Tag Archives: Natural cures

Iodine Deficiency Epidemic, Natural Remedies & Cures

Treat Iodine Deficiency Naturally

Iodine Deficiency Can Cause Cancer, Hypothyroidism, ADHD and Retardation.

Learn About 5 Simple Tips to Avoid and Treat Iodine Deficiency Naturally.

Iodine is important: each and every cell in your body needs iodine. Iodine is responsible for the production of all body’s hormones. Iodine is the key to a healthy thyroid and efficient metabolism.

Japanese consume a daily average of 13.8 mg of iodine (89 times more than Americans!), and they are one of the healthiest nations based on overall well-being and cancer statistics.

Why Iodine Consumption is Dropping?

It is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide are susceptible to health problems due to iodine deficiency.

Iodine consumption for example in US has dropped 50% since the 1970s.  This is mainly due to the bromide exposure, fluoridated water, exposure to mercury from dental work, soil depletion, limited intake of iodine-rich foods etc.

Bromide is endocrine disruptor and even small amount of bromide is toxic. It is used as an additive in many products like pesticides, prescription drugs, personal care products, plastic products, dyes, added to some citrus drinks and bakery products (potassium bromate).

Iodine Deficiency Causes Cancer

Iodine induces apoptosis, meaning it causes cancer cells to self-destruct. Iodine is one of the most powerful anti-cancer agents known. It is both a strong antioxidant as well as oxidant in the body, thus maintaining the balance between the two.

While good iodine levels help fight back against cancer, lowered levels provide fertile ground for cancer to form in many different hormonally sensitive tissues — tissues of the breast, thyroid, prostate, uterus, and ovaries.

Iodine deficiency is linked to fibrocystic breast disease with nodules and cyst enlargement.

Iodine deficiency results in increased iodine trapping by the thyroid, thus iodine deficient individuals are prone to radiation-provoked thyroid cancer.

Several studies have demonstrated a relationship between low iodine intake and fibrocystic disease of the breast (FDB), both in women and laboratory animals. “Women with goiters owing to iodine deficiency have been found to have a three times greater incidence of breast cancer. A high intake of iodine is associated with a low incidence breast cancer, and a low intake with a high incidence of breast cancer”-  Dr. Donald Miller Jr.

According to Dr. Flechas the absence of iodine in a cell is what causes cancer, and some statistics support this view. For example, between 1971 and 2000, the average iodine levels in the US declined by 50 percent and cancers associated with iodine deficiency (breast, prostate, endometrium, and ovaries cancer) increased.

Dr. Brownstein has noticed clinically that iodine can cause tumors to shrink and die from the center out. He achieved similar results with nodules and cysts in the thyroid, ovaries, and uterus after introducing supplementation with iodine.

Iodine Deficiency and Hypothyroidism, Goiter (Enlarged Thyroid)

Iodine is the key to a healthy thyroid and efficient metabolism, and part of the thyroid hormone molecule itself.

Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to help regulate metabolism and development of skeleton and brain and plays a crucial role in thyroid biochemistry.

Thyroid hormones are used by every cell of our body to regulate metabolism and body weight by controlling the burning of fat for energy and heat. We also need it for your immune system to work properly.

Thyroid hormone production can be severely disrupted by high exposure to bromide/bromine, chlorine and fluoride.

Thyroid problem can actually be an iodine deficiency problem. If you feel tired, are overweight, have dry skin, suffer from hair loss, constipation or cold sensitivity, it could all be related to hypothyroidism.

Iodine deficiency can severely affect child’s brain function and IQ and cause mental retardation.

Iodine deficiency is a major cause of sub-functioning intellect as proposed by Dr. Flechas: “In newborn children iodine is responsible for the development of the babies’ I.Q. Recent research shows iodine deficiency is felt to be the source of attention deficit disorder in children”. Deficiency of iodine appears to be causing damage in developing embryos and in pregnant women iodine deficiency causes abortions and stillborns.

Besides iodine, a proper brain function and high IQ in children is promoted by the omega-3 fat DHA, vitamin D, optimized gut flora. Fluoride needs to be avoided at all cost.

Iodine RDA and Supplementation

It is obvious that recommended daily allowance for iodine are insufficient for optimal health and brain function, however in “alternative world” there is no consensus on what supplementation may look like and recommendations range anywhere between 800mcg to 12+mg and above 50mg for serious illnesses.

Some recent research also casts doubt on high-dose iodine supplementation and suggests it might not be wise to go above 800 mcg of iodine per day (source: Dr Mercola) whilst according to Dr. Flechas should be 12.5 mg/day.

Dr David Brownstein, based on his clinical and laboratory experience believes that an individual with a serious illness such as cancer or an autoimmune disorder may need protocols above 50 mg/day to become iodine sufficient.

Check At Home If You Are Iodine Deficient

According the Dr. Mercola, you can check at home if you are iodine deficient by applying the iodine tincture from the drug store and painting a 3-inch/8cm patch on your arm. The patch should last for 48 hours. The sooner it disappears the deeper is your iodine deficiency seem to be.

If serious deficiency of iodine is suspected, best to ask your health care practitioner for the urine iodine challenge test and based on the results work with on establishing a full nutritional program, which besides iodine supplementation calls also for adequate supplementation of selenium, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and omega-3 in addition to healthy and balanced nutrition.

5 Tips to Help Avoid Iodine Deficiency

For those in good health and to keep on the safe side it may be preferable to optimize iodine levels through the natural intake of foods.

  1. Toxin-free sea vegetables like seaweeds kelp, bladderwrack and spirulina are among the best natural dietary sources of iodine.
  2. Celtic Sea Salt and  Le sel de Guérande are all-natural, pure source of iodine that contains up to 350 mcg per 1/4 tsp.
  3. Eat organic. Wash all produce to minimize the pesticides exposure (and bromine).
  4. Avoid using plastic containers. Use glass/ceramic instead.
  5. Buy whole-grain breads and flour and make sure they are bromine-free.

Credits, Sources and More Info

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/iodine.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/29/iodine-deficiency-risk.aspx

http://www.naturalthyroidchoices.com/IodineSuppl.html

http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html

Iodine Why You Need It by David BrownStein

Juicing for Longevity

Juicing = Longevity

Juicing For Thriving In a Toxic World

vegetable juice

We need around (6-8 servings!) of vegetables and fruit every day. Eating cooked vegetables doesn’t fully count as typically many nutrients are lost during the preparation and cooking process. Fruit in general contains high amount of fructose and we need to be careful and limit the intake.  This all means we need to consume a tons of vegetables, which may not be an easy task especially if you live a busy life or don’t particularly fancy eating them.

That’s why juicing tends to be the easiest way to reach our daily requirement.

Juicing also helps us better absorb the nutrients from the vegetables as well as using a wider variety of vegetables than we would typically eat.

When you drink freshly made green juice, it is almost like receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals and enzymes because they go straight into your system without having to be broken down. When your body has an abundance of the nutrients it needs you will feel energized and your immune system will get a boost.

Green vegetable juicing ensures enough nutrients for optimal health, including about 300 mg of potassium per glass. By removing the fiber we are able to consume large volume of natural potassium.

  • For juicing beginners (those in good health) it is acceptable to include both fruits and vegetables otherwise it may become difficult to get used to green juicing. Juicing fruits is somewhat controversial due to high amounts of fructose that can be harmful especially if you are overweight, have high blood pressure etc.
  • Organic vegetables and fruits are free of pesticides and our best choice.
  • If you don’t have a juicer please consider getting one, it is one of the best investments for your health and if you are sick it may as well save your life!
  • You don’t need a fancy and super expensive one, but you do need a good quality and strong juicer (at last 700W) to be able to get the full benefit and also juice leafy vegetables, wheatgrass etc.  I have a Samson and pretty happy with its performance. Alternatively you can use blender, add some water and pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
  • If you are new to juicing, take it easy and mix it with some fruits at the beginning. Take couple of “lighter” taste  vegetables (e.g. cucumber (peel it), fennel, carrot or spinach) and add lemon, lime, apple or ginger to improve taste.  A great recipe for beginners is a “Miracle Drink” – juice from apples, beet root (with leaves) and carrots.  It’s a powerful detox, immune system booster, great for eyesight, low hemoglobin, anemia, leukemia and cancer.
  • Follow these links to find few good recipes for juicing beginners. Jamie Oliver Juicing Recipes  or Gwyneth Paltrow Juice Recipes
  • When you get used to juicing, shift slowly towards more vegetables and less sweet fruits. Lime and lemons will always stay a great addition even for “hard core nutrition connoisseurs” as they contain limited amount of fructose.

Juice In, Love Out  🙂 

Sunshine, Well-Being Essentials

Sunshine

Sunshine & Vitamin D Production

Sunshine 2 652We are the children of the Sun. Light and sun exposure are essentials in our wellbeing.  Vitamin D, produced by our skin during the sun exposure, has been shown to shrink tumors.  Deficiency of vitamin D supports a large number of diseases like cancer, heart disease, autism, multiple scelorsis, cold, flu, eczema, depression, obesity and many others.

Vitamin D is found in milk, eggs, fish etc. but from diet alone we only get about 300 units of vitamin D per day compared to approximately 8,000 units that an adult need.

UVB vs. UVA Explained

Only UVB rays are vitamin D producing.

On the other hand, the UVA-rays increase the risk of skin cancer and aging. They may give some tan, but unless UVB-rays are also available, the direct exposure should be avoided. In winter months, the UVB-rays don’t reach out to most of the places on Earth .

Most of the sunscreens protect you from the potentially beneficial, vitamin D producing UVB rays, while letting through skin-damaging UVA light. In addition, suncreeens may contain some exteremely dangerous and carcinogenic ingredients.

Key Things to Remember

  • Proper sun exposure is the way to get vitamin D.  All other ways are suboptimal.
  • To calculate the time for your geo-location, when enough UVB actually can penetrate the atmosphere to allow for vitamin D production is relatively complex, but you can download a free iphone app called D Minder, which will make the calculations for you.
  • In the winter months we typically do not get enough vitamin D. In that case oral vitamin D or the tanning beds (good ones are very expensive) are the only alternatives.
  • Oral supplement needs to be a natural vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), the same vitamin D our body makes when exposed to sunshine. It is important to avoid vitamin D2 (Drisdol).
  • Chose carefully your sunscreen. The list of offending, cancerogenic and hormone disruptive ingredients used in too many products is too long. Instead of commercial sunscreens you can use natural red raspberry seed oil that offers great SPF protection (SPF28-50). Read more about natural oils that offer great SPF protection and some quick DIY sunscreen and sun tanning recipes.
  • www.edw.org maintains the list of  sunscreens with details about toxicity; make sure to buy the sunscreen that is listed there as safe.

Sources and Credits