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  #1   ^
Old Mon, Sep-28-20, 01:42
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default Cold/damp

Does anyone find that their body changes when the cold/damp weather kicks in? I struggle with fatigue and feeling cold, even when the house is toasty and warm, and my body just craves fattening food for energy. Weightloss is impossible. I have no energy to do ginger drinks and move around to get my metabolism going.

Normally I go to a warm, dry climate in the autumn to boost myself up for the winter, and I actually experience a quality of life during those precious weeks, but that is not possible this year with Covid.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips to be had?
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  #2   ^
Old Mon, Sep-28-20, 08:49
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
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Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

From what I know.....

Fall is the traditional time to put on weight to ptep for the winter famine.We are preprogrammed for this.

Feeling the cold is part of the physiological changes to cope with colder temps. (Just as the spring warm days feel too hot.) It could also be an indicator of low thyroid. Some people seek thyroid medications or figure out what is driving thyroid hormones low.

As for feeling low energy, that could also mean the veginning of tge seasonal blues. While I took a low dose Vit D3, it helped but did not eliminate my SAD, not the food,lol, but the seasonal blues. Jumping to 10,000 units of D3 made all the difference. What I do is make sure Im at that level as of Sep 21 as I live in MA, USA.

Others are sure to have more ideas.
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  #3   ^
Old Mon, Sep-28-20, 10:11
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
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Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

This has among the best info on thyroid.

So hypothyroidism doesn't just cause symptoms; it can make other conditions worse. Symptoms of hypothyroidism usually appear slowly over several months or years. However, some people develop symptoms of hypothyroidism quickly over a few months.
www.thyroid.org › brochures › Hyp...
Hypothyroidism Web Booklet PDF - American Thyroid Association
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  #4   ^
Old Tue, Sep-29-20, 16:10
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Thanks so much Ms Arielle, I have been planning to begin supplementing with D3, so your post will spur me on.

This seasonal health issue is long-term, and I had my thyroid tested years ago, and it was OK. I know the tests here aren't very good, but there is no treatment anyhow for anyone who doesn't test positive in the NHS tests, so I don't see any point in using time and energy on investigating further.

After I posted here, I noted that someone had written a long time ago describing identical issues which she put down to drops in barometric pressure - seemingly low pressure enables any inflammation to increase.. So I might be able to alleviate it a bit with pressure stockings. Thanks for the reassurance about the lack of weightloss. I will just have to accept it for now, and try not to slacken off with the resolve.

Thanks for replying. I hope you had a good day. Today was lovely here, and I felt better.

Last edited by Kirsteen : Tue, Sep-29-20 at 16:25.
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  #5   ^
Old Tue, Sep-29-20, 17:12
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
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Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Testing for thyroid is stupidly complicated. My primary hardly cks , just TsH. Despite having half of thyroid surgically removed. Only when I fussed did she send me to endo. He gave me a prescription, and just increased it, with testing in a couple weeks.

I felt better on the low dose, eyebrows grew up in a bit. And I feel even better on the slightly higher dose.

Get tested regularly. It's a serious issue with women, especially as we age.

It affects every cell in our body . It sets BMR.
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Oct-01-20, 00:33
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
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Posts: 25,550
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

I've struggled with SAD since I was a teenager. It's much better for me now, but it takes vigilance. I second the vitamin D recommendation, and I also use a therapeutic sun lamp. Mine is a HappyLight by Verilux and I've been very satisfied with it - I got it in 2008, I think? I only had to replace a bulb last winter.

Another strategy I employ is to try to stay compliant with my other depression management supplements: magnesium and fish oil.

When the cold gets to me - and we live in a chilly, drafty home - I love a cup of tea, coffee or hot cocoa with some coconut oil in it. Moreso than just the hot beverage, the coconut oil gives me a bit of a "hot flash". Not everyone gets this effect. If you don't like the flavour, there is refined coconut oil that is tasteless and still works.

I hear you on the winter trip. In past years, I traveled to Florida several times in February and the moist air and sun did wonders for me. Even just the anticipation of the trip gave me a much-needed mental boost.
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Oct-01-20, 06:08
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Thanks Kristine and Ms Arielle,

I've been considering the sun lamp idea to see if it would help with the discomfort.

Underactive thyroid does run in the family, but my issues have actually improved since I was tested so I doubt if NHS testing, which is very basic, would produce a different result.

What would a good high dose of Vitamin D be? I'll be stuck indoors until May, so I need a decent amount. Also, do I need to supplement with other nutrients to maximise absorption? I eat a good diet - rather low in calories - but containing oily fish, eggs, cheese, white and red meat, veggies, etc..
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  #8   ^
Old Thu, Oct-01-20, 06:34
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Demi Demi is offline
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Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirsteen
What would a good high dose of Vitamin D be? I'll be stuck indoors until May, so I need a decent amount. Also, do I need to supplement with other nutrients to maximise absorption? I eat a good diet - rather low in calories - but containing oily fish, eggs, cheese, white and red meat, veggies, etc..
As a fellow Brit, I take 10,000iu D3 from October to March, and 5,000iu D3 for the rest of the year, and I always take it with K2

High dose D3 can be difficult to source in the UK, so I usually buy mine through iHerb, for example:

https://uk.iherb.com/pr/California-...-Softgels/70316
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Oct-04-20, 17:02
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Hi Demi, thanks so much for that recommendation and link. That's a really good price and I'll buy it from there, along with some other items.
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Oct-04-20, 18:37
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
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Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

I second adding K2 to Vit D3.

As an aside, I no longer take a calcium supplement. As my diet is high quality food anyway, and likely to get plenty of calcium . Over consumption of calcium supplements led to increased incidence of heart attacks in women. Recommended levels were reduced. So I figure a meat and veg diet supplies enough.

Also, becareful to not confuse K1 with K2. Just like B1 is not B12.
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  #11   ^
Old Fri, Oct-09-20, 01:18
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Thanks Ms Arielle, I will buy the K2.

I didn't know that about calcium, but I don't supplement as I read years ago that it can affect magnesium levels in the body.
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  #12   ^
Old Fri, Oct-09-20, 07:19
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
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Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Meaning has higher calcium requires higher magnesium ?
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  #13   ^
Old Tue, Nov-03-20, 19:43
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
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Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

I wouldn't like to say for definite, as I am not a scientist, but something like that.
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