The Importance of Progesterone for Adrenals

I was talking with a dear friend (older than me but also low in progesterone and using CT3M) about progesterone and the ways that it could be affecting us.

• As T3 goes up, cortisol is supposed to go up, too.
• Since Cortisol is directly synthesized from progesterone in the adrenal cortex, it makes sense that as a woman's T3 amounts go and adrenals respond with more cortisol, her body would need to make more progesterone to be able to synthesize that cortisol.
• Progesterone is made from pregnenolone, but it is secreted from the corpus luteum.  
• (*This is important information for women who have had their ovaries removed! They MUST have progesterone replaced in their bodies.)  
• So, as the need for more cortisol rises with the rise in T3, so did would the need for more progesterone. This is important for any woman who is on progesterone replacement for whatever reason; theoretically, she would need more progesterone as she progresses with CT3M.

Also, I think we might need progesterone for the conversion of T4 to T3? Can't remember.

Finally, keeping in mind that cortisol assists with/affects:
Mood
Raising the BP
Blood sugar regulation
immune system
Depression
Salt uptake
Stress adaptation

Celiac Sourdough "Fail": Hypothyroid and Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

Before my family went gluten-free, my husband made our own bread on the weekends.  We greatly enjoyed doing that together and knowing that we were consuming fresh bread with ingredients we could control was gratifying.

After almost a year of being gluten-free, I wondered if we might be able to eat true, fermented sourdough bread, as others with gluten issues have been reported to do.  The idea is that the fermentation process breaks down many of the intolerable properties of wheat, including the gluten. 

Then I talked with a friend whose little boy with gluten sensitivity can eat her "extra" fermented sourdough starter recipe for pancakes. 

I also read in Nourishing Traditions about our ancestors' habits of making bread this way, as opposed to yeast breads, which were not introduced until relatively recently.  They didn't have nearly the issues we have with gluten, now, did they? 

Maybe . . . just maybe we could eat it, too, I thought. 

So after Easter this year, I began my own sourdough starter using King Arthur Flour. 

I so enjoyed the rhythm of feeding my starter by whisking in water, then flour.  I relished seeing it on the counter in its jar.

When the time came to make the first loaf of bread, I used this recipe.  I blended part of the starter with water and flour and salt.  I let it rise for 24 hours to give time for the gluten in the newly incorporated flour to get broken down by the starter.  And I baked it on my baking stone over a boiling-water bath - all just as the recipe calls for.  

It turned out a little dense.  I needed to get back into the "feel" of bread-making since it had been so long since I'd done it. 

But it was delicious and we ate the first loaf with dinner guests, and felt no ill effects from it. 

When the time came to make a second loaf of bread, I sifted the flour before measuring.  I even weighed it after measuring to compare.  I also skipped the water bath in the oven since the extra rising time gave the bread a sort of crust (the first loaf was too crusty). 

It was perfect!

But after two days, my oldest daughter and I both reacted horribly.  Her behavior was awful for about a week - irritable, aggressive, defiant - all very unlike her!  My husband and I kept remembering how difficult things were in our house before we went gluten-free. 

For myself, I experienced intense hypothyroid and adrenal fatigue symptoms.  For a few days, my whole body felt like lead and I was extremely fatigued in the afternoons.  And for weeks, I experienced:

• brain fog
• ear ache
• fluid in my ears
• carpal tunnel flared up in both wrists
• afternoon fatigue
• dry skin
• acne
• water retention
• weight gain (10 lbs.)
• hair loss
• irritability

The hair loss and irritability have still continued even to now, although taking the adrenal adaptogen Rhodiola has helped the irritability the past few days. 

Before the gluten, I felt wonderful.  I was having none of these symptoms, except some slight hair loss, some slight water retention in my ankles, and acne but only when my estrogen peaks.

Thyroid 101

http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/mcb135e/thyroid.html

Gymnema Leaf: Good News for Diabetics

I've been reading about herbs lately.  One that has caught my attention is Gymnema, which can help with both type I and type II diabetes. 

I'm reading that it helps "delay the glucose absorption in the blood"and that "the basic function of the acids is to bind to the receptor on the intestine, and stop the glucose molecule from binding to the receptor. Thus, gymnemic acids prevent the absorption of excess glucose."

It can also help with "curbing the sugar craving" which could be useful not only for diabetics but also candida sufferers, which, as we know, is connected because of the blood sugar imbalance. 

For myself, I'm excited to hear that "when Gymnema leaf extract is administered to a diabetic patient, there is stimulation of the pancreas by virtue of which there is an increase in insulin release."  I just might have to look into this further!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2170951/

Also:

 "Double-blind studies [1] confirm that the therapy they have developed can cure up to 60% of patients by restoring proper beta cell function. The deciding factor appears to be whether the antigens which originally caused the auto-immune response which damaged the beta cells are still in the patient's body. Where they remain in the body a cure is less likely because they continue to trigger damaging immune system activity. Work on how to remove the antigens continues."  http://www.greenhealthwatch.com/newsstories/newsillnesses/cure-diabetes1.html

And so it would seem that the key is removing the antigens before being able to use the herb successfully.

Pomegranate: An Alternative To Hormone Replacement Therapy?

"Experiments have been performed revealing that pomegranate contains estrogens structurally and functionally similar to those found in mammals . . . and are capable of replacing the function of the ovary when removed from female animals. . . ."

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/amazing-fact-pomegranate-can-serve-backup-ovary

Histamine + Sodium + Potassium + Water

This article on histamine is a very interesting explanation of the importance of balancing water intake, sodium and potassium for your cells, as related to histamine.  If the sodium isn't balanced with potassium so that the potassium can pump the sodium into the cells, histamine takes over to do the job. 

Be sure to read the full article, as it contains some cautionary information about drinking too much plain water, as well.

I buy this salt.  You can read about potassium-rich foods here.

I came across this link a few days ago in my online reading.  I can't remember where!  But my reading started on Caroline Lunger's Gutsy.  In case it was she who linked to the article, I thought I'd give a shout-out to her.  Hopefully I can remember where I read it, so that I can give proper credit to the linker. 

Shower Soothers

http://www.lifesanity.com/make-your-own-shower-soothers

MTHFR in My Life

Re-published from here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr/marys-story/

I first heard of MTHFR, or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, enzyme deficiency on the STTM patient to patient groups.  My first reaction was to blow it off, which I did.  I did not want another health issue to deal with in addition to my juvenile diabetes, Hashi's, adrenal fatigue, very low iron, Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and endometriosis with low progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.  I finally felt like I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, with regard to my hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue!  I was treating my issues well and finally getting a taste of feeling good, and I just wasn't ready to deal with some other health issue! 

But as time went on and I learned more about it from other patients, I realized that this gene mutation just could be the thing that connected the dots.  And what if treating it would not be another health issue to add to my list, but rather would speed along my healing in the long-run, if it was part of the core underneath all these layers?

In the back of my mind, I also wondered if testing and treating MTHFR, which is connected with miscarriage in some women, could help me to conceive again and carry to term?  After I miscarried, my health hit rock-bottom and that was the impetus behind my finding STTM and seeking proper treatment for my thyroid and adrenal issues. 

Still, I put off testing.  

Then I had labs drawn that revealed I had high B12 levels, despite only getting a small amount of B12 in my B complex.  I had multiple people suggest that it could be due to having MTHFR, due to the fact that the test reveals blood levels of B12, not the levels that are getting into the cells.  I knew then that I should get tested for MTHFR.

Since I have a very supportive health care provider, I chose to start with getting the Lab Corp blood test which my insurance would cover entirely.  (Many patients choose to test through 23andme.com, which is excellent.) 

But the lab sheet results were confusing, suggesting that it was not important if a person has the A1298C copy of the mutation, if they do not have the C677T copy, which is the one associated with having elevated homocysteine levels while the A1298C copy is not (when the C677T copy is not present).  The doctor at the LabCorp laboratory confirmed this, as well. 

So I did what has been the number one best help to me: I sought the advice of other patients.  After talking with other patients on the MTHFR support groups, I felt confident that this is not the case - that having any MTHFR mutation is significant - and I decided to move forward with my treatment. 

I started with taking methylated B12 and felt an improvement in my energy levels quickly.  I am taking my treatment plan very slowly.  Later, I plan to add methyl-folate.  If I tolerate that with no ill effects, I will then try a methylated B complex.  Again, all of this will be done very slowly so as to track symptoms and reactions, and generally allow my body time to respond.  

At the same time that I had my MTHFR lab drawn, I had my copper, ceruloplasmin and zinc levels checked.  Those revealed that my free copper levels were double what they should be and my zinc was low. 

So shortly after starting the methyl-B12, I started trying to balance my high copper and low zinc by taking zinc picolinate.  I chose Solgar brand which is 22 mg per tablet.   

Unfortunately, the detox process resulted in what seemed like a return of my hypothyroid and adrenal fatigue symptoms - some of which I had not felt in ages!  I was fatigued especially in the afternoon, had cold hands and feet, no motivation, was easily stressed, irritable, emotional, emotionally sensitive, weepy, and had sore breasts, acne, and water retention in my ankles.  Whoah!  This was a lot to hit me (again) in a relatively short period of time. 

I stopped taking my zinc supplement to see if that was the culprit. Within a day and a half, I felt like myself again.  It was surprising! 

I plan to resume my zinc picolinate supplementation, but I will opt for a lower dose - probably a quarter of the 22 mg tablets to start - and I will increase as time goes on, but s-l-o-w-l-y.  

It's worth mentioning that molybdenum can help detox copper, and P-5-P (the active form of B6) and magnesium can help reduce symptoms.  

I am confident that as time goes on, treating my MTHFR will help my other health issues to diminish.  I am also very thankful to have learned that I have this gene mutation, since my children are likely to have it as well. 

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Cups

http://empoweredsustenance.com/healthy-homemadechocolate-cups/

Hypothyroid Symptoms

http://www.thyroidchange.org/300-hypothyroidism-symptoms-yes-really/