Thanks to the great team effort and support of our patients, we have received another award in 2023:
TELEMEDICINE Thyroid Health Practice with a Functional Medicine Approach
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Contact : Voicemail: +44 1449 833 833 - email: support@countryhealth.co.uk
Thanks to the great team effort and support of our patients, we have received another award in 2023:
We no longer accept results from Inuvi Diagnostics / PURA for the preparation of our thyroid reports. We made a similar decision regarding Genova Diagnostics results a few years ago.
The Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards recognise small and medium-sized businesses that have proven to be the best in their market over the past 12 months.
For the last 16 years Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards have been running national and international awards under the Corporate Live Wire and LTG business platforms. In 2018 they introduced regional awards to recognise smaller, independent businesses that are extremely successful and hard working on a local level.
A panel of industry expert judges has reviewed our nomination together with publicly sourced information such as; reviews, testimonials, information provided on the company's website and social media platforms.
The result will be publicly announced in August with an official press release.
This is the only retrospective study reported to use long-term (mean 27 months) thyroid replacements with combination therapy and to compare between the two forms of therapy: synthetic and natural.
For patients undergoing either therapy, the study did not identify additional risks of atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular disease, or mortality in patients of all ages with hypothyroidism.
None of the patients who had abnormally low TSH or elevated FT3 or FT4 levels had hospitalizations for arrhythmias or thyrotoxicosis.
On the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-20 questionnaire, >92% answered feeling "excellent, very good, or good" when questioned about their health while undergoing thyroid replacement compared with levothyroxine alone.
Read the full article here.
Source:
Tariq A, Wert Y, Cheriyath P, Joshi R. Effects of Long-Term Combination LT4 and LT3 Therapy for Improving Hypothyroidism and Overall Quality of Life. South Med J. 2018 Jun;111(6):363-369. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000823. PMID: 29863229; PMCID: PMC5965938.
You can find a list of all the winners HERE.
Thank you to all our team and the support of our patients. We could not have achieved this without you!
As of 16.05.2023 we ended our co-operation with Medichecks.
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This is fantastic news for our practice and a well-deserved achievement for our hard work.
After a tough year (and more!), it is a testament to our perseverance and dedication to have triumphed despite the many difficulties and pressures brought on by the pandemic.
We are delighted to have been recognised for our contribution to the global healthcare community by Global Health & Pharma .
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Food intolerance testing with ImuPro has been very popular and we have now sold out our stock of test kits.
Due to Brexit, there is currently no possibility to reorder them.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the body and if you are feeling tired or weak it could be a sign you are deficient.
There are two types of vitamin B12 in the body, these are active B12 and inactive B12, both make up Total B12. The simple difference between the two forms is that active B12 is the form used by the body.
Active B12 is when B12 binds to transcobalamin protein (known as Holotranscobalamin or HoloCT) and is made available to cells for use in the body, hence being called active B12.
The most widely used B12 test on the NHS checks total levels of B12. Active B12 typically makes up 10% - 30% of the total B12 in the body, so being in the “normal,” range of the total B12 might hide a B12 deficiency. It’s the levels of active B12 you really need to be concerned with if you are worried about thyroid issues, fatigue or any other symptoms associated with a vitamin B12 deficiency.
The two main reasons to check your Vitamin B12 levels are:
Some of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
B12 as a key co-factor in metabolic methylation is involved in several vital biological processes. Therefore, the increase of food sources high in vitamin B12 (see picture) and supplementation - ideally with a methylated form of B12 - are important for rapid restoration of the B12 status, which is indicated by low serum levels.
High active B12 concentrations may be due to excessive levels of the vitamin, increased levels of its transport proteins [1] or related to autoimmune or haematological disorders [2].
High or supraphysiological serum B12 levels without supplementation have been associated with many health problems kidney failure, blood disorders, cancer, and liver or autoimmune diseases. [2,3] All conditions may show elevated concentrations of B12 transport proteins.
Elevated serum B12 levels may also be associated with a functional deficiency of the vitamin. Functional deficiency is caused by a failure of uptake into processing within the cells, Uptake can be reduced due to abnormal increases of B12-binding proteins or the formation of immunoglobulin-B12-complexes.It is unknown, whether B12 should be supplemented in these conditions.
Recent findings in diseases associated with oxidative stress have revealed that intracellular oxidative stress results in local functional B12 deficiency [4]. Treatment with glutathione and/or vitamin C, a key regenerator of intracellular glutathione, may provide therapeutic benefit.
As supraphysiological levels may serve as a new important diagnostic marker in serious conditions unrelated to the individual patient’s B12 status, further investigations to rule out an underlying health condition need to be initiated, if supplementing with glutathione and vitamin C fails to improve levels.
[1] Jeffery J, Millar H, Mackenzie P, Fahie-Wilson M, Hamilton M, Ayling RM. An IgG complexed form of vitamin B12 is a common cause of elevated serum concentrations. Clin Biochem 2010; 43:82–8.
[2] Remacha AF, Zapico E, Sarda MP, Rojas E, Simo M, Remacha J, et al. Immune complexes and persistent high levels of serum vitamin B12. Int J Lab Hematol 2014; 36:92–7.
[3] Andres E, Serraj K, Zhu J, Vermorken AJ. The pathophysiology of elevated vitamin B12 in clinical practice. QJM 2013; 106:505–15.
[4] Solomon LR. Functional cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency: role of advanced age and disorders associated with increased oxidative stress. Eur J Clin Nutr 2015; 69:687–92..
If a suspicion of thyroid disease arises for an undiagnosed patient, all elective dental treatment should be put on hold until a complete medical evaluation is performed.
Patients with history of thyroid diseases should be carefully evaluated to determine the level of medical management, and they should be treated in a way that limits stress and infection.
The common oral findings in hypothyroidism include the characteristic enlarged tongue, distortion of the sense of taste, delayed eruption of teeth, poor periodontal health, altered tooth morphology and delayed wound healing.
Before treating a patient who has a history of thyroid disease, the dentist should obtain the correct diagnosis and etiology for the thyroid disorder, as well as past medical complications and medical therapy.
Hemostasis - Patients with long standing hypothyroidism may have a decreased ability of small blood vessels to constrict when cut and may result in increased bleeding. Local pressure for an extended time will probably control the bleeding from the small vessels adequately.[10]
Susceptibility to infection - Patient with hypothyroidism may have delayed wound healing associated with an increased risk for infection because of the longer exposure of the unhealed tissue to pathogenic organisms. Hypothyroid patients are not considered to be immunocompromised.
Patients who have hypothyroidism are susceptible to cardiovascular disease from arteriosclerosis and elevated LDL.
Drug actions and interactions - Patients who have hypothyroidism are sensitive to central nervous system depressants and barbiturates, so these medications should be used sparingly.
It has been found that recent exposure to a surgical antiseptic that includes iodine (such as Povidone) can increase the risk of thyroiditis or hypothyroidism. Patients with underlying thyroid antibodies and a tendency toward autoimmunity appear to be at more risk.
Drug interactions of l-thyroxine include increased metabolism due to phenytoin, rifampicin and carbamazepine, as well as impaired absorption with iron sulfate, sucralfate and aluminum hydroxide.
When l-thyroxine is used, it increases the effects of warfarin sodium and, because of its gluconeogenic effects; the use of oral hypoglycemic agents must be increased. Concomitant use of tricyclic antidepressants elevates l-thyroxine levels. Appropriate coagulation tests should be available when the patient is taking an oral anticoagulant and thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
Emotional freedom technique (EFT or tapping) is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure.
Dr Frey took part in an intensive EFT course during his time in Switzerland and saw first hand impressive results of this technique. He has been recommending it to patients for several years.
This technique be especially useful for any emotional trauma you have experienced in the past, You might have put this trauma into a "drawer", never to be opened again.
Classical cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT pulls all these "drawers" open, puts the contents out and now you have to learn to "deal" with it. This in itself can be very traumatic.
EFT does not require you to disclose your trauma to the therapist. Instead, you deal with the "aftermath" of it, the feelings you have been left with, addressing them one layer at a time. And you can do this yourself, without a therapist!
According to its developer, Gary Craig, a disruption in energy is the cause of all negative emotions and pain.
EFT tapping has been used to treat people with anxiety and people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Similar to acupuncture, EFT focuses on the meridian points — or energy hot spots — to restore balance to your body’s energy. It’s believed that restoring this energy balance can relieve symptoms a negative experience or emotion may have caused.
Based on Chinese medicine, meridian points are thought of as areas of the body energy flows through. These pathways help balance energy flow to maintain your health. Any imbalance can influence disease or sickness.
Acupuncture uses needles to apply pressure to these energy points. EFT uses fingertip tapping to apply pressure.
EFT tapping can be divided into five steps. If you have more than one issue or fear, you can repeat this sequence to address it and reduce or eliminate the intensity of your negative feeling.
In order for this technique to be effective, you must first identify the issue or fear you have. This will be your focal point while you’re tapping. Focusing on only one problem at a time is purported to enhance your outcome.
After you identify your problem area, you need to set a benchmark level of intensity. The intensity level is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst or most difficult. The scale assesses the emotional or physical pain and discomfort you feel from your focal issue.
Establishing a benchmark helps you monitor your progress after performing a complete EFT sequence. If your initial intensity was 10 prior to tapping and ended at 5, you’d have accomplished a 50 percent improvement level.
Prior to tapping, you need to establish a phrase that explains what you’re trying to address. It must focus on two main goals:
The common setup phrase is: “Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.”
You can alter this phrase so that it fits your problem, but it must not address someone else’s. For example, you can’t say, “Even though my mother is sick, I deeply and completely accept myself.” You have to focus on how the problem makes you feel in order to relieve the distress it causes. It’s better to address this situation by saying, “Even though I’m sad my mother is sick, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
The EFT tapping sequence is the methodic tapping on the ends of nine meridian points.
There are 12 major meridians that mirror each side of the body and correspond to an internal organ. However, EFT mainly focuses on these nine:
Begin by tapping the karate chop point while simultaneously reciting your setup phrase three times. Then, tap each following point seven times, moving down the body in this ascending order:
After tapping the underarm point, finish the sequence at the top of the head point.
While tapping the ascending points, recite a reminder phrase to maintain focus on your problem area. If your setup phrase is, “Even though I’m sad my mother is sick, I deeply and completely accept myself,” your reminder phrase can be, “The sadness I feel that my mother is sick.” Recite this phrase at each tapping point. Repeat this sequence two or three times.
At the end of your sequence, rate your intensity level on a scale from 0 to 10. Compare your results with your initial intensity level. If you haven’t reached 0, repeat this process until you do.
Be open minded, give it a go - and start your journey to better health!
Every person will present with a different combination of symptoms. The severity of each person’s hypothyroidism will also determine the severity and number of symptoms they experience. Untreated hypothyroidism worsens with age with worsening symptoms.
Are you being treated with thyroid replacement medication but still suffering symptoms? You might need a "fine-tuning" of your treatment.
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Researchers wanted to find out, whether there is evidence that children of mothers with Hashimoto's have a higher risk of developing autism.
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired language, disrupted social interactions, and stereotyped behaviors and interests. Genetic factors are known to play a major role in autism.
The study found that the odds of autism were increased by nearly 80% among offspring of mothers who had elevated TPO antibodies during pregnancy, independent of the level of thyroid hormones.
If you plan to become pregnant, have your antibodies tested. Should they be elevated, you might want to get in touch with us to find out about our holistic root-cause approach to reduce antibodies.
After winning already in 2019, we entered this award for a second time - and are very excited that we won it again, thanks to an excellent team effort and support from our patients.
Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Selenium is important for reproduction, thyroid gland function, DNA production, and protecting the body from damage caused by free radicals and from infection.
The amount of selenium that you need each day depends on your age. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg).
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 15 mcg |
| Infants 7–12 months | 20 mcg |
| Children 1–3 years | 20 mcg |
| Children 4–8 years | 30 mcg |
| Children 9–13 years | 40 mcg |
| Teens 14–18 years | 55 mcg |
| Adults 19–50 years | 55 mcg |
| Adults 51–70 years | 55 mcg |
| Adults 71 years and older | 55 mcg |
| Pregnant teens and women | 60 mcg |
| Breastfeeding teens and women | 70 mcg |
Selenium is found naturally in many foods. The amount of selenium in plant foods depends on the amount of selenium in the soil where they were grown. The amount of selenium in animal products depends on the selenium content of the foods that the animals ate. You can get recommended amounts of selenium by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
Yes, if you get too much. Brazil nuts, for example, contain very high amounts of selenium (68–91 mcg per nut) and can cause you to go over the upper limit if you eat too many. Getting too much selenium over time can cause the following:
Extremely high intakes of selenium can cause severe problems, including difficulty breathing, tremors, kidney failure, heart attacks, and heart failure.
Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/
