Tired, Bloated and Gaining Weight?

Fatigue and tiredness are considered a normal part of motherhood. However, if you are feeling tired, bloated and maintaining a healthy body weight seems a thing of the past; it’s time to get to the cause.

 

Fatigue can be caused from simple nutritional deficiencies such as low iron or vitamin B12, or by more complex causes such as depression. Three major influences to energy levels that are often overlooked in routine testing are hormonal, digestive and metabolic disturbances.

Hormonal Disturbances

Healthy hormones are the key to feeling fantastic and maintaining a healthy body weight as they directly influence energy metabolism.  However, identifying an underlying imbalance can often prove challenging. This can be due to the fluctuating nature of many reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and also “hormone resistance” within the cells. This means your body may be producing the right levels, however your uptake is below par, leaving you ‘hormonally depleted’.  This is often the case with thyroid hormones that are influenced by autoimmune disorders triggered by pregnancy, surgery, medications or giving up smoking.

Digestive Disturbances

Digestive disturbances such as irritable bowel syndrome, candida over growths, digestive dysbiosis (toxicity) or infections such as the Helicobacter pylori bacteria can place further strain on your energy levels, primarily due to their influence on the adrenals. In addition, the adrenal and thyroid glands work together, meaning decreased adrenal function can interfere with thyroid function, leaving you experiencing symptoms such as weight gain, bloating, fatigue and mood changes.

Metabolic Disturbances

Hormone resistance is a broad term often associated with thyroid disorders; the major regulator of fat metabolism and energy production.  Although it is a complicated process, the interaction of the four main hormones produced by your thyroid gland, (thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine/levo-thyroxin (T4), and calcitonin) directly influence body fat storage and conversion especially around the tummy.

Although your thyroid gland secretes and regulates these hormones, about 80% of the body's T3 is produced outside the thyroid gland, in the liver, by chemical modification of T4. Hypothyroid women gain weight and find it difficult to lose weight because (i) their T4 is not being converted by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or (ii) the converted T3 hormones is not getting to the cellular level of the body - meaning that they are producing it, but their body can't use it. So you are sentenced to a life of weight gain, chronic fatigue and feeling plain unwell.

If you are doing everything right but are still felling unwell and suffering from fatigue and weight gain, there is definitely something that needs to be addressed. Getting to the cause is not as easy as just doing routine blood tests. An interconnected approach to the review of your signs and symptoms encourages a multidimensional treatment strategy that will make a difference. So explore your options and strive for a better, healthy life!

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in restorative endocrinology for women, with over 14 year’s clinical experience.  She is an accomplished writer, editor and technical training advisor for the natural health industry. A recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award, Narelle adopts an integrated approach of both medical science and traditional complementary health care principles. www.massattack.com.au

Is Depression, Caused by Inflammation?

Depression is a leading cause of disability and is the fourth largest cause of burden of disease amongst all diseases (1) and affects one in three women.  Anybody who has ever suffered from depression or has a loved one who suffers from it knows how debilitating it can be. 

Treatment has traditionally focused on improving serotonin levels, but figures show around 35% remission after initial treatment and approximately 70% remission after four cumulative treatments (1) It is necessary to look beyond serotonin to find out what is causing depression, and adapt natural support to rebalance the underlying causes.

 

Raised inflammatory markers in depression

People with depression have increased levels of inflammatory substances such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) or C-Reactive Protein (CPR) in the blood(1,2,6,8) Higher levels of these markers affect brain signalling and produce symptoms such as fatigue, changes in appetite, increased sleep, lack of motivation, negative mood, decreased cognition and weight changes (5,8) – the classical symptoms of depression.

Conversely, people who are treated with inflammatory substances (eg interferon in cancer treatment or chronic infections) start to show depression-like symptoms (2) So what is the link between inflammation and depression?

 

Inflammation depletes serotonin

Inflammatory substances such as IL1, IL-6, TNF and CRP stimulate the formation of IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase), an enzyme involved in the tryptophan metabolism. Unfortunately, this enzyme does not push tryptophan towards the serotonin pathway, but towards the kynurenine pathway instead. (1,3) This can reduce serotonin levels by 25-50%. (1) It stands to reason that we need to reduce inflammation to help improve depression, but to effectively do this we need to find out where this inflammation is coming from in the first place.

 

Where does inflammation start?

Conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS and other reproductive disorders are linked with inflammation, and very often patients suffering from any of these conditions also suffer from low moods or depression. The debilitating symptoms are enough to make anyone feel low, but the underlying inflammation is the real trigger that needs to be looked at.

Research shows that inflammation also often starts in the digestive tract, with harmful bacteria causing leaky gut (7). As the intestinal wall becomes more permeable, the immune system is activated. As part of the immune response there is an increased production of pro-inflammatory hormones such as IL-1, IL-6, TNF and interferon-ϒ (IFN). As described above, these substances increase the metabolism of tryptophan to the neurotoxic quinolinic acid rather than the ‘feel good’ hormone serotonin (3).  These hormones can also trigger an auto immune response triggering conditions like Rheumatoid arthritis, hashimotto's, Lupus and possibly MS.

Not everybody who suffers from frequent low moods or is depressed will have PCOS, endometriosis, or bowel dysbiosis; but everybody would benefit from finding out what underlying causes trigger low moods or depression, especially if they have tried anti-depressants and find they don’t work.

 

What can you do about this yourself?

A holistic treatment plan that addresses the cause and not just the symptom is crucial.   Look beyond the boundries of a general 'symptom based' simplistic consultation.   Fourteen years of clinical experience highlights the need for segmentation based, multilayer, diagnosis techniques as part of the initial step in getting to the cause. 

 

Establishing the underlying cause, ensures effective natural support.  Targeting medicinal herbs and orthomolecular nutrients assist in reversing the cause. 

This was the case in Yvonnes journey.  Read her story here.

There is a great deal of research to promote the benefits of incorporating natural support in depression.  Even something as simple as EFA's such as Omega3 Fatty acids have been found to make a difference.  Omega 3 poly unsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil not only have a strong anti-inflammatory effect, but also improve fluidity of the cell membranes (3,9). There are many studies that associate increased intake of omega 3 EFA’s with improved cognition and moods. (9) Apart from this, they can improve serotonin binding (10), further improving moods.

EFA’s could be part of a holistic treatment plan, but as each patient is different and some may already be on anti-depressants, each treatment approach is different, too. It is always best to contact your health care practitioner to provide a solid platform to redefine your health.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in restorative endocrinology for women, with over 14 years clinical experience.  She is both an accomplished writer, editor and technical training advisor.  A recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award, Narelle adopts an integrated approach of both medical science and traditional complementary health care principles.  She can be contacted at www.massattack.com.au

References:
1. DM Christmas, JP Potokar, SJC Davies, “A biological pathway linking inflammation and depression: activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase – Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment 2011:7 431-439
2. B Messay, A Lim, AL Marshland, “Current understanding of the bi-directional relationship of major depression with inflammation” – Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders, 2012, 2:4
3. M Maes, “The cytokine hypothesis of depression: inflammation, oxidative & nitrosative stress (IO&NS) and leaky gut as new targets for adjunctive treatments in depression” – Neuroendocrinology letters 2008:29(3):1-000
4. Chrousos GP et all, “ Interactive functional specificity of stress and immune response: the yin, the yang, and defence against two major classes of bacteria” – Journal of Infectious Disease, 15th Aug 2005;192(4):551-555
5. R Dantzer et all, “From inflammation to sickness and depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain” – Nature Reviews Neuroscienice 9, January 2009, 46-56, doi:10.1038/nrn2297
6. R Dantzer, “Depression and inflammation, and intricate relationship” – Biological Psychiatry, vol 71, issue 1, p 4-5, 1st January 2012-07-01
7. Maes M et all, “Increased IgA and IgM response against gut commensals in chronic depression” – Journal of Affective Disorders, 11th March 2012, doi:10.101/j.ad.2012.02.023
8. Krishnadas R, Cavanagh J, “Depression: an inflammatory illness?” – Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 83 (5) 495-502, doi:10.1126/jnnp-2011-301779
9. Nurk E, Devron CA, Refsum H et all, “Cognitive performance among the elderly and dietary fish intake: the Horland Health Study” – Am Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007; 86:1470-1478
10. Huang JTJ, Leweke FM, Oxley D et all, “Disease biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with first-onset psychosis” – Plos med 2006,3(11):e428

Detox Your Way To Better Health

Spring is a great time for a good clean up, not only of your house and garage, but also your own body. 

With the season changing and the end of the year fast approaching, take this time to think about how you are feeling.  

Perhaps over winter your body has become a toxic dumpsite and is crying out for help?  But how do you know if you need to detox?  

Top 5 Questions To Ask Yourself

1. Do I feel less healthy and energetic?
2. Do I often have difficulty thinking clearly?
3. Do I often feel tired, sluggish, flat and get sick often? 
4. Do I have digestive disturbances (wind, bloating, constipation, candida or heartburn)?
5. Do you eat junk food, drink alcohol or make poor lifestyle decisions?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you may be in need of a ‘spring clean’. These are the types of symptoms you may experience when many of the toxic substances you have been exposed to have accumulated within your body, leaving you feeling less than your best.

Our Integrated Detoxification Program is recommend as a safe and effective professional detoxification program to improve the way in which your body eliminates toxins and to bring you back to a state of health and vitality.

Toxic Exposure - A Reality of Modern Life

Toxin exposure is seemingly unavoidable in our modern world. Every day we are exposed to toxins like heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals, food additives and pollutants, which are present in the air, water and food that we consume. 

Toxins do not only come from our external environment; toxins can also be generated internally by ‘unfriendly’ bacteria, yeasts, and parasites in our digestive systems.

Your body has numerous mechanisms to help eliminate all these toxins, but these detoxification pathways can become overwhelmed if you produce, consume or absorb more toxins than you can easily clear. A professional detoxification program supports toxin clearance through these pathways, leaving you feeling healthy and energetic.

A Safe and Effective Detoxification Program

Detoxifying is serious business and your safety and comfort during detoxification is important to us. Undergoing the wrong type of detox for your individual needs may actually leave you feeling sick and tired. This is why you should not attempt a detoxification program without the guidance and support of a trained health care Practitioner.

5 Ways To Start The Detox Process at Home

 

1. Drink More Water
2. Consider adding super foods to your diet like Goji Berries and Spirulina
3. Eat more greens
4. Add fresh herbs like Rosemary and Tumeric to your cooking
5. Include bitter foods like endive in your diet

Make a Clean Start with Professional Help

If winter has left you feeling tired, sluggish, and less than your best, a detoxification program can help you to make a clean start with renewed health and vitality. 

Our $295 Integrated Detox Program Includes

• Nutritional, herbal and essential probiotics to cleanse, support, rebuild and regenerate your body and eliminative systems 
• Comprehensive booklet and directions to guide you how to safely and effectively detoxify and to get the best results possible.
• 6 weeks of guidance and email and telephone support from a fully qualified naturopath trained in detoxification.

Call 1300 133 536 to find out more about a safe and effective professional detoxification program to suit you. 

Or why not start today? 

 

http://www.massattack.com.au/shopping_cart.php

Tips To Lose Weight

Hormonal profiling is the first step towards wellness and maintaining a healthy body weight, as Simone*, mother of 2 discovered.

Simone’s Story

After the birth of my children, my health changed.  For starters, I always felt bloated and constipated and to top it off, a family trauma left my immune system so low that I would catch everything that was going around.   I was so fed up of feeling run down.  In spite of several courses of antibiotics, I just couldn’t get well again and now I was suffering from thrush!

It was when my periods stopped that I knew I was really unhealthy .  Over the next 12 months my symptoms worsened; (weight gain, poor immunity, bloating) and I was also constantly fatigued.  I had a scan and although I had ovarian cysts, I didn’t have enough to be diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder. 

There had to be a reason why I was so unwell – and I knew I had to find it. Over the counter remedies from the health food store, although helping a little, were not enough.

Narelle’s Comments

Simone’s story is a perfect example of how important hormonal profiling and wellness mapping is.  We see all too often the effects of ‘blanket treatments’ that treat the symptom rather than the cause. 

It is important to remember that to restore long term health, you need to identify the initial cause and this takes time and expertise.  Investing time into getting to the ‘root’ cause of Simone’s health challenges is what made the difference.  This is what Simone’s ‘wellness’ map looked like:

After chatting to Simone, I established her hormonal profile and a wellness map that was not only going to improve her immune system and energy, but also restore digestive health and hormonal balance.  It was time to help Simone lose weight and feel fantastic.   

Simone’s  treatment strategy included a personalized tonic using traditional medicinal herbs such Golden Seal and Gentian to restore  digestive infection and Withania combined with Astragalus to restore adrenal health, lower inflammation and improve immunity.  Other herbs such as Paeonia and Pasque flower were included throughout her treatment  to support hormonal balance and improve glucose control. 

Targeted dietary changes to support healthy hormonal balance including limiting broccoli and eating more blueberries were provided in an easy to understand format, that fitted well with Simone’s busy life. 

Personalized orthomolecular therapy and nutritional therapy, formed part of Simone’s long term plan.  These changes, combined with gentle detoxification techniques; gently guided her health to new levels.  Her new wellness plan was a must for overcoming her symptoms of fatigue, bloating, lowered immunity, hormonal imbalance and weight gain.

Outcome

Today, Simone has restored energy levels and is no longer bloated.  Her immune system is healthy and she has lost weight.  She has her health and ‘body back’.

To discover your hormonal profile and wellness map complete your Assessment online at www.massattack.com.au or call my clinic on 1300 133 536

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in restorative endocrinology for women, with over 14 years clinical experience.  She is both an accomplished writer, editor and technical training advisor for the Complementary Health Care Council.  A recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award, Narelle adopts an integrated approach of both medical science and traditional complementary health care principles.

Feeling Sick and Tired This Winter?

Do you dread the winter months when you and your family  easily succumb to coughs and colds, sneezing and sniffly noses, headaches, sore throats, or muscular aches and fevers from the flu? These symptoms, whilst normally mild, are the leading causes of days off work and school, and can leave many people feeling sick and tired.

Instigators of a Weakened Immune System

A strong, healthy immune system is able to keep us well, even when those around us are coughing, sneezing and getting sick. There are many factors that may contribute to the weakening of your immune system including stress, poor sleep, a lack of regular exercise, not enough rest and relaxation and making
poor food choices.

What to Do For a Cold or Flu?

Both the common cold and flu are caused by viruses, with the most common virus being rhinovirus. What many people may not realise, is that antibiotics target only bacteria and are not able to kill the viruses responsible for colds and flu. Fortunately there are herbs and nutrients that can help manage these viral
infections and keep your immune defences strong.

Nutrients For Immune Support

Zinc is crucial for immune function as a zinc deficiency may cause a weakened immune response, predisposing you to a longer or more severe cold. Zinc and vitamin C are nutrients essential to good health and have a growing body of scientific evidence to support their benefits in boosting immunity and
strengthening the healing process.

Health-Giving Herbs

The following herbs have been shown to improve immune function and reduce symptoms of the common cold and flu:

• Andrographis: Andrographis is an Ayurvedic herb with a long history of use for viral and bacterial infections. Clinical studies have shown that andrographis can reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms.
• Picrorrhiza: This herb has been used traditionally in Indian and Chinese medicine to help maintain a normal healthy immune system, and has been shown to exert antiinflammatory and immune-stimulating actions.
• Elderberry: Elderberry has traditionally been used for its anti-catarrhal and fever-reducing actions to help relieve the symptoms of colds, and recurrent or acute coughs.

Coughs Keeping You Awake at Night?

A number herbs act on the lungs to help relieve both dry and productive coughs:

• Baical Skullcap: This traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been used to reduce coughing, as an expectorant to clear lung congestion and for its anti-inflammatory effects.
• Marshmallow Root: Marshmallow helps to soothe the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat, as well as decreasing any irritations in the lungs and respiratory tract.
• Liquorice Root: Liquorice is recognised in Western herbal medicine for its soothing, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties. Liquorice may reduce irritation of the respiratory mucous membranes and aid in the treatment of coughs and bronchitis.
• Magnolia: This herb is particularly beneficial in treating moist coughs. It has been traditionally used for reducing phlegm and for calming the coughing and wheezing associated with lung congestion.
• Adhatoda: Adhatoda is another herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for respiratory congestion and wheezing. It is a powerful bronchodilator with expectorant properties that assists in clearing lung congestion and phlegm.

Breathe Easy

Do you need relief for your stuffy nose? Mucous congestion and phlegm are signs that your immune system is hard at work, and can result in blocked sinuses and breathing difficulty. The decongesting, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial essential oils of eucalyptus, thyme, lavender and peppermint may help
to reduce the nasal and sinus congestion that accompanies upper respiratory tract infections.

Strengthen Your Immune Defences

Make some simple dietary and lifestyle changes to keep you healthy and reduce your risk of colds and flus:

• Eat a well-balanced diet including fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, legumes and lean red meat.
• Reduce your intake of mucous-forming foods such as dairy and refined foods.
• Avoid foods low in nutrients such as sugar, white flour products and alcohol.
• Drink at least 2L of filtered water every day.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get a good night’s sleep and take time to rest and relax.

Keeping Well This Winter

Give your body a fighting chance against the common cold or flu this winter. Prevention is always better than cure, so follow the simple dietary and lifestyle tips for building healthy immunity. If you do find yourself sniffling, coughing and sneezing, talk to us today about specific natural tonics to help reduce your symptoms and get you back on your feet sooner.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing naturopath with over 30,000 hrs of in-clinic experience specializing in the natural treatment of women's health and hormonal imbalances. She is both an accomplished writer, editor and recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award. 
To find out more, visit www.massattack.com.au

Tips To Beat Fatigue Naturally

How to Beat Fatigue Naturally

Fatigue is a chronic medical condition that can affect many areas of your health including maintaining a healthy body weight.

Fatigue does not need to rule your life. You can get your energy back and beat chronic fatigue naturally by changing your diet and getting to the cause. But let's start by understanding the difference between fatigue and tiredness.

Fatigue is different from tiredness.  Fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation.  Some women desribe their fatigue as "deep fatigue, heavy fatigue, or debilitating fatigue" and are sometimes so chronically fatigued they cannot get out of bed, or struggle to get through a normal days work.

Tiredness is a normal response to exercise, stress, boredom, or insomnia. 

What Causes Fatigue?

Fatigue, a symptom of a more serious underlying health condition is normally linked to mitochondrial weakness, toxicity, poor nutrition, inflammation, infection and stress. 

• Mitochondrial Weakness 
  

Mitochondria are "the power house of the cell" and90% of the energy generated in a cell is in the Mitochondria. Damage to the mitochondria impairs the cells ability to generate energy.

Conditions such as insulin resistance, obesity, low thyroid function and low testosterone levels all influence mitochondrial function.

These are the main reasons why fatigue leads to weight gain - your body's metabolism can not work efficiently.

• Toxicity

  Toxicity may worsen inflammation and oxidative stress, worsening fatigue. Exposure to toxic chemicals has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.

• Poor Nutrition

  Dietary deficiencies of iron, B12, folate and other nutrients may contribute to anaemia, stress, inflammation and reduced functional energy.

• Inflammation

  Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1 may inhibit mitochondrial function and energy production in the cells causing symptoms of fatigue.

• Infection

  Viral and bacterial infections may be linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with evidence suggesting that a severe viral infection may cause mitochondrial degeneration.

• Stress

  During chronic stress, HPA axis over-activity may result in adrenal fatigue. Critical nutrients such as magnesium, carnitine and calcium are required for mitochondrial function but may be "used up" during times of chronic stress due to the increased demands placed on the body. This can leave the mitochondria nutritional deprived causing fatigue.

Testing For The Cause Of Fatigue

To successfully beat fatigue, you must first start by identifying the underlying cause.  Symptomatic profiling combined with targeted pathology testing is the first place to start.

To complete a Symptomatic Assessment click here

If you are suffering from fatigue, take heart in realizing there are many things you can do naturally, without drugs to feel like yourself again.  Improving your lifestyle and with the right dietary changes; you can restore your health successfully, kick start your metabolism and lose weight.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing naturopath with over 30,000 hrs of in-clinic experience specializing in the natural treatment of women's health and hormonal imbalances. She is both an accomplished writer, editor and recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award. 
To find out more, visit www.massattack.com.au

Feeling unwell? - let Mother Nature lend a helping hand

Over the last decade, the health movement has undergone an enormous transition – leading us to regain power in inherent understanding of our body and its care.

It is motivated by a realisation that a health care system can operate more efficiently if we adopt the goal of putting information and skills into our own hands and take a more active approach to achieving better health.

Simple changes to your diet, lifestyle and the way you think, can have a profound impact on your total well-being. Choosing therapeutic methods, based on what the Earth gives us in the form of locally available herbs, is beneficial in treating ailments from the common cold, to conditions such as PMS, constipation and painful periods – to name a few. To read full article featured in 'Living Now' click here

Low Libido - Do You Suffer From Low Libido?

If you do you are not alone. Research suggests that more than 40 per cent of women worldwide report lack of or low libido, making it the commonest female sexual complaint. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be looking to food as a way to tickle the taste buds and spark up the libido, but before you rush to the grocery store, let’s take a closer look and see exactly what is it that makes your libido lose its mojo.

First of all, it is important to highlight that lack of libido is not necessarily a sexual ‘dysfunction’. For many women there are often very good reasons why a woman’s desire may be low, including underlying neurotransmitter weakness, hormonal imbalance, relationship disturbance, physical and emotional issues and stressful life circumstances. To read full article featured in Living Now click here

Adrenal Burnout - How Do You Know If You Have It?

Your adrenal glands are the main gland associated with adrenal burnout. Your adrenals provide you with crucial hormonal support, needed to get you through the day with energy, enthusiasm and efficiency. Adrenal burnout means you are more likely to suffer from fatigue, forgetfulness, mood swings and sleep disturbances. Living in the ‘fast' world of today exposes you to unavoidable levels of stress – and with that stress comes elevated cortisol levels.

To read full article click here

Thyroid - Fatigue and Tiredness

Chronic Fatigue, Anxiety, Mood Changes & Can't Lose Weight? It Could Be Your Thyroid

Chronic Fatigue, tiredness, mood changes and weight gain can be caused by hormones.

If your hormones are not 'in balance' then you can find yourself experiencing symptoms such depression, headaches, insomnia, chronic fatigue, weight gain and you may struggle to lose weight naturally. Thyroid disease is one of the most common hormonal disorders, after insulin resistance and diabetes. The majority of women with thyroid imbalance have hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid). A small minority has hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). The problem is that symptoms of low thyroid function are often mistaken for depression, signs of ageing, or are not identified as in the case with Carolyn, Bev and Val. Click Here to read their journey with fatigue.

Common thyroid Condition linked to chronic fatigue:

• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
• Post partum Thyroiditis
• Thyroid Nodules & Cysts

What does your thyroid do and how does it cause chronic fatigue?
Your thyroid - a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck - controls the functioning of every cell, organ and gland in your body. In addition, your thyroid regulates these functions:

• The use of oxygen in all tissues,
• The rate of repair of damaged of diseased tissues,
• Your blood sugar levels by controlling the release of glucose (sugar) from the liver to the bloodstream,
• Electrolyte and water balance in the cells and body,
• Your circulatory system,
• The energy and strength of the muscles,
• The speed of the impulse going to nerves
• Your libido
• Your fat metabolism
• Weight loss

Four main hormones produced by your thyroid gland directly affect your metabolism and body fat. They are thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine/levo-thyroxin (T4), and calcitonin (used in calcium metabolism).

Although your thyroid gland secretes and regulates these hormones, about 80% of the body's T3 is produced outside the thyroid gland, in the liver, by chemical modification of thyroxine or T4.

Hypothyroid women gain weight and find it difficult to lose weight because (i) their T4 is not being converted by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or (ii) the converted T3 hormones is not getting to the cellular level of the body – meaning that they are producing it, but their body can't use it.

Although most conventional practitioners only test for the inactive T4 hormone level, it is important to remember that active T3 thyroid hormone works inside every cell of the body – not only in the blood. If T3 isn't available at the cellular level, then those cells can't function properly. The T4 blood test does not test for this, but taking your body temperature does! I personally believe that your body temperature is the single best test of your thyroid function.

If you feel that your hormones could be making you gain weight and causing fatigue, take my quick hormonal test online click here

Symptoms of low thyroid function causing chronic fatigue

Every cell and tissue in your body is affected by hypothyroidism and deficient levels of the active T3 thyroid hormone can produce one or more of the following symptoms: weight gain, chronic fatigue, weakness, constipation, shortness of breath, depression, irritability, poor memory, difficulty concentrating, intolerance to cold, low body temperature, dry coarse hair/dry skin, hair loss, muscle or joint pain and stiffness, headaches, decreased libido, slow weight loss and elevated cholesterol or triglycerides.

Sadly, many hypothyroid symptoms are frequently dismissed by physicians as being a normal part of ageing, psychological problem, overwork, or some other condition. As a result, thyroid tests are never performed and the patient never receives the proper medical treatment they require.

What interferes with thyroid function causing chronic fatigue?

• Insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome
• Chronic stress/adrenal depletion – there is a strong interplay between the thyroid and the adrenals. One is usually weak first and then weakens the other.
• Prescription drugs including Dilantin, Lithium, beta blockers, Premarin, birth control pills and some anti-depressants.
• Frequent X-rays – from dental or medical exams or radiation treatment to the head, neck or chest
• Thyroid inhibiting foods – Over-consumption of soy and raw thyroid-inhibiting foods, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale.
• Environmental, synthetic and genetically engineered hormones (oestrogen and other hormones) in meat, dairy, poultry and eggs. Also conditions such as poly cystic ovarian disorder, fibroids, IVF treatment and menopause.
• Exercise – The receptors for the thyroid hormones are found deep within the cells, and exercise stimulates the thyroid by increasing oxygen to the cells. When you exercise and breathe more oxygen into your body, you speed up your metabolism and the heat in your body rises. So, to pump up your metabolism, you need to pump some iron to heat up your cell's ‘fat burners' by giving them more oxygen.
• Dieting – During a restrictive diet that is either too low calorie or deficient in essential nutrients, the body produces less of the liver enzymes, thus converting less T4 and producing less T3.

Perhaps the biggest problem with diets is that most leave you with less muscle and more fat than when you started. Researchers have found that low calorie and low carbohydrate diets eventually suppress T3 hormone levels in the body by providing insufficient fuel for the thyroid and body to function properly.

• Heavy metal exposure – mercury is a toxic heavy metal, which comprises over 50% of 'silver' dental fillings and is found in cigarettes. Mercury interferes with the liver's production of 5-deodinase, an enzyme that is critical in converting thyroid hormones.
• Chlorine – added to most municipal water supplies as a disinfectant.
• Fluoride – primary sources include toothpaste, dental products, municipal water supplies, pesticide, and residues on commercially grown foods.

Tests for thyroid function linked with chronic fatigue
If you are doing everything right and still felling unwell and suffering from chronic fatigue, there is definitely something going on that needs to be addressed. Perhaps you are suffering from hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) or sub-clinical hypothyroidism (you have symptoms but the blood tests are normal).

Let's assume you are overweight and think you have hypothyroidism. You've been to the doctor with complaints of weight gain, slow weight loss, chronic fatigue, cold hands and feet, and ‘brain fog'. The doctor examines you and performs some blood tests, including thyroid tests, and all the tests come back normal. However you are sure you must have an under-active thyroid as you have all the symptoms, including a low body temperature, but the doctor decides to not prescribe any treatment. You go home, sentenced to a life of weight gain, chronic fatigue and feeling plain unwell. This scenario is played out again and again until one day you finally fall below the 'reference' ranges.

The Barnes temperature test for thyroid function and chronic fatigue
If you feel that your thyroid is sluggish and you think you may be hypothyroid, testing your thyroid is important. You can take the do-it-yourself Barnes Thyroid Temperature Test, as an inexpensive, yet surprisingly accurate, initial test for chronic fatigue. Before the advent of the blood test, the Barnes basal temperature test and patients symptoms were all physicians had available to them to test thyroid function.

Doing the Barnes self temperature test will give you a starting point to determine if you may have hypothyroidism and need to have further confirmatory tests to establish why you are suffering from chronic fatigue.

How to test your thyroid and find out why you are chronically fatigued.
Place a thermometer (preferably digital) within easy reach on the bedside table. Place the thermometer in your armpit for five minutes. Try to move as little as possible because movement will raise your body temperature.

Record your temperature each morning for five days. (For women, additional consideration is needed during ovulation, since ovulation somewhat elevates temperature. Because of this, women who menstruate should start recording their temperature on the second or third day of menstruation.)

A reading of 36.4 degrees or lower may indicate low thyroid function and be a cause of your chronic fatigue.

Serum (blood) test for hypothyroidism

If your temperature is low, you may want to request further testing. If you want to go the conventional medical test route you need to request that your physician perform the T3, free T3, sensitive TSH, reverse T3, and anti-thyroid antibody tests. Remember that the standard T4 blood test for thyroid function only measures T4 (the inactive form of the hormone) function and is rarely sensitive enough to determine hypothyroidism. That is why I recommend that you ask your doctor to perform the other blood tests to get to the cause of your chronic fatigue.

In my clinical experience, most thyroid blood tests will come back within a 'normal range', but the patient still shows signs of (sub-clinical) hypothyroidism such as a low body (basal) temperature, etc. There is research indicating that the reference ranges are too broad and do not cater for the individual – I guess we are not all the same after all!

The good news is that new and more accurate salivary and urine thyroid tests have become available.

The salivary thyroid test

Salivary and urine thyroid testing to the rescue! That's right. Your saliva and urine now hold the key to determining whether or not you have an under-active thyroid causing your chronic fatigue. This brand new technology promised to change the lives of the millions of individuals suffering with an undiagnosed under-active thyroid. Because it tests thyroid function at the cellular level, the salivary/and or urine thyroid panel has been found to be more accurate than the blood tests in identifying an under-active thyroid. Urine thyroid tests are available from my online dispensary.

The thyroid salivary test measures T3, T4 and free TSH. The salivary or urine thyroid test also measures antibodies against thyroperoxidase, an important enzyme involved in the production of thyroid hormone. Positive antibodies are a sign of an autoimmune process (the immune system attacking the body's own thyroid tissue).

Reviving your thyroid and stopping chronic fatigue in its tracks.

If your thyroid gland is found to be sluggish and the cause of your chronic fatigue, through any of the various tests, you may first try the natural non-drug approach to reviving your thyroid.

• Identify what is causing it to be sluggish – e.g. stress, chemical exposure, etc.
• Check your basal body temperature.
• Consult your GP if necessary and request specific blood tests and discuss any possible need for medication changes.
• Change your diet – different foods do interfere with thyroid function. You may wish to consult a naturopath for help with this.
• Consult a herbalist – herbs such as withania, coleus, rehmania, kelp, etc. , are helpful if used in the correct dosages.
• Improve your liver function.

Avoiding the toxins I mentioned earlier and increasing your intake of iodine-rich foods such as seafood, asparagus, sea vegetables (kelp), garlic, lima beans, sesame seeds, spinach, Swiss chard and sea salt can be helpful.

The bottom line is most of the above symptoms may sound familiar – it's not unusual for a 30, 40, or 50 something woman to feel tired, burnt out, and a little bit overweight and this makes hypothyroidism that much harder to diagnose. However there are few things more frustrating than feeling chronically fatigued and unwell. It can take a while to get the right diagnosis. Remember though, if you are feeling unwell – there is most likely something triggering it. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away.

Getting a correct diagnosis is crucial when you realise that being treated can be a life-affirming event. So explore your options and strive for a better, healthy life!