20: German New Medicine Approach to Thyroid Health
This episode of the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast features Dr. Lauryn Lax, a former TV journalist turned functional medicine expert. Dr. Lauryn shares her inspiring journey of overcoming 13 chronic illnesses, including Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, IBS, Lyme disease, mast cell activation, mold toxicity, orthorexia, and anorexia. Now a functional medicine expert, Dr. Lauryn empowers others to heal from within, with a focus on gut health, hormones, detoxing, faith, and mindset.
The conversation delves into the psychological aspects of healing, where Dr. Lauryn discusses the healing philosophies of German New Medicine and their relevance in thyroid and adrenal health.
What You’ll Learn:
The "Kidney Collecting Tubule Conflict" and Isolation Weight Gain: Dr. Lauryn explains how sudden, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, and thyroid/hormonal issues can stem from emotional trauma — especially feelings of abandonment, isolation, or existential fear. During the pandemic, many people (including Izabella) experienced this "beached whale syndrome," where the body retains water and weight as a protective mechanism due to deep emotional stress.
Thyroid Symptoms as Metaphors for “Uncaught Morsels”: In German New Medicine, thyroid issues often stem from a psychological perception of “not being able to catch a morsel”— whether that’s time, love, purpose, or personal space. For women, this often relates to self-sacrifice, lack of boundaries, or losing one’s identity in caregiving or work.
Gut-First Approach to Healing the Thyroid: Dr. Lauryn emphasizes that true thyroid healing starts in the gut. She explains how optimizing digestion, healing intestinal permeability, and rebalancing the microbiome can restore hormone function — even in autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s.
Healing the Identity Before the Body: One of Dr. Lauryn’s core teachings is helping clients rewrite their identity — moving from “I am Hashimoto’s” or “I am sick” to “I am healing” or “I am resilient.” She encourages designing a higher version of self ("that girl/guy") and embodying that person before full physical healing manifests.
The Power of Mindset in Food Reactions: She shares how food sensitivities aren’t just biological but can be linked to unresolved emotional stressors. For instance, a child may develop a peanut allergy after experiencing emotional trauma while eating a PB&J, wiring the food to danger. Rewiring the nervous system and beliefs can help reverse food reactions.
Mold Sensitivity and Emotional Resilience: Mold toxicity symptoms often correlate with a prior season of intense stress. Dr. Lauryn points out that mold is the trigger — but the body’s inability to detox is usually due to weakened resilience from trauma, toxins, or immune imbalance. Addressing the inner terrain is as vital as detoxing the mold.
Healing is 80% Emotional and 20% Tactical: Whether it’s an autoimmune illness, food sensitivities, or gut dysfunction, Dr. Lauryn’s approach is 80% about resolving the emotional root and 20% about physical support (like enzymes, magnesium, sauna, or supplements). She uses mindset tools like mantras (“What would healthy me do?”) and EFT tapping to rewire the nervous system.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of thyroid health and pathways to healing.
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For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/
New Zealand