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© Simone Telo 2007
Metabolic Heath
Metabolism is the bodies cellular system for converting oxygen , water and sugar into
energy. In Chronic Fatigue sufferers, as well as those with thyroid dysfunction or adrenal
insufficiency, this metabolism is greatly reduced.
Thereby having a detrimental affect on every single cell in the body. It is clear that
sufferers of M.E, hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency do not feel well until their
metabolic health is corrected.
Everything in the body works together. If one body system is malfunctioning it will have a
direct effect on the other.
The adrenals have several roles depending on which part we are looking at, but of
particular concern to us are 3 vital hormones it produces. Aldosterone (control blood
pressure) cortisone(handles long term stress) and DHEA (sensitises the T3 receptors of
our cells)
During periods of stress our adrenals work hard, secreting the hormones listed above
(amongst others). This can build on any existing adrenal problems or chronic illness.
As the stress continues, the adrenals continue pumping out the hormones. The
adrenals enlarge slightly because of this increase overload but eventually they cannot
sustain the output and they fail. This can result in physical exhaustion, joint pain and
depression etc.
Adrenal insufficiency can be tested via a 24hour Adrenal Stress Index test, which involves
collecting saliva samples 4 times throughout the day and then sent to a lab for testing.
Most people who suffer from M.E as with hypothyroidism have an adrenal insufficiency
that needs to be corrected in order to alleviate symptoms.
Sometimes M.E develops when there is no apparent initial infection. This can be
explained within the theory of Chinese Medicine. When we are attacked by a pathogen(
virus, bacteria etc) the body's energy (qi) is used to fight off the attack.
This battle leads to symptoms of fever, alternating chills and fever, achy muscles, swollen
glands, shivering. If the body's energy is very weak prior to the attack then there will be no
initial symptoms and the pathogen will enter deep into the body where it may lie dormant
for several months. Latent pathogens often generate heat within the body and this heat
consumes the body fluids. The heat must be restrained as it can be very damaging to the
body.
Acupuncture aims to restore the body's energy. Points are selected according to
prevailing symptoms. If there are symptoms of heat, the points are used to help regulate
the heat. If the body's energy is very depleted then it is important to strengthen.
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture can offer a lot in the management and treatment of this
illness.
The trouble with the standard thyroid blood tests is that they fail to diagnose people with
hypothyroidism in more than half the cases. The chief reason is that many people are
adrenally exhausted, and this lack of adrenal hormones interferes with the ability of T4 to
deliver its message to the cells, which stimulates metabolism. So, many people with
normal hypothyroidism look fine on the blood test - meaning that they are making 'normal'
amounts of thyroxine hormone - but, in fact, they are suffering from a lack of T4, due to
poor cellular uptake. That is why it's best to rely on symptoms and less on these
standard tests. If someone says they have symptoms of hypothyroidism, I address the
adrenal issue and often this will improve thyroid function and the person no longer has
thyroid symptoms.
So now you see thyroid and adrenal hypo-function have to be considered together. Here’
s a precept for you. Anyone with undiagnosed or unsatisfactorily treated hypothyroidism
will sooner or later inevitably slip into adrenal exhaustion. May take months or years, but it
will happen. Symptoms of adrenal exhaustion exaggerate pre-existing thyroid symptoms.
There will be ongoing and endless fatigue, even less tolerance to cold, depression,
dizziness (postural hypotension), body hair loss, pigmentation (especially in skin folds),
poor response to treatments generally and an obviously weak immune system. Most
particularly, if there is an adrenal malfunction – I still prefer to call this low adrenal reserve
– the patient responds poorly to thyroid hormone, or rapidly gets ill and toxic on even quite
small doses of thyroxine.
Acupuncture is excellent for building the immune system and there is evidence that it
helps reduce antibodies in the case of Hashimoto disease.
Metabolism is the bodies cellular system for converting oxygen , water and sugar into
energy. In Chronic Fatigue sufferers, as well as those with thyroid dysfunction or adrenal
insufficiency, this metabolism is greatly reduced.
Thereby having a detrimental affect on every single cell in the body. It is clear that
sufferers of M.E, hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency do not feel well until their
metabolic health is corrected.
Everything in the body works together. If one body system is malfunctioning it will have a
direct effect on the other.
The adrenals have several roles depending on which part we are looking at, but of
particular concern to us are 3 vital hormones it produces. Aldosterone (control blood
pressure) cortisone(handles long term stress) and DHEA (sensitises the T3 receptors of
our cells)
During periods of stress our adrenals work hard, secreting the hormones listed above
(amongst others). This can build on any existing adrenal problems or chronic illness.
As the stress continues, the adrenals continue pumping out the hormones. The
adrenals enlarge slightly because of this increase overload but eventually they cannot
sustain the output and they fail. This can result in physical exhaustion, joint pain and
depression etc.
Adrenal insufficiency can be tested via a 24hour Adrenal Stress Index test, which involves
collecting saliva samples 4 times throughout the day and then sent to a lab for testing.
Most people who suffer from M.E as with hypothyroidism have an adrenal insufficiency
that needs to be corrected in order to alleviate symptoms.
Sometimes M.E develops when there is no apparent initial infection. This can be
explained within the theory of Chinese Medicine. When we are attacked by a pathogen(
virus, bacteria etc) the body's energy (qi) is used to fight off the attack.
This battle leads to symptoms of fever, alternating chills and fever, achy muscles, swollen
glands, shivering. If the body's energy is very weak prior to the attack then there will be no
initial symptoms and the pathogen will enter deep into the body where it may lie dormant
for several months. Latent pathogens often generate heat within the body and this heat
consumes the body fluids. The heat must be restrained as it can be very damaging to the
body.
Acupuncture aims to restore the body's energy. Points are selected according to
prevailing symptoms. If there are symptoms of heat, the points are used to help regulate
the heat. If the body's energy is very depleted then it is important to strengthen.
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture can offer a lot in the management and treatment of this
illness.
The trouble with the standard thyroid blood tests is that they fail to diagnose people with
hypothyroidism in more than half the cases. The chief reason is that many people are
adrenally exhausted, and this lack of adrenal hormones interferes with the ability of T4 to
deliver its message to the cells, which stimulates metabolism. So, many people with
normal hypothyroidism look fine on the blood test - meaning that they are making 'normal'
amounts of thyroxine hormone - but, in fact, they are suffering from a lack of T4, due to
poor cellular uptake. That is why it's best to rely on symptoms and less on these
standard tests. If someone says they have symptoms of hypothyroidism, I address the
adrenal issue and often this will improve thyroid function and the person no longer has
thyroid symptoms.
So now you see thyroid and adrenal hypo-function have to be considered together. Here’
s a precept for you. Anyone with undiagnosed or unsatisfactorily treated hypothyroidism
will sooner or later inevitably slip into adrenal exhaustion. May take months or years, but it
will happen. Symptoms of adrenal exhaustion exaggerate pre-existing thyroid symptoms.
There will be ongoing and endless fatigue, even less tolerance to cold, depression,
dizziness (postural hypotension), body hair loss, pigmentation (especially in skin folds),
poor response to treatments generally and an obviously weak immune system. Most
particularly, if there is an adrenal malfunction – I still prefer to call this low adrenal reserve
– the patient responds poorly to thyroid hormone, or rapidly gets ill and toxic on even quite
small doses of thyroxine.
Acupuncture is excellent for building the immune system and there is evidence that it
helps reduce antibodies in the case of Hashimoto disease.
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holistic therapy for wellness and health
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