navy service to private practice, wellness care, aesthetics, and hair restoration.
Hair loss is not just cosmetic—it can cause anxiety, distress, and concerns about self-image.
Androgenetic alopecia is discussed as a common cause: testosterone can be converted into DHT, which damages hair follicles over time.
Other causes include autoimmune conditions, telogen effluvium, thyroid dysfunction, and postpartum shedding.
GLP-1-related hair loss may be associated with rapid weight loss, insufficient protein intake, and the body’s stress response.
Lifestyle and environmental stressors, including smoking, alcohol, and some chemical exposures, may contribute to cellular and follicle stress.
Identifying the underlying cause may involve a physical exam, lab work, a scalp biopsy, or referral to a specialist.
Hair-health basics include adequate protein, a nutrient-rich diet, and addressing factors that may put stress on the body.
Dr. Rosales discusses the limits of supplements such as biotin and collagen as standalone hair-regrowth solutions.
She explains exosomes as cellular communication packets and discusses their use in hair-restoration protocols.
Aim for adequate protein, especially when losing weight or using a GLP-1 medication.
Avoid rapid weight loss without medical supervision.
If hair shedding is sudden or diffuse, discuss possible underlying causes with a qualified clinician.
Ask your clinician whether thyroid function or nutritional deficiencies should be evaluated.
Protect your scalp from sun exposure, especially if you have thinning hair or a visible part.
Seek support if stress is affecting your well-being or contributing to distress about hair loss.

Timestamps
00:00 — Welcome and why hair loss matters
00:30 — Dr. Rosales’s path from family medicine to hair restoration
02:34 — Why she joined the Navy and what military medicine taught her
04:22 — Life on an aircraft carrier and working with limited resources
06:56 — Shifting the conversation to hair loss prevention and treatment
07:55 — Common causes of hair loss
09:01 — GLP-1 use, rapid weight loss, and delayed shedding
10:27 — Postpartum shedding and thyroid dysfunction
11:34 — Nutritional deficiencies, traction alopecia, and scalp infections
12:55 — Why finding the right diagnosis matters
13:25 — Testosterone, DHT, and follicle damage
15:20 — Rapid weight loss versus other peptides
18:28 — The body’s stress response during rapid weight loss
19:29 — Smoking, toxins, and cellular damage
21:00 — The purpose of hair and what it can signal
22:34 — Hair, keratin, and the body’s toxin-removal systems
23:29 — Sun protection and scalp health
25:18 — Healthy eating and adequate protein
27:21 — Biotin, collagen, and hair-regrowth evidence
28:56 — Shampoos and topical products
30:58 — What exosomes are and how they relate to hair regeneration
34:11 — How exosomes may be administered
35:48 — Cell phones, EMFs, and hair growth
39:33 — Emotional stress and telogen effluvium
41:31 — The cycle of stress and hair loss
42:49 — How to contact Dr. Rosales

Guest contact:
Dr. Adriana Nicole Rosales shared pacificclinic.com and Pacific Clinic Bellevue’s Instagram and Facebook accounts as ways to connect.

Did you close your rings, hit your protein macros, do your 30-minute sauna… and still feel worse than ever?

This week it's just you and me. I recently overheard two young guys in a sauna insisting that 30 minutes was the rule — no less, no more. And it got me thinking about how many of us are living someone else's health protocol.

Influencers are selling attention. Studies describe populations, not you. Neither one knows your DNA, your values or what actually feels good in your body. So we end up ticking boxes, chasing numbers, being "good" all week and then swinging to the other extreme — the binge, the booze, the 22K punishment run. I call it the licensing effect, and it's the reason health starts to feel like a chore.

In this episode I share:
- Why influencer routines and research protocols were never designed for you
- How numbers on your watch and food labels create a disconnect from how health should feel
- The binge-restrict pendulum and how to find your middle ground
- What a pregnant client's KFC cravings were really telling her
- Why 5 minutes in the sauna might serve you better than 30
- How to become your own "N of 1" and build health you actually look forward to

This picks up where last week's Pleasure Principle episode left off. If you missed it, it's the perfect companion.

If you need help shutting down the noise so you can hear your own body again, I offer a free consultation — book via the link in the show notes.

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Anthony Hartcher is a clinical nutritionist and lifestyle medicine specialist based in Sydney, Australia.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice.

What if the reason you burn out on wellness routines isn't a personal failure—it's the system?
This week on HealthUp, Anthony Hartcher explores The Pleasure Principle in a unique AI-generated discussion format. Discover why your nervous system responds better to pleasure than punishment, how to stop over-optimizing your health, and why the practices you enjoy are actually the ones that work best.
A conversation about the wellness trends reshaping how we approach sustainable health—without the guilt.