The Paleo Lifestyle

How did our ancestors eat? Did they count calories, shop gluten-free, or watch the lastest episode of Dr. Oz to avoid contaminated apple juice? They ate what was available and they learned by trial and error that certain foods gave them strength, brain power, endurance, or pain. Did they hop on an elliptical to burn their unwanted fat away? This whole concept of reverting and investigating the hunter-gatherer lifestyle may seem archaic. However, scientists called nutritional anthropologists are doing just that.

What it is NOT.

Paleo or Primal is not the “Atkins Diet.” Healthy fats such as the monosaturated fats found in coconut & palm oil are essential. The Atkins diet does not allow for these. Rachel Ray made extra virgin olive oil popular. Keep in mind that heating destroys the chemical bonds in olive oil making it toxic. The paleo lifestyle is also not a “Low Carb Diet.” Carbohydrates are essential for our survival. We often think of carbs as bread, grains or pasta, however the paleo lifestyle offers some of the best carbohydrates in vegetables.

Move!

The paleo/primal lifestyle covers dietary intake but also incorporates exercise that was done to get those rock-hard caveman-like figures. Short bursts of energy are promoted, so those with busy schedules who don’t have hours to spend at the gym are in luck to squeeze some basic moves in at commercial breaks, lunches or in the elevator.

Workshop Details.

Learn more about why this lifestyle could be your missing link to losing those last few pounds or that bloated belly. Anyone with an autoimmune disorder (Lupus, Rhumatoid Arthritis, Thyroid diseases, Celiac, Multiple Sclerosis, etc.) must learn why this lifestyle supports their health. Paleo enthusiasts, Dr. Emily Hecker, DC, CNC and Personal Trainer Joy Holdmeier, owner of Go Fit Mom! are excited to present a paleo-packed hour full of great take-away tips, handouts and guidance to begin the journey to a healthier you. Join us Thursday evening, April 26 at 6:15pm at Wellness Alternatives. RSVP to 636-227-4949 or email ehecker@stlwa.com. 

Thyroid Gone Wild!

"My thyroid problems began after I had my first kid."

How many women do you know have said that? It's not just coincidence... it is physiology gone wrong.

Managing the integrity of a new mom's hormones, immune system and digestive tract is key to identifying and managing a thyroid condition.  Let's discuss a few triggers of pregnancy-induced-thyroid disorder.

 

Thyroid Trigger 1 - Hormones

      While a woman is pregnant, her hormones are changing. There comes a time in pregnancy (around 24 weeks) where the estrogen and progesterone hormones produced by the placenta start a rapid climb and surpass the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone. The estrogens that are produced from the placenta are derived from mom's adrenal glands. A rapid fluctuation of estrogen is known to trigger an autoimmune response. Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune attack on the thyroid (TPO) antibodies. A whopping, 5-18% of all pregnant women exhibit elevated thyroid-specific antibodies (2).

Thyroid Trigger 2 - Immune system

      During the second trimester of pregnancy, the immune system is TH-2 dominant. During postpartum, the immune systemswitches to become TH-1 dominant (3). This switch is important because the shifts in the thyroid hormones will set off an already stressed out immune system, which can lead to postpartum thyroiditis. Supporting the immune system with certain immune modulators as well as avoiding foods that can launch an immune attack are essential. A stressed out immune system is defined as one with bacterial overload, microbial overgrowth, food sensitivity/allergy, chronic infections, other autoimmune diseases, and intestinal permeability.

Thyroid Trigger 3 - Digestion

     Ice cream, pickles and hot sauce - oh the cravings! Our health care providers express the importance of healthy eating for baby in utero. Healthy eating is important, however, if one can not absorb the nutritious foods then money, energy and health is lost. One of the first lines of defense against microbes and damaging toxins is the digestive tract.  Certain stress hormones thin the protective lining of the stomach. If the integrity of the stomach lining is lost, healthy tissue wears away and allows for invaders to enter our bloodstream. The food we eat is usually representative of the integrity of our digestive tract. For example, if a person can not eat certain foods due to a sensitive stomach or an allergy, then the digestive tract needs repair.

Thyroid problems can be a direct result of pregnancy. Modulating the hormones, immune and digestive systems are the mostnaturally supportive ways to address a sluggish or overactive thyroid. Did your thyroid symptoms start postpartum? Are you tired of wondering, "why?" Are you ready to get some answers?

We can help.

1 Guytons Physiology Unit XIV Chapter 82, Pregnancy and Lactation, p. 1033

2 Datis Kharrazian, 2010 Mastering the Thyroid

3 Thyroid diseases in pregnancy. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Dec;21(6):501-7.