Why You’re Still Sick: Thyroid, Inflammation and Root Causes
What if the real problem is not your symptoms, but the questions nobody has asked yet?
Watch On YouTube
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Watch On YouTube 〰️
TLDR
This episode explores why treating symptoms is not always the same as solving the real problem.
Dr. Kevin Smith explains how thyroid issues, chronic inflammation, blood sugar problems, and lifestyle habits can all overlap.
You will learn why better testing, better questions, and better daily habits matter.
The biggest takeaways are practical: focus on food, hydration, sleep, movement, tracking, and asking what is driving the issue in the first place.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Introduction
Most people do not ignore their health. They just respond to it the way they have been taught. A symptom shows up, they want it gone, and the fastest path often feels like the best one. Take the tablet. Book the appointment. Find the quick fix. Move on.
But what if that symptom is a signal, not just a problem to shut down?
That is the heart of my conversation with Dr. Kevin Smith. Kevin has spent 25 years in practice, starting as a chiropractor before going deeper into clinical nutrition and functional medicine. What stood out to me straight away was how clearly he explains things. He is not afraid to challenge the usual health model, but he does it in a way that everyday people can actually follow.
In this episode, we talk about thyroid health, chronic inflammation, blood sugar, supplements, wearable tech, GLP-1 medications, and why so many people are stuck treating symptoms without ever really understanding what is driving them. Whether you agree with every point or not, the conversation pushes you to ask better questions about your body, your habits, and the kind of health you actually want to build.
As Kevin put it, “You want to always start off with the most non-invasive approach first.” That one idea alone can change how a lot of people think about their health.
Listen On Apple Podcast
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Listen On Apple Podcast 〰️
Listen On Spotify
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Listen On Spotify 〰️
Lesson 1: Treating Symptoms Is Not the Same as Finding the Root Cause
What It Is:
A symptom is what you feel or notice. A root cause is the deeper reason it is happening. This episode keeps coming back to the idea that short-term relief and long-term resolution are not always the same thing.
Why It Matters:
If you only ever chase symptom relief, you can end up going in circles. A headache, fatigue, digestive issue, or low mood might settle for a while, but if the underlying driver is still there, the problem often comes back. Root-cause thinking helps you slow down, get curious, and look at the full picture instead of reacting to the loudest signal.
How To Apply It:
When a symptom keeps showing up, write down when it happens, how often, and what was happening around it.
Ask, “What might be contributing to this?” instead of only asking, “How do I stop this?”
Look at the obvious basics first: sleep, food, hydration, stress, movement, and recovery.
Notice patterns over time rather than judging one bad day in isolation.
If you see a practitioner, explain the pattern, not just the symptom.
Ask what else could be driving the issue if the first answer does not fully explain it.
Pro Tip:
Do not confuse temporary relief with a full solution.
Try This Today:
Write down one symptom that keeps bothering you and list three possible contributors.
Lesson 2: Thyroid Health Is Bigger Than One Blood Test
What It Is:
The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that helps regulate energy and many body processes. In the episode, Kevin explains that thyroid problems can show up as brain fog, fatigue, gut issues, mood changes, or other signs that seem unrelated at first.
Why It Matters:
A lot of people hear “thyroid” and think it is one simple issue with one simple fix. This conversation challenges that. Kevin argues that thyroid function connects to the brain, liver, gut, sex hormones, inflammation, and blood sugar. Whether or not every listener agrees with all of his views, the bigger lesson is valuable: if something feels off, it is worth looking at the wider system, not just one label.
How To Apply It:
If you suspect something is off, track your symptoms clearly before appointments.
Pay attention to signs like low energy, poor concentration, constipation, mood changes, or unexplained shifts in weight.
(Note: these symptoms can have many causes.)Ask your practitioner to explain what the test is looking at and what it is not looking at.
Ask how your thyroid relates to the rest of your health, including stress, digestion, and recovery.
Avoid assuming that one result explains everything.
Keep the focus on understanding your body, not just collecting labels online.
Pro Tip:
A buzzword on social media is not the same as a diagnosis.
Try This Today:
List the main symptoms that made you interested in thyroid health in the first place.
Lesson 3: Chronic Inflammation Can Quietly Affect Energy, Mood and Recovery
What It Is:
Kevin explains that acute inflammation is the short-term kind that helps the body heal after an injury. Chronic inflammation is when that process keeps going and starts creating ongoing stress in the body.
Why It Matters:
When people hear “inflammation,” they often think only of pain or swelling. But the episode highlights a broader idea: if the body is under constant internal stress, that can affect energy, recovery, focus, metabolism, and how well different systems work together. Even if you never use the term yourself, the practical point is simple: the body struggles when it is constantly overloaded.
How To Apply It:
Look at the big picture of your lifestyle before looking for a miracle fix.
Reduce foods and drinks that clearly leave you feeling flat, bloated, foggy, or sluggish.
Cut back on highly processed extras that make it easy to overeat without giving you much nourishment.
Prioritise sleep, because poor sleep can keep the body under stress.
Build movement into your day, not just intense workouts.
If inflammation markers are discussed with your healthcare team, ask what they mean in plain language.
Pro Tip:
The goal is not perfection. The goal is lowering the body’s overall stress load.
Try This Today:
Take five minutes to notice how you feel after your usual lunch. Energised, sleepy, bloated, or clear-headed?
Lesson 4: Better Health Starts With Better Questions
What It Is:
One of the strongest themes in the episode is that many people go straight to “What do I take?” instead of “Why is this happening?” Kevin talks about a health culture that often jumps to the most invasive option too quickly.
Why It Matters:
The quality of your questions shapes the quality of your decisions. Better questions can help you become more involved in your own health, rather than feeling like things are just happening to you. That does not mean rejecting conventional care. It means becoming an active participant instead of a passive one.
How To Apply It:
Before your next appointment, write down the top two or three questions you want answered.
Ask what the likely drivers are, not just what the treatment is.
Ask what simple changes might help before escalating to bigger interventions.
Ask how you will know whether a treatment is actually working.
Ask what warning signs would mean you need more urgent medical attention.
(Note: detail not provided in the episode, but this is a sensible question to ask.)Keep notes so you can compare what changes over time.
Pro Tip:
Curiosity is not anti-medicine. It is part of good healthcare.
Try This Today:
Write one better question you wish you had asked at your last health appointment.
Lesson 5: Supplements Are Not a Shortcut for Poor Habits
What It Is:
Kevin makes a clear point here: supplements are meant to supplement a healthy diet, not rescue an unhealthy one. He also argues that quality matters and that not all products are equal.
Why It Matters:
A lot of people treat supplements the same way they treat medication. They hear they are low in something, buy a product, and hope for the best. But if food quality, sleep, alcohol intake, hydration, and recovery are poor, a supplement will not magically undo that. This lesson matters because it redirects attention back to habits first.
How To Apply It:
Ask yourself why you are taking a supplement in the first place.
Review whether your basics are being covered through food, sleep, water, and movement.
Avoid buying something just because it is trending online.
If you use supplements, choose them intentionally rather than collecting lots of random products.
Keep track of what you take and whether you notice any difference.
Revisit whether you still need them after your habits improve.
Pro Tip:
The most expensive supplement is the one that does nothing for you.
Try This Today:
Pick one supplement you use and write down why you take it, what you hope it helps, and whether you have noticed a real difference.
Lesson 6: The Basics Still Matter More Than Most People Want to Admit
What It Is:
Toward the end of the episode, the conversation comes back to simple daily habits: food, hydration, sleep, exercise, posture, and reducing the overall load on the body.
Why It Matters:
This is not flashy advice, but it is the advice most people need. Many people are looking for an advanced answer while skipping the foundations. The basics are not boring when they work. They are the things that make everything else easier: better energy, better training, better focus, better recovery, and better long-term health.
How To Apply It:
Start with balanced meals built around real, recognisable food.
Drink enough water throughout the day, not just when you remember at night.
Set a regular sleep window and protect it.
Move your body daily, even if it is a walk, mobility work, or light training.
Notice how alcohol, poor sleep, and liquid calories affect your energy and appetite.
Use consistency as your measure of success, not just intensity.
Pro Tip:
Do not underestimate how much better life feels when the basics are steady.
Try This Today:
Choose one non-negotiable for the next 24 hours: water, sleep, a walk, or one solid meal.
Mini Case/Example
“I like to solve puzzles. I like to figure out what is behind the problem in front of me.” - Dr Kevin Smith
That line captures the whole tone of the episode. Kevin is clearly interested in the deeper story behind a symptom, not just the symptom itself.
“You can’t improve upon anything that you’re not measuring.” - Dr Kevin Smith
That part of the conversation stood out, too. Whether you are tracking sleep, symptoms, body composition, hydration, or blood sugar, the principle is the same: what gets measured gets noticed, and what gets noticed is easier to improve.
“I think that eating or food in general should be thought of as fuel for maximum performance, not as a convenient thing or as a reward.” - Dr Kevin Smith
Quick Wins Checklist (Do These Today)
Write down one symptom pattern you have been ignoring.
Drink more water than you did yesterday.
Eat one meal made mostly from real, minimally processed food.
Go for a walk or do 10 minutes of movement.
Set a realistic bedtime for tonight.
Write one better question to ask at your next health appointment.
Closing Insight
The biggest takeaway from this conversation is not that there is one perfect diet, one perfect test, or one expert with every answer. It is that your body usually gives you clues before it gives you a crisis. The challenge is learning to notice those clues, ask better questions, and respond with more than just a quick fix. Whether the issue is thyroid health, chronic inflammation, blood sugar, or everyday fatigue, the basics still matter, and curiosity still counts. Better health often starts with slowing down long enough to ask what your body has been trying to tell you all along.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Watch me on YouTube
Listen to the True From Podcast:
Apple Podcast -
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-true-form-podcast/id1593804496
Spotify -
https://open.spotify.com/show/6RVH2O6MbLOCohBKPhXO0L?si=ZI8D3MnhSfSjnohSXYN_MQ
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