Chew your food well to better thyroid health
Although what you eat is important when supporting Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, how you eat deserves equal attention. Research shows chewing thoroughly and eating slowly helps prevent weight gain, improves digestion, and is less stressful on the body. When supporting an autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, you want to facilitate good digestion, which directly influences the health of the immune system. Chewing your food thoroughly suppresses appetite A series of recent studies show chewing each bite thoroughly reduces appetite, lowers caloric intake, and can aid weight loss. That’s because the hormones that leave us feeling satiated don’t kick in until 20 to 40 minutes after you begin eating. For people with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, chewing thoroughly and eating more slowly can be one way to aid weight loss to better manage your autoimmune condition. Chewing your food thoroughly improves your Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism The process of digestion begins in the mouth, not the stomach. Saliva contains enzymes that begin the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Exposing food to saliva for longer periods of time in your mouth creates less stress on the rest of the digestive tract, which frees up more energy so you feel better. Taking the time to eat slowly and consciously also gives the digestive tract ample notice to secrete stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, gallbladder bile, and other chemicals to completely digest your food for maximum nutrient absorption. By wolfing down your meal you throw improperly digested food into an unprepared digestive system, which can create symptoms of bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, or stomach pain. The health of the digestive system is extremely important for those with autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. The immune system resides largely in the gut, which makes improving digestive health and repairing intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut,” vital to managing autoimmune disease. Chewing your food thoroughly will help improve gut health and manage Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Healthier foods require more chewing You may have noticed that many processed and fast foods are so easy to chew you hardly need teeth. Whole foods, on the other hand, tend to require more chewing. Simply choosing a whole foods diet free of refined foods can encourage you to chew more thoroughly. Proper management of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism also requires following a whole foods diet free of inflammatory foods, especially gluten. You may need some outside reinforcement to develop a better chewing habit. Here are some ideas: Take the time to sit down and calmly eat a meal Take small bites Count so you chew each mouthful 32 or more times—until your food is completely liquid Pay attention to the taste, texture, and flavor of your meals; avoid reading or watching TV while eating Try to make meals into lengthy, relaxing occasions as often as...
Read MoreEnvironmental Effects and Hormone Health
Where do the environmental toxins come from? They are all around us, and can directly affect our health and fertility. Some of the sources include the chemicals and hormone disruptors found in contaminated air, food, water, our homes, and the outdoors. We live in a toxic world. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently has an estimated 65,000 known toxic chemicals catalogued in its databases. There are additional 1,500 applications that the Agency receives annually to manufacture new chemicals. Not to mention the numerous chemicals being released into the environment during the production and the manufacturing processes. The effects of environmental toxins, such as the hormone-disruptors (also known as xenoestrogens) and the organochlorine compounds have been extensively studied and well documented. These compounds’ toxic effects can greatly reduce and impair the health of the reproductive systems in both men and women. High blood levels of organochlorines are shown to be linked to increased rates of infertility and miscarriages. Xenoestrogens have been shown to induce estrogenic effects on the uterine wall (the endometrium), exacerbating endometriosis in women, they have the capacity to potentiate the risk of breast cancer, and reduce fertility in both women and men. Have you ever looked inside your garage? Take a look around and see what it is on your shelves: solvents paints exhaust fumes lawn care and pesticides many others Now take a look in your bathroom: perfumes hair sprays nail polish and remover shampoo and soap many others Make a trip to your kitchen and laundry room: detergent cleaners bleach many others How about your bedroom and all other rooms in the house: furniture carpeting plastics gas or oil heat and the list goes on… Here are some great books that describe the effects toxins on our health and...
Read MoreCeliac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: What do they have in common?
Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy caused by a permanent sensitivity to gluten, or gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition, the triggers of which are both the environmental (gluten) and the autoantigen (body’s own immune system). Celiac Disease can be associated with other conditions, disorders, or syndromes. More often these are autoimmune disorders, including insulin-dependent diabetes, Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, Sjogren’s, and others. Major risk factors for Celiac disease are the grains, the genetic predisposition, and historically the advent and the spread of the agriculture. Generally speaking, elimination of the environmental trigger leads to a complete resolution of the disease, or at least to a complete resolution of symptoms. As far as the symptoms, most people manifest these in their gastrointestinal tracts. The classical gastrointestinal symptoms are chronic or recurrent diarrhea, abdominal distention, failure to thrive or weight loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and other. However, there are a number of those who have the symptoms that are traditionally considered, “atypical”, and show up in other areas of the body. In these instances, people may have bone loss or thinning (osteoporosis/osteopenia), delayed puberty, iron-deficiency that may be resistant to treatment, liver disease, arthritis, dental enamel effects, and other. Lastly, there is a smaller group of people who are entirely symptom-free, but still have the underlying Celiac disease. These people may either have no, or minimal symptoms, but positive blood tests and markers for Celiac disease. However, asymptomatic people may still experience health issues at some point in their lives. Long-term Celiac disease complications may include short stature, skin conditions, bone loss, dental enamel erosion, fertility problems, as well as further exacerbation of the gastrointestinal tract. Other effects include malabsorption of nutrients, specifically iron, folate, calcium, and vitamin D. Furthermore, Celiac disease can lead to increased intestinal permeability, known as leaky gut syndrome, which allows the entry of large molecules and proteins, or other toxins that can further perpetuate the onset of autoimmune disease. Both Celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are autoimmune conditions. The symptoms that are often associated with Celiac can also be observed in people with Hashimoto’s. This is due to the fact that people with Hashimoto’s also can experience digestive issues that are inflammatory in nature, which is similar to that of Celiac disease. Consider your options by discussing them with our naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists, and our nutritional therapist. Please contact us with your questions and to get...
Read MoreCaffeine Effects on Fertility
Take a second to count the number of cups of coffee or black tea you drink a day. Now consider this: these caffeine-containing beverages have zero nutritional value. Caffeine is immensely addictive and found in chocolate, sodas and many over-the-counter medications. Caffeine can elevate the mood, energize, delay fatigue, and stimulate the central nervous system. It can also cause hands to tremor and the heart to palpitate. So, why is caffeine our national drug of choice? Caffeine feeds our cultural addiction to fast-paced lifestyles. There are numerous reports on this topic, all of which you are welcome to sift through on PubMed. Caffeine consumption equivalent to more than two cups of coffee per day has been linked to tubal disease and endometriosis1. As little as 1-1.5 cups of coffee per day appears to delay conception in women trying to get pregnant2. Some studies find one cup of coffee per day cuts fertility in half3, although others report that it takes two4 or three5 cups to have detrimental effects. Caffeine is found in regular coffee, black and green tea, some soft drinks, chocolate, cocoa, and many over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. While not every study finds that caffeine reduces female fertility6, most doctors of natural medicine recommend that women trying to get pregnant avoid caffeine. Even decaffeinated coffee has been shown to be linked to spontaneous abortion7. It is thought that the tannic acid found in any kind of coffee and black tea may contribute to infertility8. During Pregnancy: Crosses the placenta and effects the fetus Enters breast milk Other health complications: Results in nervousness, irritability, insomnia and dizziness Exacerbates anxiety and lead to panic attacks Raises blood pressure Causes or aggravates heart rhythm disturbances Aggravates ulcers and heartburn Stimulates acid secretion in the stomach Acts as a laxative and can create dependency Causes loss of key nutrients, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc Grodstein F, Goldman MB, Ryan L, Cramer DW. Relation of female infertility to consumption of caffeinated beverages. Am J Epidemiol 1993;137:1353-60. Hatch EE, Bracken MB. Association of delayed conception with caffeine consumption. Am J Epidemiol 1993;138:1082-92. Wilcox A, Weinberg C, Baird D. Caffeinated beverages and decreased fertility. Lancet 1988;ii:1453-6. Williams MA, Monson RR, Goldman MG, et al. Coffee and delayed conception. Lancet 1990;335:1603 [letter]. Stanton CK, Gray RH. Effects of caffeine consumption on delayed conception. Am J Epidemiol 1995;142:1322-9. Joesoef MR, Beral V, Rolfs RT, et al. Are caffeinated beverages risk factors for delayed conception? Lancet 1990;335:136-7. Fenster L, Bubbard A, Windhan G, Hiatt R, et al. A prospective study of caffeine consumption and spontaneous abortion. Am J Epidemiol 1996;143 (11 suppl);525 [abstr #99]. Cramer DW. Letter. Lancet 1990;335:792....
Read MoreExcess hunger and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism: Could it be leptin resistance?
Carrying excess fat can actually make you hungrier thanks to a phenomenon called leptin resistance. For people with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism this is double bad news as inappropriately managed hypothyroidism promotes weight gain and makes it difficult to lose weight. What is leptin? Leptin is a “satiety” hormone secreted by fat cells that tells the brain when you have had enough to eat. Eating causes the secretion of leptin, which signals that the stomach is full and it’s time to stop eating. Between meals or during long periods without food, leptin levels drop, triggering hunger and motivating you to eat and replenish the body’s energy stores. Leptin serves roles beyond hunger and satiety. It is also important for fertility, libido, and puberty. Leptin resistance causes you to always feel hungry Because fat cells secrete leptin, overweight and obese people should never feel hungry. Unfortunately, the reverse happens. Excess fat secretes too much leptin, bombarding leptin receptors on cells. Eventually these cells become overwhelmed and shut down their leptin receptors to protect themselves. This is called leptin resistance—leptin can no longer get into the cells to deliver their message that the stomach is full and it’s time to stop eating. Hence the leptin-resistant person always feels hungry and is prone to overeat, even if she or he is carrying plenty of fat. In addition to causing chronic hunger, leptin resistance doubly vexes the overweight person by promoting fat storage and making it tough to lose weight. Leptin resistance and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism For the person trying to manage Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, leptin resistance is a primary concern because it signals a blood sugar imbalance. Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. Blood sugar disorders exacerbate autoimmune reactions, which can flare up your autoimmune thyroid condition, or make it difficult to manage. When managing your autoimmune Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, it’s important to balance blood sugar and address conditions such as leptin resistance. Diet can reverse leptin resistance and chronic hunger The key to unwinding leptin resistance is to adopt a diet that will restore leptin sensitivity. The eating habits that typically lead to being overweight or obese—overeating and eating too many sweets and starchy foods, processed foods, and foods fried in industrialized fats—also lead to leptin resistance, high triglycerides, and hence the feeling of always being hungry. A person with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism should be wary of diets heavy in grains—studies link gluten intolerance with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and many people have sensitivities to grains other than wheat, such as corn. Overeating causes leptin resistance. Ditch the sodas, sweets, processed foods, and high-carbohydrate foods, which trigger cravings in many people. Healthy fats and sufficient protein curb cravings. Consider discussing additional options and discuss them with our naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists. Please contact us with all of your questions and to get...
Read MoreMother’s Hashimoto’s, or autoimmune disease may raise risk of childhood asthma and allergies
Maternal autoimmunity While viral and bacterial infections have declined over the last 60 years, autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders are steadily climbing. Autoimmune disease dwarfs cancer and heart disease combined, now affecting about 50 million people, or 20 percent of the population. In an autoimmune response, the immune system mistakenly creates antibodies to the body’s own tissue, thereby tagging the tissue for destruction. Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism is the most common autoimmune illness today, affecting an estimated 23 million. Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism have been shown to play a role, as the mother’s immune imbalance can exacerbate the risk and the development of childhood asthma and allergies. Diet and lifestyle can balance autoimmune Hashimoto’s The New York Times story, An Immune Disorder at the Root of Autism, veers into the promise of using whip worms—yes, worms—to tame the out-of-control immune system. The theory is that autoimmune disease has skyrocketed in developed nations because we are too clean. The article fails to mention those other hallmarks of Western civilization besides good hygiene: overabundant diets laden with sweet, starchy, processed foods; chronic stress; a sedentary lifestyle; and daily bombardment of environmental toxins. Chronic inflammation raises risk of childhood disorders Other risk factors for autism include maternal asthma, allergies, insulin resistance, obesity, and chronic low-grade inflammation. In other words, when a mom’s immune system is in constant overdrive—never getting the opportunity to rest—the development of the fetal brain is adversely affected and the overall risk for disorders is increased. Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture to help modulate the immune system The naturopathic doctors of functional medicine, in our clinic, as well as the acupuncturists have measures other than the whip-worm therapy to manage autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and chronic inflammation. These may include an autoimmune diet, the use of targeted, customized nutritional therapies, as well as immune-modulating techniques to calm the immune system that is in a constant overdrive. Please schedule your appointment to learn how we can work...
Read More
