Tag Archives: thyroid

Menopause Relief Through Improved Thyroid Function

by • 2 Comments

Every woman’s body goes on a unique journey as it experiences the numerous changes associated with menopause. Whether you’re symptomatic or not, quality nutritional support throughout menopause is imperative.

According to the Thyroid Foundation of America, over 11 million women have a malfunctioning thyroid. It is believed tens of millions more women may live with “borderline” underactive thyroid function, or hypothyroidism. Decreased thyroid function appears to strike women between the ages of 35 and 55 in perimenopause and menopause harder than any other group.

The symptoms of menopause like weight gain, fatigue, hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, palpitations, and “fuzzy” thinking have been shown to be thyroid-related in many women.

Thyroid hormones are the main regulators of the body’s metabolism. They have a profound impact on weight because they control how the body burns carbohydrates and fats. Thyroid imbalances also affect appetite control. Studies suggest that thyroid hormones may modulate levels of leptin, a hormone produced from fat cells that controls hunger. In other words, the more tired you are, the more you’ll want to eat.

In light of the role thyroid function plays making or breaking your journey through menopause, let’s address some strategic goals to manage your hormones:

Eat clean.
The fastest way to halt menopause in its tracks is to eliminate refined carbohydrates for one month. Load up on lean proteins, green vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, avocados, and fresh fruit. After one month, add in ½ cup cooked grains per day. Slow-cooked oats, lentils and beans, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, and sweet potatoes are all great choices. This floods your body with nutrient-dense foods while stabilizing your blood sugar and insulin levels, a crucial step when trying to lose weight.

Sleep deep.
Going to bed by 10pm and getting good quality sleep is crucial to balancing your hormones. Your adrenals recover best from 10pm-12am; if you are awake during this time, you will not receive the same anti-aging and weight loss benefits. Put on a sleep mask, spritz some lavender on your pillow, and use a fan to circulate the air and keep the room cool and comfortable.

Take your supplements.
No menopausal prescription would be complete without a supplement regime. Put simply, it provides the extra support your body needs to balance out your hormones. These three are menopausal must-haves:

  • Maitake SX
    Fondly referred to by our clients as “the gut-buster,” maitake mushroom extract drives insulin into cells to stabilize your blood sugar. This works synergistically with a low-glycemic diet to shrink your waistline as your body becomes more adept at metabolizing carbohydrates. Take 1 tablet 30 minutes before meals. Read more about maitake mushroom benefits.
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
    Omega-3s work to sensitize cells to insulin. They also help turn on the genes that burn body fat and turn off the genes that store it. Omega-3s boost and sustain serotonin levels, correct both dry and oily skin, support thyroid function, and fight systemic inflammation. Take 6 per day for menopausal support and 9 per day for weight loss; take all with food.
  • Weight Management
    The Weight Management formula contains GLA, Carnitine, Acetyl-carnitine, Physician’s Antioxidant, CLA, DMAE, CoQ10, Lipoic Acid, and L-tyrosine. It helps regulate appetite and blood sugar, promote great energy, and antioxidant protection to fight the aging process. Weight Management also helps your body utilize fat more efficiently. Take 1 packet 30 minutes before each meal.

Whatever the state of your menopause journey, remember that you will get through it. Incorporating clean eating, exercise, and a quality supplement regime will help give you the tools you need to support your body naturally.

Esther Blum, MS, RD, CDN, CNS
Registered Dietitian
NV Perricone, MD Flagship
791 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10065
212.734.2537

Three Steps to Stop Menopause Suffering Before It Starts

by • 4 Comments

The approach to menopause can be a daunting time. Symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats loom on the horizon, and you may not feel like there’s much you can do. However, if you understand the causes of the symptoms of menopause, you can be proactive and halt them before they begin.

Menopause symptoms are due in large part to adrenal issues. The adrenal glands control the output of DHEA, cortisol, epinephrine (also called adrenaline), and norepinephrine, all of which are hormones related to our stress response. When the adrenal gland is stressed, cortisol levels go up, and the level of hormones like estrogen go down.

Diminished amounts of estrogen have a direct effect on the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for controlling appetite, sex hormones, sleep, and body temperature. Thus changing levels of estrogen causes symptoms like hot flashes.

Additionally, when adrenal function is impaired or weak, a person may suffer from low blood sugar, blood pressure, and body temperature as well as a total feeling of exhaustion. Prolonged stress begins to weaken the organs, and other health related problems such as hypoglycemia can result.

Some factors that contribute to adrenal exhaustion are continued stress, poor diet, excessive consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates, too much caffeine, alcohol, drugs, nicotine, and vitamin B and C deficiencies. To compound the issue, when the adrenals are weak, the thyroid gland tries to pick up slack. So when I treat my patients approaching menopause, it is imperative to treat both the adrenals and the thyroid simultaneously.

To strengthen your adrenal and thyroid function and head off menopausal symptoms, try taking these steps:

Eat a whole-foods based diet.
The body’s ability to metabolize refined sugars decreases with age. The inner aisles of the grocery store are filled with foods high in sugar and salt. Get ahead of the curve by shopping in the outer aisles of the grocery store, where all the fresh produce is located, and cut out the processed foods that ultimately make you gain weight.

Waist away.
Many women notice a huge shift in their weight distribution to the abdomen as they head into menopause. To combat this, try incorporating yoga into your fitness regime. Research has shown that women who do yoga once per week don’t gain any weight as they go through menopause.

Burn, baby, burn.
It is imperative to incorporate heavy weight lifting into your fitness regime three times per week. This not only boosts bone density but also does wonders for your figure and your hormones. The key is proper technique: you must lift the heaviest weights you can and complete three sets of twelve repetitions. Twenty minutes of intense weight lifting can be just as effective as an hour of cardio if done correctly.

As you begin taking these steps, give yourself four weeks for the behaviors to become habits. In time, it will become a lifestyle that changes both how you look and feel about your magnificent body!

Esther Blum, MS, RD, CDN, CNS
Registered Dietitian
NV Perricone, MD Flagship
791 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10065
212.734.2537