Can One Word Make 2024 Better?

January 15, 2024

I always look forward to the new year.  I love the phrase “New Year, New You”.  I like my new year to begin with choosing a word for the year.  One that resonates with what I feel is important for me to focus on.  My word for 2024 is “Clarity”. 

I chose the word “Clarity” for many reasons.  For those who are unaware, in January of 2023, I woke up on the front steps of the post office in Brennon, Tx with the rain gently falling on my face.  Shortly after that I found myself zipping along in an Ambulance to the Texoma Heart Hospital and grasping for "clarity" regarding my situation.

My stay in Texoma was 5 days ending with a couple of shocks to the heart.  You know, just to get everything in rhythm.  What caused my very healthy heart to lose its rhythm?  It is a common condition of the thyroid referred to as Hashimoto’s.

For those who are unaware of what Hashimoto’s is, here is a brief description given to me by my Endocrinologist, “Hashimoto’s is when the immune system attacks the thyroid. We do not know why your body is attacking your Thyroid.  We have no cure and treatment is limited, but we will make you as comfortable as possible with what we do have.  Oh, and sign this document that states when you get so bad that the hospital is your next step, we will put you on a medication that is so terrible that I need to step out of the room while you read and sign.  You will agree to hold no one responsible for the following outrageous side effects.  You will want to call us when your heart begins to get out of rhythm again.   One more thing, when your iodine balances, we would like to do a biopsy and use nuclear medicine to look at your thyroid”.  This is apoarently the best that allopathic medicine has to offer for this very serious thyroid condition.

When one receives a Hashimoto’s diagnosis know that the road is hard with many potholes.  The liver is not converting T4 to T3 so you are what is referred to as a "non-converter" and the adrenals are on serious overload.  Hashimoto’s is complicated by severe systemic inflammation.   Water retention is insane in the lymphatic system causing uncontrollable weight gain.   Complicating everything further is the cells mitochondria’s inability to replace used energy, resulting in debilitating fatigue being a constant companion and deep sound sleep an elusive dream.   "Clarity" becomes a life raft that is painfully slow to arrive.

2023 has been a full year of reading books and trying various protocols that I created from the information I gathered.  Resulting in my thyroid reducing in size and one of the nodules on the thyroid is gone.   It appears that I am improving and "clarity" is emerging.

When the thyroid is struggling, several systems of the body can be affected.   Disregulated sleep, poor memory, fatigue, brain fog, extreme systemic inflammation, gut discomfort, adrenal fatigue, over production of cortisol, and the list goes on and on.

Learning about the early warning signs of Hashimoto’s includes the fact that you can have the developing thyroid dysregulation, for many years.  It appears that a driving factor in the progression of Hashimoto’s is childhood trauma, adult stressors, the MTHFR gene expression, and the mutated Epstein Barr virus.  I had our lab run a DNA test and sure enough I do have the MTHFR expression/s.  You can have one or more MTHFR genes expressing.  I had my Homeopath check for Epstein Barr mutations, and sure enough I had that too.

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The journey has been one of renewal and embracing my personal emotional sovereignty.   As I began looking at stressors affecting my life, I looked at inner and outer stressors and my personal boundaries.   Unstable or weak personal boundaries also affect this mysterious condition.

I became deeply present that my body was expressing the energy of humanity in its extreme duality.  Right vs Left, Good vs Bad, Right vs Wrong, Holy vs Evil.   I quickly realized that to allow myself to embrace the opposite side of any duality was igniting my very delicate endocrine system’s auto-immune response, resulting in certain thyroid harm. 

As I move into 2024, with the highest of hopes for humanity's future I call for divine “Clarity” regarding Divine Spirit, my health, my country, my cherished relationships, my beautiful earth, and most of all Divine “Clarity” in all that I say and do.

Together we can create healthy environments through our words and intentions, resulting in a more peaceful earth for all. "Happy New Year and New You!"

What will be your empowering word for 2024?  

Kathy

Managing Anxiety in a world infused with anxiety

The effects of Anxiety seem to be in our conversations much more since 2020. My first anxiety attack was in 2016 upon leaving a court hearing that affected my grandson and the second one was sitting in the lower levels of a Dallas court house as the District Attorney informed us he was going to let a dangerous man back onto the streets which would in turn deeply affect my daughter and granddaughter.

What did I learn from these two experiences? I realized that my body's nervous system had become tender and easily stimulated into an anxiety reaction. You know the racing heart, rapid breathing, foggy brain and shaking. Those who have experienced this, know the feelings of the experience.

I began exploring the role that the Vagus Nerve plays when the body begins to enter into this strange world called "Anxiety". The symptoms of anxiety can become unbearable and can cause your body to become more prone to various illnesses. Yes, there are pharmaceutical approaches to treating anxiety, But what if I could share with you some of the more holistic solutions I have found to be helpful?

The Magic of The Sun

One of the main causes of seasonal depression, is the over production of Melatonin. Remember, your body produces melatonin from serotonin. Your pineal gland in your brain, responds to darkness.

As it gets darker earlier, your body signals that it is time to release melatonin into your bloodstream. As we experience longer periods of darkness, in the winter months, our body will use more serotonin to make melatonin. This is why you may feel blue in the winter compared to the summer. Just spend 10 to 15 minutes outside every day, especially when the sun is shining, this has shown to increase serotonin levels.

A Healthy Diet

Discovering the link between gut health and anxiety is a game changer. The body produces over 95% of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5HT) in the gut. 5-HT is a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. Only 5% is found in the brain. Your brain and your gut talk to each other all the time through hormones and neurotransmitters. This is known as the gut-brain axis.

We do not get serotonin directly from our food, but we can consume foods rich in tryptophan which can boost serotonin production. Tryptophan is instrumental in the production of serotonin, a mood neurotransmitter that relaxes you. Because it's an amino acid, you body only receives it from your diet.

Some of the foods rich in tryptophan include chicken, turkey, fish, and fruits such as bananas, apples and prunes. Milk contains high tryptophan and the benefits can be experienced by drinking a cup of warm milk before bed to help with sleep. But remember that dairy is an inflammatory food that can cause problems for a lot of people.

Dairy foods contain lactose, casein, and whey. Casein is a protein very similar to gluten, Most people that are sensitive to gluten are also sensitive to casein.

If you experience depression or anxiety regularly, you likely have low serotonin levels. Here are common signs you have low serotonin levels.

• Changes in sleep (too little or too much)

• Chronic pain

• Memory loss or dementia

• Little or no appetite

• Cuts that do not heal quickly

• Unable to focus

• Anxiety

• Depression

Supplements

• GABA -- Is an amino acid and is known for calming the central nervous system. GABA helps nerve impulses communicate. Without enough GABA, you can experience anxiety. You may want to try 500-1000 mg of GABA a day and include foods such as green tea, citrus fruits, bananas, nuts and greens.

• Omega 3's -- Can reduce the symptoms caused from anxiety.

• Magnesium -- Naturally calms the nervous system. Magnesium can be found in coconut water, seaweed, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, chocolate and more.

• 5-HTP -- This is an amino acid that makes serotonin, elevating mood.

• Probiotics -- Helps your gut produce serotonin. Science has discovered serval species of gut bacteria are missing in people with depression, which can lead to mood imbalances. This is why I recommend everyone take a probiotic everyday to ensure a healthy balance of the good bacteria in the gut. Probiotics are one of the five essential supplements to managed and promote healthy mood.

Herbs

Mother Earth gives us all the medicines we need to live healthy vibrant lives.

• Chamomile relaxes and has sedative properties that help with sleep

• Kava Kava reduces anxiety by activating GABA receptors in the brain

• Valerian root is for insomnia. Take a Valerian root supplement or drink a warm cup of Valerian root tea an hour before bed.

Aromatherapy

Essential oils can be added to baths, massage oils or infusers. The best essential oils for anxiety are lavender, ylang-ylang, geranium, rose, bergamot and jasmine

As humanity navigates through the ever changing societal nuances we are daily experiencing, we want to do it with grace and ease, not fear and anxiety. I hope these suggestions will empower you and those you love to powerfully and purposefully walk through this time in human history.

5 simple changes to make your HEART the priority this month.

Fresh Fruit & Veggies

A heart-healthy diet includes fruits and veggies for all meals and snacks.

1. One Simple Change: add one new fruit to your daily routine, slice it up for easy pickings!

Rest & Recuperation

Manage stress and get a good night’s sleep.

2. One Simple Change: start going to bed at the same time each night.

Game Changers

Quitting smoking and vaping can make a big difference.

3. One Simple Change: Ask for help on how to create new habits that support your body and connect with others who have already quit.

Move Your Body

A good starting goal for exercise is 150 minutes per week.

4. One Simple Change: Start with 10 minutes today. Go for a walk, jump some rope, find a swimming pool or simple dance with your headphones on at home. Doing 10 minutes a day gets you to 70 minutes for the week, and you’re more than halfway there.

Weight Management

Maintaining a weight that's healthy for you is beneficial for heart function.

5. One Simple Change: Today keep track of what you are eating. Start making the connection to what feels good in your body and what doesn’t.

To eat more fruits and veggies every day try this simple and easy way:

Children eat free

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