Thyroid, Cholesterol and Statins

January 21st, 2012 Comments off

Half of us have thyroid problems-most without realizing it. And thyroid problems can cause high cholesterol levels. Few doctors know this however.

Besides, it’s easy to prescribe a statin drug, but harder than blue blazes to figure out thyroid problems. So guess what you’re getting, Bunky!

Well, now there’s an oops.

Not treating thyroid problems causes big problems. Low thyroid levels-even a little bit low-when left untreated or undertreated double your risk of heart disease-along with a couple hundred other never-wished-for diseases.

It’s not the cholesterol; it’s the thyroid. Adding to the mess, statin drugs make thyroid problems worse.

When you don’t eat enough saturated fat, your liver leaps into action to create the cholesterol your brain and endocrine glands need so much. Now, that’s not as good as saturated fat in the diet, but it’s something. But the whole point of statin drugs is to march in and prevent the liver from creating any cholesterol.

So your thyroid-your entire endocrine system, in fact-doesn’t get the cholesterol it needs to be able to create the hormones that keep the ship afloat. The thyroid can’t create thyroid hormone very well. The adrenals, same thing, And so on.

By not allowing your endocrine glands to get the raw material, cholesterol, they need to do what they do, statin drugs slow things way down. To add to the merriment, your endocrine glands do their one-for-all, all-for-one thing and feverishly try to help each other. It’s futile, though, because none of them have any oomph to offer.

You want more bad news? The liver and the thyroid are an item. Going after the liver always whacks the thyroid, too.

Our thyroid hormone-even the little we can produce whilst taking statins-consists mainly of T4, a pre-hormone that’s put into action as our body needs it. And where does this activation take place? In the liver, which is under the statin gun and struggling to do anything right. Activation ain’t gonna happen.

Your health is headed south at a terrific rate of speed.

And all for no good reason. Cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease, and statin drugs do not prevent heart disease.

Inflammation in the arteries that carry blood to your heart causes heart problems. Vitamins and minerals reduce the inflammation nicely-no muss, no fuss. But don’t plan on a doctor sharing that information with you.

Here’s how the cholesterol bogey-man came to be.

When arteries get inflamed, they develop rough spots, rashes you might call them. Well, one of cholesterol’s many functions is to keep arteries in good shape for the smooth passing of the blood. Rough spots are hard on the heart because they’re hard on the blood. So the cholesterol White Hats ride to the rescue and cover the rash.

Categories: Asthma info Tags:

Top 4 Signs That You Might Have a Thyroid Problem

January 21st, 2012 Comments off

It is approximated that 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, and don’t even know about it. Here I want to discuss the top 4 signs that you might have a thyroid problem.

Fatigue

Feeling tired or exhausted throughout the day or when you first wake up. Feeling like 8 to 10 hours of sleep is just not enough, or not being able to get through the day without a nap are all good indicators that you might have a thyroid problem.

Many people do feel exhausted due to work or just a heavy load throughout the day, but this might not be caused by over exerting yourself, this might be a thyroid problem. If you feel tired and miserable on a day to day basis and are questioning yourself why? Then it would be a good idea to take a further look into the problem. I am not going to say you have a thyroid problem, but this is good sign that your thyroid functionality could be at fault.

Weight Changes

Many people wonder why they never lose weight when they get on a diet, or start an exercise routine. Weight loss and weight gain are both affected by abnormal thyroid functionality. If you have joined a diet program or exercise routine and have not noticed any changes in your weight or body fat percentage, this could be an indicator of either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

If your thyroid is malfunctioning it can lead to abnormal weight loss or gain. Many people just don’t understand why a diet or workout regime doesn’t work but it just might not be your fault. Your thyroid regulates a lot of your bodily functions and fat cells are part of what it regulates. Take a closer look if this is happening to you.

Depression and Anxiety

Depression, Anxiety, and panic disorders, are growing dramatically in America today. If you’re are suffering from manic depression, anxiety attacks, or panic attacks and getting treatment for these issues, but they are just not working it is a good idea to look a little further into what might be causing this.

Getting on a pill program, as I like to call it, is not always the best solution. Yeah it does help for a temporary solution, but long term healing is not addressed when you are taking medication for any 3 of these disorders. Too many people think that medication is the solution to many of their problems, and that might not be the case.

Thyroid dysfunction can lead to depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Let us not get a temporary solution to a long term problem, let’s get a long term solution. If you look deeper into what may be causing this it isn’t always a pill that will solve your problems, take a look into possible Hypothyroidism which is most commonly associated with depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.

Cholesterol Issues

High cholesterol is very common in the world today, and many diets, and medications are out there to help with this issue. Some work, and some don’t as we all know, but if you are non-responsive to diets or medication it may be an indicator of undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

If you are experiencing lower than normal cholesterol levels, which is also not too good for you, it might be a sign of hyperthyroidism. Don’t always rely on medication to solve your problems, we need to always be looking into the route of the issue and getting it taken care of permanently.

If you are not feeling like yourself or have not felt good for a long period of time it is time to take action. Thyroid dysfunction is serious and needs to be addressed. Being healthy in this world is a #1 priority to me and taking care of yourself is critical. Please act on you instinct, start to take an inventory of symptoms that you might be feeling, and take note if they are on an everyday basis.

If something is wrong with you it is not a very smart decision to let it go for a long period of time, now remember that you might not even know you have a thyroid problem so this is key to getting healthy. If you don’t know what you body is doing and you are in the dark please go and get checked out, or look into herbal remedies (not pills) and see if they make a difference. I know this might be common sense, but I am going to say it anyway; if you let a problem go to long there could be serious consequences in the long run.

A thyroid gland dysfunction can come from family history, so take a moment and ask you parents or siblings if they are experiencing any symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. If they are this is a good indicator that you may have some sort of thyroid disease, which you might not be aware of.

Categories: Asthma info Tags:

Knowing the Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Disease

January 21st, 2012 Comments off

If you are a person who has been having problems losing weight, even though you’ve been very loyal to your diet and exercise plan; or if you are someone who finds themselves tired when they have had plenty of rest and no other obvious reason for it; or someone who is also having a problem with their hair getting thinner and thinner, you may have a thyroid dysfunction, and it could be caused from Hashimoto’s disease. Now just because you have a few symptoms, there isn’t a reason to panic as you need to go to a doctor and have yourself tested to find out if this really is the case. Tell the doctor of your symptoms and what you suspect, and he’ll be able to test you and find out for sure.

The symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease is the follows: Myxedematous psychosis, weight gain, depression, mania, sensitivity to both heat and cold temperatures, paresthesia, fatigue, panic attacks, bradycardia, tachycardia, high cholesterol, reactive hypoglycemia, constipation, migraines, muscle weakness, cramps, memory loss, infertility and hair loss.

It is possible that you may have some but not all of the symptoms listed above and you may not have this disease. After all, many of these symptoms can have other causes. You could have PMS, which causes a lot of emotional problems as well as pain and temporary weight gain. You could be eating foods that are high in cholesterol and this would cause the symptom. There are a number of different things that can go wrong with the body. The best thing to do is you recognize a preponderance of symptoms is to get yourself tested.

If you do have a hypothyroid, then you will need to take some medication once a day, and very likely for the rest of your life. It’s quite simple though, you just need to take a pill once a day, every day, and the symptoms will disappear.

It is important that you get tested and if you do have hypothyroidism, take your medication. There are two that are preferred for this condition. They are called thyroid hormone replacement agents; one is Levothyroxine and the other is called Desiccated Thyroid Extract. Your doctor would be able to determine which one is right for you.

Categories: Asthma info Tags:

Cold Intolerance And The Thyroid

January 21st, 2012 Comments off

Over ten million Americans suffer form Thyroid Hormone Deficiency, and most are unaware of it. Thyroid deficiency can cause many problems such as the ability to lose or gain weight, heart rate, motor coordination, fertility and sensitivity to temperatures. A classic symptom of poor thyroid function is being too cold. When you are one of these people you need to see a health care provider and research natural supplements that can provide the help you are looking for.

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland that is located in the neck under the voice box (larynx). It has a very big purpose, to keep your body healthy and well balanced by regulating the body’s metabolism. The thyroid produces triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormones that regulate the rate of metabolism that affect many other functions of the body. These hormones are entered into the blood stream and are carried to every tissue in the body. They are essential for every tissue and organ to function properly.

One of the many functions of the thyroid is to control the body’s tolerance to cold. Cold intolerance is usually due to the thyroid not producing enough hormones. This is an acute condition called hypothyroidism, a sign of an under active and sluggish thyroid. Cold intolerance is a physical condition where the body looses its resistance to cold, resulting in constant shivering and the inability to cope with even the slightest cold temperatures.

Hypothyroidism usually develops early and worsens progressively. It can be brought on by previous inflammation, autoimmune thyroiditis (immune system failure), surgery to or removal of the thyroid. Sensitivity to cold often tends to get worse progressively as we get older and we find ourselves constantly chilly, cold or freezing.

If you fit into this category you always want the thermostat set higher or you find you need an extra set of clothing. Cold hands and feet can be linked to hypothyroidism. You find yourself going to bed with socks on your feet or you want extra blankets on you. Being sensitive to environments and temperatures is common for people suffering from this condition, and they find themselves cold in warm weather and freezing in cold weather.

Categories: Asthma info Tags: