healingways
thyroid and other hormones.” Flechas prescribes iodine supplements for most women at all three stages of life. Toxic halogens: Iodine belongs to a group of halogens that includes chlorine, bromine and fluorine, three chemicals that are both toxic to the human body and block its ability to absorb iodine, explains Thompson. “They’re everywhere, in our air,
water and food. It’s nearly impossible to
Solutions for a Sluggish Thyroid
Keying in on Iodine by Kathleen Barnes
I
t seems that a common mineral sup- plement that costs just pennies per day can stimulate an underactive thyroid, restore metabolism to normal levels, curb excess appetite, banish fatigue and generally improve everyone’s health. mounting scientific evidence shows that iodine may be an answer to many such health woes, especially for women. “The thyroid acts as a throttle, the gas pedal for all metabolic functions in the human body,” says Dr. Richard Shames, of San Rafael, California, author of Thyroid Mind Power. If the thyroid is a driving force of
human physiology, then iodine is its key fuel, says Dr. Robert Thompson, of Soldotna, Alaska, author of What Doctors Fail to Tell You About Iodine & Your Thyroid. “Every single cell in your body depends on thyroid hormone, and the thyroid depends on iodine for proper functioning.” “Without sufficient thyroid hor-
mone, we have low energy, slower metabolism, lower immunity to illness and impaired repair and maintenance of bones and joints,” explains Shames.
32 Long Island Edition After testing thousands of patients
in his practice, Thompson estimates that 90 percent of North Americans are iodine deficient, citing what he calls “epidemic proportions” of hypothyroid- ism (low thyroid function) with symptoms comprising obesity, fatigue, brain fog, irregular or absent menstrual periods, hair loss and heat and cold intolerance.
Major Culprits Estrogen: Hypothyroidism is over-
whelmingly a women’s disease, with women five to eight times more likely to suffer from it than men, according to the American Thyroid Association. “Estrogen inhibits the body’s
natural ability to absorb and utilize iodine,” says Dr. Jorge Flechas, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, who specializes in thyroid disorders. “We find three periods in life when women need more iodine: at puberty and dur- ing both pregnancy and perimenopause or menopause. It’s because estrogen levels tend to fluctuate wildly at those times, neutralizing the ability of iodine gained through select foods to balance
www.NaturalAwakeningsLI.com
Thyroid Toxins to Avoid
Fluorine/fluoride n Fluoridated toothpaste n Unfiltered municipal drinking water n Some bottled teas n Teflon pans n Mechanically deboned chicken
Chlorine/chloride n Virtually all municipal water n Swimming pools, spas n Poultry chilled in chlorinated water to kill bacteria
n Chlorine bleaches and other conventional household cleaners
Bromine/bromide n Flour and flour products, except those labeled “unbrominated”
n Soft drinks n Pesticides with methyl bromide n Plastics n Fire retardants in children’s nightwear and some furniture n Spa disinfectants
Source: What Doctors Fail to Tell You About Iodine & Your Thyroid, by Dr. Robert Thompson.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64