Radiation rising, hypothyroidism on the increase, uterine fibroids epidemic. Iodine is certainly getting a lot of attention lately. As radiation from Fukushima continues to contaminate the environment and threatens the globe, iodine, a formidable mineral adaptogen, is rising to the forefront. And with good reason: Nutritional iodine actually blocks radioactive iodine (iodine-131) from being absorbed … READ MORE
Check your thyroid—this tiny gland plays a critical role in metabolism and weight. Growing rates of abdominal obesity (better known as belly fat)—largely in younger women between the ages of 20 and 39—is fueling an increase in metabolic syndrome, a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. New research in Diabetes Care reports … READ MORE
Stress—even when you don’t recognize it—can pack on the pounds. Cortisol, the stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, can make you fat. If you’re under any kind of stress, this hormone triggers fat storage—to protect against perceived “dangers ahead” and to provide instant energy that may be needed for “fight or flight.” When stress—including … READ MORE
Hormone disruption from electropollution contributes to unwanted pounds and other health concerns. Now that 72 million American adults are obese—or more than 30 pounds overweight—this country is the fattest of 33 developed nations, reports the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Clearly, our taste for junk foods—not to mention lack of regular, vigorous exercise—have … READ MORE
Environmental toxins, insulin, melatonin, and obesity may all play a role. Precocious puberty—especially premature development of breast tissue—has dramatically increased in this country and Europe. As many as “10% of white girls at age 7 have breast development to some extent,” Ann Budzah, MD, a pediatrician at Gundersen Lutheran Health Center in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, recently … READ MORE
Don’t let chlorine, salt, and sun fry your crowning glory! Got beach—or pool—head? Discolored, dry, frizzy, straw-like hair, and even hair loss can be all too common this time of year. Technically, hair can’t “burn” the way skin does. But after only three days of sun exposure, the scale-like cells covering each individual hair shaft … READ MORE
Insufficient thyroid hormones can leave you exhausted, pack on pounds, and lead to fatty liver. Disorders of the thyroid, the small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, are increasingly common among women of all ages and stages of life. For those at the height of their reproductive years, a sluggish thyroid can even prevent pregnancy and…that’s not all. Thyroid hormones exert considerable … READ MORE
Get accurate testing to protect your health. Ready for spring cleaning? Keep in mind that ordinary house dust contains flame retardants and other toxins that can disrupt hormone health. In women, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) has also been linked to pesticides and plasticizers in house dust, while lowering sperm concentrations in men. Overall, though, thyroid problems … READ MORE
Rekindle romance naturally in time for Valentine’s Day. Julia R. Heiman, PhD, director of the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University, estimates that 25 to 53% of women of all ages have low libido. And judging by all those commercials for erectile dysfunction, estimates that 30 million men experience sexual dysfunction … READ MORE
Look to natural remedies and your thyroid for beautiful lashes. As people grow older, hair follicles—even eyelashes—begin to lose their “oomph.” But that’s no reason to fall for those LATISSE ads. The product’s side effects include darkening eyelid skin, possible browning of the iris of the eye itself, and dry, itchy, red eyes and lids. … READ MORE
