In this episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility, Caitlin continues solo to bring us special guest, Lindsay O’Reilly while Sophia is on maternity leave.  Lindsay is an integrative and function dietician in the Kansas City area and specializes in thyroid disorders.  While navigating her own diagnosis of hypothyroidism, Lindsay set a course with her virtual practice in hopes of assisting others dealing with thyroid issues, in an effort to bridge the gaps of understanding when it comes to a healthy system.      The main focus today is to discuss thyroid and its relation to fertility.   By doing so, Lindsay and Caitlin address the different forms of thyroid trouble, both men and women can withstand, as well as what tests one should request from their health care practitioner when assessing the root cause of their thyroid conditions. Since some forms of thyroid malfunction can stem from autoimmune diseases, Lindsay and Caitlin spend some time discussing the ways in which testing your thyroid antibodies can be helpful in an effort to get a full scope of what is happening inside your system.  With Lindsay’s own experience and knowledge drawn from her practice, she and Caitlin hope to aim the discussion at points where some western medicine overlooks, in an effort to help listeners gain more knowledge of what they can look for when clearing a path to better health.   The importance of thorough testing comes even more into play when discussing fertility as so many factors derived from a healthy thyroid can affect fertility.  For instance, Vitamin D is an imperative vitamin to the fertility process, which may be left untested in the usual ways of fertility studies for women struggling to conceive.  Along with explaining the ideal testing processes, Lindsay & Caitlin share their observations on factors that may contribute to the stress withstood by your body and thyroid, both before and after conception.  Since the body may alter based on many different contributions, Caitlin & Lindsay take the time to explain common circumstances for women trying to conceive, withstanding a pregnancy, and post-partum.  By outlining examples like the one above, Caitlin & Lindsay hope to give listeners strong talking points and knowledge so with the help of their doctor, more women feel empowered to reach their healthiest self.   Head to Lindsay's website: https://www.lindsayoreillyrd.com for the guide mentioned in the episode.