The Wellness Way - Lake Forest

08/15/2026

08/13/2026

When most people think of thyroid symptoms, they think of fatigue or weight gain.

But sometimes the signs are much less obvious.

I've had patients mention things like:
• A feeling of pressure in their throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Their voice getting hoarse more easily
• Feeling generally weak
• New muscle or joint pain
• Feeling unusually jittery or anxious
• Changes in their bowel habits

These symptoms don't automatically mean you have a thyroid condition. They can have many different causes. But if they're happening alongside other symptoms or you've been struggling to find answers, your thyroid may be one piece of the puzzle that's worth evaluating.

When I assess thyroid function, I don't rely on a single lab value. Depending on the person's history, I may recommend looking at thyroid hormones, thyroid antibodies, and other factors that influence how the thyroid functions, because the thyroid doesn't work in isolation.

The goal isn't to assume every symptom is caused by the thyroid—it's to understand what's actually going on so you can make informed decisions about your health.

Comment “thyroid” below for next steps to get tested.

08/13/2026

You can learn A LOT from your p**p. 💩

And this is very different from what you may have had checked during a standard GI workup or colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is incredibly valuable for actually visualizing the inside of the colon and looking for things like polyps, abnormal tissue, bleeding, inflammation, or other structural changes.

But it doesn’t give us the same information as a comprehensive stool test.

The GI Effects 3-Day stool test is an at-home test that can give us a deeper look at things like:

Your gut microbiome + bacterial balance
Digestion and absorption
Markers associated with intestinal inflammation
Gut immune function
Pancreatic digestive function
Yeast
Parasites
Potentially problematic or opportunistic bacteria
And other markers that help us understand how your GI system is functioning.

They’re different tools answering different questions.

So when someone tells me, “I already had a colonoscopy and everything looked normal,” but they’re STILL dealing with bloating, constipation, diarrhea, food reactions, or other digestive symptoms, I may want to investigate a completely different side of their gut health.

I don’t want to assume that bloating means you need a probiotic or constipation means you need more magnesium.

I want to understand what could be contributing to YOUR symptoms so we can make more individualized decisions about nutrition, lifestyle, supplements, and other support.

We don’t guess. We test. 🔬

Comment GUT if you want to learn more about comprehensive stool testing.

07/22/2026

As a chiropractor, one of the first things I'm asking isn't just, "How are your hormones?"

I'm also asking:

"How is your nervous system functioning?"

Why?

Because your nervous system is responsible for communication throughout your body—including communication between your brain and your ovaries.

Research has shown that ovarian function is under autonomic nervous system control, and this review discusses that many women with PCOS demonstrate autonomic nervous system dysfunction, including increased sympathetic ("fight-or-flight") activity and decreased vagal nerve activity.

That doesn't mean every woman with PCOS has the same underlying contributors, and it doesn't mean the nervous system is the only piece of the puzzle.

It does mean that PCOS is more than an ovarian condition.

That's why my evaluation doesn't stop with hormone testing.

I'm asking:
✔️ How is your nervous system functioning?
✔️ How is your thyroid functioning?
✔️ What does your blood sugar look like?
✔️ Is chronic inflammation playing a role?
✔️ How is your gut functioning?
✔️ What testing will help us better understand your story?

Two women can have the same diagnosis of PCOS and have completely different underlying contributors.

That's why I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

I believe in looking at the body as an interconnected system.

We don't guess. We test.

📚 Reference: Yu Y, et al. The role of the autonomic nervous system in polycystic o***y syndrome. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2024.

07/13/2026

If you've been living with Hashimoto's, you've probably already done the things everyone tells you to do.

✅You've taken the medication.
✅You've cut out gluten.
✅You've tried the supplements.
✅You've cleaned up your diet.
✅You've exercised.
✅You've pushed through the fatigue.
✅You've been told your labs look "fine."
..and yet you still don't feel like yourself.

At some point, you start wondering if this is just how life is supposed to feel.

I want you to know that I hear that story almost every single week.

Because here's what I wish more women were told:

‼️Hashimoto's doesn't happen in a vacuum‼️

Your thyroid doesn't exist separate from the rest of your body.

Your gut communicates with your immune system.

Your adrenal function influences how resilient your body is to stress.

Vitamin D plays an important role in immune function.

Blood sugar fluctuations can influence energy and inflammation.

Nutrient deficiencies can make it harder for your body to function at its best.

And if no one has looked at those pieces, then there may still be important questions left unanswered.

This is why I don't stop at a TSH.

Depending on your history and symptoms, we may look at:
✔️ A complete thyroid panel—not just TSH.
✔️ Gut testing to better understand digestion, the microbiome, inflammation, and other potential contributors.
✔️ Hormone and adrenal testing to see how your body is responding to stress and whether hormone patterns deserve a closer look.
✔️ Blood work to evaluate vitamin D, iron, B vitamins, blood sugar, inflammatory markers, and other key pieces of the puzzle.

Because my goal isn't to guess what's contributing to how you feel.

It's to gather meaningful information so we can make informed decisions together.

You deserve someone willing to ask, "What are we missing?"

If you've tried everything and still feel stuck, maybe it isn't because you've failed.

Maybe it's because no one has looked at the whole picture.

💚 That's where I start.

07/10/2026

A 52-year-old patient came to me with Raynaud’s.

Instead of asking, “How do we manage the Raynaud’s?” we asked, “Why might her body be responding this way?”

As we dug deeper, we found:
• Low estradiol (E2)
• Evidence of parasites on stool testing

Does that mean every case of Raynaud’s is caused by low estrogen or parasites? Absolutely not.

But it does highlight something I see every day in practice: the same diagnosis can have very different underlying contributors from one person to the next.

Hormones can influence blood vessel function. Gut health can influence immune function and inflammation. The body is interconnected, which is why I believe every patient deserves an individualized approach rather than assumptions.

This is why I say, “We don’t guess—we test.”

Your symptoms are real. The next step is figuring out why they’re happening.

This case is shared for educational purposes. Every patient is different, and testing recommendations should be individualized based on your health history and symptoms.

07/09/2026

One of the most common things I hear is, "My thyroid was checked, and they told me everything was normal."

Yet they're still exhausted.

The reality is that fatigue is rarely as simple as one number on one lab test. Your thyroid doesn't work in isolation—it communicates with your gut, your immune system, your blood sugar, your nutrient status, and the rest of your body.

Sometimes we find that thyroid hormones aren't converting efficiently. Other times we uncover iron imbalances, chronic inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, or gut dysbiosis. Any one of these can contribute to fatigue, and often it's a combination of several factors.

This is why I believe in looking at the whole picture rather than stopping when one test falls within the reference range. The goal isn't to chase symptoms—it's to understand *why* they're happening.

If you've been told everything is "normal" but you know you don't feel like yourself, don't ignore that. Your body is giving you information. The next step is figuring out what it's trying to tell you.

Because at the end of the day, we don't guess—we test.

07/09/2026

One of the reasons I love DUTCH testing?
It gives us more answers.

Don’t get me wrong—I use bloodwork all the time. It tells us a lot about what hormones are being produced and what is circulating in the moment.

But sometimes… we need to go deeper.

That’s where DUTCH testing comes in. Using dried urine samples, it helps us understand how your hormones are being metabolized and processed—not just how much is there.

Why does that matter?
Because two people can have similar hormone levels on bloodwork… and feel completely different.

With DUTCH testing, we can uncover insights like:
✔ Estrogen metabolism pathways
✔ Progesterone metabolites
✔ Testosterone & androgen patterns
✔ Cortisol rhythm throughout the day
✔ DHEA production
✔ Your overall stress response

For me, it’s not about running more tests—it’s about getting clearer answers.

Because when you’re dealing with hormones, fertility, energy, sleep, mood, cycles, or stress… the full picture matters.

We don’t guess. We test.

Curious if DUTCH testing could be right for you?
Send me a message or book a discovery call 💬

゚

07/08/2026

Dr. Paige Enwright, owner of The Wellness Way-Lake Forest, is a dedicated chiropractor and wellness practitioner passionate about empowering individuals to take control of their health. Specializing in hormone imbalances, autoimmune thyroid issues, and digestive health, Dr. Enwright uses The Wellness Way's unique approach to uncover and address the root causes of health concerns. Through personalized care, she partners with patients on their journey to achieve optimal well-being. As a local business owner, Dr. Enwright is committed to making a positive impact in the Lake Bluff and Lake Forest communities by offering education and transformative wellness solutions.