Says Dr. Sinatra: "There are a lot of doctors who call themselves thyroid specialists, but they're just treating numbers. When I run into patients with more difficult thyroid problems, I refer them to my colleague, Dr. Robert Lang, M.D., an anti-aging medical expert and endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disease."
The Issue of Soy
Dr. Sinatra recommends soy for women, but I asked him about the soy/thyroid connection. Says Sinatra: "Daily soy can be a problem for women. I still think soy is one of the healthy foods for women, although women with a risk of breast cancer need to do their homework before they take soy. But, ultimately, the best soy for women is from foods -- fresh soybeans......natural soy, tofu. I'm a believer in natural soy."
Dr. Sinatra's book provides greater details on other top foods for women, which include: flax, fish, nuts, and legumes, like chickpeas and lentils.
The Cholesterol Connection
While Dr. Sinatra believes that cholesterol levels should be controlled, he feels that the role of cholesterol is overplayed. "There are probably millions of women who are being treated too aggressively for high cholesterol," he says. I do not like to give women statins, I try to treat cholesterol by natural means. His concern with statin drugs are that "they knock out the natural pathway for CoQ10, increasing the risk for cancer." So, he tends to focus on his natural approaches.
For a women with high cholesterol who has a thyroid problem, Dr. Sinatra feels that sufficient thyroid treatment is the place to start. But if your cholesterol is still elevated, he recommends a low-carbohydrate "Mediterranean" diet to combat insulin resistance, with more healthy fats, and slightly increased protein. He would also add fish oil, garlic, l-carnitine, CoQ10, guggul, plus regular exercise, such as 20 to 60 minutes of walking a day.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), L-carnitine and CoQ10 for Weight Loss
I asked Dr. Sinatra if he had any thoughts about the current popularity of CLA for weight loss and muscle development.
Sinatra thought CLA could be a help to some. "It's one area a woman can investigate. I haven't seen any downside, except that it's expensive. But I do know many anti-aging physicians who take it themselves for weight control. I don't take it myself -- what I do is l-carnitine and CoQ10. In a woman who exercises and does restrict calories somewhat, the combination of l-carnitine and CoQ10 will facilitate fatty acid metabolism and help her lose weight.
From Heart Sense for Women
Dr. Sinatra's Top Ten Nutritional Supplements for Women
- Coenzyme Q10
- L-carnitine
- B-vitamins (folic acid, B12, B6)
- Carotenoids (lutein)
- Magnesium/calcium
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- OPCs (grape seed, pycnogenol)
- Alpha lipoic acid (ALA)
- NAC (N-acetylcysteine)
Some patients with thyroid problems also suffer from Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP). I asked Dr. Sinatra if he had any special tips.
First, Dr. Sinatra recommends that any woman with MVP be taking supplemental CoQ10. In addition, "What I like for MVP is magnesium...400-800 mg. a day. You can eradicate about 70% of the symptoms with MVP. "
About Dr. Sinatra
Dr. Stephen Sinatra is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and former Chief of Cardiology at Manchester Memorial Hospital where he has been Director of Medical education for the last ten years. Dr. Sinatra also is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. His New England Heart & Longevity Center in Manchester, Conn., integrates conventional medical treatments for heart disease with complementary nutritional, anti-aging and psychological therapies that help heal the heart.
Dr.Stephen Sinatra
New England Heart Center
483 West Middle Turnpike
Manchester, Connecticut 06040
Phone: (860) 643-5101 or 1-(800)-228-1507
Fax: (860) 533-9747
Consumer website: http://www.drsinatra.com
Professional site: http://sinatramd.com
Dr. Lang
Dr. Robert Lang, M.D.
60 Washington Avenue
Hamden CT 06518
203-248-4362
11 Woodland Road
Madison, CT 06443
203-318-5200
