💪 The Hairy Chin Newsletter #5

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Hello and Happy Monday to everyone!

This week we’ve got the 1440 newsletter with us again - and if you’re wondering what ‘1440’ means, here’s what they’ve got to say about it: “The printing press was invented around the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. We're here to make each one count.” Nifty, right?! If you’re a curious soul like me, check them out, it’s always an interesting read.

Here’s a quick run through of this week’s entry:

• Your Advocacy Toolkit: Building A Support Network

• Body Talk 101: Eyebrows and Thyroids

• Health Truths: 80% of Autoimmune Disease Is Female Led

• Told By Her: Women Quitting Work Due To Menopause

• On The Podcast: Emotional Eating with Alana Kessler

• The Supplement Scoop: Iron (Coming 4/18!)

Let’s get to work! 💪

Spencer Moore
Founder, The Hairy Chin
(Listen to The Hairy Chin Podcast)
(Subscribe to The Hairy Chin Newsletter)
(Follow us on Instagram)

Your health journey will always be yours, but you don’t have to walk it alone. An ally, a tribe, a village - whatever you choose to call it - it’s essential. Why? Because more and more science is finding that connection supports healing. It can be icky and uncomfortable being vulnerable, but going through it creates more space for growth and yes, healing.

Here are some ways to build a support network:

• Choose a Health Advocate: Find a trusted friend, family member, or even a patient advocate professional.

• Join Support Groups: Whether online or in person, find your people and interact with them! (And if you can’t find the right space, create one yourself. If you build it, they will come!)

• Leverage Your Community: Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations, referrals, or emotional support. (This can be that icky part - push through!)

• Stay Connected: Follow up with allies and update them on your progress

  (You are not a burden. Let people support you. A closed mouth can’t be fed!)

• Be Your Own Best Advocate: Remember, at the end of the day, you are your strongest ally. You got this! 💪

Esther Perel, the psychotherapist and NYT best-selling author, recently had some amazing thoughts (honestly, when does she not?!) on how we as humans don’t heal in isolation, but how we heal in connection. You can find her poignant words here in a recent post on her IG account @EstherPerelOfficial. 

Let’s talk eyebrows, specifically Queen Anne’s eyebrows, because hers (and ours) might be telling us something.

Now, Queen Anne’s involvement in this story is a bit random, and I’m still not entirely sure why she was dragged into this. Apparently, in an old portrait of her, she had some pretty thinned out eyebrows - specifically at the outer third. (Someone get her an eyebrow pencil, stat!)

And while this might not seem like a big deal to some, a certain Belgian internist, Eugene Ludovic Christian Hertoghe, a pioneer in thyroid health in the early 20th century, definitely took notice. And his notice mattered. He linked this thinning of the outer third of the eyebrow with a thyroid issue - specifically hypothyroidism.

This specific thinning is now called the Hertoghe Sign, or Queen Anne’s Sign, and while it’s not the most common symptom, it could be a clue that your thyroid needs some TLC. (Fun fact: It was never confirmed that Queen Anne ever had a thyroid issue! 🤦‍♀️)

When your thyroid is underactive (aka hypothyroidism), it impacts your metabolism, makes you feel cold, dries out your skin, zaps your energy and can even make your hair (including your eyebrows) thin, with the outer edges being especially sensitive to this hormonal change.

So, if your brows are fading (especially at the outer third), and you’re also feeling some of the symptoms listed above, it might be worth checking in with your doctor.

Your body is always talking - are you listening?!

(Curious what Queen Anne looked like? Check out her portrait here. You can also check out this presentation of a woman who actually did have a thyroid issue, showing significant thinning of her outer third eyebrows. And if you’re in the know about thyroid health, you read that correctly, her TSH was 62.7 IU/ml! 🤯 )

Did you know some autoimmune diseases are female-led, and by a lot!

Somewhere between 24 and 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, a condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. The female-to-male ratios are incredible lopsided, with as many as 4 out of 5 of those diagnosed being women. That’s a mind-blowing 80%!

Check out the following female-to-male ratios:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis (3:1)

• Multiple Sclerosis (4:1)

• Scleroderma (5:1)

• Autoimmune thyroid diseases (8:1)

• Lupus (9:1)

• Sjogren’s Syndrome (19:1)

The jury is still out on exactly why women are diagnosed more often than men. There’s some talk about chromosomes (You can read some research here and here) and there are a lot of conversations about trauma and stress opening the door to these illnesses. Ever heard of NYT best-selling book The Body Keeps The Score? If not, it’s an eye-opening read. (You can also find more research here.)

A lot of unknowns exist, but it’s an important statistic to know - and perhaps a conversation to have with your doctor if you’ve got a handful of random symptoms that are highly affecting your quality of life and not adding up to a clear diagnosis. (You can read here about the difficulties in diagnosing autoimmune disease.)

Also, you can check out Ep 4 of The Hairy Chin Podcast where I interviewed Katie Tarr about autoimmune disease in women. Katie, a mother, wife, MS-warrior and health advocate, shares her story of navigating a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. You can find that episode here.

Here’s a sad story: In 2016, Madhu Kapoor chose to resign from her position in the British government, a position she had held for 23 years. “I loved what I did, and I was loyal and committed. But I wasn’t coping, and I thought the best thing to do was leave.” (You can read her full story from the BBC here)

What was she not coping with? Menopause. And she’s not alone.

A 2023 UK workplace-healthcare survey of more than 2,000 women aged 40 to 60 showed that 23% percent considered resigning due to the impact of menopause and 14% said they were planning to hand in their notice. And, according to London’s Faculty of Occupational Medicine, nearly 8 out of 10 women go through menopause while they are still working and via another survey of 11,000 female union members, 4 out of 5 women reported that their employer provides no support at work for menopausal symptoms.

Another woman who felt the pangs of working through the transition was Tamsen Fadal, an Emmy award-winning journalist who thought she was dying when she collapsed on the bathroom floor during work at her news studio. Dying, no. Menopause, yes.

Tamsen teamed up with PBS to release ‘The M Factor’ - the first documentary film on the health crisis faced by millions of women going through menopause - or as they say here in Europe ‘the menopause!’ You can find that documentary here.

She also wrote the NYT best-selling book ‘How To Menopause’ - an expert driven guide that empowers women to navigate perimenopause and menopause with confidence. You can find it here.

This week in our 16th episode, I interview Registered Dietician Alana Kessler Of Be Well By AK about the complexities of emotional eating and how it often stems from deeper issues than mere hunger. Alana shares her personal journey of emotional eating and her expertise as a registered dietician, clinical nutritionist and yoga & mindfulness teacher.

Our conversation highlights the importance of understanding our relationship with food, including societal pressure, food anxiety, overeating and most importantly - what can be done about it.

🎙️ Catch the episode this Wednesday at 9 AM EST on all major podcast platforms - including Apple, Spotify and iHeart) and now, in an exciting upgrade, on YouTube! 

(And please don’t forget to hit subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast - it helps more than you know! Many thanks 💛 )

This week, IRON is landing in your inbox on Friday, April 18th.

Here’s a sneak peak at what’s coming:

Iron is essential for helping produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. Women, especially those with heavy periods, pregnancy or vegetarian diets are at higher risk for deficiency. And when you’re low on iron (aka anemia), it can make you feel tired, weak, dizzy or even out of breath. No bueno, indeed.

Keep an eye out this Friday. And if you haven’t seen them yet, check out our previous installments about Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Ok my amigas, that’s a wrap. Self-advocacy has never been easier - from To-Do to TA-DA - just like that! 💪

Bravo for being here,
Spencer Moore

DISCLAIMER: The information shared here, which can include affiliate links, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. Always consult with a qualified provider before making any medical decisions, changing your health routine, or starting a new treatment. This content is meant to help you learn about yourself and advocate for your well-being. What you do with this information is entirely up to you. 💛