The Gland that Controls Your Metabolism, Mood and Body Temperature

Millions of North Americans feel dead tired, are overweight, feeling blue and have mild memory failure or feel slightly under par cognitively. Some feel their quality of life has declined due to their age, stress level or whatever else they can attribute their issues to. If you suffer from any of the following you may have a thyroid disorder:

• Easy weight gain with difficult losing it
• Half of the eyebrow is missing
• High cholesterol
• Cold body temperature
• Premenstrual syndrome with heavy periods
• Dry skin
• Recurrent infections
• Fatigue that is not relieved by adequate sleep
• Feeling a little down, depressed or anxious
• Heart palpitations
• Orange discoloration to the hands and feet
• Constipation
• Infertility
• Muscle cramps
• Hair loss, coarse or dry hair
• High blood pressure

An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is often overlooked or misdiagnosed and can be the underlying cause of these symptoms. Patients and their doctors often disregard these common signs of thyroid hormone deficiency, mistaking them for a normal part of aging. Oftentimes those who do get tested by their doctor may find they do not fit the criteria for the blood test to report as abnormal. However, there is a lower end of normal and a higher end of normal. Our doctors in Canada typically only test the TSH and no longer test T3 and T4 which is a shame because it can add more information to whether someone has an inadequate absorption of thyroid hormone. There is evidence that the standard blood TSH test reference range may cause many cases of hypothyroidism to be missed.

What does the thyroid do? The thyroid is a small situated below the Adam’s apple in the neck. It is made up of small sacs and gland is filled with thyroglobulin which is an iodine-rich protein along with the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The main goal of these hormones is to regulate metabolism by controlling the rate at which the body converts oxygen and calories to energy. In fact, the metabolic rate of every cell in the body is regulated by thyroid hormones. The hypothalamus and pituitary control the production of T4 and T3 in the thyroid gland.

Hypothyroidism is a thyroid condition where the gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. The main symptoms of hypothyroidism are described above. However, most symptoms take a number of years to surface. The slower the metabolism gets, the more obvious the signs and symptoms will become. If left untreated, the signs and symptoms could become severe, such as a swollen thyroid gland (goiter), slow thought processes, or dementia.

What causes a low functioning thyroid? Many reasons can influence our body to produce more or less thyroid hormone such as:

• Periods of high stress and cortisol output reduces thyroid hormone
• Insufficient digestion or intake especially of proteins (they are required to piggyback iodine up to the thyroid)
• Hormonal shifts such as menopause or pregnancy can alter thyroid output
• Toxic exposure to chemicals can interfere with the thyroid’s absorption of hormones
• Inadequate nutrition for the thyroid gland such as low levels of iodine, selenium, tyrosine, zinc and B vitamins
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Intake of chlorinated water or bromine binds to thyroid receptors

What can you do if you suspect you have a low thyroid and your doctor has not been helpful? Try taking your basal body temperature to see if it is below normal. It may give you clues to whether your thyroid is low. To learn how do this please click here. If you find that your temperature is low, seek help from your homeopath/alternative health advisor to help you choose which dietary measures and/or supplements that may fit your unique symptom picture. For Heather Caruso’s video on the losing weight by treating the thyroid on youtube, click here.

For Our Regular Clients Only

Being a small business we know the economic times can leave one feeling nervous about spending although logically we know good healthcare is priceless. Thus we have brainstormed some ways for you to save without jeopardizing your healthcare. If you are or intend to be a regular client to the clinic, did you know we have a package plan that saves you money?

For the month of June only, if you sign up for one of our packages, you will receive 10% off the cost of your supplements during the course of the package. This is a great savings for those who are or wish to be regular clinic patrons. Click here to see our packages.

Offer expires June 30, 2011

June Coupons

• $20.00 off the cost of a live cell testing with a regular follow up
• $125.00 off when you book an initial visit that includes both a live cell/darkfield microscopy and food sensitivity test
• 10% off the cost of an extensive adrenal hormone testing

Offer expires June 30, 2011

What is New at the Clinic?

We have recently acquried a BIA (Body Impedance Analysis) machine for the office. If you would like this test done, you would fast for 4 hours and have no alcohol, exercise or coffee for 12 hours. It provides much useful information such as:

• your lean body mass (how much you would weigh 100% fat free) which is a good gauge to see what a realistic and ideal weight would be for you

• how many pounds of lean muscle you have (active tissue that burns calories

• basal metabolic rate (how many calories you burn per day)

• body fat percentage

• your body mass index

• it tells how much fluid you have inside and outside of your cells (which is an indicator that one may need to do a cleanse, more dilution, more pollution!)

• phase angle, an indicator of the health of your cells

If you are following one of our weight loss regimes, there is no charge for this test. If you would like this test done, the cost is $20.00 plus HST for those not attending our weight loss groups and regular clients.

New Weight Loss Group Starting during the day. If you are interested in a daytime session let us know, we have space only for two. Here is what you get:

• Weekly Weigh ins once a week for five weeks

• Group support

• Learn what to eat and how to move it to lose it

• Lose fat pounds and retain calorie burning muscle

If you would like to join a daytime weightloss workshop please call the clinic for more information. 519-827-9237, we can set one up based on the demand.

The cost is $250.00 for new-comers, register before June 15th and receive a 50.00 discount. For those returning the cost is $150.00 plus HST.