Sticking Out Our Necks, July 2006, Thyroid Disease News Report, From Mary Shomon -- Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Cancer, Nodules, Weight Loss, Metabolism

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STICKING OUT OUR NECKS -- July 2006
Thyroid News for People Who Want to Live Well -- "We're Patients...Not Lab Values!"

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/news/jul2006.htm
Back issues are online at http://www.thyroid-info.com/news/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.

THYROID TRANSPLANT: FROM A RABBIT?

According to a report in the Times of India, Belarussian surgeons in Minsk have transplanted the thyroid gland of a rabbit to a human. Amazing, but true!

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!

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?

CONTROVERSIAL ENDO SAYS IF BLOOD TESTS ARE NORMAL BUT YOU THINK YOU HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM, THEN YOU HAVE A MENTAL PROBLEM

This past spring, British endocrinologist AP "Tony" Weetman wrote an editorial, titled "Whose Thyroid Hormone Replacement is it Anyway?" which summarizes everything that is wrong with today's endocrinologists. Weetman arrogantly proclaimed in the March 2006 issue of the journal Clinical Endocrinology that patients with thyroid symptoms who insist they have a thyroid condition despite so-called "normal" test results are actually mentally ill! He then compounded the problem by putting the blame on what he calls "healthism" and what you and I would call "empowered patients." That's right, all these people wandering around who think they have a thyroid problem are well-informed "healthists" with high expectations, healthy lifestyles, and a distrust of doctors and scientists. Seriously! You have to read it to believe it! Don't miss Weetman's editorial, and my, ahem, "heated" response, titled "Whose Health Is It Anyway, Tony?"

INSIDE MARY SHOMON'S MEDICINE CABINET

People are always writing to me to ask "what drugs and supplements do YOU take?" First off, let's be clear...the optimal combination of supplements for you is the one that will work best for YOU. And what works best for me may not work best for you. I've come up with my own regimen with my physicians and health practitioners, after years of trial and error. Most of the supplements I use are easily available at health food, vitamin and natural products stores. For certain products, I've provided additional information or links to retailers. Inside Mary's Medicine Cabinet.

WHY ARE MORE PEOPLE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER?

According to research published in the May 10, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the more than doubling of the rate of thyroid cancer over the past three decades is due to improved diagnostic techniques, rather than an actual increase in the occurrence of this type of cancer. Take a look at the important implications for thyroid patients now.

ONLINE INTERACTIVE QUIZ: COULD YOU HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE CONDITION?

Your eyes are dry, you're losing hair, joints and muscles ache, or you feel brain foggy and exhausted. These are normal thyroid symptoms, right? Maybe not. If you have a thyroid condition, it's pretty likely that you developed it because of an autoimmune disease. Most of us become hypothyroid or hyperthyroid due to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, or Graves' disease -- two of the most common autoimmune diseases. But having a thyroid-related autoimmune disease also puts you at risk for many other autoimmune conditions -- everything from Sjogren's syndrome to rheumatoid arthritis. Persistent symptoms that you think are thyroid-related may even be evidence of other autoimmune problems. This interactive online quiz walks you through some of the more common autoimmune risk factors and symptoms. And after you've answered the questions, you'll get a rating that evaluates how many of your responses fit with the profile of someone at risk for or experiencing autoimmune problems. START THE QUIZ NOW!

THYROID GUIDE TO FERTILITY, PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS -- NOW IN DOWNLOADABLE FORMAT

Few women are aware of the critical relationship between the thyroid gland - our master gland of metabolism - and nearly every aspect of child-bearing. As a woman, your thyroid can affect your fertility, your ability to become pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy, postpartum health, successful breastfeeding, and even the health of your baby.

My "Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Success" will help you understand the important information you need to get pregnant, have a healthy baby, stay healthy yourself, and breastfeed your baby.

And now, in addition to the print edition that you can order, you can also order the NEW ebook edition, and download it immediately. Find out more now...

ENDOCRINOLOGISTS RELEASE NEW GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT OF THYROID NODULE GUIDELINES

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) announced the release of its medical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules. The guidelines were published in Endocrine Practice, a peer-reviewed journal of AACE. Find out more information about the guidelines, and a link to the electronic version of them now. Thyroid Nodule Guidelines.

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!

RESEARCHERS CLAIM NO INCREASED HEART RISK FOR SENIORS IF MILDLY UNDERACTIVE THYROID LEFT UNTREATED

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are claiming that their latest study shows that leaving a mildly underactive thyroid gland (subclinical hypothyroidism) untreated does not lead to increased cardiovascular risk. Find out more now.

OVERACTIVE THYROID ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHM

Having an overactive thyroid gland is linked with an increased risk for atrial fibrillation (a type of abnormal heart rhythm), but is not associated with a higher risk for other cardiovascular problems or increased risk of death. Get the news.

KEY FLUORIDE NEWS

DRS. RICHARD AND KARILEE SHAMES ON FLUORIDE'S THYROID DANGERS...
For decades, we've heard that adding fluoride to water was a good thing. And Harvard educated Dr. Richard Shames, and Dr. Karilee Shames, both experts in thyroid disease, agreed. That is, they used to agree, until a few years ago. What caused these two prestigious practitioners to change their mind about fluoridated water?

IS THERE FLUORIDE IN YOUR WATER? FIND OUT WITH THE FLUORIDE FINDER
The link between fluoride and the thyroid is becoming increasingly clear to experts. Find out about the fluoride/thyroid connection, and then use the Fluoride Finder to tap into the CDC's state and local database, which allows consumers in currently participating states to learn the fluoridation status of their water system. Get started now!

FLUORIDE CONFERENCE FOR CITIZENS / JULY 28 - AUGUST 1, CANTON, NY
The 2nd Citizens' Conference on Fluoride (July 28 - August 1) presents citizens a unique opportunity to meet and learn from leading scientists about the serious, multifaceted health concerns with current fluoride exposures. The conference follows closely on the release of the National Research Council (NRC) report: "Fluoride in Drinking Water: Scientific Review of EPA's Standards." According to the NRC, fluoride exposure may cause a variety of serious health conditions, ranging from hip fracture, to thyroid disorders, to dementia. To clarify the NRC's findings on how fluoride can damage the brain, the thyroid gland, and teeth, the 2nd Citizens Conference on Fluoride will feature presentations from 3 of the scientists who authored the NRC review. Other featured presentations include: Dr. Jennifer Luke, the British scientist who studied the impact of fluoride on the pineal gland; Dr. William Hirzy, an EPA scientist, on why the EPA's Headquarters Union of Professionals is calling for a congressional investigation into fluoridation; Dr. Donald Taves, a former top, government-funded, scientist on fluoride toxicity; and a panel of dentists on why they now oppose fluoridation. For further information about the conference, see: http://www.FluorideAction.net.

IS IT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, OR A THYROID CONDITION?

Both Brooke Shields and Katie Holmes -- Tom Cruise's fiancee -- delivered their babies on the same day! An interesting coincidence, because Tom and Brooke also have in common a very public feud they conducted last year, after Cruise accused Shields of being "irresponsible" for using antidepressants to treat the severe postpartum depression she suffered after the birth of her first child. I like how the Mercury News sums it all up, saying: "Who would've known that, the same day the patron saint of the drug-free manic became a father again, so would his arch-nemesis, the evil queen of mind-altered, postpartum depression-recovery." Tom Cruise may disagree, but postpartum depression, also known as PPD, is a very real condition, affecting as many as one in ten women who give birth, and it requires treatment. But what many women don't know is that another condition -- postpartum thyroid disease -- is equally as common, and may actually be the underlying cause of the PPD in some women.

THYROID CANCER PATIENTS FACE INCREASED RISK OF SECOND CANCER

Thyroid cancer patients face a 30% increased risk of developing a second primary cancer, according to new research just published. For some types of cancer, the risk is the greatest in the first 12 months after thyroid cancer diagnosis. Find out about this important study, which types of cancer are most likely to develop after thyroid cancer, and when your risks are the highest.

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.

IODINE: PROS AND CONS

To mark the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl, UNICEF said that the numbers of children who developed thyroid cancer could have been significantly lower if they had been consuming iodized salt in their daily diet at the time of the accident. Learn more now.

Not long after, researchers from China, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, defined the health risks of too much iodine. Get the details now.

SHOULD YOUR DOCTOR TREAT YOUR HASHIMOTO'S EVEN IF YOUR THYROID TESTS ARE NORMAL?

If your TSH test results say "normal," you may think that is the end of the discussion, as far as a "thyroid problem." But for some practitioners, it's not, especially if you have the autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto's disease. Can thyroid treatment help your autoimmune thyroid disease even if your TSH is "normal?".

CAN SUNSCREEN MAKE YOU HYPOTHYROID?

In another one of those "what is good for you might not be good for you" news twists, researchers are reporting that UV filters -- the chemicals found in some sunscreens and anti-aging skin treatments -- may disrupt thyroid hormone production, and may even trigger early stage hypothyroidism.

Find out what this research could mean for your summer sun plans.

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.

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!

QUIZ: COULD YOU BE HYPERTHYROID?

Your hair is falling out, you're losing weight -- without trying -- you can't sleep, you feel jittery yet weak, your heart is pounding, you feel anxious and even irrational...could your thyroid be overactive? An estimated 5 to 7 million people are hyperthyroid, yet most people with hyperthyroidism aren't even diagnosed. If you're hyperthyroid, you're probably suffering in silence, or if you talk to your doctor, you may end up misdiagnosed -- some doctors even tell patients they have panic disorder, anorexia, or are "just stressed out!!" This interactive quiz walks you through some of the most common hyperthyroidism risk factors and the frequently seen signs and symptoms that tell you that your thyroid may be overactive. TAKE THE QUIZ NOW!

HOODIA AND CARALLUMA FOR APPETITE AND WEIGHT LOSS

People are always writing to ask me about hoodia and caralluma. Check out some of my thoughts on these two appetite-suppressing diet supplements.

MORE THYROID NEWS: THE PRINT NEWSLETTER

If you aren't subscribing to the print edition of "Sticking Out Our Necks," then you are missing out on special in-depth stories and additional news that you won't find at my websites. The newsletter, which is 12-pages and comes out every other month, and is delivered in hard copy right to your mailbox, is the only independent, patient-oriented newsletter that accepts no advertising, and is not linked to drug companies or organizations associated with pharmaceutical companies. That means you get unbiased patient-oriented information to help you live well.

I'm running a very special opportunity for email newsletter subscribers, but ONLY this month. If you order a print subscription by July 31, 2006, you'll not only get a copy of the May/June issue to start off your subscription, but you can select two back issues of "Sticking Out Our Necks" as a FREE GIFT!

The May/June issue is a special 16-page issue, and includes a number of helpful articles, including:

Traveling With Your Medications
Preventing Medication Errors
Thyroid Cancer's Added Risks
Subclinical Hypothyroidism: When to Treat?
Metabolic Syndrome & Thyroid
Thyroid, Cardiovascular and Cholesterol Connection
Block-Replace Therapy
Subclinical Hyperthyroidism & Hypertension
Suppressive Therapy & Nodules
Konjac Glucomannan for Hyperthyroidism
Surgery for Hyperthyroidism
Does Selenium Deficiency Trigger Post-Partum Problems?
Steroids & Orbital Radiotherapy for Thyroid Eye Disease
Infertility & Thyroid
Smoking and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Depression
Dry Eyes, Dry Mouth
Thyroid Dysfunction and the Obesity Epidemic
All Calories are Not Created Equal

If you're interested, you can order by phone, fax, mail or online. Get info on how to sign up now. (But please remember this special offer of two free gifts is good only if you order by July 31, 2006, so order now!)

NOTES FROM MARY

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, and since I've been there myself, I've done my best to share my thoughts about what to do in my article, "I'm Tired, I'm Frustrated and I Give Up! What to Do When You've Reached the End of Your Rope." I've already had a great deal of mail from readers who know what this feels like, and definitely can relate to the article. Let me know what you think!

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

"Sticking Out Our Necks" email edition is published regularly by Mary Shomon. Please invite your friends to subscribe! Send them a copy with your recommendation. "Sticking Out Our Necks" is copyright 1997-2006 by Mary Shomon. All rights reserved.
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Mary Shomon
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Sticking Out Our Necks and the contents of this website are � Copyright Mary Shomon, 2006. All rights reserved.
Mary Shomon, Editor/Webmaster, P.O. Box 565, Kensington, MD 20895-0565.

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.