Jen Palmer – Page 9 – Wilson's Syndrome

Avoid These Thyroid-Thwarting Chemicals

Tags: antibacterials, BPA, frangrences, organic food, parabens, plastic, thyroid dysfunction, xenoestrogens|

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are causing a “silent epidemic” of health problems, researchers report in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The exposure is causing subtle shifts in public health that include obesity and diabetes, neurobehavioral deficits such as AHDH and drops in IQ, as well as reproductive disorders.

These chemicals can make us fat, infertile, depressed, bloated and achy. They can cause thyroid dysfunction, premature ovarian failure, insulin resistance and other endocrine problems. While some manufacturers are developing new formulas that do not include certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, some products still contain them. Other chemicals are already so

Is it More than Menopause?

Tags: Low body temperature, menopause, Synthroid, T3, TSH|

As women get older, a lot of symptoms, both physical and mental, are simply attributed to menopause. Doctors may even suggest this, leaving many women to believe their symptoms can not improve.

However, there are some symptoms that should be recognized as a red flag for the possibility of associated hypothyroidism, or low-thyroid function, which can exacerbate just about all of the symptoms of menopause. Fatigue, depressed mood, foggy thinking, cold intolerance, sudden high cholesterol, thinning hair, and weight gain despite exercise and healthy eating mean it’s time to check your thyroid function.

Hypothyroidism becomes more common in women as they

Can Treating Adrenal Dysfunction Help Alcoholism or Other Addictions?

Tags: adaptogenic herbs, adaptogens, adrenal dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, alcoholism, Ashwagandha, drug addictions, Holy Basil, HPA axis, Rhodiola, Siberian ginseng|

Despite the fact that alcohol and drug rehab has become commonplace, seemingly trendy in some cases, relapse rates remain abysmal. Fewer than half of the people who go through treatment make it three months without relapsing. Research shows that the people who are most vulnerable to relapse have real problems regulating their bodies’ stress response. They have what researchers call “dysregulation of stress pathways” or HPA-axis dysfunction. (HPA stand for hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal. These are the three big stress-regulating glands in the body, and all three work together.) People with HPA-axis dysfunction have high baseline levels of CRH, the hormone that calls

Turn Up Your Brown Fat Thermostat

Tags: brown fat, cold intolerance, Low body temperature, slow metabolism, sluggishness, T3, T4, thermogenesis|

Researchers interested in developing drugs to treat obesity have turned their attention to brown fat, hoping to strike gold. Here’s why this metabolically-active form of fat has gotten their interest, and how you can make sure your own brown fat is working optimally.

First, brown fat is unique. Its primary function is to generate heat, a process called thermogenesis. It does this by burning fatty acids and sugar, just as is done in cellular energy metabolism. But instead of producing energy, brown fat has an “uncoupling” protein that shunts the process to the pathway of heat production. Brown fat helps to

When T4 is not Enough, It May Be in Your Genes

Tags: hypothroidism, levothyroxine, Low body temperature, Synthroid, T3, T4|

Even though it is considered standard treatment, not everyone with hypothyroidism does well on T4 (Synthroid, or levothyroxine) alone. Some people complain that they just don’t feel right on T4, the inactive form of thyroid hormone. They are still tired, or sluggish, or have “brain fog” or other vague symptoms. Or they are gaining weight. Just about every doctor who treats thyroid problems has seen this regularly.

Unfortunately, it is often the patient who has to convince the doctor that T4 alone is not working. And it is often the patient who suggests that T3, the active form of thyroid hormone,

Why TSH Testing is Not Enough and Why you Should Check your Body Temperature

Tags: Low body temperature, T3, T4, thyroid hormone resistance, TSH, TSH testing|

Most doctors, including endocrinologists, rely on a standard thyroid test, TSH, to screen for thyroid problems. This test measures Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), a pituitary hormone whose function is to stimulate thyroid hormone production by the thyroid gland. When thyroid hormone production goes down, TSH goes up. There is a range of TSH levels that is considered normal. For most doctors, TSH is the only diagnostic test for hypothyroidism that they use and the most sensitive marker of peripheral tissue availability of thyroid hormone. If TSH is within a normal range, most doctors will “rule out” thyroid problems as

Doing Everything Right and Still Not Losing weight? Check your Body Temperature

Tags: dieting, Low body temperature, metabolism, T3, TSH levels, weight loss|

Losing those first few pounds might not be so hard, but too many people quickly find that their weight loss slows or stops, even as they continue to do the very things that helped them lose initially. What’s going on? Chances are their metabolism has slowed down.

Dieting is one of the big reasons people’s metabolisms slows. Extreme dieting is well-known for this, but recent research also shows that even modest weight loss (5-10 % of body weight over the course of a year) can slow metabolism. That makes it harder to continue to lose weight, and sets you up

Do You Really Need to Avoid Thyroid-Thwarting Foods?

Tags: autoimmune disorder, autoimmune thyroid disease, cruciferous vegetables, fiber, gluten, gluten sensitivity, Grave's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, iodine, iodine deficiency, soy|

It’s true that what you eat can affect your thyroid gland, for better or worse. But some people have long lists of foods they won’t eat, and some people avoid perfectly healthy foods altogether, when they could be eating moderate amounts without an adverse effect on thyroid function. Here’s what you need to know to make better food choices for your thyroid.

Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, turnips, bok choy and others) are generally considered super-healthy foods. They help prevent cancer. In fact, they help to prevent thyroid cancer. Concerns about potential effects of cruciferous vegetables on thyroid

What do Migraines, Raynaud’s, Carpal Tunnel and Arrhythmia Have in Common?

Tags: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, heart arrhythmia, Low body temperature, low thyroid hormone function, migraine headaches, nerve damage, Raynaud's Syndrome, T3, TSH|

People with several different types of disorders, such as migraine headaches, Raynaud’s Syndrome, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and heart arrhythmia are likely to have something in common: low thyroid function. Two recent studies suggest why this may be so.

One study found that even a slightly underactive thyroid gland causes endothelial dysfunction. That is, it interferes with the function of cells lining blood vessels. These cells respond to hormonal cues that help blood vessels relax and contract; therefore, they are important for healthy blood pressure and normal blood flow.

Another study found that low thyroid function interferes with the body’s electrophysiology—the functions

Are You Getting Enough of the Sunshine Vitamin to Protect Your Thyroid?

Tags: antithyroid antibodies, autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, vitamin D, vitamin D blood levels|

If you have any kind of thyroid condition, even cancer, you should get your blood level of vitamin D checked promptly, and keep tabs on it over time.

Why? Research links low vitamin-D levels with a number of autoimmune diseases, including the most common autoimmune thyroid disease, Hashimoto’s. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with antithyroid antibody presence, abnormal thyroid function, increased thyroid volume, increased Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels and adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with autoimmune thyroid disease. The lower the vitamin D level, the more severe the symptoms. People who improve their vitamin D status often

palmer

About Jen Palmer