"Rather than simply painting over a diseased leaf, the aim is to address why it became unwell in the first place."
Taking care of your health is one thing. Understanding the systems quietly running beneath the surface is another. Dr Amy Gajjar, an integrative doctor trained at Imperial College London, knows the limitations of conventional medicine from the inside. After years of working as an NHS GP, often seeing patients every ten minutes, she found herself managing symptoms rather than causes. That disconnect led her to step back, travel to Australia, and rebuild her approach from the ground up. Today her practice combines mainstream medicine with functional medicine, nutrition, yoga, and Ayurvedic lifestyle. It starts not with what is wrong, but with why.
A helpful analogy is the “functional medicine tree”. Each branch represents a different system in the body, such as digestive or cardiovascular health, where symptoms may appear. Conventional medicine often treats the symptoms on that branch, whereas functional medicine looks deeper, to the roots, to understand what is driving those symptoms.
”Rather than simply painting over a diseased leaf, the aim is to address why it became unwell in the first place,” says Dr Amy Gajjar.
Why the Thyroid Deserves More Attention
The thyroid gland plays a central role in regulating many key functions in the body, including energy production, metabolism, temperature regulation, and neurotransmitter balance. Because of this wide influence, even subtle changes in thyroid function can have a noticeable impact on how someone feels day to day. When thyroid function is affected, symptoms can be varied and often quite non-specific; common examples include fatigue, low mood, brain fog, weight changes, and reduced concentration.
”In the early stages, these symptoms are frequently attributed to stress, busy lifestyles, or 'just getting older,' which means they are often dismissed or overlooked,” says Dr Gajjar.
In addition, standard blood tests may still be in the reference range in the early phases, meaning nothing is formally diagnosed despite symptoms being present. However, when looked over time, and especially through a functional medicine lens, subtle trends or shifts in hormone levels that fall outside what is optimal for that individual can be seen.
”This is why thyroid health is something more people could benefit from paying attention to, even without a formal diagnosis. Recognising early patterns and addressing contributing factors such as stress, nutrition, gut health, and sleep can help support thyroid function before more significant dysfunction develops and medical treatment becomes necessary,” she explains.
The Diagnosis Gap Nobody Talks About
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) and one of the most common autoimmune conditions, particularly in women. It's a subject Dr Gajjar knows intimately, and her first book, Slow Butterfly, was written specifically to help people living with it understand and navigate the condition. It often goes undiagnosed for years because symptoms can be subtle, non-specific, and develop gradually.
”In the early stages, standard thyroid blood tests may still fall within the 'normal' range, despite underlying dysfunction. In addition, thyroid antibodies, which help identify Hashimoto’s, are not always routinely tested, meaning the autoimmune process can be missed while inflammation and damage to the gland continue over time,” she says.
As the condition progresses and thyroid hormone levels fall outside the normal range, conventional treatment is typically initiated with thyroid hormone replacement. While this can be very effective in improving symptoms, it does not address the underlying drivers of the autoimmune response. In Dr Gajjar’s integrative approach, she looks beyond hormone levels to explore what may be contributing to immune dysregulation. There is growing evidence that factors such as nutrition, gut health, stress, and environmental influences play a significant role.
”By addressing these, it is often possible to reduce inflammation, support immune balance, and improve overall thyroid function. In some cases, this may lead to improved symptoms and, with careful monitoring and medical supervision, adjustments in medication,” says Dr Gajjar.
The Gut-Thyroid Connection
Around 70–80% of the immune system is located in the gut, making gut health highly relevant to autoimmune conditions, including Hashimoto’s. An imbalanced microbiome or altered gut barrier can contribute to immune dysregulation and increased inflammation, both of which are key drivers of autoimmune thyroid disease. Gut bacteria also play an important role in thyroid hormone metabolism, including the production of the active form, T3. In addition, thyroid hormones themselves are essential for normal gut function, particularly gut motility.
”This creates a clear two-way relationship: poor gut health can impair thyroid function, and impaired thyroid function can, in turn, negatively affect digestion. Because of this bidirectional connection, addressing gut health is often a central part of supporting thyroid health,” she says.
In practice, this means dietary strategies such as reducing inflammatory triggers, alongside supporting microbiome diversity through nutrition and lifestyle.
Dr Gajjar's 5 Foundations for Lasting Health
These are the ones she returns to, with every patient, every time.
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Prioritise sleep: Sleep is not optional; it is when the body repairs, detoxifies, and restores hormonal balance. Aim for consistency with sleep and wake times, and protect the quality of your sleep as much as possible.
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Support your stress response: Chronic stress is one of the most common drivers of modern illness. It’s not always obvious because it can feel like “just life,” but the body still registers it. Start small: 5 minutes of daily breathing practice, meditation, or a short walk can make a real difference over time.
- Focus on whole, real food: Nutrition is foundational. Prioritise unprocessed foods, adequate protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Food is not just fuel; it directly influences inflammation, gut health, and hormones.
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Move your body daily: Movement supports metabolism, lymphatic flow, mood, and blood sugar balance. Start where you are: walking, yoga, strength training, or any form of consistent movement counts.
- Start small and be consistent: Micro-habits, done consistently, create real transformation over time. Focus on progress, not perfection.
About the Expert:
She trained at the Imperial College School of Medicine (University of London) and worked as an NHS GP for several years. In Sydney, she has undergone extensive further training and is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (ACNEM), Fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM) and a Board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician (IBLM). She has also attained the Master of Integrative Medicine (Southern Cross University). Dr Amy has an interest in thyroid health, autoimmunity, women’s health, gut health and lifestyle medicine.
Dr Amy is also a Registered Yoga Teacher (hatha and kundalini yoga) and has pursued a diverse range of courses and retreats, including Life coaching, NLP, Personal Training and Ayurvedic lifestyle. “Slow Butterfly; How Healing Your Thyroid Transforms Everything” is her first book, and she hopes to empower people living with Hashimoto’s/Hypothyroidism and inspire them to become the best version of themselves.
Dr Amy believes in taking a holistic approach to patient care, embracing all aspects of health – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Connect with Dr Amy Gajjar:
Website: https://dramygajjar.comInstagram: @dramygajjar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAmyGajjar/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dramygajjar