Is your body underconverting thyroid hormone?

Are you producing enough T4, but not enough

T3?

Did you know that your liver might be to blame?

Let me explain. . .

Your thyroid produces T4 and sends most of it to the liver to be converted into the active form,
T3. If you're underconverting, then you don't necessarily have a thyroid problem, instead, you
need to support your liver so it can efficiently convert the hormone for you.

Liver congestion is pretty common nowadays, and can not only cause low T3 in the body, it
also can cause estrogen dominance, severe headaches, blood sugar imbalance, chemical
sensitivities, skin issues, and dark circles under the eyes, among other things.

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I see this all the time but the good news is there
are some easy steps you can take!

1. Start doing a castor oil pack 3-4 times a week over your liver. Click here to read about
how to do this gentle detox.

2. Reduce your sugar intake as much as possible. Why? Because your liver is one of the
three organs that controls your blood sugar levels. The more sugar you eat, the more
stress you put on your liver, and you need your liver to have the energy it needs to
convert thyroid hormone. If you'd like to kick the sugar habit, click here to grab my
buttermint recipe and give them try.

3. I LOVE the doTERRA essential oil blend, Zendocrine. It's a blend of Tangerine Peel,
Rosemary Leaf, Geranium Flower/Leaf, Juniper Berry, and Cilantro Herb essential oils.
It's an amazing blend to add to your daily regimen to support the liver. You can rub 1
drop over the liver twice a day. You can purchase here.

A little side note: I was on a real food diet for many years, and despite all of my efforts
I would still get a break out on my chin each month before my cycle. These breakouts
are usually hormone/liver related. So, I started using Zendocrine daily and it completely
cleared up those annoying monthly breakouts! This has worked for so many others that
I've shared this tip with!

4. Use essential oils each day such as Lavender, Lemon, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang, Ylang,
etc. to reduce your stress and relax the body. Stress puts strain on the adrenals, liver
and pancreas and causes an imbalance in blood sugar levels (yes, this can happen
even if you don't eat sugar), so using oils each day to reduce cortisol levels will give
your liver the support it needs to be able to work more efficiently.
5. Take one day of rest each week. While it’s popular to “hustle”, that kind of daily
mentality can lead to all sorts of health issues. Take a day each week to rest. Turn off
your phone, get outside, or just sleep all day if that’s what your body needs. It’s ok.
God set the example by taking a day to rest, so I order my week that way, too!

If you'd like to read more about other ways you can support your thyroid, click
here.
Castor Oil Packs – An Easy Way to
Detox
Pin3K
Share2K
Tweet
Yum
Email
5K
SHARES
Over the last few years, I used several detox therapies along with a
nourishing diet to help my body recover from Hashimoto’s disease. One
of my favorites is a castor oil pack. It’s relaxing and very easy to do – how
can you pass up watching your favorite movie while detoxing?

Castor oil packs are an economical and efficient help the body detox.
When used properly, castor oil packs stimulate liver detoxification. “The
castor oil pack is specific for non-cancerous uterine fibroids and ovarian
cysts. Other conditions which seem to respond well include headaches,
liver disorders, constipation, intestinal disorders, gallbladder inflammation
or stones, conditions with poor elimination, night time urinary frequency,
and inflamed joints. It is not to be used during pregnancy, heavy
menstrual flow, or the presence of internal bleeding.” Biodynamic
Wellness

“Lymphocytes are your immune system’s disease-fighting cells and are

produced and stored mainly in your lymphatic tissue (thymus gland,
spleen, and lymph nodes). Hundreds of miles of lymphatic tubules allow
waste to be collected from your tissues and transported to your blood for
elimination, a process referred to as lymphatic drainage. When your
lymphatic system is not working properly, waste and toxins can build up
and make you sick.

Lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and

disease. This is where castor oil comes in. When castor oil is absorbed
through your skin (according to Cayce and McGarey), your lymphocyte
count increases. Increased lymphocytes speed up the removal of toxins
from your tissues, which promotes healing.” Dr. Joseph Mercola

A castor oil pack is very easy and only requires a few supplies. The
castor oil and wool flannel last for many, many months, so don’t worry
about running out any time soon.

Here’s what you need:

1. A bottle of good castor oil (some castor oils may contain toxic
contaminants)
2. A piece of cotton flannel
3. A heating pad or hot water bottle
4. A large gallon-size ziploc bag
5. An old towel (castor oil permanently stains, so you’ll need something
your clothes and sheets)

How to do a castor oil pack:

1. Place the piece of flannel in a large dish.
2. Drizzle castor oil over the flannel until it’s saturated.
3. Plug in the heating pad next to your bed and turn it on to medium.
4. Set the dish with the flannel, the ziploc bag, and old towel on your
nightstand or next to the bed.
5. Lie down and place the wool flannel on the right side of your abdomen,
directly against your skin (it will cover some of your stomach also).
6. Put the ziploc bag on top of the flannel.
7. Place the heating pad on top of the ziploc and flannel
8. Place the old towel on top of the heating pad.
9. Lie down for 1-2 hours, remove and wipe your abdomen with the old
towel.
10. Repeat as necessary.

For more information on the specifics of doing a castor oil pack click
here.

If you’re interested in learning more about detox, check out this interview
with my nutritionist discussing the importance of detox and why it’s
necessary even with the most perfect diet.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to take the place of the advice
and council from your doctor. Always seek the advice of a health
professional for medical advice.

ow to Curb Sugar Cravings with

Buttermints
Pin446
Share1K
Tweet
Yum2
Email
SHARES2K
Do you struggle with sugar cravings? Do you get “hangry” if you don’t
eat? Do you struggle with hormone imbalance? Adrenal fatigue? Thyroid
disease?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, taking steps to balance

your blood sugar levels can help you a lot!
I know it sounds like a
gimmick, but these buttermints can truly help reduce your cravings very
quickly! The original recipe, minus the peppermint, was created by Dr.
Natasha Campbell-McBride who’s a brilliant MD and an expert on gut
health.

The combination of nutrient-dense grass-fed butter and raw honey

satiates the body, helps balance blood sugar levels, reduces sugar
cravings and actually supports weight loss because we feel “full” from a
very small amount of calories.

I don’t recommend making these with stevia or another “sugar-free”

sweetener, because the very small amount of honey satisfies your current
sugar cravings. The amount of fat in these little mints slows the
absorption of the sugar from the honey, so you don’t need to worry about
blood sugar spikes.

How often do you eat them?

After you make the mints, store them in the freezer. Then eat 1-2 mints
every 30-60 minutes during waking hours for two weeks, as needed to
normalize blood sugar levels. After about 2 weeks, you’ll find that you
don’t need the mints anymore and your sugar cravings will have
decreased.

What about a Dairy-Free Option?

Unless you have a documented dairy allergy, eating some butter is
healthy and can help reduce cravings and inflammation and also balance
hormones. I know many people are saying that all dairy automatically
causes inflammation, but this simply isn’t true. Grass-fed butter is a very
heathy food and a great addition to our diets when we’re struggling with
health issues.

If you do have an allergy to dairy, you can substitute with either 2 cups
of dairy-free ghee, or 1 cup of coconut butter and 1 cup of Nutivia
Palm/Coconut Shortening in place of the butter. If you use the coconut
butter option, then make sure you’re getting some good animal fats
elsewhere in your diet every day.

I used this recipe for many of my Nutritional Therapy clients – they’ve all
told me the mints work like a charm to reduce sugar cravings! Give them
a try and let me know how it goes.

Makes about 80 quarter-size mints

BUTTERMINTS
Please make sure you use a pure peppermint essential oil so you’re not
accidentally adding synthetic chemicals or other vegetable oils into this recipe.
doTERRA publishes 3rd-party purity reports for this exact reason.
If you work and need to take these with you, then instead of piping them into
small portions, put the mixture in a mason jar and have a small spoonful when
needed (see directions above in post).
Save Recipe
Print Recipe
My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients
 1 pound unsalted, grass-fed butter, room temperature
 1/4 cup raw honey
 6 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions
1. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until completely combined
and smooth. Add an additional drop or two of peppermint oil if desired.
2. Using a piping bag, pipe small portions, about the size of a quarter, onto a
baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have a piping bag, you
can also drop small portions of the butter mixture onto the pan using a spoon.
Freeze.
3. May 24, 2017

4. 20 Steps to Heal From Adrenal

Fatigue
5. Pin366
6. Share676
7. Tweet
8. Yum
9. Email
10. SHARES 1K
11.
Did you know that about 90% of those struggling with thyroid
disease also have some form of adrenal fatigue? When the
adrenals become taxed, they tell the pituitary to slow down the
thyroid. If you struggle with thyroid disease, it’s important you take
steps to heal the adrenals so the rest of your endocrine system can
return to homeostasis.

12. Here are some common symptoms of

adrenal fatigue:
13. A tendency to be a night person
Having difficulty falling asleep
Waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty falling back
asleep
You’re a slow starter in the morning
Feeling keyed up and having trouble calming down
Low blood pressure
 Headaches after exercising
Clenching or grinding your teeth
Chronic low- or middle-back pain
Difficulty maintaining chiropractic adjustments
Craving salty foods
Perspiring easily
Chronic fatigue or getting drowsy often
Afternoon yawning
Afternoon headache
Anxiety
Seasonal or chronic allergies
Pain on the medial (inner) side of the knee or knees
Needing to wear sunglasses
Dizziness when you stand up
Difficulty losing weight
Gaining weight around the waistline
Getting upset or angry easily

14. Doesn’t that sound like “modern life?” No wonder people are
having so many endocrine issues!

15.
16. What do the adrenals do?
17. The adrenal glands are the body’s emergency system. When
the body is under chronic stress, the adrenals will send out cortisol
into the bloodstream. Over time, chronic cortisol output will weaken
the endocrine system, liver, digestive system, and brain; it will also
“slow down” your thyroid. So, if you are wanting to reduce your
thyroid symptoms, start with healthy adrenal glands.

18. What do you eat?

19. While a lower carb diet is fabulous to reduce inflammation
and many symptoms of thyroid disease, eating this way for too long
can put stress on the adrenals and cause hormonal imbalance. So
it’s important to get good, healthy carbs into your diet each day
such as: potatoes (make sure to eat with plenty of butter), root
vegetables, peas, properly prepared legumes or gluten-free
grains (if you can tolerate them), apples, pears, berries, and beets.

20. I like Dr. Christianson’s idea of eating one golfball-size portion

of carbs at breakfast, two golfball-size portions of carbs at lunch,
and three golfball-size portions of carbs at dinner. Using this
method, dinner should be the largest meal of the day. And most
importantly, don’t stress about your food. Do the best you can, and
let the rest go.
21.

22. As you read the list below, remember: this is a marathon, not
a sprint. Fully healing the adrenals may take up to 12 months. The
good news is that even making just a few changes can help you
feel better within weeks or even days.
23. Here are 20 Steps to Heal Adrenal
Fatigue:
24. 1. As soon as you wake up, drink a glass of water along
with 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt. Then, throughout the day,
have a pinch of sea salt with each glass of water and also use it to
season your food. Daily total consumption of about 2 teaspoons of
Celtic sea salt is a good place to start. The 80+ minerals in the salt
will help nourish the adrenals and endocrine system.

25. 2. Eat breakfast within one hour of waking. If you wait any
longer than this, it can cause your blood sugar levels to decrease
too much and your adrenals will start kicking out the cortisol.

26. 3. Eat a small snack between breakfast and lunch: a

boiled egg, 1 ounce raw cheese, a spoonful of nut butter, etc.

27. 4. Have lunch about 4 hours after eating breakfast and

include some protein, carbs and fat in your meal. I know this is
a simple step, but skipping meals will put strain on your adrenals.

28. 5. Only do low-impact exercise like walking, pilates,

gentle yoga or stretching. High impact exercise puts strain on the
adrenals, especially when the adrenals are already fatigued. If
you’re having trouble losing weight, I know this can seem counter-
productive, but I’ve seen clients lose weight by resting and following
the steps I’m listing here.

29. 6. Sit down to eat each meal and eat slowly. Don’t eat on-
the-go, when you’re stressed, driving, etc. Here’s an entire article to
help you understand the importance of eating in a slow and relaxed
state.

30. 7. Diffuse essential oils throughout the day to help you

feel more relaxed. If you can’t diffuse the oils, put a drop or two on
the bottoms of your feet twice a day to help lower stress levels. In
fact, this study found that inhaling lavender essential oil can
decrease cortisol levels. That’s good news for the adrenals! Do
 make sure you only use a completely pure essential oil so you
aren’t adding any synthetic chemicals to your body — that could
stress your system further. I personally use doTERRA essential
oils for me and my family and have found them incredibly helpful.
Some of my personal favorites are Lavender, Balance, Serenity,
Ylang Ylang and Lemon.

31. 8. Eat a snack in-between lunch and dinner: again, a

boiled egg, 1 ounce raw cheese, a spoonful of nut butter, etc.
and make sure to sit down while you eat.

32. 9. Eat dinner no later than 6 or 7pm and make sure to sit
down while you eat. Dinner should be your largest meal of the
day. This will help keep cortisol levels down at the end of the day.

33. 10. Don’t eat any food after dinner except if you have
trouble sleeping. If you’re having trouble going to sleep, eat a
small snack (an ounce of raw cheese, a spoonful of nut butter, etc.)
right before you go to bed. This will help bring cortisol levels down.
If you wake up in the middle of the night, eat a small snack again
and then get right back into bed.

34. 11. Take an epsom salt bath a few times a week (or each
evening, if you can). When you’re stressed, the first mineral your
body burns through is magnesium (this is why so many people are
magnesium deficient!). Soaking in a bath with 1 cup of epsom
salts and a few drops of your favorite essential oil will help you
relax and replenish your magnesium stores.

35. 12. Go to bed by 9pm each night. Honestly, the best way to
heal your adrenals is with sleep.

36. 13. Take the right kind of B Vitamins – I recommend

Cataplex B from Standard Process.

37. 14. Try an Adrenal Tonic that contains adaptogenic

herbs – Our officecarries an adrenal tonic we mix in-house. It
contains ashwaganda, licorice root and rhodiola. It’s immensely
helpful for calming the body.
38. 15. Drink plenty of filtered water each day. Drink 1/2 your
weight in ounces is a good goal — a 160-pound person should
drink about 80 ounces of water per day. Hydration is really
important for the endocrine system. Without the right amount of
water, the body can’t transport the necessary nutrients and
hormones to the cells properly. So, please make sure you’re getting
enough water.

39. 16. Eat as many fresh organic vegetables as possible at

all three meals with some healthy fats. There is no limit on
vegetable intake.

40. 17. Include protein at each meal – get these proteins from
meat, poultry, wild seafood, eggs, etc.

41. 18. If you have trouble with sweet cravings, then eat a butter
mint every 30-60 minutes for the first two weeks to normalize your
blood sugar. Here’s an easy recipe for butter mints.

42. 19. Eliminate all caffeine. I know this is a hard one, but your
adrenals will thank you! Here’s a post about how I kicked the coffee
habit — with step-by-step instructions for you.

43. 20. Take one day of rest each week. While it’s popular
to “hustle”, that kind of daily mentality can lead to all sorts of health
issues and will strain the adrenals. Take a day each week to rest.
Turn off your phone, get outside, or just sleep all day if that’s what
your body needs. It’s ok. God set the example by taking a day to
rest, so I order my week that way, too!

44. If you’re curious to know exactly what your adrenals are up

to, you can call our office at Biodynamic Wellness and order an
adrenal test kit. It’s $120 and will give you insight into which stage
of adrenal burnout you’re in. You can also schedule a consult with
me and I’ll write up a personalized protocol to help you bounce
back from adrenal fatigue. I’ve used many of these steps with my
clients and have seen fantastic results!