Edge on Health Blog

Prevent Copper Overload, Get Enough Iodine, and Boost Metabolism.

Next to diabetes, hypothyroidism is the most common hormone disorder in this country. The latest statistics suggest that four out of every ten Americans have a sluggish thyroid. Because I hear from women of all ages (starting in their late 20s) with thyroid problems, I think that number may be even higher.

A low-functioning thyroid slows down the body’s metabolism and reduces heart and muscle strength. Because so many Americans (especially women) suffer from slow thyroid function, I’ve added a special 5-Day Hot Metabolism Booster to my latest book, Fat Flush for Life, The Year-Round Super Detox Plan to Boost Your Metabolism and Keep the Weight Off Permanently.

Research at Penn State has found that people who consume soups twice a day lost twice as much weight as study participants who consumed foods with equivalent calories. My 5-Day Hot Metabolism Booster focuses on a soup-like “cocktail” and allows a larger volume of food than other detox and diet plans.

Effective for anyone whose weight has hit a plateau, my Metabolic Booster protocol includes flexible meal plans, slimming fats, clean carbs, powerhouse proteins, thermogenic spices, and probiotics, which fight bloating and fuel weight loss.

Weight gain is only one symptom of hypothyroidism, however. New research links subclinical thyroid dysfunction with cardiovascular mortality, making it critical to address the causes of thyroid problems.

As if overweight and cardiovascular disease weren’t problems enough, hypothyroidism can also lead to depression, constipation, fluid retention, aching wrists, low blood pressure, dry skin, hair loss (affecting even the eyebrows), prematurely gray hair, and a coarse voice.

Balance Copper and Zinc
The mineral copper can inhibit conversion of the thyroid hormone, thyroxin, slowing down metabolic rate. The typical vegetarian diet is high in copper—and low in its balancing mineral, zinc.

That’s why I’ve taken great care to address this copper-zinc imbalance throughout Fat Flush for Life—even with my all-new vegetarian menu. You won’t find many high copper foods (yeast, cocoa, or soy) in my new seasonal recipes, either.

Besides foods, copper occurs naturally in drinking water in some areas and is also added to certain municipal water supplies. Copper pipes and cookware, dental fillings and crowns, even birth control pills and IUDs are other sources of this mineral.

A copper-zinc imbalance also affects the liver’s ability to detoxify. Both minerals are needed to activate key liver enzymes. If copper and zinc are out of balance, your liver is less able to eliminate toxins, including excess copper.

You can use Tissue Mineral Hair Analysis (TMA) to assess your mineral balance. Should you need more zinc, Fat Flush for Life menus include pumpkin seeds, and if you’re not vegetarian, grass-fed meats, poultry, and seafood.

From my clinical experience, I find that TMA test results link copper overload with weak adrenal function. Adrenal gland activity is necessary to stimulate the liver’s production of ceruloplasmin, a key copper-binding protein. With lower adrenal activity, unbound copper begins to gather in various tissues, organs, and glands—like the thyroid.

To prevent this, I’ve created a unique copper-free Female Multiple, safe for both pregnant and breastfeeding women. (Normal hormone changes during pregnancy can also cause thyroid dysfunction.)

Don’t Forget Iodine
The connection between thyroid function and iodine levels has been clear for 60 years. Over the past three decades, iodine intake has declined 50%, while thyroid problems (hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and thyroid cancer) have increased significantly.

To help combat this, Fat Flush for Life features—at least twice a week—iodine-rich sea vegetables (agar, arame, hijiki, kombu, nori, and wakame) in its seasonal menus. Sea vegetables also help protect against environmental pollutants, especially radon.

In case you haven’t quite developed a taste for these greens from the sea, Fat Flush for Life offers the option of a daily dash of Seaweed Gomasio. Part of my 5-Day Hot Metabolism Booster, this seasoning combines sea salt and sesame seeds with several sea veggies. I recommend ½ teaspoon daily.

Just in Time for Holiday Giving…
Fat Flush for Life is NOW Available! Order today!

Sources:
Fat Flush for Life
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19966035
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19951221
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19958216

Tags: arthritis, blood pressure, depression, detox, Fat Flush, heart disease, hormones, hypothyroidism, probiotics, thyroid, weight loss, zinc

This entry was posted on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 6:29 pm and is filed under Diet/Detox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.