My story, my cure... - Page 3

[ChristSavesAll]

No kelp...

In regards to all the mommas posting wondering about taking kelp for iodine, I suggest that you DONT use it.

I love that it's a natural form, however, most of the kelp supplements have been processed with arsenic. I read about a mother daughter who were using it to get high iodine, the arsenic levels in their bodies were so high, the mother died. Since it is hard to know which ones might have it I just steer clear of them and suggest that you mommas do the same...

I have used liquid-dulse and liquid potassium iodide to build up my dose to the higher dose (it's great for giving the kids their dose as well ) I have also used Iodoral and potassium iodide in pill form by source naturals... If you'd like my sources pm me and I'll be glad to share them with you.

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by Bri'sgirl

I've seen this thread a couple of times, but just skipped over it. I'm so glad I decided to click on it and read everything. I know I probably have thyroid issues. My mother has had thyroid problems for a while, so I figured I'd end up with them too. (not sure if it's genetic). Reading this makes me believe that I probably have an iodine deficiency. How much sea foods and sea veggies does it take to not have a deficiency? Would lake fish work or just ocean? I'm wondering, because how did traditional societies avoid iodine deficiencies if they didn't live near the ocean?

I have incredibly dry hair and skin, with my lips feeling like they have a chemical burn or something (which is getting somewhat better when I use CLO), fatigue all the time, fuzzy head is an understatement, can't seem to get over a cold I got a month ago, constipation, occassional panic attacks, irritability, and more, I'm sure.

Either way, it sounds like I will need to probably start with a lower dose and work my way up. How do you know when it's time to step up the dose? Gosh, I learn so much from this website! :

I've been busy with my two munchkins as well as my niece and nephew so it may take me a bit to get back with you ladies but I will...


Well momma, sounds like me, well how I used to be. I too am glad that you popped in to check out the thread.

Thyroid problems are genetic in the sense that you will "inherit" your mothers thyroid problem and actually it becomes progressively worse down the line. During the first couple trimesters the baby relies solely on mom's thyroid for thyroid hormones and to develop, it isn't until the third trimester that the baby has grown it's own thyroid but any lack mom has baby inherits it. So based on your mom having a thyroid problem and your symptoms I'd say you definitely have a thyroid problem.

I'm trying to find some study with a comparison of the iodine content between freshwater and ocean fish but haven't found one yet. Seafood would need to be your main staple diet like the Japanese, otherwise you'd still be coming up short, still better than most others but supplementing is still a good idea, especially since the water itself it becoming toxic with mercury and arsenic...

I upped my dose once a week, if you do the liquid it would be smaller increments so you could do it every couple days. The first dose is the one you may want to be small, some people get hot all over and then get this giddy hyperness, I got it as did my husband and brother in law, but my mom, sister and friend did not... just depends on the person, but it goes away in about a half hour and you may experience it when you up your dose the next time, again though it's short lived.

gotta run fussy babe...

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

Panserbjorne

I've been studying healing with iodine for the past year, I've never really come upon the necessity of using other methods to detox, it seems from everything I've found that if you give your body what it needs it takes care of the rest.

It would be most excellent if that were the case for everyone, but we really have to admit a certain level of ignorance in this department. We dont' KNOW all of what the body needs and past info is turning out to be rather useless in many cases. Thing is, we are the most toxic people to walk the planet yet. We have different needs from previous generations as do our kids. All I'm saying is proceed with caution. Some people have problems and it's not always evident from go. I have been researching this for 4 years and I have found things that have given me pause. Granted I'm most interested in special populations, but the fact remains that even the special populations are often the clearest mirrors. And I, as I have said am taking iodine in the form of iodoral and have been for 3 years. I'm not trying to discredit it as a valid supplement. Just saying that there are other points of view and people may want to take that into account.

I understand what you are saying about testing. I am the first one to say it's simply a snapshot and not definitive. Most of the tests I like to use are alternative tests that I feel give a better answer. And again, they need to be seen in the context of the individual as a whole. I'm not saying that everyone needs to consult with a practitioner-in fact many here will tell you that I do what I can to provide methods of testing that will give you info at home to determine if that's even necessary. What I AM saying is that it's important to have information that is relevant to each individual. Many mothers knowing that iodine is a chelator may choose to wait until nurslings are older. I didn't, but I made an informed choice and it wasn't ALL I did. I think that is everyone's right. Someone with a child on the spectrum who has had vaccine reactions and has a low level of tolerance may feel that it's not the best choice in this moment. I feel that there are things that can be done to make it more safe...but they should probably seek professional help in that case or at the very least know there are other ways to handle it.

Indeed I do feel that it's a physicians job to see the patient in front of them and not rely on tests. However most physicians from back in the day were blessed with an arsenal of knowledge and schooled in such a way that they knew how to interpret the symptoms in front of them. Should the average person be able to take care of themselves? YES! But this is not one size fits all. That's all I'm saying.

[MyLittleWonders]

Thank you for this thread. I just started Iodoral yesterday. I have tried to get a diagnosis over the last decade or so of hypothyroidism, but each time my test came back as "normal". My mom and her mom have hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, my mom's otherwise "alternative" MD put her on some type of thyroid pills. I'm going to have to see what she's taking and see if she'll take iodine instead. I decided to start myself at 1/2 a pill of Iodoral. Reading this, though, has me convinced that my dh should start too.

At what point do you start to wonder if your children are hypothyroid?

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders

At what point do you start to wonder if your children are hypothyroid?

I supplement, he gets about 2mg every day and he's 5.
He also gets Tall Tree multi by country life, carlson fish oil for kids and 500mg vit c. All available at vitacost, a 6 month supply is like $60...

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by Panserbjørne

Someone with a child on the spectrum who has had vaccine reactions and has a low level of tolerance may feel that it's not the best choice in this moment.

I actually believe that part of the reaction has to do with the high content of heavy metals in the vaccines and feel that iodine supplementation can help reverse many problems caused by vaccines... Have I mentioned what happened to my nephew?

After his last set of shots he was extremely hyper the whole week following the vax and then all of a sudden half his face was paralyzed... Prior to this he also suffered from OCD and ADD which was enhanced as well as developing a severe aggression. The paralysis is minimal now (2 years later) and the OCD ADD and aggression have minimized as well, the only change has been supplementation.

[Panserbjorne]

yes, what you are describing shows that he had an underlying susceptibility. I do not believe that vaccines cause these disorders, I believe they trigger the underlying susceptibilities. There's more to it than iodine, but I agree that it *can* help. It will also depend on the mechanisms of detoxification, nutrient profiles and overall immune system. It will also depend quite a bit on mom's general health and any medications she's been on.

I have two kids who where diagnosed on the spectrum. All three of mine have been on iodine for 3 years, my youngest directly for 2 years now. Again, it can help, but they still have very high metal profiles and require additional supplementation.

[treemom2]

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by MyLittleWonders

At what point do you start to wonder if your children are hypothyroid?

Zinc and selenium are also needed to make thyroid hormones, and since they're also needed to make glutathione, and people with metal problems are by definition low on glutathione (otherwise they'd have excreted the metals and not have the problem), well, this is the reason lots of people with heavy metal issues also have thyroid problems.

If you don't want to test, or don't think you have a doc who would order the appropriate tests (at least TSH, free-T3 and free-T4), I'd look at those minerals (plus the iodine, I mean) and see what their intake is like (foods plus supps). VitC spares glutathione, it may help indirectly.

It's not uncommon on the various lists I'm on to have kids be hypo due to these types of reasons, so it's not just adults that react this way.

And it probably depends on the individual, but when I started giving my dog selenium last year, her thyroid production really picked up and I had to drop her thyroid supp down. I swear I wasn't trying to mess with her, but I felt like she was having additional issues that were nutrition related, so I felt compelled to fiddle with her nutrition. I've since added zinc and iodine, to try to balance things just a bit.

[Metasequoia]

I always keep raw, crispy Brazil nuts & pumpkin seeds available for the kiddos for the selenium & zinc. I've been adding kombu to our soups & the girls love kelp flakes on their eggs.

[MyLittleWonders]

Thanks for the information on kids and hypo. The Brainchild Nutritionals does have zinc (15 mg) and selenium (100 mcg) for the full dosage (which is what my 7 1/2 year old will be taking once he reached full dosage). I think for them, I'll start with increasing their vitamin C (I'm going to be increasing all our vitamin C intake) and see where to go from there.

[Wugmama]

Thanks for the PM! I'm going to try to catch up on this thread...

~Tracy

[WuWei]

In regards to all the mommas posting wondering about taking kelp for iodine, I suggest that you DONT use it.

Seaweed may also play a role in reversing heavy metal toxicity. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, America's toxic load for lead is declining, but our bodies are still subjected to low levels of arsenic, mercury, nickel, and cadmium in our air, water, and food, and through countless human-made chemicals. Even at low levels, most heavy metals that reach the bloodstream are deposited into the tissues within forty-eight hours of exposure. If these toxins accumulate in the body faster than our natural detoxification pathways can purge them, they can have a negative impact on our endocrine, gastrointestinal, immune, reproductive, urinary, and nervous systems.


According to Elson Haas, M.D., co-author of Vitamins for Dummies (IDG, 1999), algin-rich kelp binds lead and other heavy metals and removes them from the body. Kelp's high calcium content may also reduce the amount of toxic metals that are absorbed. But kelp isn't the only seaweed capable of combating heavy metals. The polysaccharides found in red marine algae, particularly Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), are also thought to bind and eliminate heavy metals. Better yet, red marine algae has antibiotic and immune-boosting properties, which help protect our bodies from invading toxins.

http://www.pacificharvest.co.nz/wa.a...idDetails=1081

Amster et al. (2007) reported findings from a case study involving a possible link between arsenic toxicity and the ingestion of a kelp-based supplement. The authors concluded that the arsenic-contaminated supplement was the likely cause of the neurologic, dermatologic, and gastrointestinal symptoms in their patient. Although the report has several methodologic shortcomings, the most serious flaw is the authors’ failure to recognize that the arsenic most commonly found in seaweed and seafood products is relatively nontoxic. This is in contrast to inorganic arsenic, which has well-documented acute and chronic toxicity. Amster et al. (2007) did not discuss the possibility that the arsenic measured in the kelp supplement was in the organic form, nor did they address the great variability in toxicity among arsenic compounds. These two oversights lead to the unsupported conclusion that the arsenic found in kelp is responsible for the unique set of medical conditions observed in their patient.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2137100


AHPA challenges kelp/arsenic risk assessment

In a letter to the journal, AHPA stated:
"The authors fail to report that the product was used at two - to 'at least' four - times the suggested amount, of potential significance due to the naturally occurring presence of iodine in kelp."
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/...isk-assessment

Daily intake of up to 500 μg iodine does not clinically affect the thyroid. Although it has been suggested that 1–2 mg/day is safe, there is also evidence that much higher intakes are tolerated without problems. In their comprehensive review of this subject, Backer and Hollowell (2000) concluded that “the strongest data suggest that low levels of iodine (1–5 mg/day) are safe for most people for years.” The 10th edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (National Research Council 1989) suggested a maximum allowable dietary intake of iodine of 2 mg/day for adults, and Breecher and Dworken (1986) noted that chronic toxicity develops only when intake is > 2 mg/day. Increased iodine intake (≤ 10 mg/day) may cause hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, but this condition is quite rare and is usually associated with underlying risk factors such as thyroiditis, subacute thyroiditis, or previously treated Graves disease. Intake of very high concentrations (18 mg to > 1 g/day) has been associated with iodine goiter (Wolff 1969).

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2137125




Iodine at World's Healthiest foods: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...trient&dbid=69 Kelp is listed as the most nutrient dense source.

Folic Acid Lowers Blood Arsenic
Arsenic-contaminated drinking water occurs in at least 70 countries, and chronic arsenic exposure, which currently affects 100 million people worldwide, is linked with adverse health effects including certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. A study conducted in Bangladesh that appears in the October 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that folic acid supplementation in populations deficient in this B vitamin reduces total blood arsenic levels by 14%. The folic acid helps the body convert a toxic metabolite of arsenic, methylarsonic acid, to a form that is more easily excreted. The authors note that folic acid supplementation may also reduce stores of arsenic in the body that remain after exposure ends.

http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2007/1...orum.html#beat


Original "report" of arsenic concern associated with kelp. http://www.ehponline.org/members/2007/9495/9495.html


Pat, took my kelp in tomato juice today.

ETA: and my TWO Brazil nuts, plus handfuls of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds and dried goji berries, acai berries, blueberries, mulberries, gooseberries. date, coconut, cranberries, and sunflower seeds.

[runes]

I started taking iodine supplements on Friday.

Today is Monday and my subclinical goiter (I could feel it internally, but doctor could not on external exam) is already feeling so much better. In addition, the chronic hand eczema that I've been dealing with for 3 years is much improved. It's really quite remarkable.

However, yesterday and today, I've had a pretty bad headache, the classic frontal/sinus headache. I took a whole bunch of Vitamin C and B vitamins last night, which made it feel a bit better. I'm pretty tired and am resting today. Is there anything else that I can take? The headache should subside soon, right? Should I lower the dose and titrate up again?

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by runes

However, yesterday and today, I've had a pretty bad headache, the classic frontal/sinus headache. I took a whole bunch of Vitamin C and B vitamins last night, which made it feel a bit better. I'm pretty tired and am resting today. Is there anything else that I can take? The headache should subside soon, right? Should I lower the dose and nitrate up again?

Do you have mercury (silver) fillings in your teeth? Try selenium (two Brazil nuts) plus dried berries (which are much more bio-available vit C than supplements, from my understanding). Which chemical combination of vit C are you taking?


Pat

[runes]

Originally Posted by WuWei

Do you have mercury (silver) fillings in your teeth? Try selenium (two Brazil nuts) plus dried berries (which are much more bio-available vit C than supplements, from my understanding). Which chemical combination of vit C are you taking?


Pat

Thanks, Pat! I have one very tiny amalgam left. The others were removed about 4 years ago.

Yay, I have some Brazil Nuts right here, as well as some assorted dried berries. Off to fix myself a snack...

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by runes

I started taking iodine supplements on Friday.

Today is Monday and my subclinical goiter (I could feel it internally, but doctor could not on external exam) is already feeling so much better. In addition, the chronic hand eczema that I've been dealing with for 3 years is much improved. It's really quite remarkable.

However, yesterday and today, I've had a pretty bad headache, the classic frontal/sinus headache. I took a whole bunch of Vitamin C and B vitamins last night, which made it feel a bit better. I'm pretty tired and am resting today. Is there anything else that I can take? The headache should subside soon, right? Should I lower the dose and titrate up again?

Possibly it could be halides vs heavy metals. Here's a page discussing halides and a salt flush that's supposed to help...
http://drshevin.com/patient_educatio...giene/salt.php

There was another page that I can't find now that recommended a later modification to the salt flush using 1/2 tsp of salt at a time (vs 1/4 tsp in this doc), but I haven't tried this (no symptoms from iodine supplementation) so I can't verify that it works.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by runes

Thanks, Pat! I have one very tiny amalgam left. The others were removed about 4 years ago.

Yay, I have some Brazil Nuts right here, as well as some assorted dried berries. Off to fix myself a snack...

Oh, want to mention, it's not so much (IMO) whether you still have amalgams as whether your body excretes mercury well. If you excrete poorly, you can build up enough that even just getting the amalgams replaced with composite won't help a lot, but if you excrete well, having amalgams isn't a huge drag on your health. It's not as straightforward as # of amalgams or whether they're still in, there are more complications. Yay, what we always need.

[WuWei]

Also, removing the mercury fillings just *releases* mercury vapor, which the body must circulate and store, or excrete. So, filling removal just means more exposure than static fillings, unless you excrete effectively. Chelating after the mercury removal was/is essential, or you could just be re-releasing the stored mercury INTO blood circulation.

Selenium, vit C. And clay (?).


Pat

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by runes

I started taking iodine supplements on Friday.

Today is Monday and my subclinical goiter (I could feel it internally, but doctor could not on external exam) is already feeling so much better. In addition, the chronic hand eczema that I've been dealing with for 3 years is much improved. It's really quite remarkable.

However, yesterday and today, I've had a pretty bad headache, the classic frontal/sinus headache. I took a whole bunch of Vitamin C and B vitamins last night, which made it feel a bit better. I'm pretty tired and am resting today. Is there anything else that I can take? The headache should subside soon, right? Should I lower the dose and titrate up again?

So glad to hear good news for you already!!! :That's wonderful!

Now about the headache, Magnesium my dear, try a dose of 500mg just to get you started that will clear it up and don't worry they don't last long, it happens anytime you up your dose in a significant amount.

Forgot to mention, drink more water, that helps too.