Thyroid & Adrenal Health

Meet Your Adrenal Glands

Adrenals are called so because they are small glands sitting atop our kidneys (renal in Latin means pertaining to kidneys). They are small endocrine glands belonging to HPA-Axis that perform some very important functions in your body.

HPA-Axis stands for Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and is a beautifully intricate and sophisticated system of the human body. It is our body’s main responder to stress and how we process the world around us. Under normal circumstances, our body effectively deals with stress by adjusting hormone levels (most notably, cortisol), which rapidly returns to normal once the perceived threat/stressor is over.

We possess survival mechanisms that are designed to adopt in this way to any and all stressors imaginable. A testament to the miraculous nature of the human body! Problems start when our stress is ongoing and chronic.

The adrenal gland produces several main hormones:

1. Cortisol

• A steroid hormone called “fight or flight hormone”
• Produced by our adrenal glands and in small amounts in other tissues
• It helps our body respond to stress and inflammation
• Cortisol is released into the blood in a diurnal rhythm, meaning that it is the highest in the morning, about 30-60 min after we wake up, and then slowly tapers down, normally becoming its lowest at bedtime to allow for restful sleep
• A high level of it gives us energy in the morning, and a low level in the evening allows up to fall and stay asleep
• Increases blood sugar levels
• Increases blood pressure
• Regulates metabolism
• Influences memory formation
• Controls salt and water balance

2. DHEA

DHEA – is a hormone made mostly by the adrenal gland but also a little bit in the skin and brain

• Precursor hormone for the production of testosterone and estrogen
• Its production declines with age starting in the late 20s
• Stress may also impact your DHEA levels
• Increases lean body mass and muscle strength
• Activates immune function
• Improves sleep
• Increases feeling of wellness
• Decreases joint soreness
• Increases insulin sensitivity
• Decreases triglycerides
• Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
• Elevates growth hormone levels
• Has a positive effect on memory
• In women, improves sexual satisfaction

Aldosterone and adrenaline are also hormones produced in the adrenal gland.

All the hormones in our bodies are designed to work together— in concert. If one is altered or deficient, it may impact the function of any or all the other hormones. Adrenal hormones are no exception and they exert a powerful effect on all other hormones.

Prolonged stress can both predispose patients to and precipitate hormonal imbalances. Stress may also increase symptoms for patients with existing hormone imbalances. This “oversized” influence of adrenal hormones is the reason that, when treating hormone imbalances, there is a functional medicine “rule” that suggests to start with the adrenals.

In functional medicine, evaluation of stress and stress management strategies offer a low-harm, high-benefit intervention that can assist with downstream thyroid and sex hormone production, transport, and processing. The hormone production pathways are extremely complex and modulated by many factors, of which stress is just one example.

How Much Does Thyroid & Adrenal Health Cost in New Jersey?

Once you become a patient of Absoulute Vitality, you will start out with the Discovery Phase which includes two sixty-minute appointments with Dr. Kalika and one sixty-minute visit with the health coach. The baseline price for your Discovery Phase (including two sixty-minute appointments with Dr. Kalika and one sixty-minute visit with the health coach) is $900. After the discovery phase is completed, if you decide to proceed with your care at AV, you will be able to choose between an annual membership plan called Absoulute Care with which you will get four thirty-minute follow-up visits with Dr. Kalika and four thirty-minute follow-up visits with your health coach, all evenly spread out throughout the following year. The discounted price for this membership is $1,000, paid upfront. Alternatively, you can purchase visits with Dr. K and your health coach a la carte. For the price, please refer to our price of services section.

*Please note – We are OUT OF NETWORK with all the insurances. FSA is welcome.

Additinoal Costs

If you have health insurance, your lab work (minus deductible), will most likely be covered. Some of the advanced functional tests have a limited option of insurance coverage, however, most of the testing is out of pocket. Each test has its own price which will be provided to you during your visit.

Some other expenses may include the price of the supplements, compounded medications, optional aesthetic procedures, and IV treatments that we offer. 10% discounts on aesthetic procedures are available for Dr. Kalika’s functional medicine patients.

Why Choose Us?

Sanna Kalika, M.D. is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician who focuses on providing her patients with the most attentive, comprehensive, integrative care. As an internist, Dr. Kalika specializes in diagnosing and treating a range of conditions that affect many organ systems. With over two decades of experience in traditional and integrative medicine and a strong interest in functional medicine, Dr. Kalika is able to utilize knowledge from both disciplines of medicine and combine them into one comprehensive approach to DIS-ease. Dr. Kalika has the best interest of her patients in mind and loves to offer patients an active participation in their own care, a true partnership.