The second week of June 2009 I read a good book on all the ideas I have been talking about like absorption and metabolism problems are causing a lot of disease. Low HCL, intrinsic factors(glucoproteins), low pancreas/liver enzymes, not enough good gut bacteria (or too much bad bacteria) and low hormones contributing to these absorption /metabolism problems. Not to mention, when body pH is too low/acidic (other than stomach) can change shape of folded up proteins called enzymes. The equivalent of puting legos in a microwave and after they melt slightly trying to get them to connect/bind with another..it just doesn't happen and thus adversely affecting the chain of events needed for proper metabolism/absorption to occur. Improper pH can also affect your gut bacteria too. When you get tested for vitamin/mineral/hormones that "normal range" is not always healthy ie Vitamin D3 normal range in IL is 32-100 but the research says if you want to decrease chances of many diseases you need to be 75-100(see Vit D3 link research). Plus, bio-identical hormones do NOT increase rates for cancer just the synthetics (see Breakthrough book page 269 - 270 for research studies using 23,000 & 6,700 participants).
A family member told me, "All this stuff (above) you have been talking about is in this book you HAVE to read." So I got it and it does confirm all the things I have been saying by MANY different doctors. It is called "Breakthrough: 8 Steps to Wellness." Somers (from Three's Company) interviews neurosurgeons, PhDs, MDs etc for their take on how to stay healthy.
**It gives me confidence that the ideas I am coming up with from the reading all the research is following the truth. I did find out new information like iodine reducing cancer risk( pg 39 & many other pages), ellagic acid decreasing arteriosclerosis lesions by 1000%(pg 202), aldosterone deficiency can sometimes cause old age hearing loss & replacing it can bring hearing back (pg27), females with fibromyalgia seem to have progesterone deficiency(pg56).
Page 28 normal range scores from testing is NOT healthy ranges. EXACTLY what I have been saying and many of the ideas I have wrote about out here (some listed at the top) are all repeated through this book by many doctors who are directors for centers.
What did I get out of this book beyond some additional facts(**see above)? I also found a list of doctors in the back of the book that agree with these ideas. I have already set up an appointment to see one in Aug. See last Oct 2008 I seen my OBGYN because I think I have a hormone problem. Beyond having to use progestrone during both pregnancies I have, in the last year, been having irregular periods. The first test came back low the second ok in Jan 2009. So nothing was done. I also in this time took my hubby to an endo because I think he had low testosterone. I told the doc he had MS and then he called our house and told my hubby in the office he would not treat MS. His testosterone came up to the bottom 18% of normal range(low 300s on scale of 140-827 in IL). Realize there is good deal of research that says if you are below 150 you have a huge increase in risk of death from all kinds of disease. However, normal range is 140-200 up to 827. This is bull in my opinion because you should be no where near 140 due to all the research. I don't care if normal is to jump off the cliff..or in this case to be UNhealthy. I want me and my family..everyone to be healthy. Read the below Dr. Hotze Article on thyriod ranges which gives more credit to this idea.
Seeing doctors who will not treat low numbers that significantly increase my risk of disease was not helping us. I needed to see a doctor that will address these issues. I hope this book has given me some leads to a doctor who will treat us with this philosophy.
I am writing this post for those who have read what I have wrote. Or read the research I have linked to on my site on want to see a doctor who might address these additional issues. If you do or just want to hear what some medical professionals have to say then I recommend this book "Breakthrough: 8 Steps to Wellness." Also, the “normal laboratory range” of thyroid hormones is an arbitrary value, defined statistically as plus or minus two standard deviations from the mean. This so-called normal range is as wide as the Grand Canyon. In practice, it means that approximately 90–95 percent of the population will always fall within the normal range. However, I assure you that 90–95 percent of the population does not feel healthy, well, and full of energy. Not only that, but the arbitrarily defined “normal” value has actually changed over time. Between 1991 and 2002, the normal laboratory range for the free thyroxine (free T4) blood test was lowered by 15 percent, from 0.90–2.00 ng/dl to 0.76–1.70 ng/dl. What this means is that an individual in 1991 who had a free T4 value of 0.80 ng/dl would have been classified by a conventional doctor as hypothyroid, but an individual with an identical T4 value in 2002 would be told that her thyroid function was in the normal range and would be denied treatment. Yet these two patients, separated in time by eleven years, likely would have had numerous symptoms in common—symptoms that are highly responsive to thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
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Just read the article at the below URL and I almost wanted to laugh..not really. Normal ranges do NOT mean healthy ranges. If you do not believe me then read what this doctor has to say. It will come in handy whey you go to an endocrinologist and ask to see how you scored.
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http://drhotzeblog.netymology.com/2006/05/24/patients-dont-lie-thyroid-lab-tests-do/
(me) BTW the book "Breakthrough: 8 steps to Wellness" that interviews many different doctors say the same thing. ie page 26
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http://drhotzeblog.netymology.com/2006/05/31/the-adrenal-glands-and-thyroid/
"some patients with hypothyroidism do not regain their energy even when they are taking natural thyroid. I was puzzled by this phenomenon until I learned about Dr. Broda Barnes’s (Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness) use of natural cortisol and read Dr. Jefferies’ book Safe Uses of Cortisol. Dr. Jefferies had found that adrenal fatigue often occurs in conjunction with hypothyroidism, and that, in the absence of adequate cortisol, thyroid hormone replacement was less effective.
The reason is that when the adrenal glands are weak, even normal thyroid activity is a burden. Adding supplemental thyroid hormone may result in initial improvement in energy levels and other symptoms, but as the adrenal glands become more exhausted, energy production is shut down. The solution is not more thyroid hormone.
What is called for is adrenal support with SMALL doses of cortisol."
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(me) hmmmm so kinda like all the posts where I say.. If you are a diabetic and need insulin hormone you test yourself to determine your unique needs and take a small dose of what you need. You do not wait until you are in diabetic coma. Then take 20 times the amount of insulin you need. This being like MS where people are give 20 some times the amount of normal cortisol (ie solumedrol) to keep them from going blind. MAYBE they should get tested and, if you need it, take a little each day according to what your test results. Something to discuss with a competent endocrinologist. "
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