{Learn how to fix your low basal body temperature – a guest post by Matt Stone of www.180degreehealth.com}
Donielle contacted me recently because so many of her readers were complaining about having a low body temperature – something that is very common, practically universal, among women with standard menstrual and fertility issues. Since I’m notorious for making women hot, yeah baby, and I even have a “Hot Chicks Club” for all the women who have obtained a consistent waking luteal phase body temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit or higher… I guess I’m the go-to guy on this issue.
While I could soften it and explain the particulars of the science and massage you into accepting that the advice I have has validity, I think it might be best if I just keep it simple. And slap you upside the head with it. If you would like to find out more about the basis of why the following information works so well (and I have 30,000 comments on my website confirming that it does indeed work very well – for raising body temperature, restoring menstruation, improving fertility, and many other metabolism-related disorders), I have put out several materials on it – the best and most recent being Diet Recovery: Restoring Hormonal Health, Metabolism, Mood, and Your Relationship with Food. (available on Amazon)*
So let’s get on with it.
The quick explanation of the problem at hand is that if the human body goes through the supply of something faster than it is being delivered, the body down-regulates metabolism to slow down the rate at which it burns through stuff (namely calories and nutrients). There are other factors involved, most of them hereditary in nature (but can still be overcome with the right approach).
In a world in which we have developed serious calorie phobia, carbohydrate phobia, fatphobia, couch potato phobia, saturated fat and cholesterol phobia, and more – almost all women in today’s society have grown so accustomed to actively eating below appetite, with dietary restriction, and exercising vigorously that they don’t even realize that they are basically engaged in disordered eating.
This is particularly harmful to women who are already coming into the world with a suppressed metabolism, which is becoming increasingly common due to our nutrient-poor diet, the dieting our mothers did (kids of dieting mothers have a known increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes), chronic physiological stressors, and countless other factors.
To make a long story short, if you have a reduced morning body temperature (this is the most important time to check as this is the best indicator of your absolute lowest metabolic rate), cold hands and feet (another powerful indicator of low metabolism), or other signs of a low metabolism (constipation, frequent infection, yeast issues, chronic fatigue, low sex drive, abnormal menstrual cycle, thinning hair, puffy eyes or water retention, poor fingernail growth, poor strength, hypoglycemia, and others) – the typical modern approach of beating yourself into submission with dietary restriction (even just being a health nut) and lots of “cardio” exercise will take you much farther away from a healthy metabolism. It is counterproductive and worsens the underlying disorder.
Dr. Atkins perhaps said it best when he wrote…
“…remember that prolonged dieting (this one [meaning the Atkins diet], low-fat, low-calorie, or a combination) tends to shut down thyroid function. This is usually not a problem with the thyroid gland (therefore blood tests are likely to be normal) but with the liver, which fails to convert T4 into the more active thyroid principle, T3. The diagnosis is made on clinical ground with the presence of fatigue, sluggishness, dry skin, coarse or falling hair, an elevation in cholesterol, or a low body temperature. I ask my patients to take four temperature readings daily before the three meals and near bedtime. If the average of all these temperatures, taken for at least three days, is below 97.8 degrees F (36.5 C), that is usually low enough to point to this form of thyroid problem; lower readings than that are even more convincing.”
Keep in mind that the metabolic rate – the active thyroid in your system being a primary factor in your metabolic rate, determines the rate at which pregnenolone is converted to progesterone – the pro-gestation hormone. That’s why, when metabolism is low, fertility is poor. When metabolism increases, your chances of conception and a successful pregnancy skyrocket. I highly recommend going through the following steps to anyone looking to get pregnant – whether having problems or not. Having a high metabolism going into pregnancy, and producing abundant progesterone has all kinds of benefits to the offspring – from increased brain size/development to increased ratio of muscle mass to body fat. And it’s good for moms too. Progesterone increases the elasticity of cervical tissues! Making childbirth a LOT less painful.
Alright, so we’re finally getting to the useful stuff. If you consistently have a body temperature below 98 degrees F when you wake up in the morning (rectal temps being the most reliable), you can fix this. It is not hard unless you consider being on vacation and spa days hard. It is very common for people of all ages, male and female, to see increases in body temperature from as low as 95F to 98F and above in less than 30 days. It really is that simple and reliable. The hard part is getting people to try it because it sounds so strange in contrast to the exercise more/eat less, ‘carbs are the devil’ and/or ‘saturated fat is the devil’ and ‘no pain no gain’ brainwashing that has taken place over the last half-century.
How to raise body temperature and increase your chances of having a successful pregnancy…
- Eat as much nutritious food as you can every day. Emphasize the more calorie-dense unrefined carbohydrates like root vegetables, fruit, and grains in particular, but also eat a satisfying amount of meat, fat, dairy products (milk is incredible for body temperature), and whatever else that you find enjoyable. But keep it as nutritious and unprocessed as possible.
- Eat beyond appetite. This is key. Eating more than you want to eat is what forces your body to get out of its low metabolism rut.
- Go at least 12 hours straight per day without food – you don’t want to be overeating for more than half the day. So if you eat dinner at 7 pm, have breakfast at 7 am. I believe this practice can make the body more responsive to the hormone leptin, probably the most important hormone in fertility (because it raises thyroid and progesterone).
- Get as much sleep as possible. Sleep is an incredibly powerful tool for raising metabolism.
- Avoid vigorous exercise. This is not a permanent recommendation obviously. You can resume getting more vigorous exercise once your body temperature is fully restored.
- Emphasize saturated fats over unsaturated fats. Dairy products, red meat, and coconut products are the best source of dietary saturated fats. You should eat these preferentially over nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, avocado, and other plant fats – as well as pork and poultry, when possible.
- De-stress. While eating a lot, sleeping a lot, and avoiding excessive exercise is inherently de-stressing, it also pays to spend time doing something that you find leisurely or enjoyable and mentally and physically relaxing, which is highly individual. Massage and sunbathing would be my two personal favorites!
And, well. That’s all there is to it.
Enjoy.
Note – you will probably not feel well when you start doing this but will feel bloated, hungover, and extremely fatigued and drowsy. Those are not bad signs, but signs of deep physiological relaxation and/or signs of adjustment to the new transition. Be patient. Give it a full 30-day trial.
Matt Stone, author of 7 books, is an independent health researcher who emphasizes the dangers of dieting and restricted and restrained eating of many varieties, and raising metabolism naturally. He is the voice of www.180degreehealth.com
Note from Donielle – I use the iBasal* for checking daily basal temperatures and love that it also keeps track of my cycle and fertile days for me. Matt uses this thermometer*.
I wasn’t aware that having a lower than 98 temp is a bad thing. I’ve been doing NFP for about 5 years and when cycling normally (as in, not pregnant or nursing), I’m normally at a low 97 until I ovulate and go up to a low 98. Right now, my temp is all over the place because my 18 mon old is still nursing throughout the night (so I would love to practice #4, sadly, it isn’t an option), but it makes me wonder what it will be like when it finally settles down.
Matt, I need this information for my PCOS (normal thyroid) self, but your information has sparked something else…. My son has just turned 9 yrs old and was diagnosed with low thyroid (TSH = 12, free T3 & T4 were normal) about a year ago. We went to a chiropractor/nutritionist that recommended a gluten-free diet and gave some supplements. This did nothing. I made an appointment for him with a conventional doctor on Dec. 26th. To start thyroid hormone therapy (Armour or Synthroid). But what you have stated here has caused me to wonder… my son is a very picky eater. Very picky. And he is on the small side for his age. He was in the 50th percentile until he started eating (and was picky from the get-go) and dropped to the 5th percentile. He eats like a bird. We used to joke that he photosynthesized. His symptoms are exactly what you stated above. Do you think there is a chance that his problems lie in a sluggish metabolism and undernourishment than thyroid? That maybe thyroid is just a symptom along with others?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you!
@Amy (One Day Closer),
Amy, what is your son’s dose of Armour? Are you supplementing with Omega’s, Iodine, or Magnesium? Also did your Chiro test for heavy metals?
@Dani, He’s not on Armour yet. He does get an Omega supplement. No iodine or Magnesium. He was not tested for heavy metals, but the chiro thinks that vaccines could have been the trigger. (we waited, and didn’t do them all, but he thinks what we did do was enough to cause this.)
Where do I find info on supplementing like this? I’d like to avoid hormone replacement if I could.
@Amy (One Day Closer),
Amy, with a TSH of 12 and your Chiro didn’t put him on iodine??, what was his Free T3 number? Also were Antibodies checked? What supplements is he taking?
His TSH might be too high not to supplement with Armour for a short time. Armour is ground up pig thyroid not a synthetic like Synthroid. There are a few things you could try supplement wise but I would want to see all of his levels done. Testing for heavy metals is really important at this point. Ask your Chiro for a hair analysis. Doctors Data I find runs the most accurate results. How soon after vaccinations was the thryoid panel done?
If this were my son, I would go to the best which in my professional and personal opinion is Dr. David Brownstein. http://www.drbrownstein.com
@Dani, That is so funny! I was given a CD of thyroid talks done at a Weston Price conference (I think?) and the main speaker was Dr. Brownstein. I’ve seriously thought about calling him.
Thank you for your tips!
As far as numbers, it was quite an extensive blood test, but done by our traditional GP. Our chiro did not order more testing, honestly, because I think he was too busy and we were out of town patients on a budget. He is very expensive, and I think he didn’t see us as “good customers’. I felt very dismissed, and now am seeking other options.
@Amy (One Day Closer),
Amy,
That is disappointing that the Chiro dismissed your family. Call Brownstein’s office. His staff is amazing and you will get real, qualified, expert advice for your son before his health issues escalate.
@Dani, I’m glad you mentioned Dr. Brownstein – looks like he has some great info. I’ll have to make sure I add him to my resources.
@Amy (One Day Closer), Here is one thought that came to my mind: I have read about taking cayenne to stimulate the appetite, and to get the metabolism going in the right direction. There is a dr. on the internet that explains this in detail.
Amy…
If you have pcos, you have a low metabolism. This eating regimen is very good at lowering insulin resistance.What your thyroid hormone levels are are not really very relevant. Body temperature is a better overall indicator of one’s total metabolic output.
As for your son, having actual low thyroid levels and being underweight with no appetite points to a more severe low metabolism. If you try to make him eat more, he is likely to start enjoying eating even less.
Are you trying to feed him a particularly healthy diet? If so, stop. It is very common for mothers to interfere with their children’s eating. And the result is usually negative.
Matt,
Would you be willing to expound on this particular point?
“Are you trying to feed him a particularly healthy diet? If so, stop. It is very common for mothers to interfere with their children’s eating. And the result is usually negative.”
Thanks!
@Sarah,
I’ve written about it (too much as always!) here…
http://180degreehealth.com/2011/11/food-rewards-and-punishments
http://180metabolism.com/blog/?p=130
“Research indicates that parents who restrict access to certain foods are actually more likely to have heavier kids! This fact makes sense: The kids lose their ability to self-regulate as a result of parents’ interference.
Promising a child dessert if she eats her vegetables or encouraging a child to clean his plate can also contribute to developing unhealthy eating practices.”
– Linda Bacon – Obesity Researcher
Don’t get caught up on the word “heavier” in that quote either. The term “self-regulate” is the key. Kids can become under or overweight due to parent’s interference. I imagine some health nut moms make eating a very oppressive-feeling experience, despite their good intentions.
@Matt Stone, Actually Matt, he has been a picky eater since the end of breast-feeding (which I did exclusively for almost a year and he didn’t wean until age 2). When he was 4 he was tested for autism (although I knew that wasn’t it) and the psychologist came back with the dx of “gifted”. Especially “Visual-spatially gifted”. I’ve done a lot of research to that end. Gifted VS kids experience their senses and emotions very intensely. How it affects his diet is taste. The taste of food is usually very intense, and he can taste the different flavors in food (think Remi from the movie Ratatouille). His picks are very bland. Texture is also an issue. So no sauces, dips, or mushy foods.
We practiced long term breast-feeding and attachment parenting, so I actually didn’t interfere much. We do follow a Weston Price type diet, so I suppose I control his diet that way because we just don’t have much processed food in the house. But what we do have he had free choice. I provided a variety of food, he chose when and how much. I ignored the dr’s concerns until the hypothyroid dx. After that I found the chiro that suggested gluten free. We tried it for a year. It hasn’t cured his hypothyroid like that dr. said, and we are no longer under his care. I see a new Chiro on Friday to get his opinion.
So what do you suggest?
@Amy (One Day Closer),
That’s obviously a much trickier situation, and I know what you mean. I know several kids with that sort of broad-scale hypersensitivity to tastes and textures – not just with food but with everything.
I have some doubt about whether hypothyroidism is the cause of his problems, or if it is just a symptom of his condition. There’s no doubt that being skinny and not eating much will reduce thyroid output. It swings both ways too. Low thyroid can keep you from building lean tissue and make you have a weak appetite. Giving him thyroid meds may just make his metabolism run higher and keep him from growing and building more lean tissue and body fat even further.
But at least keep it in the back of your mind that I deal with a lot of people who simply cannot thrive on a whole foods diet, and do best with a lot of highly palatable refined foods in their diet. These are typically the undereaters who need, more than anything else, calories. Ice cream and pizza are amazing foods! Meat is also a real appetite-lowering food, so definitely don’t force him to eat it.
On the psychological front, be really careful about praising him for eating. “Good boy! Way to finish all that food on your plate!” Or rewarding him for eating. This has a similar effect to paying someone to do something – they automatically like whatever you are paying them to do less than they did before you started paying them for it.
Let me know how it goes. If you are really struggling still I have some great resources when it comes to using diet to overcome health problems that I can refer you to.
@Matt Stone, These symptoms Amy lists for her son are ALL warning bells for GAPS – I heard the full day seminar on GAPS at Wise Traditions and am nearly finished reading through the book too and everything she says points to GAPS. It’s definitely worth a shot – checking out a certified GAPS practitioner in her area and if there isn’t one then buying the book and reading through it.
I was also going to point to the GAPS diet – this sounds so much like what the lady describes in her book – right down to the picky eating..
@Amy (One Day Closer), Hi Amy, I know this is a little off topic for this post but I am interested in your son’s journey from suspected autism to gifted diagnosis. My son is going through the same thing currently and I am trying to do my research before he gets labeled with a diagnosis that he doesn’t have. I tried to find a way to contact you on your blog but I couldn’t find one. I would love to get a hold of some of the research you found or at least get a point in the right direction. Please feel free to email me or message me on facebook. My email is jessicaklanderud [at] gmail [dot] com. thanks.
Mackenzie…
Those are decent temps. Nothing to worry about.
This is very interesting…I thought I was just a ‘cold’ person with my icy hands and feet, and the temps in the 95-96 range pre-O and 96-97 post-O were just me! Might explain the year and a half of not being able to get pregnant?? I will be implementing as many of these recommendations as I can, thanks so much for the info!
@Honey B.,
If you have really cold hands and feet all the time, make sure not to drink any plain water or tea or coffee or anything like that which doesn’t contain some kind of real sugar/real sweetener. Juice, coconut water, milk – anything but plain water! Until those hands and feet warm up.
@Matt Stone, No water in the AM for low temps? Can you explain this? What if you eat breakfast right after?
@Matt Stone, Aha! This is where I saw the point about not drinking plain water. It makes sense after reading 180 Degree.
“Since I’m notorious for making women hot, yeah baby” – I don’t think there’s anything you’ve written that hasn’t made me smile or giggle 🙂
wow. this is very timely indeed. thanks so much for sharing all of this. we have been trying to conceive for the past 4 months but I only have 2 months of charted temps ….very low pre-ovulation all below 97 and after ovulation between 97.2-97.7 I also have a short luteal phase of only 11 days so I have been pulling out all of my fertility and herb books trying to figure out what I should be doing to help this. (I had these same 2 issues in 2008, which I did improve with supplements before conceiving our daughter – but had a very difficult pregnancy and ended up having her at 25 weeks – complete placenta previa and PPROM at 20 weeks).
We already do eat as much as we can traditional whole food meals doing the best we can on a tight budget – only pastured meat and raw dairy & org. butter – but the rest I had to stop buying organic. I drink kombucha and take a probiotic daily & CLO, but besides that no supplements. I think I should get back on a whole foods prenatal vitamin though – ASAP (what is your opinion on this?) and also think that a b-complex and B6 supplements along with Vitex could help me as well. Still need to come up with the funds for this though. As for all of your points – I need to focus on #’s 2, 4 and 7. Thank you again for sharing all this. Blessings.
@Sarah,
I would focus a lot LESS on meat and fat and a lot MORE on carbohydrates, which are cheaper. It does not have to be strictly organic or anything like that to work properly. In fact, the better your metabolism the better your liver works. Even taking in more toxins can still result in less overall toxicity. Excretion capability trumps intake unless the intake is truly at poisonous levels.
I wouldn’t worry to much about loading up on vitamin and mineral supplements.
thank you for your reply! Any suggestions on which particular carbs I should focus on that are more nutritious/beneficial in your experience?
I love Matt’s stuff, but it always makes me twitch (lol- we’re grain free for autism). I’m curious about my body temp, it was always in the 97s before, but I haven’t measured recently. The whole idea of raising basal temp really makes sense though, I’ll have to pick up a thermometer.
@Cara, I’ve managed to raise my body temp a lot and I’m still eating grain-free. It can be done!
@Kat, I’m glad because we’re doing GAPS as well, and so I don’t eat any grains at all. Kat, did you emphasize anything else in particular, or did you just follow the list above?
@Kat, Can you share more of your experience? Or FB me 🙂
@Meagan, I did increase carbs mostly in the form of fruit, honey, and fresh vegetable/fruit juices. For a while all I drank was either broth or juice, no water. I was also doing this in combination with lots of high fat dairy. And yes, I pretty much followed the list above but without grains. I never actually tried the “12 hours without eating” but naturally gravitated towards that pattern when I reduced stress, slept more and ate more.
Hmmm. I do all but #3 (I tend to wake up with really low blood sugar, so have started to have a small healthy snack at bedtime) and my temps are still on the low side. I’m not sleeping WELL though, even if I spend enough time trying to sleep.
@Rosy,
I would eat a lot more food during the day, especially at lunch time, and then eat a light, vegetarian dinner. This helps to flatten the natural diurnal fluctuations in sugar levels. I can help you out with this if you like with much more specific detail, but it is far too much to cover in a simple comment.
@Matt Stone, Matt, I would love to have some more information on how to do this too. One problem I encounter is that if I have a big breakfast, I’m not hungry again till about 2 or 3 pm. Is this where I need to practice more overeating? Thank you!
@Matt Stone,
Thanks for replying! I’ll try that…
I’m fine with eating plenty of good healthy food, but why am I gaining weight? I don’t go hungry, and eat a good WAP diet… I really can’t afford to keep gaining 5 lbs a year! It’s not making sense…
@Rosy,
Many people gain fat on a WAP diet. That’s not always the case, but I wouldn’t consider it a diet that keeps people lean. I also wouldn’t say that gaining fat is outright unhealthy. I have dealt with many people who gained fat and improved their health. I have dealt with many people who lost health from losing weight. There is no black and white on weight gain and loss as it equates to a person’s health.
But a metabolically healthy person shouldn’t gain fat on any diet, WAP or otherwise. There are all kinds of factors that can contribute to weight gain outside of diet. Most of the cases of fat gain I know of had nothing to do with the diet, and had more to do with stress, sleep loss, changing jobs, an infection, death in the family – all kinds of outside factors. Would be happy to discuss it with you if you wanted to contact me by email or something like that.
@Matt Stone, I’d love to e-mail you, but can’t find an e-mail address… here’s mine: [email protected]
Matt,
I just read through some of the testimonials on your site and I would like to learn more about the eating habits that you recommend. I have pretty normal bbt, but have struggled with weight gain (lost weight dozens of times with WW, only to gain in back after tiring of tedious point counting) and sugar addiction/cravings all my life. Where or which book would you recommend I start with? My husband and I oth could stand to change our eating lifestyles for the better. Thanks!
@emily,
Not dieting is a good start. Diet Recovery is a good read and very current. I just released it November 1st. You probably need sugary foods. I would eat tons of fruit if I were you, just not too late at night. You have to face your cravings head on. I think you’ll find you are not addicted to “sweets” or “sugar” but cake, ice cream, and doughnuts – which are much lower in sugar than fruit.
@Matt Stone,
Thanks for commenting back. I will grab a copy of that book ASAP. I have to tell you though, the idea of not dieting scares the bejezus out of me- i don’t think I trust myself. It will be interesting to read your book. I never separated sugar cravings from specific foods craving-such as cakes, cookies, etc. The craving often hits me at night, after dinner, before bed, a dangerous time I know. What would it be about those items-cookies, candy, brownies- that I am addicted to, if it is not the sugar?
@emily,
It’s the whole sensory experience that is addicting. Not just the sugar. And not trusting yourself is one of the root problems I imagine in what you’ve got going on.
There is no dangerous time to consume them per se. That is a myth. But it can be helpful to establish a different eating schedule. But even if you can’t, you can still make late night eating work to your advantage. In fact, one of the best fat loss systems on earth (leangains) involves pigging out right before bed every night!
You can make pretty much anything work by changing the context around a little.
I heartily agree!!! I have done this on my own and it really does work. It is neat to see recommendations for this from others too.
We tried everything, inclding Matts protical for raising my temps, with marginal results.
Even going gluten free, which I found was a very needful thing, did not affect temps.
A few weeks ago, I dropped dairy, and guess what? I am now a full degree warmer then in I have ever been, regardless of time of the month.
Food allergies should be looked at for sure.
@PJ,
Anything that causes chronic stress, including food allergies (as well as restricted eating, so it’s a catch-22 for some people, especially with a long dieting history), can suppress metabolism.
Body temperature isn’t everything either. Excess adrenal activity can cause a really high body temperature as well, mimicking hyperthyroidism. But the vast majority of the time it is a reliable indicator, especially if hands and feet are warm, bowel movements are soft and moist, and other strong indicators.
@Matt Stone, Do recommend raw dairy specifically to your readers? Raw dairy vs. pasteurized/homogenized dairy have very different nutritional profiles and very different effects on health. Just curious! I learned a ton from your article! 🙂
Matt,
I’m curious to what your educational background is?
@Dani,
Background in writing. Have researched health independently for about 7 years full time now.
@Matt Stone,
So you have no professional nutritional or medical training but yet you are giving out advise on dieting, hypothyroid and PCOS?
@Dani, I’m sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out why that would matter?
Agreed. As a nurse, I see daily what our highly trained MDs do for people…not much other than perform drastic surgery (think colostomy bags) and prescribe thousands of drugs that we don’t know the long-term consequences of. I would trust Matt before many doctors.
@Stephanie,
It matters because he is diagnosing health conditions. As a nurse, are you allowed to give a diagnosis to patients??
@Dani,
I am not diagnosing health conditions. I have an answer for how most people with a low metabolism can raise metabolic rate. Low metabolism is rarely hypothyroidism in the strict sense of the word hypothyroidism.
I have studied PCOS and the underlying causes. My knowledge of the etiology of the disease (and insulin resistance even moreso, which is at the heart of this condition) is far greater than that taught in any medical school. Which is what enables me to give out information on how people can improve the condition that is superior to what most in the medical field can achieve with their tyipcal standards of treatment.
Dieting is an easy thing to give out information on. If you study the medical literature you can see that every known form of dieting has a 90% failure rate, and as Paul Campos accurately states, “dieting is the single greatest predictor of future weight gain.” Dieting also increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions.
So I tell people not to do it.
My medical and nutrition background is far more professional than that received by those attending formal educational institutions. Even Harvard graduates still think that eating eggs raises cholesterol levels.
@Matt Stone,
Matt, you know about insulin resistance but you tell people to eat root vegetables, dairy, juice and carbs. This alone would lead me to believe you know nothing about insulin resistance or how the pancreas functions. Are you checking A1C levels when you recommend this “diet”?
You diagnosed Amy’s son with a metabolic disorder. Have you seen any blood work? Do you know a complete health history? Amy’s son could have a serious condition and you tell her to get him to eat more food. There are people who are desperate for answers to their health issues and you should know when to refer them to the professionals!
@Dani,
Aha – looks like you’ve been reading low-carb science fiction. Eating carbohydrates does not cause insulin resistance, but actually lowers insulin resistance.
I have had several people with a functional pancreas monitor glucose clearance and both fasting and postprandial glucose levels without ever seeing a single case without improvement (except for one woman who later found out she had MODY).
Perhaps you should read my post: “Starch Lowers Insulin Resistance”
@Matt Stone,
I specifically asked you about A1C levels, not glucose levels. Eating the carbs you suggest raise glucose levels. So in actuality, you are creating a candida issue for your “patients”.
@Matt Stone,
Matt,
Make no mistake, I am not a component for Western Medicine and I haven’t met a MD yet that knows more about nutrition then an employee at a health food store.
I would love to hear more about your research into “adrenal activity” and how it mimics hyperthyroidism.
@Dani,
Take some methamphetamine. This will increase “adrenal activity” and it will mimic hyperthyroidism. Giving you an extreme example of this principle.
@Matt Stone,
Again with the sarcastic, uneducated response. Where are your articles on adrenal activity?
@Dani,
Dani, honey. I think any normal human being would fall easily into sarcasm based on your whole tone. Obviously you have some issues with this avenue and should maybe look to your run-of-the-mill, standard MD for your own troubles. Although, your questions are probably helping Matt’s cause and defeating your own. Some people may be fed up with the results they are getting from the MDs you seem to favor and are ready to try their own therapy, relying on the body’s ability to heal itself. I’m sure most of the people on this site are smart enough to go to a hospital if a serious condition arises. As a cancer survivor, and dealing with these issues myself, I have read many different sources that coincide with this information. Aside from Oprah and Fitness Magazine, what research have you done? Or are you going to continue to purport the tiresome medical propaganda we are all desensitized too?
@Dani,
Here is a treatment I’m questioning “Drinking Juice, coconut water, milk ” for Honey who is trying to get pregnant. and not water. Really?? Considering water gives the body life and is necessary for every single metabolic function, and you don’t recommend water but he does recommend so much sugar that it will send the pancrease into a frenzy and elevate glucose levels. Milk…is the biggest issue of all! Matt, have you done any research on dairy allergies or how chronic they are? What about the enzymes in cow dairy and how they react to the human body?
@Dani, Dani, all of those beverages that Matt recommended are almost all water… eating sugar and raising glucose levels increases insulin sensitivity and reduces insulin levels over time… and there is nothing wrong with milk unless your body does not tolerate it…. i have dealt with eczema my whole life and so i went on a very restricted diet for years which only made me sicker, so out of desperation i consumed nothing but milk (raw, grass-fed) for 10 days and nearly completely regained my health… it contains everything you need to thrive, oh and its mostly water too
@CM,
Matt makes NO reference to raw milk of any kind! He stated that you don’t need organic foods and I haven’t read anything he posted about grass-fed meats. There is a huge difference between raw milk and the dairy in the grocery stores! Did you think that maybe the cause of your eczema was from the quality of the food you were eating?
@Dani,
Someone with cold hands and feet needs more sugar, and water dilutes the system too much, making relative cellular concentration too weak. You can test this with an agricultural tool called a refractometer.
Ask this person how often she urinates. She will most likely say “very often.” You would have someone who urinates too often drink more water? I wouldn’t.
Yes, I’ve done research on all of that.
@Matt Stone,
Again..avoiding the A1C question. That’s because you A: either don’t know what it is and how to interpret or B: you can’t test for it because you don’t have a LICENSE to do so.
Your “researched diet” could in fact be harming people. Do you ever check for Candida for your clients? What research have you done on that? How does the eating of carbs to increase the metabolism effect yeast? There isn’t a one diet fits all category!!
*note, my reply posted in the wrong spot but was intended for Matt
Thank you for explaining this! So much of what you are saying, makes sense for me.
@Dani,
@MARIE,
First, my issue is the fact that Matt is giving out medical advise to people with health conditions without a license to do so. It’s unethical and illegal. 2nd, there isn’t any disclaimers on his website. I’m surprised the FDA hasn’t shut him down.
3rd, I am more in favor of holistic treatments by educated sources than I am of Western Medicine. What I have an issue with is that Matt doesn’t have a professional background to be giving out any advise. I certainly hope that the people who read his “advise” take it with a grain of salt, do their own research and find someone with the background, education and knowledge to put them on a healthy program. There are women on this blog giving Matt their blood values asking him for advice. Are you kidding me?! That is insanity!!
@Dani,
Soooo……. why are you reading this blog in general at all? The NKU site gives TONS of advice, stuff that isn’t much different from Matt’s guest post. Our lovely author isn’t a medical professional either.
@Kelly Howland,
@Kelly,
I do follow NKU and she gives her advice stating an opinion to what she does. She doesn’t give medical advice and I have seen numerous cases where she refers someone to an actual practitioner. I don’t see her advising someone that their blood tests are irrelevant or to stop eating meat and increase dairy…
@Dani,
There is a disclaimer on his site.
http://180degreehealth.com/disclaimer
any thoughts about whether cold showers will help?
@sharon,
One metabolism and body temperature-based doc recommends hot showers! And wearing lots of extra warm clothing! So who knows?!
Matt,
I have PCOS, hypothyroidism (I’m on a full replacement dosage) and fibromyalgia. I recently went on the GAPS diet as I have many symptoms of a damaged gut. I also have many of the symptoms of a sluggish metabolism. What area do you think should be addresses first, since on GAPS grains are not allowed? Can metabolism be increased without the grain consumption? I plan on trying to become pregnant in about 6-9 months, so I really want to fix my gut flora so I don’t pass on poor flora to another child. Thanks for any advice 🙂
@Margaret,
The GAPS diet, or any highly-restricted diet that derives most of the calories from meat with few carbohydrates is probably going to worsen your hypometabolic condition, as it typically does. Especially if you were to maintain it for several years. Yikes!
Many digestive problems are caused by a low metabolism. The lower the metabolism, the lower your gastrin production – which increases the digestive ability of your stomach to break down food. With higher metabolism, transit time is better – so food does not sit in the gut and ferment causing gas, irritation, candida blooms, and bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine (SIBO).
I don’t think GAPS is a particularly good strategy for a lot of problems, especially on a long-term basis. But you should give something a shot and see what happens. You’re always more than welcome to come to my site and report how things are coming along for you and get a second opinion.
So after following these guidelines for 30 days or so, and assuming my temp gets up to the ideal, then what? If I start exercising more and stop eating when I’m no longer hungry, will my temp stay up after that? Everything sounds so contrary… I’m already chronically fatigued (though not officially diagnosed with anything), and the idea of being even more tired and bloated and hungover for 30 days is not appealing…. Plus, I work full time in a dead-end job, so I can’t exactly take a vacation from stress. But I do want to try it, in spite of all that. 🙂
@Anna,
Temps usually hold. You wouldn’t want to abruptly go to overexercising and undereating per se, but just eat to appetite and do a reasonable amount of smart exercise (not long duration). But never forced.
You won’t feel that way for 30 days, usually just for the first week or so until your metabolism starts to rise. When that happens you typically start feeling quite a bit more lively.
But like I’ve said in other comments, focusing on body temperature alone is just one of the tools that I take advantage of. When getting into the specifics of what a person is eating and when and gathering some basic data (such as urine readings throughout the day with a refractometer), it’s much easier to get good results.
Matt, Can you just clarify what you meant here in the last phrase. Should we avoid pork and polultry? Or include it?
“Emphasize saturated fats over unsaturated fats. Dairy products, red meat, and coconut products are the best source of dietary saturated fats. You should eat these preferentially over nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, avocado, and other plant fats – as well as pork and poultry, when possible.”
Also, Would you recommend exercise like Pilates and Yoga for strength? or literally no exercise?
@Jennifer S.,
Easy exercise is fine. As long as you enjoy it and it doesn’t leave you feeling too drained. There is a long chapter on exercise in my book.
And yes, eating more beef, lamb, bison, and dairy and less pork and poultry. The fats in the former are more pro-metabolic than the fats in the latter.
WOW! I have had these problems for many years and never could find the reason why, much less a way to deal with it. I’m NOT trying to be more fertile, just fix the other problems. From listening to my body I did put two and two together and discovered it was all connected, such as when I’m feeling constipated I’m extra cold. I hope this works for me. Coincidentally I’ve been working late hours at work, which means I sleep a lot more than normal (when I finally fall asleep), and do tend to go around 12 hours straight without food. Also I’ve been eating the way you say and avoiding strenuous exercise, though I don’t usually exercise too strenuously. And I haven’t felt great, you’re right! I find it interesting you suggest grains. I find I’m most constipated when eating them, but that may be wheat in particular. Off to buy coconut milk!
Eating beyond appetite is something I almost never do. I have no problem trying that! On a side note about parental regulating of food (I read your articles and saw the video) what would you suggest when your kid wants something sweet before dinner? Of course my standard response is, we’re about to eat, you can have that after dinner. I’m afraid I’ve already been too regulating and don’t want to push my kids in the other direction. One of my kids loves veggies, the other does not, and both eat dinner for the reward some of the time. I don’t know if it’s just genetics (on husband’s side) but my kids are both so skinny! And they eat several times a day. All of their cousins are the same though, that’s why I think it’s genetic. I do not stop them from eating when they are hungry or anything.
Should I let them consume the sweets to their hearts content until they learn to self-regulate? I appreciate your comments, thanks!
@Kristina,
When your metabolism is fully functional you won’t get constipated. No matter what you eat.
Your kids are fine. As long as you are mostly just letting them eat and respecting their individual differences
Obesity research has shown that heredity is 80% responible for a person’s weight. The other 20% is everything else.
And respect the physiological differences between the kids. They eat differently and have different tastes because they have different needs. Which is so cool if you think about it.
Go at least 12 hours straight per day without food – YAY! So we can all increase our stress hormones which can push the temperature. That´s our Mattie!
@Thomas,
Ha ha. I would rather the temperature increase come from increased parasympathetic, not sympathetic activity. But 12 hours is plenty of time to spend in the fed state each day.
So why no water and is moderate exercising–walking on a tread mill, for instance–okay?
@Lori,
For some people, water is the most healing and healthy substance in the world. For others it causes a lot of problems. For example, studies have shown that giving water to infants can induce seizures (because like I said above, it dilutes the relative concentration of sugar and salts in the system). You can always have too much of a good thing.
But a generality is that those with cold hands and feet, particularly if they urinate frequently, and especially if they have things like headaches, migraines, seizures, chronic fatigue, anxiety, lightheadedness or fainting, depression, and so on – should generally lean towards consuming beverages that have sugar and salt in them (Gatorade being better than water for someone who is sweating a lot sort of shows the principle here).
I’m wondering if you answer questions by e-mail? I’ve read 1 of your books and started a second and have some questions and also am wondering about your comment about kids’ eating habits. Thanks much!
Oh Matt, you really know how to make the ladies blush.
Of course even if my temps were 120 degrees there are zero babies coming from me at my advanced age. 🙂
love ya
deb
Wow, what interesting info! This really resonates with me, as I am nursing, and am hungry all.the.time, but wonder if I’m just not eating enough, because, well, I’ve been a little hesitant to overeat, as I’d like to keep the baby weight off! Plus, having historically dealt with constipation off and on, I’ve noticed it getting worse after DD was born–even after adding in a quality probiotic! And, to top it off, my feet are cold all the time! ack! Any constipation specific recommendations?
Oh my. I love my husband very much but this guest poster is
B-E-A-U-TIFUL!
*blush*
Alright, just had to get that one out of the way. 😉
In all seriousness, thanks for the post and for your input and thoughts! This is an issue I have and my mother had as well. I thought I was resigned to low temps, but I’m going to try your suggestions out!
I think the point of Matt’s article is don’t diet…period it only makes the problem worse. Matt may take alot of grief from the natorpathic, low carb, vegan, and all the other diet camps that have these “firm” beliefs in what they are saying. Many of them are MD’s who make outlandish claims against macro-nutrients. Don’t accuse Matt of giving out false diet advice, He’s not all knowing…people make mistakes but through his research he has come to some good conclusions that are non biased and elude nutritional dogma and pseudo science. Through my own self experimentation as a lean young male I have come to the same conclusions. Dieting in any form is a stress and the cure for me is lots of taco bell and Gatorade. After 6 months of my low carb paleo experiment I was ripped, not an ounce of body fat, but I was miserable. I was counting down the days till I could end the experiment. I had to stop early as I could not function. 6 months later and I’m still recovering(note I was never obese or overweight, just looking to see what really happens to someone when they go on a diet) Matt brings something new to the table, the opposite of dieting…eating more and exercising less or diet recovery if you will. As an anti-diet activist I approve this article. Matt, Keep up the good work and as Young Jeezy says “shrug off all them haters, they just mad cus you gettn so much paper”
What about someone with all those problems…. except underweight? I have incorporated nutritous organic foods, eat beyond appetite, get plenty or too much sleep, limited exercise, de-stressed my life, and started on armour thyroid and cortisol. Since these changes my metabolism has been even faster! I can’t stand to lose any weight but I still have the low basal temps and fatigue, depression….
I would prefer to not use medicine…
I used to have two large meals a day and wouldn’t dare to eat breakfast because I would literally lose weight if I did. Now eating many meals a day my metabolism is going so fast I can’t seem to cetch up with it….But supposedly that is what I am supposed to do.
I am a true believer that eating more speeds your metabolism! But… it is hard to ‘eat less’ when you are wanting to gain weight and you still have a good appetite.
Any suggestions ?
Matt-
What if I have done all those things you listed on your guest post but still have no change in body temp?
@Catherine,
See my website, I am not selling anything. I just want to tell the world how I fixed all my symptoms by resetting my body temperature, no rubbish diets or pseudo thyroid science.
I am now cured of nearly all my symptoms. It cost almost nothing just hard work.
normalbodytemperature.co.uk
Have a look! It might just be what you are looking for.
Janey
Come on, is there really anyone who believes Matt? Matt isn´t a health researcher, he´s a blogger who wants to sell his ebooks.
How can anyone recommend hypothyroid fasting? Are you kidding me? Hypothyroid have a problem storing glycogen and WILL running on stress hormones when they do his fasting method. The basal temperature will go up of course but it´s because of the stress hormones and not because of good thyroid health.
Or do really think his method will raise your real health basal temperature in just a few days or a month? Even taking thyroid hormones won´t give you a perfect basal temperature in such a short time.
The ebooks are free. Just wanted to point that out. And why not try Matt’s methods? It’s 30 days. Won’t kill you and sounds like a fun and de-stressing way to eat and (dare I say it?) enjoy life. We have way too many hang ups about food in this society.
Very informative post! I have only been charting for a little over a month now and my temp is very low. My lowest was 35.64 C and right now I am in the luteal phase and my highest temp has been 36.45 C. My gyn said that it may just be normal for me, but I feel tired a lot and I sleep between 9-12 hours every night. I know that I don’t eat a lot, but I can’t get the scale to go down. I exercise at least 30-45 min 3-4 times a week too. I really want to try this, but the no vigorous exercise part takes me aback. Isn’t exercise good for you? What do you consider vigorous? I have done some yoga and Pilates, but I don’t really like them. Is jogging vigorous? I have the biggest loser cardio max dvd and like stuff like that. Please give me okay exercise guidelines and I will be on board with this. I was also wondering if people who do this 30 day thing report any weight gain. I do not want to gain any more weight! But I have noticed that in the last week since my temp has risen a little I feel better. Also, if I am pregnant is this an okay thing to do? thanks so much!
@Hannah, The no vigorous exercise is just temporary. And I think it’s something that will be different for everyone. For me – running 3 miles a few times per week would be vigorous since I don’t jog. But for someone who runs marathons, it’s going to be a piece of cake.
Know what I mean? So basically take what you’re doing down a notch or two for a bit.
During pregnancy it’s a great thing to feed your body lots of nutrient dense foods, get lots of sleep, and exercise moderately. I personally can’t imagine that it would affect a pregnancy negatively – but always talk to your OB or midwife!
@donielle, thanks so much. I like to exercise so I think I will continue doing it. I just won’t push myself as hard as I have in the past. My body feels better when I exercise too, not as achy. In the past week I have noticed that my temp has went up a little and I am very thankful for that. I can basically tell if I will have a higher reading or lower one when I wake up based on how I feel. I am so glad I found this sight and for all the info I have learned through it.
Hi Matt.
I just wanted to add a little. I have had low body temp for the last 15 years. My trigger
was chemotherapy but have found nothing to help fix this until recently.
I tried armor thyroid. I used to work out but quit since I no longer had the energy.
I am thin, but eat what I want as often as I need based on my diet restrictions due to
Food intolerances.
About eight weeks ago I added two supplements to my diet to help with
Neropathy in my Hands and feet from chemotherapy. I added benfotiamine (activated B1) 150 Mg/ day
And methyl B12 (activated b12) 1000ug three times per day.
I noticed several effects from these additions: the nerve damage in my feet
Became noticably less severe though it is not gone completely yet. My feet became
More painful initially- within a couple weeks of starting vitamins but then started
To improve. The second thing I noticed was more energy then more sleepiness and
Better sleep through out the night instead of waking up every night at three am!
My last improvement was significant increase in body temp. I normally ran around 97.7 but would dip
Down as low as 96 if I went outside while it was cold- even for just a few minutes
With full winter coat and gloves. I have tracked my basal body temp for over one year
Every day, and periodically through out the last 15 years. My temp has never been 98.6 unless I was sick and spiking a fever.
My temp is now 98.6 most of the month in the morning before I get out of bed.
I have not checked it through out the day yet to see if it stays that way all day, but the morning temp
Of 98.6 is something I was afraid I may never see again. I am assuming this shows higher metabolic activity which should translate into less health issues once it remains elevated for some time.
I hope this helps others. I know what it’s like to have chronic fatigue syndrome and have little hope.
Oh yes. One last thing. I used the vitacost brand for both vitamins. I did not use the sublingual forms since I do not tolerate fake sugars at all. I did put the b12 between my cheeks and hold it there for as long as it took. The absorption is suppose to be better here than swallowing it. If I could tolerate the sublingual tabs I would take those instead. These vitamins can also affect liver by increasing detox.
I really hope this helps someone as i don’t like to blog!
I ♥ Matt Stone! We are starting his Diet Recovery program and raising our metabolism. Great idea to have him as a guest!! 🙂
I have suffered with low body temp and thyroid issues all my life. I take prescribed medications for this condition. I have never heard the dietary advice that is on this site. It is very interesting and I believe I will try it and see if it works for me.
Thank you
Hey, buddy, I’ve not figured out the best way to subscribe
If this method doesn’t work, the method I used might.
I had cancer, all the thyroid problems and loads of other stuff. I fixed most of my ailments and fixed my low temperature.
Read my story
normalbodytemperature.co.uk
Janey Hood
I know I’m late to the game with my questions. I didn’t see this asked above, but if it was, I am sorry. I have almost every sign/symptom/issue with thyroid and low body temperature issues. Every blood test I’ve had says it’s normal. I have a semi-consistent 96.6 BBT (that dips lower often).
I don’t however have cold hands or feet and I am almost NEVER cold. I’m burning up always. I keep my house very cold and everyone always complains…Is this a sign of something else? At this point I am self treating, since no one believes me, and I’m on day 3 of the suggested method above. I’m more worried about the BBT. My husband and I are only on month two of trying to conceive but I don’t think I ovulated this last month…
@Alyssa McCord, I really don’t know – you might look into checking out Matt’s blog to see if he mentions anything about it. Underground Wellness also had a great podcast a year or more ago now on the thyroid that you might look in to. (www.undergroundwellness.com)
hi
i have been tracking my basal Body Temperature since past 25days. My temp is very low ranges from 96.5 to 97.1. to see when i have surge in temp to track ovulation. But hard luck the temp has not been elevated above 97.1. I have been doing exercise to reduce weight. This is to regulate periods and start ovulating to conceive. with your blog i am all confused, as in to continue with the exercise and control my diet. Can you please guide me?
@Archana V, I think what Matt is trying to say with this post he wrote for us, is that sometimes extra rest and nutrients are needed to help raise the basal temperature but nourishing our organs that need extra nutrients.
In my experience I just took 1-2 weeks to make sure I got lots and lots of sleep and plenty of nourishing foods. (if you’re new here, I don’t really think that a low-fat diet is best and there is a fertility foods checklist for subscribers if you are already one) After that I did continue to exercise (moderately a few days per week), but made sure I got more sleep than I had been previously and didn’t clutter my life with excess things to “do”. 🙂
@matt
I’m just after your opinion on a few things:
If there is a relationship between lowered caloric intake and increased lifespan, then is it beneficial to maintain a constantly high calorie intake similar to the one proposd here?
What is your opinion on periodic fasting, ketosis, and autophagy?
Cheers
@WestOzGirl, You’ll probably have to comment on his blog at http://www.180degreehealth.com . 🙂
I am a bit confused on how to incorporate this with the info in the NKU book and fertility foods chart. Should that be ignored for 30 days & follow above recommendation? My BBT is very low. Ranging from 35.5-36.5. My average is about 36…. I always have cold hands & feet. Even in a Texas summer heat wave! I have aching in my legs occasionally. Losing weight is absolutely impossible! (About -15 to goal/ideal healthy weight) I have frequent migraines. We’ve been trying for 3+ years. Wild cycles! I did notice an improvement in migraine & allergies recently when I started drinking some broth & mostly water/ACV/honey occasionally with cayenne. I assumed the improvement was due to hydration. But the article & comments are me to a T! Maybe it was a slight metabolism/thyroid boost!! Would loooove more info on the topic! Great article! Going to check out Matts blog & books & do more reading & research of my own too! This is a very exciting break thru for me!!! Ive always get been told these things are normal for my body! Looking forward to results!
@Tawny, I’ve been able to incorporate much of it into my normal diet, like the one I mention in the book. Most of what Matt recommends here can easily be done with a basic whole foods diet! I just eat a bit more at each meal and make sure that I don’t drink plain water and get plenty of rest.
I’d also recommend getting a full thyroid panel (including antibodies) if you haven’t yet. This way you’ll know what’s really going on! Low temps can always be fixed, and if you know your numbers, it can help you decide how to tackle any issues you may be having.
I am so glad I found this!!! I have 3 kids and would like to start trying for a 4th. I have never taken my waking temperature until this last month. I have a consistently low waking temperature in the 96’s. almost 97 or above. I am always cold, feel drained and borderline depressed. This explains it all. I will try your steps, hopefully this will fix it and it is not something more serious.
@MattStone
I know this was posted a while ago, but I came across it recently and thought it could help me. Husband and I have been trying to conceive for 6+ months. Cycles are normal, I’m a healthy person – no dieting, eat what I want but that is mostly vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, lots of olive oil, nuts, some dairy, some fish, no meat, etc. Have some ice cream or sweets or pizza if I want it but try to avoid processed stuff and fast food. No extreme eating/exercising, No dieting/etc and I stick to organic and natural remedies wherever possible. Not concerned with a number on a scale but I am petite/ thin (normal BMI though) and my temps are on the low side – around 97 before O to 97.7-98 after O. Sometimes spike above 98 but seems I can’t sustain that. Sometimes I take a daytime temp out of curiosity and it will be so low – 95.5, 96, etc. I avoid ice, cold drinks, and prefer warm/cooked food. Drink hot tea and always am bundled up to try to stay warm. I saw this post and thought of course, Saturated fats- that’s something I didn’t even think of. I get a lot of unsaturated/ plant fats but only sporadic saturated fat from cheese/ ice cream/ milk. All the other recommendations, I’m pretty much doing. So I decided to consciously add in a few servings a day – a cup of whole milk or coconut milk. Toast with butter or toast with coconut oil & honey. Haven’t eaten meat for 15+ years so avoided that reco. I’ve had all these foods before with no issues (I have no known food allergies) so it was nothing “new” but that same evening that I started this I developed a severe stomach pain that lasted through the night. The pain is upper center stomach (under rib cage) spreading to back (“epigastric”) and accompanied by nausea. This isn’t a normal indigestion uncomfortable pain, this is fetal position, leave you in tears, take me to the ER pain. I’m no baby but this is unbearable. I suffered through thinking it was a fluke or food poisoning. I kept up with my saturated fats for a few more days but I keep having sporadic acute pain attacks- sometimes right after eating, sometimes hours after eating, sometimes mid-afternoon, but almost always in the evening. At least 2x a day. Went to the Dr and they did an ultrasound for Gallbladder/pancreas -and bloodwork, all coming back “normal.” They told me to take prilosec (what a joke) and go to the ER if I’m in pain again. My family is convinced I am having Gallbladder attacks since my little sister had to have hers removed a few years ago because of a different type of digestive pain whenever she ate (and as a sidenote all her tests were normal too but they eventually found out hers wasn’t working). I thought maybe it’s the coconut (even though I’ve had it before) and cut that out but am still having issues. Have been reduced to eating brothy vegetable soups, plain quinoa, and raw celery. Practically everything brings on the pain & extreme nausea -foods I’ve always eaten. Or sometimes I won’t eat anything for a while and the pain will start up anyway. Forget any kind of fat, or anything with fat in it like wheat crackers, can’t eat that at all now. All my normal foods are making me sick. I am literally starving and miserable since this has gone on for a week and also so confused what is going on with my body (and sadly no, am not pregnant). Have you ever heard of this kind of reaction? I have to think there must be some connection because I have never had any health problems at all and then this and as you know Gallbladder issues are usually tied to inability to process fats. Went to my acupuncturist/TCM practitioner and he has been able to relieve the pain when I’m having an attack but they keep coming back. He said liver/stomach imbalance) and gave me a Chinese herbal remedy which has sometimes made me feel even worse. I am at wits end and desperately do not want to have my gallbladder removed/ resort to something drastic. Donielle if you have any thoughts, would also love to hear them. Please help.
@Kate, You may want to head to Matt’s blog and contact him there.
As for gallbladder attacks, if you have stones in the way, you can actually have them removed (via surgery) without them taking your entire gallbladder. From a couple cases I’ve seen (through friends) by the time it got that bad they needed extra help. (not saying there isn’t something natural you could do…..) Here’s a good post about gallbladder issues that may come up when changing diet:http://paleodietnews.com/2524/the-paleo-diet-gallbladder-issues/
I hope you find something that helps!
Hey there,
We are trying to conceive following weight loss surgery (Biliopancreatic Diversion w/ Duodenal Switch) two years ago and I just had my tubes untied after 16 years in Novemer last year. Since WL surgery I have always had a low temp around 97.7 as well as lower range for BP. I just started charting 7 days ago which for me was cycle day 20. My temps have been 97.7, 97.5, 97.8, 97.1, 97.4, 96.8, and 97.7. The first two days were charted later in the morning that I normally get up, I slept in both days and the rest were taken at 7 am. My weight loss settled about 6 months ago. And I am getting back to cleaner eating eating complex carbs which don’t make me sick and staying away from crap simple carbs which make me feel terrible. I have also recently added in a detox tea and probiotic. I just wonder if for my situation, my bbt is normal? What can I do to increase my chances of conception?
@Michelle Wormley, A good basal temp will be in the mid- 97’s before ovulation and upper 97’s/low 98’s after ovulation, so your temps don’t look low, except for a couple of days. Once you get a couple months worth of temps you should be able to see what’s going on (difficult with just a few days of temps). That way you’ll be able to see if you’re ovulating or not.
As for overall help in increasing the odds of conception, you can try this page: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/start-here
Free T4 (normal range 0.80 – 1.80 ng/dL) Mine 1.28
TSH (normal range 0.350 – 4.500 uIU/mL) mine 1.389
T3, Total (normal range 80.0 – 204.0 ng/dL) Mine 68.9
In addition, Here are some values but these tests are about a year old and they need to be retaken soon.
Interesting article! I definitely do all the things he suggests but my BBT seems to stay in the low 97 range. Looking back at my charts to when I got pregnant the first time (3 1/2 yrs ago), I was always low 97’s before ovulation. So should I be concerned? Perhaps my normal is low 97’s. Just want to maximize my chances since I’m almost 40. :-/
@Suzann, I don’t think low 97’s before ovulation is a bad thing. And I also think it depends on what time you temp. Because if I temp at 6am when my alarm goes off I’m at about 96.9/97.1. but if I wait until 7am to temp it’s up to the mid 97’s. So there is definitely a natural rhythm that my body has and this temperature fluctuation also happens to other women I speak with as well. From my experience, the earlier I wake, the lower my temp. If it was below 97, I might wonder about it. But if you’re staying above, it may not be as much of an issue. Just check your luteal phase to make sure it’s long enough and that you have a temp shift during ovulation. Other than that, I personally wouldn’t be to horribly concerned. 🙂
Hi Matt, I’m wondering if you could shed any light on the fact that 10 years after I stopped having hot flashes, I have begun having them again. (I am 62). I’ve been eating healthy, less / no processed foods, more whole / fresh foods, less red meat, more fish, especially Salmon, some chicken, homegrown eggs, less dairy, no wheat, only 100% whole grains when I do have them. My hands and feet stay cold more. Any ideas? Thanks.
@Sharon, You’ll want to send him a note over at his blog http://www.180degreehealth.com thanks!
Is there any reason to be concerned with having low BBT if I haven’t had any trouble conceiving? We conceived our DD on our first cycle trying, and our DS when our DD was 6 m old, and I was breastfeeding. Now he is 4 m old, I am still EBFing and my temps are about 96.8-97.4. Today it was 95.7 which scared me! My mom has hypothyroid so I am worried that I will get it too. We do eat a traditional WAP diet, although I’ve been cutting back on grains, sugar, fruit etc lately. and I only drink plain water or raw milk. And we definitely want more babies!
@Dove, My BBT was also low when I conceived two of mine. For *me*, it think it was a symptom of things to come…..I wish I would have had info on how to raise it back then.
Upper 96’s to mid- 97’s I don’t worry much about if they are before ovulation. And with nursing and waking up at night, you’ll probably see them lower.
One thing I do notice is that if I get less sleep, don’t eat enough, or am dealing with extra stress, my temps dip. So I’d maybe just jot down what happens the day before when you see a super low temp. That way you may begin to see a pattern.
I find Matt’s info conflicting. I eat the way he suggests for many years and ended up very sick with chronic pain. I took out dairy, wheat, and toxins and now I feel better and was able to get pregnant, my body temp use to be in the 96 range, now its 98 eating very healthy.
@Jenny, I definitely don’t think that his advice works well for everyone, and yet I don’t think he really tells people to eat foods that don’t agree with them. I also think that his ideas for refeeding the body help to raise temps and correct metabolism can be helpful to many people, but we also have to make sure we’re not eating foods that our body doesn’t like when we’re doing it. 🙂
This is my first month temping. I started after I supposedly ovulated. I have temperature averaging 36.3
Also, I have been fasting for the past week from sunrise to sundown. Can the low temperature be linked with my fasting? Or should I be worried? Thanks.
Well, I don’t know about you and how your body reacts, but when I don’t eat enough, my body temp begins to get lower. As long as the fast isn’t more than short term, it shouldn’t affect your metabolism too much. I’d be careful fasting for more than a day or two though unless you’re working with a health practitioner.
Matt,
I am diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease. My Natural Dr has put me on a strict grain-free, sugar-free diet. I have lost considerable weight (about 30 lbs…I needed to). I am at my normal weight now and I am feeling much better. However, before Hashimoto’s my BBT was very normal around 97.7 in phase 1 & 2 of my cycles and above 98 during my Thermal Shift part of the cycle. But since I’ve been having hypothyroid symptoms, and especially in the last year….my BBT has dropped below 97.0 and are continuing to drop lower than 97….more like 96.5. This is very frightening to me. My dr is trying to eliminate the inflammation in my body, and in the coming months will put me on iodine and other nourishing herbs to help my thyroid. I cannot have any type of grains right now. Can I still follow your instructions for raising my BBT without eating grains and sugar? How dangerous is my situation with the low BBT….I also am losing my hair?
Thanks so much,
Darlene
[email protected]
You’d want to contact Matt over at his blog for an answer from him, but in my opinion, you may want to make sure that you’re getting enough carbs each day. Often times when we go grain free (which can also be super helpful in healing!) we aren’t getting enough carbs and our body temp drops. At least in my experience, when I don’t get enough carbs each day mine goes down in to the 96’s as well.
You might also check out one of our contributors blogs – http://www.simplyhealthyhome.com as she is on a journey to recover from hashimotos and often posts relevant info.
Thank you so much for this post! My temperatures have been low (ranging 95.9-97.7) ever since I started charting a year ago. Only just found my out it might be a problem (thanks to the really cool community of Kindara) and after reading about symptoms/causes it makes so much sense! I’m always tired. Cold hands/feet. Slurred speech. Forgetful.. I thought this was because my burn-out over 2 years ago (at which time I also lost my appetite and have been eating tiny amounts of food ever since). I hope this is going to change for me now. Thank you!
Hi Donielle or Matt,
Thanks for the great material! I have been reading through this long thread of comments and see that some people talk about booking a session with Matt. Do you know where I can go in order to do that? I went to 180DegreeHealth and clicked on consults, which lead me to Dr Garrett Smith, but I don’t see any link for Matt. Your help would be really appreciated, thank you!
I don’t know if Matt is still doing consultations at this point! So if he’s directly you to someone else, that might be the reason.
I share this with ever woman I know who is trying to conceive. This information was invaluable to me. It’s seriously not that hard. The no eating for 12 hours? Come on. You can do it! I did force myself to keep eating beyond fullness, as I’m a thinner person to begin with. I ate lots of coconut oil and other saturated fats. I cut out the vigorous exercise and just stayed active and walked more. I got plenty of sleep and de-stressed as much as possible. As someone who doesn’t believe in a magic bullet… I mean, you do need the right sperm and right egg… yes, I absolutely think following this helped me get pregnant. A+ Matt.
To add one thing I forgot to mention… I did chart for six months, and not only did my temp elevate slightly (my temps weren’t super low beforehand), but my temperature really evened out and my charts looked great. I recommend charting basal body temperature if you aren’t already. Most reading this probably are charting, but I can’t stress the importance enough of knowing what your body is doing.
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so glad this worked for you!