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Thyroid Autoimmune Disorders! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Let us talk about Autoimmune and how it relates to the thyroid. This is important to talk about because thyroid health is much more complex than just under or overactive thyroid. It can be such a complex issue …
Thyroid and Women’s Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Thyroid health is important for our overall wellbeing. But did you know that it can also affect women’s health concerns? In general women are more likely to be diagnosed with thyroid issues. In fact, up to …
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 closely related than you may expect! But just how do these 2 organs that aren’t close to each other in the body affect each other? Let us get into it, shall we?
Let us start at the very beginning. What are the adrenal glands? Well in a nutshell they are small glands on the top of the kidneys that produce hormones. They look like little hats that live on top of the kidneys. They produce mineralocorticoids for example aldosterone which can control blood pressure, glucocorticoids predominately cortisol which is the hormone in charge of our flight or fight response, and adrenal androgen such as DHEA and testosterone and estrogen. What does all this mean? Well to sum it up the adrenal glands are in charge of our blood pressure, sodium balance in the body, water balance in the body as well as the body’s response to stress or illness. If any of your body’s systems are not working up to par the body sees that as stress and the adrenals will react by making cortisol. The adrenals are also in charge of regulating metabolism for example weight as well as fat metabolism and glucose regulation and even sleep regulation. In fact, when the adrenals are signaled to produce more cortisol (which given it is the main hormone associated with stress it is the main hormone I will talk about) the symptoms include fatigue with a difficulty staying asleep. This can lead to feelings of anxiety as well as weight gain and higher than normal blood pressure. (1)
How does this relate to thyroid? One of the problems with having too much cortisol produced by the adrenals is that they affect the thyroid itself. Cortisol can cause the conversion of T3 from T4 to be reduced hence increasing the likelihood of hypothyroid symptoms! (2) This may be one reason when we see clients with what is called adrenal fatigue, we often are also working with them to address hypothyroid symptoms. Interestingly, in cases of long-term thyroid dysfunction there is also adrenal dysfunction. Now you might say “I know I just read that” but what I mean is that the adrenals can affect the thyroid, but the thyroid can affect the adrenals long term. How is that possible? Because the adrenals will often try and compensate for the reduced thyroid hormones. To produce energy, they will produce cortisol. However, eventually this can cause adrenal fatigue. What exactly is adrenal fatigue? In the normal process your body will produce cortisol in the morning to wake you up, a small amount in the afternoon to keep you going and none at night so you can sleep. When you are under stress the adrenals are constantly forced to produce cortisol. This leads to the adrenals becoming unregulated or fatigued. One such issue is that they produce cortisol at night rather than in the morning. They also tend to produce either too much cortisol or not enough. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue can include trouble with brain fog, sleeping/fatigue, headaches, and digestive issues, changes in weight, and anxiety, brain fog, depression and even joint pain, PMS, Low/High blood pressure, salt cravings, blood sugar fluctuations, sensitivity to cold, infertility and reduced immunity. (3, 4)
What can you do?
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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 …
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 and does occur in the summertime. Let us get into it, shall we?
Let us start with the typical symptoms associated with SAD. You may notice a persistent low mood, irritability, low energy/fatigue and even have trouble concentrating. You may have a loss of interest in normal activities. Activities that you normally enjoy may give you little to no pleasure. There may be feelings of despair, guilt and even worthlessness. You may crave foods high in carbs and even gain weight. You may even find yourself sleeping longer and have a harder time walking up. Lastly you may notice a change in your sex drive. Now while these are the typical signs of wintertime SAD in those with summertime SAD, some of these symptoms can be the opposite of those with winter associated SAD. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, those who experience SAD in the winter have noted they sleep more whereas those with SAD noted they sleep less and even experience insomnia. Some people with summertime SAD also experience a sharp decrease in their appetite that leads to weight loss rather than the craving for carbs and typical weight gain that is expected. Some people also describe an increase in their overall anxiety. There may also be physical signs such as headaches or even body tension. (2) One of the major differences between summer and winter time SAD is when the symptoms occur. For those who experience summertime SAD these symptoms will be worse in the summer and improve in the winter. Obviously, wintertime SAD is the opposite. (1)
But why does summertime SAD occur at all? I know you are thinking who could be sad while the sun is out and the weather is nice and warm?? While we do not know for sure what the cause is there are a number of things that may contribute to the development of summertime SAD. The longer daylight hours as well as the intense heat of summer can disrupt sleep and affect the circadian rhythm leading to insomnia and mood changes. During the sunny hot weather of summer there may be changes in melatonin and even serotonin regulations. This can trigger mood changes. For many with summertime SAD there is an increased sensitivity to heat, humidity, and even bright sunlight. For those who are sensitive it can exacerbate feelings of agitation and exhaustion and even emotional distress.
Summertime tends to be a time of social gathering especially involving activities that typically include clothing that exposes more skin. This can trigger anxiety, worsen low self-esteem, and trigger depression. Even just the pressure to attend the events can trigger SAD. For some it is a “pressure to go” to the events or to decline invitations. For example, if the event is going to be in sunshine and you are on a medicine that makes you photosensitive you may become depressed because you cannot go but you want to. (2)
What can you do to help fight against the summertime blues?
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