MAY 2005
Greetings everyone,
As some of you know, April was a
difficult month for me. Thanks to all of you who rescheduled
appointments (2 or 3 times!) and who called to check in on me.
Things are much better now, and you can read the article here on
Thyroid Problems to hear a little more.
The next date for our Digital
Thermographic Breast Screening is June 11th. This
radiation-free, contact-free heat-sensing “photograph” of the
upper chest is popular in Europe but still little known in the
U.S. Early detection, years before a mammogram, is the main
benefit. Perform the test annually for peace of mind. Call
(866) 409-2506 for an appointment.
Prevention of health problems is
the goal of all natural health practitioners. While you are
encouraged to eat right, get some exercise, avoid chemicals and
get enough sleep, there is so much more that we all need to do
to be pro-active about our health.
Regular bloodwork, hormone tests,
medical check-ups, and cancer and bone screenings are the
minimum extra steps to take. The more we know about our bodies,
the more control we have of our future. This is not fear – it
is awareness.
A friend of mine literally
dropped dead last week – he had a congenital heart defect and
had not had it checked in some time. We can’t live either in
denial or in fear. Power comes from knowledge and the ability
to respond appropriately. I have many sophisticated screening
tests available that we can run on any of you. Ask me for more
details.
NEWS AND NOTES
The White Egret farm co-op
continues monthly in our offices. We had some trouble in March
when the goats were birthing and the milk had a strange taste,
but all is well now. We try to keep some of their raw milk
yogurt on hand in the office for everyone to try. If you like
it and recognize its incredible health benefits, you can order
by the case monthly. This yogurt is highly probiotic – full of
beneficial bacteria to alkalize your pH and correct imbalances
in the intestine.
The farm also has (occasionally)
goat butter and cream (YUM!), cheeses, milk, eggs, chickens,
beef and beef liver. The dairy products are organic and raw,
and these must come directly from a farmer as stores cannot sell
true raw milk products except in California.
A great snack is a yogurt with an
organic raw egg in it. (Do NOT use cheap eggs raw!) I drink
part of a yogurt and then break in the yolk only (as I am not
currently testing well for egg white). Close the lid and shake
until yellow. Full of protein and fat, this snack lasts me for
hours. Slower Metabolic Types could add a little fruit to it
for a great breakfast.
Don’t forget the organic raw milk
cow’s cheese that we fly in monthly from Pennsylvania. This
farmer makes great raw milk cheese that is only $10 per pound –
a bargain for cheese of this quality. Again, store bought
cheese, even that labeled “raw milk” has been heated in the
cheese making process. This has not, so it retains all the
great live bacteria and enzymes available to us in really fresh
dairy (non-pasteurized!).
PROBLEMS WITH MY THYROID
About 3 months ago, I began to
notice a slight tremor in my hands, and a feeling of being
“speedy”. The speedy part is not unusual for me, but this felt
a little strange. I began to cut back on some supplements to
see if it would stop, but gradually the speeding and shaking and
rapid pulse got worse.
I flew to my holistic doctor in
upstate New York and we worked on my thyroid as it was testing
hyperactive. He helped some of my symptoms, but when I got home
I ran some blood work on myself and put myself in the hospital,
fearing that my thyroid was really going hyper and that I
might be in danger.
My sister had her thyroid removed
in her 20’s and I knew that hyperthyroidism can be genetic. I
also knew that it is possible for the thyroid to go totally
hyper and kill you.
The hospital was a disaster, and
the doctor told me I was fine and just having a panic attack.
He did not run the correct thyroid blood work to diagnose me,
but fortunately I had my good blood labs waiting for me when I
got home. I started prescription Beta-Blockers to slow down my
pulse which was pounding along at 120 beats per minute (almost
double an ideal rate of 60 to 70).
The endocrinologist I was
referred to looked at my lab work and said she would
schedule me to have my thyroid irradiated as it was hyperactive
with an auto-immune disease called Graves Disease and would need
to be destroyed. I told her I preferred to take Anti-thyroid
drugs and see if I could get my numbers down by myself. She
looked skeptical, but honored my request for the lowest possible
dose of drugs.
I began an urgent internet search
to educate myself FAST about Grave’s disease. I began
Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Cranial-Sacral Therapy, EFT (Emotional
Freedom Technique), and NMT (Neuro Modulation Technique). The
drugs kicked in in about a week and gave me some relief so I
could research my options.
After only 5 weeks I am off one
drug completely and on only a third of a dose of the other. I
am continuing my holistic regimen and doing a few herbs. My
thyroid numbers are already down 40% and are “high normal”. I
do have some elevated antibodies against my thyroid, so this is
really what needs to be addressed - WHY the thyroid began to
attack itself.
Is it totally genetic? No. I
personally believe that my history of adrenal failure put too
much stress on the thyroid and it finally just activated a
genetic program. Menopause was not much help on my endocrine
system either!
I also now believe that I took
too many Organic Minerals – one of our favorite supplements in
the office. This product has iodine in it and while I needed it
previously to support my tired thyroid, I finally had had too
much of it. If you are on these wonderful Organic Minerals,
please don’t take more than I have written on your program.
Some of you have taken way too many!
I also believe that I ate too
much coconut oil for a person already a little too hyper to
begin with. One of the incredible benefits of really good
coconut oil is that it raises your metabolic rate. This is good
for most people, but not too good for those of us who tend to
have a high metabolic rate and fast pulse anyway (my normal
pulse is about 80). In addition, I have always been a speedy
digester of big meals, and eat more than many of you put
together! Anyway, if you are a natural speed demon like me,
limit your coconut oil to 2 tablespoons a week.
I now know a lot more about the
thyroid, both hyper as well as hypothyroid. I know this
knowledge will be of benefit to all of you, as perhaps as many
as 25% of you are hypothyroid and don’t even know it. Let’s
check your arising basal temperatures again and your antibodies
levels, and let’s reevaluate the many symptoms of high and low
thyroid.
Sometimes good things come from
hard times. I’m going to make the best of this in the months
and years ahead as I work to permanently stabilize my thyroid
function and immune antibodies. I’m not out of this yet, but
I’m doing great so far….
GLUTEN-FREE FOODS – FRIEND OR
FOE?
As you know, I encourage everyone
to follow a grain-free diet. There are many reasons why this is
so. Here’s a reminder of what a grain-based diet can cause:
weight gain; hypoglycemia; mood swings; fatigue; diabetes;
constipation; bloating; diarrhea alternating with constipation;
sugar addiction; ADD; high cholesterol; high triglycerides;
headaches; hunger and food cravings; yeast problems; immune
dysfunction; tooth decay; and depression.
In addition, grains (like all
seeds) are coated with potent enzyme inhibitors which help the
seed protect itself against moisture, fungus and being eaten.
These enzyme inhibitors block the full digestion and utilization
of the nutrients available in grass seeds such as organic whole
wheat, rye, corn or rice, as well as in tree, vine or flower
seeds such as almonds, beans, flax or pumpkin.
Enzyme inhibitors may well be one
reason for the epidemic of osteoporosis Americans face (unlike
the rest of the world whose diets are not so heavily based on
grains). The inhibitors directly affect the absorption of
minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
Dr. Mercola writes frequently
about grain-free diets in his books and his free weekly
enewsletter (www.mercola.com)
which I highly recommend to all. We carry his healthy cookbook
which has many great recipes – all grain free!
Now, the reason for this
particular article is that Whole Foods is vigorously promoting
its Gluten-Free Bakehouse of breads, muffins, cakes and pies
without wheat, rye, oats, barley or spelt – the gluten grains.
I see no reason to consume sugary
muffins made from refined flour from corn or rice. These
products contain dried milk powder, canola oil, sweeteners, and
many other (non-organic) ingredients that I don’t like. In
addition, the gluten-free grains are still just grass
seeds with enzyme inhibitors intact.
Having pie, cake and cookies is
going to cause weight gain and blood sugar problems and high
cholesterol, no matter which grain is used. And basing a diet
on starch is now known to be one of the top diet no-no’s. Even
if the product is made from whole grain, it’s still pure
starch and not good for us.
So what do we eat? We eat
proteins, fats, vegetables, with some beans and organic fruits
thrown in. Nuts and seeds, beans and any whole grain should
ideally be soaked overnight before long, slow cooking, or, they
are sprouted or fermented before eating. This is the way all
historical diets make use of grains and seeds. Our fabulous
book, Nourishing Traditions, will tell you easy ways to do this.
Beware the marketing department
of any store pushing refined or sweetened foods at you. Stick
with your proteins, fats and veggies. Combine these with fresh
herbs, oils, and a variety of flavorful condiments, and you can
make a truly healthy, and varied, diet for a lifetime.
GREAT SUMMERTIME PRODUCTS – 15%
OFF THRU JUNE!
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It contains only 2 ingredients; olive oil and ozone. You must
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2). Moroccan Soap Bar from
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3). Shaving Gel from Premier
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4). Eon Power Structured Water
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Highly recommended for the rest of us as well. Add ½ teaspoon
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