We need to be AWARE – we have a severe nutrient deficiency in the U.S. (and many other places on the planet). The book, The Iodine Crisis, by investigative reporter and whistleblower, Lynne Farrow, should be read by everyone who is concerned about their health. I was moved so greatly by the content; I knew the importance of sharing information from the book with the masses. In the interest of time, both my own and for you the reader, I will provide highlights here.
Farrow begins the introduction with “Iodine deficiency wrecked my life”. How I wish we could quantify the number of people to which this statement applies. I strongly suspect the same applies to myself, but we’ll never know.
The author’s search for the truth went into overdrive when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was able to find objective research from over 50 years ago connecting breast cancer and iodine deficiency and was shocked that this issue was not mentioned in any sources available to current breast cancer patients.
As she dug more into this crucial mineral, she discovered a “text book-accepted theory about the dangers of iodine” dating back to 1961. Except is was NOT true. At all. Fortunately, Dr. Guy Abraham, together with his research partners Dr. Jorge Flechas and Dr. David Brownstein have brought the truth to light. More on that in a bit.
What happened to our use of iodine? Here I will take the lazy blogger’s way of conveying information and share with you some highlights from a few of the chapters.
Chapter 4: Bromine-A Cause for Iodine Deficiency “We’ve become iodine deficient since the 1970s because the anti-iodine bromine has purged iodine from our bodies.” “Iodine is the biochemical ‘antidote’ for toxic bromine but it takes time.”
Chapter 5: Why Does Your Body Need Iodine? Iodine is essential in small amounts for every single cell in the body.
Medical records from 1906, showed iodine was used as The Universal Medicine for things like atherosclerosis, uterine fibroids (seriously, after what I went through??), swollen glands, prostatic hypertrophy, depression, eczema, ovarian cysts, “rheumatism” and breast pain. Farrow includes a list of conditions she has seen helped by iodine including those just listed and dozens more including fertility problems, blood pressure, fibromyalgia, hearing loss, constipation, eye problems, weight gain and brain fog. The way I see it, if you have any of these issues and you either aren’t taking iodine or haven’t had it tested, you’re missing out.
The myth that iodized salt has enough of this essential mineral to keep us healthy is DANGEROUS. First of all, half of the original iodide is lost from the time the salt leaves the factory until it gets to the grocery store. More of the iodine escapes into the air after you open it at home. Only 10% of the iodine is absorbable, that is as long as you don’t cook with it because cooking destroys it. And the form added to salt is not the form women need for healthy breasts. Sheesh.
If you think you can get enough iodine from fish, be prepared. You’ll need to eat about 4 pounds of fish from the ocean. Every day. Hungry?
Chapter 6: Why Consider Supplementing Iodine? Farrow emphasizes iodine’s “profound power to detox, normalize and nourish the cells so they can work optimally…Iodine is more of a missing link that helps the body regulate and adapt.”
In this chapter and Chapter 8 she discusses the particulars of why and how to take iodine. I’ll let you get the book instead of regurgitating it here. The most important point is to understand that the amounts recommended by the USDA are miniscule compared to what the body really needs (150 micrograms vs. 12.5 to 50 milligrams – {1000 micrograms = 1 milligram, by the way}).
I know so many women with Hashimoto’s disease so I believe this comment is worthy of mention here: “iodine deficiency is often the most direct cause of Hashimoto’s combined with selenium deficiency.”
Chapter 7 – What Do Doctors Think About Iodine? Most doctors in this country have been taught to be Iodophobic – to fear iodine because it could damage the thyroid. Two major reasons are 1.) The fact that iodine is cheap and can’t be patented, so no drug reps are “educating” doctors about it, and 2.) The Wolff-Chaikoff conclusion discussed in detail in Chapter 17 (keep reading please).
Farrow notes that “iodine literacy is spreading fast”, through the American College for the Advancement of Medicine, The Anti-Aging Conferences, The Iodine Conference and the Weston A Price Foundation conferences, where Dr. David Brownstein often speaks (very informatively I might add).
Moving forward to Chapter 11, Farrow discusses the growth of online discussion groups about iodine that have helped countless people regain their health. Included in these are www.facebook.com/groups/IodineWorkshop, http://curezone.org/forums, and http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/breastcancerthinktank. Check them out. Please.
In Chapters 12 and 17, Farrow shares with the reader the REAL dangers of bromine. Not only is this dangerous halogen that blocks out iodine used as a fire retardant in cars, mattresses, electronics, pesticides and children’s toys and pajamas, but it is also used in flour, and vegetable oils (which are in Mountain Dew…ugh!).
In the early 1970’s, not only was iodine removed from bread and baked goods, but the anti-iodine potassium bromate was added. Insult to injury.
The fact that bromide has been banned in many countries, but not the United States, is reason to be concerned about policies related to health here at home.
Chapters 13 – 16 talk about the history of healing and the use of iodine. We learn that the old Merck Manual had iodine as the most used tumor remedy in the 1800s. How many cancer patients have been told this? We learn that the Civil War soldiers carried iodine canteens in addition to water canteens because iodine was used to purify water and treat infections. Other fascinating uses and a historical timeline dating back to 15,000 BC are shared.
After the second World War came the invention of penicillin and sulfa drugs which began to replace iodine for infections. Then, in 1948, and again in 1961, Drs. Chaikoff and Wolff published papers persuading physicians that iodine was dangerous. These erroneous reports, unsupported by legitimate science influenced medical educations for at least three generations until in 2005, Guy Abraham, MD., wrote the article The Wolff-Chaikoff Effect: Crying Wolff noting the mistakes in the studies from decades earlier. In bold, Farrow writes “The so-called fundamental law of physiology-that iodine can shut down the thyroid gland – has been challenged, overthrown and even reversed” and “If iodine could be stolen from needy patients for decades by two unverified scientific papers, we must blame a medical system that allows unverified studies to determine patient care.” Thoughts? I hope so. We have got to question! Think! And question some more!
This reversal of the Wolff-Chaikoff myth has created a revolution. “Iodine has been redefined from a poison to a vital nutrient with life-changing benefits.” Is your health care provider aware of this yet? Ask.
Farrow rightfully asks “How many women and men have suffered, yes, even died, because Wolff-Chaikoff’s conclusions that became the law of medicine?” Hmm.
Near the end of the book is a chapter entitled The Perfect Storm Theory of Breast Cancer which begins with a quote from Dr. Flechas “The absence of iodine in the human body is a promoter of cancer”. Once again, I’ll leave it at that and strongly encourage you to get the book for the fascinating details.
Finally, the Appendixes and Resources are enlightening and oh, so helpful.
Get the book. Read it. I bet you’ll be glad you did.
When I purchase iodine off the Internet, I use Detoxidine, from Global Healing Center.
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