Why Today's Thyroid Treatment Is Failing

The care of the person with a thyroid disorder in today's healthcare environment is inefficient at best and is worthy of malpractice at its worst.

Let me explain.

The vast majority of thyroid problems are underproduction of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland.

It is estimated that approximately 1 in 10 people you meet has a low functioning thyroid gland which is called hypothyroidism. The symptoms of a low thyroid output can be global as the thyroid hormones determine the basal metabolic rate of all cells in the body.

What does that mean?

It means that the rate at which your cells respire, take in nutrients, pump out waste products is determined by how much thyroid hormones you have any any one time in your body.

Low thyroid hormone amount in your bloodstream= slowed down ability to function.

This affects everything: speed of digestion, speed of cognition, speed of recovery, etc, etc. This is why hypothyroidism can have symptoms like brain fog, depression, constipation, unexplained weight gain and coldness.

There are 2 predominant models in today's healthcare environment: medical and alternative.

In the medical model, no thought is given to why a persons thyroid is not functioning well, the only treatment is to give thyroid replacement hormones until the message from the brain to the thyroid which is called thyroid stimulation hormone or TSH, is normalized usually at a value of about 2-3.

The alternative model for hypothyroidism is not about thyroid hormone replacement, it is instead fixated on iodine and tyrosine supplementation to allow the thyroid to make more thyroid hormones.

Additionally, thyroid glandulars and co factors are added to insure no nutrient deficiency exists for thyroid production.

Here is the problem.

Over 80% of all hyothyroid patients do not have a nutrient deficiency of iodine or tyrosine as their mechanism for low thyroid production. And, just giving thyroid hormones does nothing to counteract the basic mechanism that is in play for about 80% of all hypothyroid patients.

What is the mechanism?

It is an auto immune attack by your own immune system on your thyroid! This means that a gene in your body got switched on that tells your immune system to tag the thyroid gland for destruction.

When the immune system ramps up for for an auto immune attack, certain cell messengers called "cytokines" are released. These cell proteins or" cytokines" completely interfere with many aspects of thyroid physiology.

So, lets see how this information fits into the alternative and medical model.

The alternative model will try to get the thyroid to make more hormones by using nutrient combinations. The medical model will not care about the mechanism, just replacement hormones.

It is known that if you introduce iodine wholesale into a community, 2 things happen:

goiters go down and auto immune thyroids go up. So, iodine supplementation in the alternative model may precipitate an autoimmune disease of your thyroid! Or, fire up an auto immunity that was already present. This is definitely not the intended result.

In addition, if the mechanism for the low thyroid is autoimmune, giving iodine does not do anything to dampen the levels of cytokines in the body.

In the medical model, since the thyroid gland is being destroyed by the immune attack, thyroid hormones are prescribed. And while this may help a bit in the short term, it doesn't address the way the thyroid hormones are interfered with by the autoimmune messengers called cytokines. Therefore, you can have a person whose thyroid blood test looks normal but are experiencing many of the symptoms of a low thyroid person because the expression of the thyroid hormones is compromised by cytokines.

Neither approaches come close to helping the person resolve the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.

Here is what does help.

Dampen the autoimmunity!

When you reduce the auto immune expression, you dampen the amount of cytokines, you improve thyroid physiology.

It's that simple.

Or, at least in concept it is simple. The real work in all of this, for me is to figure out the person's autoimmune triggers, and discover which sides of their T helper system to support. And if person needs thyroid hormone replacement, so be it. By the way one of the most profound triggers for flaring up autoimmunity is eating gluten and all of the other foods that cross react with it.

This approach has a profound effect on the quality of a hypothyroid person's life.

Now they have a way to decrease brain fog and weight, increase energy and motivation, have normal temperature, skin, hair and digestion.

Here is the final kicker: If a person had antibodies to the thyroid, there is over a 50% chance of them demonstrating antibodies to other tissues. These tissues can include nerve (MS), organs (lupus), joints (rheumatoid arthritis) and even brain tissue. Even hormones themselves can have an antibody reaction.

If the immune system flares up to tag the thyroid for destruction, what is happening to these other antibodies? You're right. They cause their own destruction of those tissues.

So, the key to most hypothyroid patients (about 80%) is to dampen their autoimmunity, not just give thyroid replacement hormones or a single nutrient to resolve their symptoms.

So, how do you do that? I will address that in a future e-mail.

Recognizing and treating the neuro-endocrine-immune system in about 80% of all hypothyroid patients is is the most efficient model for hypothyroidism today.

How a Pregnancy Calculator Works

What Is Pregnancy Calculator

When will my baby arrive? That is a common question asked by pregnant mums and is excited to know their baby's due date. Pregnancy calculator is a simple tool for those who wish to confirm whether they are pregnant or not. This is based on your menstrual period, symptoms that you have and the tests that you have done. Pregnancy normally lasts from 37-42 weeks from the first day of your last period. This is also used to figure out the due date and compute the likely conception date. This tool can also determine the end of the first and second trimesters, determine the weeks you've been pregnant, estimate foetal age, determine the weeks you are pregnant over a given date, estimate which date you'll be pregnant the particular number of weeks, and figure out the possible conception date when you realize the birthday or due date.

The Uses Of This Pregnancy Tool

An important use of pregnancy calculator is usually to figure out the due date and compute the likely conception date. This tool can compute the end of the first and second trimesters, determine the weeks you've been pregnant, estimate foetal age, determine the weeks you're pregnant using a given date, estimate which date you'll be pregnant the specified number of weeks, and figure out the probable conception date when you recognize the birthday or due date. Despite the uses of this tool, it is ideal to consult your health care provider as soon as you think you are pregnant. This kind of tool is fantastic to utilize together with an in depth week by week pregnancy calendar.

How To Calculate Your Due Date

Ovulation and fertilization occur on day 14 of a 28 day menstrual cycle. This is equal to 280 days since the start of the last period, before allowing for cycle length adjustments. A manual pregnancy calculator is based on the original formula observed by Franz Naegele, an obstetrician and German professor in the 19th century. The formula shows that it should work back three months from the day of a woman's last period and add a year. A more accurate pregnancy calculator can be gained by the use of ultrasound scans. The ultrasound is non-invasive and it is used to check the baby's condition. The radiographer measure the size of the growing embryo to predict the likely birth.

Additional Tips:

A normal pregnancy usually goes to full term that normally lasts from between 38 and 42 weeks. However, you should bear in mind that the average month is for weeks and several days long, not precisely four weeks. For this reason, your health care provider compute how many weeks pregnant you are, as measuring pregnancy by weeks is a far more accurate means to determine length of pregnancy.

Most calculators are based on a gestational period of 40 weeks from the first day of a woman's last menstrual flow. This is estimated by a woman's ovulation and conceives approximately 2 weeks after the first day of your last menstrual flow and carries the baby for 38 weeks.

Catastrophic Health Insurance Coverage - Do You Need it?

If you're currently unemployed and without health insurance or you have a job that does not provide you with health insurance coverage, you may need to consider getting yourself a catastrophic health insurance coverage plan. Catastrophic health insurance is setup to cover major health problems and normally has high deductibles and low monthly premiums.

With a catastrophic coverage health plan, you will normally have to pay out of pocket for doctor office visits and prescription drugs, but major expenses are covered. These types of expenses may include hospital stays, surgery, intensive care, lab tests and X-Rays. You will rarely find pregnancy and maternity care covered on these types of plans.

Catastrophic coverage may be purchased individually or as group plans. You will have to pass pre-existing medical condition screenings. This means coverage for conditions you had prior to getting coverage wouldn't be covered. A few examples might include diabetes, emphysema, heart disease and cancer (but there are countless more possibilities).

Normally, catastrophic medical insurance coverage is purchased by healthier people in their 20's and sometimes for people nearing the retirement age (50-65 years of age). It is also a popular alternative for self-employed individuals who don't have a health insurance plan.

Should you get a catastrophic health insurance plan? That depends. If you are healthy with no pre-existing conditions and you do not have access to another health plan, you may be a good candidate for a catastrophic coverage plan. Also, if you are an older adult with no health problems and you just need piece of mind insurance coverage to protect your for major catastrophes (like heart attacks, cancer, etc.), then this type of coverage could be right for you. If you don't fit these criteria, you might consider other options.

What should you look for in a catastrophic coverage plan? Consider the following when comparing catastrophic policies from different insurance providers:

• The cost of the premiums


• The cost of the deductibles and your maximum out of pocket expense


• The level of coverage


• Whether or not you can afford to pay for prescriptions and office co-payments


• Do you have pre-existing conditions?


• Do you get sick often?

If you decide to look into a catastrophic health insurance policy, there are many ways to do so. You can contact your local health insurance independent agent or look for a company online to provide you a quote. It's a good idea to compare multiple insurance providers before making your decision.

Tips for Hiring Your Confinement Nanny

You know you need to hire a confinement nanny to take care of you and your new baby after birth, but actually selecting a nanny or nanny service can be a difficult task. If you don't know how to go about selecting and hiring your confinement nanny, the following tips will give you some food for thought.

Determine Hours

How often do you want your confinement nanny to be in your home? Would you like to have someone live in with you for a short period of time, or would you prefer someone be there for given hours during the day when your spouse is away and you are will be alone? The time requirements for every home are different, so give some thought to how demanding you will be of your nanny's time. This will determine which nanny's are suitable for your home.

If you want a nanny that can be around for most of the day and night or want someone who can spend the night or live in for a short period, make sure this is clear when you are discussing your needs with confinement nanny services.

Determine Expectations

There are some things that are just expected from a nanny. They will help care for the baby and will allow you to get adequate rest to feel your best and recover from delivery. Yet, there are some negotiable terms that may vary from one nanny to another.

For instance, will you expect your nanny to cook meals for you? Will they be required to help clean your home? It's a question of how much help you will expect from your confinement nanny. You have to state these things clearly and ask what services and duties a nanny typically does when you talk with different confinement nanny services.

Be very specific in this area when talking with a potential nanny service. If they don't know what you expect they can't deliver everything expected!

Meet Your Nanny Early

Don't wait until you bring your baby home to meet your nanny. You want to find someone who you feel very comfortable with and who you trust with your baby. You will be spending a lot of time with them, so you don't want to find yourself in an uncomfortable situation or without a confinement nanny after the baby is born due to disagreements or personality clashes.

Ask to meet the nanny who will be in your home before you actually hire them. This will increase your comfort when you come home from the hospital and find them in your home ready to assist you.

Be Reasonable

Finally, be reasonable when hiring and working with a confinement nanny. They are there to help you and make your transition into motherhood smooth and as stress-free as possible. The kinder you are to them, the kinder they are likely to be to you and your newborn baby.

Be reasonable with what you expect from your confinement nanny and resist adding to their workload after you bring the baby home. If you have some needs you could not have foreseen prior to having the baby, discuss it with your nanny and workout an agreement on taking care of the extra duties.
A confinement nanny can become a confidant and friend if you treat them as such.

Compare Health Insurance Plans to Ensure Adequate Coverage

Health insurance plans are probably one of the hottest topics of the 21st century. It's the one thing families can't afford to be without, especially those with children, of child-bearing age, the elderly, or anyone with a chronic medical condition or a family history of serious illness looming overhead. And yet, for many families, it is the one thing they also can't afford financially.

If you're self-employed, you need to find your own health insurance. If you work for a small employer, it may not be offered to you. But even if you do work for an employer that offers it, many employer plans are extremely limited and do not provide the kind of coverage you really need for your family.

There are, however, many affordable health insurance options available on the open market today. But as a consumer, you need to do your homework. All health insurance plans are not created equal.

Often health insurance plans are available as single coverage, married coverage, single plus one, family coverage, or single plus two. But the differences between the various plans may incorporate more than just the number of people covered. For instance, many policies do not cover prenatal or maternity care or the delivery of a child. If you and your spouse are in your 60s and can't have any more children, that may be fine, but if you are of child bearing age and planning to have children, you need to make sure any health insurance you consider includes that coverage or you could have a whopping bill to pay on your own if you discover you're going to have a child.

Even if you aren't planning to have more children, if you have a minor daughter in her teen years, it's a good idea to be sure any plans you look at cover maternity expenses. Many a parent has been surprised to learn their daughter would soon be expecting a baby, though the pregnancy may not have been planned.

When comparing plans for health insurance, it's also important to look at wellness coverage, such as immunizations, annual exams, pap smears, mammograms, and physicals. These should be considered for coverage, in addition to the co-pay for prescriptions, doctor visits, walk-in care, emergency care, outpatient surgery, and in-hospital stays. The amount of the individual deductible and family deductible per year is also an important consideration.

Yes, good health insurance plans that meet the needs of your family are available, but you have to look for them, and you have to be sure you are comparing apples to apples when you look at plans from different providers. It's also a good idea to consider the reputation of the company or provider, because health insurance is no longer a luxury. It really is a necessity, and you need to know you can count on your provider when medical needs arise, without any unanticipated surprises. Always read the fine print and ask questions before purchasing a policy for you and your family.

Active Babies and Exhausted Mothers

New born babies often sleep for hours. But, they do not sleep on schedule and mothers often do not get enough rest and are completely exhausted in caring for them.

Here are some tips for mothers of active babies to get adequate rest:

o Mothers do not have to be on "alert mode" all the time. When baby is asleep at different times of the day, take a short nap yourself when you are tired. Give yourself 30 to 40 minutes to nap. Set the alarm clock each time to wake you up before you fall into a deep sleep. Your energy level will definitely increase after a short nap.

o Train baby to feed at regular intervals for example every 3 to 4 hours after the previous feed. Wake him up to feed even if he is deeply asleep. This establishes a regular daytime feeding schedule for baby and gives you enough time to rest even if you catch up on some other work first. If you pick him up and feed him every time he awakes momentarily or for a short period, you will cause him to want to feed at short intervals and to take in small quantities each time.

o I used to give my baby his last feed at eleven pm each night without fail from the age of 3 months. From then on he slept through the night and had his next feed only at about 7am the next morning. I was able to have almost the same nightly sleeping hours as my baby after that.

o Mothers should exercise regularly. Start with gentle post natal exercises and move on to short walks, then longer ones and even swimming. These activities are good as mothers can take baby along with them.

o Ask your spouse to take charge of feeding baby at least one evening a week. Mother can then have an evening "off" and get a good night of sleep. Use ear plugs or sleep in another room if you are tempted to take over if baby cries. Be assured that your spouse is more than able to shoulder the responsibility and he will even enjoy bonding more closely with baby.

o Avoid stimulants and other food and medications that affect your ability to sleep from late afternoons if necessary. Examples are coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolates, and caffeinated beverages.

Be alert to anything that causes sleepless nights and unnecessary fatigue. Work towards getting sufficient rest and you will be able to care for baby the next day and the next and the next.

Enjoy parenting and motherhood.
Pat

What to Take to the Hospital on Delivery Day

Your hospital stay for the delivery of your baby will require a well planned out packing list. There are essential items you will need for labor and delivery and the few days following birth while you are at the hospital. There are things that your partner will need as well as your baby. Most of your baby's needs should be taken care of by the hospital, but it never hurts to call and ask.

For labor and delivery, there are some essential items to pack and some items that are optional depending on your birthing plan. If you are planning on giving birth vaginally and without pain medicine, you will need some items to help your labor pains.

A couple things that you may want to consider are: a Pilates ball, a rolling-pin, hard candy, music and movies, and pillows. These things could help with your labor pains, but you must keep in mind that everyone is different. Something that worked for your friend may or may not work for you.

Now if you are planning on accepting some pain management drugs, you will need much less of that gear. You may still want to bring your own pillows, or body pillow or nursing pillow. Whatever helps you get into a more comfortable position at home, you should make sure you have at the hospital during your labor.

After giving birth you will need some specialty items to make your postpartum stay more comfortable for you while you heal. You will need some oversized full underwear. The pads that the hospital will give you are quite large and you will want them to be able to go into a pair of panties easily. In addition to the pad you may also have an oversized ice pack to place in your panties.

Pants will be quite uncomfortable for these first few days. You will need a good nursing gown for this time. Nursing Gowns can be used during delivery and after. This will be loose and open for fitting your ice pack and pad into your panties, and it will also be very useful for nursing your newborn.

Your toiletries and basics such as toothbrush, hairbrush, and face wash are a must and should be packed ahead of time. These are things that are inexpensive and it will be worth it when the time comes to not have to start thinking about whether or not you are forgetting something. Just have a whole second set of this stuff packed and ready to go a couple weeks ahead of time.

As far as your clothing goes, you should pack any nursing clothing, socks and slippers, and a very loose- fitting, comfortable outfit to go home in. You may just want to buy a nicer pair of nursing pajamas that double as loungewear for that day. These are all things that you can pack ahead of time as well. It will save you stress and time to do as much ahead of time as possible, if not all. You will be much more at ease that you are ready when the time comes to go to the hospital to deliver your baby.