Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Thyroid Health and the Adrenal Glands Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND When it comes to holistic health care 2 of the most common things to talk about are thyroid health and adrenal health. What is interesting about these 2 topics is that they are more …
Summer Colds Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Most people have had a cold in the summertime at least once during their lifetime. But why do summer colds even happen? And while yes, I know you know the symptoms of a cold I will still do a …
How the Thyroid Impacts Weight Management
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
One topic that comes up often around summertime is weight management. Everyone wants to be ready for the beach! And one part of managing our weight is by working with our thyroid. Everyone knows the thyroid controls weight! But just how does it do this? Well, it works by increasing or decreasing our metabolism. In the medical world, this is known as basal metabolic rate or BMR. It is the number of calories you use to just live. Sleeping, breathing and even sitting are all things that contribute to the BMR. Being highly active and engaging in physical exercise will cause it to increase. BMR is usually calculated based on the following factors: age, gender, height, and weight. (1) In addition to the thyroid, other hormones can and do affect weight. For right now I will just be focusing on weight on weight. Let us get into it, shall we?
Studies show that people with low thyroid function had lower BMRs, compared to those with a higher-than-normal amount of thyroid hormone, who had higher BMRs. (2) Meaning, those with a decreased thyroid function gained weight easily; while those with an increase in thyroid function were able to lose weight.
Now, it is especially important to first determine if weight loss or weight gain is related to the thyroid. Bloodwork is always a wonderful place to start. While you are waiting for the test results you should start a food diary of anything you eat throughout the day. It is especially important to be honest about what you are eating if you want to try to balance your food intake. I know it might be embarrassing to write down or tell a nutritionist you had 4 slices of pizza, 3 times this week; but it’s easier to understand what we need to do when someone is honest about what they eat; rather than saying what they think we want to hear. Why do I am harping on this issue? Even with a thyroid disorder, what we eat is one of the most important things to help regulate our weight. While it is true that having a lower/higher level of thyroid hormone will make it easier to gain or lose weight, it is not the only concern regarding a healthy weight. Having a healthy or unhealthy relationship with food is just as important to talk about. (3) If you have a thyroid disorder and an unhealthy relationship with food, it is like throwing gasoline on a fire; it will only make it worse.
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?
Well first, get blood work down then do your food log. Once you have your blood work and food log feel free to contact an Invite Health nutritionist. I am always happy to go over your food log. Email me at carcidiacono@invitehealth.com, if you are interested in working with me! Next, work with a nutritionist to determine what is going on with your thyroid. Is it higher than normal? Lower? Is there an autoimmune problem going on?
SUPPLEMENTS FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT and thyroid health
In addition to working on the thyroid and what you are eating, there are supplements that studies show can help with weight loss and weight gain.
HELPFUL WEIGHT LOSS DRINKS
*The following smoothie recipes can be used as a meal replacement
1 scoop of InVite Health Weight Management Protein
1 scoop of Oranges Hx
1 scoop of Collagen Hx
1 dropper-full Green Tea Tx
Open 1 capsule of Probiotic Hx Weight into the shaker or blender and mix.
Cut up and remove the pits from cherries! You can use as many or little as you like
Make any brand of Jell-O and add the cherries. While it is still liquid add the contents of 2 Trim Hx. Portion this delicious treat into 8 portions (each portion will be about ¼ cup not counting the cherries).
Allow it to cool and harden for a nice nighttime treat!
HELPFUL WEIGHT GAIN DRINKS
*The following smoothies will be best eaten in between meals for weight gain benefits (not instead or in place of one of the three meals eating each day)
Retro Weight Gainer
Milk of choice – Add 1 scoop of each of the following:
Weight Management Powder
Cocoa HxⓇ
Organic Greens Plus
Collagen HxⓇ
1 Avocado, or banana or 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Superfood Weight Gainer
Milk of choice and 1 avocado and 1 scoop of each:
Weight Management Powder
Reds Hx
Purples Hx
Yummy muffins!
To a blender add ½ cup of oatmeal, 2 eggs, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 scoop of Weight Management Powder. Add 2 scoops of Multi Energy Powder. Start with 2 tablespoons of water, adding as you blend. Your goal is a mix that is thick, but you can still pour. Place in muffin tin and bake till a toothpick comes out clean. 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes is ideal, but it is best to test!
SOURCES
Bug Bites and other Outdoor Irritants to the Skin Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Camping is a popular and fun summer activity! But camping and other outdoor activities can put you at an increased risk of skin concerns such as mosquito bites and poison Ivy! There …
Summertime Blues Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND You may have heard of something called SAD or seasonal affective disorder. This is sometimes referred to as the “wintertime blues”. What you may not be aware of is that while SAD is typically associated with winter it can …
Extreme Heat and Joint Pain
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
While the warm, balmy weather of summer may help to reduce the joint pain of rheumatoid arthritis and even TMJ for some people for other people summer can leave them in MORE pain than the frigid cold of winter. There are reasons for this so let us get into it, shall we?
Summer and even spring are the seasons of warm and in some case’s excessively warm weather. This excessive heat can increase inflammation in our body. This increase in inflammation levels can worsen pain associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus and even TMJ. (1)
Anyone who suffers from allergies knows that spring and even summer are the seasons when symptoms are the strongest! These allergies can lead to an increase in inflammation and even sinus pressure. This can once again increase the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and even trigger headaches. (1)
As summer temperatures rise many people use their AC to keep their homes cool and comfortable! However, people have noticed and reported that going in and of the AC inside to the heat outside seems to make their pain levels worse. If you have noticed this and wondered if it is possible for the constant change in temperature to increase your pain you would be correct! In fact, AC can and does increase pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and even TMJ. While more studies are needed to confirm this in my experience constantly being in overly air-conditioned environments can worsen pain. One theory for this is that the cold air causes the muscles and joints to tighten. (2)
Another aspect of summer that can worsen pain is the high humidity levels. In fact, high humidity can cause the tissues to swell, and this can worsen pain associated with autoimmune conditions such as lupus. (3)
I have written quite a bit about arthritis, lupus and even TMJ BUT did you know even conditions such as herniated discs can be impacted by summer heat? That is because high heat can increase the risk of dehydration. In return, this dehydration can increase the risk of back pain from different triggers such as a herniated disc. Other chronic conditions such as headaches and even muscle pain can be made worse if you are dehydrated. (4)
Studies have found an interesting link between migraines and increased sunlight during the summer. This link is because those who have migraines produce less melatonin when there is more sunshine. In other words, they are more sensitive to the increase in sunlight that happens in the summer. (5)
Even just the straightforward process of going from winter to summer can affect our bodies and our pain levels. That is because the change in barometric pressure can lead to pain, especially for those who have migraines. (6) One theory is that changes in barometric can cause tissues to expand and contract leading to an increase in pain in those with migraines and even joint pain such as rheumatoid arthritis and TMJ. (7)
While we cannot get rid of the extreme heat that can trigger pain there are some things we can do to help decrease the side effects of the extreme heat on our body!
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