Modern Thyroid and Wellness

What if the reason you still feel tired after optimizing hormones is not your hormones at all?
In this episode, Michael sits down with Patrick Sullivan Jr. and Ashley Sullivan, the executive producers behind the new documentary Breaking Big Food: How the American Food System Went Rotten and How It's Being Revived. Their mission to expose the problems within the modern food system began with a deeply personal experience: Patrick’s thyroid cancer diagnosis.
Patrick shares the emotional journey of discovering a lump in his neck, navigating multiple biopsies, and ultimately undergoing thyroid surgery. The experience sparked a deeper question that traditional medicine could not answer: why did cancer develop in the first place? That question ultimately led the couple into the world of metabolic health, food quality, and environmental influences on chronic disease.
The conversation explores how processed foods, corporate food systems, and environmental toxins may contribute to widespread metabolic dysfunction, thyroid disease, and chronic illness. Patrick and Ashley also share insights from their documentary, including shocking discoveries about how tobacco companies once controlled a large portion of the American food supply.
Inspired by their journey, the couple also launched Firefly Organic Coffee and Market, a Scottsdale-based café focused on mold-free organic coffee and nutrient-dense foods. This episode connects the dots between food, stress, environment, and long-term health while highlighting how personal pain can become a powerful purpose.
👤 About the Guests
Patrick Sullivan Jr.
Patrick Sullivan Jr. is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and thyroid cancer survivor. After his diagnosis over a decade ago, he began exploring the deeper connections between food, environmental exposures, stress, and metabolic health. Patrick is the executive producer of the documentary Breaking Big Food, which investigates the history of the American food system and its impact on chronic disease.
Ashley Sullivan
Ashley Sullivan is a business owner, producer, and wellness advocate who works alongside Patrick in both their film and food initiatives. She co-produced Breaking Big Food and co-founded Firefly Organic Coffee and Market, a Scottsdale café dedicated to providing organic, mold-free coffee and access to nutrient-dense foods that support better health.
🔑 Key Topics Covered
Patrick’s thyroid cancer diagnosis and the stress of navigating uncertain test results
Why thyroid cancer often raises deeper questions about environmental and lifestyle factors
The emotional and physical impact of living with a cancer diagnosis
The influence of chronic stress on metabolic and thyroid health
How food quality can influence inflammation and long-term disease risk
The surprising history of tobacco companies acquiring major food brands in the 1980s
Why processed foods are engineered to be addictive
The connection between metabolic dysfunction and the modern food system
Small dietary changes that can dramatically improve health outcomes
The inspiration behind the documentary Breaking Big Food
Launching Firefly Organic Coffee and Market to provide clean food options
The issue of mold contamination in coffee and why sourcing matters

🎬 Resources and Links Mentioned
📺 Watch the Documentary
Breaking Big Food: How the American Food System Went Rotten and How It's Being Revived
Available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video
📲 Follow McCall McPherson & Modern Thyroid and Wellness
💻 Website: modernthyroidclinic.com
🐦 X / Twitter: @thyroidexpert
🌐 Host Website: mccallmcpherson.com
📺 YouTube: McCall McPherson Channel
📘 Facebook: McCall McPherson PAC
📸 Instagram: @mccallmcphersonpa

What if the reason many thyroid patients still feel unwell is not their labs, but how their symptoms are being interpreted?
Today’s episode is the first installment of a multi-part clinician interview series on the Modern Thyroid Clinic podcast. Host McCall McPherson sits down with three of the clinic’s clinicians, Brandy Valentino, RN, WHNP, CNM, Jessica Strauss, DNP, FNP-C, and Krystal Adams, MSN, FNP-BC, LSO, to help listeners get to know the people behind the care.
Together, they share their personal journeys into medicine, what led them to thyroid and hormone work, and why individualized, symptom-driven care matters so much for thyroid patients. You will also hear candid conversations about medical gaslighting, obesity bias, the limitations of TSH-only testing, and why many people with “normal labs” still feel miserable. Along the way, the episode brings plenty of personality and behind-the-scenes stories, including Brandy’s early inspiration from a care flight helicopter tour, Jessica’s love of travel and Disney, and Krystal’s surprising connection to a military dolphin trainer story.
Episode Highlights
Why this clinician interview series was created and what to expect in future parts
Brandy’s story of being inspired in third grade by a care flight helicopter visit
Brandy’s background in labor and delivery, women’s health, and midwifery
How Brandy transitioned into thyroid care after questioning algorithm-based hormone protocols
What Brandy finds most meaningful: the “fast forward” moment when patients get their lives back
The misconception Brandy wants patients to understand: thyroid care is highly individualized
The reality of being dismissed with “it’s not your thyroid” and why that harms patients
Jessica’s personal experience of thyroid symptoms despite consistently “normal” TSH
How Jessica’s training included a more nuanced view beyond basic thyroid teaching
A powerful story: antibodies rising dramatically and an endocrinology response of “nothing different to do”
How obesity bias impacts care and how it can delay diagnosis and worsen outcomes
Why Modern Thyroid Clinic prioritizes listening, full panels, and patient empowerment
Jessica’s favorite part of the work: celebrating symptom improvement and life restoration
Jessica’s view: thyroid issues are not a life sentence when treated appropriately
Krystal’s early foundation in prevention-focused care and integrative medicine
How Krystal’s friend’s thyroid storm and Graves disease helped pull her deeper into thyroid work
Why hormones and thyroid must be addressed together, especially in midlife
Krystal’s experience diagnosing Hashimoto’s in patients who were never told they had it, even after decades
Common misunderstandings: antibodies matter, T3 can be life-changing, lifestyle can amplify results
A striking example: a patient’s TSH dropping from around 100 to under 1 with treatment and labs normalizing quickly
Behind-the-scenes fun: Hawaii, a huge family, and the military dolphin trainer story

In This Episode, You Will Learn
Why many thyroid patients still struggle when care focuses only on TSH
How thyroid symptoms can be real even when labs appear “normal” on limited testing
Why full thyroid panels and antibody tracking can change clinical decisions and outcomes
How gaslighting and obesity bias show up in real healthcare settings
Why thyroid and hormones often need to be treated together for best results
What “no one size fits all” really means in thyroid medication and dosing
Why treating symptoms alongside labs can restore quality of life
How thyroid support can become the foundation that makes lifestyle change possible
Why patients deserve to feel well in every season of life, including perimenopause and menopause
How Modern Thyroid Clinic approaches education, empowerment, and individualized care

Featured Clinicians
Brandy Valentino, RN, WHNP, CNM
Brandy shares her path from labor and delivery and midwifery into thyroid care, including how questioning cookie-cutter algorithms led her to a more personalized, patient-centered approach.
Jessica Strauss, DNP, FNP-C
Jessica explains how her own symptoms and years of being dismissed shaped her approach to care, and why she is passionate about full thyroid evaluation, belief in patient symptoms, and restoring hope.
Krystal Adams, MSN, FNP-BC, LSO
Krystal describes her prevention-focused background, her love of hormone care, and how combining hormone and thyroid optimization can help patients finally feel normal again.
📲 Follow McCall McPherson & Modern Thyroid and Wellness
💻 Website: modernthyroidclinic.com
🐦 X / Twitter: @thyroidexpert
🌐 Host Website: mccallmcpherson.com
📺 YouTube: McCall McPherson Channel
📘 Facebook: McCall McPherson PAC
📸 Instagram: @mccallmcphersonpa

What if GLP-1 medications work best not at higher doses, but with slower, personalized microdosing?
In this solo Ask Me Anything episode of Modern Thyroid and Wellness, McCall McPherson answers your most pressing questions about GLP-1 medications. Drawing from clinical experience and current research, she breaks down how these medications actually work, why microdosing matters, and how to minimize side effects while protecting metabolism, muscle, and long-term health.
McCall explores the connection between GLP-1s and inflammation, thyroid function, fertility, cancer risk, longevity, and metabolic recovery. She also explains when patients may need long-term therapy, how to successfully come off these medications, and why slow, personalized dosing produces the safest and most sustainable results.
If you’ve heard conflicting information about GLP-1s, this episode offers clarity, context, and a clinically grounded perspective on how to use them wisely.

Key Topics Covered
What GLP-1 medications are and how they work beyond appetite suppression
Why microdosing leads to better outcomes and fewer side effects
The real cause of most GLP-1 side effects: rapid weight loss and under-fueling
Semaglutide vs. tirzepatide and how to choose the right option
Why most patients do not need to stay on GLP-1s forever
How improving insulin sensitivity and leptin resistance supports long-term weight maintenance
When long-term GLP-1 use may be appropriate, especially for chronic inflammation
Strategies for tapering off successfully, including slow dose reduction and metabolic support
The relationship between GLP-1s and thyroid function, Hashimoto’s antibodies, and medication adjustments
Pregnancy, fertility, and breastfeeding recommendations
Why weight loss timelines vary based on thyroid health and metabolic status
The role of treatment breaks in maintaining medication effectiveness


GLP-1 Benefits You May Not Know About
Powerful anti-inflammatory effects through multiple biological pathways
Reduced risk of several cancers, including breast, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic
Lower risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke
Reduced all-cause mortality by approximately 15–20%
Improvements in metabolic health, blood sugar control, and insulin sensitivity
Potential benefits for compulsive behaviors, cravings, and addiction patterns


Common Concerns Addressed
Hair loss and muscle loss
Usually caused by rapid weight loss or inadequate protein and nutrient intake, not the medication itself.
Thyroid cancer risk
Human studies have not shown an increased risk for common thyroid cancers. GLP-1s should be avoided only in patients with a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN syndromes.
Thyroid medication changes
Weight loss and metabolic shifts often require dose adjustments over time.

Lifestyle Strategies That Support Success
Prioritize strength training to preserve muscle and metabolic rate
Focus on adequate protein and micronutrient intake
Avoid aggressive calorie restriction
Incorporate walking and low-stress movement
Address thyroid optimization and metabolic health before expecting rapid results

📲 Follow McCall McPherson & Modern Thyroid and Wellness
💻 Website: modernthyroidclinic.com
🐦 X / Twitter: @thyroidexpert
🌐 Host Website: mccallmcpherson.com
📺 YouTube: McCall McPherson Channel
📘 Facebook: McCall McPherson PAC
📸 Instagram: @mccallmcphersonpa

What if the answers to chronic illness are often missed because medicine focuses on symptoms instead of root causes?
In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Modern Thyroid and Wellness, McCall McPherson welcomes Dr. Aaron Hartman, functional medicine physician, clinical researcher, and author of UnCurable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds. Dr. Hartman shares how his daughter’s complex medical challenges transformed his understanding of healthcare, pushing him beyond conventional medicine and into a root-cause, patient-centered approach.
The conversation explores medical blind spots, medical gaslighting, and the limitations of symptom-focused care. Dr. Hartman explains why chronic illness often requires patients to become active participants in their health journey and how functional medicine can help uncover overlooked root causes. He also discusses environmental toxins, tick-borne illness, mold exposure, hypermobility syndromes, and the importance of personalized care strategies.
This episode offers hope, validation, and practical insight for anyone who has felt dismissed, misunderstood, or stuck searching for answers.

Episode Highlights
Dr. Hartman’s journey from conventional medicine to functional medicine through his daughter’s health challenges
The concept of medical blind spots and how healthcare recommendations evolve over time
Why chronic illness often requires individualized and investigative care
Understanding medical gaslighting and why patients, especially women, are frequently dismissed
How the healthcare system prioritizes acute care over chronic disease prevention and management
Why patients must become the “CEO” of their own health
The importance of building a collaborative healthcare team
Environmental and chronic illness drivers including mold exposure, Lyme disease, and bio-toxin illness
The connection between hypermobility, autoimmune conditions, neurodivergence, and chronic health symptoms
The role of lifestyle fundamentals including nutrition, sleep, environment, and relationships in healing
How faith, resilience, and patient-provider trust influence recovery and health outcomes
Why listening to patients is often the most powerful diagnostic tool in medicine
How education empowers patients to make informed healthcare decisions
Why modern medicine requires balancing conventional and functional approaches

In This Episode, You Will Learn
Why chronic illness often exists in gaps between medical specialties
How conventional medicine can miss environmental, infectious, and systemic contributors to illness
The importance of detailed patient history and long-term provider relationships
How environmental toxins and water-damaged buildings can contribute to chronic inflammation
Why tick-borne illnesses may be significantly underdiagnosed
The connection between hypermobility syndromes and complex chronic illness patterns
How medical culture and time constraints can unintentionally limit patient care
Why early dismissal of symptoms can delay diagnoses by years
The importance of patient education and proactive health ownership
How foundational health practices often provide the strongest healing support


About Dr. Aaron Hartman:
Dr. Aaron Hartman is a functional medicine physician, clinical researcher, and founder of the Virginia Research Center. He has participated in over 70 clinical research studies and serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
His work focuses on helping patients identify lifestyle and environmental leverage points that support the body’s natural ability to heal. His book, UnCurable, shares his family’s journey navigating chronic illness while providing practical strategies for patients seeking answers beyond conventional care.
📖 About UnCurable
UnCurable blends memoir and medicine, weaving personal family experience with decades of clinical insight. It challenges conventional models of chronic illness and empowers patients to pursue healing through personalized, root cause focused care.
Discover the book:
📘 Amazon: UnCurable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds
🎧 Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/UnCurable-Audiobook/B0G4NNPSF2?srsltid=AfmBOoqovf36lmHnQPTbTM9YhGlzJ40P8kCAnzrGjXknVrygXQ7az_y4

Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD
📲 Follow McCall McPherson & Modern Thyroid and Wellness
💻 Website: modernthyroidclinic.com
🐦 X / Twitter: @thyroidexpert
🌐 Host Website: mccallmcpherson.com
📺 YouTube: McCall McPherson Channel
📘 Facebook: McCall McPherson PAC
📸 Instagram: @mccallmcphersonpa

What if the reason thyroid eye disease feels so confusing is because it requires more than one specialist to treat it well?
In this episode of Modern Thyroid and Wellness, host McCall McPherson sits down with Dr. Sean Paul, a board-certified oculoplastic and orbital surgeon based in Austin, Texas, to explore thyroid eye disease (TED) from diagnosis through advanced treatment.
Dr. Paul explains what thyroid eye disease really is, why it is often underdiagnosed, and how it impacts both vision and quality of life. The conversation covers medical therapy, biologic treatments like Tepezza (teprotumumab), surgical options, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. They also discuss emerging trends in aesthetic and reconstructive eye surgery, regenerative skin treatments, and why long-term maintenance and skin health matter just as much as procedures.
This episode offers clarity, hope, and practical guidance for anyone struggling with thyroid eye disease, Graves’ disease, or eye changes related to autoimmune thyroid conditions.

👤 About the Guest: Dr. Sean Paul
Dr. Sean Paul is a fellowship-trained oculoplastic and orbital surgeon and the founder of Austin Face and Body. He completed medical school in San Antonio and trained extensively in ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery, with early experience in reconstructive eye surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Dr. Paul specializes in thyroid eye disease, orbital inflammation, eyelid reconstruction, and aesthetic facial surgery, blending functional restoration with natural-appearing cosmetic outcomes. His practice focuses on both medical necessity and patient confidence.

🔑 Key Topics Covered
What thyroid eye disease is and why it is an autoimmune orbital inflammatory condition
The connection between TED and Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism
Early and subtle symptoms of thyroid eye disease, including dryness, redness, eyelid asymmetry, and double vision
Why thyroid eye disease is frequently underdiagnosed
The difference between active inflammatory disease and “quiet” or chronic disease
The emotional and social impact of eye changes in Graves’ disease
How oculoplastic and orbital surgeons are trained and what makes them different from general ophthalmologists
Medical treatment options including steroids, radiation, and biologic therapy
Tepezza (teprotumumab): how it works, how it is administered, and potential side effects including hearing changes
Surgical options for thyroid eye disease:
Orbital decompression (fat and bone)
Strabismus (eye muscle) surgery
Eyelid retraction repair
Typical recovery timelines and why disease stability matters before surgery
The role of inflammation control, thyroid antibodies, and IGF-1 receptor pathways
Cosmetic and reconstructive trends in eyelid and facial surgery
Why “natural” results and long-term maintenance are now the standard
The growing role of regenerative treatments, lasers, and skin health in facial rejuvenation


🧠 Important Medical Clarifications (Fact-Checked)
The biologic medication discussed is Tepezza (teprotumumab), not “Topaz”
Tepezza targets the IGF-1 receptor, a key pathway involved in thyroid eye disease inflammation
Tepezza is administered intravenously over a structured infusion schedule
Hearing changes are a known side effect and require monitoring
Orbital decompression may be urgent if the optic nerve is threatened
Surgery is ideally performed after 3–6 months of disease stability, unless vision is at risk


🌐 Where to Learn More
Practice Website:
🌐 https://www.austinfaceandbody.com
Instagram:
📸 https://www.instagram.com/austinfaceandbody
📸 https://www.instagram.com/drseanpaul
📍 Locations: Austin, Westlake, Downtown Austin, Round Rock
💻 Virtual consultations available
📲 Follow McCall McPherson & Modern Thyroid and Wellness
💻 Website: modernthyroidclinic.com
🐦 X / Twitter: @thyroidexpert
🌐 Host Website: mccallmcpherson.com
📺 YouTube: McCall McPherson Channel
📘 Facebook: McCall McPherson PAC
📸 Instagram: @mccallmcphersonpa