Thyroid Health Coach

Easter Blessings

admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:36:50 +0000

In honor of the holiday’s symbols for renewal, this entry describes the foundation for my work and a few extra thoughts.

My call has been to offer the gift’s I’ve been given that give me hope, healing, compassion, and inspiration. I use Earth medicine and divine love energy to guide us on the healing journey. Plants, minerals, flowers, animal energy, and wisdom sages give information that will aid and enhance our connection to wholeness and our divine essence. The divine is here for all of us and accessible through our heart. All that is needed is a willingness to open to what is true and a willingness to see. When we look all around us, blessings are everywhere. Guidance reminds us that we are the blessing too and that everywhere we step becomes holy ground. Then our life and intentions are able to move forward more freely, and with love.

To your life’s resurrection this Easter. May you be blessed with glorious awareness of your inherent wholeness and holiness, and rise again into life.

A Poem For Wellness

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:57:29 +0000

Some may wonder how living from our power has anything to do with wellness. But it has everything to do with it. When we realize that we can own or take responsibility for how we are in the world, how we live and who we are, then we make choices that are pure and from our power, not from a conditioned knee-jerk, this-is-how-I’ve-always-done-it response, but from an awake experience. The power to choose. We all have this gift, and if used wisely, it will guide us and teach us, and treat us well. When we acknowledge that we have choice we acknowledge this personal power, and we make choices that ultimately help ourselves rather than harm. Enjoy the poem!

“Power”, from The Book of Qualities by J. Ruth Gendler, 1984

“Power made me a coat. For a long time I kept it in the back of my closet. I didn’t like to wear it much but I always took good care of it. When I first started wearing it again, it smelled like mothballs.

I was afraid if I wore the coat too much someone would want to take it, or else I would accidentally leave it behind in the dojo dressing room. But it has my name on the label now, and it doesn’t really fit anyone else. When people ask me where I found such a becoming garment, I tell them about the tailor, Power, who knows how to make coats that you grow into. First, you must find the courage to approach Power and request a coat. Then, you must find the patience inside yourself to wear the coat until it fits.”

Joseph’s Amazing Grapefruit Breakfast

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:38:00 +0000

This amazing fruit combo can be enjoyed alone for a quick start small breakfast, or as an appetizer to a larger breakfast meal. My friend Joseph, a wonderful healer, shared this recipe with me. I made it recently and thought to share it with all of you!

1 ruby-red grapefruit (or more, depending on how many mouths you have to feed; or how many mouths you have).

Crushed almonds

Cinnamon

Optional; agave nectar or almond syrup

Cut grapefruit in half and place in a 350-degree oven; Bake until fruit plumps and becomes slightly shiny; Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon; sprinkle with crushed almonds, and optional agave nectar or almond syrup to taste.

Serve with cornbread or a whole grain/sprouted bread of your liking. Yum Joseph, thank you!!

Calcium causing heart attacks???

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:23:37 +0000

According to the latest research on calcium, there is a small risk that it may be involved in increasing risk for heart attack. I’d like to mention that it is a small risk and no need for panic. However, it does raise some questions in my mind about the efficacy of calcium supplementation. More specifically, is calcium causing more harm than benefit? Especially for the large number of people I have seen who have benefited from it. I will keep you all posted on the latest on this as it becomes available, but in the meantime I suggest speaking with your doctor concerning your risks versus benefits. It seems the study is sound, although it was not done with the inclusion of vitamin D and other components that help with calcium absorption. These would be important factors, in my mind, to consider. If you would like to read the article, here’s the reference: Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL, et al. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium; Institute of Medicine. Prepublication available at www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13050#toc.

Also, the press release:

IOM Report Sets New Dietary Intake Levels for Calcium and Vitamin D To Maintain Health and Avoid Risks Associated With Excess (IOM/National Academies)

Raw Quinoa. What’s THAT?

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:03:50 +0000

Yes we can actually eat quinoa without cooking it…

Quinoa has long been a food source of essential protein, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, not to mention a great source of complex carbohydrates. It’s an ancient grain, revived a few decades ago and becoming more and more popular as a low-glycemic carb. It cooks like rice (2:1 water to grain) and has a unique, wonderfully nutty flavor. It cooks easily by cooking it at a boil for about 5 minutes and then keeping it on the burner until it’s fully cooked. Serve as a hot cereal with fruit and kefir or nut milk, or as a side dish to veggies, meat, etc.

All that said, my favorite way to eat quinoa, or most anything these days, is raw. If you’ve already tried it cooked, take it for a spin as a raw food. I promise you’ll be delighted.

Be sure and rinse quinoa first: Soak covered overnight, a 1/2 cup organic quinoa in about 1 1/2 cups water. I leave it on the counter top to soak unless its a hot day. Keep in the fridge if so. Drain off water the next morning, rinse, and voila! There’s your raw grain. No need for cooking and therefore it is still full of fresh enzymes for digestion, as well as intact vitamins, minerals, and protein. A high energy food! Serve with fruit and kefir, yogurt, or milk, or with a salad, stir-fry veggies, animal protein, eggs, etc. Or just enjoy plain with a little stevia or agave on top for a quick-charge energy snack!

Awesome Homemade Dressing

admin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:43:56 +0000

I was just thinking how a lot of us spend so much money on salad dressings when we could easily make them fast and fresh at home. And for less money! They usually last 3-5 days in the fridge, so make sure to store them in a glass jar or container so those naughty plastic gases don’t leach out.

Here’s an awesome recipe that I saw on one of my favorite blogs, Kristen’s raw. Thanks Kristen!

Enjoy y’all!! Let me know what you think…

Garlic Almond Dressing

Yield approximately 2 cups

1/2 cup water*
2/3 cup raw almond butter, gently packed (I make my own)
3 tablespoons raw coconut nectar (or raw agave nectar or maple syrup-not raw)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tamari (I use reduced sodium)
3 cloves garlic

Blend everything until smooth and enjoy!!! Trust me, you will enjoy it!!!

* If you use the dressing immediately after making it, the consistency is good. Once it’s been stored in the refrigerator, it thickens up so you might want to add a bit of water at this point and shake it up. Or, just use it in the thickened state and toss your salad really well to cover everything… the water from the salad ingredients will thin it out a bit.

The Top 11 Stress Foods

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:19:18 +0000

Did you know? According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, when you’re under stress, you’re more likely to reach for one or more of these 11 foods:

Chocolate or candy
Ice cream
Potato chips or tortilla chips
Cookies or cake
Fast food
Pizza
Snack crackers
Nuts
Spreads or dips
Fruit
Veggies

It’s nice to see that the more endurance-based and fiber-filled foods, numbers 7-11, made it to the list. If you’re a cracker aficionado, try gluten-free and see if you feel better.

If you just die for nuts, try the raw selections (they have more digestive enzymes and nutrients).

And if you just love those dips, try ones like hummus, baba gannouj (say what?), or olive spread. These have less fat, more fiber and nutrients than the salad dip kind. Baba gannouj, by the way, is a middle eastern dip made from roasted eggplant. One of my faves. make sure you can digest eggplant ok though.

Happy de-stressing!

Healthy Soda? Are You Kidding Me??

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:56:52 +0000

While carbonated drinks, when taken in excess and even moderate amounts, can interfere with our digestion and absorption abilities, and are best left alone or to a minimum, I must admit, that the recent debut of “Zevia” sodas sure does make for a healthier summertime treat temptation.

This carbonated drink contains stevia as its sweetener, which comes from the stevia plant and has a naturally sweet taste minus calories and glycemic index. Yes that’s right folks, zero, read “zip”, glycemic index. Which means the body does not respond to it the way it would to (whoa!) sugar, therefore bypassing any high’s and therefore low’s in mood and energy. That means it’s easy on the adrenals, liver, pancreas, and brain (and therefore – you guessed it – your thyroid). They’re fine for diabetics too, since all artificial sweeteners are dangerous for anyone, diabetics included. Plus the sodas come in wowie zowie flavors like, cola, rootbeer, and oh yes, “Dr. Zevia” with the classic Dr. Pepper flavor. Can you tell I’m excited about my summer?

Graves’ Disease – the “forgotten thyroid disease”

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:05:16 +0000

I’m a Graves’ Disease survivor, but often feel discriminated against in the world of thyroid info, because it doesn’t get the exposure that the underactive thyroid does. We mostly hear about Hashimoto’s, general thyroiditis, etc. but Graves’ Disease, also an autoimmune illness, is rarely written about, unless it’s in the news because of celebrities; Oprah Winfrey joins the likes of George (Sr.) and Barbara Bush (that’s curious), and now we hear about Missy Elliot’s condition.

Here’s a link for general information about Graves’ Disease. Or, call me at thyroidhealthcoach.org. I am a Graves’ Disease survivor/thriver so I can honestly say “I’ve been there and I get it”.

The thyroid test that can lie

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:41:07 +0000

Since approximately 1972, the “gold standard” for thyroid testing has been the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) blood test. Prior to that there were no blood tests available, and the tests used were more specifically diagnostic in nature and much more accurate, according to the Broda Barnes Institute (which, by the way, has been largely instrumental in implicating metabolic disorder diagnoses as one of the main causes of disease). These tests included three main ones, the Basal Body Temperature, a person’s individual symptoms, and palpating (touching) the thyroid for goiter and growths. Now there are more accurate blood tests than the TSH test that will back these up for a more thorough investigation. In fact, in many cases, frighteningly, the TSH will indicate a “normal” or “in range” result, when in fact, someone can still be thyroid-compromised.

These tests include, but are not limited to, “T3″, “T4″, “rT3″, “TPO”, “thyroid antibody test” (there are a couple abbreviations for this one). Do some more research with me or someone else, and then check with your doctor for a more thorough diagnosis. And remember, you’re not crazy: Symptoms alone are a pretty darn good marker for whether you have a thyroid problem.