Women and Their Lazy-Arse Thyroids

Have you been noticing some FUN symptoms such as your energy plummeting, digestion becoming sluggish (and your daily ..ahem...B.M. not quite so daily) as well as slowly gaining extra pounds? If your answer is, yes..

We, ladies, sure have many balls to juggle when it comes to our health. One, which often goes unnoticed, is subtle changes in thyroid gland activity. This illusive gland located at the base of your neck holds a lot of power over your energy, moods, fertility, weight and even keeping your hair. It often is hard to decipher the cause of low energy, poor digestion and thinning eyebrows right away so you often just shrug your shoulders and say, I must just be stressed, not getting enough sleep or this must be part of aging. Though one or all of these may be true and partly responsible for the changes you've noticed, it might be worth considering that women are 10 times more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism (low thyroid activity). A lot of doctors (particularly those that treat holistically) are finding that an increasing number of women as young as early 20s are complaining of symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. Blood tests show that most of these patients have thyroid level falling in the bottom end of the 'normal' range. The medical community calls this 'subclinical hypothyroidism'. I prefer to call it Lazy-Arse Thyroidism!

If you are suffering from the following SUPER FUN symptoms of Lazy-Arse Thyroidism...

1. Wanting to sink under your duvet for most of the day instead of facing the world

2. Are finding yourself in an abusive, love-hate relationship with carbohydrates consisting of energy boosts alternating with crashes

3. Finding tumbleweeds of your gorgeous locks blowing across your floor (and then desperately trying to glue them to your eyebrows)

4. Find that you're going longer between bowel movements than ‘normal’

5. Are unsuccessful in getting pregnant or have recently had a baby and are now experiencing the above symptoms

...you may want to consider asking your doctor for a full thyroid panel and make sure you go to your appointment with a written list of even your most subtle symptoms.

Though, there are natural approaches you can take to managing this sensitive gland but you might possibly need a prescription. The bottom line is that balancing your thyroid can make a huge difference in how you feel about yourself and the outside world.

More to come - natural ways to boost thyroid production.

Butts a Droopin'

So, I figured I would start off with my blog posts talking about ‘butts’. I am not talking about a hot guys rear-end ladies. I am talking about yours…….which is probably dropping towards the floor as you read this entry!! That’s right. Unless you are actively working your derrière at least a few times a week or you were blessed with fantastic genes (that’s ‘genes’, not ‘jeans’) you are suffering from Gravity Drooping Syndrome. I know…..No good. No bueno. That sucks. And, boo!

Why is this happening?? Well, we gals are naturally dominant in our quadriceps; meaning that we will use the front of our legs before we will use our glutes and hamstrings. The reason you had that great looking tushy when you were younger was because you climbed jungle gyms and did cartwheels and actually chased boys across the playground! Unless you plan to take up recess again and dust off the ole’ kickball and work on your agility 5 days a week then I recommend the following exercise at least 4 days a week for the next 3 weeks to help boost your behind.

Maybe after you have defied gravity you can go reward yourself with a new pair of those expensive designer jeans to show those bummer (pun fully intended) genes who’s boss!!

Plie Squats

Start standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width (about 3 to 4 feet apart) and toes turned out. Tuck your tailbone under and squat down with a flat back as if you are sliding your back down a wall. As you squat, pull your knees back so they bend over your ankles (but not over your toes!). Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, press back up to standing by pressing through your heels and squeeze your inner thighs and glutes as your legs straighten. Do 20 reps inhaling as you lower down into the squat and exhaling as you press back to standing.

Then, lift one heel off the floor and keep it raised as you do 20 more reps and then switch sides.

Finish, by keeping both heels on the floor, sinking in to a deep plie squat (thighs parallel to floor) and pulse low for 20 counts.

Note: If you feel this more in the front of your legs than in your rear-end put more weight in your heels so it targets your gluteals and upper inner thighs.