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Thermography: The Benefits of Thermography Imaging for Thyroid Disorders

17th January 2021 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

What is thermography?

Thermography is also known as Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging. It measures the infrared waves (heat) emitted by your body and translate it into thermal images. Thermography detects areas of localized, increased temperature, which usually correlates with inflammation or tissue abnormalities. Those areas can be viewed as “hot spots” of existing or potential problems. To put it simply, if an area of your body starts to get “hot”, it’s going to do so at a very early stage in the disease or injury process. This gives you an early warning and head-start to further investigate changes in your body and eliminate the sources of inflammation.

Since there is a high degree of thermal symmetry in the normal body, subtle abnormal temperature asymmetries can be easily identified. In healthy people there is a symmetrical thermal pattern that is consistent and reproducible for that individual. Thermography measures temperature and compares symmetry or asymmetry as it pertains to the right and left side of the body. Injury or disease will result in thermal asymmetries.

Thermography has been in use for years

You may be wondering why you have never heard of thermography. Thermography has a long history. Breast thermography was discovered in 1956 in Montreal, Canada and rapidly became popular throughout the world. It was FDA cleared and then certified by the American Medical Association as an adjunctive screening procedure for breast cancer in 1982. Recent advancements in technology have allowed us to perform even more accurate exams. A 2008 study published in The American Journal of Surgery, performed at New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell, showed a 97% sensitivity in discriminating breast cancer compared to biopsy.

Although medical thermography has been around for several decades, it is only now gaining and credit it deserves from the medical establishment. However, more and more patients are becoming aware of this amazing technology – with no radiation, no pain, and no body contact – and it’s not unusual that the patient is the one who ends up informing their physician about thermography.

Inflammation is the root of most – or even all – chronic diseases

In addition to an optimal diet, keeping the bodys flow systems functioning is the key to reducing inflammation and disease in our bodys ecosystem. If our flow systems are stagnant, we will be holding on to “pond” water – microbial and metabolic waste overgrowth. Movement will keep our systems flowing and breakdown all of our body’s chemical reactions whether it be nutrients, hormones, microbes, or metabolic wastes (just to name a few). The terrain of our body requires motion and flow- just like the ecosystem of our earth. Stagnation equals overgrowth of pond water which equals inflammation which equals the onset of disease.

What does thermography have to do with your thyroid?

Many times thyroid issues will link back to poor digestion based on the chemistry of HCL (stomach acid) and digestive enzymes. Another consideration, which is rarely mentioned, is blockage or slow moving flow systems due to muscular spasms/tension patterns in the head, neck, and shoulders. Muscular tension is pressure that can slow down lymphatic flow, circulation, and nerve messaging. All of which are important and necessary for the thyroid and everything else in the head and neck and below. Many times Thermography will show an enlarged thyroid or nodules before any blood test will have hormonal markers. So often one body part is targeted as an issue when actually, assessing the flow systems is the best way to open the entire body up for cleansing, support, and healing.

Lymphatic flow drains our toxins and wastes. Blood carries our nutrients and oxygen to the area as nerve flow sends messages. Imagine if your thyroid didn’t quite get the message from the nervous system to help it function optimally. It’s like a cellphone getting poor service. Keeping the head, neck, shoulders relaxed and moving is important as tension patterns will cause more than a tight feeling in your neck.

Restore your thyroid flow

Thermography as an assessment tool has been very rewarding for me personally and for my patients. As an advocate for self-care I am always very pleased to see the differences in the thermal imaging reports once the baseline is completed. It has proven that taking the time to care for yourself is a major benefit for overall health. This is one of the major benefits of thermography- seeing the inflammatory pathways and the response your body has to self-care.

For more information on Thyroid assessment using Thermography and Full Thyroid Screening Blood Test including : Anti Thyroglobulin Abs, Anti Thyroperoxidase (TPO) Abs, Free T3 Free T4 ratio, Reverse T3, Total T3, Total T4. TSH contatc the clinic @ info@thermographyireland.ie or Ph: 086 1623683

What is Thermography?

10th January 2021 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

Thermography is a non-invasive, safe, technology that uses an infrared camera to capture pictures of the heat from the skin’s surface temperature without the use of radiation. The pictures help detect signs of injury or disease. It may also signal that injury or disease is at risk for developing in the future.

Benefits to Patients

Prevention and early detection! Thermography is an excellent risk assessment tool that is non-invasive. Thermography can detect areas concern of developing pathology.

Thermography is becoming a popular and appealing tool because of its safety and comfort. Thermography can also be used in younger women and those women with dense breast, which the mammogram has been shown to be less accurate.

Who should do Thermography?

Thermography is recommended to males and females of all ages. Having a follow up thermogram yearly after getting a baseline is strongly recommended as well as monthly self-breast exams. Picking up tissue changes when they begin allows you additional treatment time before the changes become problematic. Breast thermography is indicated regardless of age or breast size, who desire a painless and radiation-free risk assessment tool.

Thermogram vs. Mammogram

Breast thermography is a functional test, meaning it notes changes in breast tissue which may indicate abnormalities in cellular activity years before disease is present. In contrast, the mammogram is a structural test that must have a formed mass enough to be visualized. Like mammography and ultrasound, infrared imaging does not diagnose cancer, but merely indicates the presence of an abnormality. Only a tissue biopsy can actually diagnose cancer. The key benefit to thermography is that it can detect an abnormality far earlier, and may determine your risk for developing disease. If you have an abnormal thermogram, interventions can be taken immediately to prevent further growth and even normalize tissues.

The thermogram does not replace of the mammogram. If abnormalities are detected on the thermogram, further testing will be strongly recommended such as an ultra sound, then if necessary a mammogram.

Benefits of Thermography

The Human Body is Symmetrical, and our thermal patterns are consistent every time.

What is Thermography used for ?

Breast cancer risk assessment.
Detecting effects of estrogen on the breasts.
Helping determine the cause of pain in the body.
Assessing risk for sports injury.
Visualizing circulation to the head or extremities.
Visualizing spinal nerve function to the extremities.
Detecting occult dental infection.
Detecting subclinical thyroid conditions.
Skin cancer risk assessment

HOW BLOOD SUGAR AFFECTS YOUR HORMONE LEVELS

29th November 2020 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

The terms “glycemic index”, “blood sugar imbalance” and “insulin resistance” are often thrown around on the internet, but what the heck do they actually mean? And furthermore, how do they impact my period, hormones and fertility?

I see this question a lot.

The answer depends on a number of factors: Diet, lifestyle, where you live, your relationships, etc etc etc.

The one thing that I have had incredible success with for my clients is blood sugar regulation.

What Is Blood Sugar Regulation?

Blood sugar regulation is the same as blood sugar balancing. It means eating in a way that allows you to step off the blood sugar roller coaster (where your blood sugar and insulin spikes and crashes continuously), and onto a level playing field where your blood sugar and insulin stay stable (at least most of the time).

Symptoms of Unbalanced Blood Sugar

Crazy energy highs and crashes
Sugar & caffeine cravings
Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep
Trouble waking up in the morning
Moodiness – you’re happy one moment then melting down for no apparent reason
Anxiety or panic

Symptoms of Balanced Blood Sugar

Consistent energy throughout the day
Minimal to no cravings for the “sugar”
Ability to fall asleep and actually stay asleep
Wake up with energy for the day ahead
Stable moods
Less or no physical pain – especially period cramps

To address the issues above it is important to balance blood sugar

How Does Blood Sugar Affect Our Hormones?

It all starts with eating foods that cause a big fat spike in your blood sugar. Y’all know the culprits but here they are again – all kinds of sugary treats), bread, pasta, and even some high sugar fruit like mango and pineapple.

Your blood sugar goes up and your pancreas responds by releasing insulin to move that sugar into your cells so you have energy to do all you do.

A consistent excess of insulin in your body is where the problems begin. Insulin is a powerful hormone that’s not to be messed with, and if it is out of whack, other hormones will be out of whack too.

When insulin levels go up, so do cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. Cortisol competes with progesterone for the same receptors. Unfortunately cortisol always wins this fight. So, progesterone often goes down, eventually leaving you in a state of progesterone deficiency or estrogen dominance – think PMS, PCOS, Endometriosis, Fibroids, heavy and painful periods, migraines, depression, anxiety, acne…and the list goes on.

As if that’s not bad enough, there are insulin receptors on the ovaries so excess insulin causes the ovaries to produce more testosterone rather than the normal estradiol and estrone they usually make.

This excess testosterone can cause your ovaries to malfunction, which can lead to sporadic ovulation or lack of ovulation. Think PCOS and all the symptoms that come with it, irregular periods, and Amenorrhea (no period for three or more months).

High insulin also lowers Sex Hormone Binding Globulin. SHBG binds up testosterone so that it’s not all available at once. When SHBG goes down, it allows more free testosterone into the bloodstream and this can trigger even more issues.

So as you can see, just about every cell in your body is affected by too much insulin. This link between too much insulin and your sex hormones, is why hormonal imbalances always improve when you eat to stabilize your blood sugar.

If you want to test your hormone levels, my go-to test is a HTMA, coupled with a specific blood test.

By the way, it’s not just your hormones, but your overall health too!

Research suggests that your immune system is depressed for a full 5 hours after consumption of refined sugar. I used to wonder why I was sick all the time – eventually I figured out my diet had something to do with it!

Eating to stabilize your blood sugar is the #1 step to balancing your hormones naturally

Eating to stabilize your blood sugar is where it’s at and if you’re ready to start feeling good in your body again, then I recommend you considerthe following steps each morning to set you up for balanced blood sugar throughout the day.

Easy Steps To Balance Your Blood Sugar

Morning:

Wake up –

Do drink 8-10oz of water (preferably filtered). You can squeeze some fresh lemon juice into it if you want.
Don’t drink caffeine before breakfast!

Within 60 minutes of waking up –

Do eat a protein-rich breakfast to set you up for stable blood sugar throughout the day. Think eggs, greens, chicken sausage, sweet potatoes, oatmeal with nuts and seeds, a smoothie with protein powder and healthy fats (avocado, coconut butter).
Don’t eat high-carb foods like bagels, bread, cereal or anything sugary, including juice.

Other helpful tips:

Make sure you include protein, complex carbs, healthy fats and fiber in each meal you consume.

Eat in a calm environment – sit down and chew your food well

You should feel full and satisfied for about 4-6 hours after you’ve eaten.

If you feel hungry sooner, then have a small snack immediately to avoid any blood sugar crashes.

You should not crave sweets or sugar after you have eaten and you should feel energized, not tired.

With a HTMA & blood test we’ll assess how your body is handling blood sugar at a cellular level and also your hormones, inflammatory process and it’s root cause.

For more information contact me at the clinic @ 086 1623683 or by email info@thermographyireland.ie

Menopause – The Natural Approach

22nd November 2020 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

Menopause can be a difficult phase in life. Symptoms of hot flushes, sleeplessness, weight gain, irritability, aches and pains, itching skin and reduced libido are a few of the challenges women have to face.

You certainly are not alone – with 85% of women reporting symptoms associated with menopause. Menopause is a natural process and yet it is treated as a disease… hence women struggle to find effective treatments.

‘The secret to managing menopause effectively in the short and long term, is to support the body through its natural process’

What is the natural process of menopause?

As women approach menopause, their natural production of progesterone and oestrogen from the ovaries reduces. A little known fact but a VERY important one is that the body shifts its hormone production from the ovaries to other areas of the body – primarily the adrenal glands, breast tissue, fat cells and even the brain.

The misconception is that menopausal and postmenopausal women produce very small amounts of oestrogen and zero progesterone. This is true, however, the body changes the forms of hormones produced. Estrodiol E2 drops, however Estrone E1 becomes the dominant form of oestrogen and the body becomes dependent on androgen conversion from the adrenals for hormone levels. Interestingly Chinese and Japanese women had the highest levels of a hormone called DHEAS during and post menopause.

This is very important to understand as the successful transition through menopause depends on stimulating the body’s own production of hormones, rather than providing external hormones which effectively prolongs the menopausal process.

Average age

The average age women enter menopause is 49 to 51 and is officially classified as one year without a menstrual cycle. This classification is erroneous, however, as the process of perimenopause and eventually menopause begins up to 5 years prior as cycles become erratic. Symptoms of menopause can begin well before the cessation of a cycle, with some women waiting to be officially diagnosed with menopause before seeking help.

The mistake here, again is putting a disease label on a natural process. It is a process and part of a woman’s reproductive journey. Support the process and women are able to successfully navigate this time of life and thrive.

Menopause is not a disease

Menopause is going to happen… it is inevitable and a fact of life. Classifying menopause as a disease is not only the wrong approach long term, but it creates a stigmatism for women that can impact in many areas of their personal, work and social lives.

How to manage Menopause Naturally

Menopause is NOT a disease and the successful navigation of menopause depends on supporting your body, not suppressing symptoms. Symptoms can be avoided and minimised when the body is given the right tools and environment to thrive. Because every woman will have their own unique experience with menopause. The best approach is a holistic one. The more balanced your internal body biochemistry, the better your chance of avoiding the main symptoms associated with menopause. l use Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis coupled with a specific a blood test, to assess that biochemistry and look at: gut, liver function, blood sugar handling at a cellular level, and also assessing the thyroid and adrenal glands.

I will outline the generalized approach to managing menopause below.

Dietary and lifestyle factors

Caffeine is a well know stimulant of hot flashes. Too much caffeine(more than 1 cup per day) causes the adrenal glands to be overstimulated which has an adverse effect on producing your own hormones.

Common dietary triggers of hot flashes

2) Sugar

Sugar has many negative impacts for menopausal women. Apart from weight gain, sugar leads to a metabolic condition called insulin resistance. Research shows that when there is a higher serum glucose level due to insulin resistance hot flashes are more regular and intense.

3) Spicy foods

Spicy foods excite the receptors in the skin that normally respond to heat. The receptors, known as polymodal receptors, are a pain fibre. Spicy foods stimulate these receptors, which are already sensitive due to hot flushes.

4) Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is one of the most well documented and common triggers of menopausal symptoms. In Chinese medicine it is said that alcohol increases the heat in the liver. This heat rises and triggers hot flushes. What is actually happening is alcohol increases the heart rate and causes dilation in the skin blood vessels, which adds to the existing tendency of flushing during menopause.

5) Food intolerances

This is a lesser-known trigger, however, we commonly see women with food intolerances are more susceptible to hot flushes. Food intolerances, like alcohol cause an elevation in heart rate and a tendency towards reddening of the skin and flushing.

6) Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is so important. Purchase organic wholefoods where possible, include plenty of healthy fats & proteins, and only eat organic grass fed animal products. Food is our medicine, using foods, wholefood vitamins and minerals we can remineralise, rebalance and restore health.

Treatment Guidelines Summary

The real secret in managing menopause is to change your perception. Menopause is not a disease, it is a life process. Therefore everything you can do to improve your general health and wellbeing will result in a reduction in symptoms. Menopause is a normal process, however, the symptoms are not a certainty.

Natural medicines can be used as tools to accelerate the transitional process, and encourage the body to produce the necessary levels of hormones it needs for its wellbeing, and to avoid many of the symptoms commonly associated with menopause.

Consume a healthy organic wholefood diet, avoiding sugar, alcohol and caffeine specifically.

Exercise regularly to reduce hot flushes and improve mood and sleep.

Focus on a healthy sleep routine.

Implement stress management/release techniques regularly

Use natural medicines wisely to support your body to transition and produce its own hormone production.

Our protocol is used successfully by many women to manage their menopausal process. If you need additional guidance and support, l am available for advice – and even offer online consultations to develop your own bespoke management guideline.

Female Hormone Imbalance and Inflammation, is there a connection ?

8th November 2020 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

No matter her age, a woman’s hormones must work in harmony in order for her to have good health. If one hormone is out of balance, the harmony quickly goes awry. Female hormone imbalance symptoms will then make themselves known. The symptoms that come with this kind of imbalance can be very similar to those seen in adrenal fatigue.

It’s common for women’s hormones to fluctuate throughout their monthly cycle. Normally, this cycle will complete itself and hormone levels will return to normal. However, at other times female hormone imbalance symptoms may appear for a variety of reasons.

One of the most typical reasons for this kind of imbalance is menopause. Usually, women begin enduring menopause symptoms in their late 40s or early 50s. The most frequent kind of treatment for these symptoms is providing synthetic hormone replacement therapy to control the symptoms. Some women as young as 18 may need some kind of investigation, to establish the root cause and deal with female hormone imbalance.

Prescribing oral synthetic estrogen and progestin is the usual approach to treating these symptoms. However, there are alternative interventions that can be used and are better for the women in the long run.

Why not continue the traditional treatment with oral synthetic estrogen and progestin? Research has shown oral estrogen will often lead to increased inflammation and progestin often brings on atherosclerosis. So as well as relieving women of female hormone imbalance symptoms, these two hormones that are frequently prescribed together as treatment for hormonal imbalance can bring on unwanted results.

The increased inflammation brought on by the oral estrogen often used in traditional hormone replacement therapy can become a major problem. Chronic inflammation is seen more and more often in our stress-filled world already. This source of continuing stress leads to activation of the body’s natural stress responses, resulting in more stimulation of the body’s immune system. In addition, this prompts activation of the adrenal glands to secrete more cortisol to fight the stress effects.

Continuing stress can lead to the immune system getting out of control. Inflammation results again.

Inflammation, the Foundation of Chronic Disease

The specific connections between female hormone imbalance symptoms and related conditions aren’t clearly known. What is known is that the levels of chronic inflammation typically rise during and after menopause – when these changing levels are most frequent.

These hormonal changes that lead up to symptoms of menopause also add to the kind of weight gain that comes around the middle of the body. These kinds of fat cells create extra cytokines and C-reactive protein that increases inflammation.

This chronic inflammation also is affected by, and in turn affects the neuroendocrine system and oxidative stress.

Likewise, metabolic dysregulation seems to be one result of the stress we experience on a daily basis. This leads to increased inability to resolve inflammation, which leads to more aging. Aging then increases the risk of hormone imbalance. As inflammation becomes chronic, it activates the immune response – which then has a negative effect on tissue.

This chronic inflammation, an insidious symptom of imbalanced female hormones, may be the basis of all chronic illnesses. Autoimmune diseases fall into the category of chronic illnesses.

Living longer gives rise to an increase in autoimmune diseases. People are living longer – as shown by a 60 percent decrease in the death rate in the U.S. from 1935 to 2010. Currently, the National Institutes of Health report 23 million people living with these diseases. Other sources place the number at up to 50 million.

Many of these autoimmune diseases we don’t even have names for, but all of them begin with inflammation. The same inflammation that comes with imbalanced levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Increasing longevity means more years of living with the female hormone imbalance symptoms.. Work with a qualified practitioner to establish the Root Cause of your symptoms and restore health and balance. I use a HTMA (hair mineral tissue analysis) coupled with a blood test to establish the cause of the imbalance, which is resulting in symptoms.

Explore ways to be proactive & TAKE CHARGE of your breast health

5th November 2020 by Gretta Cullen Leave a Comment

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