The Thyroid Blog

Are You Gaining Weight Because of a Virus?

Scientists reported new evidence that infection with a common virus may be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic sweeping through the United States and other countries. In laboratory experiments they showed that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), long recognized as a cause of respiratory and eye infections in humans, transforms adult stem cells obtained from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells not exposed to the virus, in contrast, were unchanged.

Thyroid Guide to Hair Loss

Millions of Americans are suffering from hair loss due to undiagnosed thyroid disease. And thyroid patients with continuing hair loss problems need practical solutions to resolve their hair issues. This 100-page Guide, from the nation's leading thyroid patient advocate and best-selling author Mary Shomon, helps hair loss sufferers understand the problem, get proper thyroid diagnosis and treatment, and slow, stop or even reverse thyroid-related hair loss.

If you are losing hair and suspect it may be your thyroid, the guide will help you get properly diagnosed and treated. Thyroid patients suffering from continued hair loss will find that the guide offers many treatment approaches and options that can help you conquer this frustrating condition.

Learn more about the guide now, or download the PDF ebook from Lulu.com

Elevated Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity Linked to Preeclampsia

Women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy are more likely to develop certain dangerous autoantibodies than women with normal pregnancies, and these autoantibodies are still present two years after childbirth in about 20 percent of women who had the disorder, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh report in the March issue of Hypertension, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Also known as toxemia, preeclampsia affects some 5 percent of pregnancies and is a leading cause of maternal and fetal illness and death, particularly in developing nations. Signs include:

Anxiety Disorders Surprisingly Common Yet Often Untreated

A new study by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. reports that nearly 20 percent of patients seen by primary care physicians have at least one anxiety disorder. The study outlines the effectiveness of a new screening tool which can alert busy primary care physicians to those patients with one or more anxiety disorders. The study is published in the March 6, 2007 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD-7 Anxiety Scale

If you're interested in trying out the Generalized Anxiety Disorder / GAD-7 Anxiety Scale test yourself, here's the questionnaire that you can fill out, and take to your physician.

How to Get a Grip: Break Your Worst Habits

Everyone has habits that have the potential to control or disrupt our daily lives. From chronic tardiness and procrastination to more harmful habits related to food, money or sex, most of these behaviors can be traced to a negative emotion that leads to negative action and cycles back again.

The key to beating these behaviors starts with identifying the pattern you want to break, according to nationally known therapist Dr. Douglas Weiss. His newest book, "Get a Grip: How to Take Control of the Things That Are Controlling You" outlines how to easily identify, understand and overcome bad habits-permanently.

If there's a pattern in your life that you've promised to stop but haven't;

Lifestyle Changes Effective in Protecting Against Type II Diabetes

Changing to a healthier lifestyle appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, says a new British Medical Journal study.

Researchers from Leicester reviewed studies which measured the effects of different interventions – lifestyle, diabetes drug and anti-obesity drug – on people with impaired glucose tolerance.

They found that