Browse Immune System and Immunity Enhancement

I've dealt with a whacked-out pituitary gland for most of my life. A drunk driver hit my parents' car as we drove down the highway to Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas, a month before my first birthday. My infant skull torpedoed into the door panel with enough force to remove the skin from my forehead--and cause a c…

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Laurie Erdman has a the singular mission of helping women double their energy and thrive. She is a health transformation coach, speaker, and writer and founder of Chronic Wellness Coaching LLC, Laurie is a recovering lawyer and corporate vice president who left her successful career to pursue her passion – training su…

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Dr. Petrosino received his Baccalaureate (BA) degree in both Science and English from Penn State University in 1975, pursued his Masters degree (American Studies) with honors at Penn State in 1977-1978, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Doctorate in Nutrition from Lasalle University in 1995. He currently is enrolle…

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Are you sick of that afte oon slump? Do you just want to crawl under your desk for a 2:00 p.m. nap? If this sounds like you, then read along! Although afte oon fatigue is common, it’s not something you have to live with. It’s in our power to make little lifestyle changes that will improve that sleepy feeling and power us on through the evening hours.

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What if you knew your thoughts could make you well? Or they could make you sick? What if you knew that changing your thoughts you could reverse cancer? What if you knew your thought “I just want to get sick just so I could take a break” would make you sick? Would you change your thoughts? I’m going to share with you the power of your thoughts. As with any power, it can be used for good or bad. Our thoughts are the difference between vibrant health and lackluster “just getting by.” Which will you choose? The Dark Side of Our Thoughts

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Busting The Myth On The 5-Second Rule Did you know that most mascara contains chemicals associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity? Or that the parabens in your shampoo are linked to cancer? Did you know that the Teflon on your non-stick pan can disrupt your immune system? Did you know that the canned tomatoes you put in your chili tonight are laced with endocrine disrupting bisphenol A? Scary but true.

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Are you ready for more advice on how to reduce stress this holiday season? Yeah, I didn't think so. Well don’t worry - this is not going to be another cheery, oh just breath through it, article about surviving the holidays. We all know there is stress, too many gifts to buy, too much alcohol, too much food and too much family induced anxiety this time of year. Unless you go live in a cave, you aren’t going to avoid this. So stop trying. Speaking of which, maybe I’ll just book a vacation to the Mayan ruins for the month of December. Hold on a minute . . .

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Ever notice how you get a pain in your neck when you keep talking about your boss being a “pain in the neck”? This isn’t a coincidence. This is the mind-body connection in action. So if our thoughts can create pain, can our thoughts eliminate it? Absolutely. One of the most powerful tools I have in my radical self-care toolbox is guided imagery. Guided imagery uses your imagination to reach a relaxed, focused or other state of being. This state can promote stress reduction, healing and even life transformation. That is guided imagery.

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I’m overjoyed that fall is here. It’s my favorite time of year. Fall means pumpkins, mushrooms, apple cider, and soup. Some of my favorite foods. Fall can also mean colds, flu, and low energy. Is there a way to ward off such inconveniences? Well nothing is foolproof, but here are 7 suggestions to stay healthy this fall so you can enjoy all the festivities of corn mazes, apple picking, leaf peeping, pumpkin carving and football.

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I get 8 hours of sleep a night. My dog gets about 20 a day. So recently I asked people on Facebook if they were getting 8 hours sleep. The overwhelming response was NO! So today I wanted to take a quick moment and provide some tips on helping you get some better zzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s. The Blessed 8 hours We have all heard that we are supposed to get 8 hours of sleep. But why is that? What is so golden about 8 hours?

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You think I’m joking right? “Find happiness after diagnosis.” “I’ve just been told I’ll be shooting myself up every day.” “I’ve been told this isn’t curable.” “There is no happiness in that, so stop pulling my leg.” “How is happiness even possible?”

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When it comes to thriving with a chronic illness such as an auto-immune disease and overcoming fatigue, I find most people want a silver bullet. People want just one thing they can do to feel better. In many respects, diet seems to be the easiest, or at least the first one people reach for. I did when trying to heal from multiple sclerosis and re-energize.

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If you’re using sugar to boost your energy, you’re not alone. The chief complaint I hear among clients is that sugar causes them to crash, have low energy and be sluggish. So why do we reach for sugar when we need a boost? Some of us do it out of habit. We have trained ourselves to believe sugar is the solution to our energy needs, even when the consequences suck. We don’t seem to know any other way. Others use sugar to make them feel good. Sugar can be a powerful comfort food. It makes us happy. We find pleasure in chocolate or the perfect eclair. But what about that energy?r

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Prostate Cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland of the male reproductive system (ACS, 2010) . The occurrence of prostate cancer varies widely across the world, suggesting that a major role is played by lifestyles and dietary factors. Areas such as Europe and the United States experience more frequent cases, while other areas such as South and East Asia have less frequent cases. Prostate cancer commonly occurs in men over 50 years (ACS, 2010) .

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Bio-active whey protein refers to a mixture of globular proteins that are recovered from whey, the liquid by product obtained during cheese production (Smilkov, et al., 2013) . The protein composition in cow milk is 80% casein protein and 20% whey protein. Whey protein makes up 10% of whey's dry weight. The protein is often made up of beta-lactoglobulin (65%), alpha-lactalbumin (25%), bovine serum albumin (8%), and immunoglobulins (Smilkov, et al., 2013) .

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In the 1920s, American physiologist Walter Cannon was the first to describe the "fight or flight" response wherein stress hormones prepare our bodies for battle, or give sufficient energy and speed for us to flee from danger (Cannon 1915). Hans Selye (1907-1982), however, is considered to be the father of stress research, and was one of the earliest scientists who published numerous manuscripts on stress, the hormone cortisol, and their impact on health and disease in the early decades of the 20th century. Selye authore

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Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Among its main actions in the body are the increase in gluconeogenesis (formation of glucose from non-carbohydrate compounds), the suppression of the immune response, intervention in the metabolism of macronutrients, and decrease in new bone formation (osteopenia or osteoporosis). Cortisol has been used for many years in medicine to treat some diseases under the synthetic form of hydrocortisone. Cortisol levels tend to rise with age, and cortisol is the only hormone to do so.

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Hydrocortisone, otherwise referred to as cortisol, is known to play vital functions in the body's response to threats. The glucocorticoid is primarily released to counter stress, and achieves that through a number of responses - increases blood sugar, represses the immune system, and increases metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

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Increasing Telomere Length Boaz Nyona Matende B.S and Steven Petrosino Ph.Dr

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Cortisol- the fundamental definition: Cortisol is a hormone produced and released by the adrenal glands of the human body during times of stress, fight or flight. People of all age and sex produce and release this hormone. Triggered by the Hypothalamus of the brain, this hormone prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing blood sugar, activating anti-stress mechanisms and suppressing other bodily functions. Presence of this hormone accelerates food metabolism and slows down bone formation. Who is at risk?

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Laminine is an extract derived from fertilized organic hen eggs at a critical stage of incubation (on the 9th day). The use of fertilized egg extracts in medicine and nutrition dates back to 1929, and scientific studies on this unique supplement have been published in numerous peer-review jou als. Laminine is fat-free and cholesterol-free, as it is a lyophilized (freeze-dried) undenatured extract of the whites of hen's eggs raised under organic or free-range standards in Norway, where salmonella is virtually non-existent.

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Vitamin D, the Immune System, and Heart Attack and Atherosclerosis The June 9, 2008 issue of Archives of Inte al Medicine published by the American Medical Association presented the finding of Harvard researchers that men who have deficient vitamin D levels have a greater risk of myocardial infarction (heart ... Vitamin D and Heart Attack and Atherosclerosis

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Immunocal bioactive whey protein (which is also called HMS90 in Canada) is a nutritional supplement manufactured by Immunotec Research LTD of Canada. Immunocal bioactive whey protein is a highly concentrated, highly bio-available milk serum isolate which is rich in un-denatured whey proteins ...Immunocal bioactive whey protein (which is also called HMS90 in Canada) is a nutritional supplement manufactured by Immunotec Research LTD of Canada.

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Benzodiazepines are prescription medications that fall into the classification of Anti-Anxiety Agents. A few that you will be familiar with include Valium, Xanax, and Ativan. These prescription medications are typically used for anxiety and as a sleep aid. The major drawback with Benzodiazepines, as you may know, are prescription medications that fall into the classification of Anti-Anxiety Agents. A few that you will be familiar with include Valium, Xanax, and Ativan. These prescription medications are typically used for anxiety and as a sleep aid.

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DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: article found at: dietary sources of glutathione Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and detoxifying agent whose protective role has been demonstrated in numerous clinical studies. GSH is synthesized rapidly in the liver, kidneys, and other tissues of the body, ...DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: article found at: dietary sources of glutathione

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Did you ever wonder how your body protects itself from disease? More important, did you ever wonder how you could help get the job done? Well, you probably know that your immune system leads the battle against diseases. And you may even know this defense system is the most complicated system in your body. For one thing, the immune system is but one part of the ultra-confusing endocrine system. Half the world has a wonky endocrine system, and most aren’t getting much help from medicine.

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A while back, Dr. Steve Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology, along with ten other prominent physicians, offered an outstanding proposal that would immeasurably improve medical care in this country. And what is this great idea? Take control of medicine back from Big Pharma, who have all but destroyed it, and let doctors practice medicine with excellence. See, a most admirable idea. So excellent an idea, in fact, that it doesn’t stand a chance. Zip, zero, nada, as they say.

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Parsley is the Rodney Dangerfield of herbs; it gets no respect. Probably not even from Rodney Dangerfield. We’re talking NO respect. Once upon a time, most restaurants used parsley as a perky, colorful accompaniment on your plate, whatever you ordered. Most eaters ignored it, though, pretty much ending the parsley era. We need to reconsider our attitude here. Parsley is a nutritional powerhouse. And, better yet, a little dab’ll do ya. In fact, it would be hard to munch through a dollar’s worth in a week.

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Jane asks: "Will you please write about neuropathic pain and ways to alleviate it?" Neuropathic pain, a form of neuropathy, comes from nerve damage that causes pain, tingling, and burning–alternately or all at the same time. Some liken it to electrical shocks. It's estimated that more than twenty million Americans suffer from neuropathy. That's a whole bunch of pain! Treatment varies by the cause, so doing some detective work on your own improves the outcome. Maybe even determines whether the damage is permanent or temporary. Causes of neuropathy

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Well, now, you probably think I’m talking about the odor, but no. Powerful as it is, the smell of garlic can’t hold a candle to all the wonders this homely herb can do. And garlic’s no newcomer on the block. Back in 3748 B.C., Egyptian slaves went on strike when they didn’t get their ration of garlic–which they believed gave them courage and strength. About 2500 years ago, Hippocrates recommended garlic for infections, wounds, cancer, leprosy and digestive disorders. The Talmud says good things about garlic as well.

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A doc from Harvard Medical School published some findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association a while back. The two top-notch names like Harvard and AMA aside, you’ll want to know a few things before you start believing all the article said. This study says multivitamins don’t help men prevent heart diseases. Meanwhile, other studies jump up and down, saying “Oh, yes, they do!” I probably don’t need to tell you that both can’t be right. So, let’s have a look-see.

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I tell you true, our bodies are a wonder. Leading the parade of wonder is our endocrine system, a model of intricate cooperation. Part of the endocrine system, the immune system, is a complex mystery all on its own. And a part of the immune system, the lymphatic system, raises mind-boggling to a whole new level. So you'll probably be happy to hear that I'm not going to try to march you through the swamp of how it all works. But we do need to know a few things.

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Have you been reading about phthalate? (Phthal as in thal, rhymes with Hal.) Yikes! Talk about your basic poison! This stuff is murder! Phthalate is a toxic “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on. For starters, it throws the endocrine system–thyroid, adrenals, immune system, etc.–into a total tizzy because it pours bogus estrogen into our bodies. Besides whacking the endo system, bogus estrogen causes inflammation, a major cause of dread diseases. And as with so many things, kids get hit the worse.

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On May 1, 2013, neuroscientists announced, in the journal Nature, that the hypothalamus is important. Well, yeah! That baby is part of the brain and controls both the nervous system and the endocrine system, which, in turn, control everything that happens in our bodies. I think we can all agree that controlling the universe is important. However, the nervous system and endocrine system didn't really get a mention in the article. The study concluded the hypothalamus alone controlled aging.

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According to just about everything to you read or hear, saturated fat is bad, bad, bad. Dietitians say so. Doctors, too. Magazines follow along. Televisions shows such as “The Biggest Loser” agree. It’s kind of like some sort of mantra that gets repeated endlessly. One teensy little problem: Your body doesn’t agree. No way. No how. Not one little bit. Without saturated fat, your brain doesn’t work. And your endocrine glands have no raw material to make their hormones. Plus, you’re hungry all the time.

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Quite a few of you responded to the 2014 “What Should Bette Write About” Contest saying you wanted me to continue to write about how the endocrine system works. Well, murder mysteries never go out of style, and neither do the mysteries of the endocrine system. According to studies, 50% of us have endocrine problems of some sort--rarely diagnosed, even more rarely successfully treated, meaning we’re on our own. We can either stay in our misery or learn how to get out of the ditch.

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Perhaps you read about the death of John Jackson, of West Midands, England. The 40-year-old Mr. Jackson, unable to work because of advanced liver cirrhosis, the result of years of heavy drinking, is said to have died from eating mints. How could mints, specifically Hero Instant Energy Mints, kill him? Well, sayeth the poobahs, it was all the caffeine in the mints–82mg per mint.

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The crusade against cholesterol seems to be losing steam, so the poobahs are working on the real cause of heart problems. WooHoo! You shouldn’t hold your breath, howsomever. First off, cholesterol drugs bring in really, really big bucks, and that won’t stop until patients start refusing statin drugs. Which won’t be any time soon because patients have been scared silly. Second, the search for a big-money drug to replace statins isn’t going well.

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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.

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As your body’s official Defense Department, the immune system protects against all enemies. Toxins in the air. Viruses and bacteria that get into the body. Everything. And immune system headquarters is smack-dab in the middle of the most interactive, butt-into-everybody-else’s-business system known to man, the endocrine system. Neither, I might add, is a system in the sense of being separate from other systems. In our bodies, everything affects everything else, and we have systems within systems within other systems, all acting and interacting at the same time.

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Gather round and hear the story of how we’re losing a war to an enemy most people don’t know about. The whole thing started in the 1930s when chemical poobahs decided to create a synthetic form of estrogen and make boodles of money with it. And so it was that they created Bisphenol A (BPA). But shortly thereafter the wheels fell off their plan. Turned out their toxic creation did a number on women, even bumping some of them off. Not to worry! Quickly leaping to Plan B, they started spreading the toxin far and wide. And so began the war–and we’re losing.

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Figuring out what we need to do for good health can get pretty complicated, but here are a few, easy-to-implement tips that pay big dividends for not so much effort. • If you’re still trying to lose the Freshman Fifteen after all these years, you’re more likely to get the job done if you start the day with a high-fat breakfast. Scramble eggs in plenty of butter, for instance. Maybe add a small steak. Top it off with a few cups of coffee, and you’re good to go. The fat tells your body all’s well with the world, and it doesn’t have to hoard fat ‘just in case.’ Well, who knew?

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So, there you are, dragging your patooty through one grey day after another, wondering where your brain went, why your body aches and if you’ll ever feel good again. Even if your doctor checked for thyroid problems, and the flaky blood tests actually found the problem, you probably ended up on the ineffective medicine Synthroid or its generic equivalent. It helps almost nobody. But you don’t have to be hypothyroid to lack energy and joy. Perhaps your thyroid’s in a world of hurt because of what you’ve been doing to it, but it’ll work if you let it.

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Perhaps you noticed that I didn’t joined “The sky is falling!” crowd worried about fallout from Japan’s triple disasters. You know, like the warnings to start gobbling down potassium iodide by the handful. Well, actually, while iodide’s great stuff, potassium iodide is a kinda cheap form of it, and getting too much can backfire on your thyroid–among other body parts. Cheap never pays off. And taking action only after disaster strikes, while better than nothing I guess, doesn’t really get the job done. Nutritional supplements don’t play a very good game of catch-up.

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I’m not much on the idea of eating bugs and twigs. And a lot of so-called healthy diets sound pretty twiggy to me. Seems like efforts to make the right health moves should lead to a reward, as in delicious. So today I’m writing about butter. Not just any butter, but KerryGold Irish Butter. It makes my taste buds happy! Better yet, it does great things for my health, too! I know, I know, we’re told saturated fats are evil. Truth is, our bodies need for us to eat saturated fats. Big time. But not your everyday, I-got-it-at-the-grocery-store saturated fat.

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Perhaps you’re familiar with setting modern indoor speed records to get to the bathroom. And maybe you know about foods racing through your system, stopping only long enough to liquify before demanding “Out! Out!” I could go on, but if you spend time thinking about your digestive activities, you don’t need details. Since the digestive and endocrine systems are closely related–they’re even talking about declaring the digestive system to be part of the endocrine system–digestion is a huge problem.

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Now that you’ve all been taught that saturated fat is bad because it raises your cholesterol level and gives you heart attacks, give me a few moments to unlea you. Cholesterol is your friend. Your brain, being mostly cholesterol, doesn’t do much of a job when it runs short of the good stuff. Plus, your endocrine system needs ample cholesterol to work. Every endocrine gland–thyroid, adrenals, the works–creates hormones to keep your body keeping on. And they make those hormones from cholesterol.

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Synthetic estrogens create a huge toxic threat to our health. These estrogens form an advancing army that surrounds us. And we risk our health–even our lives–if we don’t learn what they are and how to avoid them. Bogus estrogens have cut the average testosterone level in half in the last forty years. They cause prostate and breast cancer. They provoke premature puberty in our children.

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We moved a lot, so I went to ten schools in twelve years. I was always the new kid. Take it from me, most teachers are a whole lot less than delighted when the new kid turns out to be a loud, energetic tomboy who doesn’t pay attention, but still scores the highest test grades. As if that weren’t enough, I exhibited a symptom of my whacked-out adrenals (a problem yet to be discovered) that few people know about: I sighed a lot. Totally involuntary. I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

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Doritos Well, looky here! I read that the CEO of Frito/Lay describes Doritos as a ‘healthful snack.’ Well, I had to check that out. Who knows? Maybe I could start eating Doritos. So off to the web! Holey Moley! It takes a special kind of dictionary to describe Doritos as healthful. Let’s a quick look at just some of the ingredients, in the order listed on the label, and you’ll see what I mean.

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Milk and cookies make a great snack, right? Well, maybe not so much. Besides the fact the cookies almost certainly have high fructose corn syrup in them, everyday milk is a killer. Literally. I mean, you don’t keel over right away, but take it from me, you’re asking for trouble. Here’s the deal: Factory farms give hormones to their cows to force greater milk production. This changes the composition of the milk, reducing its nutritional value. The hormones also give the cows mastitis. Not a problem! Just shoot ‘em up with antibiotics. That’s the ticket.

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Holey Moley, Chester, be careful out there! As you know, stress is the big kahuna of problems nowadays. And maybe stress-R-you. But just because somebody says something’s good for stress doesn’t mean you should take it. You need to know the rest of the story. An example: Holy Basil, a herb ballyhooed as a stress reliever. Well, maybe yes, maybe no. Let’s talk about this.

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There’s a lot of to-do going on about natural vitamins having an edge on the synthetics. And, truth to tell, going natural sure sounds good. The way God intended and all. But like with so many things, the devil’s in the details. The major sources of natural vitamin B vitamins are wheat and yeast. Well, if you have candida–a constant conce with thyroid or adrenal problems–you don’t want to throw yeast down the old hatch. Same thing if you have a mold allergy.

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We’re way too casual about concussions. In fact, when I suffered a concussion in a car accident a few years back, the doctor didn’t tell me. And when I asked, she told me it wasn’t important. And she was wrong. Concussions are huge. You see, most concussions damage the pituitary gland, sometimes temporarily, sometimes not. If you don’t take care of business in treating your concussion, you move toward permanent. If you get repeated concussions, you almost surely end up with permanent pituitary damage.

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Michelle Obama is taking a star turn about putting salad bars into schools. One look at the cast of characters supporting this idea makes it obvious the salad bar hype isn’t about health or children or anything else one can praise. This misbegotten idea is about control Let’s look at this. • The abysmal nutritional value of today’s school lunches is mandated by the federal government. If nutrition is the goal here, the first step should be getting rid of the heavy burden of regulations that make good nutrition impossible. But, no.

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Parsley is the Rodney Dangerfield of herbs; it gets no respect. Probably not even from Rodney Dangerfield. We’re talking NO respect. Once upon a time, most restaurants used parsley as a perky, colorful accompaniment on your plate, whatever you ordered. Most eaters ignored it, though, pretty much ending the parsley era. We need to reconsider our attitude here. Parsley is a nutritional powerhouse. And, better yet, a little dab’ll do ya. In fact, it would be hard to munch through a dollar’s worth in a week. So let’s talk about parsley. The Practicality of Parsleyr

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Senator Patrick Lehman and Representative Henry Waxman rush about, day after day, year after year, to do Big Pharma’s bidding. Let’s talk about where this takes us. Big Pharma, the major pharmaceutical companies, is about money. They advertise their wares as wonders created especially to improve your health. In reality, not so much.

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Bette Dowdell Medicine is a mess. Doctors don’t even try to heal chronic illnesses, content to treat symptoms instead. Probably because that’s all they learned in medical school. But it means their patients--that's us--drag through life, out of gas, running on fumes. Even worse, while some doctors are just bad doctors, more are totally hemmed in by regulations–from government and insurance companies, both of which are in cahoots with Big Pharma.

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One of the many miseries that can accompany a whacked-out thyroid–or any member of the endocrine system, for that matter–is muscle pain. Your muscles knot up. They lose flexibility. You creak like you’re 102. And through it all, you ache. One thing for sure, you don’t want to learn to live like that the rest of your days. Holding on to pain comes under the heading of truly bad ideas. So, what to do?

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We’ve probably all heard about Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. And a lot of what we’ve heard is wrong. Not just a little bit wrong, but standing-on-its head wrong. Let’s check this out. With some exceptions, Omega 6 fats come from plants and Omega 3 fats come from animals. Omega 6, the unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats so praised in popular magazines, cause a lot of disease. They come roaring into our bodies, creating inflammation as they go. Inflamed arteries. Inflamed organs. Most dread diseases start with inflammation.

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Disease rates are rocketing to the moon, with no slowdown in sight, because we don’t know how our bodies work. Most of what we’ve been taught is wrong, and doctors, cornered by insurance companies into ten-minute office visits, simply don’t have time to offer instruction. When it comes to keeping our bodies in working order, we’re pretty much on our own. So let’s talk about one of the basics: Enzymes. Simply speaking, enzymes are proteins that spur chemical reactions to completion.

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I study health issues for many hours a day. While I focus on endocrine health (thyroid, etc.), I have to cover the health waterfront because the body insists on living as an integrated whole. A balanced, integrated whole. If one part of the body suffers, they all suffer as the body balances things out. Likewise, if you offer enough support to one part of the body, say the thyroid, and it starts to move toward health, you can count on the body to average it down so it balances. And if you mix it up with something that drags the body down? Yup. Everything else heads south, too.

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You know the world’s upside down when you have to cast a wary at popcorn. Popcorn! What in the world could be wrong with good old popcorn? Well, they’ve gone and messed with it, that’s what. It’s not the simple, innocent, family treat of yesteryear. First off, corn ranks number two in genetically-modified foods. (Soy is first.) They’ll tell you they monkey with it to make it better, but if you believe that, be prepared to pay up for a bridge in Brooklyn, too.

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So there I was, standing in line at Walmart, waiting to pay for my hair spray. As I checked out the scenery, such as it was, a Woman’s World magazine leapt to my attention. Oh, it wasn’t the cover picture of Oprah. I mean, the magazine rack looked like an Oprah retrospective, or family album or some such. No, it was the headline: “Doctor-recommended home THYROID CURE! Weight gain, fatigue, poor concentration? SOLVED!” Thyroid cure? Solved? And my 30+ years of research hadn’t come across even a hint of a cure?

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The gonads, testes and ovaries, play a huge role in how the endocrine system works. And we seem to be doing everything we can to put them on the disabled list. We need to talk about this. Everybody has–and needs–estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Now, obviously men and women, boys and girls have different levels of these hormones. But who knows how long that’s going to last? Testosterone levels have fallen way, way down over the last forty years or so. Estrogen levels, meanwhile, have skyrocketed.

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We have two adrenal glands, each perched atop a kidney. With your spine dividing your back in two, you can locate a kidney in the middle of each half, with the bottom of the kidney right around the bottom of your rib cage. A few inches above that sits an adrenal gland, topping the kidney like a little beanie.

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Medical research is beginning to look more and more like an old Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney movie. A problem rears its ugly head, our plucky protagonists put on a show, the amazingly talented cast of friends and neighbors sings and dances its way to the finale–after which everybody lives happily ever after. Or maybe they rolled the credits before reality set in. That’s what’s happening in medicine. Let’s talk about a recent example.

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If you’ve read much of my stuff, you know that I do go on–and on–about the evils of soy. Why is soy bad? Besides stealing all your minerals, giving you kidney stones and depressing your thyroid function something fierce, soy is, among other things, estrogenic. That is, it adds bogus estrogen to your system. The bogus estrogen takes over, your real estrogen becomes homeless and wanders around causing problems. Read on to see what I mean by ‘problems.’ Scary stuff. And soy isn’t the only thing that floods us with pseudo estrogen.

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The old curse says “May you live in interesting times.” Well, ‘interesting’ is one way to describe the times we live in. ‘Mind boggling’ might be another. In either case, I think my head’s going to explode. Let’s talk about the new ugly of body fat. Researchers discovered leptin in 1994, and it turned medicine upside down. The research flying out of labs around the world makes Vesuvius look like a piker. The National Institutes of Health alone has produced more than a million reports. My Google alert for leptin brings pages of news every day.

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To most of us, talking about hormones means estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. True enough, they’re hormones, and we all have all of them. Men, women and children have them, in different proportions of course, but none of us can make it without all three working together. But these three aren’t even half the hormone story, just a small part of the endocrine system–the system that keeps life’s wheels turning. And every part of it creates hormones.

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Super foods, by definition, have more nutrition per ounce than your average health food. Most health foods strut around, proud as a peacock of their power and glory, but when a super food shows up, they fold up their tails and take a back seat. Now, I’m talking a real super food. Some people get all giddy and call anything with a trace of nutrition a super food. Not a chance. Even many of the foods known for their nutritional power, blueberries, for instance, can’t really be called super foods. Good, yes. Super, well no.

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What in the world, you might ask, does eating canned food have to do with getting pregnant? Well, it’s a risk. As is drinking anything that comes in a can.

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I read that the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill mandating vaccinations of all sorts. And if the good citizens of Massachusetts decline the honor, they get smacked with a $1000 a day fine. Now, Massachusetts proudly passed socialized medicine statutes a few years back, so the Senators obviously think the fact of being elected to public office gives them the right to tell other people how to live their lives. But politicians, never the sharpest knives in the drawer, often get it wrong. Mandated vaccinations provide only the latest example of governmental overreach.

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50% of the U.S. population has thyroid problems, most of which go undiagnosed. I don’t have worldwide statistics, but I can’t imagine they differ by much, if at all. And the numbers keep heading up! Yikes! And the thyroid never suffers alone. When one endocrine gland, such as the thyroid, goes down, the rest–adrenals, pancreas, gonads, etc.–all jump in to help out. If the problem goes on long enough, they all go south. So let’s look at just a few of the unexpected causes of thyroid malfunction.

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The latest thing in medicine is the ‘fact’ that all medicine is based on solid, scientific evidence. Excuse me? At least 70% of all medical practice has no scientific basis, relying instead on tradition, rumor and best guess. Meanwhile, doctors, according to the latest statistics available, kill 1200 patients a month with the medicines they prescribe. Obviously, their evidence doesn’t come with a ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ requirement.

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Some years ago, self-appointed busybodies screamed and yelled and hollered about McDonalds using beef fat to cook their fries. Deciding ahead of time that McDonalds was evil incarnate, they accused McDonalds of purposely risking our very lives with saturated fat. And so it was in 1990 that McDonalds switched to trans-fats. The busybodies who suggested that action took a bow. Well, now, there’s an oops! Trans-fats, liquid vegetable oils shot through with hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature–and to extend shelf life–are an unmitigated disaster.

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If you belong to the longer-is-better treadmill school of thought, you might want to reconsider. And if long distance running takes your time, you really need to think it through. Especially if you buy into the idea of high carb fueling. High carb fueling burns the fire hotter, that’s for sure. It also leaves behind more ashes, aka free radicals, as it whips your endocrine system along. As popular as it is, high carb fueling lacks a scientific basis. Fans, yes. Science, no. But I digress. I’m here to discuss endlessly flogging your body along.

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Muscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up. Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life. Our muscles get inflamed and “knotted up,” worse on some days than others.

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Conventional wisdom says coffee’s bad. Doctors agree. Magazines second the motion. You can hardly find a kind word about coffee. Which is just a tad bizarre because coffee is a health drink. Since nearly 90% of the U. S. population drinks the stuff, this comes under the heading of good ...Conventional wisdom says coffee’s bad. Doctors agree. Magazines second the motion. You can hardly find a kind word about coffee. Which is just a tad bizarre because coffee is a health drink. Since nearly 90% of the U. S. population drinks the stuff, this comes under the heading of good news.

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We have before us multiple scenarios, all of which start and end in the same place. (This is going to be a tad long, so grab a cup of coffee to see you through to the end.) The adventure starts when you drag into the doctor’s office complaining about weight gain, extreme fatigue, thinning ...We have before us multiple scenarios, all of which start and end in the same place. (This is going to be a tad long, so grab a cup of coffee to see you through to the end.)

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Have you been reading about phthalate? (Phthal as in thal, rhymes with Hal.) Yikes! Talk about your basic poison! This stuff is murder! Phthalate is a “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on. It goes without saying that it knocks the endocrine ...Have you been reading about phthalate? (Phthal as in thal, rhymes with Hal.) Yikes! Talk about your basic poison! This stuff is murder! Phthalate is a “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on.

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Fish oil’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, fish oil, that’s the ticket. Well, what about all the warnings about mercury in fish? Okay then, flaxseed’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, flaxseed, that’s the ticket. Begging your pardon and all, but there’s a teensy problem with ...Fish oil’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, fish oil, that’s the ticket. Well, what about all the warnings about mercury in fish? Okay then, flaxseed’s good for you. Everybody says so. Yeah, flaxseed, that’s the ticket.

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Here’s the scene: You go to the doctor dragging your patooty behind you. Your body got fat, but your hair got thin. Overwhelmed by a whole new definition of tired, you find yourself doing beached whale impressions while life goes to pot. Well, who could cope anyway? For all you know, your brain ...Here’s the scene: You go to the doctor dragging your patooty behind you.

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Every day of every year, people across the fruited plain engage in do-it-yourself brain damage. Sadly, they have no idea. How can this be? I’m glad you asked. First, some background: Along the bottom of the brain is a small, sort of pancake-shaped thingy called the hypothalamus. And although ...Every day of every year, people across the fruited plain engage in do-it-yourself brain damage. Sadly, they have no idea. How can this be? I’m glad you asked.

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Problems of the endocrine system are everywhere, often unacknowledged and untreated by most doctors. People talk freely about the thyroid, and they should; it’s estimated 40% of us have thyroid problems. Adrenal fatigue is in style–and uglier than massive shoulder pads ever were–so we’re ...Problems of the endocrine system are everywhere, often unacknowledged and untreated by most doctors. People talk freely about the thyroid, and they should; it’s estimated 40% of us have thyroid problems.

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The incidence of thyroid disease doubled in the last thirty-or-so years. Auto-immune diseases, which relate to the endocrine system, are skyrocketing. So, too, are diseases of the brain, such as autism, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease. A significant part of the problem is the dangers ...The incidence of thyroid disease doubled in the last thirty-or-so years. Auto-immune diseases, which relate to the endocrine system, are skyrocketing. So, too, are diseases of the brain, such as autism, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease.

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There’s a huge soy bandwagon roaring down the tracks. It’s everywhere; 60% of prepared foods contain soy. Even some vitamins, too. Can we talk about this? Of course it’s everywhere; it’s the cheapest and easiest crop to grow. Farmers make some money. Food manufacturers ...There’s a huge soy bandwagon roaring down the tracks. It’s everywhere; 60% of prepared foods contain soy. Even some vitamins, too. Can we talk about this?

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I’ve been dealing with an underperforming pituitary gland most of my life–possibly from a seemingly minor head injury when a drunk driver hit my parent’s car during my eleventh month. However it happened, the deal is this: When the pituitary ain’t happy, ain’t ...I’ve been dealing with an underperforming pituitary gland most of my life–possibly from a seemingly minor head injury when a drunk driver hit my parent’s car during my eleventh month.

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I talk to pretty much everybody. Starting conversations with strangers is my normal modus operandi. I mean, why stand in a line mute, an island unto myself, when I can have a perfectly lovely conversation with somebody I haven’t yet met? And I don’t talk about the weather. I talk ...I talk to pretty much everybody. Starting conversations with strangers is my normal modus operandi. I mean, why stand in a line mute, an island unto myself, when I can have a perfectly lovely conversation with somebody I haven’t yet met?

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Somehow, despite all our hopes, dreams and efforts, life became a train-wreck. We may or may not have had an inkling of the impending doom. Perhaps we were in denial or maybe completely unaware of what was swirling around just out of sight. We may have seen it coming but didn’t realize its ...Somehow, despite all our hopes, dreams and efforts, life became a train-wreck. We may or may not have had an inkling of the impending doom. Perhaps we were in denial or maybe completely unaware of what was swirling around just out of sight.

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So, here’s the situation: We’re thinking about making some changes in life, and we’re wondering how to spot the perfect time to act. Perfect timing means perfect success, right? Here's a news flash. There are no perfect times. There are bad times, good times, even excellent ...So, here’s the situation: We’re thinking about making some changes in life, and we’re wondering how to spot the perfect time to act. Perfect timing means perfect success, right?

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Cervantes said, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady." As a matter of fact, a faint heart never won much of anything. But put a little determination and will into that heart, and it can shoot the moon. What you hear, though, is that parents should prefer the faint heart, that is, the passive heart. ...Cervantes said, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady." As a matter of fact, a faint heart never won much of anything. But put a little determination and will into that heart, and it can shoot the moon.

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You want dumb as a brick? You want too dense to get out of their own way? Get yourself some sheep. Quarry rocks have higher IQs than sheep. In any cavalcade of dumb things, sheep always lead the parade. Animal lovers argue about animal intelligence. Pigs, they say, are really intelligent. ...You want dumb as a brick? You want too dense to get out of their own way? Get yourself some sheep. Quarry rocks have higher IQs than sheep. In any cavalcade of dumb things, sheep always lead the parade.

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We’ve all heard the old saying that goes, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Now there’s a thought. We surely have to do something with the lemons as they come along. Sucking on lemons takes the enamel right off your teeth, so we don’t want to do that. Letting them ...We’ve all heard the old saying that goes, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Now there’s a thought. We surely have to do something with the lemons as they come along.

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It’s a much mourned fact of life that watching exercise videos doesn't build muscles. Couch potatoes who can legitimately boast about six-pack abs don’t exist. Reading bodybuilding books doesn't get the job done, either. Reading can take us on many wondrous journeys of the mind, ...It’s a much mourned fact of life that watching exercise videos doesn't build muscles. Couch potatoes who can legitimately boast about six-pack abs don’t exist.

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Babies show the world what selfish looks like. On a whim, they set up a wail loud enough to wake the dead–or at least it sounds that way at 2:00 a.m. No matter that others may be tired or sick or have to go to work. Babies want what they want when they want it. So stop sniveling. Some ...Babies show the world what selfish looks like. On a whim, they set up a wail loud enough to wake the dead–or at least it sounds that way at 2:00 a.m. No matter that others may be tired or sick or have to go to work. Babies want what they want when they want it. So stop sniveling.

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So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter. You may remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job ...So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter.

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The whole world's in the label business. Every time we turn around, somebody's jamming a label on us. Not those “Hi, My name is” stick-ums, Not any sort of tangible, visible label, in fact, but psychological Post-It® notes. Even early on in life, we’re covered with ...The whole world's in the label business. Every time we turn around, somebody's jamming a label on us. Not those “Hi, My name is” stick-ums, Not any sort of tangible, visible label, in fact, but psychological Post-It® notes.

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You're not perfect. I'm not perfect. Nobody's perfect. Give it up. Nobody likes their nose. Or their knees, for that matter. Everybody finds annoying lumps, bumps and wrinkles, typically invisible to others, in various and sundry locations on their body. And if you have kids, ideas of ...You're not perfect. I'm not perfect. Nobody's perfect. Give it up. Nobody likes their nose. Or their knees, for that matter. Everybody finds annoying lumps, bumps and wrinkles, typically invisible to others, in various and sundry locations on their body.

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Tolerance. It’s a good thing, a socially desirable thing, isn’t it? What could possibly be wrong with tolerance? I’m so glad you asked. Here’s what’s wrong: The magnificently sold idea of tolerance is, in fact, destroying our highest and best values in life. Twenty-five years ago, had you described our society as it now exists, nobody would have believed that we would ever fall so far.

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Most of us know that our bodies create insulin to handle the sugary treats we eat. And most of us know we get diabetes if our insulin can’t get the job done. What few of us know is what happens when insulin does its job too well. It’s hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, and it’s the pits. I’ve been there and done that, and there’s nothing I can say to recommend it.

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The government’s food pyramid and leading poobahs recommend that we eat very little protein, which is a no-science, no-facts recipe for disaster. In fact, most politically-correct thinking about health leads to poor health, even disease and death. How much protein you need is a case in point. Without protein, your body’s in a world of hurt. Your brain doesn’t work. Your endocrine system doesn’t work. Your digestion doesn’t work. In short, you feel really crummy.

Published · 1,643 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Mold allergies are as common as dirt. Perhaps because the mold spores that cause the allergy are in dirt–from sea to shining sea and around the world, and dirt is out to play dirty tricks on you. Of course, any body of water, such as a lake, produces clouds of mold spores to play havoc with your health. Breathing problems, anyone? How about digestive uproar? And, as if they didn’t already have enough problems, people with thyroid problems are particularly susceptible to entering the badlands of a mold allergy.

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Mold is my enemy, and it’s everywhere! In fact, it lives in all the soil, in all the world. Well, you ask, if mold lives in the dirt, how can it jump up and attack? Ah, my little chickadee, it has no need to do anything. The gentlest breeze wafts mold spores into the air where they weasel their way into my body. At which point my very annoyed body yells, “How many times do I have to tell you I’m allergic to mold?” Excuses about how I couldn’t help it get me nowhere.

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Our thymus gland, leader of the immune system’s world, starts out strong, but as the years go by, sayeth the poobahs, it becomes a shadow of its former self, ending as just a few, lonely fat cells with no power, no glory. And that’s when cancer and other bad guys take us down. This is just the way it is, they claim, and nothing can be done. “Just normal aging,” they say. Well, nuts to that!

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I tell you true, this Ebola thing is a mess, and the reactions to it are not promising. Medicine has nothing to offer, so they’re in a panic. Which means the media is beating a very loud drum about death and mayhem marching in shortly. Meanwhile, the President has sent soldiers, trained to defeat the enemy with guns and tanks, into Ebola-stricken lands where, apparently, they’re expected to win the war against a virus. Sayeth the brass, “Training? We don’t need nostinkin’ training!”

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Thyroid, Metabolism and All That Jazz Kelly asks, “How can my husband jumpstart his metabolism to lose weight? His TSH is ‘in normal limits’ at 1.1 and his Free T3 is low at 2.3, but his doctor won’t treat him since his TSH is normal.” Well, Kelly, before I launch, let me explain your question to those fortunate enough not to be battling thyroid problems or tests.

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1. Today's first tip is you should breathe. Well, that sounds pretty obvious, but there's breathing and then there's breathing. Most people, especially those in less than tip-top health, take shallow breaths. And that's part of why they're dragging their patooty day after day. With every breath, their bodies ask, "Is that it? That's all you've got?" People can miss the message, though, because shouting takes energy, so it's more like easy-to-miss quiet pleading.

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You deserve a break today, so let’s talk about some things you can do for your health that don’t require heavy lifting, grunting, panting or any other sort of exhaustion. Some people like extreme exercise, but most don’t. Either way, healthy living shouldn’t feel like punishment. And here are some tips to help. 1. Mom probably hit the “stand up straight” button upon frequent occasion during your youth, and she was right! Well, who knew posture had anything to do with health? Perhaps even Mom didn’t know that part of it.

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Liver disease is on the warpath–from sea to shining sea and around the world. If you have endocrine problems, the liver tsunami probably hit you. Perhaps your endo problems whacked the liver. Or maybe vice versa. It’s kind of like a tag team of misery. And since liver problems put a world of hurt on your immune system, I thought I’d let you know some of the symptoms of a liver in trouble.

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We're surrounded by health enemies, and that's a fact. Trouble is, they seem like such a part of everyday life, we don't realize they might not be friends. One enemy was born in 1974, fluorescent lights. First, it was long tubes; now it's curly-cue bulbs. Trouble, I say you've got trouble–because they all contain mercury. And they sit around giving off mercury vapors, even when they're off.

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The immune system is kind of a mystery. We don't hear much about where any of our immune system parts are, what they do, how they do whatever it is they do, etc. Well, maybe you've heard of lymph glands. Perhaps a huge lump showed up on the side of your neck–which, you decide, can only mean cancer. So, off you hie to see the doc, who tells you an allergy caused your tender-to-the-touch lump. You breathe a sigh of relief and get on with life, happy that it wasn't more serious.

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In my articles, The Blank Slate Myth and The Dietitian's Blank Slate, I wrote about the blind spot of seeing only what you want to see so you can do what you want to do. Today, let's talk about the blank slate of doctors. With so many examples and so little time, where do I start to talk about the blank slate of doctors, seeing what isn't there? Or, in other words, continuing to practice what medical school taught them even when it consistently fails to heal.

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In The Blank Slate Myth, I talked about parents who see newbo babies as blank slates, an invitation to push, pull and otherwise shape their kids to fit their parental fancies. Well, good luck with that. And parents aren't the only blank-slate believers. Hoo boy! Medicine comes chock-a-block full of blank-slate types. That's what they know, and that's what they do. And if things don't work out, well it's your fault, not theirs. Prominent in the blank-slate parade are dietitians.

Published · 1,281 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Have you ever met people committed to the idea that babies arrive as blank slates. Beyond body parts, a lot of noise at one end and foul deeds at the other, babies, they believe, have nothing. No personality. No talents. No will. No inbred likes or dislikes. Just pure nothingness, a blank slate. Babies, all babies they believe, can be whatever you want them to be. You simply take the blank slate and fill it in as you choose.

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All proteins are not created equal. For instance, animal protein provides more health benefits than plant protein. To make the imbalance larger, a lot of plant protein comes from soy. Besides not having the oomph of animal protein, soy is really hard on the body. It beats up your thyroid, absorbs needed minerals from your body, causes kidney stones, throws your hormones out of whack with bogus estrogen, and on, and on. And most soy is genetically-modified. While we won’t know the results of this medical experiment for years, ominous signs about damaging our DNA are everywhere.

Published · 1,358 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Prescription drugs are dangerous, a leading cause of death year in and year out. Some drugs slay you in one fell swoop, but most just nibble your health away. To give you examples, I went to a health site that lists drug side effects. Since I write about the endocrine system, I looked at http://ehealthme.com/symptom/thyroid+disorder for information about prescription meds that stomp on the thyroid.

Published · 1,317 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

What with all the publicity it’s getting lately, it probably won’t come as news to you that coconut oil’s pretty astonishing stuff. A medium-chain saturated fat, wondrous coconut oil blesses the socks off your body. First, since our endocrine system makes its hormones from saturated fat, coconut oil can give sagging glands a boost. Improved metabolism, anybody? More energy? A pumped-up immune system? Coconut oil makes a big endocrine difference.

Published · 1,560 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Medicos diagnose and treat symptoms. All day, every day, only symptoms matter. The cause of the symptoms gets scant, if any, attention. But putting Band-Aids on symptoms–which I call the patch, patch, patch approach–doesn’t work. For instance, diabetes shows up when the body can’t handle the sugar that comes its way. Doctors prescribe drugs–with mind-boggling side effects it must be said–to lower blood sugar levels. They do nothing to address what causes the problem. So diabetics drag along year after year, always headed downhill, with one problem after another.

Published · 1,270 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Our thymus gland, located behind our breast bone, leads the immune system into battle against evildoers intending to snatch our health away. So we know where it is and what it does. And that about sums it up for most of us. It seems like we should know more about such a big-time player, but we don't. At least, doctors and patients don't.

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When it comes to our bodies, everything affects everything because everything's connected. And our endocrine system sits smack dab in the middle of all this connecting that's going on. Here's a quick look at the parts of the endocrine system and what they do (24/7, I might add):

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Medicine sees our various body parts as separate and entire unto themselves. Each speciality treats a specific body part–with almost no reference to anything else. There’s no point in asking, say, a heart doctor about your digestion. Heart doctors don’t do digestion. And while nobody can know and treat everything, the one-part-at-a-time approach leads to bad choices and bad health. Years ago the poet Donne wrote, “No man is an island, entire unto itself.” Were Donne alive today, perhaps he’d add something about no body part being an island, either.

Published · 1,175 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

In 2009, Ronald Ball bought a can of Mountain Dew from the vending machine at work. One swig, and Good Old Ron was throwing up all over the place, sicker than the proverbial dog. Upon breaking the can open and pouring out its contents for a look-see, what to his wondering eyes did appear but a rat. Well, some reports said it was a mouse, but either way, Yikes! Being a good citizen, he immediately called PepsiCo, maker of Mountain Dew to warn them they might have a problem in their cannery.

Published · 1,325 views · Rated 5/5 from 3 votes

It interferes with thyroid function. It gets estrogen and testosterone out of whack. It puts a hurt on your immune system by messing with your thymus gland. It increases your chances of becoming resistant to antibiotics. It sets your kids up for asthma and infections. And it’s probably in your house right now. It’s triclosin–the health scourge that almost nobody’s heard about. And it’s everywhere.

Published · 1,309 views · Rated 4/5 from 1 votes

I’m talking killers, and I’m talking about you. You have natural killers in you. And these natural killers are a good thing. A very good thing. Which is why I’m going to talk about how to keep your natural killers in top shape, ready for action. First, let’s talk about the company your killers hang out with. Natural killer cells are part of the endocrine system–thyroid, adrenals, etc–a bunch of glands that pretty much determine how good we feel. And these guys are a tight group.

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People used to call bread “the staff of life.” But those days seem to be gone forever. Bread is now a problem of life. Let me count the ways. • Celiac disease: Caused by an intolerance to gluten–part and parcel of grains–celiac disease gets diagnosed a lot as irritable bowel syndrome, sometimes as colitis. Which can mean a digestive system that demands a whole lot of attention and action. Or it can mean a brain that doesn’t quite function. Symptoms vary, but those are the top two.

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Carve this in stone: Your body will balance itself no matter what you think, do or say. This is one of the many things they don’t teach us in school. And I’ve never seen a headline about it on a magazine cover, either. It seems to be somebody’s secret, but we need to let that cat out of the bag right now. This is important stuff. For instance, your body insists the calcium in your body be balanced with the magnesium in your body. Well, everybody’s heard about taking calcium to protect your bones, so we piously chug down calcium and wish our bones well. Not so fast, Chester.

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My three-year-old niece Rachel came to live with us the on the same day we moved from New York to our new home in Connecticut. Nobody really planned it that way; it just happened. Ten-year-old Chrissie already had the willys about the move, and eight-year-old Charles didn’t lag far behind in the negative vibe department. Adding a three-year-old to the household took them to the heights of misgiving.

Published · 1,135 views · Rated 3/5 from 1 votes

Half of us have thyroid problems, mostly undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. A whacked out thyroid tends to drag down the whole endocrine system, of which it is a part. In turn, a misbehaving endocrine system can drag along all kinds of stuff. Stuff you’d never in a million years figure out had anything to endocrine issues. For one instance, allergies get an open invitation to drop by any time. And mercy me, drop by they do. And stay.

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The short answer is, for people with endocrine problems, detoxing is a foe. Let’s talk about it. Our endocrine system and our gastrointestinal system–that part of us we’re thinking of detoxing–are joined, in a manner of speaking, at the hip. You can’t affect one without affecting the other. Big time. Your gastro system can cause your endo system to falter; your endo system can likewise do a real number on your gastro system. Which makes it sound like cleaning things up can only be good, right?

Published · 1,801 views · Rated 5/5 from 1 votes

Doesn’t just about everybody like chicken? And doesn’t it bring up memories of the family around the table, enjoying a wholesome meal and good family time? Chicken’s the inexpensive choice, with thousands upon thousands of recipes singing its praises. Well, those were the good old days. I hate to be the one to break the bad news, but they’ve gone and messed with good old chicken.

Published · 1,660 views · Rated 5/5 from 2 votes

The pancreas is below our stomach, front and center, near the bottom of the rib cage. It may be the busiest twelve inches going. First off, just to make things more complicated (and who in the world thought that was necessary?), the pancreas is both an exocrine and an endocrine organ. The exocrine part comes with the necessary tubing to send digestive enzymes to their designated destination.

Published · 1,746 views · Rated 4.5/5 from 2 votes

Our most well-known endocrine gland is the thyroid. Not nearly as well known is the fact that half the population has thyroid problems, mostly undiagnosed or mistreated. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located by your Adam’s apple, controls metabolism and affects everything else. You may know about the weight problems, hair loss, brain fog, depression, extreme fatigue, etc. that accompany an underperforming thyroid gland. Some of you have experienced the living on the edge sensation of an overactive thyroid.

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The pituitary gland is King of the endocrine hill. A tiny teardrop sort of arrangement, the pituitary hangs from the base of the hypothalamus portion of the brain, not too far behind the bridge of the nose, a vulnerable location for such an important actor. Studies link concussions to pituitary damage. One typical study said 68% of people suffering even a mild concussion ended up with a damaged pituitary. My pituitary problems apparently began when a drunk driver hit my parents’ car, and my pliable 11-month-old skill bashed into the door panel.

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The hypothalamus controls both our nervous system and our endocrine system. Which adds up to pretty much everything that goes on. It’s the tiny king of a vast realm. About the size of an almond and the shape of a little, lumpy pancake, the hypothalamus tucks up under the base of the brain, part of the brain, but unprotected by the blood/brain barrier I think you should stand and salute every time you read the word ‘hypothalamus.’ That would slow things way down, but perhaps you’d end up filled with an appropriate amount of awe.

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Gather round as I tell you about something so important that it controls almost everything that goes on inside your body, but so secret that almost nobody knows about it. Oh, a few may know the name of it, but they couldn’t explain it to you–even if you offered them a million dollars. What is this important, mysterious thing? Your endocrine system.

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What’s up with the lamebrains who speak in the potty-mouth dialect without even a hint of a thought about how others will receive their message? If you’re in sales in any way, this one’s for you. Step this through with me: Unless we’re speaking to ourselves (which is another topic for another day), when we speak or write, at least one other person gets involved by listening or reading. And I would guess our purpose of speaking or writing would be to communicate with that other person or persons.

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The large pharmaceutical companies–Big Pharma–control medicine in the U.S. And they stand between us and good medical care. Let’s be blunt about it. Big Pharma is all about money. First, last and always, it’s about the money. They dress it up with talk about the frontiers of science, conquering disease, improving life, etc., but it’s not about any of these things. It’s about money. Pharmaceutical companies rake in big, big bucks. And they lavish it around to buy the assurance that a large stream of big bucks will continue to flow through the pipeline.

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Good health requires protein. It’s protein that repairs the cells in our body, builds and maintains our muscles and bones, gives us energy and rides herd over a lot of what goes on inside us. And it’s protein that keeps our endocrine system chugging along. Diets with inadequate protein lead down a dreary path to incapacity.

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A fellow-attendee at a Bible study I attend, a self-professed mature Christian, said her sister had always been a Christian. While the sister had been a Buddhist and a few other religions from time to time and currently lives a life high in hedonism and low in integrity, she “has always been a Christian.” Well, what kind of nonsense is that? Christians live their lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, who’s not the least inclined to tolerate such things, let alone endorse them. Where did we go off the tracks to reach this dismal idea? Let me suggest three things:

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Chances that you have endocrine problems are fifty-fifty. It could well be that’s why you feel lower than a snake’s belly. How can that be? How do endocrine problems happen? Let me count the ways. First, let’s look at the pituitary, the master of the endocrine system. The Pituitary Society says 20% of us have pituitary tumors, most of which, thankfully, are benign. As if that’s not bad enough, study in Europe says 25% of us have pituitary tumors.

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The labels on baby shampoos sure sound good. Gentle. Non-irritating. Everything a good mother could want. And some have pictures of smiling, happy babies to seal the deal. Most of those labels don’t tell the truth. They can’t, because if moms knew the truth, they wouldn’t buy the shampoo. Why not? Most baby shampoos–most shampoos for any age–contain sodium lauryl sulfate or its equally ugly cousins sodium laureth sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate.

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Thyroid treatment fell apart in the 1960s. That’s when thyroid blood tests and Synthroid first appeared. Doctors hailed the blood tests as a means of making thyroid treatment scientific. Blood tests eliminated the need to deal with symptoms, which, as any thyroid patient can tell you, are many. The problems with this approach went unmentioned. First, the TSH test has little science behind it and came into use based on a vote by endocrinologists. While docors swear by it, results are unreliable. As are the results of the various T3 and T4 tests.

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So, there you are, dragging your patooty through one grey day after another, wondering where your brain went, why your body aches and if you’ll ever feel good again. Even doctors who test for thyroid problems typically prescribe the ineffective medicine Synthroid or its generic equivalent. It helps almost nobody. On the other hand, it can cause allergic reactions, making patients feel even worse. Doctors, state medical boards and, notoriously, the FDA need to work this out by letting the sunlight of truth into their considerations. I recommend, however, that you don’t hold your breath.r

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I’m one of five siblings, and we’ve all had heart surgery. Like most people with heart problems, none of us ever had any of the so-called risk factors. No high cholesterol. No high triglycerides. No high blood pressure. Nothing. My ‘turn’ arrived on Christmas Eve, 2005. Of course, nobody worked on Christmas Day, so my stent had to wait a day. You couldn’t say anybody showed a sense of urgency. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had seen that as a big-time clue and taken a pass on surgery. But, with a family history replete with death by heart attack, I didn’t.

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My doctor no longer practices medicine, so I had to find another. Like most long-time thyroid patients, I’ve been through the proverbial mill. I knew for sure I didn’t want to be bullied into taking Synthroid, which most doctors prefer–even though it doesn’t work. I found a listing for doctors who prescribe Armour thyroid, the medicine that does work, found a doctor near me and made an appointment. I signed in and handed my information–my list of supplements and one medication (Armour thyroid), a very brief medical history and my two current concerns–to the receptionist.

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I ran into an acquaintance at a conference the other day. We got to talking about vitamins. (Somehow I always end up talking about vitamins; I could bore a stone.) Doctors recently installed her second pacemaker. She said her ejection fraction–the force with which her heart pumps blood–was ten. Normal is fifty and north; zero is dead. Lunch came with the conference, and she wondered if she dared eat anything since the doctor told her to avoid salt.

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So, there you are, dragging your patooty and wondering what in the world happened to you. A friend suggests that you probably have thyroid problems. Another friend jumps in to say, no, you probably have adrenal problems. So you poke around the internet, getting nowhere. When they talk about the adrenal glands, they seem to repeat everything they say about the thyroid. And vice versa. Truth to tell, the symptoms do overlap, sort of like a plate of spaghetti. They’re all over the place, and it’s hard to tell one from another.

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So, you go to the doctor and spill your bucket of symptoms–fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, etc. If you happened upon an alert doctor, you’ll get a thyroid test. And you’ll celebrate that help is on the way. Well, maybe. While doctors love blood tests–and disdain symptoms–thyroid tests aren’t reliable. Doctors know this, but they go by the book. But perhaps the test actually says you have a punk thyroid. The doctor prescribes Synthroid, levothyroxin or some other T4 med, assuring you it will fix things. And you celebrate that help is here.

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Some years back, about thirty or so, the medicos labeled the sun an enemy agent. We all needed to slather on sun screen all day, every day, or risk dying of melanoma in slightly more than a trice. If, like me, you’ve lost a loved one to melanoma, you reacted quickly and positively, making sun screen a regular part of your daily routine. And melanoma rates skyrocketed.

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People in the health biz throw around the lingo as if everybody has a clue. Well, some do, but some don’t. And even those that do may recognize the word without understanding its meaning. So, lets talk some terminology. Especially about things that drag us down–including body parts that insist on going south–and not just for the winter. We can wrap up disease and aging in just a few words. Not, of course, all the intricacies and complications, but words that should grab out attention and move us to action.

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Exercise can kill you. Well, so can lots of other things, but people tout exercise as all good, all the time. Before couch potatoes get excited here, life as an inanimate object doesn’t get excellent results either. Well, then, obviously, some middle ground exists. However, since slugs receive unending, universal criticism while people who live at the gym reap admiration, I’ll talk about the exercise buffs. Exercise stresses the body. It builds free radicals, those natural enemies that rust out our various and sundry parts.

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Did you know that some animals produce their own Vitamin C? They never get heart disease. No atherosclerosis. No heart attacks. Just singing a song all the day long. Sad to report, humans aren’t part of that happy group. Heart disease runs rampant amongst humans. Hark, Sherlock, might that not ...Did you know that some animals produce their own Vitamin C? They never get heart disease. No atherosclerosis. No heart attacks. Just singing a song all the day long.

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Can we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it’s clear that cholesterol isn’t what’s causing heart disease? But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn’t that mean cholesterol’s the problem? Actually, no. Your cholesterol is simply trying to patch ...Can we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it’s clear that cholesterol isn’t what’s causing heart disease? But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn’t that mean cholesterol’s the problem?

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A dismayed grandmother said her precious grandson was diagnosed and treated as autistic–when, in fact, he has lyme disease. She reports that a recent study said 90% of California kids diagnosed with autism actually had lyme. Then she asked the jackpot question: How come doctors don’t know ...A dismayed grandmother said her precious grandson was diagnosed and treated as autistic–when, in fact, he has lyme disease. She reports that a recent study said 90% of California kids diagnosed with autism actually had lyme. Then she asked the jackpot question: How come doctors don’t know better?

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The latest Big Thing in medicine is “Standard of Care.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? The name alone makes you believe that no matter what doctor you go to, there’s a Standard of Care ensuring a quality outcome. What a comforting thought. Clever name, that. The sad truth is ...The latest Big Thing in medicine is “Standard of Care.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? The name alone makes you believe that no matter what doctor you go to, there’s a Standard of Care ensuring a quality outcome. What a comforting thought.

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Did’ja ever get the feeling you’re in Wonderland looking for Alice? Where two plus two doesn’t equal four any more, and too much of what you see offers only puzzlement? For instance, our powers that be outlawed mercury thermometers. Better you shouldn’t know your temperature than risk breaking ...Did’ja ever get the feeling you’re in Wonderland looking for Alice? Where two plus two doesn’t equal four any more, and too much of what you see offers only puzzlement?

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Enough with the fluoride already! Communities began adding fluoride to our drinking water based on “scientific” studies–which turned out to be bogus–claiming fluoride would protect our teeth from cavities. Based on the same “science,” companies put the stuff in toothpaste. Fact is, fluoride ...Enough with the fluoride already! Communities began adding fluoride to our drinking water based on “scientific” studies–which turned out to be bogus–claiming fluoride would protect our teeth from cavities. Based on the same “science,” companies put the stuff in toothpaste.

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Wanna choose sides in the latest autism war? One side says the mother’s lack of Vitamin D during pregnancy causes autism, while the other side says it’s the glutamate that’s in the many immunization shots babies and young children receive. Let’s take a look-see. Autism comes from brain ...Wanna choose sides in the latest autism war? One side says the mother’s lack of Vitamin D during pregnancy causes autism, while the other side says it’s the glutamate that’s in the many immunization shots babies and young children receive. Let’s take a look-see.

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So, let’s talk about salt. Poor salt! It pours out its very life to benefit mankind and gets only disdain in return. Well, maybe that’s a little over the top, but salt doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. It’s not manna from heaven, but it’s good stuff. Essential to life stuff. Here’s something ...So, let’s talk about salt. Poor salt! It pours out its very life to benefit mankind and gets only disdain in return. Well, maybe that’s a little over the top, but salt doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. It’s not manna from heaven, but it’s good stuff. Essential to life stuff.

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Or, for that matter, does God understand what’s going on in the life of a road warrior sales person? Or life on a clanging, banging, push, push, push assembly line? Or on an oil rig? As part of a building crew? To tell the truth, the God of our Sunday School days kind of comes across as a part ...Or, for that matter, does God understand what’s going on in the life of a road warrior sales person? Or life on a clanging, banging, push, push, push assembly line? Or on an oil rig? As part of a building crew?

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My mom lived with Parkinson’s Disease the last seventeen ears of her life, Let me tell you for sure and for certain that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is more like scaling Everest than walking in the park. It’s uphill all the way, with no certainty about the about the twists and turns you’ll ...My mom lived with Parkinson’s Disease the last seventeen ears of her life, Let me tell you for sure and for certain that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is more like scaling Everest than walking in the park.

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Back in the olden days–say 1960–doctors diagnosed thyroid problems by asking about symptoms, then working to alleviate them. Simple system, that. And it worked for the 20% of the population with flaky thyroid glands. Ah, but then blood tests, purportedly able to diagnose thyroid ...Back in the olden days–say 1960–doctors diagnosed thyroid problems by asking about symptoms, then working to alleviate them. Simple system, that. And it worked for the 20% of the population with flaky thyroid glands.

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Pity the poor novice who innocently walks into a ‘with it’ church to worship. They expect to hear a little music, perhaps a reading from the Bible and somebody talking about God. But in the ‘Church of What’s Happnin’ Now,’ these stunned, would-be ...Pity the poor novice who innocently walks into a ‘with it’ church to worship. They expect to hear a little music, perhaps a reading from the Bible and somebody talking about God.

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You know life is not all you hoped it might be when you find yourself spending time at www.planeturine.com. Pray let me tell you a story of staggering to triumph through, over and around adversity. Once upon a time a girl named Bette thought it good to move from Tucson to Phoenix. Bette, you ...You know life is not all you hoped it might be when you find yourself spending time at www.planeturine.com. Pray let me tell you a story of staggering to triumph through, over and around adversity.

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