Coconut oil a staple a staple in our household. We use it for everything from cooking to skin moisturizer to Alzheimer’s prevention and a dozen things in between.

Coconut oil is a unique type of saturated fat, called a medium chain triglyceride (MFT) that are metabolized differently than other types of fat, transported directly to the liver from the digestive tract where they provide a quick energy source and so much more.

Please note: Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. It’s not anything like that old Crisco and its nasty trans fatty acids. However, you don’t have to worry about it becoming rancid. It lasts forever. By the way, always buy organic coconut oil. It’s not expensive and for the wide variety of uses we have in our household, a 64-ounce jar costs $13 and lasts about a year. That’s’ probably one of the cheapest and healthiest additions to our diet I can imagine.

So here’s the short list of health benefits of coconut oil. For a longer list, Google “coconut health benefits” and you’ll find several sites with 1000 uses or more.

Combat obesity: Those MCTs are broken down in the liver to lead to a more efficient metabolism—increasing energy expenditure when you eat the same number of calories. A 2009 Brazilian study showed that women who ate 2 T of coconut oil every day for 12 weeks not only didn’t gain weight, they lowered their levels of health-damaging abdominal fat. Swiss researcher found that coconut oil improved metabolism by about 5%, netting about 120 calories more burned every day. It has also been shown to help decrease appetite.

Blood sugar control: Blood sugar control goes hand in had with obesity prevention, since the two are so closely linked. An Indian animal study in 2014 showed that dietary coconut oil reduced insulin resistance, helpful in people with type 2 diabetes, and stabilized blood sugar levels.

Improve thyroid function: Coconut oil promotes proper thyroid function through the underlying mechanism for hormone production and increases metabolism, energy and endurance.

Immune system booster: Numerous studies show the antibacterial and antiviral properties of coconut oil and its abilities to help increase immune function. It can even help fight off yeast and fungal infections. It’s a natural antibiotic.

Heart health: The lauric acid in coconut oil increased HDL (good) cholesterol by helping cholesterol convert to pregnenalone, the foundation of the body’s hormone-manufacturing mechanism.

Gum health: Oil pulling has long been a treatment for gum disease (periodontitis). This simple method of putting a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swishing it around for 10 minutes twice a day is effective for reducing inflammation and preventing the numerous health problems associated with gum disease, including heart disease. Be sure to spit it out and rinse your mouth with warm water to remove the toxins the oil have helped remove.

Improved brain health and memory: Research has confirmed short-term memory benefits from coconut oil. While there is only one major study on coconut oil and Alzheimer’s underway right now, there is enough circumstantial evidence to show its benefits, which far surpass those or the prescription drugs currently on the market, that I take it every single day since Alzheimer’s runs in my family. This is not a scientific study, but if you take a look at this video, there is certainly no harm in it and it will probably convince you, too.

Skin and nail health: I use coconut oil as a moisturizer and to rub on my nails and cuticles. It’s a great emollient and keeps my skin healthy and has improved the health of my nails dramatically.

Love home remedies? Me too. Be sure to see my other write-ups on more home remedies.

The post Coconut Oil – The healthiest oil you can find appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

So, I whipped out my trusty iPhone and Googled it. Interestingly, there were several recommended natural treatments, but I pretty much stopped at the first one: Stress management.

I know my friend has recently been confronted with several health issues among family members and that had generated a couple of her own health problems, plus the psoriasis. It wasn’t any surprise that stress had triggered an outbreak of psoriasis, an autoimmune disorder. Having the psoriasis outbreak can trigger more stress and it becomes a vicious circle.

Practically everyone I know is complaining about stress these days. It’s our modern-day epidemic. Whether it’s the pressure of work and family, health issues, the state of the nation, economic fears and woes and a million other things, we’ve all got it.

Virtually everyone I speak with these days is stressing about inflation, crime, the pandemic that still exists and a thousand other worries.

Certainly I can’t tell you not to stress about these things. That would be like saying, “Don’t pay attention to the elephant in the living room.”

So stress is with us. How to we deal with it? Of course, you’re going to take whatever action is necessary. You’ll polish up your resume, get vaccinated, hire a tutor for your son who is struggling with math.

Right now, it’s just as important to take care of yourself. Here‘s how:

1. Do take time for yourself. Whether you take a bath, spend half an hour uninterruptedly reading a favorite book, listening to music or just sipping a cup of tea, your stress levels will ratchet down.
2. Do get lots of exercise. Exercise is my favorite way of burning off that jittery energy that accompanies stress. Science tells us that the endorphins released during exercise have a brain calming effect. Choose your favorite form of exercise: A peaceful walk in the woods or a vigorous game of tennis have equal stress reducing effects.
3. Do breathe. This may sound silly, because if you’re alive, you must be breathing. However, most of us breathe shallowly in our upper chests. Deep yogic belly breathing is an almost instantaneous stress reliever. Try it the next time someone cuts you off in traffic. Then translate that quick relief to the long-term chronic stress most of us are experiencing these days, and you’ll see how helpful it can be.
4. Do get lots of sleep. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another: suddenly being wide-awake in the middle of the night, thoughts racing through our brains and the accompanying restlessness that keeps us from returning to sleep. It happens to most of us from time to time, but if this happens to you more than once a month, you need to take action. Beyond the obvious stress-producing effects of not getting enough rest, chronic insomnia can have profound health effects ranging from weight gain to increased risk of diabetes. Ensure a good night’s sleep by winding down slowly in the last hour before bedtime, perhaps taking a warm bath. Keep TV out of the bedroom and read something relaxing before you turn out the light. Sex is a great sleep inducer, since the endorphins you get with an orgasm can help you drift off and stay asleep. Ditto for those white noise machines and, in a pinch, natural sleep aids like Rescue Sleep (a homeopathic) and valerian, passionflower, St. John’s wort, melatonin, theanine or kava.
5. Do spend time with friends and family. While it’s important to take time for yourself, there’s nothing quite like the support of those who love you. Don’t hold in your concerns. Confide in your spouse, best friend, sister or mom. Don’t expect they will solve your problems, but just getting your worries off your chest is an excellent stress reliever.

Here are a few things not to do when stress threatens to overwhelm you:

1. Don’t become a workaholic in hopes this will change the situation. If you’re already a workaholic, limit your work hours.
2. Don’t drown your sorrows in alcohol, drugs or other destructive behaviors. They’ll ultimately cause more stress than they could possibly relieve.
3. Don’t give in to The Blame Game. Spouses, family members and friends will suffer and, ultimately, you’ll suffer, too.
4. Don’t talk about your stressors at the dinner table, late in the day or when you’re feeling under pressure. When you need to discuss your stressors money with your spouse or significant other, make a date. Have an enjoyable meal together and then sit down at a mutually agreed upon time.
5. Don’t shove issues under the rug or make unilateral decisions (especially ones that involve finances) or attempt to hide the magnitude of financial issues by running up credit card debt.

The post 10 ways to address the stresses of the times . . . for better and for worse [UPDATED] appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

If you’re a regular reader, you know I talk a lot about stress. We all have it, and in our modern life, where we are almost always plugged in, it is becoming increasingly difficult to break the toxic stress cycle that can have profoundly negative effects on your health. 

Largely, I’ve talked about natural ways to manage your stress (READ: 10 Best Ways to Manage Stress), but today let’s talk about the stress process and what it does to you.

The adrenal glands, those little almond-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys, might as well be re-named the stress glands. Yes, they have other functions, but primarily they secrete the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline.

These hormones are the chemical messengers to the body’s master gland, the pituitary, which tells all the other endocrine glands what to do.

So when your adrenals for in to hyperdrive because you are in a state long–term, unrelieved mega-stress, your adrenals start sending out chemical SOS messages to the pituitary.

The pituitary, thinking there is a physiological crisis like you’re about to be run over by a Mack truck, tells everything else to slow down—including your thyroid.

But that Mack truck never goes away, so your adrenals keep pumping our stress hormones and your pituitary keeps telling everything to slow down. What happens?

You become exhausted. Your adrenals are fatigued or even burned out.

Your thyroid has been told to go to sleep by the pituitary.

Your metabolism slows. Among other symptoms, you gain weight.

Your body, looking for some fuel, triggers cravings, usually for carbohydrates.

You eat carbs and feel better for an hour or two, then your blood sugar crashes and your feel worse. So you set up a cycle of carb craving, temporary relief and re-craving.

You haven’t done anything to break the stress cycle, so it begins to spiral out of control, increasing the problem exponentially.

Here’s a good test:

Have you recently said to yourself or anyone else, “I’m overwhelmed” or  “I have so much to do, I can’t deal with it?”

If you have, I can pretty much assure you that you are over-stressing your adrenals, setting yourself up for adrenal fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, low thyroid function and worse. You’ve started the stress cascade and you need to reverse it now.

The stress cascade can cause heart disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma, depression and anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, accelerated aging and even premature death. (READ: 10 Health Problems Related to Stress That You Can Fix)

These health problems are nothing to be scoffed at. In fact, the American Psychological Association published a study several years ago that said 75 percent of visits to the doctor were for health problems related to stress.

This is not in your head, but your head can take charge, recognize the stress cycle and break it. There are many ways to do this. I discuss several of them in my book 10 Best Ways to Manage Stress.

Here are a few:

• Turn off your cell phone.
• Don’t check e-mail after office hours.
• Proclaim the dinner table an electronics-free zone.
• Do something for yourself every single day without exception.
• Talk a vigorous walk.

I’m sure many of you have more ideas. I’d love to hear them!

The post Thyroid and adrenals: The Stress Cascade appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

I’m sure most of you said, “Oh, yeah!”

If you said you’re not stressed, I’d probably cock my eyebrow at you or assume you are a Zen master.

Stress is a part of our every day lives. It’s unavoidable. It’s not a question of whether we have stress, but how we cope with it.

You’ve no doubt heard of the fight-or-flight syndrome. That’s the stress response hard wired into our bodies to help us in emergencies and times of extreme crisis. You’ve heard of the mother lifting the car off her toddler or the soldier who carries his wounded buddy miles through a combat zone.

You’re probably pretty good at recognizing the stressors of modern life, the feeling that accompanies a fight with your spouse, a child’s bad report card, a boss’s demand for you to put in overtime, traffic jams, financial worries and more. The body interprets all of these as threats and the adrenals send our hormones that respond accordingly.

We’re not as familiar with physiological stressors like blood sugar swings, food intolerances (especially gluten), chronic infections, digestive dysfunction, environmental toxins and inflammation. The body interprets these as threats just like a near-miss car accident, but many of the same hormonal responses.

A threat triggers a complex series of physical responses, including the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal glands that temporarily bestows almost superhuman strength, energy and speed.

“Temporarily,” that’s the key word.

In today’s world, most of us never turn off the stress response, leading to a host of health problems. At the top of that list is adrenal fatigue and even adrenal exhaustion. Think of it like this: If you have an old clunker of a car and every time you get into it, you floor it and drive at 100 mph for 100 miles, pretty soon parts will start to wear out.

The human body, sometimes already a clunker by the time we reach 30 or so, isn’t designed to run flat out, full speed for days, weeks, months or years on end.

OK, so you’ve got adrenal fatigue as a result of chronic stress.

What happens next?

The chronic stress has put your body into a state of catabolism, meaning it’s breaking down. The body’s inner wisdom will shut down what it “thinks” are non-essential processes, like thyroid function. This is a serious problem since the thyroid is pretty much like the engine of our old clunker. If it doesn’t run right, nothing runs right.

The body isn’t so wise in thinking the thyroid is non-essential because slowed thyroid function means slowed metabolism, weight gain, depression, declining mental function, heart disease, impaired immune function, nerve damage, infertility and more.

Adrenal stress also causes thyroid hormone resistance (Type 2 hypothyroidism), a type of hypothyroidism similar to Type 2 diabetes in which the thyroid hormones are produced, but the body does not adequately use them.

Another effect of adrenal stress is impaired conversion of the thyroid hormone T4 to T3, the type the body can best use.

Excess dietary calcium worsens the low thyroid function.

Dr. Robert Thompson and I discuss the various types of hypothyroidism he has discovered and how to correct them in our book,    The Calcium Lie II: What Your Doctor Still Doesn’t Know.

Proper thyroid function depends on healthy adrenal glands. How do you get healthy adrenal glands? Manage your stress!

For some tips on stress management, see my book, 10 Best Ways to Manage Stress.

If you’ve been feeling stress for more than a month, it is likely that unresolved stress has affected your adrenal glands and possibly your thyroid. See your doctor and ask for all the right tests—an adrenal stress index, and a full thyroid panel including TSH, total T3, reverse T3 and total T3/reverse T3 ratio.

The easiest and most definitive test for low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is called basal body temperature (BBT). It consists simply of taking your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Anything below 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit means you have hypothyroidism.

The treatment can be complex, so you need a good functional medicine practitioner to help you get the balance right. You’ll most likely need a combination of adrenal glandulars, natural thyroid hormone replacement and ionic mineral supplements.

Dietary changes will likely be necessary, including elimination of dairy products and even high-calcium vegetable like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower.

The post Stress Can Contribute to Hypothyroidism appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

The thyroid is the body’s major thermostat and keeping it operating well keeps your metabolism running at the perfect pace.

Every single cell in your body depends on the thyroid gland for hormones that instruct it how to function.

This tiny butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your throat weighs less than an ounce and secretes less than a teaspoon of thyroid hormones in an entire year, but when things go wrong with your thyroid, they go wrong everywhere in your body.

The thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, the rate at which your body converts fuel (food) into the energy you need to power everything you do, the rate at which your body uses fats and carbohydrates, controls your body temperature, heart rate, the production of protein and your body’s ability to regulate the amount of calcium in your blood.

Too little, too much, just enough . . .

Too little thyroid hormone causes a disease called hypothyroidism, in simple terms, low thyroid function. In this most common of thyroid disorders, you are like a wind-up toy that is slowly winding down.

Too much thyroid hormone and the hormones flood your system, causing you to be hyper and frenzied, a condition called hyperthyroidism.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases like Graves’ and Hashimoto’s are another story and can actually cause you to be both hypo- and hyperthyroid.

The thyroid balances your body through the production of thyroid hormones. The main ones are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones are synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine and the mineral iodine.

The U.S. government estimates that 4.6% of the population over the age of 12 has clinically low thyroid function. Other sources suggest a much higher rate, as high as 10%, based on the concept that at least half of the people with low thyroid function are unaware of the condition or they are undiagnosed because of the painfully cumbersome process of getting a diagnosis and treatment.

Over a lifetime, 12% of the population will develop a diagnosable thyroid condition, says the American Thyroid Association (ATA). Women are far more susceptible to hypothyroidism, especially women over 60. The ATA estimates that women have 5 to 8 times more thyroid disease than men.

Iodine inadequacy is the primary cause of all types of thyroid disorders. You know from earlier chapters that rates of iodine deficiency have skyrocketed in the United States and around the world.

Without iodine, the thyroid gland cannot manufacture hormones, T3 and T4. Iodine is a major part of the chemical structure of both of these thyroid hormones.

A goiter (swelling of the thyroid area as a result of impaired thyroid activity) is a sign the thyroid is producing either too little or too much thyroid hormone. Goiters are not often seen today, believes Dr. David Brownstein, author of Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, because iodized salt gives us just enough iodine to prevent goiters, but nowhere near enough to take care of the rest of the body’s needs.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

Treatment for hypothyroidism

Conventional medicine usually treats low thyroid function with a synthetic form of T4 called levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid, Unithroid), the free-circulating thyroid hormone that must be converted to the T3 form before it becomes active. T4 is the storage form of thyroid hormone. This forces your body to work harder to get the hormone it needs. As an interesting side note: levothyroxine was the most prescribed drug in the U.S. in 2013, according to the research firm IMS Health.

Iodine supplementation may help you use the synthetic thyroid hormones better. Sometimes a doctor will prescribe liothyronine (Cytomel), a synthetic form of T3, if there is evidence the body’s ability to convert T4 is impaired. I look for at the FT3/RT3 ratio (normal is 10-14) to determine the level of T3 increase of T4 decrease needed to correct this ratio and to know for sure there is adequate T3 conversion.

Increasingly, doctors who prefer a more natural approach prescribe thyroid hormones made from pig thyroid glands. The most widely used brands are Nature-Throid and Westhroid, which contain the full spectrum of four thyroid hormones (T1–T4), more closely mimicking human thyroid function.

A diagnosis of hypothyroidism and any prescription treatment plan will almost inevitably require a comprehensive approach, some experimentation and retesting until the correct balance is achieved.

Iodine is essential for the treatment of hypothyroidism. Without iodine, all of the thyroid hormones in the world won’t help your thyroid create and convert the thyroid hormones you need or allow you to stay at the levels you need for health. If you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, look for an integrative practitioner to partner with and consider a supplement with potassium iodide, sodium iodide and molecular iodine. Some extra L-tyrosine will help, too. When looking specifically for a thyroid product, consider at least 15 mg of the three forms of iodine, combined with 200 mg of L-tyrosine in each capsule. The starting dose many integrative practitioners recommend is two capsules each morning.

A basal body temperature above 97.8, is the best and most accurate indicator of correct thyroid function.

If you are using iodine alone, you can find excellent iodine supplements with 12.5 mg total of these three iodine forms.

There has been extensive discussion of the safe levels of iodine intake. Consider this: The Japanese, with their diet high in iodine-rich seafood and sea vegetables, typically consume more than about 13 mg of iodine daily, 50 times what the typical American ingests, all without negative side effects. In fact, Japan has far lower national rates of breast cancer and hypothyroidism than are found in the Western world. Iodine dosages as high as 50 mg a day are frequently recommended for patients with hypothyroidism, cancer and other serious iodine deficiency conditions.

Lifestyle treatments for hypothyroidism

A variety of simple lifestyle adjustments can help rebalance thyroid hormones and help detoxify your body from Black Hat halogens.

Managing stress is essential to overall health. It’s especially important to people with thyroid disorders because stress can cause blood sugar imbalances, food intolerances (especially to gluten), digestive dysfunction, chronic infections and inflammation, all of which tell the adrenal glands to keep pumping out stress hormones. Those stress hormones have a profound effect on the ability of the thyroid to convert T4 into usable T3 and can, over time, create thyroid hormone resistance.

Lots of exercise is important for reversing the low-energy loop and making thyroid receptor sites more sensitive to thyroid hormones.

Saunas and soaks are great ways to help your body detoxify and remove the Black Hat halogens. Far-infrared saunas are excellent tools for detoxification. If you have a hot tub, please do not use bromine or chlorine as a disinfectant. There are more natural forms of disinfection like ozone purification systems and mineral cartridges that keep those Black Hat halogens out of your life. If you are taking a long, hot soak, add some Epsom salts to your bathwater for extra magnesium to help pull out toxins.

Filter your water and change your toothpaste to limit your exposure to toxic fluoride. Most municipal water systems and nearly all commercial toothpastes still contain fluorine, despite their well-documented iodine-blocking properties that impair thyroid function.

Adjust your diet to reduce foods called goitrogens. These are foods that suppress thyroid function by impairing the body’s ability to use iodine. While most of the foods on this list are healthy foods, they’re not helpful for people with thyroid disorders and should be consumed in moderation in their raw state.

Top 11 Goitrogenic Foods

Foods with Smaller Amounts of Goitrogens

Thyroid and lack of iodine

So, how did your thyroid and millions of other thyroids worldwide get so far out of whack?

Take a guess.

If you answered, “Iodine deficiency,” you get a gold star. You already know that the government recommended iodine intake is woefully inadequate to promote a healthy thyroid and to keep your entire body in optimal health.

You also know that our dramatic increase in exposure to toxic halogens (the Black Hat halogens chlorine, fluorine and bromine) blocks the body’s ability to use the little iodine we get.

So we have an epidemic of hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders (Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease, thyroid cancer), all of which have iodine deficiency as an underlying cause.

Iodine supplements offer the most powerful means of rebalancing thyroid hormones and neutralizing toxic halogens.

Thyroid, iodine and the struggle for weight control

Science proves the following:

1. Hormones, especially thyroid and insulin,  control our body weight.
2. Insufficient thyroid hormone production can cause numerous health problems, not the least of which are food cravings and weight gain.
3. Insufficient iodine intake is the largest contributor to hypothyroidism.

So you don’t have to be a research scientist to figure out that inadequate iodine stores in your body translate to excess weight.

“The healthy functioning of the thyroid is essential to maintaining metabolism and preventing the accumulation of body fat,” writes Burton Goldberg in Alternative Medicine.

An underactive thyroid and a thyroid resistant gland slows metabolism, causing dramatically fewer calories to be burned, leaving you tired, irritable and sluggish, and less likely to exercise.

In addition, in Asian Health Secrets, author Letha Hadady theorizes that an underactive thyroid also promotes excess weight and cellulite by causing water retention.

Iodine supplementation also increases weight loss in the case of low thyroid function by addressing the thyroid insufficiency and raising the BMR (basal metabolic rate), effectively burning more calories.

Finally, we’ve known for at least 20 years that overweight women are more susceptible to breast cancer. And we know that iodine shortfalls increase the risk of breast cancer. (More about that in Chapter 4.) Early research from the University of Virginia linked iodine insufficiency, a high fat diet and breast cancer as far back as 1979. Later researchers have confirmed that excess estrogen attached to fat cells are the probable cause of the increased risk of breast cancer in overweight women.

By now, you’ve probably noticed that much of the research on iodine and thyroid and many other health problems is what we might call peripheral (on the side, if you will) or tangential (at an angle, not direct). You’re probably wondering why there isn’t more direct research on iodine, an inexpensive and highly effective means of treating and preventing many serious health problems, including obesity.

The answer is simple: There’s no money in it. Trials on human subjects cost millions of dollars. Iodine is a plentiful and inexpensive mineral that is not patentable, since it is a substance occurring in nature. Translation: The big pharmaceutical companies can’t make millions and billions of dollars on it like they can on prescription drugs, so they don’t bother studying it.

It’s their loss and your gain, since Big Pharma won’t be able to charge you $100 or more per prescription or whatever nonsense it dishes out with so many prescription drugs.

But there is some research:

• A 2013 Russian study showed that overweight adults aged 30 to 65 were given a jam laced with iodine and chromium and no other dietary restrictions. Members of the group lost 5% of their body weight and reduced their waist size, blood pressure and triglyceride levels significantly more than a control group that was given standard diet advice to restrict calories and fat.
• A 2011 Turkish study showed that the urinary iodine status of obese women was directly related to body mass index and levels of leptin, a hormone found in fat cells that tells your brain you are starving and should eat more. The bottom line: with sufficient iodine intake, weight drops and there are fewer fat cells that keep telling your brain you are starving.

Food cravings

Sugar, salt and fatty food cravings are all signs of thyroid insufficiency insulin resistance and mineral deficiency. By now you know that thyroid insufficiency means you’re not getting enough iodine. Think of these cravings as your body’s cry for help. Your body’s lowered metabolism means that those extra calories, and particularly the sugar that converts to fat cells, will result in weight gain.

Carb cravings are very common among people with hypothyroidism and insulin resistance.  Scientists haven’t figured out exactly why this happens, but it may have something to do with the anxiety, depression and fatigue that often accompany low thyroid function and the brain’s response that sparks the desire for carbs that stimulate the release of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin.

Leptin comes into play big time in the food cravings and weight gain cycle. This hormone tells you when you have had enough to eat and also triggers a fat-conserving starvation response when it thinks you haven’t had enough. This is especially true for yo-yo dieters, whose leptin mechanisms get confused, they battle cravings and their bodies refuse to let go of excess fat.

Leptin’s ability to tell you when you have had enough food has also been connected to the accumulation of toxic chemicals in your body, most notably chlorine, fluorine and bromine. Where have we heard of those before? Those are the Black Hat halogens that block your body’s ability to use iodine, in this case, triggering food cravings, overeating, slow metabolism, weight gain and even type 2 diabetes. What a vicious circle!

Read more about iodine and your thyroid.

The post Iodine, Thyroid Disorders, Obesity and More appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

I guess you could say I am addicted to walking. I’ll agree with that. Research shows that exercise in all forms releases endorphins, the “feel good” brain chemicals that energize us and elevate mood. I’ve been addicted to walking for several years and I know I don’t feel very good if I miss my regular routine.

That’s not to speak of the emotional boost all of us get from being outside, hopefully enjoying natural surroundings and breathing some fresh air. I’m lucky enough to live in the mountains where I can walk for miles without encountering a car. Walking is my meditation.

Walking is the simplest and cheapest form of exercise I know. All it takes is a decent pair of shoes and a road to follow. New roads and new places are always exciting, so it’s a time to explore as well.

There’s no need for a partner (although companionship can be nice) or a gym membership or anything at all except your feet. For the most part, I don’t let rain or snow stop me—I’ve got a good rain jacket and some snow boots. On very rare occasions, I might resort to our treadmill, but I really find it boring.

With our sedentary lifestyles, the key is to just move it! Yes, it’s nice to walk briskly and get your heart rate up, but even that isn’t essential.

Research published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that, quite literally, the more steps a day you take, the lower your chance of dying of  any cause, known as all-cause mortality. In fact, people who logged more than 8,000 steps a day reduced their risk of all-cause death by an amazing 90% over those who took fewer than 4,000 steps a day! That makes walking about the healthiest choice you can make.

We know that walking just 30 minutes a day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat and boost muscle power and endurance. At the age of 74, charts tell me that I am more fit than 95% of women my age.

Best of all, recent research from the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at the University of Arizona shows that three 10-minute walks a day help lower blood pressure better than one 30-minute walk.

That means it’s easy to sneak a quick walking session during your lunch hour (you won’t get sweaty and dirty in that amount of time) or before dinner or before work in the morning. Heck, even a brisk walk around the supermarket or a vacuuming session counts! I think these  small chunks of walking time make it more manageable with the busy lifestyles we all embrace these days.

I find that about 2/3 of my daily steps are counted when I am actually “taking a walk” as opposed to doing my ordinary tasks, so it’s pretty painless.

Will you take my 10,000-step challenge?  Let me know and post your experiences in my comments section.

More articles on weight management? I’ve got you covered right here.

The post Walking for Your Health appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

You may have heard the term “endocrine disruptor” applied to many substances that surround us every day, but maybe you didn’t understand exactly what that means.

So here’s your definition:

An endocrine disruptor is any substance that interferes with the endocrine (hormone) production system in mammals.

Yes, in simple terms, these things mess with our hormones. And when they mess with our hormones, endocrine disruptors can interfere with the immune system, cause cancer, birth defects, developmental disorders and infertility, not to speak of the accumulation of toxins in hormone-producing organs with unknown consequences.

The bad news is that endocrine disruptors are everywhere in our lives. The good news is that there is something we can do about it.

Here are some of the major ones:

Glyphosate: Numerous studies show the active ingredient in RoundUp herbicide causes substantial endocrine disruption, including lower progesterone levels, mammary tumors and severe organ damage, in levels permitted in drinking water, despite the US government’s denial of its toxicity. It’s also been linked to kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, cancer and many more serous health problems. Some sources estimate as much as 80% of our food supply is contaminated with glyphosate, including many organic foods that are affected by drifting glyphosate sprays. Some scientists believe glyphosate may be the most toxic chemical ever approved for commercial use. It’s difficult, almost impossible to avoid glyphosate. Avoid all wheat products, since even organic wheat has been contaminated, and wash your organic fruits and vegetables very carefully, with hydrogen peroxide, if possible.

Organophosphate pesticides: These chemicals developed for use in chemical warfare in World War II are still commonly used in pesticides today. They disrupt brain development, lower testosterone levels and cause thyroid hormone dysfunction. To avoid organophosphates, buy organic pest control products, don’t let pest control companies into your home unless they are using completely organic products and can prove it and don’t track outside residues into your home—leave your shoes at the door!

BPA (bisphenol-A): This chemical is used in most plastics and imitates estrogen in the human body. It’s found in most canned foods and in thermal paper like that used in receipts, especially in plastics labeled polycarbonate.

Dioxin: Used in the production of paper and in many industrial processes, and has been documented to build up in the food chain and therefore in the human body, causing cancers, immune system and reproductive disorders. It’s difficult to avoid dioxin, but the heaviest loads are in meats, fish, eggs and butter.

Atrazine: This herbicide is used on most corn crops and has contaminated much of the drinking water stored in open systems like reservoirs. It’s been linked to breast tumors, prostate cancer and delayed puberty. Filter drinking water and buy organic produce to avoid atrazine.

Phthlates: Found in almost all soft plastics, including children’s toys

and shampoo and other personal care products, especially those with fragrances, phthalates are especially linked to changes in sperm count, less mobile sperm, birth defects in male babies, obesity, diabetes and thyroid dysfunction. Avoid plastic food containers and any personal care products that contain DEHP, DEP, DMP, BzBP and any artificial fragrances.

Perchlorate: This component in rocket fuel contaminates most of our fruits and vegetables and dairy products. Among its many health destroyers, it competes with essential iodine absorption and alters hormone production and metabolism and brain development in infants and children. If you don’t have a well, filter all your water and install a reverse osmosis filter, which wastes an inordinate amount of water. Even organic foods can be contaminated, so adding iodine to your diet is essential to neutralize its effects.

Fire retardants: Most often found in children’s sleepwear and polyurethane foam in furniture , fire retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers—PDBEs) are found in tissues and breast milk of people and animals worldwide. Several types of PDBEs have been phased out, but their residual effects are still found virtually everywhere. By imitating thyroid hormones, they disrupt the activity of real thyroid hormones resulting in variety of health problems, including lower IQs in children, reduced fertility and cancer.

Lead: We’ve all learned a lot more about the danger of lead due to the Flint, MI water crisis, especially because it causes brain damage. It also disrupts hormone activity, especially in the hormones that govern stress and cause high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and depression. Lead is still found in flaking lead-based paint in virtually all homes built before 1978, so it’s important to keep painted surfaces smooth or even to remove old paint (an expensive and complicated procedure). Lead is also found in older plumbing pipes in homes and in municipal water systems, so test your water and install a whole house filter if you have elevated lead. Even that may not be enough, as residents of Flint, MI have found.

PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals): These chemicals found in non-stick cookware have been banned, but almost all of us have PFCs in our bodies and will show up in our bodies and those of our children for generations to come. PFCs never break down in the environment and causes decreased sperm quality, low birth weights in babies, kidney disease, thyroid disease and high cholesterol.

For more information like this, check out my book, Toxic World, on Amazon!

The post They’re Messing with Our Hormones appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

This is an article Kathleen wrote for Natural Awakenings magazine.

Agelessness: Engaging in and experiencing life without fear of falling, failing or falling apart.

In a nutshell, that’s the philosophy of visionary women’s health expert Christiane Northrup, M.D., of Yarmouth, ME, author of Goddesses Never Age.

“We’re long overdue for a paradigm shift about how we feel about growing older,” says Northrup. “You can change your future by adopting a new, ageless attitude that will help you flourish physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. We don’t have to buy into modern medicine’s promotion of the idea of the pathology of aging. ”

One of Northrup’s primary admonitions: “Don’t tell anyone how old you are. The last birthday that counts is your 25th, when you could rent a car without the signature of an adult. Any other birthday means nothing.”

Mind

Our Western society fosters a belief system that we will become decrepit, frail and mentally feeble at a certain age.

“When my mother turned 50, her mailbox suddenly became full of ads for adults diapers, walkers and long-term care insurance,” Northrup quips.

Her point is well taken. How ridiculous is it to imagine vibrant, healthy and gorgeous and yes, sexy Sandra Bullock, Johnny Depp, Chris Rock or Brooke Shields—all 50 or more — as the targets of ads for Depends?

We’re living longer, working longer and many of us are staying young longer. So is 60 the new 40?

There’s lots of evidence that says, “Yes.” Centenarians are the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population. In the 2010 census, there were 53,364 people over the age of 100, an increase of 40% over the census of 1980. (BTW, 82.8% of those over 100 were women.) National Institutes of Aging projections say that number could increase tenfold or more by 2050.

What we think of as “old” has changed. Sixty is now middle age, according to researchers at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, who add that we are in general leading longer and healthier lives.

Baby Boomers are the generation that refuses to buy into the mythology of aging. Many Boomers bristle at being called “senior citizens” and they especially dislike being called “elderly.”

They’re backed by science. Stem cell biologist Bruce Lipton, Ph.D., author of Biology of Belief, best known for prompting the concept that DNA can be changed by belief, for good or bad. (He’s currently a visiting professor at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic in Auckland.)

Lipton explains that we all have billions of stem cells designed to repair or replace damaged –and aging — tissues and organs. “(These cells) are profoundly influenced by our thoughts and perceptions about the environment,” Lipton explains. “Hence our beliefs about aging can either interfere with or enhance stem cell function, causing our physiological regeneration or decline.”

“Yes, we are destined to grow older, but decrepitude and what we call aging is an optional state,” Northrup adds. “But our genes, our nutrition and our environment are under our control far more than we think they are.”

“Words are powerful,’ she concludes. “Don’t talk yourself into believing your brain is turning to mush just because you are over 40!”

Body

So how to we take control?

“Manage the Four Horsemen of the Aging Apocalypse,” says nutrition and longevity expert Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., Los Angeles-based author of The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer.

Bowden says the aging process, including disease, loss of physical or mental function or the general breakdown of systems is caused by one or more of Bowden’s Four Horsemen:

• Oxidative damage (literally rusty cells)
• Inflammation
• Glycation (excess sugar, metabolic syndrome)
• Stress

“The four of them, collectively, can damage cells and DNA, wear down organs and systems, deeply damage the vascular pathways that deliver blood and oxygen to entire body and even shrink the size of your brain,” Bowden explains.

While it may seem like a tall order to make lifestyle changes that vanquish the Four Horsemen, Bowden says they can be broken into “manageable chunks” by employing “weapons: whole foods, nutrients, stress reduction techniques, exercise, detoxification, relationship improvement, that actually do double duty, battling more than one of the four processes that can effectively shorten your life.”

Oxidative damage

Think of rust on a car bumper. That’s what free radical oxygen molecules do to cells. Over time, they damage cells and cause aging from within. “Oxidative damage plays a major role in virtually every degenerative disease of aging, from Alzheimer’s to cancer to heart disease and diabetes, even immune dysfunction,” says Bowden.

His recommended key to destroying free radicals: A diet rich in antioxidants, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy fats, nuts, and grass fed meats and dairy products. Avoid environmental free radicals, especially toxic chemicals, by eating organic food as much as possible and especially avoiding pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops.

Inflammation

This is a big one. Long-term inflammation is a “silent killer,” that flies beneath the radar, unnoticed, damaging blood vessel walls. Like oxidative damages, inflammation is a factor in all the degenerative diseases associated with aging, says Bowden.

Bowden’s key to quench the fires of inflammation: First, get a C-reactive protein (CRP) test to determine the levels of inflammation in your body. A CRP level over 3.0/mg/L indicates a high risk of a heart attack. Anti-inflammatory foods like onions, garlic, leafy greens, tomatoes, beans, nuts and seeds are all scientifically proven to reduce chronic inflammation.

Glycation

Glycation is the result of too much sugar, which glues itself to protein or fat molecules, leaving a sticky mess that creates AGEs—advanced glycation end products — that damage all body systems and are culprits in those dread diseases of aging.

Bowden’s key: The obvious answer is to minimize sugar and simple carbs, anything made with white flour or white rice. Also avoid fried foods and any foods cooked at high temperatures that actually skip the glycation production in the body and deliver deadly AGEs directly from the food. He also advises taking 1,000 mg of Carnosine daily to prevent glycation.

Stress

While stress might seem like a different category, the long-term effects of physical, mental or emotional stress are tremendously damaging to the human physiology. Sustained exposure to the stress hormone cortisol can shrink parts of the brain, damage blood vessels, increase blood sugar levels, heart rate and blood pressure and contribute to chronic inflammation with all of its deadly effects.

Bowden’s recommendations: “Stress management is not a luxury,”

Bowden warns. Stress management in its many forms, including meditation and breathing exercises is part of the program. Deep restful sleep is an important component as are ending toxic relationships, having a nurturing circle of friends and family and gentle exercise like yoga or tai chi.

Overall, Bowden adds, “Rather than thinking of anti-aging, I strive for the concept of age independent. I admire former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who resigned from the court at the age of 90 because he wanted to play more tennis.”

Bowden offers the concept of “squaring the curve,” which means that instead of a long downhill slope for poor health and finally death,

“I look at a long plateau of health and a steep drop-off to the end.”

Spirit

“If you don’t have some kind of spiritual foundation, literally, God help you,” says Northrup.

She’s quick to add, “God isn’t confined to a book or a church or mosque or synagogue. Divinity is the creative loving, vital flow of life force that we’re all part of and connected to. Our bodies are exquisite containers meant to embody, not deny our spirits.”

Among the elements of spirit Northrup recommends are touch and pleasure. Yes, sex with the right partner can be part of it. Research shows that those who have the most fulfilling sex lives live the longest, according to researchers at the University of California at Riverside’s Longevity Project.

Pleasure means much more, says Northrup. It can mean the exquisite taste of a pear or the sound of an angelic symphony, the kiss of sun on skin, the laughter of a child, spending time with friends or creating a pastel landscape.

“When you experience pleasure, God comes through you become aware of your divine nature, you’ll find that joy comes to you in ways that are unique to you,” she says.

Connection with the natural world is an essential element of agelessness, she says: “The human body evolved to walk on the earth, drinking its water, breathing its air and basking in its sunlight.

Finally, Northrup says, “Agelessness is all about vitality. Taking all the right supplements and pills, or getting the right procedure doesn’t the prescription for anti-aging. It’s ageless living that brings back a sense of vibrancy and youthfulness.”

We could live to be well over 100 years old and, as Northrup likes to paraphrase Abraham Hicks of The Law of Attraction fame, “Wouldn’t you rather have your life end something like this: Happy, healthy, dead. Isn’t that a lot better than being sick, decrepit and frail for years?”

The post Ageless mind, body and spirit appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

Even in quiet rooms, the mind is rarely still.

This kind of ongoing stimulation may feel normal, but it is not natural. The human brain was not designed to process a steady stream of information from morning to night. Just as the body needs rest to repair, the brain needs silence to reset.

Silence is not empty. It is restorative.

Silence as Medicine for the Brain

When you are surrounded by constant input, your nervous system stays activated. You may not feel stressed in the moment, but your body is still responding.

The sympathetic nervous system, often called the fight or flight response, becomes the default setting. Over time, this can lead to tension, fatigue, and a sense of being overwhelmed.

Silence helps shift the body into the parasympathetic state. This is where healing happens. Heart rate slows. Breathing deepens. The body begins to repair itself.

The Brain on Overload

Too much stimulation leads to mental fatigue. You may notice it as brain fog, forgetfulness, or difficulty focusing on simple tasks.

When the brain is constantly reacting, it has little time to process, organize, and store information. This affects everything from memory to mood.

Quiet gives the brain space to sort through what matters and let go of what does not.

What Research Suggests About Quiet

Studies have shown that quiet environments can support memory, learning, and emotional balance. Time without input allows the brain to consolidate information and recover from overstimulation.

There is also evidence that silence may help reduce stress hormones. Even short periods of quiet can have a measurable calming effect on the body.

Why We Rarely Experience True Quiet Anymore

Modern life encourages constant engagement. Many homes have background noise throughout the day. Music, television, or podcasts fill nearly every moment.

Phones have made it easy to avoid silence entirely. Waiting in line, sitting in the car, even walking outside often becomes another opportunity to consume content.

For many people, silence feels uncomfortable. Without distraction, thoughts rise to the surface. Emotions that have been pushed aside begin to show up.

So we fill the space again.

The Health Impact of Constant Noise

Living without quiet has real consequences.

Chronic stimulation can keep cortisol levels elevated, which places ongoing stress on the body. Sleep may suffer, especially if the mind has not had time to wind down during the day.

You may feel more irritable or anxious. Focus becomes harder to maintain. Decision making feels heavier than it should.

Over time, the absence of silence creates a sense of disconnection. From your thoughts. From your body. From the present moment.

What Counts as Real Silence

Silence is more than the absence of sound. It is the absence of input.

Physical silence means reducing environmental noise. Turning off what does not need to be on.

Digital silence means stepping away from screens, notifications, and constant updates.

Mental silence is more subtle. It happens when you stop feeding the mind new information and allow thoughts to settle on their own.

It does not have to be perfect. It only needs to be intentional.

Simple Ways to Bring More Silence Into Your Day

Start Your Morning in Quiet

Before reaching for your phone, take a few minutes to simply be. Sit with your coffee or tea. Look outside. Let your mind wake up without interruption.

This small shift can change the tone of your entire day.

Create Daily Quiet Breaks

Pause between tasks instead of moving immediately to the next thing. Step outside for a few minutes without your phone. Sit and breathe.

Even brief moments of quiet can help reset your nervous system.

Reduce Background Noise at Home

Notice how often something is playing in the background. Turn off the television when you are not actively watching. Be intentional with music.

A quieter home creates a calmer mind.

Reclaim Silent Moments

Some of the best opportunities for silence are already built into your day. Driving. Walking. Waiting.

Resist the urge to fill every gap. Let some moments stay quiet.

Silence, Nature, and Green Living

Nature offers a different kind of quiet. Not complete silence, but a softer, more balanced sensory experience.

The sound of wind, birds, or leaves moving does not overwhelm the brain in the same way as artificial noise. It supports relaxation instead of stimulation.

Spending time outside, whether gardening, walking, or simply sitting, can help restore a sense of calm that is difficult to find indoors.

Silence as a Path to Clarity and Emotional Balance

When the noise fades, clarity often follows.

Thoughts that felt tangled begin to organize themselves. Emotions that were buried have space to surface and settle.

Silence allows you to respond instead of react. It creates room for better decisions and a steadier sense of balance.

It is not always comfortable at first, but it is always revealing.

A Gentle Practice to Begin Today

Start with just five to ten minutes.

Find a place where you can sit without distraction. No phone. No music. No input. Simply breathe and observe.

If your mind feels busy, that is normal. Let the thoughts come and go without engaging them.

This is not about doing it perfectly. It is about giving your brain a chance to rest.

Quiet Is Not Empty, It Is Restorative

Silence is one of the simplest tools for supporting your health, yet it is often overlooked.

In a world that constantly asks for your attention, choosing quiet is a way of caring for your mind and body.

You do not need hours. You only need intention.

What might change if you gave yourself space each day to simply be still?

The post Why Your Brain Craves Silence and How to Actually Find It appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.

: I live in the South. It’s pollen time and allergy and asthma time.  This us a timely excerpt from my book, Food Is Medicine: 101 Prescriptions from the Garden. 

Allergies

Your Garden RX: garlic, onions, apples, chamomile

Allergies are your body’s response to what it perceives as an invader. With allergies, your immune system reacts or overreacts to a stimulus whether it’s triggered by a particular food (eggs, corn and peanuts are common food allergens), penicillin, pollen, dust, bee stings, mold, pet dander or latex or some similar substance—even though in reality that stimulus may not be at all threatening to you.

When this happens, your body releases histamine, a chemical that can cause a wide variety of symptoms ranging from hives and frantic itching to sneezing, sinus congestion, swelling, and, in serious cases of food and drug allergies, lowered blood pressure, unconsciousness and even death.

Your Garden to the Rescue

Garlic and onions to the rescue, again! Add apples in the same category because all three of these common garden foods contain a flavonoid called quercetin, which controls the release of histamines during an allergic reaction. Quercetin also reduces the production of leukotrienes, compounds that cause even more severe inflammation than histamines do.

Chamomile is a daisy-like herb whose flowers make a calming and soothing tea. , Chamomile is a source of natural antihistamines and quercetin. It may also be helpful in an anaphylactic (severe allergic reaction) episode, but it shouldn’t ever take the place of a visit to the emergency room if you know you are severely allergic to peanuts, bee stings, or other allergens and have been exposed to them. Drinking a cup or two of chamomile tea daily can help suppress the histaminic reaction, and over time, may make your allergic reactions less irritating or even help them disappear.

RX from Outside Your Garden

If you’re a beekeeper, your own honey may also be helpful. Your allergic reactions may be caused by local pollens, so the honey from bees collecting those pollens may act as the antidote to the perceived immune system threat caused by the allergens. If you don’t keep bees, try to find honey made from local pollens not more than a few miles from your home.

Asthma (Also see Allergies)

Your Garden RX: strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, horseradish spinach, borage, dill

Acute asthma attacks can be life threatening, so please don’t stop the prescription medications your doctor has given you. However, over time you may find your need for inhalers will diminish with the help of foods from your garden. Asthma causes inflammation of the airways (bronchial tubes) making it hard to breathe and causing chronic cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. It can also cause a buildup of mucus in the bronchial tubes, making it harder and harder to breathe. The onset of a full-blown attack when the bronchial tubes spasm is be truly frightening and, without emergency care, can be fatal.

Your Garden to the Rescue

Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, meaning it stops the extreme inflammatory response that triggers the wheezing and runny nose, so eating all foods high in vitamin C will be helpful, including strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, and citrus fruits, if you’re lucky enough to live in a place where you can grow them. Some research also suggests that eating lots of vitamin C-rich foods can reduce the severity of asthma attacks. Note: If you’re eating citrus fruits, try squeezing the peels and inhaling the aroma. A substance called limonene, which is found in the citrus peel, helps soothe the airways. You can also eat the peels, but wash them well to sure to remove any contaminants that might be present.

Onions and garlic are rich sources of two major anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic compounds, quercetin and cepaene, that can help soothe irritated airways.

If you’ve ever taken a big breath of horseradish, wasabi, cayenne, or other spicy foods, you’ve probably noticed that your airways immediately open up if you’ve been experiencing any stuffiness. This holds true for asthma as well. I don’t recommend regularly inhaling the fumes of these pungent foods, but adding them to salads, or better yet to hot soups and stews, will have the same effect.

Leafy greens like spinach are good sources of vitamin E, which helps your body release soothing compounds to relax muscles in the lungs.

Borage is a natural decongestant and expectorant, so it can help reduce the mucus in the airways, and dill is a traditional relaxant for the bronchial system.

The post Food Is Medicine: Fight Allergies appeared first on KathleenBarnes.com.