Sticking Out Our Necks, August 2007, Thyroid Disease News Report, From Mary Shomon -- Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Cancer, Nodules, Weight Loss, Metabolism

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STICKING OUT OUR NECKS -- JULY 2007
Thyroid News for People Who Want to Live Well
"We're Patients...Not Lab Values!"~ Patient Advocate Mary Shomon

THYROID ADVICE FROM MY OWN DOCTOR!

I've been sharing thyroid information as a patient advocate for more than a decade. But in all that time, I've never featured a full-length interview with my own doctor, Virginia-based integrative physician Kate Lemmerman, MD! (Some of you may have seen quotes from her in my various books.)

But this summer, I had a chance to interview her at length, and she opened up about her ideas about thyroid care, why she prefers a holistic approach, and what she believes patients need to do to get the best possible thyroid care.

Dr. Kate is a conventionally trained MD, who went on to study acupuncture and osteopathy, so she's really a "best of all worlds" kind of doctor. You won't want to miss this interview with Kate Lemmerman, MD -- and I think you'll see why I'm proud to say she's been my doctor for more than 10 years! Read the interview now.

THE REAL SECRET ABOUT "THE SECRET CURE FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM" -- A WARNING

You can't miss it -- it's an ad that is showing up on a lot of thyroid-related websites promising "The Cure for Hypothyroidism" or the "Secret Cure for Hypothyroidism." (No link, as I don't want to encourage anyone to even go there...) But a lot of folks have been writing to me, and they believed the promises of that ad, and bought the short electronic pamphlet -- it's SO short it doesn't qualify as a brochure, much less a "book!" -- titled "The Secret Cure for Hypothyroidism." These readers were furious, fed up and felt totally ripped off, and want to warn you before another copy is sold. Find out what is actually in the "Secret Cure for Hypothyroidism" now.

WHAT IF YOUR SYNTHROID JUST DOESN'T WORK?

People are always writing to complain about a common situation: "HELP! My Synthroid isn't working! What do I do NOW??" What happens is a newly diagnosed thyroid patient is given a prescription (usually for Synthroid, the most popular brand with doctors), they start taking their pills, and a few weeks later, they're exhausted, losing hair, gaining weight, or feeling miserable. And so they assume: "The Synthroid isn't working!" But is that really the case? If you find yourself in this particular dilemma, is your medication not working? I've put together some questions to help you find out.

THYROID PATIENT PETITION

The International Thyroid Patient Organisation, a group of various patient-oriented organizations and websites, has put together a petition regarding thyroid treatment. If you're interested in signing, find out more online.

CHEMICAL-LADEN HOUSEHOLD DUST MAY POSE THYROID DANGER TO CATS

Your fuzzy feline friend may be the canary in the coalmine when it comes to the thyroid dangers of certain household chemicals. Find out about what we're learning about flame retardant chemicals -- which you'll find in everything from foam cushions to carpeting to furniture -- and why they may be the reason for a dramatic increase in hyperthyroidism in cats. Find out more now.

LOSING YOUR HAIR? THERE'S HELP!

It was just published in July, but copies of The Thyroid Guide to Hair Loss, my new ebook, are flying off the shelves. The guide is a definitive, 100+ pages filled with information to help thyroid patients who are experiencing hair loss, and anyone who suspects their hair loss may be thyroid-related.

If you are wondering "Where is my hair?" the Thyroid Guide to Hair Loss will help you get properly diagnosed and treated.

AND, if you are a thyroid patient suffering from continued hair loss, the Thyroid Guide to Hair Loss offers many treatment approaches and options that can help you conquer this frustrating condition! Learn more about the guide now.

MANAGING THYROID DISEASE DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY: GUIDELINES

Women who are taking thyroid hormone replacement and become pregnant may need a dosage change in medication. Some women should be screening for thyroid conditions both during and after pregnancy. Specifics on these and other issues are covered in clinical guidelines for the management of thyroid problems in pregnancy, the postpartum period, and in newborns. These guidelines were just published, and are must-reading for any thyroid patient who is pregnant or hopes to be.

FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORK RELEASES STATEMENT AGAINST FLUORIDATION: INCLUDES CONCERNS ABOUT FLUORIDE'S IMPACT ON THYROID HEALTH

I'm a member of the advisory board of Fluoride Action Network (FAN). This group -- a coalition of concerned professionals whose mission is to broaden public awareness about the toxicity of fluoride -- has released a statement regarding fluoride, cosigned by 600 professionals from around the world. Check out what we all have to say about fluoride, and its impact on health -- as well as your thyroid.

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE MAY HURT YOU: AN INTERVIEW WITH "HITMAN" LEE EINER OF THE FILM SICKO

Whatever you think of Michael Moore and his film Sicko, there's no denying that health insurance these days is a battleground. In the film, Moore featured Lee Einer, who was referred to as an insurance company "hitman." Lee described how his main responsibility was to help his employer -- a health insurance company -- deny coverage to validly insured customers. Lee's most memorable line in Sicko? "You're not slipping through the cracks. Somebody made that crack and swept you towards it. And the intent is to maximize profits." Honest Medicine's Julia Schopick has done a terrific podcast interview with Lee, and it'll curl your toes to hear what these companies are doing to keep from paying you your rightful reimbursements! Find out more.

HUNDREDS OF NEW TOP THYROID DOCTORS LISTED

I'd gotten behind, but finally was able to tackle the update of the Top Doctors Directory. The Directory features doctors -- recommended by thyroid patients -- for thyroid care. Hundreds of new doctors have been added. So take a look and see if there's a great new doctor for you, or if your old doctor has made the list -- or been taken off!

Thyroid Top Doctors Directory

THE LATEST THYROID NEWS

The Role Of Thyroid Hormones In Sleep Regulation
While the thyroid has long been linked to metabolism, cutting-edge research underway at Rutgers University/Camden is investigating the possibility that thyroid hormones have an important role in sleep regulation...

Predicting Graves' Relapse after Antithyroid Drug Treatment
Graves' disease patients receiving antithyroid drug treatment now have information that can help them predict the likelihood of relapse...

Accuracy of Thyroid Hormone Testing Improved with State-of-the-Art Test
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have developed a fast and accurate way to measure thyroxine (T4)--an advance they say may help in the treatment of many women who have thyroid problems...

Links Between Food Cravings, Types of Cravings, and Weight Management
Accepting food cravings and keeping them in check may be an important component of weight management, according to findings from the first phase of a new study...

Controlling Stress Helps Fight Chronic Diseases
A study conducted in Spain has determined that daily stress can worsen the symptoms of patients suffering from autoimmune diseases...

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NOTES FROM MARY: MY LATEST WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS

Dear Readers,

I try to keep you all informed if I find something that I think is especially helpful as far as weight loss. (And believe me, as a thyroid patient, every single day I'm engaged in the process of losing weight -- or trying to avoid gaining weight!)

So I'm especially excited to tell you about Fucoxanthin, which is derived from an edible brown kelp/seaweed known as undaria pinnatifida, and known in Japan as wakame. A Japanese study was published late last year that is especially interesting in that it shows that fucoxanthin can promote fat burning within fat cells in animals. And apparently, the type of fat most affected is "white adipose tissue" -- the kind of fat that concentrates around organs -- such as abdominal fat.

This summer I've been following "The Thyroid Diet" especially carefully, and have successfully taken off some extra pounds I'd picked up last winter and spring due to lazy eating. My summer shape-up was going fine, but lately, my weight loss started to actually SPEED UP even more -- to the extent that it really surprised me. (I'm usually a slow-losing type who rejoices when I've lost 3/4 of a pound in a week!)

So what's the difference? I'm crediting my addition of a fucoxanthin supplement to my diet and weight loss regimen. Believe it or not, I've been losing about a pound a week MORE than usual since I started taking it, AND my abdominal "pooch" is shrinking much faster than usual -- even faster than when I first start back on CLA.

You can find out more about fucoxanthin, including where to get it (I'm taking a proprietary brand known as Fucothin) and the journal research reference -- online in my article Can Fucoxanthin Help Your Weight Loss Efforts? or if you want to buy it right away, go straight to my favorite online vitamin/herb retailer, Iherb.com, to buy the brand I use, Fucothin.

Let me know if you try it, and what your results turn out to be. I'll post an update down the road based on my own results, and what I hear from readers!

Live well,

Mary

"Sticking Out Our Necks" 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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