Dr. Laura Paris, DACM

My definition of "healthy" is always changing...is yours? . When I was younger adult, I used to think that body health was about: Control and perfection (if only I could eat. move, and live perfectly, I could control my body) Had to be 100% holistic (conventional medicine was evil)... . And you know what came with that? Eating disorders, rigid thinking, and not always pursuing the best option (because that meant medication). . Over the years, I've learned a lot about acceptance, how to embrace integrative medicine, and how to be a human being who is not perfect and does not need to strive to be perfect. . My healthy philosophy now includes: . Finding ways of eating, living, and moving that are satisfying and that fuel your body and mind, without feeling deprived, rigid, inflexible. . Loving your body and accepting yourself no matter where you are in your healing process. . Embracing the best of holistic and conventional medicine is the way to go! This is called integrative and it is not black and white or either/or. . . . . Let me know in the comments below how your view of "healthy" has changed over the years! See more

Laura has been wonderful to work with over the last few months. When I started seeing her, I had been dealing with several health issues including hormone imbalance, thyroid problems, exhaustion and sleeplessness. . I also have an autoimmune disease. . She has been so helpful with everything. After a few short months, I am feeling healthier, my sleep has regulated and my hormones are more balanced. I am so thrilled and very thankful for all Laura has done for me! She is a jo...y to work with. ~Lisa . . Women often come to see me with multiple issues or symptoms. We work together to find a path that not only addresses your symptoms, but the root cause as well. . We find a pathway that not only supports your body, but works for you and your lifestyle as well. . . No more guessing games, let’s transform your health today! . Tell me if I could wave my magic wand, what’s one thing regarding your health that you wish could improve in 2021? See more

Like most autoimmune diseases, conventional medicine lacks understanding about treating Hashimoto’s disease holistically. . Once the genetic switch for Hashimoto’s flips on, and symptoms appear, conventional medicine manages the disease, rather than treating the whole person. Functional medicine, on the other hand, fills in important gaps in your Hashimoto’s treatment. . Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune process that happens to attack your thyroid, as well as creating ...generalized inflammation that puts you at risk for developing more autoimmunity. . By addressing your immune system, you can: . Slow or stop this thyroid attack Preserve your thyroid function Reduce your need for thyroid hormone replacement Stabilize your dosage of thyroid hormones (with active thyroid destruction, medication doses can keep fluctuating) Reduce general inflammation Improve your immune health Prevent more autoimmune diseases! . . . The autoimmune diseases commonly associated with Hashimoto’s disease include: . Vitiligo, when some areas of your skin lose their natural color. . Rheumatoid arthritis, which causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in your joints. . Addison’s disease, when your adrenal glands are damaged and cannot produce enough cortisol. . Type 1 diabetes, in which your pancreas is damaged and can no longer produce insulin, causing high blood sugar. . Pernicious anemia, a B12 deficiency anemia. . Celiac disease, when gluten damages the lining of your small intestine and prevent absorption of nutrients. . Autoimmune hepatitis, or nonviral liver inflammation, a disease in which your immune system attacks liver cells. . . . Hashimoto’s disease increases your chances of the above autoimmune diseases, and unfortunately, these autoimmune diseases also increase your chance of developing Hashimoto’s. . Fortunately, there many things you can learn about in order to slow the progression of Hashimoto’s disease, and prevent additional autoimmune diseases from blossoming. . . Want help with your Hashimoto’s? Please reach out. . Schedule a free discovery call with me to hear more about how I could potentially support you. . . Monterey and Santa Cruz, CA & virtual consults across the USA . https://www.parishealingarts.com/schedule-online/

You cannot make thyroid hormones without iodine. . Women with Hashimoto’s autoimmune hypothyroidism also need iodine, but to be on the conservative side, we make sure your intake is not too high. . Iodine deficiency is a real thing... . 38% of the world’s population does not get enough iodine. . . . We often think that iodine deficiency is a thing of the past. . It is not. . Here in the U.S. we stopped having a problem with iodine deficiency when we began adding iodine to salt in 1924. . We are now seeing a resurgence of iodine deficient hypothyroidism here. . Why? . . 1 We use less salt because high blood pressure is so common. Many follow low-salt or no-salt diets. . 2 If you try to eat a healthy diet, you may use sea salt, which is not iodized. . 3 Iodized salt is not used as much in general, and is no longer generally added to processed foods. . 4 More iodine is removed in the dairy industry (from feed supplements and sanitizing agents). . . . If you aren’t eating iodine rich foods, it’s likely you aren’t getting enough iodine. The World Health Organization recommends that women get 150 micrograms (mcg) of iodine per day. In food, this would roughly be: . 1 teaspoon of sea vegetables (dulse, nori, kelp, wakame, hijiki, arame) 5 ounces of ocean white fish like haddock, sea bass, and cod 2 cups yogurt or 3 glasses of milk (largely because of iodine use in the cattle industry) 15 ounces of shrimp 10 oysters 2 ounces of cranberries 6 large eggs, or 10 small eggs 10 cups of strawberries 2.5 potatoes (iodine is in the skins) 2/3 teaspoon of iodized salt . . The highest sources of iodine in food comes from sea vegetables, ocean white fish, and milk products. Iodine in plant foods is hard to determine because it depends on the iodine content of the soil. . Keep in mind that 150 mcg is the lowest amount that’s needed to prevent acute deficiency. Your body may thrive with a higher intake. . Pregnant women need at least 220 mcg Breast-feeding women need 290 mcg If you don’t have Hashimoto’s, I recommend up to 800 mcg of iodine per day With Hashimoto’s, stick with 150-200 mcg . . . Questions about iodine and thyroid health? Let me know in the comments! See more