Contributing Factors to Cancer: Part 4 (Iodine Deficiency)

Once upon a time in a land far, far from any ocean, there lived a large number of people who had strange lumps growing in their necks. Some grew so big it appeared they had swallowed a gerbil. Or an entire cone of cotton candy.

One day a very noble man came riding in on his black steed (a train, okay?) and declared, "Give these cretins some seaweed; they're iodine deficient!"  ("Cretinism" is the term used to describe the stunted growth and mental faculties of a child, caused by the parents' lack of iodine. Did you know?)

Okay, I took poetic license with all that, but it's basically true. Goiters, mental retardation and stunted growth were a problem all over the world in areas where people didn't have access to seafood of any sort. Several men in different countries actually came up with the idea of giving them iodine, and lo and behold, it worked! So then somebody came up with the idea of adding it to salt because it was a cheap way to get iodine to the masses. Brilliant, actually. Goiters became a rarity (in this country, anyway; not so much in third world countries), and folks' IQs went up 10-15 points. (!!)

Fast forward a hundred years or so, and doctors who study such things as hypothyroidism are coming to the conclusion that the general population is again iodine deficient. In fact, iodine levels have declined more than 50% over the last 40 years. Here's why:
1) The measly amount of iodine thought to be sufficient in preventing goiter is actually not 
    sufficient for real health;
2) For the past 30-40 years, folks have been nagged to cut their salt intake due to high
    blood pressure
3) Chemicals like bromine, chlorine and fluoride which are now in our food and water, 
     block absorption of iodine. So even the bit we do get is rendered useless.
4)  Flame-retardant chemicals (BPDE's) in kids' pajamas, car seats, and bedding also block 
     absorption.

Coincidentally, over the past 40 years, there have been huge increases in problems of the thyroid, breasts, ovaries, uterus and prostate. (Thyroid cancer is now the most predominant form of cancer. Did you know?) Eighty years ago, fibrocystic breast disease was hardly heard of, but now nearly 80% of women have it. It's considered "precancerous", but doctors don't know what to do about it other than monitoring it with yearly mammograms until it turns cancerous. That's the green light to then hit it with surgery, chemo, and radiation. Sigh. All it would take in most cases is iodine.

Here's the thing:  The first sign of iodine deficiency is cysts -- cysts in the thyroid, breasts, ovaries, uterus, or prostate. If you have cysts anywhere, you should be thinking "IODINE!" If the deficiency continues, the cysts become hardened and "nodular", then "hyperplasiac" (I think I just made that word up, but it means that the cell formation becomes irregular and disorganized), and then cancerous. But even at that, 50 mg of iodine per day is enough to inhibit cancer cell growth in the thyroid and breasts.  YES, they're getting impressive results treating breast cancer with iodine!  And YES, the glandular tissue CAN return to normal after six months or so.  I'm walking proof.

Here's another kicker:  If you're taking thyroid hormone, that actually increases your need for iodine. Since iodine is stored in the thyroid, ovaries and breasts, can you see how pulling it out of those organs can lead to an increased risk of cysts and cancer?  So if you're taking thyroid hormone, you most likely need to be taking iodine along with it. (As well as cutting chemicals out of your diet that would keep you from absorbing it.)

As an aside, there is a definite link between iodine deficiency and ADHD (per Dr. David Brownstein; drbrownstein.newsmax.com)  The child may be deficient, and/or the mother may have been deficient during pregnancy. According to Dr. Brownstein's research, 96% of 6,000 patients tested deficient -- most of them severely so.  So if you're pregnant or thinking of becoming so, get your iodine levels checked, because deficiency during pregnancy can cause a whole bunch of problems for your sweet little bundle -- ADHD and low IQ being two.

If you're already dealing with a child with ADHD, it'd be worth giving them some iodine (or at least testing their levels) for a few months.  Not much chance of it hurting, and a very good chance of it helping.

There are two forms of iodine -- iodine and potassium iodide -- and your body needs both. So when you go shopping at your friendly neighborhood health food store, be sure you get a kind that has both forms together. 

If you'd like to do a fun test on yourself, buy some liquid Lugol's iodine (this is not a brand name, but a type of iodine) and spread three or four drops on each breast (don't worry if you get it on your bra; it washes out). Then check it every hour or so to see how long it takes to disappear.  If your body has enough iodine, it'll take 18 hours or more.  Mine took less than two.  This isn't terribly scientific because evaporation rates differ, but it still gives you an idea of where you stand.  

There are books available on iodine -- most notably written by Dr. Brownstein. Check out his website or go to Amazon.com.

I apologize in advance for the weirdness of this post, but I'm not re-doing it because it's already been waiting to be published for several months. (It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to fix it.) (grin)

P.S.  I recently discovered that not all states allow health food stores to sell Lugol's iodine -- it must be gotten from a pharmacy.  If that's the case where you live, you may be able to get it online.