Thyroid Diet & Weight Loss Newsletter, August 2008, A Weight Off My Mind, From Mary Shomon -- Thyroid, Diet, Weight Loss, Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Cancer, Nodules, Weight Loss, Metabolism

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A WEIGHT OFF MY MIND -- August 2008
Diet & Weight Loss News for Thyroid, Autoimmune and Hypometabolism Patients
From Patient Advocate Mary Shomon

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BOOK SALE

If you've been thinking about picking up a copy of one of my books, there's never been a better time. My favorite online supplement/vitamin/herb retailer, Iherb.com, has always sold all of my books for the fabulous price of $8.00 (the retail cost of my books is $14.95.) It's the best deal on the Internet!

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Instant $5 off coupon code at Iherb.com: NEW079

AEROBIC EXERCISE INCREASES A BLOOD PROTEIN THAT MAY SUPPRESS APPETITE

Three months of aerobic exercise decreased body fat and calorie intake in overweight and obese people, according to a new study, and the researchers believe that changes to a central nervous system factor are responsible. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Learn more about these findings, and what they mean for thyroid patients, now.

Three months of aerobic exercise decreased body fat and calorie intake in overweight and obese people, according to a new study, and the researchers believe that changes to a central nervous system factor are responsible. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

A research team at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital in Santiago, led by A. Veronica Araya, MD, showed that decreased food intake and reduced body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat, were linked to increased levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. Its main role is promoting the growth and survival of nerve cells, according to Araya.

However, recent evidence shows that BDNF also is related to obesity and metabolism. The authors speculated that it could suppress appetite.

The team evaluated blood levels of BDNF before and after a three-month program of aerobic exercise in 15 overweight or obese men and women. The seven men and eight women, ages 26 to 51, worked out on a treadmill and bicycle. They were asked about their calorie intake and told to continue eating their usual number of calories. The participants were unaware that one of the study's objectives was to evaluate changes in food intake.

At the end of the study, the subjects had decreased BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure, the data showed. They also reported consuming fewer calories than at the beginning of the study. Over the three months, BDNF levels greatly increased. This higher the concentration of BDNF, the less the subject's intake of calories and the greater the weight loss, Araya said.

Thus, it is possible that increases in BDNF suppress appetite, she said. They did not test appetite suppression directly, but some past studies have shown that aerobic exercise suppresses appetite.

"It is important to clarify the factors involved in the response to different weight loss therapies," Araya said, "because we could find a marker to predict response to the intervention."

For instance, the marker, such as BDNF, might help healthcare providers select who will benefit from exercise, she explained.
Comment from Mary Shomon: What does this means for thyroid patients? Even more reason to exercise!! My favorite exercise, T-Tapp, is both aerobic, and muscle building, so it works particularly well for me, and for many thyroid patients. Find out more about T-Tapp online now.

THE THYROID TSH REFERENCE RANGE: WHY THE SO-CALLED EXPERTS ARE STILL TOTALLY CONFUSED!

Honestly, it's just mind-boggling. Almost six years ago, laboratory experts, and a committee of the nation's top endocrinologists both came out with recommendations to narrow the TSH reference range so that the high is 2.5 to 3.0, versus 5.0 to 5.5. Since then, we have had study after study linking subclinical/mild/borderline hypothyroidism to a host of health risks, including infertility, high cholesterol, and heart disease. In the meantime, the TSH test range is still up for debate. Should we lower the TSH reference range as recommended, or shouldn't we? Everyone has their opinions, but what's the latest? Sadly, what we get is more evidence of confusion among endocrinologists, in the form of a new article and accompanying editorial in the August 2008 issue of Clinical Thyroidology. Read more about it now.

KEEPING A FOOD DIARY DOUBLES DIET WEIGHT LOSS

Keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss according to a study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research. The findings, from one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted, were published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study was Funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

According to lead author Jack Hollis, Ph.D., a Portland, Oregon researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research, "The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost. Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."

In addition to keeping food diaries and turning them in at weekly support group meetings, participants were asked to follow a heart-healthy DASH (a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-fat or non-fat dairy, attend weekly group sessions and exercise at moderate intensity levels for at least 30 minutes a day. After six months, the average weight loss among the nearly 1,700 participants was approximately 13 pounds. More than two-thirds of the participants (69 percent) lost at least nine pounds, enough to reduce their health risks and qualify for the second phase of the study, which lasted 30 months and tested strategies for maintaining the weight loss.

"More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. If we all lost just nine pounds, like the majority of people in this study did, our nation would see vast decreases in hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke," said study co-author Victor Stevens, Ph.D., a Kaiser Permanente researcher. For example, in an earlier study Stevens found that losing as little as five pounds can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure by 20 percent.

"Keeping a food diary doesn't have to be a formal thing. Just the act of scribbling down what you eat on a Post-It note, sending yourself e-mails tallying each meal, or sending yourself a text message will suffice. It's the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior," says Keith Bachman, MD, a Weight Management Initiative member.

"Every day I hear patients say they can't lose weight. This study shows that most people can lose weight if they have the right tools and support. And food journaling in conjunction with a weight management program or class is the ideal combination of tools and support."

GETTING OFF GLUTEN

If you're one of the many thyroid patients following a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, check out JoAnn Farb's cookbook, "Get Off Gluten." A number of terrific gluten-free recipes, including an especially tasty recipe for a low-carb whole grain bread. Find out more about the cookbook now at JoAnn's Get Off Gluten website.

LIMITING FRUCTOSE MAY BOOST WEIGHT LOSS

One of the reasons people on low-carbohydrate diets may lose weight is that they reduce their intake of fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly, according to a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition and lead author of a study appearing in a current issue of the Journal of Nutrition, said her team's findings suggest that the right type of carbohydrates a person eats may be just as important in weight control as the number of calories a person eats.

Current health guidelines suggest that limiting processed carbohydrates, many of which contain high-fructose corn syrup, may help prevent weight gain, and the new data on fructose clearly support this recommendation.

"Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose," Dr. Parks said. Fructose, glucose and sucrose, which is a mixture of fructose and glucose, are all forms of sugar but are metabolized differently.

"All three can be made into triglycerides, a form of body fat; however, once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it's hard to slow it down," she said.

In humans, triglycerides are predominantly formed in the liver, which acts like a traffic cop to coordinate the use of dietary sugars. It is the liver's job, when it encounters glucose, to decide whether the body needs to store the glucose as glycogen, burn it for energy or turn the glucose into triglycerides. When there's a lot of glucose to process, it is put aside to process later.

Fructose, on the other hand, enters this metabolic pathway downstream, bypassing the traffic cop and flooding the metabolic pathway.

"It's basically sneaking into the rock concert through the fence," Dr. Parks said. "It's a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride synthesis. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body."

Though fructose, a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, is naturally found in high levels in fruit, it is also added to many processed foods. Fructose is perhaps best known for its presence in the sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup or HFCS, which is typically 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, similar to the mix that can be found in fruits. It has become the preferred sweetener for many food manufacturers because it is generally cheaper, sweeter and easier to blend into beverages than table sugar.
For the study, six healthy individuals performed three different tests in which they had to consume a fruit drink formulation. In one test, the breakfast drink was 100 percent glucose, similar to the liquid doctors give patients to test for diabetes -- the oral glucose tolerance test. In the second test, they drank half glucose and half fructose, and in the third, they drank 25 percent glucose and 75 percent fructose. The tests were random and blinded, and the subjects ate a regular lunch about four hours later.

The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes.

"The message from this study is powerful because body fat synthesis was measured immediately after the sweet drinks were consumed," Dr. Parks said. "The carbohydrates came into the body as sugars, the liver took the molecules apart like tinker toys, and put them back together to build fats. All this happened within four hours after the fructose drink. As a result, when the next meal was eaten, the lunch fat was more likely to be stored than burned.

"This is an underestimate of the effect of fructose because these individuals consumed the drinks while fasting and because the subjects were healthy, lean and could presumably process the fructose pretty quickly. Fat synthesis from sugars may be worse in people who are overweight or obese because this process may be already revved up."

Dr. Parks said that people trying to lose weight shouldn't eliminate fruit from their diets but that limiting processed foods containing the sugar may help.

"There are lots of people out there who want to demonize fructose as the cause of the obesity epidemic," she said. "I think it may be a contributor, but it's not the only problem. Americans are eating too many calories for their activity level. We're overeating fat, we're overeating protein; and we're overeating all sugars."

THYROID DRUG SHORTAGE AFFECTING PATIENTS: PATIENTS FACE CRISIS IN GETTING ARMOUR THYROID

It seems like every couple of months, the pharmacists are telling us that Armour Thyroid has done off the market. This summer is no exception, except at present, we are facing a shortage of certain larger dosage sizes of Armour. And because the larger doses are unavailable, there are also shortages of smaller doses, as people are taking multiple smaller dose tablets to make up for the shortages of higher doses. Read all about the Armour Thyroid supply problems, and how and where you can get Armour and other quality brands of desiccated thyroid.

OPRAH EXPLORES HER THYROID-RELATED WEIGHT CHALLENGES USING BYRON KATIE'S "THE WORK" PROCESS

I am a huge fan of Byron Katie, and her process of self-inquiry, which is known as The Work. Her book, "Loving What Is" was truly a life-changing book for me, and lives on my bedside table.

I was interested to hear that Oprah had done an extended 3-part interview with Katie, as part of her XM radio/online "Soul Series." I recommend watching the entire three parts -- it will help you understand what the Work is about.

But I'd also like to call attention especially to part 2 of the interview, because Oprah talks very openly and honestly about her recurring weight challenge, and how it may be stemming from her hypothyroidism. I highly recommend you watch this interview, and I applaud her for recognizing the amazing work of Byron Katie. Read more about Oprah and Katie, and view or download the videos or MP3s of Byron Katie with Oprah now.

SUMMER 2008 THYROID DIET PROGRAM

Back in May, I hosted a free phone webinar teleconference, talking about the various things I'm doing to lose weight this summer. My webinar focused on my Thyroid Diet, as well as South Beat Diet Supercharged, the T-Tapp exercise program, and the Self-Hypnosis Diet, as well as some of the supplements I'm finding helpful this summer. If you missed that call, I encourage you to listen to it now online, and you can also read more about my summer thyroid diet program now.

NOTE FROM MARY: ORDERING YOUR OWN THYROID BLOOD TESTS

Dear Readers,

I am very excited to announce that, through my relationship with MyMedLab, you can now order the same thyroid, autoimmune and hormonal lab tests once only available only through doctors. It's the ultimate tool for the empowered patient! YOU can now order a growing number of private screenings as well as the tests requested by your physician to manage your health. The great news is that with MyMedLab, there is no need for the additional cost and inconvenience of a doctor's visit or appointment just to order routine labs. Simply click on the links below and order them online and they are approved by a physician licensed in your state.

MyMedLab's testing is provided by the same network of testing laboratories used by physicians and hospitals across the US. The difference is that by combining the testing needs of thousands of consumers nationwide, they can provide the exact same testing at 50% to 80% less than the retail pricing offered to patients. This represents a dramatic savings and great value for those of you who are searching for cost-effective, convenient, and confidential ways to learn about your health.

Tests are offered both individually and in groups of tests called profiles. I have worked closely with MyMedLab to create my own unique Shomon Profiles to make the test selection process simple. Whether you are just beginning your search for information or you are monitoring your progress, knowing your numbers and getting involved in your health has never been easier.

When you order your blood tests through MyMedLab:

You are getting the same tests that, up until now, were only available to doctors
Local sample collection at over 2,000 convenient locations nationwide with no appointment necessary
Your results are completely confidential, and never become part of your medical record unless you provide them.
You have access to MyMedLab's free Personal Health Record (PHR), to keep records of all your test results, and track and monitor changes in your health over time.

(Note: Currently, NY, NJ, and RI health laws prevent consumers from ordering laboratory tests directly)

In conjunction with a great doctor (my Thyroid Top Doctors Directory can help you find a great practitioner), these tests can be a smart, empowered part of your strategy to get proper diagnosis and treatment.

See the various thyroid and autoimmune tests available through MyMedLab now.

Live well,

Mary

"A Weight Off My Mind" email edition is published regularly by Mary Shomon, patient advocate and New York Times best-selling author books on health, as well web sites, newsletters and other health advocacy communications.

Mary Shomon is the author of: The Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough: Overcoming Sexual and Hormonal Problems at Every Age * Living Well With Hypothyroidism * The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss * Living Well With Graves' Disease & Hyperthyroidism * Living Well With Autoimmune Disease * Living Well with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
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All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician or health practitioner before starting or changing any aspect of your medical treatment, diet or fitness regimen. Please see our full disclaimer.