Online Recovery Programme Session 9
Welcome to your Practitioner Recommended Session
The Importance of Your Endocrine System
Before you get going, watch this short video message from Elaine.
Follow the link to listen to the audio version of session 9:
A Recoverer's Story
After many years of sore throats, tiredness, freezing cold hands & feet, lack of concentration and finding it hard to wake up in the morning, I was diagnosed at age 17 with an underactive thyroid and prescribed thyroxin.
It improved my energy only slightly and after 6 months I still had a long list of symptoms. The hospital I was referred to did not support the use of alternative therapies and was only interested in blood tests.
So I felt stuck, as they told me to carry on taking a certain amount even though I still felt really unwell.
I still had all the symptoms of having an underactive thyroid and I had no one to turn to. I didn’t think I could do anything else and assumed the doctors knew what they are talking about, so I decided to try and help myself in other ways e.g. via nutrition and I didn’t think much more about my thyroid for years.
I was then diagnosed with M.E. at 18 so I didn’t think the symptoms I was still having were related to my thyroid. All my problems were now related to M.E., - or so I thought from the symptoms listed in all the books I read.
A good few years later - still with the same symptoms and all this time thinking it was M.E. - a Nutritionist & Endocrinologist , Dr Barry Peatfield was highly recommended to me.
His approach was not simply to rely on blood tests, it was about how I was feeling: testing my pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature and other adrenal tests.
These showed that my thyroid was still underactive even though I had been on thyroxin for years. I also had adrenal fatigue, due to the fact that I had been taking thyroxin for many years and had neglected to support my adrenals.
This occurred because I was completely unaware that I needed to do so and the GPs & hospital had never explained the link between thyroid & adrenals. If I had known this when I was 17, my life would have been completely different.
This is why I am so passionate about passing this information on and encouraging anyone with the long list of symptoms relating to an underactive thyroid (which also mimic the symptoms of M.E. and of CFS), to seek out a private endocrine specialist.
This is crucial to you getting your hormones back into balance and getting you on the road to recovery. The tests run by the GP are simply not thorough enough. It is a complex system and unfortunately it took me longer to benefit from the treatment as my adrenals had been damaged from the lack of support.
You need to get this sorted as soon as you can, so that you can benefit more quickly and start improving some of your symptoms. I had a whole new lease of life, not having to sleep during the day, and many of my other symptoms reduced once I was being treated correctly.
The Importance of the Thyroid & Adrenals
The function of the thyroid is to regulate all the processes of energy release within individual cells and in the body as a whole. The thyroid test is routinely performed when people suffer from ongoing fatigue.
Hypothyroidism or under active thyroid occurs when the thyroid gland is not producing needed amounts of thyroid hormone. Many endocrinologists and nutritionists explain why a blood test given to assess thyroid levels may fall within ‘normal’ range, yet still require treatment.
When the thyroid is not working correctly and thyroxin levels are inadequate nothing works properly, including the adrenal glands. These glands produce 4 hormones that enable the body to deal with immediate stress. The most important of these is cortisol.
Our ability to produce this hormone is essential if we are to fight off the effects of environmental toxins, injury, illness, workload and trauma. In fact cortisol is the stress buster of the body.
The adrenal glands are so important, that if for any reason they ceased to work, you would possibly not survive more than 3 days. This really shows how important they are, so it amazes me that doctors do not even mention them when discussing your thyroid!
The Final Straw
When cortisol is released at appropriate times, the body handles its challenges and threats. The difficulty with today’s lifestyle is that our body reacts to upsets in our emotional life, being under pressure for time or worrying, in exactly the same way as if we were being chased by a pre-historic animal.
Instead of the switch turning off once the big threat has passed, now with the self imposed pressures of modern day living, the cortisol switch can get left on, flooding the body with stress hormone which depletes the adrenal glands causing them to reach a point of exhaustion.
There are also other chemicals released such as Interluken 6, which causes inflammation in our system that leads to pain and deterioration of your immune system.
An impaired immune system can’t fight off the viruses that a healthy system can. This is why so many M.E. sufferers' stories will begin with “It started when I had a sore throat or flu and it never got better..........”.
The truth is that it was not the starting point: it was the final straw for an over-stressed system. The starting point was much earlier in your history and is buried in your own combination of genetics, your pre-disposition to create or handle stress, your past behaviours, beliefs, dietary habits and all the building blocks that caused the breakdown of your system.
Did You Know?
Fact
When the body is in such a low state with adrenal exhaustion it can’t utilise the natural thyroid hormone, even though the level may appear normal on a blood test. While the thyroid hormone may be in the blood stream, your body may not be utilising it effectively, therefore the blood test shows normal, but you still feel ill.
Fact
Underactive thyroid plus depleted adrenal glands (which most GPs do not routinely test) are the double whammy of a stressed system and all the ‘pacing’, ‘resting' and support in the world will not enable a sufferer to recover if these are left unchecked.
Some people will be affected by this a lot more than others, and it really is dependent on your personality, your upbringing and how you live your life.
50 years ago this pre-disposition to certain responses was identified by Meyer Friedman and divided into 2 personality types.
The A type has main characteristics which include competitiveness, strong achievement orientation and impatience. It is easy to see that this type is much more likely to be prone to high levels of prolonged stress.
The opposite of this is the B type who are more laid back, calmer and work at a slower pace. They naturally balance their lives, listen to their bodies and do not push themselves beyond their own natural energy reserves.
These people are much less likely to be affected by M.E. or chronic fatigue.
Does this describe anyone you know? This person will make a perfect role model for you as you learn how to create health by respecting and nurturing your body, mind and spirit.
The Underactive Thyroid Gland
Use the list below as your symptoms checklist.
Falling asleep all the time
Lack of coordination of hands and feet
Weight gain
Trembling
Milky discharge from breasts
Insomnia
Slow movements
Loss of libido
Slow speech
Cystitis
Pins and needles
Frequent urination
Breathlessness
Over-sensitive to sun
Dizziness
Intolerance to cold
Palpitations
Intolerance to heat
Loss of equilibrium
Prone to overheating
Unsteadiness on feet
Tinnitus / Noises in head
Puffiness of eyes; feet; face; ankles; hands
EYESPoor focusing
Dry eyes
Heavy eyelids
Gritty eyes
Double vision
Whites of eyes sometimes yellowish
Blurred vision
Drooping eyelids
Dark rings under eyes
Hoarse voice
Lumpy swallowing
Difficulty swallowing
Choking fits
Sore throats
Dry mouth
Swollen tongue
Bleeding gums
HAIRHead hair loss
Eyebrows (loss of outer third)
Pubic hair loss
Loss of eyelashes
Underarm hair loss
Hair is course or brittle
Loss of body hair
BLOOD PRESSUREHigh Blood Pressure
Low Blood Pressure
MENSTRUAL DISORDERSCessation of periods
Infertility
Scanty periods
PMS
Heavy periods
DIGESTIVE PROBLEMSLoss of appetite
Constipation
Food Sensitivities
Diarrhoea
Alcohol Intolerance
Acid Reflux / Hiatus Hernia
IBS
Dry flaky skin
Skin sallow in colour
Palms red and burning
Pallor
Dry, cracked heel skin
Flushed
Course skin patches
Soft / brittle / flaky nails
Pigmentation in skin creases
MUSCLESCramps
Weakness / loss of strength
Pain
Difficulty with balance (Ataxia)
Generalised muscle weakness
Numbness & tingling in legs, hand, toes, back, arms, face
PAINMigraines / headaches
Pain at wrist
Head feels like it's going to explode
Muscle and joint pain
Lower back pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Pain in feet
Neck pain
Back and loin pain
Aches & pains in muscles & joints
Panic attacks (racing pulse)
Decreased interest Memory impaired
Hallucinations
Forgetfulness
Claustrophobia
Mental sluggishness
Phobias
Poor concentration
Loss of ambition
Attention & focus decrease
Slow thoughts
Voices in head
Post natal depression
Nightmares
Suspicion of other's motives
Cry easily
Nervousness / Anxiety
Agrophobia
Persecution complex
Wanting to be alone
Personality changes
Angry
Resentfulness
Mood swings
Lack of confidence
EARSOversensitive hearing
Deafness
Noises in ears
Hissing in ears
Low Adrenal Reserve
Use the symptoms below as a checklist. Low adrenals are so often connected with low thyroid function. You will likely have a combination of both sets of symptoms as you can see there is an overlap.
Weight
Poor response to Thyroxine
Sensitivity to cold and heat
Hypoglycaemia
Cold extremities
Fatigue
Internal shivering
Fainting attacks
Cold sweats
Poor response to infection
Repeated infections
General depression & anxiety
Poor exercise tolerance
Palpitations
Memory loss & confusion
Irritable bowel
Salt and/or sweet craving
Diarrhoea
Breathlessness & asthma
Autoimmune disease
Trouble breathing at night
Low blood sugar
Why Me?
It is not just coincidence that people who are fast paced, driven, massively ambitious and strive to be the best in their field of work, sport, or community are prime candidates for M.E.
From our own experience with recoverers, another common feature is that they will admit that they will often put the needs of others above their own because they hate to let others down. This made them push themselves to the limit for various reasons that often boil down to a feeling of inadequacy, of not being good enough or fearing the disapproval of others.
This cycle is a seriously dangerous place to be, as the more you push your body when it is tired and exhausted it then starts to run on adrenaline. The more we cause our bodies to produce too much cortisol, the more damage we cause to our adrenals and then they stop working properly.
One of the jobs of adrenaline is to interrupt digestion so our blood supply is directed to our muscles to get ready for action. Reminder It's useful to remind ourselves of the impact this has and the link to all the food intolerances, toxicity, pain, irritable bowel syndrome and mal-absorption of essential nutrients that accompany M.E. symptoms.
This is a simplified model of the vicious cycle of the stress adrenal link.
How our bodies react seems to be a complex combination of genetics, upbringing, social conditioning, values, individual behaviour styles and personality type as well as the choices we make and our own physical make up.
"Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency."
- Natalie Goldberg
Elaine's Story
Did you ever watch a parent or sibling and mirror their behaviour or attitudes to work or leisure. I know I did. There was a very strong work ethic in my family. You simply did not take time off work. You worked through. When I was growing up I watched my parents work very long hours. They only rested when they were exhausted.
People who did not share this lifestyle were often judged as lazy. Keeping busy and working hard was revered in our family. You were seen in a positive light as a "grafter" or a "hard worker". I never really thought about this consciously until I battled with dreadful guilt feelings when my body collapsed from exhaustion. I would beat myself up constantly because I could not work.
I remember saying to my homeopath, Vee Simmons; ‘My mum is a real dynamo. She is always on the go. I can’t believe she is thirty years older than me and I have never been able to keep up with her’. Vee’s answer was ‘You are not your mother’.
How many times do we compare ourselves to others? What I have learned is that the things that stress my system do not have the same effect on others: even people in my own family.
What about you?
Key Learning Point
Take note of how you respond to events and situations. In other words identify your stressors.
One thing to remember here is that often there is a time delay. Emotional stress is often caused when we experience difficulties with close relationships, financial challenges, it can be when you are feeling lost and without direction.
Whatever it is for you – you may find, on reflection, that you cope at the time and it is after a few days that you feel drained or unwell. Once you get tuned in to the way your body reacts, you can prevent relapse of symptoms because you learn to remove yourself from the source of the stress.
This can be the single most important act of love you can show yourself.
Recovery is only possible once you admit to the real source of your stress and remove it or deal with it. For some that can even be the person you are partnered with or married to.
"There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full."
- Henry Kissinger
Expert Interview: Barbara King
Barbara is a teacher of the Alexander Technique which allows people to relax and improve their reactions to daily life.
Listen to Interview
You can listen to the interview with Barbara King online or download a copy onto your computer from the Downloads section.
Interview: Emma Chapman-Sharp
An interview with Emma Chapman-Sharp - who is a Nutritionist and Naturopath and a Chrysalis Effect Practitioner - as she explains the Domino Effect.
Listen to Interview
Listen to the interview with Emma online or download a copy to your computer from the Downloads section on the right.
This week's Top Tips are:
Mind
Did you know that your brain uses lots of energy even when you may think you are resting? Former Chief Clinical Researcher at the Princeton Brain Bio Centre, Dr Eric Braverman, is renowned for his work on brain chemistry.
He advises us to 'provide resting time for your brain while it's awake'. To completely rest the brain, we have to be in a quiet space, alone, for at least 30 minutes per day to get the benefit.
You may think you switch off when you watch TV, read or listen to the radio but instead you are using your auditory memory or visual memory which requires energy.
Dr Braverman recommends you create a restful environment by filling your personal space with soft lighting, gentle music and pleasing scents. An oil burner is great for this - filled with lavender or sandalwood or an oil you can relax with.
Spirit
Create a 'Happy Days' scrap book of all the happiest events in your life - not just photos, but articles, cartoons , tickets, quotes, postcards, any lovely messages or cards you have been sent, even scraps of pretty materials that you love.
The only rule is that each entry affects your spirit joyfully and feeds your soul.
External World
Have you got any cluttered areas in your bedroom or where you rest? According to the principles of Feng Shui this will block the chi or energy in your room, which in turn will drain your personal energy.
Get some willing help to de-clutter your space. It is liberating and will have an amazing impact on your health and wellbeing. A fantastic book is 'Clear Your Clutter' by Karen Kingston.
Wellbeing Exercises
Wellbeing Exercise 12: Thyroid Temperature Test
The temperature test can literally be your key to recovery. According to endocrine specialists a good way to determine at home yourself (and what they will ask you to do before an appointment) is take your temperature as soon as you wake up in the morning before you get out of bed. Then take it again before you go to sleep at night as well as your pulse rate. Do this for a week and record your results.
Wellbeing Exercise 13: Role Models
Think about your childhood and the people in your life then and also the people in your life now. What behaviours do you think you copied (and maybe still do?) and what behaviours are different in people who have an aura of calm?
Wellbeing Exercise 14: Stress Triggers
What are you main stress triggers? Use this checklist and add any that are personal to you.
Wellbeing Exercise 15: Be Your Own Coach
Stress is only part of the problem and recuperation is the magic key. Make a list of what would completely counterbalance you so you can build recuperation strategies.
Some Meditations for You To Enjoy
Meditation: Vivienne Bouchier (15 mins)
Meditation: Jane Montague (30 mins)
Meditation: Diana Powley (40 mins)
And Finally
"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."
- Margaret Young
Enjoy your week and remember to update us in the Facebook Group.
Love & gratitude,
Elaine and the Team x
