Is Poor Thyroid Function Impacting Your Fertility?:
with Christine Sullivan!
If you have been unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant
for more than 6 months, before you embark on invasive
medical procedures and spend thousands of dollars for
assisted reproductive technology, ensure that your thyroid
is functioning at its optimum.
Many women don't realize that good thyroid function
is necessary for fertility, the ability to conceive
and to maintain a pregnancy. An under (or over) functioning
thyroid can prevent you from achieving that much desired
pregnancy. While there are many and varied reasons for
infertility, suboptimal thyroid function may be that
"missing link" especially for those with no specific
reproductive problems.
A full thyroid evaluation is essential, and should be
done as soon as possible for any woman who wants to
get pregnant, especially if she -
Has been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for more
than 6 months
Has had two or more miscarriages
Has an irregular menstrual cycle
Has any family history of thyroid problems.
YOUR CHECK LIST FOR THYROID ASSESSMENT
1. Do you have any of the common signs & symptoms
associated with low thyroid function?
Inability to conceive / infertility
Miscarriage
Menstrual irregularities
Period pain
Low libido
Lethargy & fatigue
Susceptibility to the cold / cold hands & feet
Inability to lose weight
Changes in texture of skin, nails, hair, hair loss
Recurrent infections
Constipation
2. Is your basal temperature consistently below 36.5°
C?
Take your oral temperature at rest first thing in the
morning before moving out of bed for 7 -10 days in the
first 14 days of your cycle. Your temperature should
be between 36° and 37° C but ideally above 36.5°C.
3. Blood Tests
For full thyroid assessment you require readings for
TSH, T4, T3, rT3 & Thyroid Antibodies. TRH may also
be required. For optimum fertility, your TSH level should
be between 1 and 2. Your doctor or naturopath can order
these tests for you.
4. Urinary Iodine
Iodine is a key component of thyroid hormone. Excessive
iodine as well as a deficiency of iodine can result
in low thyroid function. Your doctor or naturopath can
order this test for you.
5. Diet & Lifestyle
Our modern western diet is a major contributor to increasing
thyroid health problems. Foods detrimental to thyroid
health include refined grains, simple sugars, soy products,
peanuts & peanut products, caffeine, hydrogenated oils,
cigarette smoking and alcohol. Excessive consumption
of vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, turnips, Brussels
sprouts have the ability to block the absorption of
iodine.
Exposure to heavy metals e.g. mercury (amalgam fillings)
and fluoride (water supply, toothpaste) may also be
detrimental.
Stress management is imperative. Stress results in elevated
levels of cortisol, the main hormone released by the
adrenal glands. Increased cortisol will inhibit the
conversion of T4 to the active T3 hormone.
Exercise is beneficial as it will stimulate thyroid
hormone secretion and increases tissue sensitivity to
thyroid hormones.
Treating thyroid function is not a magic cure for all
fertility issues but I have found that for many women,
once thyroid health has been improved, their fertility
issues were resolved and they have gone on to have a
healthy pregnancy and enjoyed the treasures of motherhood.
If you suspect that less than ideal thyroid health may
be contributing to your fertility difficulties or just
impinging on your health generally, take action now!
Want to know more? " Click
this my link to My Health Specials " Email [email protected]
" Visit www.christinesullivan.com.au
" Call 07 3857 8515 SPECIAL OFFER
Contact me regarding a complimentary ½ hour appointment
to see how I can assist you with your thyroid health,
preconception care and your particular fertility concerns.
Mention My Health Specials.
Your
Kidneys Are Amazing: Playing a Vital Role in Your Body's
Overall Health!
Your kidneys are amazing and play a vital role in your
body's overall health. Their four main roles are to:
remove waste and excess water from your body, assist
in making red blood cells, control blood pressure and
make strong and healthy bones. Neverfail Springwater
is a proud partner of Kidney Health Australia, to help
raise awareness of the risk factors for kidney disease,
as well as promote the vital role water plays in maintaining
a healthy lifestyle, which is essential to ensure good
kidney health.
When things go wrong there are often no warning signs
- you can lose up to 90 per cent of kidney function
before even feeling sick. But one in three Australians
is at increased risk. 1
Who is at risk?"
Over
50 years old
Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure
are both major risk factors.
If you are a smoker, are obese or are of Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander descent
Have a family history of kidney disease2 ]
If you fall into these groups talk to your local doctor
about being tested for kidney disease. Early detection
and treatment can help prevent kidney failure and the
need for dialysis or transplant treatment.
You can cut your risks by being a non-smoker, controlling
your blood pressure, staying fit and maintaining a healthy
weight. Eating a healthy diet, making water your drink
of choice and consuming alcohol only moderately will
also help you look after your kidneys. 2 Remember 24
May - 31 May 2008 is Kidney Health Week.
Visit Kidney Health Australia at www.kidney.org.au
or free call 1800 682 531,
1 Chadban SJ, Briganti EM, Kerr PG et al. Prevalence
of kidney damage in Australian adults: The AusDiab kidney
study. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
2003;14:S131-S138.
2 Kidney Health Australia, Early detection and prevention
health book, issue 3 2007.
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we were sticking to. We decided to rent a treadmill,
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solution. The rental plan that Only Fitness had was
the best we found - if we purchased the machine after
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They also had a great variety of machines to choose
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Admittedly it was a novelty as first, but after 3 months
I was hooked, on the treadmill every morning watching
the news from the comfort of my living room, in the
comfort of my daggiest running clothes. Needless to
say we purchased the machine (and we were given a brand
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If buying outright suites your needs, we deal direct
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The
Medical Director of SureSlim: Covers the Alarming Rise
in type 2 Diabetes!
Dr
Robert Vial, medical director of SureSlim, has observed
an alarming rise in type 2 diabetes over the last few
years.
There is a direct relationship between type 2 diabetes
and obesity. The more overweight you become, the higher
your chances are of developing type 2 diabetes.
When you become overweight (BMI > 26) or obese (BMI
>30), there is a greater chance your body has developed
a level of resistance to the actions of the hormone,
Insulin. Insulin controls the way glucose is processed
in the body. When your body resists the action of Insulin
as a consequence of extra fat gain, glucose levels rise
in the blood. Type 2 diabetes develops when blood glucose
levels can no longer be controlled efficiently from
the increased Insulin secretion, or when the pancreas
has reached 'exhausted levels', leading to diminished
output of Insulin.
Pre-diabetes can occur before type 2 diabetes. Other
names for this condition are Metabolic Syndrome and
Syndrome X. This condition is characterized by impaired
glucose metabolism and early Insulin resistance. One
of the most important indicators is an expanding waistline.
Losing excess weight can help to reverse pre-diabetes
and also help prevent type 2 diabetes.
SureSlim provides individualized dietary plans utilizing
everyday food and can help improve type 2 diabetes and
pre-diabetes by gradual weight loss and better glycaemic
control. Research conducted by University of Otago on
36 SureSlim clients with type 2 diabetes showed average
weight loss at 24 weeks was 15.31kg or 13.8% , a reduction
in fasting glucose of 24%, a reduction of HbA1c of 17.4%
and reduced cholesterol and triglycerides,
SureSlim has helped thousands of people with type 2
diabetes and below is Valeria's story:
At 73 years old, Valeria weighed 126 kilograms and was
taking 78 units of insulin a day to control her Type
2 Diabetes.
She had been overweight for much of her life, and at
35 developed Osteoarthritis which reduced her mobility.
By 55 Valeria required both a wheel chair and walking
stick. Reduced mobility had resulted in significant
weight gain, worsening her diabetes.
As can happen with Type 2 Diabetes, Valeria had a heart
attack. Five years later she underwent triple bypass
heart surgery.
Valeria was dependant on a variety of medications including
insulin, blood pressure medication, cholesterol and
arthritis medications.
"My doctor told me that if I did not address my weight
I would die." so Valeria decided to join SureSlim.
"16 months later I had lost an amazing 48 kilograms
and my insulin had been reduced to 6 units per day.
Three months after that, I no longer required any insulin
and have significantly reduced all other medications
SureSlim showed me that through healthy eating I could
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our life long dream of caravanning around Australia"
says Valeria.
Call 1300 130 696 today or visit www.sureslim.com.au
to find our how SureSlim can help change your life!
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Nourishedmagazine.com.au:Living
off the Fat of the Land!
by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD
Of
all the peoples visited by Weston Price during his historic
research expeditions of the 1930s, none elicited as
much awe as the Australian Aboriginal People, whom he
described as "a living museum preserved from the dawn
of animal life on the earth." For Price, Indigenous
Australians represented the paradigm of moral and physical
perfection. MORE... .
.
MORE....
Brought
to you by
www.nourishedmagazine.com.au
Short
and Sweet:Japanese Noodle Salad with Wasabi Yoghurt
Dressing!
Ingredients
1x 270g packet soba noodles 1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 butter lettuce, washed and
separated 5 spring onions, thinly sliced 1 continental
cucumber, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced 200g smoked
salmon, thinly sliced 1 x 200g tub Liddells Lactose
Free Plain Yoghurt 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
Method
1.
Cook soba noodles according to packet instructions.
Refresh in iced water and drain well. Combine with sesame
oil and soy sauce. 2. Reserve 12 lettuce leaves and
finely shred the remaining leaves. Combine the shredded
lettuce, spring onions, cucumber and stir half of the
salad mixture through the noodles. 3. Divide 12 lettuce
leaves equally between 6 plates and top with noodles,
salmon and remaining salad mix. Combine yoghurt and
wasabi and drizzle over salad.
Notes
The combined yoghurt and wasabi makes a perfect Japanese
inspired dip. Serve with seaweed rice crackers and ice
cold Japanese beer
.www.dairyaustralia.com.au
Laughter
is the best medicine!
A
young man finds the woman of his dreams and asks her
to marry him. He tells his mother he wants her to meet
his fiance, but he wants to make a bit of a game out
of it. He says he'll bring the girl over with two other
women and see if his mother can guess which is the one
he wants to marry. His mother agrees to the game. That
night, he shows up at his mother's house with three
beautiful young ladies. They all sit down on the couch,
and everyone has a wonderful evening talking and getting
to know each other. At the end of the evening, the young
man asks his mother, 'OK, Mom, which one is the woman
I want to marry?' Without any hesitation at all, his
mother replies, 'The one in the middle.' The young man
is astounded. 'How in the world did you figure it out?'
'Easy,' she says. 'I don't like her.'
Quote
of the week!
"If one advances confidently in the direction
of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which
he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected
in common hours...If you have built castles in the air,
your work need not be lost; that is where they should
be. Now put foundations under them." -- Henry
David Thoreau
For
a Good Cause: Why Support CP Australia?
CP
Australia - works towards creating a national focus
on cerebral palsy - to promote the interests, rights,
roles and wellbeing of people with cerebral palsy and
similar disorders.
http://www.cpaustralia.com.au/
BACK
ISSUES OF NATURALLY HAPPY
In
the next issue of "Naturally Happy"
-
The Natural Way!
- Body
Focus !
- Results
Skin Centre!
- Nirala
Jacobi, BHSc, ND (USA)
- Introductory
Offers!
- nourished.com.au!
- Short
and sweet!
If
this link doesn't work please email [email protected]
My
Health Specials provides this information for your personal
education and enrichment. Information provided should
not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem
or disease. Nor should the information replace the advice
of your health care practitioner. Always seek professional
advice if suffering an illness. My
Health Specials Pty Ltd and all parties involved in
the conception, production, ongoing maintenance and
operation of Naturally Happy accept no liability and
no responsibility for any damage whatsoever arising
from or in connection to your use or operation of the
website or information contained in this e-magazine.
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