Holistic Health Information A Holistic Approach to Thyroid Health

I recently attended a lecture that opened my eyes to the fact that thyroid dysfunction is the #3 health challenge in the country, only after heart disease and cancer. It is now known that 90% of women that are plagued with hypothyroid have autoimmune disease, and particularly Hashimoto’s disease. This is a condition in which your body attacks your own thyroid. The symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease include: foggy brain, fatigue, weight gain, depression, and chronic inflammation.

One of the main ways to treat and control this condition is the elimination of gluten from the diet, since 100% of women suffering from Hashimoto’s are also gluten-intolerant. Also, the ingestion of high doses of Vitamin D3 and omega 3’s are helpful. These two nutrients aid in assisting your immune system in self-regulating. Vitamin D3 and omega 3’s also allow your immune system to stay more balanced, and neither attack your body, or become weak when it needs to fight infections.

Surprisingly, prescribing and consuming thyroid medications is often ineffective, and sometimes detrimental to this condition. The effect of autoimmune thyroid disease also degenerates and reduces the brain’s ability to produce neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. This must also be addressed through the consumption of the precursor nutrients that help the brain make the neurotransmitters.

I now carry specialized neurotransmitter precursor nutrients called Serotone and Dopatone to restore the production of neurotransmitters. I am also able to offer a combination formula that provides the necessary amount of Vitamin D3 and Omega 3’s called Bio D mulsion.

Of course, the rest of the endocrine system must be supported, in order to aid in restoring proper function to the thyroid. Both blood sugar regulation and adrenal health are vital for this situation to become balanced. When properly functioning, this restores energy, brain functioning, normal weight, mood, and eliminates inflammation from the body.

Contact me to learn more about holistic approaches to thyroid health.

More holistic health information.

Image Source: thenpmom

Holistic Health Information A Holistic Approach to Weight Loss

People tend to think that the less they eat the more success they will have in achieving weight reduction. This is not the case at all; there are multiple reasons for avoiding this strategy and way of thinking.

In order to increase the metabolism of the body, there must be a constant supply of fuel. When a person does not ingest food every three to four hours in a day, the brain and adrenal glands perceive this as starvation, and send the body into a “fight or flight” state producing adrenalin and cortisol. These hormones cause the body to convert food into fat storage. This causes you to place calories in reserve, in case you continue this trend of extended periods of food deprivation.

The other system that becomes deregulated is blood sugar control; the pancreas’ insulin production process becomes overly stressed. When you starve the body, the insulin that your pancreas produces will drive what little sugar is available in the blood stream, and cause states of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This can lead to feelings of irritability, faintness, nervousness, and fatigue that are relieved by eating.

After repeated long- term bouts of this pattern, your cells become resistant to so many insulin surges, and subsequently this leads to insulin resistance or pre-diabetes. Then, you develop sugar cravings after meals; eating no longer relieves fatigue; and the cells of the pancreas become damaged, and unable to produce enough insulin. This leads to diabetes.

Because you are stressing the pancreas, the adrenals, and your brain, which must have glucose to function, this pattern subsequently stresses and deregulates the thyroid gland, which is responsible for the metabolism of the body, leading to fatigue and weight gain.

In order to successfully achieve weight reduction, one must eat healthy fat and protein every 3-4 hours, and especially one hour after waking, in order to neutralize the fasting that has occurred during the 7-8 hours of sleep the night before.

Exercise is also crucial, and must be done at least 4-6 times a week. This should include at least 30-45 minutes of aerobic activity to burn unwanted fat, as well as anaerobic muscle building exercises for 45-60 minutes. at least three times a week. The more muscle mass your body has, the easier it is to continue burning fat, even while at rest.

Proper sleep cycles are also necessary for a stable and functional metabolism. Seven to eight hours of normal sleep cycles ensures repair and regeneration that leads to healthy functioning for all tissues and organs of the body that regulate metabolism, and increase muscle mass.

Drinking at least 8-10 8 oz glasses of water per day is also necessary to keep the body hydrated, and be able to aid in eliminating toxins that are stored in the fat you are releasing, as you drop in weight.

I have come across the best and most sensible weight reduction – Ultra-Lite Weight Loss for Life. I have successfully achieved a 34-lb weight reduction in the last 9 month! Please contact me for more information and details.

Contact me for an appointment to learn more about holistic approaches to weight loss.

More holistic health information. 

Image Source: positivemedicalblog

Holistic Health Information Stress

Life brings us stress from a multitude of sources: work, relationships, toxins, driving, exercise, food, emotions, trauma, and even good news. Because of this, we must find ways to counteract the toll it takes on our physical, mental, and emotional well being.

In our body, the adrenal glands are two organs that sit on top of our kidney glands, which monitor and respond to stress. The adrenals produce a series of hormones that stimulate a “flight” or “fight” response, causing our nervous system to go into an alarm state. that we can recover from if this stress is short term in duration.

Unfortunately, we are always faced with constant stress, so our adrenal glands do not get a chance to get the respite they need to recover. These glands are interconnected with many other glands and organs that run our body. They directly affect the thyroid gland, the intestinal tract, the pancreas, the brain, the liver, the spleen, the heart, the arteries and blood vessels, the digestive tract, the immune system, male and female hormones, inflammation in the body, muscle building, bone density, and recovery from exercise. As you can see, if the adrenal glands are not functioning properly, we will end up with never-ending diseases and dysfunctions. Therefore, we must do everything we can to counter stress and maintain adrenal health.

The hormones produced by the adrenal glands are adrenaline, noradrenalin, and cortisol. If the adrenals are pushed too much, they will make too much of these hormones. Over time, they start to get exhausted, and cannot make enough. Consequently, fatigue, weight gain, inability to recover from injuries, inability build muscle mass, poor metabolism, anxiety, chronic pain, allergies, disturbed digestion, blood pressure problems, insomnia, chronic illnesses, irritability, allergies, and osteoporosis can plague us all at once, or one by one.

Strategies that can support our adrenal glands and lead to stress management in our lives include: eating regular balanced meals; regular exercise; yoga; meditation; prayer; hot baths; 8 hours of restful sleep per night; supplements and herbs that support adrenal function; vacations; drinking at least 8-10 glasses of clean spring or filtered water per day; laughter; spending time with those you love; and balancing your emotions with flower essences and homeopathic medicines.

Also, the daily restorative pose can offset the effects of stress. This is done by: laying on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees, and your calves resting on a couch, bench, or chair, with your hands by your sides, and placing a picture of nature scene or resort up on the ceiling above you. Imagine yourself there having a serene, relaxing time. Do this for 15 minutes a day.

There are several herbs that support adrenal function, including: holy basil, ashwaganda, codyceps, Siberian ginseng, licorice root, and rhodiola. There are also vitamins and amino acids that assist adrenal function, including: pantothenic acid, phosphotadylserine, folic acid, vitamin C, B6, and L-carnitine. These should be taken on a regular basis to maintain wellness and prevent dysfunction. The one hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands, and, when exhausted, is in short supply, is DHEA. Therefore taking it when needed not only insures adrenal health, but also has beneficial effects on all other body systems and processes. When there are high enough levels of DHEA in the body, the brain believes you are younger. The brain then instructs the body to upkeep, repair, and regenerate more efficiently, slowing the aging process.

Contact me to learn more about holistic approaches to dealing with stress.

More holistic health information.