admin – Page 128 – The A.L.I.V.E. Experience

Seton Hall huddles up around their sophomore goalie. Credit Katie

Every spring—the second week of March to be exact—there is a rush for sports physicals for the young athletes. As a Pediatrician, I am often faced with the daunting task of determining who has a health risk that could preclude them from participating in competitive sports.

During the evaluation many parents ask, “Is my child ready for weight training?” I start the discussion by explaining the distinction between weight lifting and strength training.

Weight lifting involves rapid lifts. Because of the limited data on its safety and possible risk of injury to the immature skeleton, the American Academy of Pediatrics is opposed to the participation of children in the sport of weight lifting.

Strength training on the other hand uses resistance methods (for example tubing
bands) to increase ones ability to exert or resist force. There are numerous studies in pediatrics that have shown that strength training is effective in improving strength, endurance, and flexibility in the young athlete.

Strength training utilizes various types of resistance such as resistance bands, exercise balls, free weights, and ones own body weight. It should include aerobic conditioning and a 10-15 minute warm up and cool down. More importantly, strength training programs should have strict supervision by a certified instructor with pediatric experience who will teach proper techniques and safety methods, thus reducing the risk of injury.

The benefits of strength training can be seen in the overall health of the young athlete such as cardiac fitness, increasing bone mineralization and decreasing blood lipid profile. Furthermore, there are a few studies that have shown that strength training aimed at certain muscles of the body can play a role in reducing the incident of sport related injuries.

During the sports physical, I often emphasize that a strength training program does not equate to increased muscle mass. The young athlete who has not reached puberty tend to have low circulating androgens—a hormone that promotes the growth of skeletal muscle cells— and thus muscle mass can’t develop.

Strength training programs are generally safe however for certain individuals it may be contraindicated. Any child with a complex cardiac issue, hypertension, seizure disorders or receiving chemotherapy that effect the heart should be withheld from strength training programs until clearance is obtained by a physician.

Overweight adolescents may appear to be strong enough to participate in a strength training program however they should proceed with caution.

Because of the pressure to perform, there is an increase in the use of performance enhancing drugs.

These drugs include stimulants (Caffeine, Pseudoephedrine, and Ritalin etc.), anabolic steroids, growth hormones, and protein supplements (such as Creatine). these drugs can lead to cardiovascular issues, kidney failure and testicular atrophy if taken in excess. Coaches, trainers and more importantly parents should be aware
of this issue and discuss it with their children.

Proper nutrition with adequate fluid intake should be encouraged. A multi-vitamin which contains Vitamin D, Calcium (1300mg/day) and iron should be taken daily. Finally, sleep can improve physical and mental health, and is extremely important for young people, so encourage up to 8-12 hours of sleep per night.

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Hypothyroidism: Warning Signs And Symptoms

1 Comment / Nutrition, Uncategorized

Hypothyroid disease might as well be known as a silent killer. Many people consider hypothyroid disease an innocent disease, something easily treated and often detected early. The truth is an underactive thyroid often goes undetected and untreated. If left untreated for too long, in extreme cases hypothyroid disease can lead to irregular heart beats, coma, and death.

It sounds rather scary, doesn’t it?

Hypothyroid disease is a relatively easy disease to treat, once detected. Treatment typically continues for the duration of one’s life, unless the cause of hypothyroidism can be detected, and eliminated or cured.

Diagnosing hypothyroid disease is easy for the most part. There are however, always times when diagnosis can be difficult, as in cases where a patient has borderline hypothyroidism, or sub clinical hypothyroidism. In these cases, a health provider may have to look more closely at a patient’s symptoms before determining whether treatment is necessary or whether an underlying cause must be looked at.

Unfortunately there are still many health providers that neglect to test for thyroid hormone imbalances. That is why it is so important you realize what the signs and symptoms of hypothyroid disease are so you can mention them to your doctor.

Remember hypothyroid mimics many other illnesses. So just because you have some of the signs and symptoms, or maybe all of them, that doesn’t mean you have hypothyroidism. It is a good idea however, if you have some of these symptoms to check in with a health provider. They can help you determine whether you need to have a comprehensive health evaluation.

Typically hypothyroid disease is detected or ruled out by a simple blood test. So after evaluating your signs and symptoms, you and your doctor can decide whether to take action.

Here are the most common warning signs and symptoms of hypothyroid disease:

General malaise or not feeling well
Feeling fatigued or very tired all the time
Aches and pains, especially muscle aches or cramps
Joint pain
Depression, irritability
Mood changes
Brittle hair or coarse hair
Brittle nails, cracked nails
A hoarse throat or sore throat
Constipation
Feeling cold all the time, when others are not
Irregular heart rate, too slow
Coma or stupor
Feeling confused, memory loss
Feeling dizzy, double vision

Of course, this list is not comprehensive, as the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism may vary from person to person and some people only have a few symptoms. Some people may have symptoms that fluctuate from day-to-day so it is hard for them to discern what their symptoms are. It is helpful to keep a journal of symptoms if you are feeling unwell so you can bring them with you to your healthcare provider’s office. That way you will have more accurate information to review with your health provider at your next visit.

If your health provider tests for hypothyroidism and begins treatment, you should continue to keep a journal of symptoms because this will help your health provider monitor the progress and efficacy of treatment. Often patients require an adjustment of the dose of hormones the doctor or health provider prescribes. Supplemental hormones are the most common treatment offered to patients with hypothyroid disease.

Sometimes a patient requires more or less hormones over time as. Treatment for hypothyroidism is typically long-term or for the duration of one’s life, unless the cause of hypothyroidism is medication or a temporary illness. If these causes of hypothyroidism can be ruled out by a health provider, then sometimes hypothyroidism will disappear on its own, once the offending cause is removed.

For this reason you should also always provide your health provider with a list of any other pharmaceuticals, herbs, or other agents you may take that could interfere with the function of your thyroid gland. This may include any other hormones or natural hormones you take as well. You may need to eliminate them or adjust them to restore proper function to your thyroid gland, depending on your situation and the severity of your condition.

There are also herbs and nutrients that can help to heal the thyroid and reverse hypothyroidism. So if you do not wish for a lifetime of pharmaceutical treatment to keep your thyroid hormones in balance this could be the best option for you.

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5 Foods You Must Avoid

Nutrition

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Buying local, fresh foods from Farmers’ markets, organic farms, or from your local grocer can go a long way for your budget and your health. However, not everyone can benefit or wants to shop healthy. Here are the top five foods to avoid or minimize in your diet for a longer, healthier life and a leaner waistline, followed by the top five foods that will give you amazing health benefits.

Food #1 Low-fat Foods

Food labeling can be very deceptive when it comes to food geared for weight loss. Low-fat foods are one of the products to be careful about. Just because the food says “low fat,” does not mean the food is low calorie. Be sure to check the label and see how many calories are typically in the product. Most people associate low-fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more. Do not be fooled by this deceptive labeling technique.

Food #2 Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes. Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar.

However, look at the label under sugars, and you will see something interesting. Sugar-free foods tend to have sugar alcohols, which is an ingredient designed to give it sweetness. Most of the time, sugar alcohol is made from sugar products, which can lead to increased calories. Sugar alcohols carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram. Not only do you get extra calories, but you also can get cramping, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems if you ingest too much.

Food #3 Commercial Smoothies

Normally, smoothies are associated with healthy eating. They have skim milk, fruit, and yogurt, so they are considered a great, healthy food. Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar. Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, so you end up ballooning sugar, fat, and calorie content. Most of the time, the fruit in smoothies is blended up into fruit juice, or fruit juice is added. This eliminates the fiber that is found in the skin of most fruits. My advice: Make your smoothies at home, and leave the commercial smoothies on the shelf.

Food #4 Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt, again, has been considered a natural health product containing calcium, probiotics, and other products that have been shown to be beneficial to our health. Look at the label again, and you might see something surprising. When looking at the label, some of the first few ingredients in yogurt are different forms of sugar. All this extra sugar can lead to weight gain and stubborn, hard-to-lose body fat. So again, read the label and see exactly what is in the product before you choose the yogurt of choice.

Food #5 Sugary energy drinks including items with added vitamins and minerals

Energy drinks have been advertised as giving you that extra pick-me-up during the day, and a way to increase the intensity of your workouts. Energy drinks can contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which gives you that initial pick-me-up, but you end up crashing hard later. Also, some drinks that have added vitamins and minerals, can have loads of sugar as well. So stop and think before you drink and choose something lower in calories and sugar, maybe something like coffee or tea.

Food #1 Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people. Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process. Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable. Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight. These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

Food #2 Pepper, Especially Capsaicin

So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list. Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods. Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.
Food #3 Wheatgrass

There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheatgrass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy. Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections. Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein. This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle. The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.

Food #4 Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium. B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells. B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger. Tahini also holds a surprising amount of calcium, zinc, and copper. The high levels of calcium can help keep bones strong and healthy, and might be responsible in fighting some cancers. Tahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.
Food #5 Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

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Natural Approaches To Healing An Underactive Thyroid

Nutrition, Uncategorized

By Carol Chuang

According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists,

27 million Americans have underactive or overactive thyroid glands, and over half are unaware of it.
More than 8 out of 10 people with thyroid disease are women.
Eighty percent of the people diagnosed with thyroid disease have hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid.

Do you have a low thyroid? If you answer “yes” to most of these questions, it may indicate that you do.

Are you depressed, lethargic, chronically fatigued, and easily chilled?
Do you gain weight easily or have difficulty losing weight?
Do you have dry skin, hair loss, eczema, or adult acne?
Do you have constipation?
Do you have PMS or menstrual abnormalities? Is your libido low?
Are your legs and feet swollen and your nails brittle?
Do you have cold hands and feet?
Do you often get colds and flu?

What Is Hypothyroidism?

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower part of your neck. It produces hormones that influence essentially every organ, tissue, and cell in the body. It is the master regulator of your metabolism.

The thyroid has the only cells in the body capable of absorbing iodine. The iodine is combined with the amino acid tyrosine to produce T4 (thyroxin) which is then converted to T3 (triiodothyronine). T3 is the biologically more active hormone and is also several times stronger than T4.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones, resulting in a slowdown of metabolism. Hypothyroidism may be caused by:

Overconsumption of raw goitrogenic foods, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, rutabaga, turnips, kohlrabi, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and millet.
Overconsumption of iodine-rich supplements such as kelp and bladderwrack or shortage of iodine in the diet.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the most common form of hypothyroidism.
Surgical treatments for thyroid cancer, goiter, or nodules.
After effect of radioactive iodine treatment for Graves’ disease (the most common form of hyperthyroidism).
Imbalance of female hormones may trigger a thyroid problem. Estrogen inhibits thyroid hormone activity, while progesterone and testosterone support the thyroid. Hypothyroidism occurs predominantly in women around the time of menopause when estrogen is high relative to progesterone.

Some people have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism. Factors include:

Having a family member with a thyroid, pituitary, or endocrine disease
Having a family member with an autoimmune disease
Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Having Fibromyalgia Having been treated with lithium
Having just given birth to a baby
Being female
Approaching or have attained menopause
Smoking

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease.

In Hashimoto’s, antibodies react against proteins in the thyroid gland, gradually destroying the gland itself making the gland unable to produce the thyroid hormones the body needs. In the beginning, there can be periods where the thyroid sputters back to life, even causing temporary hyperthyroidism, then a return to hypothyroidism. This cycling back and forth is rather characteristic of Hashimoto’s.

Symptoms Of Hypothyroidism

Symptoms usually go with a slowdown of metabolism and may include:

Lethargy and fatigue
Forgetfulness
Mood swings
Depression
Low libido
Heavy menses
Constipation
Dry, coarse hair
Dry, coarse skin
Eczema or adult acne
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
Hoarse voice
Cold hands and feet
Muscle cramps or frequent muscle aches
Vulnerability to infections

How Hypothyroidism Is Diagnosed

There are a number of blood tests to detect the function of the thyroid gland. The one that your doctor is most likely to check annually is the TSH. If a thyroid problem is suspected, subsequent tests like the free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies will be needed.

TSH Thyroid stimulating hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland. Since the pituitary controls the release of thyroid hormones, the level of TSH indicates how hard the pituitary has to work to get the thyroid to produce whatever levels of thyroid hormones are present in the blood. A high TSH may indicate low thyroid levels.

Free T3 and Free T4 These tests are used to determine the level of thyroid hormones in the body. Free means it is biologically active and unbound to protein. Low free T3 and T4 will indicate low thyroid hormones.

Thyroid antibodies Autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, occur when the thyroid gland is attacked by the body’s own immune system. If this is suspected, blood tests for thyroid antibodies will validate the diagnosis.

The medical definition of hypothyroidism is TSH higher than the normal range and T3 and T4 below the normal range.

Note: It is possible that some people may have normal lab results, yet experience hypothyroid symptoms. This is because the reference range of 0.45-4.50 uIU/ml for TSH is fairly wide and a given person may require higher or lower levels to feel well and function optimally. If you are in this early stage of hypothyroidism and remain untreated, you can experience the symptoms of the disease for months to years before it progresses to full-blown hypothyroidism.

Treatment For Hypothyroidism

The treatment for hypothyroidism is usually with synthetic thyroid hormone medications containing:

T4 (generic name: levothyroxine) or
T3 (liothyronine) or
A combination of T4 and T3 (liotrix)

Different brands of medication may have different fillers, dyes, and potential allergens. If you have a bad reaction to a certain brand, ask your doctor to switch to another one.

An alternative is to use desiccated natural hormones derived from the thyroid gland of pigs, such as Armour Thyroid or Nature-Throid, which contain both T4 and T3. These can be prescribed by your doctor.

Lifestyle Approach

Stress exacerbates all thyroid problems, particularly those with an autoimmune component, like Hashimoto’s. Stress reduction improves the entire hormonal system, including the thyroid gland. There are many types of mind-body approaches to relaxation, such as meditation, guided imagery, yoga, etc. Find something that you enjoy doing.
You must exercise and it is not optional. Aerobic exercise helps burn calories and weight-bearing exercise helps build muscles, which is critical to raising metabolism.

Diet Appraoch

If you are around menopause and a saliva hormone test confirms that you have high estrogen relative to progesterone, using progesterone supplementation can help balance the female hormones.
If your hypothyroid condition is not autoimmune in nature, it is helpful to consume more iodine-rich foods or use iodine-rich supplements, such as kelp and bladderwrack.
If you have an autoimmune thyroid disease, avoid iodine-rich supplements such as kelp and bladderwrack, as they can aggravate the symptoms. However, many people with autoimmune thyroid disease find that they can still eat some iodine-rich foods such as seafood and seaweed without any adverse symptoms.
Selenium can help rebuild the immune system and reduce thyroid antibodies. Brazil nuts have a very high amount of selenium, so just eating a few everyday will be sufficient.
Avoid consuming soybean-related foods such as tofu, soy milk, soy protein, and soy supplements. The isoflavone in soy suppresses the thyroid.
Avoid consuming raw goitrogenic foods, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, pinenuts, walnuts, millet, peaches, spinach, and strawberries. Goitrogens tend to decrease thyroid function, but cooking usually deactivates most of the goitrogens.
Avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined carbohydrates, and stimulants including caffeine and nicotine.
Eat more fiber and make sure you have enough protein in your diet.
Drink plenty of clean filtered water, half your weight (lbs) in ounces per day. If you weigh 128 lbs, drink 64 ounces (or 8 cups) of water a day.

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Hypothyroid Weight Loss – 9 Essential Tips To Drop The Pounds Now

1 Comment / Uncategorized

By Duncan Capicchiano Platinum Quality Author

Losing weight is difficult at best for most people, but can seem almost impossible for someone who has untreated hypothyroid disease. Hypothyroidism is a leading cause of weight gain for many people, but unfortunately many people do not realize they gain weight because their thyroid gland is underactive.

Some doctors even fail to test for thyroid disease as a cause for weight gain in patients when they come in for their annual visit. Thus, thyroid disease weight gain is an often undiagnosed cause for obesity throughout the world.

If you have any of the following symptoms along with weight gain, you may have undetected hypothyroid disease:

• Fatigue

• Brittle hair and nails

• Insomnia

• Depression

• Mood Changes

• Feeling cold

• Joint pain or stiffness

People with hypothyroidism often gain weight and have difficulty losing weight despite a normal diet. This can be frustrating. Fortunately with successful treatment of hypothyroidism weight loss can become successful and permanent. Long term weight loss for thyroid disease patients is something that patients can realize with the help of their doctors or healthcare practitioner.

Long-Term Weight Loss For Patients With Hypothyroidism Disease

To achieve long-term weight loss goals hypothyroidism patients must first understand how thyroid hormone levels affect weight loss and weight gain. There are a couple of different thyroid hormones that can affect and regulate weight and metabolism; these include reverse T3 and leptin. Leptin helps regulate weight and metabolism. It is a hormone secreted by the fat cells in the body, and it aids in the accumulation of fat cells in the body.

Typically the hypothalamus signals the body when there are enough leptin or fat stores in the body. That means the hypothalamus tells the body that it has enough energy so it should stop producing fat. The body in turn starts to burn fat and stimulates the release of another thyroid releasing hormone that helps increase TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone.

Many people with hypothyroidism who have difficulty losing weight have resistance to leptin because the hypothalamus has difficulty regulating metabolism.

So What Does A Patient Eat?

Obviously a combination of factors influences long-term weight loss. Success is not contingent on hormones alone, as success involves more than leptin or reverse T3 levels. So what does a patient do? Here are some tips that have proven successful for many hypothyroidism patients:

1. Control your intake of sugar. That means incorporating wholesome foods and avoiding sweets as these tend to have dramatic influences on blood sugar levels and leave you feeling even less energetic.

2. Eat more organic fruits and vegetables.

3. Stay away from artificial sweeteners which can actually make you crave more sweets. Remember again that sweets can influence the odds someone with hypothyroidism will develop diabetes, which increases your risk for poor health.

4. Drink more water, which will improve your health and decrease your appetite.

5. Try eating more proteins including those that come from chicken, fish and nuts.

6. Try eating sprouted grain breads instead of white flour breads which have little nutritional content.

7. Avoid drinking too much caffeine which is not good for your body and can influence your ability to regulate your blood sugar.

8. Get enough sleep at night. This helps improve your energy and allows you to make the best dietary decisions to maintain balanced blood sugar levels.

9. Try eating several small meals each day instead of eating three large ones. This will help your boost your metabolism, and help you feel fuller throughout the day. This also helps keep your blood sugar levels steadier throughout the day.

Remember, making changes in your diet is a slow process. By taking baby steps you will make lasting alterations that can change your life permanently for the better. Be sure to consult with your healthcare provider before making any dietary or lifestyle changes that will affect your health and wellness. Together you can make healthy changes that will leave you feeling your best for life.

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