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Is Your Thyroid Aging You?
When a person loses a majority of the function of the thyroid gland,
especially if it occurs rapidly, some
obvious and immediate symptoms develop:
Sudden unexplained weight gain or great difficulty losing fat
Severe fatigue and frequent exhaustion
Depression and gloominess
Frequent constipation
Menstrual irregularities — especially heavy bleeding with periods
Dry, coarse skin that is pale and itchy.
Puffiness of the face, especially in postmenopausal women
Dry, coarse, thinning hair (also losing the outer third of your eyebrows)
Intolerance to cold
These are symptoms of fully blown hypothyroidism but, increasingly, the medical profession is recognizing that many people have lesser degrees of thyroid hormone deficiency, called subclinical hypothyroidism.
These patients can have much more subtle symptoms and, frighteningly, mostly normal test results.
My wife and I have noticed, for instance, that there seems to be a greater number of middle-aged and older women with thinning hair than in the past. I wonder if that’s a sign that widespread fluoridation of drinking water is suppressing the function of thyroid hormone.
The standard measure for diagnosing the lesser, “subclinical” form of hypothyroidism is having a TSH level higher than 4 milliunits per liter (mU/ L) in the presence of a normal free T4 level.
The subclinical signs of hypothyroidism include the following:
Muscle spasms and fatigue
Hair loss (thinning of the hair), especially in women
Elevated cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(a) levels
Weight gain
Depression
Once upon a time, people measured the condition by simply taking their temperature upon waking. A low body temperature, at or below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, indicates low metabolism. There is still a convincing argument for this method. The problem, of course, is understanding exactly why. Low metabolism could result from aging mitochondria, which are the cell’s power plants, or more simply a lack of regular exercise or a chronic illness. Of course, some of these are secondary to low thyroid function as well.
What I find distressing, as do many patients, is that doctors are so obsessed with lab results that they will let a patient continue in a state of misery rather than defy the lab studies. For example, suppose a patient takes a natural thyroid drug and finds that she feels more energetic, her skin is no longer dry and itchy, and she has a much better overall sense of wellbeing, yet no signs of too much thyroid hormone exist (like jitteriness, rapid heart beat, or arrhythmias).
Why would a doctor deny her a prescription? Because that’s how doctors are trained. It has been hammered in their heads that sticking to specific lab results is proper procedure. Doctors, in all too many cases, have lost the capacity to think and reason.
the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
It would seem logical that if 90 percent of
people with low thyroid function, even the lesser,
subclinical form, have elevated cholesterol levels,
it would follow that their heart attack and stroke
rates should be sky high. But several studies in
prestigious medical journals found no connection.
For example, a study reported in the 2006
issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) followed more than 2,500
people for 12 years
found no difference
in the incidence of
coronary artery heart
disease, strokes or
cerebrovascular deaths
between those with
normal thyroid function
and those who were
hypothyroid.
Not all studies agree:
A 2002 study in the
Journal of Gerontology
did find increased risk of
heart disease.
It found that 56 percent
of those with subclinical
hypothyroidism had
coronary artery disease
versus 16 percent of
those with normally
functioning thyroids.
A Korean study found
a similar link but also
noted that those with
coronary artery disease
had a greater degree of
abdominal fat, which we
know is strongly linked
to cardiovascular disease.
The belly fat is the crucial difference. The
risk is not elevated cholesterol but rather
abdominal obesity and insulin resistance (hence
inflammation) in people with hypothyroidism,
even when it is subclinical.
People who are hypothyroid exercise less, gain
fat faster, have more difficulty removing the fat,
and eat more high-carbohydrate foods like bread
(mainly because they are depressed) than people
whose thyroid glands function normally.
Moral of the story: If your doctor tells you that
you have an elevated cholesterol level, find out
for yourself if hypothyroidism is a factor. Ask to
get a TSH level and a T3 level test.
Low Thyroid: A Special Danger
for Pregnant Women
A mother’s thyroid hormones are essential
for the development of her baby, especially
for the baby’s brain.
Severe deficiencies of
the hormones during
pregnancy cause a
disorder called cretinism,
which results in a child
that is mentally retarded
and very short in stature.
Doctors have known
this for a long time, but
they haven’t recognized
that even below-normal
levels of thyroid function
in pregnant women can
result in irreversible
brain abnormalities in
developing babies.
A study done in 1976
found that children
of women with even
mild-to-moderately low
thyroid function had
psychological function
and IQs lower than those
with normal thyroid
function.
Despite this, many
obstetricians ignored,
or remain unaware,
of these studies. More than three decades
later, clinical scientists are calling for all
newly pregnant women to be tested for
thyroid function — and to take hormone
replacements if levels are low.
During those 30 years, millions of children were
born. Thousands may have suffered permanent
brain injury as a result of this medical “oversight.”
So much for trusting the authorities.
Another study done in 1991 found that women
When ‘Normal’ is Dangerous
An obsession with laboratory results is a
real problem in orthodox medicine. With too
many diseases, medicine has set standard
laboratory values it widely accepts as “normal.”
The problem is, people with the beginnings of
serious conditions go undiagnosed.
For example, a blood sugar test is
considered normal if it falls between 80 and 100
milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). But, what about
people who have a value of 110 mg/dl? Are
they diabetic?
The same question should be asked of lab
tests showing below-normal results.
If a normal thyroid free T4 level is from 0.7
to 2.0, what about the person who is exactly at
0.7, the lower limit?
What about differences in people, a
longstanding problem with medical studies of all
kinds. Is the result considered the same for a
250 pound man and for a 120 pound woman?
For this reason, some endocrinologists
have begun to talk about “optimal” — or ideal
— hormone levels. Instead of a 0.7 to 2.0 being
“normal” for free T4 levels, the optimal level
would be 1.2 to 1.5. The use of optimal levels
rather than a range of lab figures is
more logical.
How to Prevent
Weakening Bones
Osteoporosis, a weakening of bones as
we age, is a real problem, particularly among
elderly women.
But an equally troubling problem is the
proposed treatments so far for the condition,
and that physicians and public health
authorities willfully ignore its causes.
The main causes of osteoporosis are:
• A lack of daily resistance exercises
• Lack of sunlight exposure (vitamin D-3
deficiency)
• Acidic diets (high in red meats)
• Diets deficient in vegetables and fruits
• High intake of excitotoxin food additives
(MSG, hydrolyzed proteins, etc.)
• Overall nutrient deficiency (especially a
lack of zinc, selenium, vitamin K, boron,
and potassium)
• Exposure to fluoride in water, medications,
dental treatments, toothpaste, and
mouthwashes, and high-fluoride foods, like
processed cereals and sodas
in northern latitudes and those with darker skin.
Because of this, public health authorities are
now suggesting a higher intake of vitamin D.
In fact, recommendations have gone from 400
international units (IU) a day to 2,000 IU a day.
Some studies indicate our bodies require 5,000
IU a day of vitamin D-3 to remain healthy. Thirty
minutes of sun exposure can cause the skin to
generate 10,000 IU of vitamin D-3.
Previous fears that these higher doses could be
toxic have been shown to be totally unfounded.
Buy supplements carefully, however. Only
the vitamin D3 form is functional, and many
supplements contain vitamin D and not D-3.
Vegetarians rarely get osteoporosis for two
reasons: First, vegetables contain high levels
of potassium and magnesium, both of which
improve bone mineralization and buffer acidity in
the body.
By avoiding meats, too, they maintain a body pH
more alkaline than meat eaters. When the diet is
too high in meat, acid levels become high, and the
bones respond by releasing calcium into the blood
to serve as a buffer.
This leaching of calcium causes osteoporosis.
You should eat at least five servings of fruits —
and especially vegetables — a day.
Most physicians have never heard the term
“excitotoxicity,” despite the fact that it is one of the
hottest areas of research in the scientific world.
Dr. John Olney in 1969 discovered that after
exposing brain cells to glutamate, the cells
appeared normal for about an hour and then
mysteriously shriveled and died.
He later discovered that the glutamate
stimulated receptors on the cells which
overexcited them to the point of suicide, a process
he named excitotoxicity.
Since then, neuroscientists have found that
this excitatory system is one of the body’s most
complex and important features. It exists not
only in the brain but in virtually every tissue and
organ in the body, including the bones. Glutamate
receptors are even found in plants.
We now know that glutamate receptors in our
bones can control both bone building and bone
destruction. Although we still do not know the
complete effect of excess glutamate in our diet,
we do know it destroys brain cells. We also know
that it can cause sudden cardiac death and it may
contribute to osteoporosis.
The role of fluoride in osteoporosis is even
better demonstrated.
A number of studies have shown that people
living in communities with fluoridated drinking
water have significantly higher rates of hip, wrist,
and forearm fractures. This includes both pre- and
post-menopausal women.
That’s because fluoride is attracted to the bones
and binds in the calcium elements, along with
aluminum. Aluminum is often added to drinking
water and is common in many foods and tea.
Studies have shown that after years of drinking
fluoridated water, levels of fluoride in the bones
can reach extremely high levels, as high as 10,000
parts per million (ppm). The fluoride (possibly as
fluoroaluminum) destroys the major structures in
the bone responsible for bone strength.
At the same time, it overgrows the outer layer
of bone, know as the cortex, leading to bone
spurs and calcification of ligaments. This can be
crippling.
These simple steps — exercise, diet, and enough
vitamin D-3 — can protect you from osteoporosis,
and you can avoid the severe complications
caused by many of the medications.
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What if I told you that the list of the most insidious killers
of modern times had a common trait, a shared symptom that
precedes their devastating path of destruction?
I’m talking about the biggest killers known to man — cancer,
diabetes, heart disease and stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s,
even depression and anxiety disorders and progressively
debilitating chronic illnesses, like Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple
sclerosis, lupus, arthritis, even autism.
And what if that trait were avoidable by making simple changes,
like in your diet?
For me, it all goes back to medical school. They taught us there
that inflammation was, in a sense, a good thing for the body.
Redness, swelling, pain and limited range of motion are important
defense mechanisms and play a major role in the healing process.
All of these things are true, but newer and rapidly accumulating
evidence now indicates that when inflammation continues for too
long or is too intense, it can be very destructive, and even result in
other diseases.
It turns out that two physiological processes play a major role in
inflammation: the immune system and the prostaglandin system.
They interact with each other and either enhance inflammation —
or reduce it.
Now there is growing evidence that one or both of these systems
stops functioning correctly in many people and gets stuck in the
inflammation mode. A process meant to speed recovery in fact
goes into overdrive, causing potentially far greater problems.
What are the key players that influence this process?
• toxins
• infections
• injury
• heredity
What you eat — your diet, influences all of these factors,
however. Your diet determines how you feel, and how you recover
from illnesses. A poor diet can increase and prolong inflammation
while a good diet can cause it to grind to a halt in time, protectingyour health. Let’s take a closer look at some of
these diseases and see how each are linked to
inflammation.
Cancer and Inflammation
For well over 100 years it has been recognized
that certain chemical exposures, viruses, and
parasites can cause cancer. Or do they?
Could it be that our body’s natural reaction
to these experiences is actually causing the
cancer? As strange as this seems, there is growing
evidence that this is indeed true.
Cancer researchers have been puzzled for years
by the question of why so many things seem to
cause cancer. Toxic chemicals, viruses, certain
bacteria, fungi, parasites — sometimes called
carcinogens — are known causes.
But so are things like irritation of the skin,
sunburn, radiation, and injuries. All have been
identified as culprits responsible for cancer.
Importantly, why are certain diseases and
conditions, such as diabetes, hardening of the
arteries, depression, auto-immune diseases and
obesity, often associated with high cancer rates?
What could be the link?
These diseases and conditions have one thing
in common — all of them cause your body to
produce high levels of inflammatory chemicals.
The majority of these chemicals are generated by
immune reactions (among them are cytokines,
chemokines, and interferon) and from the
manufacture of inflammatory prostaglandins, lipid
compounds that do important jobs in your body.
Cancer is, in turn, caused by prolonged
inflammation. All of these diseases are associated
with chronic inflammation.
It is ironic that it took so long for cancer
researchers to make the connection. Only
recently was a study undertaken to see if there
was a link between chronic inflammatory diseases
and eventual cancer development.
Researchers found that a high percentage of
the people who eventually developed cancer
included those who had chronic illnesses, such as
arthritis, autoimmune diseases, or diabetes. The
lag time, that is the time from the onset of their
inflammatory disease and the appearance of the
cancer was between 15 years and 17 years.
The study found that 65 percent of whites and 70 percent of blacks suffered from a prolonged
inflammatory disease before developing cancer.
Not only is there a link between chronic
inflammation and cancer development, continued
inflammation makes the cancers grow much
faster and spread more extensively.
The prognosis for diabetics with cancer, for
instance, is much worse than those free of the
disease. Diabetes is associated with very high
levels of inflammation and free radicals.
To emphasize the importance of inflammation
in cancer growth and spread, a number of studies
have shown that carrageenan — a common
food additive made from seaweed and found
in products as varied as ice cream, beer, and
toothpaste — can induce intense inflammation
when injected into animal tissues.
In fact, it is used in studies of inflammation.
Even diluted solutions of carrageenan injected
close to an existing tumor cause the cancer to
begin to grow very rapidly. It spreads to other
tissues much faster than it would have without
the carrageenan.
Effects of Free-Radicals
One characteristic of inflammation is the high
level of free radicals, mostly generated by the
immune system, that are released into the tissues
and blood.
It also has been shown that free radicals and
lipid peroxidation — the chemical breakdown by
free radicals of fats, or lipids, in cell membranes
— strongly stimulate the growth of cancer.
Well-meaning but misguided doctors who treat
cancer patients warn their patients not to take
antioxidants because, they warn, it will interfere
with their cancer treatment.
Yet many studies show that a combination of
multiple antioxidants and nutrients that reduce
inflammation also reduce the growth and spread
of cancer and thus improve the prognosis of
cancer patients. In fact, a growing number
of studies have shown that many nutritional
supplements have great impact:
• They greatly improve conventional cancer
treatments.
• There are reduced complications.
• Improved outcomes have been widely
reported.
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know that diabetics
have high levels of
inflammation and
extremely high levels of
free radicals and lipid
peroxidation products.
As a diabetic’s disease
progresses, the levels
of these dangerous
inflammatory chemicals
rise even higher. We
also know that diabetics
suffer from many
complications:
• cataracts
• blindness
• cancer
• kidney damage
• high rates of heart
attack and stroke
• depression
These complications
are a result of chronic
inflammation and free-radical damage. One way
to track the disease is to measure the levels of
advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) within
the red blood cells. (Put simply, AGEs result when
excess sugar chemically reacts with cell proteins
and fats, impairing enzymes and cell function.)
The higher the level, the worse the disease.
AGEs in turn generate massive storms of free
radicals and lipid peroxidation products within the
tissues and organs of diabetics. That’s why diets
high in sugar — and especially high-fructose corn
syrup, a cheap, commonly used sweetener in
processes foods and soft drinks — are so harmful
to everyone, not just diabetics.
There are several ways diabetics can control this
inflammation. The most obvious and essential, of
course, is to control the blood sugar. In addition,
diabetics should be on diets high in antioxidant
flavonoids. Sources include grapefruit, green and
white tea, cruciferous vegetables, highly colored
vegetables, as well as vitamins and minerals.
When I was in practice, however, I rarely saw
diabetic patients who were told by their doctors to
increase their antioxidant intake. Instead, modern
medicine is obsessed
with pharmaceuticals.
There are a number of
natural plant extracts,
as well as vitamins
and minerals, that
reduce inflammation
and improve how your
body uses insulin. Type
2 diabetes is caused
by a defect in insulin
function at the cellular
level (insulin resistance),
which can often be
corrected or improved
by diet, exercise, and
supplements.
Many diabetics are
deficient in magnesium,
which may explain their
high incidence of heart
attacks, strokes, and
kidney disease.
Studies have shown
that low magnesium
levels greatly increase inflammation, pain, and
free-radical damage. Correcting this deficiency
can reverse inflammation and protect against
damage from heart disease and kidney problems.
Magnesium has also been shown to prevent
development of the deadly metabolic syndrome,
whose symptoms include high blood pressure,
belly fat, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.
Inflammation and Heart Disease
Most researchers agree that inflammation
is the major cause of most cardiovascular and
June 2008 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 3
Treat Diabetes Naturally
A number of commonly available
supplements can help diabetes sufferers
control their insulin function better and
forestall damage from inflammation and free
radicals. Among these are:
Curcumin
Quercetin
Cinnamon extract
Ellagic acid
Magnesium
Vitamin E (gamma-E)
Vitamin C
Omega-3 fats (the DHA component)
R-alpha-lipoic acid, one of the body’s most
important antioxidants, not only neutralizes
free radicals, but also lowers blood sugar
by dramatically improving insulin function in
tissues.
R-alpha-lipoic acid in doses of 300
milligrams three times a day corrects many
cases of Type 2 diabetes and reduces the
amount of insulin needed in Type 1, or insulindependent,
diabetes.
Inflammation and
Diabetes
We know that diabetics
have high levels of
inflammation and
extremely high levels of
free radicals and lipid
peroxidation products.
As a diabetic’s disease
progresses, the levels
of these dangerous
inflammatory chemicals
rise even higher. We
also know that diabetics
suffer from many
complications:
• cataracts
• blindness
• cancer
• kidney damage
• high rates of heart
attack and stroke
• depression
These complications
are a result of chronic
inflammation and free-radical damage. One way
to track the disease is to measure the levels of
advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) within
the red blood cells. (Put simply, AGEs result when
excess sugar chemically reacts with cell proteins
and fats, impairing enzymes and cell function.)
The higher the level, the worse the disease.
AGEs in turn generate massive storms of free
radicals and lipid peroxidation products within the
tissues and organs of diabetics. That’s why diets
high in sugar — and especially high-fructose corn
syrup, a cheap, commonly used sweetener in
processes foods and soft drinks — are so harmful
to everyone, not just diabetics.
There are several ways diabetics can control this
inflammation. The most obvious and essential, of
course, is to control the blood sugar. In addition,
diabetics should be on diets high in antioxidant
flavonoids. Sources include grapefruit, green and
white tea, cruciferous vegetables, highly colored
vegetables, as well as vitamins and minerals.
When I was in practice, however, I rarely saw
diabetic patients who were told by their doctors to
increase their antioxidant intake. Instead, modern
medicine is obsessed
with pharmaceuticals.
There are a number of
natural plant extracts,
as well as vitamins
and minerals, that
reduce inflammation
and improve how your
body uses insulin. Type
2 diabetes is caused
by a defect in insulin
function at the cellular
level (insulin resistance),
which can often be
corrected or improved
by diet, exercise, and
supplements.
Many diabetics are
deficient in magnesium,
which may explain their
high incidence of heart
attacks, strokes, and
kidney disease.
Studies have shown
that low magnesium
levels greatly increase inflammation, pain, and
free-radical damage. Correcting this deficiency
can reverse inflammation and protect against
damage from heart disease and kidney problems.
Magnesium has also been shown to prevent
development of the deadly metabolic syndrome,
whose symptoms include high blood pressure,
belly fat, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.
Inflammation and Heart Disease
Most researchers agree that inflammation
is the major cause of most cardiovascular
Treat Diabetes Naturally
A number of commonly available
supplements can help diabetes sufferers
control their insulin function better and
forestall damage from inflammation and free
radicals. Among these are:
Curcumin
Quercetin
Cinnamon extract
Ellagic acid
Magnesium
Vitamin E (gamma-E)
Vitamin C
Omega-3 fats (the DHA component)
R-alpha-lipoic acid, one of the body’s most
important antioxidants, not only neutralizes
free radicals, but also lowers blood sugar
by dramatically improving insulin function in
tissues.
R-alpha-lipoic acid in doses of 300
milligrams three times a day corrects many
cases of Type 2 diabetes and reduces the
amount of insulin needed in Type 1, or insulindependent,
diabetes.
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Inflammation-Reducing Supplements
A number of supplements, including an
assortment of vitamins and minerals, can reduce
inflammation, especially when taken together.
A well-compounded vitamin-mineral
supplement will provide basic protection. The
one I like most is Extend Core made by Vitamin
Research Products (www.vrp.com).
Here are some specialized anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant supplements:
Curcumin — This is an extract of the spice
turmeric. A great number of studies show it
to be a powerful anti-inflammatory as well as
an antioxidant. In fact, it is as powerful as any
prescription anti-inflammatory drug, but does
not have any of the nasty side effects. Linked
to these properties is the ability of curcumin
to prevent cancer and even to shrink existing
cancers. Special formulations available from the
Life Extension Foundation (www.lef.com) greatly
improve absorption.
Quercetin — A flavonoid found in a number of
fruits and vegetables, especially teas, onions, and
cranberries. Like curcumin, it possesses powerful
anti-inflammatory powers, but operates through a
different mechanism. This is why using curcumin
and quercetin together is even more effective.Boswellia — This is an extract from the
plant boswellia serrata, known in the Bible as
frankincense. Its active ingredient is boswellic
acid (AKBA), and a number of studies have
demonstrated its anti-inflammatory abilities.
It should be taken on an empty stomach. One
of the better formulations is Boswellia with AKBA
from Pure Encapsulations (www.vitacost.com).
Natural Vitamin E — There are four subtypes:
alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherol. Only the
gamma subtype has anti-inflammatory activities.
The other forms are powerful antioxidants, so in
combination they provide much protection. The
purest form is called Unique-E, and it is available
at www.vitacost.com.
Magnesium — A powerful anti-inflammatory, it
helps raise cellular glutathione levels. Low levels
of magnesium worsen inflammation and higher
levels reduce it. Magnesium oxide is the cheapest
form but is poorly absorbed in many people and
causes diarrhea.
Better absorption is seen with magnesium citrate
and citrate-malate. A slow-release form available
from www.jigsawhealth.com is superior.
Ellagic acid — This is a flavonoid found in
pomegranate extract, raspberry extract and
walnuts. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and
has the ability to prevent heart attacks and strokes
as well as protect heart muscle.
Absorption is greatly improved if it is dissolved in
extra virgin olive oil or fish oil.
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