Understand your thyroid….
Many women are suffering from hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism and are often not aware of it. It has frustrated me over the years how many women I have seen with undiagnosed hypothyroidism, however it has also driven me to help them.
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is a pituitary hormone, its job is to tell the thyroid to make thyroid hormones (T4&T3) it works on a feedback loop, if thyroid hormone output is low, TSH is released from pituitary to stimulate the release of thyroid hormones. If the thyroid isn’t responding more TSH is released from the brain. TSH levels will keep increasing with this feedback loop if the output of thyroid hormones are low. Just testing TSH does not give an accurate indication of how your thyroid is functioning. Many women can have TSH “’within range” and still have elevated thyroid antibodies – thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (TgAb) Elevated thyroid antibodies = autoimmune disease. They can also have sub optimal levels of thyroid hormones (T4& T3)
Looking at your thyroid hormone levels makes sense. More T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) is produced by the body than T3 (active thyroid hormone) T4 must be converted to T3 before the body can use it. The conversion of T4 to T3 takes place mainly in the liver, it can also occur in the cells of the gut, heart, nerves and muscle. This process requires both selenium and zinc, if there is a deficiency if either mineral this can impede conversion. Poor liver and gut health can also impact conversion. Hypothyroid symptoms can come from poor conversion from T4-T3.
Reverse T3 is produced by the body during times of stress; it’s the body’s way of putting the brakes on to conserve energy. Trauma, low calorie diet, inflammation, toxins, infections, liver & kidney dysfunction also increase the conversion of T4 to RT3. High levels of RT3 low levels of T3 = hypothyroid symptoms.
Deficiencies in iron, iodine, tyrosine, selenium, zinc, B2, B3, B6 Vit D, E & C impact thyroid hormone production.
In my clinic I routinely request pathology testing for TSH, T4, T3, thyroid antibodies and reverse T3 to get the complete picture of how the thyroid is functioning, determine the root cause of the imbalance and treat accordingly.
By Renée Simpson - Women’s Health Naturopath at Vitality Junction
Rethink weight loss
Are you someone who has dieted themselves heavier???
If yes, you are certainly not alone....
95% of diets fail long-term due to many reasons but in particular because they are way too restrictive, require way too much motivation and willpower and forget we are all individuals requiring personalised approaches.
If you want to get off the dieting rollercoaster and stop this yo yo dieting by getting back to basics and understanding what your body needs, then let me know...I am here to support you!
Allison Slee is passionate about helping people stop feeling overwhelmed in their weight loss journey.
Come into Vitality Junction on Monday, Thursday or Friday (10am - 2pm) for a no obligation FREE face to face conversation about your opportunity to make awesome changes.
Available for coaching and nutritional consultations.
8 SESSION ELEVATE YOUR HEALTH PROGRAM - $785 (PACKAGE)
Initial 1:1 Consultation: Involves an assessment of your current dietary habits, lifestyle, medical history, emotional wellbeing, goals and vision. We will discuss current health issues and concerns and develop a treatment plan tailored to your individual health goals and lifestyle needs. Please bring any recent pathology tests.
7 fortnightly consultations: 45-60 minutes either face to face (Newcastle) or via Skype, where we will discuss your successes and identify any challenge, along with ongoing health assessments, reviews and possible changes to your initial treatment plan. `
Email and phone support for the duration of the package to keep you on track and accountable.
Coaching worksheets and resources to help support you in achieving your health/weight goal.
Call Allison at Vitality Junction 49691102
A good review…
To find out more about Renée Simpson: https://www.vitalityjunction.com.au/renee-simpson
To fin out more about Tracy Dundon:
Movement Essentials
By Dr Mary Bourke, Chiropractor.
We all know that we need to move more- movement of our body is as essential for optimal functioning on a cellular level as nutrition is.
There has been much research over many years that tells us how and why specific nutritional deficiencies can affect us.
We are not quite as aware of how Movement deficiencies can cause problems.
As a Chiropractor I have been in practice for over 30 years and I have definitely started to see the impacts that this decrease in movement is having on the spinal function of my patients- both young and old.
Things have changed dramatically over the past 50 years particularly. Everyone now drives everywhere and the majority of people are working sitting looking at computers all day. When we go home we are sitting on the lounge watching netflix and TV and then heading to bed.
Children too are not moving as much as they traditionally would have and this is having an impact on postural growth and development as well as learning and behaviour.
People are needing to go and spend time in gyms getting exercise as they are not getting enough incidental movement into their day.
What can we do to get more incidental movement into our lives?
1/ Walk to work - or park your car 15 minutes away from work
2/ Walk and talk with friends: instead of going to a cafe and sitting…. go for a walk together and sit in a park and have a coffee.
3/ Meet at the park with friends with children and they can get plenty of movement while having fun in the sun…even run around yourself and play- kids love that.
4/ Meet and go for a bush walk with friends- pack a picnic
5/ Take a ferry/tram/train ride and explore a new area on foot when you get there
6/ Use public transport as there is more likely to be some incidental movement involved.
7/ Sit on the floor while watching TV- this means at least we are getting up and down from the floor, and when sitting on the floor we are more likely to be moving to adjust our position occasionally.
8/ Make sure everyday you get away from your computer screen and get outside and look into the distance- this is exercise for your eyes. We need to use the muscles that move our eyes and allow them to relax.
9/ Get some more bending into your life at home by putting some of the kitchen items you are use often into the lower draws so that each time you need to use it you have to bend or squat down.
10/ Use your jaw muscles and joints more by eating more raw food that requires more chewing and eating the whole food- eg whole apple and carrot that requires more effort to bite a piece off.
Having the body moving well assists with Digestive function, Mental function, emotional states as well as Spinal pain and dysfunction.
…………..So get moving!!
If you find that you are not moving well and pain and discomfort are stopping you from getting out and about come and talk to us and we will see what we can do to help.
A good read: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing
I’m excited to use this platform to share our practitioner’s exceptional knowledge on a range of topics, so that you can connect with great information.
Tracy Dundon is a Registered Acupuncturist (AHPRA) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner who completed a 4 year full time Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (UTS) in 2013. Tracy has been in clinical practice in Newcastle since 2014 and is a member of the Australia Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS).
She has provided us with a great book recommendation for those wanting to delve into the full potential that acupuncture has to support psychological and spiritual healing:
https://anewpossibility.com/books/five-spirits/
TRACY DUNDON, BHSc
ACUPUNCTURE FOR BODY, PSYCHE & SOUL
BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (UTS)
REGISTERED ACUPUNCTURIST (AHPRA)
Is caffeine making you anxious?
If you have anxiety and are drinking coffee and tea, taking them out can make a big difference to how you feel. Believe me I know!
I have been coffee free now for 10 months and caffeinated tea free for 6 months. I feel so much better for it!
I had an interesting experience after being caffeine free from coffee and tea. I was feeling extremely anxious and couldn’t seem to shift it. I could not understand why I was feeling this way and it was overwhelming.
I was at work and ended up taking 4 saffron capsules (one of my favourite herbs) and 4 Lavendula Calm, a beautiful formula with herbs Kava, Withania and Lavender that can be helpful for anxiety.
I also took some magnesium powder to help me feel calm. It did not dawn on me until lunch time I had added 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder to my smoothie that morning. Ah ha mystery solved!!! The caffeine in the cacao was way too much for me having stopped drinking coffee and tea. I just do not do well with caffeine; my body seems to have trouble processing it. I will not be making that mistake again!
Relying on an early morning coffee to get you going for the day is very common. The thought of taking coffee out fills you with a sense of dread… Also very common! I often say to my clients these days…you are not going to like me very much when I chat to them about the changes, I would like them to make! If they are presenting with anxiety, the coffee has got to go! I am hard line these days with clients; I know how much better they will feel taking it out
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms will be experienced and you will feel worse before you feel better....I know that’s not always fun to hear! The bottom line is you will feel so much better post withdrawal.
There are many underlying factors that can contribute to anxiety. In this post I’m mentioning a few.
Deficiencies in essential nutrients for optimal brain function; B Vitamins, essential fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, iron and probiotics, to name a few.
Stress and overwhelm - yep I know that one well!
A nutrient deficient diet lacking the adequate building blocks of protein, good fats, and complex carbohydrates to ensure optimal brain function?
A diet high in sugar & refined carbohydrates
Poor gut health
Food intolerances, gluten can be underlying cause of anxiety.
If you feel you need help with your health I am available for naturopathic appointments in person and online… there is no excuse really!
Time to make some changes?
Renée Simpson: https://www.vitalityjunction.com.au/renee-simpson
PCOS NATUROPATH, HERBAL MEDICINE, NUTRITION, NUTRITIONAL MEDICINE, BUSH FLOWERS
A thought….
If exercise had nothing to do with your weight how would you choose to move your body???
Allison Slee
NUTRITION, HEALTH COACH, WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT MAINTENANCE
Nutrition life hacks - keep eating well, even under the pump.
Life busy?
Does a well balanced dinner or lunch take a back seat when you are running late or feeling tired?
When you are stressed is it too hard to bring it all together?
These are tried and true life hacks that can, with a little prep, get you well stocked for busy weeknights and the days where it all feels too much.
Use a slow cooker or thermomix to do all the hard work - find 3-4 recipes for the slow cooker / thermomix and plan to make 2 recipes per week for freezing.
Freeze in small portions, with a side of frozen vegetables and a grain, for a complete meal. Freeze some without grains or a side to put on sourdough toast or to have on a wrap with some salad.
Some recipes to search for might include:
Savoury lentils or mince
A curry
A stew
A vegetarian or meat bolognaise
Mexican beans
Soup
Cook and freeze grains too – brown rice, quinoa, wholemeal or spelt pasta. Freeze separately or under the cooked meals.
Keep frozen vegetables on hand – they are nutritionally viable and can make throwing together a simple meal easy – think fried rice + egg with frozen veg + precooked frozen rice.
Hard boil 3-4 eggs at a time and keep in fridge for quick and easy meals and snacks.
Have a nut and seed mix on hand that you can sprinkle on cooked veg, porridges, put in smoothies, can have with a piece of fruit. Pick a nut you like and then get sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds and hemp seeds and mix together. Keep in the fridge, and when you run out try making it with a different nut or seed combo.
Bake a tray of roast vegetables and have on hand to munch during the week.
Make some bone or vegetable broth – In the slow cooker make up batches of broth and have on had for making into soups and stews, or have a cup of broth as a snack. If you are making a vegetarian broth, stir through some raw miso paste for extra protein.
Emily Mouton - available by appointment
HERBALIST, CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST, REMEDIAL MASSAGE THERAPIST, MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION, RESTORATIVE MASSAGE
Craving sugar?
Do you find you always seem to crave sugar either after lunch or dinner?
This is quite common and can be due to a number of reasons.
· It may be a nutritional deficiency.
· It could simply be that you crave sugar out of habit.
· It could be that you have had a /busy morning., getting ready for work, getting the kids ready for school, getting stuck in traffic or checking your backlog of emails, just to name a few. If this has been fuelled by caffeine & topped up with highly processed foods, you will likely get these sugar cravings! Whatever has run down that sugar storage fuel tank inside our body is actually leading you to crave sugary foods.
· It could be caused by a lack of good quality sleep.
· It maybe that your gut bacteria is out of balance.
· Or maybe your emotional state could even be leading you towards that sugar rush.
If you would like to get a handle on your sugar cravings, I would love to help!
Allison Slee - Available to chat over the counter at Vitality Junction on Monday, Thursday and Friday, and available for appointment.
NUTRITION, HEALTH COACH, WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT MAINTENANCE