Health and Fitness, September, 2010

[Indiana]

Harriet I can understand HRH wanting to do another week but it will be so much better when he weans himself from it. Some of us need more than 21 days to make a habit. He is “counting peas”. Fear can make us not want to stop “counting peas”. He needs to see for himself that he can do this with planning.

I began “counting peas: for dinner with lean cuisine. After 4 weeks I was ready to get off of it and plan dinners.

“Counting peas” isn’t real life. Once HRH gets his mind wrapped around that he can do this he will drop the purchases.

I’m looking forward to see the difference tomorrow and next Monday after his A1C on Friday.

[Nancy]

Got my walk in yesterday w/ dgd that was nice saw some deer bedded down in back yard of a house we could see from the street! I will be taking a walk where there are yard sales today! That will be fun! My thyroid is not working and I'm taking one of the $4 Rx from Wal-mart and seems to be working my hair is back nails are strong again now! Even after the reduced amount after the last tweak so that's great news.

[Indiana]

Harriet I thought 3.5 was a good number.

I'm not so sure of going on med's if all you have is the 3.5 result. Can you ask for him to test again in 3 months. Your illness may play a role in the results.

I take Armour Thyroid - not a synthetic. I take a fairly high does of 1 gr. and I have for over 30 years. Mine just doesn't work very well. My meds haven't changed and they keep me where I should be.

[Cowinkie]

Harriet...sometimes your test "score" can be within normal range and you still have a problem. Many dr's will tell you that true thyroid problems go undetected just for that reason. When I was a child,I had a weight problem. I had all the symptoms of a low thyroid....couldn't sleep, dry hair, brittle nails, etc, but the test showed there was nothing wrong. My dr. convinced my mom to put me on meds anyway. It certainly helped me.

Several years ago when I was have problems with unknown weight gain, testing for thyroid was the first thing my Dr. did. He told me the same thing about the reliability of the test. He put me on meds anyway saying it would either fix the problem or not, but either way it wouldn't hurt me. It didn't help, but knowing that I was ok with my thyroid lead us to discover about my sleeping/eating disorder.

Fatigue and the low immune resistance are other symptoms of thyroid problems. Know that was the case with me.

[Harriet]

Nancy, I'm so glad for you about your symptoms, especially the hair. You and I are a couple of the village "long hairs" together, lol. I'd like to stay that way or at least not have to cut because it's getting thin. Is it "synthroid" you are taking? I have two dsil in two different directions, not kin, who take it but neither of them mentioned it helped their hair. One particularly was hoping it would help her weight struggles but it didn't.

Indiana, this is the second testing with the same #. The thing that I wonder about playing a role is that this is during the very period in my life I've not been allowed to exercise much, and I think exercise affects thyroid. It seems thinking has changed and that under 4 used to be normal but now they are saying 3 or under. (btw, dvetneighbor says Armour is best in her opinion.)

He (Gen Prac) is also thinking my cholesterol will come down if thyroid is treated? Anyone ever heard of that? My mother always had the highest cholesterol of anyone, yet outlived every member of high school class and nearly every one of college class, was oldest member at church, so I am not too impressed with cholesterol concerns. When I get the hard-copy of bloodwork I will check balance between LDL and HDL.

Cowinkie, my nails are powerhouses, right through housework. Today sporting a set of 1/8 to 1/4 inch, and thinking I should clip some because I don't want to knife anyone. But my hair has definitely fallen out more than ever before during the past half-year to nine months which makes me wonder what's going on inside. And it is not shiny but frizz-flyaway. I do color it but use the wimpy stuff, not the heavy duty. How to judge if it is harder for me to lose weight than for others? Hmmm ... ... I "fight weight" as my mother used to say, and try to hang onto 150 at 5'6". But how would I know if my struggle is particularly hard compared to someone else? Maybe I'm working like a trojan, comparatively, but don't know it? I do have a tummy.

Sleep - have been reading Lynlee's thread with interest. For me, most sleep interruptions seem to be external, though.

I really appreciate having a place to talk this out. It bugs me to start a lifetime (?) pill when decision seems so unclear.

[Indiana]

Harriet this is interesting. My Armour thyroid isn't covered by insurance they want me to take synthroid. My Armour thyroid is low enough in price that they dont pay toward it anyway. I pay under $8 for a 30 day supply.

I would rather pay than switch. It has worked for me all these years without any problem. Since I'm going to be taking it the rest of my life I'm not switching.

[Lynlee]

re`thyroid...
My`levels`were`commented`on`but`low`for`a`long`time`before`a`pdoc`started`me`on
`thyroxine`(I`believe`thats`the`same`as`synthyroid)-T4`I`believe.
`For`whatever`reason`my`body`doesn't``absorb`it`and`after`no`change`for`the`longest
`time`despite`playing`with`doses`I`was`put`on`T3(Tertroxin`here)`by`a`reg`doc.
.Its`usually`used`in`beople`who`have`lost`there`thyroid`to`cancer`and`I`need`special
permission`via`pdoc`to`get`it`on`PBH-(govt`subsidised`scripts`for`citizens)
Anyway`My`body`converts`the`T4`into`T3..I`still`take`both.
`Regular`docs`get`annoyed`cos`my`thyroid`shows`little`sign`of`working`when`
I`take`it.(tsh`reading)`recently`I`played`with`lowering`T3`dose`and`my`Thryoid`started
working`but`my`T3/T4`levels`were`low`normal.Pdoc`said`to`put`dose`back`up.
He`did`give`me`screed`from`medical`journal`that`showed`theres`a`greater`varation`
in`what`people`need`than`the`medicos`had`thought.`In`part`-Maternal`thyroid`levels`
during`pg`altered`persons`thyroid`function/needs`later.`Mental`health`effects`there`with`
hyperthyroid/`depression`sometimes`with`hypothyroid.
I`was`interested`that`thyroid`function`is`one`of`the`baby`"heel`blood`test`screening"
here.
Anyway..I`function`better`on`current`dose`which`has`T3-T4`results`in`middle`ranges`...
and`tsh`is`<0.01%
My`thinking`is`to`refer`future`regular`doc`to`discuss`it`with`pdoc`as`it`upsets`me
when`they`are`always`wanting`to`fiddle`with`dose..`cast`dispersions`on`it.

GL`with`what`needs`doing`Harriet.I`believe`there`are`herbs`that`can`help.
I`think`Dr`Cabot`has`a`regiem`as`well.

[OKay]

By request (on PWYC thread) I'm posting here about cholesterol reduction using pinto beans.

There are several documented studies showing eating 1/2 cup of beans a day will reduce cholesterol level as much as a statin drug. I tried it and it worked for me.

I was on cholesterol meds (Lipitor) and didn't like the side effect (it made me stiff and joints/muscles hurt). I quit taking meds and starting eating a cup of beans about 5 times a week. My next blood work showed the results. My cholesterol had dropped about 40 points where it wasn't flagged as high anymore.

Here is link to one article about using beans to reduce cholesterol level

[blessedw2]

today was a big step for me. I am officially down 25 lbs. I never thought I would see that, and now I am feeling I can reach my next goal.

Finding the thyroid discussion very interesting as I have low thyroid. I want to also learn more about using beans in dishes.
thanks for the great info

[Indiana]

Way to go blessed!!!!!!