Supplements

There are a variety of reasons why you may need to take a larger-than-usual dose of thyroid hormone replacement medication, but one of the most common reason is that you are taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication that affects absorption of your thyroid medication. For example, before you grab that Tums or Rolaids along with […]

A research team, led by Melanie Ceko, looked at the role of selenium in the ovaries, and found that selenium is crucial to the development of healthy ovarian follicles. Follicles are responsible for production of eggs in women. According to Ceko: Selenium is an essential trace element found in protein-rich foods like red meat, seafood […]

Sound confusing? How do you know if you are affected? And what are you supposed to do about this MTHFR business? First, your doctor can run the MTHFR serum (blood) test to determine if you have any defects in the gene. If any defects are found, your doctor will give you specific advice. But here […]

In a Chinese study, researchers looked at vitamin D and autoimmune thyroid disease status in their patients. Their study evaluated 66 patients (34 had Hashimoto's disease and 32 had Graves' disease), compared to 52 healthy controls. They measured the serum D3, calcium, parathyroid hormone, Free T3, Free T4, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies […]

Rosemarie's Baby Rosemarie was trying, and failing, to get pregnant for several years. Like many fertility clinics, the clinic she and her husband chose did NOT include any thyroid testing as part of Rosemarie's infertility workup. At first, Rosemarie didn't know to ask. Since infertility is rarely covered by insurance, Rosemarie was getting side-effect laden […]

1. Understand the Lab Tests for Thyroid Disease Some doctors only use the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test to diagnose and manage thyroid disease, and tell patients that their results are "normal" or "abnormal" — nothing more. Integrative physicians take it much further — often including Free T4, Free T3, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO), Thyroid […]

It also seems that the media is finally starting to recognize what integrative physicians have been saying for years — helping maintain healthy bacterial balance in the gut has a positive effect on many aspects of health, and probiotics can be a key step. Let's take a look at some probiotics basics, and the latest […]

As part of the awareness effort, it's important to know the various criteria, including assessment of pain levels. But the changing way the pain of fibromyalgia is assessed diagnosis is just a part of the challenges that frustrate fibromyalgia sufferers. There are actually five crucial issues that frustrate many fibromyalgia patients. 1. The Myth That […]

The randomized, controlled trial focused on getting the patients to a level between 32 and 48ng/ml for 20 weeks via oral supplements. The levels were reassessed at 5, 13 weeks, 25 weeks, and 24 weeks after supplementation was discontinued. The researchers found that even after supplementation was stopped, the patients experienced a significant reduction in […]

Melatonin is produced — primarily at night — by the pineal gland, a tiny gland located in the brain. The pineal acts as a controller of our body's clock, including the day-to-day 24-hour clock that tells us when to sleep and when to wake. It also controls our lifetime biological clock that decides on bigger […]

Over at the Very Well Thyroid site, patient advocate Mary Shomon has reported on new research, just published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, that shows that larger doses of supplemental thiamine (vitamin B1) were shown to substantially help resolve fatigue in Hashimoto's patients who were on thyroid hormone replacement medication. Check out […]

Let's talk about PMS, which is for some women, the next key mood-hormone link. For a variety of reasons — nutrition, genetics, hormone balance, etc. — some women sail through monthly cycles with few symptoms, while others struggle every month with debilitating depression, anxiety, and fatigue. While PMS may be a favorite joke of comedians, […]

While your symptoms resemble a mental health issue, they could be signs of Hashimoto's disease, one cause of hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease, also known as autoimmune thyroiditis or simply "Hashimoto's", is caused by an autoimmune disorder. In this case, the body's immune system sees the thyroid gland as a foreign body and begins to attack, damaging […]

The microflora in the gut form a barrier that protects against invaders by competing with harmful bacteria and viruses. These microflora actually communicate with the immune system, prompting it to attack bad bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites, and to prevent more bacteria from taking up residence. When microflora aren't thriving, these harmful agents are left […]

If you had asked me ten years ago whether I thought I would still be alive today, I would have responded with "absolutely not." That's how surely I was convinced that I was slowly dying — emotionally, socially, intellectually, spiritually, and physically. The most frightening thing about it was that I perceived I was powerless […]

If Lyme disease is not diagnosed and treated early, the Lyme spirochete can spread, and can go into hiding in the body, causing health problems months or even years after the infection occurs. Perhaps this is why there is so much confusion and difficulty in getting proper treatment for Lyme disease. It Starts With an […]

Contrary to popular belief, Lyme disease is not limited to the northeastern United States, but is seen in every state across the country. It is often called "the great imitator" because Lyme can mimic virtually any disease, including multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou […]

Obesity has become a major health crisis in the United States. In the last two decades, obesity rates have doubled among adults. As many as 60 million people, or 30% of the adult population, are now obese. Youth are at risk too. Since 1980, obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in adolescents. And […]

Fibromyalgia can cause pain anywhere in the body, but the most common sites include the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms and legs. Optimal treatment of fibromyalgia requires a multi-system approach that can include addressing underlying viral infections, hormone imbalances, and nutritional deficiencies. Now, two new studies show that supplementing with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may help […]

For patients with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome can be extremely debilitating and can interfere with the basic activities of daily life, even bringing psychological distress and social isolation. A Relatively New Diagnosis Fibromyalgia is not a new syndrome, but it is surprisingly not well recognized in medical practice, even though it is […]

How Does Poor Gut Health Affect Your Thyroid Health? Your gut is home to 70% of your body's immune system. Tissues within the gut store immune cells that attack and produce antibodies against foreign substances such as viruses or bacteria. A healthy intestinal lining allows nutrients and other biological substances to be filtered through for […]

Untangling cause and effect can challenge even seasoned clinicians, and the potential for missed diagnoses is growing these days. Most mental-health counselors rely on primary-care doctors to spot medical issues, but those physicians are increasingly time-pressed and may not know their patients well. Neither do the psychiatrists who mainly write prescriptions and see patients only […]

People who are dealing with serious diseases like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and thyroid disease must recognize the importance of dietary guidelines in their treatment. A healthy diet is a part of living a healthy life. Fibromyalgia And Nutrition Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition whose symptoms include muscle and tissue pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep […]

Studies show that even slightly reduced thyroid levels, even considered still in the "normal" range can dramatically decrease libido in women as well as causing fatigue, weight gain and depression. How Does Thyroid Dysfunction Affect Libido Hypothyroidism reveals itself in a very gradual manner. Low thyroid symptoms are very subtle and are often similar to […]