Not only do they increase your risk of developing heart disease and 30 other health conditions and diseases, but they’re also behind the obesity epidemic.

In fact, I wrote about the research that confirmed it’s these foods, not lack of exercise — as previously thought — that’s fueling rising rates of obesity.

But what’s truly disturbing is their impact on reproductive and metabolic health…

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Weight gain is just the beginning

A 2025 study at the University of Copenhagen has confirmed that no matter how little of them you eat, ultra-processed foods lead to weight gain.

Researchers compared the health effects of an unprocessed vs. an ultra-processed diet on the same person, in order to get the most accurate results.

Forty-three men spent three weeks eating each of the two diets, with a cleansing period in between.

The unprocessed and ultra-processed diets had the same amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fats. But half the men were given an extra 500 calories per day.

Regardless of whether those extra 500 calories were involved, men on the ultra-processed diet gained about 1 kg (just over 2 pounds) more fat mass than those on the unprocessed diet.

But it doesn’t end there…

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“Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they’re not eaten in excess. This indicates that it is the processed nature of these foods that makes them harmful,” says Jessica Preston, lead author of the study.

Men on the ultra-processed diet showed:

• An increase in levels of phthalate cxxMINP, a hormone-disrupting chemical typically found in plastics.
• A decrease in testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone, both essential for sperm production. In addition to affecting fertility, low sperm count impacts a man’s sex drive and can be a cause of erectile dysfunction.
• An increase in LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels.
• Altered thyroid hormones.
• Altered markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.

And in case you’ve forgotten, chronic inflammation causes the cellular damage behind a range of diseases from cancer to Parkinson’s disease to diabetes, not to mention an accelerated aging process that makes your body old before its time.

“We were shocked by how many body functions were disrupted by ultra-processed foods, even in healthy young men. The long-term implications are alarming and highlight the need to revise nutritional guidelines to better protect against chronic disease,” says the study’s senior author, Professor Romain Barrès.

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The choice is clear

I hope you don’t need any more convincing.

Whole foods are the best alternatives to ultra-processed foods. But for success, ease into eating more of them and fewer ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods are made to “hook” you, so don’t blame yourself if it’s hard to let them go. That being said, see about ditching the two ultra-processed foods considered the worst ASAP.

According to Heartfoundation.org, whole foods and minimally processed foods, like these, are what we all should be eating:

• Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and fruit
• Dried, canned and frozen beans and legumes like lentils and chickpeas
• Whole grains like oats, brown rice, barley and quinoa
• Fresh and frozen poultry and meat
• Fresh, frozen and canned fish and seafood
• Milk and plain yoghurt (try sweetening with honey)
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds.

An easy way to identify ultra-processed foods is that they are quick, easy, and require little to no preparation — the very definition of “convenience foods.”

They include foods like sweetened cereals, soda and white bread; frozen French fries, chicken nuggets and pizza; processed meats, like hot dogs and bacon; pre-packaged baked goods, like cookies and cakes; and microwaveable meals.

Make the choice today and start taking back your health and your longevity.

Sources:

Why ultra-processed diets make you gain fat even without extra calories — Science Daily

Effect of ultra-processed food consumption on male reproductive and metabolic health — Cell Metabolism

Here’s What Eating Processed Foods for Two Weeks Does to Your Body — Time

Five ways to eat less processed food — Heart Foundation

The post Ultra-processed foods: A metabolic and hormonal disaster for men appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

As soon as an additive is linked to health issues, European regulators tend to err on the side of caution.

For example, you may remember when I wrote about five food additives they’ve banned across the pond and beyond, but are still being fed to us in America — chemicals linked to cancer, endocrine disruption and type 2 diabetes.

Well, it looks like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finally coming around on at least one of those additives found in drinks enjoyed by almost 65 percent of Americans daily — and linked to thyroid toxicity…

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The additive that makes sodas toxic

In November 2023, the FDA proposed a measure that would ban the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in the U.S.

Used to keep the citrus flavoring in beverages from separating, until now the FDA has considered its use in small quantities as safe.

But the agency was prompted to revisit this safety classification after scientific evidence from toxicology studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that an accumulation of BVO is toxic to the thyroid.

Your thyroid produces hormones that are instrumental in helping control blood pressure, body temperature, metabolism and response to other hormones. Disrupting the function of the thyroid means throwing these key processes out of whack.

And that’s not all. Brominated vegetable oil has also been linked with skin and mucous membrane irritation, fatigue, loss of muscle coordination and memory problems.

BVO was given the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) designation by the FDA in the 1970s. However, as a result of these recent findings, the FDA now deems the continued use of BVO in food as unsafe.

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Some beverage manufacturers jumped ahead of the game to remove BVO from product formulations a few years ago when questions first began to arise about its safety. One prominent example is PepsiCo, which removed BVO from its citrus-flavored Gatorade in 2013 because consumers perceived the product in a negative light.

But according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), up to at least 90 products common on your grocer’s shelves contain BVO — mostly sodas, sports drinks and juice-like drinks with a citrusy flavor, including regional and store brands. You can view EWG’s complete list here.

The state of California has already made moves to ban the use of BVO and three other food ingredients within its borders: potassium bromate, propylparaben and FD&C Red No. 3, or red dye No. 3. By 2027, manufacturers will no longer be able to use these four ingredients in food sold in California.

The FDA says it continues to assess the safety of various chemicals in food based on the latest scientific findings and legal requirements, including the recent California law. In fact, the agency is in the process of reviewing FD&C Red No. 3 and says a decision on the chemical is forthcoming.

Going forward, the FDA plans to streamline the process of evaluating chemicals in the food supply by creating an “Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements, and Innovation.” This office is part of the agency’s proposed Human Foods Program (HFP) transformation to enhance its review of food chemical safety.

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Dodging brominated vegetable oil

While the FDA’s announcement about BVO is good news, it could take a while for its proposed ban to take effect.

Until then, you’ll want to check your beverage labels to make sure BVO isn’t an ingredient.

Of course, one surefire way to reduce the danger of accidentally ingesting BVO is to ditch sodas —and it’s far from the only reason you should…

A large study found that postmenopausal women who drank one or more sweetened beverages per day were 78 percent more likely to develop liver cancer, compared with women who didn’t (or consumed less than three servings per month). The researchers also concluded that even consuming just one a day increased the likelihood of liver cancer by 73 percent!

And of course, aspartame, the most commonly used artificial sweetener in sodas has been listed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization.

These reasons add up to why sweetened beverages are considered one of the two worst ultraprocessed foods for our health.

It looks like giving them up altogether is the wise thing to do.

Sources:

FDA moves to ban drink additive linked to thyroid issues, memory loss — UPI News

California bans four food additives linked to health issues — UPI

FDA Proposes to Ban Food Additive, Continues Assessments of Additional Chemicals — U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Why Is Red Dye No. 3 Banned in Cosmetics but Still Allowed in Food? — Consumer Reports

The post The thyroid-poisoning additive in popular drinks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And I was thrilled to catch up with Michelle — even though the visit was rushed…

She stopped on her way out to her new home several hours north of me, and she was racing the movers to get there first. This would be her third cross-country move in five years since she’d accepted a high-level position with a national company.

As good friends do, we caught up as if no time had passed. But one thing about Michelle had changed quite a bit…

She had gained weight. It was especially surprising because Michelle has always been extremely fit, loved to run marathons, practiced yoga and took care of herself.

As we talked, she broke down and said that she just didn’t know what to do anymore. It was like the pounds had come on out of nowhere and now that they were there, she couldn’t lose the weight no matter what diet she tried.

And, to make matters worse, her doctor said she was on the verge of insulin resistance and advised exercise. But she just didn’t have the energy for it. She was constantly exhausted, even when she first woke up in the morning — far too tired to go for a run or hit a yoga class.

Having little time or energy to work out and after disappointing results dieting, Michelle felt hopelessly stuck — tired, overweight and unhappy. And, she said she’d even noticed that her hair was getting thinner… she felt old!

It was a story I’d heard all too many times. In fact, it’s a story I understood firsthand — and I immediately recognized what was happening to Michelle… I knew that more than likely, she was not only suffering from a low thyroid but that her adrenal function was probably in the toilet too.

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The thyroid–adrenal connection

You see, there’s a connection between the function of your thyroid gland and that of your adrenals…

The adrenals are your “lifesaving” organs because they control your body’s hormones and help you survive in stressful situations. They act as a control center for your “fight or flight” response and secrete many of our most important hormones including pregnenolone, adrenaline, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol.

When your adrenals are constantly stressed, this sets off an autoimmune inflammatory response in your entire body. The adrenal-hypothalamus-pituitary feedback loop regulates the secretion of cortisol. All of your organs and your immunity are impacted negatively by the resulting constant assault of cortisol.

Low adrenal function can cause someone’s thyroid problem to be much worse than it would be otherwise.

Some of the most common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, depression, sensitivity to cold, muscle or joint aches, brain fog, poor memory, brittle hair and nails, shortness of breath, thinning hair, PMS, significantly calloused heels, chronic yeast infections, low libido, infertility.

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Herbal support for low thyroid and adrenal problems

And that’s where Ashwagandha comes in.

I had researched the herb when I was going through my own thyroid problems and I knew the reputation it had to not only support thyroid hormones but also relieve stress on the adrenals… just the things to help make losing weight and feeling more energetic easier.

Ashwagandha is what’s known as an adaptogenic herb — one that’s extremely effective at helping balance your system during stressful periods.

From lab studies with mice, scientists at D.A University, India, have found that ashwagandha root can stimulate thyroid hormones and boost serum concentrations of thyroid hormone. That alone could make weight loss efforts easier.

Another study found that ashwagandha prevents the loss of cortisol in the adrenal glands — giving you more energy throughout the day.

And, yet, another study says it’s been shown to provide anxiety-relieving effects.

I’ve heard of people using ashwagandha in teas, tinctures and smoothies. But I’m not sure about how to measure the herb or the results that way. Supplementing is probably the easiest way to get ashwagandha in your diet.

The post The herb that helps you get your groove back appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There are a few things that can cause an underactive thyroid, but the most common cause is Hashimoto’s disease. This condition occurs when your immune system basically attacks and kills your thyroid gland so it doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to.

Hashimoto’s is believed to affect 1 to 2 percent of people in the United States. But some experts say it is not uncommon for it to be misdiagnosed for other conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, fibromyalgia, PMS or an anxiety or bipolar disorder.

Understanding the risks, causes and symptoms, as well as testing, is important for getting a proper diagnosis and relief.

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Causes and symptoms

The people most at risk of Hashimoto’s are women, in whom the disease is five to 10 times more common than men. And though it can occur at any age, it’s most often seen in middle age. Other risk factors for Hashimoto’s include having a close relative with Hashimoto’s or another autoimmune disorder.

What causes Hashimoto’s is unclear, though it’s believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Some potential non-genetic triggers for the disease include changes in sex hormones (particularly in women), viral infections, certain iodine-rich medications, exposure to ionizing radiation, eating large amounts of animal protein or foods that have large amounts of iodine — such as kelp, dulse, or other kinds of seaweed — may cause hypothyroidism or make it worse. Iodine is a substance involved in the production of thyroid hormones.

One of the first signs of Hashimoto’s disease, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis, is an enlargement of the thyroid known as a goiter. Depending on how big the thyroid gets, it can cause the neck to look swollen and may interfere with breathing and swallowing.

Other symptoms of Hashimoto’s include:

• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Sensitivity to cold
• Weight gain
• Muscle aches
• Joint pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Hair thinning
• Pale, puffy face
• Slow heart rate
• Memory problems
• Dry skin
• Irregular periods

People with Hashimoto’s disease are at increased risk of developing other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, vitiligo, Addison’s disease and pernicious anemia. Hashimoto’s can also significantly raise your risk of dementia.

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Testing and Management

If you suspect you may have Hashimoto’s, you should talk to your doctor about testing. However, don’t be surprised if your doctor says your tests came out normal.

Sometimes Hashimoto’s doesn’t show up on a typical thyroid hormone test, so make sure your doctor checks for other factors like an enlarged thyroid that could indicate Hashimoto’s.

Whether you have Hashimoto’s or not, it’s always a good idea to take steps to protect the health of your thyroid. As with most things health-related, it all starts with getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet. The green Mediterranean and keto diets in particular have been associated with reduced inflammation in the body.

This matters because the immune system attacks the cells in the thyroid gland over a long period, causing inflammation. So, overall, it’s important to avoid foods that can trigger excess inflammation, including processed foods, breads, sugars, snack foods and frozen meals high in preservatives and food dyes. If it’s got a name in its ingredient list that’s hard for you to pronounce, you should probably leave it on the shelf.

Another advisable step is to get tested for gluten sensitivity or cut down on gluten-containing foods. Gluten has been found to contain proteins that interact with thyroid antigens and may worsen symptoms. A gluten-free diet also reduces inflammation and decreases antibody levels.

Some supplements that support good thyroid health and lower inflammation levels include:

• Selenium, a trace mineral that helps convert relatively inactive T4s to the active thyroid hormone T3.
• Ashwagandha root, which works as an immune modulator to help regulate autoimmune inflammation that contributes to Hashimoto’s.
• Copper, which helps stimulate the thyroid and protect the boxy from too much thyroxine (a thyroid hormone) building up in the blood.
• Omega 3 fatty acids, which help manage inflammation and reduce your risk of developing autoimmune disease.
• Vitamin D3, another great inflammation fighter that lowers your autoimmune disease risk.

Sources:

Hashimoto’s disease — MedlinePlus

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: What you need to know — Medical News Today

The post Hashimoto’s: An often misdiagnosed thyroid disorder appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Spring cleaning washes away months of dirt, dust and grease, freshens the air, and gets rid of clutter. And, if done with some happy music in the background, it can be fun!

But you can do more than just clean your home this spring. With a little planning, you can detoxify and cleanse your home and make it a healthier living space than it’s ever been before.

I’ve written before about the host of harmful chemicals in household cleaners. Phthalates are among the worst. They’re in any products that make your home smell good, from air fresheners to dish soap to laundry detergent. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors. They interrupt the function of your body’s many hormones — including your thyroid hormones.

Now I’d like to offer you a comprehensive list of tips on cleaning and detoxifying your home this spring that are safer. Even if you do half of these things, you’ll be breathing easier in the coming months.

Here’s how you can purge your home of hormone-harming, life-stealing toxins…

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8 things you can do now

1. Keep houseplants in every room.
Living with green plants increases the oxygen level in your home. During photosynthesis, plants absorb the carbon dioxide we breathe out and release oxygen.

At night, photosynthesis stops and most plants give off carbon dioxide. A few, including orchids, succulents and bromeliads, continue absorbing CO2 and releasing oxygen at night.

Also, see this NASA-approved list of plants you should keep throughout your home and especially in your bedroom to improve the air quality in your home while you sleep.

Note: Many beautiful plants are poisonous to dogs and cats and to curious babies and young children. Check with your pediatrician or your veterinarian before selecting houseplants that your children or furry friends might want to taste.

2. Take shoes off at the door.
Keeping dirt, soil and dust out of your home is important for more than cosmetic reasons. Most of the dirt, lead and toxins in your home come in on your shoes. So it’s a good idea to leave your shoes at the door and put on house slippers to avoid tracking it inside.

Simple trick: instead of placing your doormat horizontally across the doorstep, place it vertically. More dirt will be scraped off that way.

3. Freshen the air without chemicals.
Using synthetic air sprays and other fresheners is hazardous to your health. These products contain carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, respiratory irritants and other toxins.

Instead, put a box of baking soda in an inconspicuous place in your kitchen and bathroom, buy some fresh flowers, and open a window. Homemade sprays that include distilled water and essential oils are lovely and non-toxic.

I’ve been using a combination of distilled water, pure vanilla extract and sweet orange essential oil to sweeten the air in my kitchen.

Quick tip: Keep your orange or lemon peels and place them in about half a cup of water in a small sauce pan. Throw in a couple of cloves and simmer on your stovetop on low. Makes the whole house smell great!

4. Switch to pure beeswax candles.
Paraffin candles release benzene and toluene, both known carcinogens. As for soy candles, they are still processed with small amounts of paraffin, and most contain artificial fragrances.

Beeswax candles, on the other hand, burn clean, with no black petroleum-based soot. They give off a wonderful warm honey smell.

5. Stop cleaning with poison.
You’d be surprised at how a few inexpensive items you probably have at home can substitute for toxic cleaning products.

For example, a paste made from baking soda, castile soap and a few drops of the essential oil of your choice can clean sinks, counters, tiles and toilets beautifully (a final wash with water removes any baking soda residue).

A little research online or at your bookstore will reveal many aromatic housecleaning formulas that are safe and easy to make. Why not infuse your home with lavender, sweet orange or peppermint, instead of eau de formaldehyde?

6. Use essential oils for cleaning.
Commercial antibacterial products contain triclosan and formaldehyde, which lead to thyroid disruption and inflammation. Oregano oil soap or tea tree oil are great alternatives.

Clove oil is a sweet-smelling, non-chemical way to ditch the bleach and still get rid of mold and mildew.

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7. Filter your water.
There’s a lot we can do proactively to keep toxins out of our homes. One easy step is to purchase and install filters for drinking water taps and showerheads.

EWG’s Tap Water Database can help you identify potential toxins in your community’s drinking water.

In my small town water, it identified seven contaminants above health guideline levels, including arsenic, cadmium and cancer-causing PFOAs. Sure glad I’ve got a water filter on my tap!

But why a shower filter? Because many contaminants in tap water become gases at room temperature. A shower filter can help keep these toxins out of your air.

8. Filter your air.
Vacuum regularly. Those dust bunnies are natural magnets for chemicals. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, and an allergen-capturing dust bag.

Placing a free-standing HEPA air purifier unit in your living room and bedroom will dramatically reduce the dust and airborne toxins you breathe. Be sure to get one large enough for the room and make note of when filters need changing.

Remember to change the filter regularly in the return air vent of your home’s HVAC system.

Little-known tip: Did you know you can also filter the air in your home as it blows through your registers? You can find small filters at most home goods stores that are easy to cut to size. And, they are easy to slip into your floor or ceiling registers. This way the air in your home is filtered as it is pulled into the return air vent, as well as when it blows back out through the registers.

The post 8 ways to rid your home of dust, dirt and toxins this spring appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

All the hormones interact and harmonize in a healthy balance. When they go out of balance, you need proper testing to help set you back in the right direction to better health.

If you start taking hormone supplementation, follow-up testing is particularly important. But when your doctor isn’t well-informed and savvy about all of these tests, you can be at risk.

The more you know, the better your chance of getting your vitality back when hormones go awry…

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The Hormone Symphony

The endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the blood, and these natural chemicals communicate quickly with all the organs (target tissues) of your body.

The endocrine hormones control every part of health and disease. The master gland in your brain, called the hypothalamus, triggers the other hormones from the pituitary gland, thyroid gland and adrenal gland as well as testes in men and ovaries in women.

This cascading and interrelated system is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system. (The testicles and ovaries are very much part of this system, even though their initials are omitted from HPA.)

The endocrine glands that release these hormones don’t just communicate with the organs and tissues of your body, they communicate with each other, too.

Let’s look at the various glands and the hormones whose function can be measured (directly or indirectly). These hormones are pertinent to your daily life. You can influence them beneficially through lifestyle measures (exercise, stress reduction and whole food nutrition), nutrient supplementation and by taking hormones.

• The hypothalamus makes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH).
• The pituitary makes thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and growth hormone (GH).
• The adrenals make cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and aldosterone and the sex hormones dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), progesterone, testosterone and the estrogens (E1, E2, E3).
• The ovaries and testes make the estrogens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
• The thyroid makes T4 and T3 (and reverse T-3, which blocks T3 effectiveness).
• The pancreas makes insulin.
• The pineal gland makes melatonin.
• The liver makes sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), sex hormone metabolites (i.e. harmful estrogens) and binding proteins such as albumin.

All these hormones influence one another, but few doctors understand that. Most medical schools do not yet teach doctors to measure all the hormones together. Manipulation of one hormone affects several others, whether it is through stress reduction, nutrient supplementation or medicating with a hormone.

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Testing For Hormones

Hormones can be tested in blood, urine and saliva. There are reasons for using each type of test, depending on your clinical condition and which hormone needs to be measured.

Generally, before hormone supplementation is considered, blood measurements are adequate. However, to do blood tests, you need the ready services of a phlebotomist, which can be challenging. For example, cortisol levels need to be measured at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and bedtime to analyze the diurnal pattern of secretion. (Yes, this is important!) When you measure hormones, it is much easier for you to spit into a small tube every few hours than to get stuck with a needle four times in a day.

When using transdermal (topical) hormones, salivary testing is more accurate because it reflects tissue levels. Blood tests greatly underestimate this hormone because it mainly stays in the skin and fat tissues.

A 24-hour urine collection is best for measuring sex hormone metabolites and ratios of good-to-bad metabolites. It can also be most useful when serum measurements and salivary measurements are not reliable for a particular hormone (such as growth hormone).

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Hormones And Their Measurements

The most reliable tests:

• Growth Hormone: The blood test for IGF-1 is a reliable correlate of growth hormone. Salivary levels are not measurable. Urine can be a 24-hour sample or “spot” urine before and again after a stimulation test (insulin injection or 20 minutes of intense anaerobic exercise).
• Cortisol: Saliva testing is easiest and most reliable at morning, noon, evening and bedtime. Blood testing requires stimulation with an injection of ACTH followed by timed blood draws. Urine (spot or 24-hour collection) can tell overall cortisol but not a diurnal pattern.
• DHEA-S: Blood and saliva tests are both valuable and reliable tests. Urine (spot or 24-hour collection) can show downstream metabolites.
• Thyroid: Blood is the easiest test but can be unreliable. It can check for levels of reverse T3 and autoantibodies that can be useful in addition to TSH, T3 and T4. Saliva is not useful. Urine can be used to check only the T3 level.
• Melatonin: The saliva test shows the diurnal pattern and is reliable. Blood and urine tests are not clinically useful.
• Aldosterone: Blood testing is reliable if you account for salt and water intake at the time of the test. Saliva and urine testing are not clinically useful.
• Progesterone: Saliva and blood testing are accurate. Saliva best reflects the level of free (unbound) hormone and if you are on transdermal progesterone. Blood testing is also accurate and can correlate with binding proteins. It is accurate if you are taking oral progesterone (safe). Urine testing best shows progesterone metabolites.
• Estrogen: Testing is similar to that for progesterone. Saliva correlates best for free (unbound) hormone and if you are on transdermal estrogen (oral estrogen is not safe). Blood testing is also accurate and can correlate with binding proteins; it’s accurate if you are taking oral estrogen. (Plan to change to transdermal.) Urine testing is best to measure estrogen metabolites.
• Testosterone: Testing is similar to that for progesterone. Saliva correlates best for free (unbound) hormone and if you are on transdermal testosterone. Blood testing is also accurate and can correlate with binding proteins; it’s accurate if you are taking oral testosterone (safe). Urine testing is best to measure testosterone and other androgen metabolites.
• Insulin: Blood testing free insulin levels correlates with insulin resistance (prediabetes) if elevated. Saliva and urine tests are not useful.
• GnRH, CRH, TRH, ACTH and LH: All are best tested in blood but are not as clinically useful as the downstream hormones that they stimulate (listed above).

The post Testing for hormone imbalances appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Despite the herbicidal qualities that make glyphosate an optimal tool for pest control, the substance’s health hazard potential has long been suspected and documented through a growing body of clinical research. A recent UCLA study of long-term pesticide use in California uncovered a worrying correlation between residential exposure to glyphosate and thyroid cancer.

Links to thyroid cancer and hormone disruptions

Located at the base of the neck under the Adam’s apple, the thyroid is a gland shaped like a butterfly that produces hormones which regulate bodily functions like heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, oxygen consumption, and metabolism. When thyroid cells suffer DNA changes that increase their growth rate, they can accumulate into cancerous tumors.

Thyroid cancer (TC) is usually asymptomatic and highly treatable in its early stages, with some individuals not even realizing they suffer from the condition until it advances and causes more obvious signs and symptoms like:

• Neck swelling and pain (sometimes accompanied by lumps)
• Voice change and hoarseness
• Trouble with swallowing and breathing

Notably, while TC’s causes are not entirely understood, the condition is 3 times more prevalent in women, usually diagnosed at earlier ages (40s and 50s) than in men (60s and 70s). The most common risks associated with thyroid cancer include inherited genetic factors, low-iodine diets, higher body mass index, and exposure to radiation. The American Cancer Society estimates that 43,800 cases of TC will be diagnosed in 2022, with 2,230 expected fatalities.

Although research into the precise causes of TC is ongoing, exposure to pesticides has long been suspected as a contributing factor. One chemical of particular concern is glyphosate, the primary compound in Roundup and other similar herbicides, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) listed as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2015.

The 2022 case-control study from UCLA analyzed TC cases reported in California from 1999 to 2012 and examined residential exposure to over two-dozen agricultural pesticides known to produce genetic damage and hormonal (endocrine) disruptions. Chronic exposure to glyphosate was associated with a 33 percent higher risk of thyroid cancer.

The study’s results are especially concerning given the increasing rate of TC fatalities in California and the condition’s consistent 3 percent annual increase over the past three decades in the US. Recent studies also indicate that exposure to low concentrations of Roundup (deemed acceptable) resulted in significant thyroid cell death and that glyphosate exhibits 8 out of 10 characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Furthermore, the positive correlation between higher glyphosate use in US agriculture and rising TC incidence has been noted in even earlier research analyzing the pesticide’s hazard potential.

Exposure to glyphosate is associated with a broader range of diseases, including several types of cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (41 percent increased risks). Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, manufacturers have long maintained their glyphosate-based products’ safety, even though recent discoveries indicate they were aware of the compound’s health risks since the 80s.

A pledge to replace glyphosate-based products in 2023

After Bayer purchased Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion, the German-based company also took on the legal ramifications of owning Roundup, spending $10.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of claims by 2020. On July 29, 2021, the growing wave of litigation determined Bayer to announce it would replace glyphosate-based products intended for the US lawn and garden market with new formulations in January 2023, a promise that the company so far seems to be on track to fulfill.

Still denying links to cancer, Bayer’s decision to pull Roundup off the market for residential use is made exclusively to manage litigation risk. Meanwhile, the replacement of glyphosate in a narrow range of products meant for residential use dismisses the more pronounced risks of Roundup’s commercial agricultural applications.

Even though Bayer hasn’t officially disclosed the alternatives considered for its new formulations, possible options may include pelargonic acid, acetic acid, or glufosinate-ammonium.  However, even if these potential substitutes might seem safer options, they carry their own inherent exposure risks, with the World Health Organization actually categorizing glufosinate-ammonium as more dangerous than glyphosate.

Until further regulations are elaborated to reduce glyphosate’s widespread use for commercial purposes, exposed individuals are more likely to benefit by transitioning to greener, non-toxic approaches. Farmers can employ ecologically-friendly and sustainable practices like regular crop rotation, companion planting, and opting for pest-resistant plant strains, while mechanical weeding and organic biopesticides are recommended non-toxic alternatives for residential gardening and lawn care.

The post Glyphosate and thyroid cancer: Too little too late appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Your thyroid gland helps regulate many functions in the body by working to keep a steady flow of thyroid hormones circulating in your bloodstream.

One very important job those hormones manage is your metabolism. That’s why often if someone just can lose weight no matter how hard they try, it’s often chalked up to a hormone or thyroid problem.

But an underactive thyroid can cause problems far beyond adding a few extra pounds to your middle.

In fact, according to research by scientists at Brown University, it could put you in extreme danger of dementia.

The link between hypothyroidism, age and dementia risk

When scientists compared the rates of thyroid problems in 7,843 seniors recently diagnosed with dementia against the health records of the same number of people without dementia, they found something concerning…

While living with hyperthyroidism (an overactive gland) did not affect dementia risk, the same could not be said for those with an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism.

In fact, of the people with dementia, 68 people, or 0.9 percent, had hypothyroidism, compared to 34 of the people without dementia, or just 0.4 percent.

After adjusting for other factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as sex, age, high blood pressure and diabetes, the researchers say that this means that people over the age of 65 with hypothyroidism are a whopping 80 percent more likely to develop dementia than people the same age without thyroid problems.

But the disturbing link doesn’t end there…

When researchers looked only at people who took medication for their hypothyroidism, they found they were three times more likely to develop dementia than those who did not take medication.

“One explanation for this could be that these people are more likely to experience greater symptoms from hypothyroidism where treatment was needed,” said study author Chien-Hsiang Weng, MD, MPH, of Brown University.

Luckily, there is good news…

“In some cases, thyroid disorders have been associated with dementia symptoms that can be reversible with treatment,” says Weng. “While more studies are needed to confirm these findings, people should be aware of thyroid problems as a possible risk factor for dementia and therapies that could prevent or slow irreversible cognitive decline.”

Supporting your thyroid to support your brain

Now, you may already know that two-thirds of people living with cognitive decline are women. I don’t think it’s any coincidence either that the risk for thyroid conditions is roughly 10 times higher for women than men.

For these reasons, I urge every woman to know the signs that her thyroid is in trouble. If you suspect yours is not functioning up to par, talk to your doctor about testing.

But don’t be surprised if he comes back and says everything looks fine. The symptoms mimic those of so many other conditions and standard thyroid tests often miss the mark. I believe that’s why it took me years to get a proper diagnosis for Hashimoto’s.

I didn’t wait, however. My research led me to simple nutrients the body requires to support the health of the thyroid gland. Here’s my list and how the research shows they help…

• Iodine from sea kelp — This naturally-derived iodine delivers the fuel your thyroid needs to create the critical T3 and T4 hormones.
• L-Tyrosine — A potent amino acid, L-tyrosine partners with iodine in T3 and T4 creation.
• Selenium — Selenium is a trace mineral that helps convert the relatively inactive T4 hormone to the active version – T3.
• Zinc — Similar to selenium, zinc is necessary for the conversion of T4 to T3 hormone.
• Copper — This trace mineral stimulates the thyroid and is vital for healthy gland function.
• Ashwagandha Root — A potent adaptogen, ashwagandha helps regulate autoimmune inflammation that can cause under-active thyroid.

It’s no secret that women have to be persistent when it comes to matters of health. Don’t let anyone tell you that your symptoms are “all in your head” or chalk them up to menopause or other “female” problems. Stand up and take care of yourself.

Sources:

Thyroid problems linked to increased risk of dementia – EurekAlert!

The post This thyroid condition could raise dementia risk 80 percent appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If something goes wrong — surgery is risky. But if you absolutely must have your thyroid removed, there is one very important thing you must ask your surgeon…

And that’s how many thyroidectomies he’s performed in a year’s time.

The best answer: The more, the better.

And here’s why…

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Thyroidectomies and complications

Thyroidectomy is one of the most common operations Americans have. Reasons for the surgery vary from cancer to an over-active thyroid to an enlarged thyroid — but 51 percent of surgeons who perform this surgery only do one per year.

That lack of experience doesn’t add up to anything good for you.

“This is a very technical operation, and patients should feel empowered to ask their surgeons how many procedures they do each year, on average,” said Julie A. Sosa, M.D., chief of endocrine surgery at Duke.

“Surgeons have an ethical responsibility to report their case numbers. While this is not a guarantee of a positive outcome, choosing a more experienced surgeon certainly can improve the odds that the patient will do well.”

Dr. Sosa was the lead author of a study that evaluated data from 16,954 patients who had thyroidectomies between 1998 and 2009 and were enrolled in a national database from the Health Care Utilization Project.

In analyzing the case volumes of 4,627 surgeons, she and fellow researchers found an association between the number of procedures surgeons performed each year and rates of complications. Notably, patients of surgeons who performed fewer than 25 thyroidectomies a year were 1.5 times more likely to experience complications.

“Thyroid nodules, which can give rise to thyroid cancer, are a growing health issue, partly because we have better imaging and are able to discover them more easily. As many as 68 percent of healthy adults have thyroid nodules, and this, in part, has significantly increased the number of biopsies and surgeries performed in the U.S.” says Sosa.

“Surgeon volume is one factor doctors and patients should consider as we talk about value-based care — helping patients get appropriate care at an optimized cost and with fewer complications,” she adds.

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Boost your thyroid health

But let’s hope you don’t have to have surgery. One thing you can do is eat the foods and take the supplements that will boost your thyroid health.

Supplements that support the thyroid include:

• Iodine — Provides the fuel your body needs to make your thyroid hormones
• Zinc — Helps convert T4 to the active thyroid hormone T3
• Selenium — Along with zinc, is critical to the conversion to T3
• Tyrosine — Partners with iodine to create T4 and T3 hormones

Certain foods can as well:

1. Seaweed, including kelp, nori, and wakame, are naturally rich in iodine.
2. Salted nuts, like Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and hazelnuts are excellent sources of selenium.
3. Fish, like salmon, tuna, trout, cod, sea bass and halibut are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and selenium — both of which decrease inflammation. Here’s a great list of fish and their omega-3 content.
4. Dairy products including yogurt, ice cream and milk contain iodine. Enjoy the occasional treat!
5. Eggs contain healthy amounts of selenium and iodine. But be sure to eat the whole egg, as most of the nutrients are concentrated in the yolk.

Avoid goitrogenic foods that can cause you problems, like cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnip, Chinese cabbage, kale, spinach, rapeseed, common radish, horseradish, rutabaga, wasabi, capers, mustard oil, papaya, watercress, and other less-known plants.

Sources:

Total thyroidectomy complication rates and costs are lower if surgeon performs 25 or more cases yearly — Science Daily

The post The ONE question to always ask a thyroid doctor appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Adequate thyroid hormone is essential for clear thinking, intestinal function and optimal blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as a healthy immune system. It also helps improve the function of other endocrine glands so they’re better able to produce their hormones — including cortisol and sex hormones.

It can be difficult for doctors to diagnose hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid isn’t producing enough hormone to properly regulate these functions. Symptoms of low thyroid function are varied and can be associated with several other conditions.

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For instance, people with hypothyroidism often report sensitivity to cold, or cold hands and feet, which can point to poor circulation. They sometimes have high cholesterol, which is normally associated with cardiovascular issues. They can experience stiff or painful joints, which can indicate arthritis. Their memory and concentration difficulties could be attributed to cognitive illnesses like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. And if they’re having symptoms of depression or anxiety, it could be ruled purely a mental health issue.

There’s another symptom of low thyroid function that is often overlooked or misattributed to other causes — one that many people can be reluctant to talk to their doctors about….

Is your thyroid killing your sex drive?

Because the thyroid controls the way your cells use energy, when it’s not working right, those problems could show up in the bedroom for both women and men.

For instance, if your hypothyroidism is causing you to feel fatigued and depressed, it can lower your sex drive. It can also lead to low testosterone, another contributor to reduced libido. And even though testosterone is usually considered a male hormone, women produce it too. So low levels of testosterone can hurt the sex drive in both men and women.

As far as women go, thyroid dysfunction could reduce vaginal lubrication, making sex painful or uncomfortable. And this can lead to a reduced desire for sex.

And for men, there are a couple of additional sex-related issues hypothyroidism can cause. One is delayed ejaculation, which is when a man either cannot ejaculate at all or can only ejaculate after having sex for 30 or 40 minutes or longer.

Then, there’s the issue of not being able to get or maintain an erection. Erectile dysfunction can result from the hormonal imbalance created by hypothyroidism.

Healthy thyroid, healthy sex drive

Fortunately, all these problems can be resolved by treating hypothyroidism. If you’re having any of these issues, you should talk to your doctor about them and have them test your thyroid function.

If you’re diagnosed with hypothyroidism, the doctor will prescribe medication to supplement your thyroid. That should get your thyroid hormone levels back to normal.

But what if the test shows your thyroid is functioning normally? Unfortunately, doctors usually rely on a blood test to determine thyroid function, and this test can often miss more subtle indicators of sluggish thyroid function.

If you’re suffering from sexual problems combined with any or all of the symptoms of low thyroid function listed here, it might be a good idea to combine a series of basal body temperature measurements with urine testing of your thyroid hormone level. If your basal body temperature is consistently below the range of 97.8 to 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and your urine thyroid hormone level remains low over a 24-hour period, you likely have low thyroid function.

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Supporting your thyroid naturally

If your thyroid function is low, but not low enough to warrant thyroid hormone treatment, there are steps you can take to help support it.

First, take a good look at your diet and make sure you’re getting enough iodine, which is essential for proper thyroid function. As long as you’re eating a healthy diet that includes iodine-rich foods like iodized salt, fish and seafood, seaweed and dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese, your iodine levels should be fine. However, if you don’t consume these foods because of dietary restrictions or allergies, you may want to consider supplementing.

It’s also important to get enough selenium since the thyroid has the highest concentration of selenium in the body. Too little selenium is associated with hypothyroidism and difficulty producing thyroid hormones. Some rich sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, fish, meat, poultry, cottage cheese, eggs, brown rice and sunflower seeds.

Also, there are a number of foods that contain substances known as “goitrogens” that can interfere with both iodine absorption and thyroid function. They include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, as well as turnips, kale, spinach, papaya and radishes. Other foods found to slow thyroid function include pine nuts, peanuts, flax seeds, millet, sweet potatoes and some fruits like strawberries, peaches and pears.

Sources:

How Thyroid Problems Might Be Hurting Your Sex Life — Penn Medicine

Iodine — National Institutes of Health

The post Low sex drive? It may be your thyroid appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The thyroid plays a crucial role in regulating the body’s metabolism, influencing weight gain and related metabolic issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and fatty liver disease.

Left untreated, low thyroid can lead to obesity, infertility and heart disease. The standard treatment includes thyroid hormone replacement, such as levothyroxine, to compensate for an underactive thyroid.

Nutrition can help support your thyroid function. Here are five foods rich in key thyroid-benefiting nutrients that are particularly beneficial for individuals with a low thyroid function…

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5 foods that are good for your thyroid

According to Dr. Raphael Kellman, M.D., a doctor of functional medicine and author of The Microbiome Diet, “Vitamins and minerals can help fight the underlying causes of thyroid disorders, such as autoimmune processes and inflammation, and help improve a dysfunctional thyroid.”

Those key nutrients include:

B vitamins

Iodine

Selenium

Tyrosine

Vitamin D

Zinc

Below are foods that are good dietary sources of these nutrients…

Chicken

Most nutrition plans recommend choosing lean protein sources, such as chicken, over beef and pork. And chicken’s also a great choice for thyroid health.

A three-ounce serving of dark meat chicken contains 22% of the daily recommended value (DV) of zinc, a trace mineral that helps the body produce thyroid hormones. White meat chicken has less zinc than dark meat, but it’s still good for thyroid health.

Chicken is also a source of tyrosine — which, when accompanied by iodine, produces thyroid hormone.

Eggs

You’ll find two crucial trace elements in eggs: selenium and iodine. Both of these trace elements can help improve overall thyroid function and control the activation of thyroid hormones.

One large egg contains 27% of your DV of selenium and 17% of your DV of iodine. If you sprinkle a little iodized salt on your eggs, you’ll likely be getting all the iodine you need to protect your thyroid.

Eggs also contain approximately 32% of the RDA for vitamin D. However, recent reports suggest that the RDA may be set too low.

Nuts and legumes

Nuts and legumes, such as cashews and lentils, are high in selenium. Brazil nuts are an especially rich source of the trace element, with one ounce containing nearly 1,000% of your DV of selenium. However, you’ll only want to eat a few servings of Brazil nuts a week to avoid selenium toxicity.

Oysters

When it comes to foods rich in zinc, oysters are No. 1. One serving of oysters gives you 673% of zinc’s DV.

Like most seafood, the oyster is also a great source of iodine. Just three ounces of cooked oysters provide nearly two-thirds of the iodine you need each day.

Tuna and sardines

Tuna and sardines are second only to Brazil nuts on the list of foods rich in selenium. Tuna contains 167% of the nutrient’s DV, while sardines come in at 82%.

Tuna is also a relatively good source of iodine, though it doesn’t have as much as oysters. A three-ounce serving of tuna contains approximately 11% of the daily value (DV) of iodine.

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4 foods to avoid if you have hypothyroidism

Some foods aren’t good for thyroid health because they contain substances that can interfere with thyroid function when eaten in large quantities. If your thyroid is underactive, you should either minimize or avoid consumption of the following foods….

Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages

Drinks containing alcohol and caffeine can affect your thyroid in different ways. Alcohol can suppress your thyroid function, especially if you drink it regularly. And it’s possible caffeinated beverages can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb your thyroid medication, though research hasn’t completely proven this.

Since coffee, green tea and alcohol can all irritate your thyroid gland, it’s best to drink them in moderation. Consider limiting your coffee intake to one cup in the morning and reserving your alcohol consumption for special occasions.

Cruciferous and leafy green vegetables

This one is tricky. After all, fresh veggies are critical for good health. But if you have hypothyroidism, you should limit excessive consumption of cabbage, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and spinach. These tend to be higher in thyroid-interfering goitrogens than other vegetables. However, experts say as long as you eat them in moderation — and cook them first — you should be fine.

Millet

Some research has shown that millet can reduce thyroid function, even when consumed in moderate amounts. So you may want to avoid this grain altogether if your thyroid is underactive.

Soy-based foods

Some experts suggest that soy-based foods, such as tofu, soy milk, and edamame, may interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication. If you plan to eat these foods, do so in moderation and wait several hours after taking your thyroid medication.

Sources:

The best diet for hypothyroidism — The Checkup By SingleCare

20 Foods Rich in Selenium — Healthline

Zinc & Selenium and Their Effect on Thyroid Health — Genesis Performance Chiropractic

Top Foods High in Iodine — Nourish by WebMD

The post Low thyroid? Keep these 9 foods on your radar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Still, lately, I’ve had to buy a catch for my tub so that my hair doesn’t clog up the drain when I shower. And if I comb my hair the wrong way, there’s some scalp showing.

Aging is not automatically accompanied by hair loss. But there are lifestyle and other factors that could cause you to see more hair in your hairbrush than you’re used to. I was surprised to find that several of these may be behind my own hair loss.

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10 things that can cause hair loss

Medications. Blood thinners, acne medications high in vitamin A, anabolic steroids, medications for arthritis, depression, gout, heart problems, or high blood pressure are just some of the drugs that may cause hair loss.

Low iron. Iron helps keep your hair healthy. If your iron levels are too low – even if you’re not anemic – you may start losing hair. Other clues that you’re low on iron to look for are brittle nails, pale skin, shortness of breath, weakness and a rapid heartbeat.

Stress. High stress can make your immune system turn on itself. When this happens, it can attack your hair follicles. Also, periods of stress can actually pause your hair growth, which makes hair more likely to come out when you brush it.

Weight loss surgery. After bariatric surgery, it’s common to lose some hair, especially if your zinc levels are low.

You don’t get enough protein. When your body is low on protein, it will conserve it wherever it can, and that includes stopping your hair from growing. A few months later, if low protein intake is still an issue, you’ll start to see hair falling out.

You’re hard on your hair. Using too much shampoo, brushing your hair when it’s wet, rubbing too hard with a towel, brushing too hard, or braiding hair too tightly all can cause hair to break and fall out.

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Heat and dyes. Using a blow dryer or flat iron every day to style your hair will dry it out, making it easier to break and fall out. The same goes for bleach, dye, relaxers and hair spray.

Other health conditions. More than thirty diseases include hair loss on their list of symptoms. Some examples are polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disorders, and autoimmune diseases, as well as ringworm of the scalp. Even a persistent high fever can cause hair loss. Most recently hair loss has been added to the list of symptoms attributed to long COVID, the phenomenon that can follow infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

Smoking. This one may surprise you, but it shouldn’t. The toxins in cigarette smoke can harm your hair follicles as much as they can other parts of you, causing a slowdown in hair growth and hair loss.

Menopause. The shifting of hormones during menopause can cause hair to shed. This usually resolves within about six months. If you notice your part widening, or start losing hair at the top and crown of the head, you may have female pattern baldness. Minoxidil has been shown to help, but if you stop applying it to an affected area, the balding will begin again.

Sources:

Surprising Reasons Your Hair Is Falling Out — Web MD

The post 10 surprising things that cause hair loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Your thyroid is no small player when it comes to your health. This tiny, butterfly-shaped gland that surrounds your trachea controls the metabolic rate of every cell in your body. It influences nutrient delivery and waste removal in every one of those cells, too.

As you can imagine, when your thyroid isn’t working properly, lots of things can go wrong.

That’s why it’s so disturbing to learn that a COVID-19 infection can throw your thyroid out of whack… not just for a few months, but for up to a year or more.

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Thyroid inflammation three months post-infection…

Early in the pandemic, Italian researchers found that the virus which causes a COVID-19 infection has a more far-reaching effect on the thyroid than other viruses do.

Dr. Ilaria Muller of the University of Milan wanted to determine if the thyroiditis connected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, follows the same pattern as that caused by other viruses.

She began monitoring patients at Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Policlinico Hospital in Milan who were hospitalized for moderate to severe COVID-19 disease.

Every three months, thyroid function was checked and routine blood and ultrasound testing was done, both to monitor function and to check for any signs of inflammation.

Dr. Muller discovered that there was, indeed, a difference in the way thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation) showed up in COVID-19 patients.

This included an absence of the typical neck pain, as well as a higher frequency of occurrence among men.

After three months, these patients showed normal thyroid function, although about a third of them still showed signs of thyroid inflammation.

A year later and it hasn’t gone away

Just last month, at the 24th European Congress of Endocrinology Dr. Muller and her colleagues presented updated research on how severe COVID-19 infection affects thyroid function.

Turns out that the effects last a lot longer than three months.

In about half of the patients in their study, regions of thyroid inflammation were still present one year after the COVID-19 infection had resolved.

In addition, in four out of six people, testing showed that the thyroid’s uptake of iodine was still reduced after nine months, indicating the presence of low-level thyroid inflammation.

As of now, the long-term health consequences of this extended period of thyroiditis are unknown. But we do know that thyroiditis can result in either over- or under-production of essential thyroid hormones.

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Taking care of your thyroid

Thyroid trouble can be hard to detect, but often these symptoms present:

• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Sensitivity to cold
• Weight gain
• Muscle aches
• Joint pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Memory problems

If you’ve had COVID and suspect a thyroid problem, your doctor can run some tests. But regardless of COVID, you’ll want to do everything you can to safeguard this small organ with big responsibilities.

Like most things, you can start with your diet.

In this article, my colleague Dr. Michael Cutler gives a comprehensive summary of foods and supplements that boost thyroid function.

Dr. Isaac Eliaz also provides some good information on the signs of a thyroid problem, as well as minerals that will help, and one food to avoid if you have thyroid issues.

Did you know that ingesting too much fluoride can destroy your thyroid? Most states add fluoride to their water. But you can access information here to see how much may be in the water in your community.

And finally, be aware that the phthalates hiding in plastics and personal care products are waging warfare on your thyroid gland.

Sources:

Effects of COVID-19 infection on the thyroid gland still present after one year — Medical Express

COVID-19 can cause atypical thyroid inflammation — Medical Express

What Is a Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test? — Web MD

The post A year after COVID infections, thyroid troubles persist appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Those are fantastic first steps toward keeping yourself and your family safe from the potentially dangerous toxins.

But the problem with chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and phthalates is they’re annoyingly inescapable.

Just when you’ve neutralized one potential exposure, they pop up somewhere else in your daily routine. And some sources of exposure are more dangerous than others….

Like anything that comes into contact with your lady parts.

You may not know this, but your genitals are highly absorbent when it comes to chemicals. In fact, the rate of chemical absorption in your genitals is 300 times higher than the rate of absorption in your feet.

Unfortunately, research has shown that several products used in this sensitive area, like sanitary pads, tampons, bladder leak pads, pantyliners and diapers (adult and child versions), are filled with VOCs and phthalates. And these chemicals are seeping into reproductive systems like nobody’s business.

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Most pads and diapers contain problematic chemicals

In 2017, South Korea media outlets uncovered a disconcerting story you may have missed….

Sanitary pads were causing strange symptoms in women, like menstrual irregularities, infections, rashes, and bad cramping. Eventually, more than 15,000 women filed a class-action lawsuit against a sanitary pad company called Lillian. But the story doesn’t stop there…

This sudden and alarming issue with sanitary pads in South Korea prompted researchers in the U.S. and other countries to explore the dangers of pads further. And what they uncovered is unsettling, to say the least…

Most of these kinds of products contain dangerous chemicals like VOCs and phthalates. And we’re placing them near one of the most absorbent areas of our body.

‘Personal’ care danger

A study published in the journal Reproductive Toxicology tested 11 brands of sanitary brands and four brands of diapers from a variety of countries, including the U.S.

All 11 brands of sanitary pads contained two types of phthalates and the VOC xylene. Nine brands also contained the VOC toluene and two brands contained the VOC methylene chloride.

All four brands of diapers tested contained two types of phthalates (one contained three). Plus, they all contained the VOCs toluene and xylene.

Now, VOCs raise the risk of asthma, several types of cancer and reproductive problems. And phthalates are tied to endocrine disruption, cancer and birth defects. So, why on earth would you want these chemicals in close proximity to your sensitive and highly-absorbent nether regions?

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Protecting yourself and loved-ones from dangerous pads and diapers

Research has estimated that tampon use could be responsible for 15% of our total phthalate exposure. Pantyliner use could be contributing nearly 10% and pads roughly 3% of our overall phthalate exposure.

Whether you’re at the age where you’re menstruating or not, this study likely applies to you. Many menopausal and post-menopausal women continue to use some of these products.

Besides, you’ve probably used pads or tampons for much of your life. That means your body has been exposed to these chemicals for decades and the repercussions could still affect you, even if you don’t use them anymore.

One study analyzed urine samples of over 1,660 people for both urinary phthalate metabolites and BPA and compared them to the thyroid hormone levels in their blood. They discovered that the more BPA and phthalates in their body, the lower their thyroid levels.

In other words, the more of these chemicals — phthalates and BPA — you have in your body, the less likely your thyroid will work properly.

If you’re looking for chemical-free options for yourself or your loved ones, there are quite a few clean products on the market. The Honest Company sells organic pads, tampons, and diapers.

Sources:

1. Diapers and Pads May Be Leaching Chemicals Into Our Bodies — Sierra Magazine
2. Sanitary pads and diapers contain higher phthalate contents than those in common commercial plastic products — Reproductive Toxicology
3. How diapers and menstrual pads are exposing babies and women to hormone-disrupting, toxic chemicals — Environmental Health News
4. Rate of Absorption — The Center for Construction Research and Training

The post The chemicals seeping into your most sensitive areas appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Some of us experience more acne breakouts and skin rashes when we wear them…

They make our noses itch…

And maybe our oxygen levels are just fine, but it certainly makes it feel like it’s harder to breathe.

But if you wear glasses you have to deal with another annoying problem… foggy glasses.

Because masks cause glasses and sunglasses to fog up, many of us have turned to anti-fogging sprays and clothes to keep our vision clear.

That may not be such a good idea though. In an effort to avoid exposure from the pandemic threat, using those chemical sprays exposes you to a very real toxic danger…

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The toxic secret in anti-fogging sprays and cloths

Duke University researchers tested four top-rated anti-fogging sprays and five top-rated anti-fogging cloths sold on Amazon, they found all nine products contained toxic chemicals that can wreak havoc on your health.

Those toxins included fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs), two types of polyfluorinated alkyl substances or PFAS.

So what’s the issue?

Well, PFAS are known as “cancer-causing forever chemicals”.

They’re chemicals that have leached into our water supply, lurk in our dental floss and hide in our cosmetics. And they are now found in the blood of 99 percent of Americans.

And exposure to some PFAS, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is associated with not only cancer but also impaired thyroid and immune function, and other health disorders.

Research suggests that once the FTOHs that the researchers found in all of the anti-fogging products have been inhaled or absorbed through the skin, they could break down in your body to PFOA or other long-lived PFAS substances that are known to be toxic.

“It’s disturbing to think that products people have been using on a daily basis to help keep themselves safe during the COVID pandemic may be exposing them to a different risk,” said Heather Stapleton, professor of environmental chemistry and health at Duke, who initiated the study after reviewing the ingredient label on a bottle of anti-fogging spray she purchased for her 9-year-old daughter.

“Ironically, it was advertised as safe and nontoxic,” Stapleton said. “It said to spray it on your glasses and use your fingers to rub it around.”

Safe and non-toxic?

Not when they are packed with cancer-causing forever chemicals!

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What else can you do?

I’ve seen some information online about using a vinegar solution to keep your glasses fog-free. But manufacturers claim vinegar is bad for the material that most lenses are made from. Of course, they are the same ones selling the anti-fog sprays, though.

It may take extra work, but adjusting your mask and glasses can cut down on the fogging:

• Adjust your glasses to sit higher on your nose so they’re farther away from air flow from your nostrils and mouth.
• Pull you mask higher on your nose and use you glasses on top of the mask to hold it in place.

They also suggest washing your glasses at home with warm water and dish soap. The dish soap leaves a film on the glasses that helps prevent them from fogging up. But to find a dish soap that doesn’t contain forever chemicals, access the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning database.

Finally, to learn more about how to lessen your toxic load in general, follow these five steps from longtime health researcher and editor of Easy Health Options, Virginia Tims-Lawson.

Source:

High levels of PFAS found in anti-fogging sprays and cloths, study finds – ScienceDaily

How to keep glasses from fogging up when wearing a mask – Visionworks

The post The surprising mask danger no one’s talking about appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Carrying excess weight is now associated with a higher risk for 13 types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, thyroid and liver cancer — the second deadliest form of cancer.

Even though studies have linked excess weight to specific types of cancers, there haven’t been any statistics showing just how many cases of a particular type of cancer can be associated with being overweight or obese.

But one country has done the numbers where thyroid cancer is concerned, and they don’t look good for those who carry excess weight — especially men who see their risks surpassing a disease that typically is 2.9-times more common in women…

Excess weight contributes to thyroid cancers

According to a recent study, one in five future thyroid cancer cases in Australia can be linked to being overweight or obese.

“This finding translates to close to 10,000 thyroid cancers in the next 10 years,” says study lead Dr. Maarit Laaksonen, a senior lecturer in data science at UNSW. “Obesity explains 75 percent of this burden in Australia.”

This is worrying since the obesity rate in Australia has doubled over the last two decades. About 75 percent of Australian men and 60 percent of Australian women are now classified as either overweight or obese.

The U.S. is in the same fix. An estimated 43 percent of U.S. adults are obese, with another 31 percent coming in as overweight. That means almost three-quarters of Americans are carrying excess weight and are likely facing the same advanced risk for thyroid cancer.

According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, being overweight is a risk factor for a number of different cancers, including thyroid cancer. Therefore, preventing obesity and excess weight gain should be a priority for thyroid cancer prevention.

The UNSW-led study is the first to evaluate the thyroid cancer burden in relation to current levels of overweight and obese adults. It also is the first to break down and compare this burden by sex.

By doing this, the study discovered that being overweight or obese explains two in five thyroid cancer cases in men, compared with only one in 10 cases in women. This is interesting because thyroid cancer normally is two to three times as common in women as in men.

“It is still not well understood what causes the sex difference in overweight/obesity-related thyroid cancer risk,” Laaksonen says. “But our findings add evidence to the urgent need to halt and reverse the current global trend in weight gain, especially obesity and especially in men.”

More research is needed to determine precisely what might be causing the remaining four in five thyroid cancers not related to weight. Some other factors known to increase thyroid cancer risk include iodine deficiency, exposure to ionizing radiation, and genetic factors and family history.

“Thyroid cancer is a bit like prostate cancer that its risk factors are not yet very well understood,” Laaksonen says.

Laaksonen has previously studied preventable lung, colorectal, breast, endometrial, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, bladder and head and neck cancers. She plans to conduct a study on the preventable burden of stomach and esophageal cancers, as well as a summary paper on preventable cancer burden in Australia across all cancers.

How being overweight impacts cancer risk

While the exact mechanism has yet to be found, we do know excess body weight can affect cancer risk in several ways. Being overweight can increase inflammation and impair immune system function. It can also wreak havoc with certain hormone levels such as insulin and estrogen, as well as factors that regulate cell growth and proteins that influence how your body uses certain hormones.

Obviously, the best way to reduce your risk of thyroid and other cancers is to lose weight. Even losing 5 percent of your body weight can help reduce inflammation markers and in turn lower your cancer risk.

It can be tempting to look for a quick and easy weight loss solution. But for shedding weight and keeping it off over the long term, it’s best to stick to the tried-and-true formula of eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise.

A good meal plan to follow for weight management is the Mediterranean diet — particularly its “green” form, which eliminates red meat, emphasizes plenty of fruits and vegetables and includes green tea and plant-based protein.

Previous research has also found that the keto diet can help men lose weight and balance their hormones.

Sources:

One in five future thyroid cancers linked to excess weight — UNSW Sydney

Key Statistics for Thyroid Cancer — American Cancer Society

Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 1960–1962 Through 2017–2018 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

IARC identifies eight additional cancer sites linked to overweight and obesity — International Agency for Research on Cancer

The post Why more men are getting thyroid cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Low blood pressure isn’t something we pay as much attention to … but we should.

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, comes with its own set of troublesome symptoms. And, just like high blood pressure, it may also be a signal of other things going wrong in the body.

Here’s everything you need to know about the causes, symptoms and treatment of hypotension.

What causes low blood pressure?

There can be several reasons behind low blood pressure. Some of them serious and others, not so much.

Widening of blood vessels (vasodilation) is one possible cause and can result from a problem with medication dosage or a few other issues.

Just as high blood pressure is a result of constricted blood vessels that offer less room for blood to move around, low blood pressure can result from the widening of blood vessels.

Normal healthy blood vessels constrict and open wide to “push” blood through the body. So, vasodilation is a good thing. There’s more room for blood to spread out, so blood exerts less pressure on the vessel walls.

Medication taken for hypertension can cause vasodilation. But if the dosage is wrong it may work too well.

This is why if you’re on medication, it’s important to work with your doctor to monitor how it’s affecting you, and to never take more medication than you’ve been prescribed.

Other things that cause more vasodilation than is warranted include nerve damage from a spinal injury, serious bacterial infections, and Addison’s disease, which weakens the adrenal glands.

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Less blood. If you’re not drinking enough, or if you have anemia, you could have low blood pressure. Adequate hydration can take blood volume back up. Anemia should be treated based on its cause.

Diuretics are medications commonly taken to reduce swelling and high blood pressure. If your dose is off, they will work a little too well and result in dehydration and hypotension.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Many people don’t realize that thyroid hormones have an effect on the force and speed of your heartbeat and blood pressure. This condition can slow the rate and cause both higher blood pressure and low blood pressure.

Hypothyroidism can be especially hard to diagnose. I’ve written previously about why thyroid tests sometimes miss the mark.

Orthostatic hypotension. Older adults are more prone to feeling lightheaded and dizzy when they stand too quickly. They’re more likely to have a lower volume of blood in the body. It takes longer to get more blood to the head to replace the blood needed in the lower body for standing. Even mild dehydration can make this effect more pronounced.

Heart problems. If your heart isn’t pumping quickly enough, your blood pressure could be reduced. This could signal other conditions that need to be taken care of, such as hormonal problems, valve damage or misfiring electrical signals. Your doctor would need to perform tests and diagnostics to check out these possible causes.

How do I know if my blood pressure is low?

If your blood pressure reading is lower than 90 over 60, your doctor will likely tell you that you’ve got hypotension.

But more often, it’s the symptoms of low blood pressure that are the first clue.

You may feel dizzy and nauseous. You’ll experience a lack of energy, possibly a feeling of depression, and you’ll find it hard to think straight (better known as “brain fog”).

Other possible symptoms include blurry vision, clammy skin, rapid breathing and chest pain.

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What to do about low blood pressure

Clearly, if you are having any of the symptoms mentioned above, you’d want to head straight to your doctor to make sure nothing is seriously wrong.

If you’re on medication, he may need to double-check to dosage and also decide if further tests are needed depending on your medical history, including checking for anemia, a B12 deficiency and checking for heart problems.

But there are some of us who just have low blood pressure, and I’m one of them.

These are tips I follow that have been shown to help low blood pressure:

• Salt is known to raise blood pressure. Check with doctor to see if he thinks adding extra to your diet could help.
• Unless your fluid intake is restricted for a health reason, try drinking more water. It can help push your blood volume up which, in turn, raises blood pressure
• Alcoholic drinks are dehydrating. Avoid them or drastically cut down.
• If your pressure drops after eating, eat several smaller, low-carb meals throughout the day instead of the big three.
• Try compression socks to improve your circulation.

Sources:

Visual Guide to Low Blood Pressure — Web MD

10 Essential Facts About Orthostatic Hypotension — Everyday Health

Everything You Need to Know About Low Blood Pressure — Healthline

12 signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism–Medical News Today

The post Weird causes and signs of low blood pressure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Imagine feeling like that every day.

One of my closest friends suffers from the debilitating exhaustion brought on by chronic fatigue syndrome. And there have been multiple times over the years that she has been forced to spend a week at a time in bed.

“I’m so tired of it” she’s said. “It’s completely taken over my life.”

Luckily, there is hope — for my friend and for you if chronic fatigue is taking over your life as well — stealing your time with your friends and family and leaving you exhausted, frustrated and depressed.

Researchers at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands have discovered a connection between low levels of thyroid hormones and chronic fatigue syndrome that could make all the difference.

Like hypothyroidism but not

What got the scientist thinking was the fact that so many of the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome resemble those of hypothyroidism (a condition where your thyroid gland can’t produce enough thyroid hormone so you’re tired, depressed and achy).

What’s different between the two diseases is this…

When you have a low thyroid, your body tries to encourage thyroid hormone activity by releasing more thyroid-stimulating hormone — something that doesn’t happen when you’re living with chronic fatigue syndrome.

That gave those researchers the idea that chronic fatigue syndrome is basically caused by a low activity of your thyroid hormones without thyroid disease.

So, they decided to test their theory…

And, guess what?

They were right!

Not only did 100 percent of the patients with chronic fatigue tested have low thyroid hormones, but they also had an extremely difficult time converting inactive thyroid hormones to active thyroid hormones.

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And, to top it off they had a high level of inflammation in their bodies. So you can guess where all your achy joints are coming from, right?

Now, here’s where it gets tricky…

Although all of the patients did have low levels of the active thyroid hormones, most showed normal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH. And, since this is the only one most doctors even bother to test for, most chronic fatigue patients never know that their thyroid is a problem.

Optimizing your thyroid

And, that is exactly what makes optimizing your thyroid so important when it comes to beating chronic fatigue.

Here are some nutrients that benefit thyroid activity…

#1 – Iodine – Your thyroid needs iodine in order to create critical T3 and T4 hormones.

#2 – L-Tyrosine – This powerful amino acid partners with iodine to create T3 and T4 hormones needed to help efficiently metabolize calories for weight maintenance.

#3 – Selenium – This naturally-occurring trace mineral is what your body needs to convert the relatively inactive T4s to the active thyroid hormone T3.

#4 – Zinc – This essential mineral helps convert the T4 hormone to the more active T3, which helps support a healthy metabolism. It also releases the vitamin A stored in the liver to help support a healthy thyroid.

#5 – Copper – This trace mineral is important for healthy thyroid function. It helps stimulate the thyroid and protect the body from too much thyroxine building up in the blood.

#6 – Ashwagandha Root – A strong antioxidant, ashwagandha helps protect the thyroid, allowing it to function better and produce more T4.

Remember when supplementing follow manufacturer’s suggestion for dosage, and if you take medication, check for possible interactions. It’s also helpful to have these nutrient levels checked before and during a supplement regimen.

The post The thyroid connection to chronic fatigue appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I didn’t feel right. I was always tired. I was always stressed. I was always worried. And, yes… I was always depressed.

And, that wasn’t all…

I had also gained weight. I had joint pain. I was even cold all the time – so cold that my husband didn’t want me to put my feet anywhere near him in bed.

Now, I’m the type of person that researches everything…  And, I do mean everything.

After an exhaustive dig into all of my symptoms, I felt I knew what was going on. It had to be a thyroid problem. After all, I fit all the symptoms. So, I went to my doctor armed with a list of my symptoms and a request to have my thyroid checked.

Let me tell you, I was floored when he told me that my tests came back negative and my thyroid was fine. Not only that, I felt even more alone – because then what WAS wrong with me?

According to my doctor, the answer was depression and anxiety. In other words, all of those symptoms – the weight gain, the fatigue, the cold hands and feet – all of them were because I was sad and anxious.

Could that be true?

It took years and multiple doctors to get the real answer.

And, it turned out that my instincts were right. It was my thyroid – just not the usual thyroid problems doctors look for, which is why it was overlooked for so long. So, if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms like I was, such as:

• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Sensitivity to cold
• Weight gain
• Muscle aches
• Joint pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Memory problems

Then read on… Because what your doctor won’t tell you and doesn’t test for can hurt you – sometimes for years!

Depression, anxiety and thyroiditis

You see, there’s a condition known as autoimmune thyroiditis. It’s also sometimes called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

And, it basically means that your immune system attacks and kills your thyroid gland so it doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to. That’s why you can end up with that long list of symptoms we just talked about.

In fact, a new study out of Germany has just proven that a lot of people (especially women) who are diagnosed with depression and anxiety may really be suffering from thyroiditis.

Why?

Because if you have the condition, you’re 3.5 times more likely to suffer from depression, or 2.3 times more likely to suffer from anxiety.

This may not sound like much at first, but since the three disorders are very common it means that patients with autoimmune thyroiditis account for more than 40 percent of all cases of depression and 30 percent of all cases of anxiety.

Those are some big numbers!

And, unfortunately, it’s super easy for doctors to miss the diagnosis or even misdiagnosis it as ‘menopausal symptoms’ or depression or anxiety alone.

Sound familiar?

Help to overcome autoimmune thyroid symptoms

So, if you suffer from autoimmune thyroid symptoms what can you do about it?

Well, according to the researchers, if you live with depression, you can ask your doctor to prescribe anti-depressants that don’t affect your weight.

But, it’s also vital to supplement with selenium since without it, your thyroid can’t maintain optimal health. That’s because selenium is a trace mineral that helps convert the relatively inactive T4s to the active thyroid hormone T3.

You should also add in ashwagandha root, which works as an immune modulator to help regulate autoimmune inflammation that contributes to thyroiditis.

Copper is also important since it helps stimulate the thyroid and protect the body from too much thyroxine building up in the blood.

Other important steps to take in dealing with autoimmune thyroiditis are to mitigate stress through regular light exercise, meditation and deep breathing exercise and through eating a healthy diet. And, if you’re sensitive to gluten, like I am, be sure to eliminate it from your diet since gluten sensitivity can increase immune reactions.

If you’re experiencing the symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis, don’t let your doctor blow off your symptoms as just depression, anxiety or menopause. Ask for blood work to confirm the diagnosis and use the tips above to modulate your immune response, get control of your thyroid function and finally feel better.

The post Anxiety or just this hard-to-diagnose gland condition? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You see, one of the arguments against eating and drinking dairy products is that they raise your risk of heart problems — and with my family history, that’s something I pay attention to.

As it turns out, this just wasn’t so, according to more recent research. In fact, certain types of cheese, like the blue-molded French cheese Roquefort, are heart-protective.

So, even though it was a short-lived time in my life, my milk-free period was not a good one…

I began to feel worse almost immediately after giving it up. And that’s how I discovered that not only was I unnecessarily cheating myself of creamy dairy goodness, I had inadvertently caused my low thyroid to worsen.

Here’s why…

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Do you get enough iodine?

That milk I had given up is a natural source of iodine.

What does that have to do with the thyroid?

You have to have iodine to make thyroid hormones. And those milk-alternative products, like coconut and almond milk, just don’t supply it sufficiently.

In fact, according to researchers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, the majority of milk-alternative drinks have iodine concentration levels of around two percent of that found in cow’s milk.

After examining the iodine content of everything from soy and almond milk to hazelnut and hemp milk, they found that a glass of a milk-alternative drink only provides around 2mcg of iodine. To put that in perspective, the adult recommended iodine intake is 150 mcg/day.

What do you do if you don’t drink milk?

So, if you opt for soy, almond or coconut milk like so many people do these days, you’re missing out on iodine your thyroid needs.

Or, if you can’t do dairy due to an allergy or autoimmune conditions, then supplementing with iodine is extremely important.

What’s the right amount of iodine to look for?

Well, that 150 mcg/day recommended for adults is a starting place, but not enough to truly give your thyroid the nutrients it needs to function optimally, especially if it’s been starved.

Instead, look for 500 mcg/day of iodine along with other thyroid-supporting trace minerals like zinc, copper and selenium (and the amino acid l-tyrosine, to help with weight maintenance).

Remember, before you jump on the next health trend, really check it out. Sometimes “new” is not better than the nutrition we grew up with.

The post Not a milk-drinker? Your thyroid could be in trouble appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For instance, if you exercise and follow a healthy diet but just can’t seem to lose that extra weight, your thyroid could be to blame.

Some studies show that up to 67 percent of American adults with no symptoms at all have suboptimal thyroid function.

So, what are the symptoms associated with low thyroid levels and how do you know if you have a problem?

In addition to unexplained weight gain, other signs your thyroid is faltering include cold hands and feet, dry skin, thinning hair, intolerance of cold, anxiety, depression and even brain fog

However, all too often the routine blood tests fail to detect a significant percentage of low thyroid cases.

You may have already seen your doctor and been told your labs are normal and all the while, you are suffering.

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Lack of standardization leaves you out in the cold

That’s because most doctors today diagnose thyroid disorders by doing a simple blood test to check levels of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).

The problem is that there is no standardization for treatment.

Many doctors are still using the old standard and only consider a TSH level over 5 mlU/L worthy of treatment. But, this isn’t accurate, according to research.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology currently recommends treatment for anyone over 4.1. And, interestingly, back in 2002 they made a statement recommending a limit of 3mlU/L.

While the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry has recommended beginning treatment at 2.5.

It’s easy to see how thyroid patients are left out in the cold, wondering if they will ever find help.

Natural thyroid protection

Iodine, found in sea vegetables and other food sources, could be your best weapon against thyroid dysfunction.

That’s because it is essential for healthy thyroid function and efficient metabolism.

In fact, your thyroid gland uses iodine from your diet to make the thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency can even lead to enlargement of your thyroid, called a goiter. And, your thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that can absorb iodine.

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So, considering how important iodine is to your thyroid function, what’s the best way to incorporate it into your daily diet?

The best food sources of iodine include:

• Sea Vegetables — The highest levels of iodine are found in sea vegetables, like Kelp, Arame, Hiziki, Kombu, and Wakame. Kelp offers the most iodine of any food on the planet and just one serving provides four times your daily minimum requirement.
• Cranberries — This antioxidant-rich fruit is another great source of iodine. About 4 ounces of cranberries contain approximately 400 mcg of iodine.
• Raw Milk — Four ounces of milk provides over 28 mcg of iodine.
• Eggs — With 27 mcg of iodine in just one egg, these are a wonderful source of the vital nutrient.
• Organic Yogurt — A natural probiotic, yogurt is an excellent iodine food you should add to your diet. One serving holds more than half of your daily needs at 90 mcg.
• Beans — Many beans are a great food source of iodine and navy beans are at the top of the list. Just 1/2 cup of these beans contains about 32 mcg of iodine.

But as we age, it’s harder for the body to metabolize iodine. Some foods can further interfere with how your body absorbs it, so it’s possible you may need to supplement it. Other nutrients that you should consider supplementing that boost thyroid health include:

• L-Tyrosine — This powerful amino acid partners with iodine to create T3 and T4 hormones needed to help efficiently metabolize calories for weight maintenance.
• Selenium — This naturally-occurring trace mineral helps convert relatively inactive T4s to the active thyroid hormone T3. Plus, its antioxidant properties help regulate free radicals.
• Zinc — This essential mineral helps convert the T4 hormone to the more active T3, which helps support a healthy metabolism. It also releases vitamin A stored in the liver to help support a healthy thyroid.
• Copper — This trace mineral is important for healthy thyroid function. It helps stimulate the thyroid and protect the body from too much thyroxine building up in the blood.

Sources:

Thyroid gland: US screening in a random adult population. — Radiological Society of North America

Thyroid Incidentalomas: Management Approaches to Nonpalpable Nodules Discovered Incidentally on Thyroid Imaging — Annals of Internal Medicine

Why Routine Blood Tests Often Fail to Detect Low Thyroid Function (And What We Can Do About It) — Huffington Post

How Your Thyroid Works — EndocrineWeb

Iodine — The George Mateljan Foundation

The post 6 foods (plus supplements) that bring your thyroid back to life appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the lack of energy is also depressing. No one wants to turn into a lump on the couch, turning down invitations to have fun with friends and family just because you don’t have the get-up-and-go.

If you’re battling low energy, hormone issues could be at the core of your ebbing energy stores…

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Low thyroid hormone function

When thyroid-sensitive tissues throughout your body don’t get enough thyroid, you’ll have low energy and other symptoms. Your thyroid-sensitive tissues are your brain, muscles, heart, intestines, skin, and general metabolism/energy). When this occurs, you have a few options. You can (a) take measures to boost your sensitivity to the thyroid hormones you currently have circulating; (b) boost your thyroid gland’s production of hormone; or (c) take a prescription bio-identical thyroid hormone replacement pill every day to ensure your tissues have what they need.

You probably know that the amount of your thyroid hormones is accurately measurable with the standard blood tests TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). However, these cannot measure how well your thyroid hormones work in your thyroid-sensitive tissues (i.e. their function).

That’s why I ask my patients to check their basal body temperatures, just after awakening but before getting out of bed. If this is low (e.g. below 98.2 F oral or 97.3 F axillary) and you have three or more of the signs/symptoms listed below, then you most likely have low thyroid function…

• Sensitivity to cold; cold hands and feet often
• Feeling tired in the daytime when sitting or at rest
• Unwanted weight gain; morning puffy face/swollen eyelids; water retention
• Constipation, abdominal bloating or colitis symptoms
• High blood cholesterol; high blood pressure
• Memory/concentration impairment; easily confused
• Depressed mood or anxiety upon waking or often during the waking hours
• Dry or slow-growing hair or nails/excessive hair loss; acne, eczema, psoriasis
• Stiff or painful joints; rheumatoid or osteoarthritis; carpal tunnel syndrome
• Hoarse voice, slowed speech
• Endometriosis, infertility, menstrual disorders, or abnormal uterine bleeding
• Frequent colds, sore throats, earaches, or other infections

With a low basal body temperature and more than three signs/symptoms from this list, you most likely have low thyroid function and will most definitely benefit from supplementation with natural thyroid hormone. It safely and effectively reverses many and possibly all of these symptoms within just weeks to months.

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Adrenal fatigue (lack of cortisol)

After years of constant or repeated high-stress demands (physical, mental or emotional), you may experience the latent effects of excess cortisol production and then burn-out (not enough cortisol to supply your stress demands). This would be one or more of these signs or symptoms:

• Daytime fatigue: but you may get a second wind of energy at bedtime
• Not sleeping well: Cortisol blocks your sleep hormone melatonin so you toss and turn during the night and cannot turn off your thoughts very easily
• Weight gain around the middle: the classic apple-shape obesity even if you are exercising and eating healthy
• Craving unhealthy foods because cortisol increases hunger to supply energy for your stress needs
• Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, or constipation (with or without abdominal pain) come in part from excess cortisol secretion
• Sex hormone imbalances due to the “cortisol steal” effect in which your testosterone or estrogen production decreases
• Depressed mood comes from high levels of cortisol which suppresses serotonin (a key feel-good hormone) production
• Accelerated aging of the facial skin (looking older than stated age)

What can you do about this cause of fatigue? To heal from adrenal fatigue, it will require that you stop the repeated physical, mental or emotional stress causing this condition. I realize this is not at all a simple thing to do. That’s because it’s in our nature to stress and worry. We forget who we really are and our purpose here on earth. We forget that we came to learn and that learning to master our very thoughts and feelings is greater than any amount of money, good looks or friends.

There are a variety of ways to manage and master stress so we can enjoy life and have a predominant feeling of peace within you, even in apparently scary times. Also, there are nutrients, herbs, and foods are known to assist in healing adrenal fatigue. Sometimes you may even need to take adrenal extract or cortisol to replace the deficiency.

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