A Weight Off My Mind, July 2006, Thyroid Diet & Weight Loss Newsletter, From Mary Shomon -- Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Cancer, Nodules, Weight Loss, Metabolism

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A WEIGHT OFF MY MIND -- July 2006
Helping Thyroid and Autoimmune Disease Patients Lose Weight and Feel Great

from Patient Advocate Mary J. Shomon

Author of "Living Well With Hypothyroidism," "The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss," "Living Well With Autoimmune Disease," the "Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Success," "Living Well with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia," and "Living Well With Graves' Disease & Hyperthyroidism"

VIEW THIS NEWSLETTER ONLINE AS A WEB PAGE WITH CLICKABLE LINKS

This newsletter is located online at: http://www.thyroid-info.com/dietnews/jul2006.htm
Back issues are online at http://www.thyroid-info.com/dietnews/index.htm

WHAT IS A NORMAL TSH?

In this step-by-step article, I look at the TSH test, what it measures, the old and new "normal range," what the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists has said, what you're likely to hear from your doctor about the TSH test. Finally, don't miss the three essential questions you must ask your doctor when you're told your thyroid is "normal." Read it now.

SLEEP MORE TO LOSE WEIGHT: GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP MAY BE THE BEST DIET SECRET OF ALL

If you want to lose weight, you need to get enough sleep, say experts. Researchers reporting at this week's American Thoracic Society conference have shared specific recommendations regarding just how much sleep you really need to protect your metabolism and health, and ward off weight gain. Find out now how much sleep do you need to make your weight loss dreams come true.

IS ALVIDAR -- THE HERBAL SUPPLEMENT THAT CALLS ITSELF A THYROID AND WEIGHT LOSS "TREATMENT" -- ACTUALLY A SCAM?

Everywhere you look on the web for information about thyroid disease, you'll find ads for and links to Alvidar, an expensive herbal supplement marketed by a company called Selmedica. Sales and affiliate sites, Google ads, popups, and links aggressively promote Alvidar as a remedy or treatment for an underactive thyroid -- hypothyroidism. Alvidar's sales pitch also claims that it can help deal with weight gained due to an underactive thyroid. But are these promotional claims true? What's actually IN Alvidar? Can it help your thyroid? Is it possible that it could actually make you worse? Is Alvidar really a scam?

IS YOUR THYROID MAKING YOU FAT? -- FREE 55-PAGE EBOOK!

Your thyroid is your master gland of metabolism. So when it's slows down -- as is the case for as millions of us -- you may find that losing weight becomes a losing proposition. A thyroid problem can sabotage even your best effort at weight loss! Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans with a thyroid condition don't even know it -- and their doctors don't suspect either. And those who are diagnosed often don't get proper treatment.

I've put together a five-point program that will help you find out if you have a thyroid condition, and what steps will help you get back on track. They're featured in this free 55-page ebook (in easy to download, read, and print Adobe PDF format!), which includes a detailed "Risks and Symptoms Checklist" you can take to your doctor to help you get diagnosed and treated.

Download it now, FREE, and you're on your way to a healthier, slimmer you!

KELLY OSBOURNE REVEALS THYROID PROBLEM IS CAUSE OF RAPID WEIGHT LOSS

Kelly Osbourne, the 22 year-old pop singing daughter of legendary Black Sabbath metal rocker and ditzy reality tv dad Ozzy Osbourne, has revealed that her recent weight loss of almost 30 pounds is due to an untreated thyroid condition. According to news reports, Osbourne is also refusing treatment, because she fears regaining the weight. Are Osbourne's concerns about regaining the lost weight real or unfounded? Are there any risks or dangers if you refuse treatment for an overactive thyroid? Find out more now.

SNACKS AND DRINKS TO HELP THYROID PATIENTS LOSE WEIGHT

As a thyroid patient, the reality is, I'm ALWAYS on a diet. By diet, I mean, trying to eat in a healthy way, staying away from foods that are high in saturated fats, trying to focus on healthy carbohydrates (and stay away from high-glycemic, sugary carbs.) Here are some of my favorite foods and snacks -- the ones that help me in my own efforts to stay on track in terms of diet and weight loss.

Ever since I learned about the connections between overconsumption of soy foods and thyroid problems, I've been especially careful not to go overboard on soy. I will not use soy powders, pills or supplements, and try to choose soy occasionally to replace fattier foods. One thing I do have to admit though, is a guilty pleasure in chocolate from time to time. But standard chocolate bars, cookies, brownies and such have almost no protein, lots of fat, and are loaded with sugar and calories. So I have to stay away. But occasionally, when I really crave something chocolate, one of the things that I really love are Chocolate Brownie bars from Dr. Soy. I've tasted a lot of protein bars, power bars, health food bars and soy bars, and seriously, these are without a doubt the best. The definitely satisfy the chocolate urge, but I don't have a sugar rush afterwards, and I don't feel so guilty, because I'm getting some fiber and protein. (I also love their Rocky Road bars -- and my kids are crazy for them. I put them in the freezer, the way we used to with Milky War bars!) Check out some of the Dr. Soy offerings now.

And if you want to try out Dr. Soy, here are some special coupon codes for my readers, so you can get some nice discounts.

Coupon code: info5 - You'll get $5 off purchases over $25
Coupon code: info10 - You'll get $10 off purchases over $50
Coupon code: info20 - You'll get $20 off purchases over $100

WHEN SHOULD THYROID PATIENTS GET A SECOND OPINION?

Should you shop around for a doctor? Is your undiagnosed thyroid problem likely to grab the attention of your doctor? How do patients escape the "tyranny of the TSH test?" Thyroid experts Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames answer these questions and more, including a specific list of the key signs that you should get a second opinion for your thyroid treatment.

I'M TIRED, I'M FRUSTRATED, AND I GIVE UP! WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'VE REACHED THE END OF YOUR ROPE?

What do you do when you feel like nothing -- no doctor, no medication, no herb -- is ever going to make you feel better? What do you do when you are constantly struggling with your thyroid condition and related symptoms, but nothing seems to make it better. What do you do when no matter what you do, you're still tired, depressed, and you can't lose weight? What do you do when you've reached the end of your rope? This is the question a reader asked me this week, and since I've been there myself, I've done my best to share my thoughts about what to do.

ONLINE INTERACTIVE QUIZ: IS YOUR THYROID MAKING YOU FAT?

Could your thyroid be making you gain weight, or sabotaging even the best efforts to lose weight? Take our quiz, and find out whether or not you may be one of the millions of people who are struggling with extra pounds, thanks to an undiagnosed, untreated, or undertreated thyroid condition. TAKE THE QUIZ NOW!

MARY'S FAVORITE DIET SUPPLEMENTS

There are only a few weight loss and diet supplements that I recommend, because I use them periodically myself. As you may know, like many people with hypothyroidism, I struggle to get off and keep off extra weight. So whenever I find something I feel is particularly helpful, I am very excited to let you know. I've tried things in the past and some of them have been a big bust. Like the "starch-blocker" pills (BUST), and at least for me, ephedra... (USELESS, PLUS HEART PALPITATIONS!) But my ongoing efforts to continue to lose weight go particularly well when I'm following my Thyroid Diet, doing more weight-bearing exercise, and the other thing that helps me are certain supplements I particularly like. First, let me tell you that I have mitral valve prolapse. And so FORGET ephedra, the supplements that have high doses of caffeine (can you say TRIMSPA!?) , or some of the other stimulating supplements -- they give me awful palpitations and I simply can't take them. But I'm better able to stay on track, reduce my appetite, feel less bloated using certain non-stimulating supplements. (Keep in mind, I follow the "Thyroid Diet," and so I eat low-glycemic, low-sugar, try to avoid starchy carbs, focus on protein, veggies, some fruit, so when I'm able to lose weight, it's due to a combination of optimized thyroid, diet, exercise, and good supplements.) In any case, if you're interested in trying out the products I like and regularly use, here's the info.

COULD YOU BE OVERMEDICATED ON THYROID DRUGS?

If you are taking a thyroid hormone replacement drug -- Synthroid, Levoxyl, Armour, or Thyrolar, for example -- luckily, there aren't many risks or side effects associated with these drugs. The most common risk or side effect of these drugs, however, is overmedication. Could you be overmedicated? Could fatigue, aches and pains, and yes, even weight GAIN, be symptoms of overmedication? Find out more now in this article.

And don't miss the helpful accompanying Overmedication Checklist.

FIND A TOP THYROID DOCTOR

I've recently added hundreds of new doctors (and taken away some who retired, moved, or were just duds, according to patients.) See if your doctor is listed (or unlisted!) Recommend doctors, find a new doctor. It's all there at the recently redesigned and updated Thyroid Top Doctors Directory!

HOODIA AND CARALLUMA FOR APPETITE AND WEIGHT LOSS

If you haven't heard about the supplement hoodia gordonii, there's no doubt you will very soon. Hoodia, a natural appetite suppressant derived from a South African cactus, has earned attention as a potentially powerful weapon in the war against obesity and the American focus on losing weight. Hoodia supplements were introduced to the U.S. market only in early 2004, but they're already gaining popularity. Caralluma fimbriata is also a succulent plant in the cactus family, and it has been used as a natural appetite suppressant in India for centuries. It's another new arrival in the family of various cactii that are being used for their appetite suppressant, blood sugar lowering, and weight loss properties. I keep both hoodia and caralluma supplements on hand to help with appetite! Find out more about these interesting new supplements.

WOULD YOU GIVE LIFE -- OR LIMB -- NOT TO BE FAT?

If you had a choice, would you give up a year of your life if it meant you wouldn't be fat? Would you give up a limb or your eyesight? Researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale asked 4,000 people, and the answers might surprise you.

MY BOOKS

When you need help with thyroid disease and related health issues, one of my books may be a good starting point for your journey back toward living well. Most of my books are available at your local bookstores or online. I also have information about all the books listed at my online bookstore.

And my bookstore also has links to my favorite online retailer, PapaNature.com, where you can get my books at a great $8 price!

The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss
Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know
Living Well With Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know
The Thyroid Guide to Pregnancy, Fertility and Breastfeeding Success
Living Well With Autoimmune Disease: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know
Living Well With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Mary's Thyroid Bookstore.

ONLINE INTERACTIVE QUIZ: COULD YOU BE HYPOTHYROID?

Fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, brain fogginess....is it stress, depression, menopause, or could it be something else? Could your thyroid -- the master gland of metabolism and energy -- be underactive? Most people with hypothyroidism aren't diagnosed -- instead, they suffer symptoms without realizing they are thyroid-related, or are misdiagnosed. This interactive quiz walks you through the most common hypothyroidism risks and symptoms. TAKE THE QUIZ NOW!

NOTES FROM MARY

People sometimes ask me why I'm still talking about diet. If The Thyroid Diet works, why am I still going on about weight loss? Well, by following The Thyroid Diet, I was able to get rid of about 40 pounds that I really needed to lose. But despite my best efforts, there are holidays, vacations, winter, thyroid fluctuations, and I'm always gaining and losing those last 15-20 pounds. So controlling appetite, increasing metabolism, and losing weight is not a one-time process with a final destination -- for me, it has to be an ongoing lifestyle.

So, with this in mind, I wanted to share something with you that has been pretty terrific in terms of diet. (You all know that I don't recommend a product, supplement, or book unless I've tried it myself, read it myself, and found it helpful to me. There's never a guarantee of course, that something that works for me will work for you. But at least if I believe in something because I tried it and liked it, you'll know that it's not just a marketing pitch or spiel -- it's something that I actually use. And even though I mention products and books and such I like, you don't often hear me rave about how amazing something is.) But I honestly need to rave about something that has been absolutely wonderful!

I regularly download audio ebooks to listen to on long car rides and when I'm walking and such. So when I saw The Self-Hypnosis Diet listed as an ebook, I downloaded it, and started listening to it before going to sleep. (A number of publishers have actually sent me freebie copies of various hypnosis diet CDs to review, but honestly, I haven't heard anything that impressed me enough to mention it to you.) But something struck me about the writeup about psychologist Dr. Steven Gurgevich's work. Gurgevich is a member of the faculty at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine, where he is the Director of the Mind-Body Clinic and teaches mind/body medicine to physicians at Dr. Andrew Weil's Program In Integrative Medicine. He's the real deal, not some internet huckster hypnotist. His collaboration and connection to Weil gave him credibility with me (unlike some of the junk out there...)

So I listened to it, and heard some interesting and compelling things to say in the first part, where he talks about self-hypnosis principles, and self-talk, and the mind-body connection, and what it's all about. And then I started listening to the actual "trance" sessions.

I didn't really notice anything different until about 2 weeks later. I got on a scale and discovered I had lost about 5 pounds -- not easy for me since I became hypothyroid. I also was feeling GREAT about myself. I had more energy, was sleeping well. I was motivated to cook more -- and was suddenly craving new salad recipes -- we ate a lot of delicious gazpacho and bean salads that week! ;-) The amazing thing was that my appetite was actually down -- noticeably -- and in particular, my desire to eat junk food just disappeared.

It's been about 8 weeks since I first started listening to the CDs, and I have to tell you, it works. It definitely gets into your head and helps you rearrange negative thinking and habits. For example, Gurgevich says that we should NEVER go around saying "I have a slow metabolism. I just look at a donut and it transfers to my hips" -- that sort of thing, because it actually delivers a message to our body to fulfill our beliefs! He referred to some studies that were done that found that people who went around saying "I have a high metabolism, I burn things up the minute I eat them" actually had metabolic response to food, and when they ate more calories than usual, they would speed up metabolically (as well as with digestion and elimination) to burn them off more quickly.

The crazy thing is, 8 weeks in, he's right. My metabolism feels like it's improving, and what do you know, I'm still losing weight -- a pound or two a week -- working out more, and able to follow my Thyroid Diet with hardly a thought, and definitely without feeling deprived. That's the best part for me. No suffering, or feeling deprived.

I know something like self-hypnosis isn't for everyone. Sounds a bit spooky ooky or crunchy granola. But it's actually pretty straightforward... if you could synch up your desires with your thinking, and tell it to your body, that's kind of how it works. All I can tell you is after my best friend kept telling me how great I looked, I gave her a copy -- she wanted to try to stop eating chocolate. She's 4 weeks in, and she's already gotten rid of her chocolate and sugar cravings. She's doing the Sonoma Diet right now, and loving it. (And there's no chocolate bars on the Sonoma Diet!) And she told me she had this weird side effect. She also stopped smoking, of all things, something she's wanted to do for years.

I just wanted you to know about Steven Gurgevich's Self-Hypnosis Diet because when something really works in a big way for me and people I care about, I can't imagine not sharing it!

The list price for the 3-CD set is $24.95, and you can get it at bookstores and various online vendors. But Amazon has it at a great discount, only $15.72 plus shipping. (And pop over to Amazon.com and read the reader reviews -- I just checked, and it appears I'm not crazy -- someone else ended up craving salads after listening to these CDs too!)

If you try it and it works for you, drop me a line and let me know. We have to spread the word when something really works! I'm hoping to be able to do an interview with Dr. Gurgevich in the near future, so stay tuned!!

Live well,

Mary

A Weight Off My Mind email edition is published regularly by Mary Shomon. Please invite your friends to subscribe! Send them a copy with your recommendation. A Weight Off My Mind is copyright 1997-2006 by Mary Shomon. All rights reserved.
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Sticking Out Our Necks and the contents of this website are � Copyright Mary Shomon, 2006. All rights reserved.
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