Is it just me, or….

I just turned 58 in age and no more feel that number represents my mental attitude, outlook, nor even my physical status than ‘a man in the moon’. Why am I here?

I’m short… vertically challenged, that is. I have no problem with being short. I try to be healthy, don’t smoke/ never have, exercise as often as I can, and enjoy an adult beverage occasionally. I do like Breyer’s mint chocolate chip ice cream, double-stuff Oreo cookies, and more. I believe if anyone could be addicted to diet Pepsis, it would’ve been me. If you name a diet, there’s nearly a 100% chance I’ve tried it. The same 20 to 30 pounds coming and going across the years, I could probably say I’ve lost over a ton. But, from a practical standpoint, these few extra pounds are so very hard to conceal on a short 5’ frame.  Elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, tendencies for strokes, and the medical profession prescribing drugs to remedy these nearly wrecked my life. So, why am I here? (more…)

… has there recently been an influx of medical professionals finally ‘getting it’?

Our thyroids ARE at the root of many chronic problems!  In the past many of us raised awareness of issues including difficulty losing weight, being tired all the time, low libido, constipation, high cholesterol, hypertension,  etc.  We inquired whether our thyroid was at the core of these problems. We received responses from medical professionals like, ‘…your thyroid levels are okay they’re just borderline.’  Or  ‘… the symptoms are all in your head’  or  ‘… thyroid is not the real problem.’  Yada, yada, yada.

Recently we see Dr Oz interviewed about low thyroid, difficulty loosing weight, low iodine, etc. You can bet I’ll use this ammunition during my upcoming appointment with a local endocrinologist here in Charlotte, NC.

I am so convinced that our thyroids ARE at the root of these issues.

I surely hope and pray this doctor is onboard.

Well here I am in the lovely Carolinas.  I had my annual exam yesterday (previous one was 2007). I’m sure all will turn out well. While I was there I voiced ongoing concern about what I believe is my abnormally low metabolic rate. I suggested perhaps low thyroid.  My ob/gyn  agreed and set me up as a referral to a local endocrinologist.  So now I’m waiting on the endo to contact me.

You see, I’ve been on 50 mcg of a generic form of Synthroid for 90 days. Blood drawn yesterday shows my TSH level at 2.95. The current range of the thyroid’s TSH levels established by the AACE (American Association of  Clinical Endocrinologists) is from 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/L.  I don’t know about you but I view an increase in thyroid supplementation is in order?

I have a headache that won’t go away.

The damn tinnitus is my ear is nerve-wracking.

I have little patience with just about everyone lately.

Please don’t let me down.

I receive ongoing email alerts regarding insulin resistance, diabetes, carbohydrate-reduction, hyperinsulinism, and more. Is it just me, or are there others of you out there as frustrated? So many people puking their one-sided, opinionated and biased, ill-advised, condescending, views about these topics. I am convinced NOBODY knows!! So, stop pretending that you do.   

I feel like venting this morning!  As you may or may not know, I’ve been diligently researching the internet for information pertaining to hyperinsulinemia, hypothyroidism, struggles with weight-loss, diabetes 2, insulin resistance, and so forth. I continue to sign-up for numerous newsletters, blogs, tweets, seminars, etc.

During my quest for information, I’m by default forced to read entries from the uninformed. Those that are ill-advised. The ignoramus and the opinionated. The prejudging. The simpletons and the bigots. You know them. You’ve seen their comments.  ‘… eat fewer calories and you’ll lose weight.’ Or  ‘…you should exercise more.’ Or ‘…you’re simply overeating’. Or ‘…it’s all in your head.’

Well. You people will never bother me after today. You’ll no longer make me angry nor hurt my feelings. From this point on, you’ll never receive even the slightest recognition from me. You simply don’t exist.

So this morning, I’d like to invite all these morons to the following.

Kiss my royal, (just-won’t-tighten-up, always-there-behind-me, still-jiggles-when-I-walk) adipose ass.

And have a nice day.

Published 19 February 2010 by Felix Larocca

NO HFCS!

Study after study are taking their place in a growing lineup of scientific research demonstrating that consuming high-fructose corn syrup is the fastest way to trash your health. It is now known without a doubt that sugar in your food, in all its myriad of forms, is taking a devastating toll.

And fructose in any form — including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and crystalline fructose — is the worst of the worst!
Glucose is the form of energy you were designed to run on. Every cell in your body, every bacterium — and in fact, every living thing on the Earth–uses glucose for energy.

If you received your fructose only from vegetables and fruits (where it originates) as most people did a century ago, you’d consume about 15 grams per day — a far cry from the 73 grams per day the typical adolescent gets from sweetened drinks. In vegetables and fruits, it’s mixed in with fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and beneficial phytonutrients, all which moderate any negative metabolic effects.

It isn’t that fructose itself is bad — it is the MASSIVE DOSES you’re exposed to that make it dangerous.

There are two reasons fructose is so damaging: (more…)

By James Bowen, M.D.

Posted: 08 May 2005
James Bowen, M.D., A physician, biochemist, and survivor of aspartame poisoning warns about yet another synthetic sweetener, Splenda.

Hawaii, May 8, 2005 — The chemical sucralose, marketed as “Splenda”, has replaced aspartame as the #1 artificial sweetener in foods and beverages. Aspartame has been forced out by increasing public awareness that it is both a neurotoxin and an underlying cause of chronic illness worldwide. Dr. James Bowen, Researcher and biochemist, reports:

“Splenda/sucralose is simply chlorinated sugar; a chlorocarbon. Common chlorocarbons include carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethelene and methylene chloride, all deadly. Chlorine is nature’s Doberman attack dog, a highly excitable, ferocious atomic element employed as a biocide in bleach, disinfectants, insecticide, WWI poison gas and hydrochloric acid.

“Sucralose is a molecule of sugar chemically manipulated to surrender three hydroxyl groups (hydrogen + oxygen) and replace them with three chlorine atoms. Natural sugar is a hydrocarbon built around 12 carbon atoms. When turned into Splenda it becomes a chlorocarbon, in the family of Chlorodane, Lindane and DDT.

“It is logical to ask why table salt, which also contains chlorine, is safe while Splenda/sucralose is toxic? Because salt isn’t a chlorocarbon. When molecular chemistry binds sodium to chlorine to make salt carbon isn’t included. Sucralose and salt are as different as oil and water. (more…)

I think this is important enough to share with everyone I know. You DO NOT have to perform mouth-to-mouth while performing life saving CPR. This is from the Mayo Clinic. Anyone can do this after viewing just one time. Remember the old one breath to three compressions? Or was it one to five? Concerned about mouth-to-mouth? Now, remember to call 911 and perform continuous compressions, about 100 per minute until help arrives. Watch the video. It really gives you sense of how hard to compress, as well. The Mayo Clinic’s New CPR

Your thyroid is a small gland, normally weighing less than one ounce, located in the front of the neck. The function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and convert it into thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the blood stream and transported throughout the body where they control metabolism. Metabolism is the conversion of oxygen and calories to energy. Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism.

The thyroid gland is under the control of the pituitary gland, a small gland the size of a peanut at the base of the brain. When the level of thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Under the influence of TSH, the thyroid will manufacture and secrete T3 and T4 thereby raising their blood levels. The pituitary senses this and responds by decreasing its TSH production. Think of the thyroid gland as a furnace and the pituitary gland as the thermostat.

Many hypothyroid patients struggle with an inability to lose weight. First you must determine if you are under treated for low thyroid. What hypothyroid patients need to know more about are several factors that are likely at work for many of us with difficulty losing weight. When your body is under stress, this interferes with the neurotransmitter (more…)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects about 5–10% of women of childbearing age, and can occur at any age before menopause. It can often go undiagnosed for months, because its symptoms overlap with so many other women’s health concerns. PCOS itself is not a disease and no one is sure yet what causes it in the first place.

Women with PCOS have ovaries that create an abundance of follicles each month without producing an egg. PCOS can contribute to irregular periods, depression, excessive weight gain (despite diet and exercise efforts), acne, and excess facial hair. It is also the most common cause of infertility among women in the U.S.

PCOS is often temporary. It can occur in girls going through puberty (when their ovaries are trying to set a regular menstrual pattern) and in women during the transition years into menopause. It usually goes hand-in-hand with insulin resistance. PCOS responds well to a program of natural support that restores hormonal balance, especially with the dietary changes recommended for women with insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance, also called Syndrome X affects over 80 million Americans, and it appears to sit at the center of a web of related health problems. Women who are insulin resistant are at much greater risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, high cholesterol, breast cancer and PCOS. There is some evidence that insulin resistance may contribute to endometrial cancer. It has also been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.

(more…)

Researchers are now discovering the link between vitamin D deficiencies and thyroid problems. Vitamin D is necessary for thyroid hormone production in the pituitary gland, and possibly in the early stages of T-3 (thyronine) binding to its receptor. Too little circulating vitamin D may hinder the body’s ability to produce and regular thyroid hormones.

Modern diets usually do not provide adequate amounts of vitamin D, partly because of the trend to low fat foods and partly because we no longer eat vitamin-D-rich foods like naturally reared poultry and fatty fish such as kippers, and herring. Often we are advised to consume the egg white while the vitamin D is in the yolk or we eat the flesh of the fish avoiding the D containing skin, organs and fat. These reductions in food sources and sun avoidance contribute to escalating D deficiencies. Vegan diets are exceptionally poor or completely lacking in vitamin D predisposing to an absolute need for UV-B sunlight. So in essence, using food as your primary source of D makes it about impossible to acquire adequate amounts for good health.
Poultry and eggs contain varying amounts of vitamin D obtained from insects, fishmeal, and sunlight containing UV-B or supplements. Fish, unlike mammals, birds and reptiles, do not respond to sunlight and rely on vitamin D found in phytoplankton and other fish. Salmon must feed on phytoplankton and fish in order to obtain and store significant vitamin D in their fat, flesh, skin, and organs. Thus, modern farm-raised salmon, unless artificially supplemented, may be a poor source of this essential nutrient.

Proper Vitamin D levels are essential for your health especially if you have thyroid problems.  Screening for Vitamin D deficiency is recommended for all thyroid patients. In addition to my other vitamins and nutrients, I just added liquid vitamin D3 drops to my daily regimen. I’m taking 5 drops at 5,000 IUs twice a day in water.