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Thyroid – part 6: Recap & Strategies

Liz James · April 26, 2022 ·

Perhaps by now you are thinking, “Lordy….is this information on the thyroid ever going to end?” The trail of clues (and ah-ha moments for each individual) touches pretty much every aspect of the body, and there are many wonderful books and resources that go much deeper than I am here. Please, go research! You are worthy and capable of more than you may think. My goal here is to ignite the “ah-ha”, and spur you towards digging deeper on your own, and perhaps that may even need to include finding the right health professional who will partner (key word there!) with you in your personal wellness journey.
Recall that the thyroid has a symbiotic and synergistic relationship with many organs and glands in the body. (We haven’t even covered the adrenal glands and sex hormones yet!😁🤓). There is a math phrase, “The whole equals the sum of the parts.” This applies in biology as well: Our body cannot work wholly unless each part is well maintained and works!
Before we head further southward in the endocrine system, let’s take a look at a cliff notes version of supportive measures designed to keep your thyroid healthy and happy:
🔎Food has the power to heal or kill. Choose wisely and know your sources! Nutrients are best received by the body if in natural form, and if supplementation is needed (often the case in our imperfect world! 😕), choose naturally sourced supplements! Synthetically derived supplements are unfortunately the most common ones found in the marketplace and do not do the job well. This is what makes having our naturally sourced Young Living supplements a beautiful, safe and effective one stop shopping experience!
🔎The thyroid needs very specific nutrients to produce sufficient levels of thyroid hormones:
🌿Vitamin D: found in YL’s Super Vitamin D and Master Formula, Balance Complete, MightyVites, MindWise, OmegaGize and Super Cal Plus.
🌿Vitamins B2 (riboflavin),B3 ( niacin) , and B6 (pyridoxine): found in YL’s Super B, Master Formula, MightyVites and Balance Complete
🌿Iodine: found in YL’s Multigreens, Master Formula, Thyromin,
Balance Complete, NingXia Nitro and Slique Shakes). Recall that it may be a good idea to have an iodine loading test done to see if your body needs more than it is currently getting in your diet and current supplementation.
🌿Vitamin E: found in Master Formula, MightyVites, Thyromin and IlluminEyes
🌿Iron: found in Master Formula, Balance Complete and Femigen
🌿Zinc: found in Master Formula, Immupro, PowerGize, Balance Complete, Slique Shakes, Super B, AminoWise, MegaCal, and MightyVites
🌿Selenium: Master Formula, MightyVites, Immupro, Super B, Balance Complete
🌿Tyrosine: found in Thyromin and Multigreens
Additional ways to support and love on that beautiful 🦋butterfly within your throat include:
🔎Keeping the toxin☠️ load to a minimum! Thank goodness we have the entire Thieves Household Cleaner to keep our homes, cars, ourselves, and our pets spiffy, clean, and healthy! Butterflies (and your thyroid!) are so very sensitive to their environment. Recall that toxins include toxic emotions and unresolved drama and trauma. Toxins also may include gluten in susceptible individuals.
🔎Be alert for chronic low grade infections that create systemic low grade inflammation, and mediate accordingly. Common sites for these to occur may be within joint replacements, root canals and other dental infections, sinus cavities, breast implants, and parasitic🐉🦠 infections (usually undiagnosed!…. I personally do a parasite cleanse at least twice a year using Parafree along with major liver support)
🔎Support your toxin clearing organs so that they may do their job efficiently and effectively…. Pay close attention to how well your liver and kidneys work! If you have an MTHFR gene variance, you’ll want to support your liver function on the regular. The liver has to work that much harder to remove toxins from the body! Studies have shown that carriers of a MTHFR gene variance have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism if left unmanaged. Conversely, if you have a sluggish thyroid and a normally robust MTHFR pathway, the sluggish thyroid will eventually affect the MTHFR (methylation pathway) that is needed to clear toxins (and fighting inflammation) efficiently from the body.
🔎Strive to live as medication free as possible. While it may not always be possible, make it a goal to aim for. You’ll never succeed in something if you don’t create a plan and work towards a goal!
🔎Thyroids love exercise! Incorporate an appropriate exercise routine into your daily habits.
🔎Remove all possible sources of fluoride and chlorine saboteurs from your world. Check your local water source for fluoride content and filter your water. Remember that Thieves Toothpaste and Mouthwash is your thyroid’s friend!
🔎Address Autoimmune Diseases holistically and reduce chronic systemic inflammation in the process.
🔎Chronic stress is among the gang of enemies hellbent on destroying the thyroid. Protect your thyroid as you would a small child👩‍👧…… seriously. Use your skills we’ve talked about and work on improving your stress quotient.
🔎Protect your Gallbladder! Recall the synergy between those two unlikely organs. If you’ve lost yours, make sure you are supplementing with digestive enzymes such as EssentialZyme or EssentialZymes-4 to help break down the fats needed to assist in the conversion of inactive T4 to active T3.
🔎Sleep! 7-9 hours a night to allow the body to reset and heal.
Use supportive essential oils: YL Endoflex, Brain Power, and Clarity blends all have properties which are beneficial thyroid health as does Spearmint, Ledum, Myrtle, Peppermint, and Myrrh.
🔎Ashwaghandha: Although not a nutrient, it is an adaptogenic herb that has strong scientific credibility as a supportive measure for thyroid function. This herb is found in EndoGize and PowerGize.
Supporting and managing thyroid health isn’t just for those with altered thyroid function. It’s for everyone. We protect what we love, right? We are each a work in progress, and our work is never done because our personal life’s circumstances change daily. We tend to live in one of two ways. God has given us free will to choose throughout our lives, and we can choose to actively live or passively die. I’ve known people who (even despite dying) chose to proactively live. It’s a beautiful thing to see, and their lives have glorified God. Our body is a temple created to serve and worship Him. Treat yourself as though you are a precious gift🎁 worth fighting for.
xoxo~ liz
(link for purchase of Volume I, BYOHD: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
#sharingiscaring
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#goodmedicineisthyroidlove
#ThanksYL
#weareourownbestadvocate
🔎
May be an image of text that says 'Becoming your Own Health Detectire Thyroid Clues Part VI: Recap and Strategies healingfoods exercise make holistic choices supportive managing low stress oils keeping inflammation supplements sleep hygiene decreased toxin Joad emotional health The part can never be well unless the whole is well." -Plato www.goodmedicine.info'

Thyroid -part 3 The Gall Bladder Connection

Liz James · April 5, 2022 ·

Thyroid Clues Part III: The surprising alliance between the thyroid and the gallbladder
In the Westernized, insurance directed medical culture, medical complaints tend to be compartmentalized. A thyroid disorder is navigated by an endocrinologist and gallbladder disease is managed by a gastroenterologist……. and rarely the two shall meet! And yet, that’s not how the body works.🥴 Every organ plays an important role elsewhere in the body, and having the knowledge of a diagnosis can easily be used as a clue to shore up defenses in hopes of avoiding a secondary diagnosis. I’ve wondered if more people knew this truth, would they put in the personal work to prevent the collateral damage and in doing so, perhaps even bring the primary disorder to heel?🤔
The thyroid and gallbladder have an “Odd Couple” relationship…at first thought, you wouldn’t imagine that one could have a powerful impact on the other (and vice versa), and yet they do.
One of the jobs of thyroid hormones is to bind to the smooth muscles of the gallbladder which then facilitates contraction and causes a release of bile into the small intestine. If someone is (even mildly) hypothyroid over a period of time, gallbladder emptying will become inefficient and sludge begins forming within the organ. Gallbladder (aka biliary) sludge is a real culprit and can cause significant problems in that semi solid form. Sludge is also fodder for gallstones🌚. Interestingly, gallbladder sludge can also accumulate as a result of HYPERthyroidism, though the mechanism of action is different.🤓
If bile is sludgy, very little of it will be in usable form, so the body becomes less able to digest fatty foods. Burping or belching may occur often, and stools💩 may start to lighten up in color (to a lighter brown or clay colored). Bloating may also occur, especially after a fatty meal. Lipid panel (lab work) results will also begin changing. It’s not uncommon for patients to develop higher LDL (cholesterol) than previously exhibited.
Bile is also important in the absorption and metabolism of fat soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as essential fatty acids. Without bile, deficiencies may quietly slide into play.
Additionally, bile acts as an immune signaling agent in the gut microbiome.🦠 It binds to special receptor sites within the gut to help control intestinal inflammation and help facilitate the metabolism of toxins in the gut.
Meanwhile, thyroid hormones and gut bacteria also have their own intricate relationship. According to recent studies (2019 and 2020), the microbiome 🦠plays a significant role in the activity of thyroid hormones, and a gut with a healthy microbiome 🦠 supports healthy thyroid function. Of special interest is regular incorporation of probiotic strains Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus into the diet, as both have been shown in studies “to lead to fewer thyroid medication dose adjustments, allow for possible dose reduction, and having less serum hormonal fluctuations.” Young Living’s Life 9 probiotic contains 4 strains of Bifidobacterium and 4 strains of Lactobacillus (9 strains total with 17 billion colony forming units!). Supporting the gut makes the thyroid happy too!
 
An estimated 600,000+ gallbladders are removed each year, so odds are high that someone reading this would ask…. “What if I don’t have a gallbladder?”
Let’s chat about that! T4 is converted into T3 (the more active form of thyroid hormone) in the liver, and properly metabolized fats (usually accomplished with bile) are needed to make that magic happen. As a result, not enough usable T3 is made, and metabolism ultimately slows down. If the gallbladder has been removed, then fats will not be broken down properly without some help from outside sources. Essentialzymes-4, Detoxzyme, Allerzyme, and Essentialzyme all contain the digestive enzyme lipase (among other digestive enzymes) which supports proper fat digestion and metabolism…… AND thyroid health!
Do you see the sludgy slope? ….The thyroid is off which in turn throws the gallbladder off, which in turn throws the gut microbiome off! That’s some hard slogging through sludge right there.
Women👩‍ are far more likely than men🧔 to have a combination of thyroid / gallbladder issues. Excess estrogen (aka estrogen dominance ) can compete with thyroid hormones at the thyroid receptor sites. Not only can estrogen dominance potentiate hypothyroidism, it can also be a factor in gallbladder distress by blocking the thyroid receptor sites on the gallbladder. Estrogen dominance is an enormous problem in our world for both men and women because of all the synthetic estrogen like compounds found in everything from plastics to body care products (Thank goodness Young Living has a full line of all things personal care for us that are safe to use!) Estrogen dominance is also driven by use of birth control and hormone replacement therapy. Even strong hormonal changes in pregnancy can trigger a gallbladder issue, which as we’ve just seen, can then stress the thyroid. Full circle friends!
The complexities of the body is fascinating! God gets all the credit for our uniquely and wonderfully made us!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#goodmedicine
#beautifullyandwonderfullymade
#thethyroidgallbladderconnection
#thethighboneisconnectedtothehipbone

April Young Living Gifts

Liz James · April 1, 2022 ·

Whoop!!!…There’s no April foolin’ when it comes to this month’s gifts with qualifying purchase. Young Living has done their homework and given us some mighty health tools for free!
Pine and Lemon…. friends, if you know…. you KNOW how important these two are for every single one of us right now. I’m wondering if Dr HK Lin had a hand in picking this selection out?…… I wouldn’t be surprised😉.
USE your lemon every single day however it best fits into your world. Dr. Lin suggested (when talking to him back in January in Utah) diffusing daily. I personally also use it in a roller bottle blend on the bottoms of my feet twice a day (my blend recipe looks like this)…..
1 10ml roller bottle
~ 20 drops of Lemon
~ 20 drops of Pine
~ 20 drops of Geranium
~ 20 drops of Thieves
Fill remainder with carrier oil
I also use a couple drops of Lemon in my water and also in my diffuser….. as you (hopefully) know…. Lemon and Lemon Vitality are both the same essential oil …. just different “wrapping” on the bottle to keep the FDA happy!
Immune systems still seem to be fighting some major battles in all areas and we know that much of the immune system health originates in gut health. A free bottle of Life 9 probiotic🤩? Yes please!!
Seasonal stuff (hello cedar season in North Texas) is here too…… if you haven’t made a little LLPC inhaler or taken a LLPC capsule bomb when needed, you just might be missing out on enjoying Springtime fully (if you tend to get taken down a notch or two by cedar etc) …👀👀lookie, lookie…. all you need is lavender and copaiba (which you probably already have on hand if you’ve been here for 2 minutes🤩) to make that happen!
Purification……I use it in the laundry room (extra stinky laundry!), on dogs (we are running a geriatric hospice for a couple of our pups right now😥)…. thankful for Purification and Thieves Household cleaner🙌🙌). Purification is also a stellar “little dab will do ya” on helping keep biting bugs away and also helping stop the itch if you do happen to get bitten 🐜or stung🐝.
My most favorite happy oils are Tangerine and Lushious Lemon! Let’s chat about Lushious Lemon for a sec…. While it does smell amazing, it actually has some pretty significant activity on the body (in addition to making smiles!🙂). Inside that bottle is Lemon, Lemon Myrtle, Ylang ylang, Spearmint and Eucalyptus Globulus…… the short sciencey version is this…. supportive of lymphatic, immune system, lungs🫁 and heart🫀 health. See what I mean? Luscious Lemon is a stealth health helper! Don’t be afraid to whip up a room spray with it and use it with wild abandon🕺💃
Happy April friends! What’s in your shopping cart that will get you these items for free?
xoxo~ liz
 
PS….. if you are ready to be part of the healthy scene, let’s chat. I’m thrilled to be an active part of my tribe’s individual health journey. Creating a YL account is free. Get yours here, and let’s talk! https://yl.pe/beablessing

Clues to Thyroid Health from Iodine-part 2

Liz James · March 15, 2022 ·

Dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s: Iodine and Thyroid Part II
 
Looking for clues is like using a roadmap🗺. The clues🔎 you find along the way will help you get to your destination. Sometimes you’ll need to stop and ask for directions from a local, someone who knows the territory well. Part II of dotting i’s and crossing t’s may very well require the assistance of an iodine savvy endocrinologist 👩‍⚕️or astute thyroid knowledgeable health professional who can help you find your perfect balance. You’ll need someone who listens to your clues, is willing to dig with you, understands the Great Iodine Debate, and doesn’t put you in a box with everyone else.

The Great Iodine Debate Summary

The “Great Iodine Debate” has been going on for many years and it’s well worth it to dive as deep as you need to. There is no possible way to cover everything on each topic I discuss. That’s not the point of this series anyway. My hope is that something you read sparks an “ah ha” moment and inspires you to dig more, putting pieces together for your individually unique puzzle. These “ah ha” moments are usually Holy Spirit led. If you feel a niggling in your soul, pay attention to it, and do your digging (due diligence) and use your tools to bring your body back into balance.
 
Dr. Guy E Abraham MD’s work surrounding iodine (formerly of the UCLA Department of Endocrinology) would be considered the modern catalyst for reviving the “Great Iodine Debate”. Interestingly, most of his personal information and work appears to have been scrubbed from the internet. As a 🔎 seasoned sleuther, it’s clues like this (the scrubbing) that make me look even closer at what this “outside the box thinking” doctor had to say. (This is another reason I rely on my personal library more than the internet when digging for clues.)
 
Take for instance, this quote from Dr. Abraham:
 
“During the first half of the 20th century, almost every U.S. physician used Lugol solution for iodine supplementation in his/her practice for both hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and for many other medical conditions. In the old pharmacopeias, Lugol solution was called Liquor Iodi Compositus. The minimum dose called minim, was one drop containing 6.25 mg of elemental iodine, with 40% iodine and 60% iodide as the potassium salt. The recommended daily intake for iodine supplementation was 2 to 6 minims (drops) containing 12.5 to 37.5 mg elemental iodine. During the second half of the 20th century, iodophobic misinformation disseminated progressively and deceitfully among the medical profession resulted in a decreased use of Lugol, with iodized salt becoming the standard for iodine supplementation. The bioavailable iodide from iodized salt is only 10% and the daily amount of iodide absorbed from iodized salt is 200 to 500 times less than the amount of iodine/iodide previously recommended by U.S. physicians. After World War II, U.S. physicians were educated early in their medical career to believe that inorganic non-radioactive forms of iodine were toxic. Adverse reactions to radiographic contrast media and other iodine-containing drugs were blamed on iodine. If a patient told his/her physician that he/she could not tolerate seafood, the physician told him/her that he/she was allergic to iodine.”
 
Things that make me go hmmmmmmm. Onward…. Shall we?

Here is How to Test for Iodine:

🔎Let’s start with a simple DIY: The Iodine Patch Test.🔎
🔸You’ll need 2% colorized tincture of Iodine. The clear stuff won’t work!
🔸Paint a 2-3 inch sized area with the iodine on clean dry skin. Apply to the stomach, inner thigh, or inner forearm….. Somewhere that won’t get rubbed constantly by clothing.
🔸Let the solution dry completely before allowing it to touch anything. (it will stain!)
🔸Monitor changes in color to the patch over a 24hour period.
🔸Proponents of this DIY test say that if the patch is still visible after 24hours, then levels are likely ok.
🔸If the patch has lightened considerably or vanished in fewer than 24 hours, it may indicate an iodine deficiency. If the patch lightens significantly or disappears in less than 18 hours, it may indicate a more significant deficiency. Make note of how fast the iodine vanishes.
🔸Evaporation, ambient temperatures, and rubbing clothing may play a part in the outcome, so take that into consideration.
🔸If results have piqued your curiosity, you may want to engage the assistance of one of the health professionals I mentioned earlier.
 
🔎There is a second test called an Iodine Loading Challenge. This is considered a more reliable “official” test, and is based on the amount of iodine found in the urine after loading the body with a large iodine/iodide load. (generally 50mg iodine/iodide, a tablet version of Lugol’s for adults)
🔸1st morning urine is discarded, but all urine after that is collected for 24 hours including the first morning sample at the END of the 24hrs. This urine will be sent off to a lab and evaluated.
🔸Results are based on the following premise: A body deficient in iodine will hold on to iodine. Example: a 90% excretion would indicate an iodine sufficient state, while below 90% would indicate varying degrees of deficiency depending on how low the % is.
🔸This test should run about $50-60 (plus the cost of the iodine/iodide combo tablets which are pretty inexpensive)

Common Questions

If your roadmap is leading to a possible iodine deficiency, you probably have a few questions. I’ll try to address some of them here.
 
🤔Q: Can you get too much Iodine?
A: Yes. Though it is considered one of the safest of our micronutrients when it is in inorganic, nonradioactive form ( iodides, tincture of iodine, Lugol solution). Iodine induced hypothyroidism is incredibly rare. TSH may rise when initially supplementing but T3 and T4 do not fall (those are the “boots on the ground” thyroid hormones you want to watch closely).
 
🤔Q: Does everyone benefit from “more” iodine?
Short answer…. No. Remember, we are all uniquely made. How do you feel? What symptoms are you living with? What is your risk category (see previous post) based on the factors involved?
Also, there is an uncommon situation called iodine induced hyperthyroidism. This occurs when there is an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule. This means that the nodule is not taking directions from the feedback mechanism involving the pituitary and the hypothalamus (go back and re-read the post on the “upstream” players in thyroid function if needed). An independent functioning nodule is like a wayward teenager….. It does its own thing in the presence of iodine regardless of the guidance mechanisms in place to prevent that from happening and hyperthyroidism can result. This is diagnosed with a thyroid scan, and iodine will need to be avoided until the nodule can be removed.
 
You might also recall iodine’s close association with fluorine, bromine, and chlorine. When iodine levels increase in the body, this can cause a mobilization of toxins that bind to the same receptor sites. Mobilized toxins are like a gang of thugs👹 on the move causing various degrees of mayhem until they have been excreted.
 
For this reason….. Easy does it friend! Lower levels of iodine/iodide supplementation are your friend ( Master Formula, Multigreeens and Thyromin), as is making sure you are flushing out toxins by staying well hydrated, and taking adequate amounts of Vitamin C ( YL’s Super C Chewables is a stellar choice), and a regular source of antioxidants ( NingXia Red!). Should you find out you need more iodine/iodide in your life, there are products available as stand alone entities. Talk to your iodine savvy health professional if you think you need more.
 
🤔Q: Is it possible to have an allergy to iodine?
An actual true allergy to inorganic iodine/iodide is very very rare. More commonly “iodine allergies” can be traced back to the body’s response to the other chemicals or allergens found within the same product or food item. Oftentimes the link is seafood🐟 or shellfish 🦐, contrast dyes, iodine antiseptics. Iodine’s molecule is small and too simple (structure wise) to cause an antibody response, but when it’s combined with another substance, it could play a role in the allergic response. Example: some people may have a topical reaction to the antiseptic povidone-iodine but have no reaction to potassium iodide.
 
🤔Q: What happens when you take thyroid hormone replacement therapy AND you have an underlying iodine deficiency?
Frankly, this is a problem and why it’s a good idea to evaluate your iodine load. If you are on thyroid medication and still don’t feel “right”…. It could be that your medication needs tweaking or changing….. Or it could be related to an iodine deficiency that may account for some (or all) of the symptoms you are feeling.
 
Additionally, one of the jobs of thyroid hormone is to stimulate metabolism. Every cell in the body is dependent upon iodine for proper metabolic function. If supplemental thyroid hormone raises the metabolism of cells throughout the body, this also increases the need for iodine (that may or may not be there). Recall last week’s discussion on iodine’s role in cellular function which includes programmed cell death (a good thing!). Frankly, knowing this information, I believe that people on thyroid medication should be tested for iodine deficiency regularly.
 
🤔Q: Is there a link between iodine deficiency when combined with years of thyroid hormone medication and breast, ovarian, uterine, and prostate cancers? There are some pretty compelling studies 🧐🤓out there indicating it is likely so. It has been theorized that the continual unrecognized iodine deficiency combined with an increased metabolic rate (from the thyroid medication) may account for the increased incidence (Remember, iodine is needed for programmed cell death which includes keeping aberrant cellular reproduction in check.)
 
The mainland Japanese ingest over 100x the RDA of iodine in their diet. Coincidentally, they have among the lowest incidence of breast, endometrial, ovarian, and prostate cancers (and a very low incidence of fibrocystic breast disease too).
 
🤔Q: Can kids be iodine deficient and can they be tested?
Interestingly, there is a strong correlation between higher levels (and severity) of ADHD and autism in iodine deficient populations. Kids can be tested for iodine deficiency too….. Their loading challenge will be different based on weight. You’ll want to work with an iodine knowledgeable pediatric health professional who will work with you.
 
If you’d like to dive more into the “Great Iodine Debate”, I’d encourage you to pick up a copy of any of these books:
 
📚Iodine: Why you need it (5th edition) by Dr. David Brownstein MD
 
📚What Doctors fail to tell you about Iodine and your Thyroid by Dr. Robert Thompson MD
 
📚The Iodine Crisis by Lynne Farrow
 
As always…. I’m here simply to be your super sleuth guide. You are your own best health detective!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#beingyourownhealthdetectiveisgoodmedicine
#BecomingyourownHealthDetective
#goodmedicine
#theGreatIodineDebate📚

Clues to Thyroid Health from Iodine – part 1

Liz James · March 9, 2022 ·

Dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s: Iodine and Thyroid Part I
 
We all know that iodine is a necessary micronutrient and plays an important role in the health of the thyroid. I’m pretty confident that getting to know your individual iodine level (as I hope you will be encouraged to pursue by the end of this series🥰) is going to be new clue territory for many people.
 
Iodine is not commonly found in soil and therefore not found appreciably in many foods. So how are we to get it into our bodies? It is found in ocean foods such as ocean fish and crustaceans🦀🦐🐟 and sea vegetables (seaweed), but it would require a regular diet of these foods to prevent a deficiency.

History of iodine related problems:

 
In the early 1900’s, goiters were a health concern in many inland areas where seafood 🦀🦐🐟 wasn’t a common food source. In 1923-1924 a study revealed that simply adding small amounts of iodine to the diet drastically decreased the incidence of goiters. Iodized salt was introduced into the US market, and by 1951, fewer than 0.5% of school aged children had evidence of enlarged thyroid glands. (Previously, it had been a remarkable 40% in areas with little access to ocean foods). The United States Food and Nutrition Board eventually set the RDA for iodine between 150-290 micrograms/day (approximately ½ – ¾ tsp iodized salt) to prevent goiters.
 
This is all fine and dandy, except that there are a few missing pieces to the puzzle. The RDA was set up to prevent goiters (which it does quite well), but is the recommendation adequate for optimal thyroid, immune system, and endocrine function?

Consider these facts:

 
🔎The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans (waaaaaaay more than what the US RDA has established) due to daily consumption of sea vegetables. Coincidentally, the traditional Japanese culture has reduced rates of chronic disease and some of the lowest cancer rates worldwide.
 
🔎Iodine is considered to be among the safest of all essential trace elements (provided we are discussing the inorganic non radioactive☢️ variety!), yet it has been given some pretty strict guidelines by the entities in charge.
 
🔎Iodized salt is loaded with sodium which has its own health concerns. Additionally, a 1969 study 🤓found the bioavailability of iodine in iodized salt to be only about 10%.
 
🔎An estimated 50% of adults in the United States have an undiagnosed iodine deficiency, and some of the researchers and “out of the box thinking” experts I follow suggest that this number may be as high as 90%.
 
🔎When I consider how often “those who make the rules” have given us dubious health information in other areas of health, I usually opt to think for myself. Yes, I acknowledge the guidelines, but I also dig for evidence that there may be some rocks “they” don’t want us to look under.🧐 It’s an established fact that we are monetarily worth more to the medical system if we are dependent upon it.
So, back to the question…..are we getting enough iodine to be optimally healthy?
 
Let’s dive a little deeper into the iodine fact pool:
 
🧐Scientifically, iodine has been proven to have antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and anticancer properties.  Iodine is responsible for regulating thyroid function and supporting healthy metabolism.
 
🧐Adequate Iodine is necessary for a robust immune system.
 
🧐Every cell in our body has a life cycle. When a cell dies in a healthy body, it is replaced by a new cell. This programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and it’s a good thing. Cancer cells are examples of cellular failure to undergo apoptosis. Iodine plays an important role in this beneficial programmed cell death.
 
🧐Iodine has a protective effect against H. Pylori 🦠 (a bacteria that tends to live in the stomach, and when overpopulated, causes ulcers and stomach cancer)
 
🧐Iodine is a key ingredient for the production of all of the other hormones in the body. (Did you catch that….. “All” ). It’s also found in every cell in our body, but especially concentrated in the salivary glands, the substantia nigra of the brain (one of the involved areas for Parkinson’s disease), the cerebral spinal fluid, the gastric mucosa, breasts, ovaries, and the ciliary body of the eye.
 
🧐Would you find it interesting that iodine deficiency has been linked to many chronic diseases and dysfunctions including Multiple Sclerosis, glaucoma, Sjogren’s, Parkinson’s, thyroid disorders, fibrocystic breast disease, breast, ovarian, endometrial and prostate cancer, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, certain headache types, diabetes, heart arrhythmia, and the inability to detox properly especially when exposed to mercury, fluoride, and bromine.
 
Iodine Robbers
 
In this crime scene, we definitely have clues pointing to a robber or two that can further deprive the body of iodine:
 
👥Iodine is an interesting micronutrient. It’s categorized as a “halide” on the periodic table. As a halide, it hangs out with the likes of fluorine, chlorine, and bromine. As you might guess, there are enough similarities between these four that iodine, fluoride, chlorine, and bromine often compete with one another in the body. It’s like a chemical version of the movie “The Parent Trap”👭, and fluoride, chlorine, and bromine compete against iodine preventing absorption and binding and tricking the body in the process. Larger degrees of exposure to these toxins make it harder for the body to use the iodine we do get in our diets and supplements. Hopefully you’ve kicked that fluoride laced toothpaste and mouthwash to the curb and have fallen in love with Young Living’s Thieves toothpaste and mouthwash. Watch your water sources for fluoride and chlorine too. Remember, the skin is like a sponge!
Bromine may not be a toxin you’ve heard much about. Unfortunately, that’s not because it’s rare. Bromine is used commonly in pesticides used on fruits (eat organically!), and is found in various processed foods and vegetable oils, hair dyes, textile dyes, commercial cosmetics (use your Savvy Minerals!), pool and spa chemicals, flame retardants, and paints.
 
👥Medications including maalox, mylanta, amiodarone, anti-gout meds, birth control pills, cortisone and prednisone as well as some SSRI’s inhibit the body’s use of iodine. Note the possible drug-disease causing connection, especially when there is long term use of the pharmaceutical.
 
👥Even certain foods can be iodine robbers if eaten in excess. Cabbage, broccoli, spinach, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, radishes, mustard greens, strawberries, and peaches may cause issues ( only if eaten in excess), especially if iodine levels are already low.
 
Can you get too much iodine? Does everyone need more iodine? How does taking thyroid medication affect iodine deficiency? Next week, we’ll talk about a couple ways to help determine your iodine status and answer these questions. In the meantime, if you think now’s a good time to add a little extra kelp into your world, Young Living’s Master Formula and Thyromin both contain this VIP sea veggie!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#healthyiodinelevelsisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
(PS: Becoming Your Own Health Detective, Volume One is still on sale at presale prices through the end of this week. Link to purchase: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
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Elizabeth James

469.425.9091

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