This is a very informative article on your thyroid. If you scroll down, you will see the one of the most comprehensive lists of symptoms I have seen. I know - I have experienced a lot of them. Enjoy the article if you are into reading about the master gland of metabolism!
Thyroid: The Master Gland of Metabolism
January 4, 2010 · Published By Paula Owens
Part one of a series on Hypothyroidism
Your thyroid is the master gland of your metabolism. It is your body’s internal thermostat, regulating the temperature by secreting two hormones, T3 and T4 that control your ability to burn calories and use energy. The thyroid controls your weight, body temperature, heart rate, energy levels, menstrual regularity and muscle strength.
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped, hormone producing tissue the size of a walnut located at the lower front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. Every cell in your body needs small amounts of thyroid hormone to function optimally. Thyroid function is vital to your health.
Hypothyroidism is a health condition in which there is insufficient thyroid activity which is often undiagnosed. Less than 25% of people with an underactive thyroid have been properly diagnosed and treated. Untreated hypothyroidism dramatically increases your risk of serious health concerns and degenerative diseases.
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted by the pituitary gland in your subconscious brain. In early stages of hypothyroidism, the pituitary gland releases more and more TSH, causing elevated TSH levels. This causes the thyroid to work overtime to secrete more thyroxin (T4) and T3, the biologically active form of thyroid. Most of the T4 produced is converted to T3 by your liver.
Most conventional doctors only test TSH. This is not thorough testing for thyroid function.
Measuring different hormones in the blood can determine if the thyroid gland is working properly. To most effectively screen for hypothyroidism and other thyroid imbalances, Dr. Galitzer recommends that doctors also request blood tests for thyroid antibodies.
Therefore, it is recommended that all women be tested for hypothyroidism by the age of 50 as well as those women who are or are planning to become pregnant in order to detect thyroid problems. In addition, the American Thyroid Association suggests that everyone over 35 years of age should be screened with a TSH test every 5 years.
New data from a study of 25,000 participants whose TSH was measured argued that the ideal TSH level is 1.4 or less, not the usual 5.5 limit still cited by some labs.
Suggested Thyroid Tests:
Basal temperature test (read about this in my book, THE POWER OF 4) – Oral temperatures consistently <97.3˚ F may suggest hypothyroidism; temperatures consistently <97.0˚ F suggests hypothyroidism.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This is the BEST test, but beware most all of the “normal” ranges are simply dead wrong. The ideal level for TSH is between 1 and 1.5 mIU/L.
T4 panel
Free T4 – The normal level of free T4 is between 0.9 and 1.8 ng/dl.
T4 Thyroxine – optimal levels are 8-12.5
Free Thyroxine Index – optimal levels are 1.5-5
T3 Panel
Free T3 – Optimal ranges are between 1.8-5.4
T3 Uptake – optimal levels are 27-37
T3 Total – optimal ranges are 72-170
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody – optimal ranges are 0-19
Thyroid hormones are affected by stress. Adrenaline and cortisol, hormones released by stress, interfere with the body’s ability to convert T4 into T3. When T3 levels decrease, the body produces even more adrenaline and cortisol to help speed up metabolism which further inhibits the conversion of T4 to T3. Healthy functioning adrenals must always be factored in when dealing with thyroid imbalances. Excess cortisol increases risk of Candida.
Suggested Testing to Evaluate Low Adrenal Function:
Cortisol levels (8 a.m. and 4 p.m.)
DHEA and DHEA-S
Adrenal Stress Index (ASI)
ACTH
Other testing to consider:
Homocysteine (clinical research has shown that homocystinuria is found with many cases of primary and secondary thyroid hypo-function).
Liver function. (Thyroid hormones are conjugated in the liver).
Hypothyroidism affects an estimated 10% of the U.S. population of which 90% are women. Thyroid disease and breast cancer are most common in post-menopausal females. Sugar intolerance, menopause and depression cause many of the same symptoms of thyroid disorders. Those with low thyroid may experience elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides caused by failure of the anterior pituitary to drive the thyroid.
When thyroid disease is left untreated, it can cause elevated cholesterol levels and subsequent heart disease, infertility, Candida, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and sometimes even coma or death. According to new research, women who had a prior history of hypothyroidism for more than 10 years had a two to threefold higher risk of liver cancer compared to women without a history of thyroid disorders.
Symptoms of an underactive thyroid may include:
Catches colds and other viral/bacterial problems easily and has difficulty recovering
Chronic digestive problems (gas, bloating, indigestion)
Constipation
Decreased immunity
Depression
Dry or brittle hair, hair falls out easily
Dry or itching skin
Edema, especially in the face and eyelids
Elevated LDL cholesterol levels
Fatigue, especially in the middle of the day
Increase in weight even while on a low-calorie or low-fat diet
Loss of outer third portion of the eyebrows
Low temperature
Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses.
Muscle cramps while at rest
Overly sensitive to cold weather
Poor circulation, joint stiffness, numbness in hands or feet
Reduced initiative, mental confusion, and poor memory
Requires an excessive amount of sleep to function normally
Ringing in the ears associated with decreased blood pressure and/or slow pulse rate
Wounds heal slowly
Three or more of the above may indicate hypothyroidism.
Three or more symptoms above may indicate hypothyroidism.
Click on title to read more on the subject...
Our Grandchildren - Crew, Kinley, and Camren
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Best Selling "True Crime" Books
Non-fiction lovers know that the truth isn't just stranger than fiction -- it can be a whole lot scarier, as well.
1. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences - Truman Capote
The granddaddy of the modern true crime genre, In Cold Blood's detailed account of the murder of the Clutter family in 1959 rural Kansas is as good today as it was in 1965. Not only is it an admirable true crime book, it is non-fiction writing at its best. I included it in my list of 20 best non-fiction books for people who think they hate to read non-fiction.
2. The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez - Philip Carlo
The satanic motivations of the rapist and murderer the "Night Stalker" are discussed in chilling detail in this book.
3. Confessions of Son of Sam - David Abrahamsen
Classic scare-yourself-silly reading.
4. A Rip in Heaven: A Memoir of Murder and Its Aftermath - Jeanine Cummins
Highly emotional account of the 1991 rape and murder of Robin and Julie Kerry and the attempted murder of their cousin, Tom Cummins who, for some time after the crime, remained wrongfully targeted as the prime suspect by the police.
5. Murder in the Family - Burl Barer
Details the 1987 Anchorage, Alaska murders of a mother, Nancy Newman, and her two daughters by the 23-year old nephew of Nancy's husband.
6. The Mammoth Book of Women Who Kill - Richard Glyn Jones
Sounds hokey, I know, but it's the sort of book you pick up and find yourself reading for hours on end. Covers every murderess of note in detail from ancient Rome to the 1930s. If you can't get enough, don't fret: you've still got The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Crime; The Mammoth Book of Unsolved Crimes; and The Mammoth Book of True Crime.
7. The Executioner's Song - Norman Mailer
A gutsy hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, this book relates the crimes and execution of Gary Gilmore.
8. Shot in the Heart - Mikhail Gilmore
Tells the Gary Gilmore story from the perspective of Gilmore's brother, who relates the abusive background that contributed to the murders Gary committed.
9. Perfect Victim: The True Story of 'The Girl in the Box' by the D.A. that Prosecuted her Captor - Christine McGuire and Carla Norton
One of those totally-normal-looking-couple-keeping-a-sex-slave-imprisoned-in-the-basement tales. Yikes.
10. Cries in the Desert - John Glatt
Lots and lots of horror and torture in New Mexico.
11. Dead and Buried: A Shocking Account of Rape, Torture, and Murder on the California Coast - Corey Mitchell
Like the two books above, this isn't for the faint of heart. The title says it all.
12. My Life among the Serial Killers: Inside the Minds of the World's Most Notorious Murderers - Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg
Helen Morrison was a forensic psychologist who interviewed some of the most infamous serial killers of the past several decades. A lot of the details here are not for the squeamish.
13. I: The Creation of a Serial Killer - Jack Olsen
Highly detailed story of the rapist and murderer Keith Hunter Jesperson. Be warned: some of the story is told from Jesperson's point of view and can be more than a little disturbing.
14. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
Explores Ann Rule's friendship with Ted Bundy while working with him at a crisis hotline service, her shock at learning of his murderous tendencies, and her search to understand what makes killers like Bundy tick.
15. Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Fiendish Killer - Harold Schechter
And you thought Silence of the Lambs was scary. This tale of Albert Fish, allegedly the real-life inspiration for Hannibal Lecter, makes Silence of the Lambs look like Little Bo Peep.
16. Lethal Intent - Sue Russell
Tells the story of female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, the subject of the film "Monster."
17. Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders - Terry Sullivan
Terry Sullivan divides Killer Clown into three parts: the search for the missing 15 year-old Rob Piest; the focusing of the investigation on Gacy and the discovery of bodies buried on his property; and Gacy's trial. Lurid details abound -- Gacy was a truly sadistic, horrific individual.
18. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: An American Nightmare - Donald A. Davis
Not high literature, but hard to put down, nonetheless.
19. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho - Harold Schechter
Like Mr. Schechter's Deranged, Deviant contains details that a casual crime reader might find too much to handle.
20. Fatal Vision - Joe McGinniss
Relates the story and trial of Jeffrey MacDonald, accused of murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. One of the unusual aspects of this book is that the author actually lived with MacDonald in the months leading up to the murder trial.
21. Angels of Death: A True Story of Murder and Innocence Lost - Gary C. King
Disturbing story of 12 year-old Alex King and his 13 year-old brother, Derek, accused of murdering their father.
22. Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, a Mother's Sacrifice - Ann Rule
Detailed account of the 1995 house fire in which two of Debora Green's three children died. The book includes details of Green's later trial, where she was accused of arson, leaving her children to die, and attempting to poison her husband prior to the fire.
23. Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone - John Kobler
A biography of the Chicago mob boss that includes some graphic details of the crimes he supervised.
24. Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia - Peter Maas
A suspenseful, inside look at the Mafia, based on Mr. Maas's interviews with Gravano.
25. Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax - Gregory Ahlgren and Stephen Monier
Taken from:
50 best true crime books: truth stranger -- and scarier -- than fiction
July 26, 6:43 PMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns
If you'd like to peer into the dark heart of true crime, you can't do better than this list of the [50] best true crime novels ever written. Serial killers, famous murder cases, bizarre nightmares of human cruelty, mobsters, gangsters, police procedurals, and courtroom dramas -- find the best of the bunch here.
A Word to the Wise: Some of these titles include a decent amount of explicit violence and sexuality, as well as just being plain freaky. They are, perhaps, not the best choice of reading matter for the Young and Impressionable or those who are afraid of Things That Go Bump in the Night. Proceed with caution, a dose of common sense, and triple Yale locks on all doors.
1. In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences - Truman Capote
The granddaddy of the modern true crime genre, In Cold Blood's detailed account of the murder of the Clutter family in 1959 rural Kansas is as good today as it was in 1965. Not only is it an admirable true crime book, it is non-fiction writing at its best. I included it in my list of 20 best non-fiction books for people who think they hate to read non-fiction.
2. The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez - Philip Carlo
The satanic motivations of the rapist and murderer the "Night Stalker" are discussed in chilling detail in this book.
3. Confessions of Son of Sam - David Abrahamsen
Classic scare-yourself-silly reading.
4. A Rip in Heaven: A Memoir of Murder and Its Aftermath - Jeanine Cummins
Highly emotional account of the 1991 rape and murder of Robin and Julie Kerry and the attempted murder of their cousin, Tom Cummins who, for some time after the crime, remained wrongfully targeted as the prime suspect by the police.
5. Murder in the Family - Burl Barer
Details the 1987 Anchorage, Alaska murders of a mother, Nancy Newman, and her two daughters by the 23-year old nephew of Nancy's husband.
6. The Mammoth Book of Women Who Kill - Richard Glyn Jones
Sounds hokey, I know, but it's the sort of book you pick up and find yourself reading for hours on end. Covers every murderess of note in detail from ancient Rome to the 1930s. If you can't get enough, don't fret: you've still got The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Crime; The Mammoth Book of Unsolved Crimes; and The Mammoth Book of True Crime.
7. The Executioner's Song - Norman Mailer
A gutsy hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, this book relates the crimes and execution of Gary Gilmore.
8. Shot in the Heart - Mikhail Gilmore
Tells the Gary Gilmore story from the perspective of Gilmore's brother, who relates the abusive background that contributed to the murders Gary committed.
9. Perfect Victim: The True Story of 'The Girl in the Box' by the D.A. that Prosecuted her Captor - Christine McGuire and Carla Norton
One of those totally-normal-looking-couple-keeping-a-sex-slave-imprisoned-in-the-basement tales. Yikes.
10. Cries in the Desert - John Glatt
Lots and lots of horror and torture in New Mexico.
11. Dead and Buried: A Shocking Account of Rape, Torture, and Murder on the California Coast - Corey Mitchell
Like the two books above, this isn't for the faint of heart. The title says it all.
12. My Life among the Serial Killers: Inside the Minds of the World's Most Notorious Murderers - Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg
Helen Morrison was a forensic psychologist who interviewed some of the most infamous serial killers of the past several decades. A lot of the details here are not for the squeamish.
13. I: The Creation of a Serial Killer - Jack Olsen
Highly detailed story of the rapist and murderer Keith Hunter Jesperson. Be warned: some of the story is told from Jesperson's point of view and can be more than a little disturbing.
14. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
Explores Ann Rule's friendship with Ted Bundy while working with him at a crisis hotline service, her shock at learning of his murderous tendencies, and her search to understand what makes killers like Bundy tick.
15. Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Fiendish Killer - Harold Schechter
And you thought Silence of the Lambs was scary. This tale of Albert Fish, allegedly the real-life inspiration for Hannibal Lecter, makes Silence of the Lambs look like Little Bo Peep.
16. Lethal Intent - Sue Russell
Tells the story of female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, the subject of the film "Monster."
17. Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders - Terry Sullivan
Terry Sullivan divides Killer Clown into three parts: the search for the missing 15 year-old Rob Piest; the focusing of the investigation on Gacy and the discovery of bodies buried on his property; and Gacy's trial. Lurid details abound -- Gacy was a truly sadistic, horrific individual.
18. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: An American Nightmare - Donald A. Davis
Not high literature, but hard to put down, nonetheless.
19. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho - Harold Schechter
Like Mr. Schechter's Deranged, Deviant contains details that a casual crime reader might find too much to handle.
20. Fatal Vision - Joe McGinniss
Relates the story and trial of Jeffrey MacDonald, accused of murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. One of the unusual aspects of this book is that the author actually lived with MacDonald in the months leading up to the murder trial.
21. Angels of Death: A True Story of Murder and Innocence Lost - Gary C. King
Disturbing story of 12 year-old Alex King and his 13 year-old brother, Derek, accused of murdering their father.
22. Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, a Mother's Sacrifice - Ann Rule
Detailed account of the 1995 house fire in which two of Debora Green's three children died. The book includes details of Green's later trial, where she was accused of arson, leaving her children to die, and attempting to poison her husband prior to the fire.
23. Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone - John Kobler
A biography of the Chicago mob boss that includes some graphic details of the crimes he supervised.
24. Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia - Peter Maas
A suspenseful, inside look at the Mafia, based on Mr. Maas's interviews with Gravano.
25. Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax - Gregory Ahlgren and Stephen Monier
Taken from:
50 best true crime books: truth stranger -- and scarier -- than fiction
July 26, 6:43 PMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns
If you'd like to peer into the dark heart of true crime, you can't do better than this list of the [50] best true crime novels ever written. Serial killers, famous murder cases, bizarre nightmares of human cruelty, mobsters, gangsters, police procedurals, and courtroom dramas -- find the best of the bunch here.
A Word to the Wise: Some of these titles include a decent amount of explicit violence and sexuality, as well as just being plain freaky. They are, perhaps, not the best choice of reading matter for the Young and Impressionable or those who are afraid of Things That Go Bump in the Night. Proceed with caution, a dose of common sense, and triple Yale locks on all doors.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)