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Fatigue

The Salt Of The World

Liz James · June 8, 2022 ·

A Well Seasoned Sleuth looks at Salt Sourcing
 
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:13-16
 
It is awfully hard to be physical salt and light in the world if fatigue has taken over your personal world. The verse in Matthew (above) speaks metaphorically. However, it could also easily be speaking to the body’s physical need for salt. In its God made form (from the Himalayan mountaintops 🗻to the ocean floor🏝), salt is loaded with life giving micronutrients. Every cell in our body needs this kind of salt. Our bodies rely on these micronutrients for healthy bone density, stabilized blood sugar levels, proper blood circulation, and thousands of other small but exceedingly significant ways in the body.
 
Modern table salt, however, (the trample👣 worthy kind) is the stuff health nightmares 😈are made of. If you’ve never given much thought to the type of salt you may be eating in processed or fast foods (or perhaps even lurking…. as a clue… in your cabinet), consider the story of modern salt:
A far cry from the original micronutrient loaded seasoning, table salt is mined from deep underground, and then cooked🔥 at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. As it’s cooked, it loses the other micronutrients it “might “ have contained. Anti-caking agents, fluoride, a less healthy form of iodide, aluminum derivatives, and other ingredients are added to keep the salt shaking freely. Salt in the “real world” is not white, and table salt is bleached to get its pristine color. It may come as no surprise that crude oil extraction is one way “modern” salt is produced.
 
Becoming an avid label reader is one more way to be a stellar health detective. While God’s salt is loaded with health benefits🙌, the man made version wreaks havoc on the body😬. Diabetes, gout, and cardiovascular diseases are all aggravated by modern salt. It is also surreptitiously hard on the nervous and lymph systems, and will aggravate edema, lymphatic disorders, anxiety, and depression tendencies.
 
To recap, manmade salt:
🚫Comes from deep underground and is sent thru a fiery furnace
🚫It is a poor imitation of that which is good
🚫It’s highly addictive
🚫It wreaks havoc quietly on a previously healthy body, and generally makes an unhealthy body sick
It’s almost as if Satan himself came up with this salty plan of attack on mankind, with his uncanny ability to take something so innocently good, twist the narrative, and make it bad.🤔🫣
 
Original salt contains approximately 84 necessary micronutrients and zero toxins.
When used regularly, this type of salt (typically harvested from Himalayan, Celtic, or a natural Salt Lake source):
🥳Aids in hydration of the body,
🥳Improves digestion (and helps remove sediments in the body which can build up over time leading to kidney or gallstones)
supports both adrenal and thyroid function (trace minerals are absolutely key!)
🥳Helps regulate blood sugar
🥳Supports healthy blood pressure
🥳Helps the body detox
🥳Helps re-energize the body at a cellular level
🥳Assists in balancing the body’s pH
🥳One theory of why osteoporosis develops is that the body begins stripping bones of their mineral and calcium content in an effort to neutralize acidic blood. Healthy natural sourced salt is alkalizing by nature, which will eliminate the need of the bones to “give to the greater good (blood). The body is able to survive longer with poor bones than with “poor” blood.
🥳Enhances communication between nerve cells.
🥳Healthy natural salt also helps thin mucous and phlegm (yes, even when ingested!). Think about what a nasal saline rinse does as a physical example of this.
🥳Getting adequate natural salt improves complexion, hair and nail growth over time, and also may improve the appearance of varicose veins.
 
In adrenal fatigue, there is a little talked about hormone called aldosterone.
It follows a similar pattern to cortisol: its production tends to peak around 8:00am, and also rises during stressful situations. Aldosterone is a key player for the maintenance of water and certain minerals (electrolytes) in the body, and where they “should be” within the body. Electrolytes are absolutely necessary for proper cell function… just ask any high performance athlete who has sweated out too many electrolytes!
In adrenal fatigue, perhaps you may have noticed an intense craving for salt.🤓 When adequate cortisol levels drop, aldosterone drops too. When aldosterone drops, there is a tendency towards electrolyte imbalance, causing the salt cravings. Hydrating without adding in electrolytes has the potential to aggravate the electrolyte imbalance by further diluting existing electrolytes within the body.
 
Which brings me back to our naturally available micronutrient loaded salt forms!
 
There is a homemade hydration support tool called Sole (pronounced Sol-ay).
You’ll need a Liter sized mason jar, a cup of Himalayan or Celtic salt and three cups of filtered water.
1️⃣Add salt to the jar, and then fill the jar with filtered water.
2️⃣Put the lid (preferably plastic) on the jar, shake gently, and then leave overnight.
3️⃣If the salt is completely dissolved in the morning, add more salt and leave it overnight again.
4️⃣The mixture will be ready when there is salt sediment in the bottom of the jar. The filtered water is now completely saturated and cannot receive any more salt.
5️⃣Add 1 teaspoon of this mixture to a glass of water and drink it each morning when you wake up (30-60 minutes before taking medication)
6️⃣If you appear to have a detox reaction (such as a headache), start with ¼ teaspoonful and work your way up.
7️⃣Do not use metal utensils to measure your product, as it can interfere with the solution.
 
If you are not a DIY’er or perhaps find yourself on the go and in need of electrolytes/ craving salt (remember, electrolyte balance is important in adrenal fatigue, and not just for athletes!), consider grabbing a bottle of the YL Vitality Drops- Lavender Lemon or Grapefruit Bergamot. (Do not confuse the YL Energy drops available as Jade Lemon or Spearmint Tangerine with these…… they don’t do the same thing!). I love that Young Living uses electrolytes sourced from the Great Salt Lake, and not a synthetic source. The vitality drops are an electrolyte powerhouse!
 
Get yourself the right kind of salty so you can shine your light brightly!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
(Becoming Your Own Health Detective Volume One link: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
#sharingiscaring
#saltylanguage
#beingsaltandlighthumans
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL
 

Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

Liz James · May 31, 2022 ·

Adrenal Recovery: If the adrenals ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!
 
If there were ever a time for a🦄 magical “That was easy!” button for health fixes, the adrenal glands would be a top candidate. As you have hopefully realized, adrenal fatigue does not happen overnight, and repair is an equally slow process. God designed our body to be a miraculous healing machine, but only if we actually “do the things” to allow the healing to happen. Remember that story in the Bible about the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years because they were “stiff necked” (stubborn) about not wanting to give up the very ways that kept getting them into trouble? We really haven’t changed much all these years later! 😬🤭There is no magic pill or elixir to simply “undo” adrenal fatigue, though there is PLENTY that can be done to support the repair process. The body has raised a white flag in the form of the myriad of clues you’ve collected.
Adrenal fatigue is an inside job in this type of crime scene, and the “crime” can persist indefinitely (or until a secondary dysfunction steps in and wreaks bigger havoc) unless self care becomes a priority. Do you ignore the clues🫣 and prepare for a long wander in the desert, or will you choose to be still and become an active participant in the repair and replenishment process? The desert is a dry, dusty, barren place and yet many people choose to embark on the desert journey because they have chosen to hang on to that which is holding them captive (and making them sick). #choices
 
What conditions are necessary for the adrenal glands to recover and thrive?
  • Locating and eliminating (or mediating) “energy vampires” in your life. Do the people you share your life with suck the life out of you or do they add to your life? Do the activities and employment you engage in suck the life out of you, or do they add to your life? Find the areas of chronic stress in your life, and commit to making positive changes. That may mean counseling, setting boundaries, or perhaps finding a new job, or new friends. No amount of StressAway essential oil blend will make a chronically stressful situation tolerable for the adrenal glands.
  • Incorporate prayer, meditation, gentle exercise, yoga, massage, quiet time, leisure reading, sitting quietly in nature etc (that which encourages stillness of mind, body, and spirit) as a daily and necessary activity. Allowing the body time to recharge should be as habitual as brushing teeth at least twice a day. We are a country that doesn’t embrace “slow”, and as a result, 80% of adults in the USA have experienced adrenal fatigue at least once in their lives. PS: scrolling on the computer is NOT part of this activity.
  • Laugh! 😂😅😆🤣 Laughter has many adrenal de-fatiguing benefits. It has been scientifically proven to reduce blood pressure and relax the body by helping regulate cortisol levels in the body. Laughter also increases the body’s infection fighting capabilities and raises the body’s endorphin production which improves mood and decreases stress levels within the body.
  • Do something that brings you pleasure every day.🥰 Find your favorite things and engage in them
  • Breathe deeply regularly. Incorporate deep breathing habits into your life. Be purposeful in setting aside 3-4 minutes several times a day for focused deep diaphragmatic breathing.
  • Create a gratitude journal and utilize it ! Send someone a thank you note. Expressing gratitude is directly linked to greater happiness and joy, two higher frequency emotions. Recall that higher frequency emotions are directly linked to a healthier healing environment overall and that a body with a higher (positive) frequency gently guides the body towards an alkaline state. Negative emotions do the opposite, pulling the body towards an acidic pH,where chronic illness tends to thrive. (This isn’t hoo hoo friends….. It’s basic physics and biology!). Grab your bottle of Gratitude essential oil blend and use it regularly as a reminder to self! (check out the oils within this beautiful blend….. Grounding tree oils, cardiovascular supportive oils, and mood calming to boot!) Just as with all Young Living products, the Gratitude blend is highly purpose oriented!
  • Take a short (15-30 minute) cat nap (horizontally, not seated in a chair) during the day.😴
  • Get in bed before 10:00pm.😴 The adrenal glands like restorative sleep and “pre-midnight” sleep is generally more restorative . Having a “Second Wind” is a real thing and the characteristics of a night owl defies the natural circadian rhythm the adrenal glands crave. Our bodies were designed to follow the natural flow of daylight and dark. If healing is a priority, bedtime by 10:00 pm will become dear to you.
  • Learn to say no.😉
  • The adrenal glands need lots of Vitamin C and cannot function properly without adequate levels. Super C chewables are a key physical ingredient to adrenal gland support. The best vitamin C comes from natural sources and is paired with bioflavonoids (found in citrus rinds) to enhance bioavailability. Historically, before measuring steroid hormones was an available test, blood levels of Vitamin C were used as the best indicator of adrenal function in studies! Be wary of your Vitamin C sourcing. Most of what you find on the market as ascorbic acid is derived from corn syrup. Not only is this a less bioavailable form, corn🌽 is one of the most chemically treated genetically modified grains in commercial agriculture. Knowing your farmer (as we blessedly know Young Living), is utterly important for supplements too!
  • Other common deficiencies contributing to adrenal dysfunction lie within the Vitamin B family. Super B is an easy choice for B supplementation, and also contains nutmeg essential oil….. An essential oil that is highly supportive of the adrenal glands!
  • Vitamin E, found in Master Formula and KidScents MightyVites, is another nourishing necessity for healthy adrenal glands.
  • Vitamin D deficiencies are often overlooked in routine lab work. Adequate Vitamin D levels play an important supportive role in the prevention of many endocrine disorders, including diabetes (types I and II), various adrenal diseases, and PCOS. Vitamin D also has immune supportive and anti-inflammatory properties. When the immune system AND inflammation pathways are working properly, the body responds in a more favorable way to stress. Vitamin D is found in Super Vitamin D, Master Formula, Super Cal Plus, KidScents MightyVites, OmegaGize, and Mindwise.
  • Eat a protein rich, carbohydrate poor breakfast. Avoid fruit first thing in the morning.
  • Ensure a regular source of trace minerals. YL’s Mineral Essence or a commitment to use a high quality trace mineral salt (such as Redmond or Sea of Cortez salt) daily and liberally. Do NOT use commercial table salt….. It’s not the same thing. Kelp powder or sea moss is another helpful natural source of micronutrients.
  • Reduce screen time. What we see and hear are stress triggers and recall that screen light interrupts melatonin production in the evenings. Turn off screens by 8pm if at all possible.
  • Engage in a caffeine free lifestyle as much as is possible. Caffeine raises cortisol levels.
  • Reduce sugar intake. Sugar is highly inflammatory, and we are trying to give the body a rest…. Not make it work harder. Work towards balanced blood sugar. NingXia Red is highly supportive of healthy blood sugar levels.
  • Be kind to yourself in thought, word, and deed. Are you a good friend to yourself?
  • Incorporate a diet that is rich in raw fruits and vegetables, and high quality meats, fish, and eggs. Eat healthy sources of cholesterol. Remember, healthy cholesterol is the primary building block for all adrenal produced hormones.
  • Look for ways to reduce inflammation naturally. Take a close look at food sensitivities and possibly, low grade infections. Common low grade infections (often not easily detected) include candida, h.pylori, and Epstein Barr.
  • Stay well hydrated!
  • Consider products with adaptogenic herbs. Studies have shown that ashwagandha helps balance cortisol levels. It is found in both EndoGize and PowerGize. Astragalus is found in CardioGize. Reishi mushrooms are found in Immupro. Ginseng is found in FemiGen and NingXia Nitro. Licorice root is found in FemiGen and Rehomogen. Ginger helps modulate cortisol levels and is found in EndoGize, ComforTone, ICP Daily, Golden Turmeric, JuvaPower, ParaFree, Essentialzymes-4, Digest & Cleanse, Allerzyme, and Master Formula. Note that adaptogenic herbs are helpful supportive tools, but so is the spare “donut” tire found in the trunk of many cars. The “donut tire” will help for a while, but it’s not a long term solution to the root cause.
  • Exercise. It reduces stress in the mind and body, facilitates improved blood flow and, oxygenation of tissue, and hastens elimination of toxins. Excessive exercise is not a good idea when in adrenal insufficiency recovery. Start with gentle exercise🧘‍♀️🏊🚴‍♀️, and work towards that which is suitable for you individually. Regular exercise is key in self care.
Adrenal insufficiency has many culprits working together over time to quietly bring chaos into the body, and those purveyors of mayhem must be dealt with.
All of them.
Individually.
This is not a small crime scene. It’s a crime syndicate. Untended to, adrenal fatigue can become chronic, making the body a playground for other system dysfunctions. My best advice is to work on repair and recovery in babystep fashion. Remember, adrenal insufficiency didn’t happen overnight, and repair won’t happen overnight either.
Adrenal fatigue can happen to anyone at any age if stress management is not an ingrained habit. One of the most important life skills a child should be taught is learning how to manage stress by incorporating the above into their daily life. Life is stress filled. We can’t change that, but we CAN change how we react to stress, and how prepped our body is when the inevitable stressors present themselves. Protect your adrenal glands friends. Each one of us can’t afford not to.
 
xoxo ~ liz
 
(link to volume I: Becoming Your Own Health Detective: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

The Facts Surrounding Adrenal Gland Stress – part 1

Liz James · May 11, 2022 ·

Figment, Fatigue, Copycat or Multiple Culprits? The Facts Surrounding Adrenal Gland Stress Part I
 
Several months ago, I wrote a series recognizing stress as its own particular mafia-like crime family bent on creating mayhem within the body. You’ll want to pull that crime scene file as a reference tool as we address adrenal gland health, function and distress. Adrenal fatigue is not an officially recognized entity within western medicine and should not be confused with Addison’s disease, a rare disorder which causes severe and permanent adrenal insufficiency only relieved by medication. The progression of adrenal fatigue is akin to watching an automobile accident happen in slow motion beginning well before the actual collision. A series of events took place leading up to the actual accident. Separately, fiddling with the radio, the wet streets, the tread a little too worn on the tires, the kids wrestling in the back seat, the phone ringing, the car in front slamming on their brakes didn’t cause the accident. The accident occurred because of an accumulation of events. Such is the case with adrenal fatigue.
 
As this crime scene is dis-assembled and reassembled, bear in mind that there will be many overlapping clues🔎 leading to other dis-ease states: anemia, sleep apnea, autoimmune disorders, subclinical infections, POTS, hormonal impairments, major organ disorders and deficiencies (common ones being B12, folate, iron/ferritin, magnesium, and Vitamin D), and perhaps these dis-ease states may be playing a role in your personal crime scenario that is (or is not) adrenal fatigue.
 
The biggest baddest clue in town for adrenal fatigue is all manner of stress, specifically the stress that has led up to this point. Adrenal fatigue is predated by at least two years of chronic stress that nearly always comes from more than one source. Every single crime scene is different, and in order to map out your particular story, you’ll want to spend a little time putting together a timeline of clues.🔎 On your timeline, you’ll want to log the dates and each incident in all of the following categories of stress:
  • Hospital stays
  • Surgeries
  • Significant illnesses (anything that kept you home and required recuperation time)
  • Chronic, auto-immune, or degenerative disorders (include first symptom dates and actual diagnosis dates if possible)
  • Dental work (root canals, implants, tooth removals, filled cavities, infections etc)
  • Significant emotional events (a death of a loved one, loss of job, divorce, traumas, mood disorders, etc)
  • Prescription medications (including both short term therapy such as an antibiotic and long term therapy such as blood pressure medications)
Adrenal fatigue creeps in on little cat feet, and if you are aware of the predisposing factors you have every chance of heading it off before it creates enormous issues within the body. Ideally, you’ll use this book (and other reference materials) to recognize what could happen when “the scene is being set up” and will implement wisdom and discernment to head off disaster at the pass. (said in my best John Wayne voice!🤠)
 
When you’ve put your health history together (as suggested above), hang on to this document and add to it as your life story is written. Additional factors that add to or aggravate the stress load include:
  • Having a “Type A” personality
  • A chronic (mental, emotional, or physical) stress which keeps you in a low grade “fight or flight”
  • A severely stressful event
  • Working to the point of exhaustion
  • Harboring chronic or simmering anger
  • Harboring even low grade (subclinical) infections (bacterial, parasitic, viral, fungal)
  • Excessive chronic caffeine intake
  • Excessive exercise
  • Poor diet, mal-absorption or mal-digestion issues
  • Very little play or relaxation time
  • A toxic (physical or emotional) environment.
  • A chemically toxic environment
  • Chronic inflammation (remember that not all inflammation is painful. Proper labwork may identify inflammation you may not even be aware of)
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Poor sleep habits or sleep deprivation
  • Too many years on a high fat/ high protein diet
  • PTSD
  • Concurrent conditions that also set the body up for adrenal fatigue include MTHFR gene variance, mitochondrial disorders, a sludgy liver, EMF toxicity, a previously existing endocrine imbalance (subclinical hypothyroidism, estrogen dominance, insulin resistance, etc)
  • Maternal stress during pregnancy (Epigenetics! The fetus’ body is programmed to address stress as his/her mother did while in utero)
Living in today’s world, it’s fairly safe to say there isn’t a single one of us who has remained unscathed.
 
The stages of Adrenal fatigue go something like this:
 
Stage I: Fatigue, but hormone production hasn’t yet been affected
 
Stage II: Fatigue, anxiety, and possible irritability. It may take longer to fall asleep than it used to, and harder to stay asleep. Infection rate has increased (getting sick more often), and hormone and thyroid symptoms have begun showing up. This would include PMS and menstrual irregularities.
 
Stage III: All of the above plus multiple diagnosed endocrine system imbalances (sex hormones, thyroid, pancreas) and severe fatigue. Common diagnoses at this stage also include:
  • POTS
  • Blood sugar imbalances
  • Cardiovascular irregularities (beat, rhythm, and blood pressure)
  • Anxiety diagnoses
Stage IV: the line between Adrenal fatigue and Addison’s Disease gets blurry.
Clues🔎 surfacing within “active” adrenal fatigue stages will become more pronounced as progression occurs unless you take charge of the situation. Awareness is key, because this is your opportunity to stop the crash before it happens! Reminder: there are usually multiple causes for each clue, and you’ll want to pair these clues with the “stress load” profile you built (above). What you may begin to see is a series of unrelated events, circumstances, and health clues all crescendoing towards the same thing… adrenal glands that are growing weary from “running from the lion” day in and day out. Remember, look at the entire puzzle, not the individual pieces🧩! Some of the more common clues seen within adrenal fatigue staging include:
  • Gaining weight, especially around the abdomen (estrogen dominance will do this too)
  • Fragile skin
  • Inability to turn the brain off
  • Feeling anxious or nervous without good reason
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Infections that are lasting longer than they should
  • Need a stimulant such as coffee to get started in the morning
  • Reduced libido
  • Lightheaded when rising from a horizontal position
  • Intolerance to exercise
  • Fatigued but restless
  • Tending to wake up between 2-4am most nights
  • GI function that has become irritable or hyperactive often combined with mal-absorption issues that ultimately lead to deficiencies
  • Loose hanging fat around the belly, combined with thin arms and legs, and a puffy face
  • Pain in the upper back or neck that doesn’t have a reasonable explanation
  • Feeling better physically when away from the source of stress
  • Receding hairline and/or unexplained hair loss
  • Afternoon napping
  • Your day looks something like this:
  • Wake up but need coffee or stimulant to function
  • Energy boost mid morning
  • Energy crash around 2pm
  • Energy revive around 6pm
  • Crash again around 9pm but wide awake at 11pm
  • Intense cravings of sweet and salty food
  • Increased incidence of environmental and food allergies and sensitivities
  • Decreased ability to cope with stress
Mind, body, and spirit stress is everywhere, and we all need daily Jesus, Thieves Household Cleaner, good food, appropriate sleep, and all the emotionally relaxing oils we can use! My favorite emotional oils are Frankincense, Lavender, StressAway, Peace & Calming, and Valor which all have some very interesting “worth the dive” science supporting their role as tools for healthy stress management.
 
See you next week as we dive a little deeper into the muddy waters of adrenal fatigue!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

Clues From Our Thyroid – part 1

Liz James · March 22, 2022 ·

Thyroid disorders are like🦎 chameleonic villians. They look different in every person, and their characteristics may change according to their environment. Thyroid disease is a master of disguise! This is important to understand
 

 Two key reasons:

  1. Innocent until proven guilty. It’s estimated that perhaps 18-25% of women have an underlying thyroid disorder (It’s somewhat less common in men). This still means that 75-82% of us (women, for statistical ease) do not. Become well acquainted with your body so that you may better decipher the clues you are being given, and remember that there are many possible causes for almost every clue the body gives. Cluster clues for the win!
  2. Thyroid disease is overwhelmingly mistaken and/or overlooked in favor of other disorders (often mental health related) by the corporate owned medical community. Thyroid diagnosis often requires intuition (Holy Spirit discernment), patience, persistence, and attention to details. If you feel “off”, and yet your doctor tell you “everything looks good”…. Who do you believe? I hope you pointed a finger back at yourself just now. You believe what you know about your body and your refined detective skills!

Function of the Thyroid

While every little organ and gland of the endocrine system is important for stellar body function, very often the trail of tears leads back to the thyroid, the butterfly 🦋shaped gland located just below the Adam’s apple along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid’s function is to regulate all the processes of energy release on microscopic (cellular) and macroscopic (full body) levels. Because hypothyroidism (especially Hashimoto’s) is the predominant thyroid disorder, most of what I write about will be centered upon thyroid deficiency. Grab a mirror (you’ll need it for a few of them!) and your journal and take stock of your own possible crime scene.
 

Symptoms of thyroid deficiency might include:

  • Chronic fatigue or tiredness.
  • Muscular fatigue
  • Puffiness or evidence of fluid retention
  • Difficulty regulating body temperature (chronic feelings of being hot or cold. Recall the posts on body temperature)
  • Development of Reynaud’s Syndrome
  • Reduced pulse pressure and blood pressure
  • Heart rate fluctuations
  • Angina and/or feelings of breathlessness
  • Higher cholesterol. People with subclinical hypothyroidism often have higher levels of LDL cholesterol. Thyroid disease is a major contributor to cholesterol problems.
  • Arteriosclerosis (decreased elasticity of arteries)
  • Changes in bruising or clotting (generally, bruising will become more common)
  • Depression and/or anxiousness
  • Difficulty gathering thoughts, memory, focus and concentration
  • Headaches with unknown origin
  • Moodiness or lack of enthusiasm in life
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Carpal tunnel (there is a strong link!)
  • Random shooting pains in the hands and feet
  • Osteoporosis (chronic hypothyroidism can be a contributor)
  • Visual problems: dry eyes, age related macular degeneration, primary open angle glaucoma
  • Loss of the outer eyebrows
  • Chronic constipation
  • Increased incidence of gallstones (thyroid hormones affects the composition of bile and how well it flows)
  • Poor digestion of fats and proteins
  • Decreased stomach acid resulting in poorly digested foods (If this clue is on your radar, grab your YL Essentialzyme and give your body digestive support!)
  • Bloating, gassy
  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
  • Insulin resistance (and therefore) increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes
  • Thicker tongue, perhaps even with scalloped teeth marks on the sides of the tongue.
  • Changes in how food tastes.
  • Periodontal disease
  • Development of a husky or hoarse voice
  • Infertility or difficulty maintaining a pregnancy
  • Heavy periods (There is often a link between hypothyroidism and PCOS)
  • Sex hormone imbalances (progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in women)
  • Loss of libido
  • Postpartum depression (very common)
  • Premature menopause
  • Dry skin
  • Deep cracks and scales on the bottoms of the feet
  • Deep lines on the palms of hands or soles of feet
  • Yellowish orange or reddish color on palms of hands or soles of feet
  • Reddish spots, bumps, or rashes that come and go
  • Acne (often seen in conjunction with testosterone level disturbances)
  • Brittle, flaking nails or nails that fail to grow well
  • Hair loss (on the head) or gaining hair in all the wrong places elsewhere
  • Getting sick more often, especially upper respiratory tract infections and in women, persistent urinary tract infections.
  • Bedwetting in kiddos
  • Delayed wound healing
  • Gaining or losing weight without trying
  • Poor sleep
  • Iron deficiency anemia (roughly 50% of people with thyroid disease struggle with this)
That’s the bulk of this particular crime scene checklist. Thyroid disease is very interesting in that the severity of symptoms often are not reflected in thyroid specific lab work. Lab Work is based on a standardized bell curve and not everyone fits exactly into that bell curve mold. Additionally, many western medicine health professionals only test TSH when first evaluating the competency of the thyroid gland. That alone is insufficient information to determine thyroid function. This list of possible symptoms, while not completely comprehensive, is more valuable in determining the probable health of your thyroid than a single TSH test.
More to come friends.
 
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#lovingyourthyroidisgoodmedicine
#itsthelittlethings
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#goodmedicine

Dopamine – part 4

Liz James · February 1, 2022 ·

🧠Dopamine Deficiency Part IV: More Solutions🧠

Do you struggle with belief in any area of your life? Maybe it’s work…. Self confidence…. Big goals…. If so, know that improving your dopamine balance will only help you grow into living what you struggle to believe. Now would be a great time to grab that bottle of Believe essential oil and become a walking diffuser for yourself. Go grab it now… I’ll wait for you!💕

Gary Young knew which plant chemicals stimulate, protect, and support healthy dopamine levels. And of course, he knew that belief is fueled by dopamine. Essential oils Balsam🌿, Coriander🌿, Bergamot🌿, Frankincense🌿, Idaho Blue Spruce🌿, Ylang ylang 🌿, and Geranium🌿 all fuel belief through their effect on dopamine within us. These are the oils within the blend Believe. Pretty cool right? Gary never made a product that wasn’t highly purposeful!

Other oils that have been found to contain constituents supportive of healthy dopamine levels in the body include rosemary🌿, oregano🌿, thyme🌿, rose🌿, sandalwood🌿, neroli 🌿, palmarosa 🌿, and marjoram🌿 . Did you notice that many of these oils are used in Raindrop massage? Just one more reason everyone should receive a Raindrop on the regular!

God has gifted us with so many natural ways to support dopamine levels. (Go back and review last week’s post so that you’ll have the full combined list!)

🌾Mowing the yard! It may be hard work, but the aroma of fresh cut grass contains a chemical called hexanal (the “green” smell of grass) that stimulates dopamine release.

🌿St. John’s Wort has been found to increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex of the brain by 40%. Resveratrol has been found to perform similarly ( found in red wine, fresh grapes, dark chocolate, blueberries, peanut butter)

☕️Organic coffee (No more than one cup a day or it may contribute to adrenal fatigue…. A dopamine high followed by a crash!) or a cuppa organic green tea (Have you tried the YL Vanilla Lemongrass Green Tea yet?) is a dopamine supportive treat.

🌿Rhodiola is another herb known to stimulate dopamine receptors and inhibit enzymes that break down dopamine in the brain. Ashwagandha (You might recognize this as an ingredient in Powergize and Endogize) is also an effective adaptogen with supportive dopamine activity.

🧠Pregnenolone is a natural hormone produced in the body that has a positive effect on dopamine levels in the brain. It is an ingredient in hormone supportive Cortistop capsules, PD 80/20 capsules, and Regenolone moisturizing cream. Do a little research on each of these to determine if they might fight your individual hormone balancing needs.

🙌Acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn support healthy dopamine levels. (Go back and reread the section on low vagal tone!)

🎼Creating and performing music boosts dopamine levels even more than listening to your favorite tunes, but all three are effective. Listening to music has even been shown to improve fine motor skills in Parkinson’s patients.

🔥Chronic inflammation reduces dopamine synthesis and release in the brain. We’ve got tools on hand to support a healthy inflammatory response (as opposed to the runaway variety!). Sulfurzyme, BLM, Agilease, and OmegaGize3 are excellent supplements. Nobody can “out supplement” an unhealthy lifestyle…..examine your life and look for offending (and often hidden) toxin triggers in household chemicals, processed foods and drinks, body care products, and makeup.

😴Lack of sleep down regulates dopamine receptors and reduces dopamine receptor availability. You know what to do! Sleep is so very important in ALL aspects of health. Review your sleep hygiene practices and look for “holes in the armor” that may result in interrupted sleep. I LOVE and incorporate Rutavala on the base of my big toe and Immupro (chewable) in my bedtime rituals.

🦀Iron plays a role in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Iron and ferritin levels are important lab values to watch (both for being too low and too high). Natural sources of iron include spirulina ( an ingredient in Multigreens), dark chocolate, spinach, shellfish, organ meats (I highly suggest Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions), beans, lentils, chickpeas, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, turkey, broccoli, and fish.

🍋Vitamin C assists with the formation and conversion of dopamine in the brain. Deficient levels of vitamin C may show up as a low mood. Super C Chewables are a tasty way to supplement daily.

🥴Vitamins B6 and B9 are critical for dopamine synthesis. Low folate levels contribute massively to low dopamine levels which may ultimately lead to depression. Super B is another fantastic supplement to help the body in at least a thousand little and big ways.

🪑Alternate between standing and sitting. “Chronic sitting” lowers dopamine levels. Our body was designed to move!

👏Finish a project. Who knew? This in itself causes the brain to flood with dopamine.

Huge (and easy) list, right? And yet, sometimes it may seem hard to get motivated to make the changes. Circle back around….. Grab your bottle of Believe, and start somewhere small. I promise you won’t regret finding your dopamine happy place!

xoxo~liz

#caringissharing#knowbetterdobetter#dopamineisdope#balanceddopamineisgoodmedicine#goodmedicine#BecomingYourOwnHealthDetective

#ThanksYL

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Elizabeth James

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