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Not all fats are equal

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Obesity and diabetes are reaching epidemic proportion in the US. Researchers are looking for answers to these closely associated problems, knowing that a single magic bullet is unlikely. Weight management and blood sugar control are complex issues that need to be tackled from many angles, including exercise, thyroid hormone optimization, daily food choices, stress management, detoxification and even psychological factors which individuals may struggle with.
Metabolism plays a major role in weight management. Metabolism is the rate at which your body uses energy- in other words- how fast your “motor” runs.

Hypothyroidism is a well-known cause of slow

The ancient herb that aids older brains

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Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an Ayurvedic herb with a centuries-long tradition of use in India. It’s known for its restorative benefits to the immune system, thyroid and adrenal glands. This ancient herb is likewise beneficial for many modern-day problems, including stress, fatigue, and poor concentration. It’s a calming agent which also improves thinking and memory. Over 200 studies have confirmed its benefits, including counteracting the damaging effects of stress on the brain and cognitive function.

Ashwagandha is categorized as an adaptogenic herb because it gently supports many body functions and offers balance, rather than having one specific action. Adaptogenic

  • Blood sugar control

Inflammation Underlies Hypothyroidism and Diabetes

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I’ve been talking about inflammation and the thyroid over the past few blogs, and this week I’d like to talk about a study related to another inflammatory/ autoimmune condition- diabetes. It seems there is significant evidence that links the development of diabetes to poor thyroid function.

You already know that thyroid hormone regulates metabolism, and a few months ago, I wrote about how it also controls insulin and can impact blood sugar level. These thyroid actions are the reasons why several research studies in the past have suggested that being hypothyroid can increase the risk of

Balancing stress, cholesterol and thyroid

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High cholesterol is one of the many common co- symptoms that occurs with hypothyroidism. Elevated cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis or “clogged arteries”, putting a person at risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and heart attack. Statin drugs are commonly prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels, but they come with risk for other side effects, such as muscle pain, liver damage, or neurological effects. So it makes sense to consider alternative, natural approaches to help maintain normal cholesterol levels.

A recent small study was conducted in India, where hypothyroidism is quite prevalent, to determine if a consistent yoga program could help address

Wondering why you’re cold?

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The primary sign for Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS) is low body temperature, which can sometimes be the sole indicator that thyroid hormones aren’t quite right. Often, standard thyroid tests don’t reflect Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome because there are different ways that the body can experience hypothyroidism that tests can’t measure. For example, there may be a problem with thyroid hormone transport, T4 to T3 conversion, or perhaps thyroid receptors that just aren’t responding to thyroid hormone appropriately. No matter what the cause, the end result is that the person experiences low body temperature and hypothyroid symptoms that can include

Stress: A one-two punch to the thyroid

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Last month I wrote about the endocrine system and how adrenal overload can cause fatigue, weight gain, and eventually affect the thyroid. This month, I’d like to focus on how life’s stresses impede the production and utilization of thyroid hormone and what you can do about it.

You already know that long term, chronic stress is one of the most common factors for adrenal dysfunction. When adrenals suffer, it influences other related endocrine organs, such as pituitary and hypothalamus. Collectively, this is called the “HPA” axis, or the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, which works on a feedback system. The

Optimize Thyroid – Adrenal Cross-talk

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Last week we talked about how chronic stress and cortisol wears out the adrenals, and how tired adrenals affect thyroid function. But there’s actually more to the story. Did you know that not only is thyroid hormone activity regulated in part by stress hormone activity, but the reverse is also true. The two hormonal systems interact throughout your body, in different tissues. Thyroid hormone sets a kind of “baseline” activity level and stress hormones, secreted from your adrenal glands, speed it up or slow it down.

The interaction is complicated and affects body heat, blood flow, heart rate, blood

Is your body a symphony?

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I am often asked if the adrenals are important in relation to the thyroid. My answer is YES- very important! For such a small pair of organs, the adrenal glands have a lot of influence over our entire wellbeing. They are part of the endocrine system, a collection of tiny organs that work in concert to control the production and secretion of the chemical messengers produced in our body. Some of these include hormones and neurotransmitters, which send signals and instructions to different parts of our body. Similar to the conductor of an orchestra, who signals certain players on

Is your doctor practicing ageism?

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Have you been told your thyroid is a little low, but that it’s OK because you are “old” and that’s what happens to old people?

Well, a low temperature may not affect your life expectancy but it can have a huge impact on your quality of life. The list of symptoms is long, and it includes fatigue, intolerance to cold, dry skin, puffy eyes, muscle cramps, weak muscles, constipation, depression, slow thinking and poor memory. Your doctor may tend to dismiss these symptoms as simply signs of aging, but where does one draw the line? It’s

The intricate web of the endocrine system

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You’ve heard about this domino effect before. Chronic stress and ensuing adrenal dysfunction can adversely affect thyroid function, leading to fatigue (especially in the morning), disrupted sleep, body aches, low blood pressure, light-headedness, salt and sugar cravings and brain fog.

But did you know that the reverse is also true? Low thyroid hormone activity can lead to adrenal gland dysfunction. In fact, all parts of the endocrine system are interrelated and impact each other. It’s best known as the “HPA” axis- the intricate web of the endocrine glands- the Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Adrenal glands.

“Experimentally induced hypothyroidism is associated with

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