Just a quick thought about the mineral iodine and other such necessities. It is essential to all our bodies’ glandular functions and used to be easy to come by. Now a days sourcing a pure iodine product takes months of time and careful research. People are still unfortunately reading WebMD and trusting in its failed medical paradigms. “You should not give iodine in thyroid disease – it can be dangerous,” boasts the electronic malpracticing wizard that never examines patients. The unfortunate thing is many patients put more faith in a poorly researched internet article, than in those of us with thousands of patient encounters under our belts. There is no more obvious example of this than iodine, trace minerals, metals and the thyroid.
The thyroid gland is an iodine glutton. It requires iodine in fairly large amounts versus the other trace minerals in our system. The need for copper, manganese, molybdenum, lithium, boron and selenium to make us “go” is becoming ever more apparent. As our food supply becomes more depleted of nutrients and more people dine from a “drive thru” gourmet restaurants – we see more and more signs of nutritional deficiencies. The simple examination of the patient will reveal much. If a persons’ eyes drift apart at times, or an eyelid hangs low after a long day, or a ridged scalloped tongue is ever present – there is definitely something a foot. We sterilize our vegetables, bathing them in chlorinated fluoride soaked water at the grocer. Heaven forbid a smidgen of soil be present on our vegetables. The point is these small amounts of soil contain trace minerals and metals. The traces are essential for keeping our hormones flowing and our neurotransmitters synthesized.
The wise use of iodine can actually benefit the thyroid. Whether it is a chronic low functioning thyroid or an autoimmune condition, iodine can render success where there had been only failure. Lithium and copper are required in parts per million concentrations in our daily diet. Many times my depressed patients were treated with 300mg of lithium a day by other traditional providers and WebMD disciples. This often caused weight gain, worsening of symptoms and dangerous toxicity. I have used 1/100th the dose, 2-3mg daily, and have gotten miraculous results. We are a living chemistry set, granted Divinely constructed but a bundle of minerals and metals none the less. The benefit of paying attention in chemistry and learning the Periodic Table of Elements is that it opens a world of basic knowledge to me that benefits my patients. I routinely prescribe zinc, boron and magnesium for a specific set of conditions.
Bromide is similar to Iodine – it sits above it on the periodic table and next to Selenium. Bromide is harmful to thyroid function, and it is now a common ingredient in our breads. Iodine has been replaced by bromide because manufacturers find it preserves bread products longer. The bromide displaces iodine in our system and thus causes a deficiency. Selenium is also required by the thyroid and it too is displaced. This becomes a serious issue especially for women.
Iodine is an essential mineral for the breast tissue to function correctly. New studies reveal a correlation between fibrocystic breast disease/breast cancer and the lack of iodine. Iodine deficiency has also been implicated in other cystic diseases and recurrent lipomas(fatty skin deposits). I realize my methods are anything but traditional, but I get excellent outcomes especially with any thyroid conditions. I have challenged myself with changing the paradigm of medicine. I was taught wrong in medical school, as were my colleagues, with regard to thyroid function and autoimmune thyroid disease. Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can present as either hypo or hyperthyroidism. The antibodies wax and wane with every meal. These simple concepts are not taught to any providers – even 15 years after I graduated from school.
The medical paradigm is like a giant oil tanker with the rudder of a paddle boat. Trying to steer the paradigm or knowledge in a new direction is almost futile, but some of us are fool hardy or stubborn enough to endeavor such lunacy. I caution against placing too much faith in the out-dated traditional medical concepts listed on Google and other internet websites – especially in regards to minerals, metals and trace elements in our bodies. These nutritional topics are greatly ignored by “modern medicine” and simply not addressed in the ivory towers of medical schools.
“What better tools to repair the body and restore our health – than those very materials that compose our living selves.” – T. Sanchez, MD