The ZRT Laboratory Blog

When women enter menopause about 45-50 years of age, their estrogen and progesterone drop precipitously, causing a long list of unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. The drop in estrogen also leads to greater risk for cardiovascular disease and accelerated bone loss that may lead to osteoporosis and increased fracture risk. Women are faced with making a decision to start taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to hopefully alleviate most of the symptoms and risks associated with menopause.…

Tags: Menopause, Estrogen, Progesterone, Hormone Replacement Therapy

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In a previous four-part series, we examined some of the main issues associated with long COVID, focusing on the central nervous system, ongoing inflammation and autoimmunity, mitochondrial dysregulation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. While the science regarding these topics is still evolving, taking a closer look at the effects of long COVID on epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol will provide some insight regarding the toll that COVID can take on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the HPA axis.…

Tags: Covid19, Cortisol, catecholamines

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Women who are in perimenopause, menopause or post menopause sometimes feel like they’re living in a different body. Many have a hard time losing or controlling their weight—whether it’s due to shifting and declining hormones, and a slowing down of metabolism combined with stress. We talked to integrative physician, Jade Teta, about the role of hormones and weight, why some women are having difficulty losing or controlling their weight, and what they can do about it.…

Tags: women, hormones, weight loss

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At the most fundamental level, the beneficial actions of iodine derive from its ability to function as both an antioxidant and an oxidant. These basic qualities also support its effects as an antimicrobial, antiproliferative and anti-cancer agent. How iodine functions within the human body is determined by its form, the tissue in which it resides and the overall physiological context.…

Tags: iodine, immune system, breast health

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I was 19 years old when my mom died of metastatic breast cancer. From that point forward, I identified as a “patient-in-waiting.” In my narrative I, of course, would eventually be diagnosed with breast cancer, it was only a matter of when. Each time I went for a screening, I thought, “Is this the time? Will I finally move from patient-in-waiting to just patient?” Every time I felt a change in my body I thought, “Oh this must be cancer.”…

Tags: lab testing

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The role that iodine plays in the thyroid is well established. We need iodine to make thyroid hormones, and the numeric designation in T3 and T4 represents the number of iodine molecules attached to the amino acid tyrosine. In part one of this series on iodine, I examined the versatility of this unique element and its uses throughout history...…

Tags: Iodine, Thyroid Health

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Your body is made up of 60% water [1] and drinking enough of it is essential to good health. There are numerous benefits of drinking water: improvements in your skin, organ and brain function; flushing out toxins; aiding in digestion and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; ability to exercise at your best, and overall feeling more energetic and less sluggish. Most people do not drink enough water.…

Tags: Skin Vitality, Brain Health

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The use of iodine dates back to 4th century China where seaweed and burnt sea sponge were effectively used to treat goiter. It was not until 1811 that iodine was isolated as a specific element that exhibited properties similar to the other halogens of bromine, chlorine, and fluorine.…

Tags: Iodine, Heavy Metals, Thyroid Health

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Adequate sleep has long been known to be vital to good health but not getting enough sleep can be detrimental on many levels. Sleeplessness at night results in lack of alertness during the day, impairing your judgment and increasing the risk for accidents. Chronic sleeplessness can affect the appearance of your skin, reduce libido and overall vitality, decrease cognitive function, contribute to…

Tags: Sleep

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The COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified what we already know: Working in health care can be stressful. A survey conducted by Mental Health America between June-September 2020 of 1,119 health care workers found that 93% were experiencing stress in addition to anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed. (1)…

Tags: Stress, Covid19, Mental Health

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