YOU CAN THANK THANKSGIVING FOR YOUR HORMONES GOING HAYWIRE

Thanksgiving…we wait 365 days for the opportunity to eat ourselves into a food coma. Today, Thanksgiving has become the Super Bowl of eating like a horse, unable to ever rein it in. “Unbuckle Our Belts” has become the Thanksgiving Day anthem.  The bar flies open. We eat before we eat. Platters of calorie-laden treats tempt us even before we even pull a chair up to the table. And that’s where the real feast begins; ta-da…the main event. An obscenely huge turkey with its everyone-will-fight-over greasy, crisp turkey skin. Thick, thick creamy gravy; a virtual bacchanalia of butter. Bowls of sugar laden cranberry sauce. Mounds of potatoes. (Oooo those tiny little marshmallows) Gobs of green bean casserole. But wait, oh wait, don’t stop there. Dessert! Caramel apple snickers cake, chocolate bourbon pecan pie, triple cream pumpkin cheesecake (be still, my stomach.) all topped with endless mounds of whipped cream. Oh happy day. Right? Thanksgiving might be something you celebrate, but for your hormones, it’s a yearly hard-core smorgasbord of gastric misery.

WHAT’S GUT GOT TO DO WITH IT?

The gut is the body’s largest hormone-producing organ, releasing more than 20 different peptide hormones. These gastrointestinal hormones (or gut hormones) constitute a group of hormones secreted by cells in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine that control various functions of the digestive organs. Is there a link between hormones and heaving food uncontrollably into your body? Without question. And how they link up is enough to make you want to give the whole binging thing up. But, of course, who would ever even consider such a thing? Thanksgiving really gets you in the gut in endless ways. At some point of packing it in, your gorge gauge explodes releasing levels of these hormones that can make you nauseous and make your body work harder, the digestive overload requiring the heart to pump more blood to the stomach and intestines. It’s a digestive disaster.

A NICE BIG HEAPING OF HEARTBURN. (AND WORSE)

After about 1,500 calories (and the average for a typical Thanksgiving meal is 3,000) the gut hormones go wild. Imbalances of these hormones can influence the movement of food through the intestines—some by speeding the process up, causing diarrhea, gas (gross) and abdominal pain; and others by slowing things down, causing bloating and constipation. And that burning that seems to crawl up your esophagus and out of your mouth in a belch that’s more like a roar? That’s acid reflux and it is not a comfortable condition. This acid reflux or Gerd as it is often referred to can actually make people feel like they’re having a heart attack and send them rushing to the hospital. On Thanksgiving, there’s an emergency room overload.

KEEPING YOUR HORMONES HEALTHY IS GRAVY

If you’re like most people, it’s a good chance that you’re going to regret what you shoveled in. That’s why it’s a smart idea to make an appointment ahead of time to see the hormone professionals at Denver Hormone Health. No one in the Denver area knows more about the effect unbalanced hormones can have on your body.  Their skill and expertise match their care and understanding (which is something you’ll appreciate when it comes to discussing your holiday carb-o-bliss and fat-frenzy.) With simple tests, the hormone specialists at Denver Hormone Health can tell where you where your hormone levels stand and what exactly you should do about it. With their help Thanksgiving can be a fabulous feast instead of something you just can’t stomach. Contact Denver Hormone Health now. It’s something you’ll be more than grateful for.

THE THYROID GLAND; HEARD OF IT, NOT SURE WHAT IT IS?

There are 14 major glands in the human body essential for conducting a wide range of key biological processes. The thyroid gland is one of them. Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple, which although not noticeable, is in women, too.  Hormones produced by the thyroid gland — triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — have an enormous impact on your health, affecting all aspects of your metabolism. These hormones also regulate heart and digestive function, muscle control, brain development, mood and bone maintenance. 

HOPING YOU’RE NOT HYPO

If you’re like a lot of people, when you hear “thyroid”, you hear people who gain weight claiming that their thyroid must be low. Yeah, yeah, you might have thought, thinking that pizza and cheese puffs were the more likely culprit. Well, weight gain is one of the symptoms of what is called hypothyroidism or under active thyroid, a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain crucial hormones.

Hypothyroidism signs and symptoms may include:

  • Fatigue
  • Increased sensitivity to cold
  • Constipation
  • Dry skin
  • Puffy face
  • Muscle weakness
  • Elevated blood cholesterol level
  • Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
  • Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
  • Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
  • Thinning hair
  • Depression
  • Impaired memory
  • And yes, weight gain

HYPERTHYROID: MORE THAN HYPER ACTIVE

Another condition called hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. As with hypothyroidism, this condition can mimic other health problems, which can sometimes make it difficult to diagnose.  Like hypothyroidism, it can also include a wide variety of signs and symptoms including:

  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Increased appetite
  • Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
  • Tremors
  • Sweating
  • Changes in menstrual patterns
  • Increased sensitivity to heat
  • Fatigue, muscle weakness
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Skin thinning
  • Fine thinning hair

FOODS THAT CAN FIDDLE WITH YOUR THYROID FUNCTION

You might be surprised to learn that fatigue, sudden weight gain or loss, or that general “blah” feeling is the result of foods that can impact how your thyroid works. Depending on whether your thyroid is hypo or hyper, these are just some foods that can either help or hinder your thyroid hormones:

  • Kale
  • Gluten
  • Cabbage
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Soy milk
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Sugary foods
  • Processed foods
  • Caffeine
  • Iodized salt
  • Seaweed
  • Leafy greens
  • Nuts-Brazil are best
  • Seafood
  • Yogurt
  • Milk
  • Chicken and beef
  • Eggs
  • Berries

If you do have a thyroid condition, you might want to look into it further.

GET THE UPPER HAND ON YOUR THYROID GLAND

Hypo…hyper…when your thyroid hormones are out of balance at all, it’s easy to feel less than your best. All you have to do is look at some of the effects a thyroid imbalance can blast your body with. But before you worry too much, it might help to know that an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. Up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. Which means you could be one of them. So how do you get your thyroid hormones where they’re supposed to be? You make an appointment to see the most experienced hormone specialists in the Denver area; Denver Hormone Health. If it has anything to do with any of the 50 hormones—thyroid included—in the human body, the experts at Denver Hormone Health know exactly how to get them functioning at full speed. Simple tests will tell them where your thyroid levels stand, and from there they create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Let Denver Hormone Health get you back on the path to feeling fit and fabulous. Your thyroid will thank you.

Vitamin D: All That D Can Be

Vitamin D a Hormone?

Vitamin D? Nah, it’s a vitamin. What’s with the hormone thing? Yep, it’s a hormone. Discovered in 1920, Vitamin D is the single most understood hormone in our body, critically important from birth to death. The results of a clinical review printed in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association estimates that up to 85 percent of people have insufficient levels of Vitamin D and are unaware of their deficient state.

  • “I can’t be low in Vitamin D because I drink milk.”
  • “I can’t be low in Vitamin D because I take D3 every day.”
  • “I can’t be low in Vitamin D because I take a multivitamin as well as a calcium tablet that also contains vitamin D.”
  • “I can’t be low in Vitamin D because I live in Southern California and bake at the beach.”

With hundreds of vitamin D studies being published on a weekly basis, it has become more difficult than ever state up to date with the latest evidence-based information on Vitamin D. But are you deficient?  Probably.

(Let’s drop the Vitamin D moniker here, and starts calling it like it is-a hormone.)

The Sun Conundrum

Hormone D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Really the sunshine hormone. Human skin can make large amounts of Hormone D when lots of skin is exposed and the sun is high in the sky. Your body is designed to get the Hormone D it needs by producing it when your bare skin is exposed to sunlight. But your exposure to sunlight is limited. If you’re like most working Americans, you more or less drag yourself out of bed in the dark, trudge your way to work, then sit in a fluorescent-lit office space for 10 hours, after which you make the same grudging trek back home… in the dark. So when the sun shines, you glow. And we’re not just talking tan here. Among other things, sun is good for your mood. So how much sun is enough? It is believed that short daily periods of sun exposure without sunscreen (about 10-15 minutes for lighter-skinned people) during the summer months is enough for most people to make enough Hormone D. Without sunscreen. Yes, without. Even SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, the type our bodies use to make D. (And you’re slathering on SPF 50?) Evidence suggests that the most effective time of day for Hormone D production is between 11am and 3pm. The larger the area of skin that is exposed to sunlight, the more chance there is of making enough Hormones D before you start to burn. Burning is bad. Tanning beds won’t do the trick. You want enough D to be beneficial? You have to be smart about it.

The Good, the Bad, and Who Knew?

Being deficient in Hormone D (keep thinking hormone, not vitamin) can be a real downer when it comes to our health. Maybe a list will put it perspective for you. A hormone D deficiency can lead to:

  • Fatigue
  • Poor sleep
  • Getting sick repeatedly
  • Getting infections more easily
  • Muscle pain
  • Bone and back pain
  • Bone loss
  • Hair loss (Both men and women)
  • Depression
  • Impaired wound healing
  • Cognitive impairment in older adults
  • Erectile dysfunction (What guy wants to hear that?)

Hormone D can play a role in the prevention and treatment of the above chronic conditions. Research suggests that it could also have a positive effect on other more serious conditions including diabetes, hypertension glucose intolerance, multiple sclerosis and even breast cancer in women. Nope, Hormone D isn’t just about building strong bones.

It’s All in the Balance

Because Hormone D plays such a crucial role in your life and overall health, a deficiency needs to be treated as a hormone imbalance. Can your primary doctor address it? The question is, what do they know about hormones? Most likely, not much. Not in their treatment realm. What you need, is someone with serious hormone replacement experience. Someone who understands how delicate trying to balance the hormones in your body is. An expert who knows hormones inside and out, able to make you feel better inside and out. That would be the hormone specialists at Denver Hormone Health. With simple tests, all the doctors at Denver Hormone Health can determine whether you have a D deficiency, and how serious it is. Then they can develop a unique and integrated treatment plan that would include bioidentical hormone replacement therapy plus diet and lifestyle changes. Call Denver Hormone Health now and feel the best you can be. No bones about it.