Blog – Page 9 – Wilson's Syndrome

You are not crazy

Tags: depression, hypothyroid, low temperature, Synthroid, T3, thyroid disease, weight gain|

It’s a complaint I’ve heard many times. Women struggling with thyroid issues tell me their doctors view them as difficult or demanding, since the doctors don’t know how to resolve their physical symptoms. “The tendency is usually to prescribe Synthroid, Levoxyl or another brand name or generic form of levothyroxine (T4), and then write off any unresolved symptoms as unrelated to the thyroid problem, as a consequence of poor lifestyle choices, or even, as a somatoform disorder, also known as a psychosomatic disease,” writes one prominent alternative endocrinology expert, Kent Holtorf, M.D., of Torrance, CA.

The unresolved symptoms may include fatigue,

Can low thyroid prevent pregnancy?

Tags: fertility, hypothyroidism, pregnancy, TSH|

Normal thyroid function is important for normal ovulation. Doctors know enough about this connection to screen for thyroid problems with Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) if a woman is having trouble getting pregnant. Being treated for hypothyroidism increases the likelihood of becoming pregnant, both naturally and with assistance, as with in vitro fertilization. Treatment also cuts down on problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage and preterm birth. (Pregnancy can also cause thyroid problems- read more here)

However, I believe that the usual screening methods for hypothyroidism, such as the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test, miss many women who have low

Low body temperature linked to obesity in new study

Tags: hypothyroid, low temperature, obesity, weight, weight loss, Wilson's Temperature Syndrome|

In my 1992 book on Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome, I shared my clinical findings linking low body temperature and easy weight gain. Now these same findings are being documented in the medical literature. A new study has found that obese people (BMI >30) have lower body temperature during the day than normal weight people. The obese people had an average body temperature that was .63 degrees F cooler than normal weight people. The researchers calculated that this lower body temperature—which reflects a lower metabolic rate—would result in a body fat accumulation of approximately 160 grams per month, or four

Why do you need selenium?

Tags: hypothyroidism, nutrient deficiency, selenium, thyroid hormone, thyroiditis, trace minerals|

Most people probably don’t think much about their trace mineral status. We only need tiny amounts of these micronutrients, so aren’t we getting enough from our diet? Maybe not. There is one trace mineral you should be paying attention to if you have thyroid problems, especially autoimmune thyroiditis, such as Hashimoto’s. It’s selenium.

Selenium concentration is higher in the thyroid gland than in any other organ in the body, and, like iodine, selenium has super-important functions in thyroid hormone production and balance throughout the body. Selenium-dependent enzymes are needed to convert T4, the inactive form of thyroid hormone, to

Aches and pains aren’t just from aging

Tags: arthritis, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, hip, joint pain, knee pain, low temperature, T3|

Doctors learn in medical school, but perhaps tend to forget, that low thyroid function can cause joint pain. This condition also causes muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness (especially in the shoulders and hips), swelling of the knee joint and small joints in the hands and feet, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

This connection is not that surprising, since thyroid hormones play a role in cartilage and joint metabolism, bone metabolism, peripheral blood flow, nerve conduction, and proper reflex response. It’s a fact that low thyroid function increases the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, Raynaud’s syndrome, osteoarthritis, muscle weakness and poor

The Thyroid-Gut-Autoimmune Connection

Tags: GALT, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Leaky Gut Syndrome, T3, T4|

To have healthy thyroid function, you need a healthy intestinal tract. And to have a healthy intestinal tract, you need healthy thyroid function. The two are more connected than most of us could ever imagine. Here’s how it works:

Perhaps you’ve heard of something called “leaky gut” syndrome. It’s a condition where the intestinal lining becomes more permeable than normal. This allows large molecules of protein that shouldn’t make it through this selective barrier to migrate into the body. There, the molecules trigger the body’s immune system and may set off an autoimmune reaction where the immune system starts to attack

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