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Is Thyroid Disease Preventing Weight Loss?

Is Thyroid Disease Preventing Weight Loss?

January 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment
thyroid disease weight gain

Women thyroid gland control. 

In every poll we’ve read, eating better, exercising and losing weight topped last year’s list of New Year’s Resolutions. For most Americans, New Years Resolutions stick around for less time than it takes to sweep up the confetti from the New Year’s Eve party. But what if you met your goals to eat healthier and exercise more and yet your weight remained the same, or worse, increased? Thyroid disease may be preventing weight loss.

What’s Your Thyroid?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck. This gland produces hormones which control how your body uses energy or your metabolism. If your thyroid gland produces too few hormones (hypothyroidism) your metabolism slows down and your body burns fewer calories. On the flip side, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) speeds up your metabolism and may cause weight loss.

How Do I Know If My Problem Is My Thyroid?

Hypothyroidism can prevent weight loss. In addition to an inability to lose weight, patients with hypothyroidism may experience:

  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Altered sense of smell and taste
  • Brain fog or forgetfulness
  • Dry skin
  • Brittle nails
  • Constipation
  • Change in menstrual cycle
  • Slower heart rate
  • Feeling cold or having chills
  • Hair loss
  • Numbness or tingling in hands

How Do I Approach My Provider?

An inability to lose weight or unexplained weight gain doesn’t usually trigger a provider to test for thyroid problems right off the bat. If you’re experiencing any of these other symptoms, however, your provider should request a simple blood test to check your thyroid function. Make a note of which of these symptoms you’ve experienced and how often in the past month you’ve experienced them. Use this information to talk to your doctor. If you do not have any other symptoms but you are not losing weight even after increased exercise and dieting, it’s still time to discuss the problem with your provider. While your thyroid may not be the culprit, you may have another health problem that is.

What now?

If thyroid disease is preventing weight loss, your doctor may prescribe medications that will make you feel better and may make losing the weight easier. Some research shows patients with hypothyroidism have to exercise more in order to burn the calories needed to lose weight. In addition to taking medication, your provider may suggest working with a nutritionist or health coach to help you determine the right combination of food and exercise to help you lose weight.

Before starting any new diet or exercise routine, schedule a physical with your provider. If you want to lose weight in 2019, let our providers help you reach those goals and improve your health.

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Confused About Meal Planning?

January 15, 2019 By Leave a Comment

meal planning calendar

If the term “meal planning” conjures images of hours spent chopping, prepping and packing meals for your week, you aren’t alone. Just the idea of planning out what you’ll eat for a whole week (let alone an entire month) can feel overwhelming. What if you don’t really want grilled chicken (again) on Tuesday? Or what if you forget to thaw the ground beef for tacos?

For anyone interested in eating healthier and especially for people with diabetes, high blood pressure or other chronic conditions, it’s important to have some idea of what you’ll eat for each meal of your day so you don’t end up eating another bowl of sugary cereal because you didn’t have something to eat in the house. It doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t change your mind.

Meal planning is as much about what’s on your plate as it is making sure you have the right ingredients and plenty of time to cook it. Try implementing just one of these tips to make your meal planning easier.

Look at Your Calendar First

Some nights lend themselves to cooking more than other nights. If you know you’ll be home later one night, plan for a quick meal or leftovers. Plan to eat out one night? Check out the restaurant’s menu online and choose your meal based on your dietary needs. Take into consideration who will eat with you each night and their preferences as well.

Choose Your Meals

Most of us have a few go-to meals. If yours don’t meet the guidelines for your specific diet, look at ways to rework the recipe or search for similar recipes online. For instance, bake or grill those chicken strips instead of frying them. Use ground turkey meat in your chili for a lower-fat recipe. Substitute a baked sweet potato with a small amount of butter or margarine for a white potato.

Don’t forget your side items. In addition to a plate that includes ¼ protein and ¼ carbohydrates, you’ll need to fill ½ of your plate with vegetables.

If you can bring foods from home for lunch, try cooking more of your recipe to ensure leftovers and make creating a healthy lunch plate easier than ever. For breakfast, prepare your meal ahead of time or consider a healthy breakfast protein shake to consume the nutrients you need in a timeframe that doesn’t require waking up an hour early.

Create a Shopping List

The key to successful meal planning is making it easy to follow. If you already have all the ingredients you need for a healthy meal, you’re more likely to cook what you planned. That means grocery shopping with a list of what you’ll need for each recipe you chose above. Lucky for you, many stores like Kroger and some Walmart stores offer online orders for groceries. You can put all your items into your online cart, check out and pick up your groceries ready to go.

Finally, Be Flexible

Keep a few quick meal ideas in your freezer or pantry for those nights when nothing seems to go right. A can of tuna or shredded chicken combined with raw baby carrots or celery sticks and a few crackers can fill the gap for the big meal that didn’t happen because your oven element burned out.

If you need help with exactly what types of foods to put on your plate, check out these diabetes-friendly recipes and make an appointment with one of our providers to discuss your diet and whether or not a nutritionist could help.

 

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Diabetes and Your Vision: Risks, Symptoms, and Treatment

January 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment

diabetes and your vision

We’ve talked a lot about diabetes effects on a patient’s feet, but did you know diabetes also affects your vision? Diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in patients ages 20-74. Don’t panic just yet. With yearly eye exams and control of your blood sugar, you can decrease your risks and improve outcomes.

Am I at risk?

Uncontrolled blood sugar increases your risks of developing diabetic related eye disease, but it’s not the only factor. Blood pressure levels, your genes and how long you’ve had diabetes also affect whether or not you’ll suffer eye-related complications. While you may not be able to change how long you’ve had the disease you can manage your blood sugar which decreases your risk.

What are the symptoms?

Vision problems related to diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, a general term used for diabetic conditions to the retina, as well as increased risk of glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma may not exhibit any symptoms until the disease has progressed, which makes seeing your eye doctor regularly more important than ever.

If you experience these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor, even if it’s not time for your regular appointment.

  • Blurred vision
  • Headaches
  • Eye aches or pain
  • Watery eyes
  • Halos around light
  • Vision loss

What is the treatment?

Treatment depends on the type of eye disease with which you are diagnosed. The earlier you are diagnosed and begin treatment, the more likely you are to see improvement or to slow the progression of the disease.

Glaucoma treatment often involves medication and sometimes surgery. Patients with mild cataracts may be able to treat the symptoms by wearing sunglasses while more advanced cases may require surgery to replace the lens. Diabetic retinopathy may be treated with medication or target laser therapy.

Diabetes affects your entire body, from head to toe. For the healthiest quality of life work with your provider to manage your blood sugar. Each month our clinic offers a Diabetes Class to help you better understand how to manage your diabetes. You don’t have to be a diabetic or one of our patients to attend. Join us each month to learn more to improve your quality of life or the quality of life of someone you love who suffers from diabetes.

 

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How Selma Blair’s Symptoms of MS Went Undiagnosed for 15 Years

December 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment

In October, Selma Blair, known best for her roles in Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde, shared shocking news about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis on Instagram.

“I have had symptoms for years but was never taken seriously until I fell down in front of him [Dr. Jason Berkley) trying to sort out what I thought was a pinched nerve,” she wrote. “I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least. And I am relieved to at least know.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpKjP_7FnWQ/?utm_source=ig_embed

How do symptoms of a neurological disease go masked for fifteen years?  

Symptoms of MS mimic those of other, often benign illnesses. In Blair’s case, she mistakenly thought she suffered from a pinched nerve. Symptoms often disappear after a few weeks without treatment leading a patient to believe the problem has resolved itself and delaying treatment.

No one test definitively diagnoses MS. A provider must first rule out other illnesses and often conducts an MRI of the brain to look for lesions on the brain or damage to the spinal cord.

What are the symptoms of MS?

The most common symptoms of MS include:

  • Blurred or double-vision
  • Pain and loss of vision
  • Difficulty walking
  • Prickling or “pins and needles” sensation, numbness or pain

Less known symptoms of MS include:

  • Muscle weakness in arms and legs
  • Poor coordination
  • Muscle stiffness and spasms
  • Loss of sensation
  • Speech impediments
  • Tremor
  • Dizziness
  • Hearing loss
  • Concentration problems
  • Difficulty paying attention
  • Memory lapses
  • Poor judgment

Who’s at risk for MS?

Women experience higher rates of MS diagnosis than men and Caucasians of northern European ancestry are more likely than other ethnic groups to suffer from MS, although MS occurs in most ethnic groups. People in tropical climates are less likely to suffer from MS than people from more temperate climates. Researchers believe that’s because people who live the first 15 years of their lives in tropical climates have higher levels of vitamin D. While all these categories may increase the risk of developing MS, the disease may be developed by anyone.

What should I do if I have these symptoms?

Selma Blair’s break occurred when a friend insisted she see a doctor for her symptoms. If you’ve had the symptoms listed above off and on for more than a few months, it’s time to call your provider. Women’s Health breaks down these symptoms into more concrete terms and when it’s time to sound the alarms. Keep track of your symptoms and share them with your provider. Don’t be discouraged if your provider rules out other illnesses first. Your provider doesn’t take this diagnosis lightly. Testing for other illnesses is the first step to finding the correct diagnosis and treatment so you feel like you again.

Our providers are ready to talk to you about any medical symptoms you’re experiencing. You can request an appointment through our website or by calling our clinic at (662)-282-4226.

 

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I don’t understand what my provider said, but I’m afraid to tell them

December 19, 2018 By Leave a Comment

I don't know what my provider said

Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment more confused about your health than when you arrived? Maybe your provider prescribed a new medication or diagnosed you with an illness whose name is so long you can’t quite remember how it went. Either way, you are not alone. Nine out of ten patients across the nation have trouble remembering and understanding what their provider said. Even highly educated patients suffer from a lack of understanding about medical terms especially when they are under extreme stress or not feeling well.

Not understanding how to take your medication, how to care for an illness at home or when you should go back to the doctor can lead to serious complications and even death. If it’s so important to understand what your medical condition, what can patients do to make sure they fully understand what their doctor said?

Repeat it back

New guidelines suggest providers ask patients to repeat back in their own words what the provider said. If your doctor or nurse practitioner does not ask you to repeat their instructions back, you can offer it yourself. Simply start with, “You’ve given me a lot of information, here’s what I heard, is that right?” Then repeat back what your provider said.

Take someone with you

When your provider prescribes diagnoses an illness, it’s often hard to remember all the information when you get home. Ask a friend or relative to join you for the appointment. They might take notes or ask questions you can’t think to ask.

Ask questions

Sometimes it’s hard to remember all the questions you want to ask when you’re sitting in the crosshairs of your provider’s stare, even if they have the best bedside manner. Write a list of questions you want to ask prior to your appointment. The National Patient Safety Foundation suggests starting with these three questions:

  • What is my main problem?
  • What do I need to do?
  • What is it important that I do this?

If your provider adds a medication, always ask “should I continue taking all my current medications as well?”

Record the conversation

Most clinics have notices prohibiting the use of cell phones to record or take pictures in their building. These rules are based on HIPAA to keep other patients’ information safe. Ask your provider if you can record your conversation in case you can’t remember what they said when you get home. If you are comfortable writing notes, keep a notebook strictly for medical visits. Ask your provider to spell any conditions with which you are unfamiliar.

Know your history

Either write down a list of medications you take or take a picture of the label with your cell phone. They will ask for an update of medications at the beginning of the appointment. Also, list any major illnesses or surgeries you have had or major illnesses of your parents. If the patient is a child, list any illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer or heart disease in the child’s mother or father. Bringing this list to the appointment with you saves you time when filling out forms and helps the doctor to have a complete record of the patient’s medical history.

Healthcare has changed over the last two decades. Providers have less time to spend with individual patients and patients have more access to information via the internet than ever before. Admitting you don’t understand what a provider said can be intimidating. Don’t be embarrassed. You are among the majority.

Clearing up misunderstandings will give you confidence when you need to make a medical decision and it’s shown to lead to healthier lifestyles. Start taking control of your health by ensuring you understand what your doctor said.

 

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If you can relate to Demi Lovato’s relapse

December 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Demi Lovato drug relapse

Photo Credit Flickr @jus10h

Most of us met Demi Lovato as the fresh-faced female star of Disney’s Camp Rock and then Sonny with a Chance. She was in her early teens at that time with a bright future ahead of her. In her memoir, she admits to experimenting with cocaine for the first time when she was 17 and from there, her life spiraled out of control. She entered rehab for the first time at 18 but relapsed shortly afterward. She committed to rehab a second time and celebrated 6 years of sobriety in March of this year.

In June, Demi Lovato released a single Sober, which indicated she had relapsed and then overdosed in July. She talked openly about her relapse on Instagram in a post that has since been removed.

Addiction and Mental Illness

Drug addiction and relapse after years of sobriety aren’t limited to the rich and famous. In 2014, 21.5 American adults suffered from a substance abuse disorder. Eight million Americans suffered from a combination of mental health disorders and substance abuse. Lovato includes herself in those numbers and has openly discussed her bipolar disorder and eating disorders. Addiction recovery isn’t just about clearing the drugs from a person’s system. It’s about treating the whole person, including underlying mental illnesses.

Drugs, especially opioids, change the way an addicted person’s brain functions. Their ability to control cravings and other behaviors remained unstable even after completing a recovery program. Statistics show 85% of people who complete recovery will relapse within the first year.

Recovery, like treatment for other chronic illnesses, requires a lifestyle change. And like other chronic illnesses, lifestyle changes are hard to implement, but it doesn’t mean a person with an opioid or other drug addiction should stop trying. Instead, relapse should be viewed as part of the process of recovery not a failure of the person or the treatment.

Relapse may be the most dangerous time in the recovery process. If an addicted person resumes taking drugs at the same dosage they used prior to recovery, they are more likely to overdose because their body isn’t as immune to the effects of the drug as before. It’s important for friends and family members of a recovering person to watch for signs of a potential relapse and to encourage the person not to give up but to seek help from their doctor or therapist.

Signs of an impending relapse may include:

  • Isolation
  • Denial
  • Poor eating and sleeping habits
  • Not taking care of oneself
  • Skipping treatments or support meetings
  • Lying
  • Thinking about past drug use
  • Drug cravings
  • Reconnecting with people and places associated with past drug use

If you or someone you know has experienced a relapse, do not label yourself or your loved one as a failure. Instead, find the support you need through your medical provider, past treatment centers or a mental health professional. If you need someone to walk you through the recovery process for the first time or not the first time, reach out to our behavioral health team at 662-282-4359 for an appointment.

 

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Finding and Educating Your Diabetes Support Team

December 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment

diabetes support team

Telling your family and friends about your diabetes may be the next hardest hurdle you’ll face after receiving your diabetes diagnosis. But one of the best predictors of how a person manages their diabetes is the amount of support they receive from friends and family. While you may not want to start out your next family get together with a big diabetes announcement, it’s helpful for those close to you to know and understand what’s happening with your health.

When you’re reeling from the diagnosis yourself, it’s hard to know how to help your family create the support team you need and they want to be. Start here as you discuss your diagnosis with your diabetes support team.

Education

You’re still learning about diabetes yourself, so don’t feel like you have to be the source of education for everyone. Point them toward resources like our blog on diabetes, our monthly classes, or the American Diabetes Association website.

As your discussions evolve, decide how involved you want your diabetes support team to be in your diabetes management. Do you appreciate someone reminding you to check your blood sugar or does it make you angry? Your family won’t know where your boundaries lie unless you tell them.

As part of your own education and the education of your family members, remember diabetes is different for everyone. Some patients struggle to manage their blood sugar numbers no matter how well they eat or exercise. You may just have bad days and blame from yourself or others won’t help, a hug or phone call just to chat might though.

Lifestyle Changes

In addition to learning about diabetes, your friends and family, as your diabetes support team, can support the lifestyle changes you make by adopting some of those themselves. If you’re working to add exercise into your routine, ask your family to join you. Encourage those eating with you to also eat from the healthier diet you’re now following. Everyone can benefit from increased exercise and a better diet.

Find a Friend

As supportive and loving as your family may be, you’ll want to connect with others who also have diabetes. Our monthly diabetes education class allows you to meet others in North Mississippi who also struggle with diabetes. If you don’t live near enough to join our class, search your local area for a diabetes support group. Facebook also hosts a number of diabetes support groups online where you can find others who understand your questions and daily work to keep your blood sugar under control.

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Fast Facts about 2019 Nutrition Label Changes

November 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment

If you’re a nutrition label reader (and we hope you are), you’ve probably already noticed some changes in the way those labels look.  In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration announced required changes to the nutrition labels on food products. The rule was originally set to go into effect this past July for large food producers and next July (2019) for smaller producers. This summer the FDA pushed those deadlines out giving both an extra year and a half to make changes to their nutrition labels.

For consumers, it means we’ll see more of the new labels as the deadlines loom. But how do those changes affect your eating habits and conditions like diabetes?

nutrition labels

Servings

Have you ever read the suggested serving size for a bowl of cereal and then measured it out? Didn’t fill up your bowl as much as you’d like, did it? The FDA discovered many suggested servings were not what a typical American actually eats. In the latest nutrition label update, food producers are including serving sizes more in line with typical American consumption. That means the calories per serving on some of your favorite foods may go up due to a larger expected serving size.

Calories

No more having to hunt around for your reading glasses to figure out how many calories are in your salad dressing. On the new labels, calories receive a larger and bolder font!

Fats

Avocado, fish and nut lovers rejoice! Calories from fats have been removed from nutrition labels because we’ve discovered it’s more about the kind of fat in a food than how much. It’s still important to pay attention to the amount and kind of fats in the foods you eat, but that information is readily available on a line all by itself.

Sugars

Not all sugars are created equal. Fruits and vegetables with naturally occurring sugars also come with the benefits of fiber and protein. The sugar everyone needs to reduce is added sugar, which now has its own line. Under Total Carbohydrates, you’ll now find Total Sugars and Added Sugars lines. This designation allows all consumers to make better choices between products with a lot of added sugar and those with very little.

Nutrients

Current nutrition labels list the amount of vitamins A and C in a product. Deficiencies in those vitamins are rare these days, which renders that information much less important than information about vitamin D and Potassium, two vitamins of which Americans often do not get enough. Calcium and Iron numbers will remain alongside the new vitamin D and Potassium in an actual amount and percentage of daily recommended value.

If you’re having trouble reading labels to manage your nutrition for diabetes or other chronic health conditions, contact our providers to discuss ways to better manage your diet and improve your health.

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Diabetes Education Round-Up

November 21, 2018 By Leave a Comment

diabetes education

When you’re first diagnosed with diabetes, the news often comes as a shock. Even for patients whose family members have had diabetes, adjusting to a new lifestyle takes time and some research. Over the last year, we’ve answered many of your questions and provided a lot of diabetes education through articles on our website. To make it easier to find, we’ve compiled all these articles in one location. Feel free to bookmark this page. We’ll add links to new articles as we write them. If you have questions we haven’t answered here, leave us a note in the comments, ask one of our providers or comment on Facebook. We’d love to write more articles based on your questions.

Need information about diabetes? Start here:

How Your Provider Diagnoses Diabetes

Five Diabetes Symptoms You Can’t Ignore

What is Prediabetes?

How to Protect Your Feet with Diabetes

Six Ways to Manage Your Diabetes at Work

Best Breakfast Ideas for Diabetics

Sick Day Guidelines for People with Diabetes

Finding and Educating Your Diabetes Support Team

Diabetes and Your Vision: Risks, Symptoms, and Treatment

Diabetes and Heart Disease: A Deadly Duo

True Cost of Diabetes Reaches Beyond the Patient

Diabetes and Gastroparesis

Disaster Preparedness for Diabetes and Chronic Illness

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What is COPD?

November 14, 2018 By Leave a Comment

COPD

Most of us have experienced bronchitis or flu that caused constant coughing for days or even weeks. What if that cough lasted for months or even years? Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) experience long-term coughing, wheezing, mucus production, difficulty breathing. COPD is an umbrella term for chronic lung disease which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Most COPD patients in the United States and other developed countries are diagnosed after years of smoking cigarettes. Smokers of cigars and marijuana, as well as those exposed to second-hand smoke, are also at risk of developing COPD. Exposure to chemical lung irritants in the workplace or to cooking in the home with organic cooking oil most often seen in under-developed countries may also develop COPD.

Emphysema

Patients with emphysema experience damage to the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. These sacs stretch out of shape which prevents your lungs from expelling all the carbon dioxide from the lungs and leaves less room for fresh oxygen to fill the lungs.

Chronic Bronchitis

When the tiny, hair-like structures (cilia) inside your lungs airways become damaged, they can no longer perform their duties to clean your airways. This damage may cause swelling in the airways which limits how much oxygen can enter the airways.

Refractory (non-reversible) Asthma

Asthma causes bronchial airways to swell and tighten, reducing the amount of air allowed into the lungs. In normal asthma, medications can reverse this swelling and tightening. In refractory asthma, normal asthma medications can not reverse the effects of an asthma attack.

By the time a patient experiences symptoms of COPD, the disease has progressed for a long time. Most COPD patients are over the age of 40 due to the long-term exposure to irritants required to develop the disease. Symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities
  • Wheezing
  • Chest tightness
  • Having to clear your throat first thing in the morning, due to excess mucus in your lungs
  • A chronic cough that may produce mucus (sputum) that may be clear, white, yellow or greenish
  • Blueness of the lips or fingernail beds (cyanosis)
  • Frequent respiratory infections
  • Lack of energy
  • Unintended weight loss (in later stages)
  • Swelling in ankles, feet or legs

If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms over multiple weeks, its time to contact your doctor. While you may not have COPD, the presence of these symptoms on a consistent or recurring basis point to a medical problem which requires the assistance of your medical provider. If you’ve been diagnosed with COPD and do not have a regular, general practitioner to help you manage your disease alongside your pulmonologist, call our office today at 662-282-4226 to schedule an appointment with one of our providers

One final word. While COPD has no cure, it is easy to prevent. If you smoke, stop. If you need help quitting smoking, you aren’t alone. Let our providers help you find a cessation program that works for you.

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