Iodine

Unveiling the Element’s Essential Role

Back in my early school years, I cut my leg in the playground. The Matron swooped in with her “blood-be-gone” routine, dabbing away the red stuff, unleashing the sting of iodine that made me question my life choices. 

Applying iodine to cuts and grazes was standard practice back then. And it worked like a charm – the bleeding stopped and the cut quickly cleared up. End of that story.

Flash forward to the present day, I went to the counter in Boots (formerly Boots the Chemists) and asked where I would find the  iodine. 

The reply? “Oh sweetheart, we haven’t had that for ages!” 

(I was in Cornwall a place where even strangers address each other as ‘sweetheart,’ ‘m’dear’ or ‘my lover.’)

There I stood, pondering this mystery of the great iodine disappearance.

Iodine is the support crew for our bodily tissues – brain, breasts, adrenal glands, you name it. Not having enough iodine can mess with your immune system, big time.

A deficiency can lead to all sorts of dramas: brain fog,  dry mouth and goitre (swollen thyroid). Studies confirm this could also be a fast track to cancer, particularly breast, prostate and ovarian.

Not the kind of guest list anyone would want.

The VIP pass for thyroid health

The thyroid gland uses iodine to produce thyroid hormones, critical for maintaining proper bodily functions that call the shots on metabolism, growth, and development.

If other substances, in particular mercury, chlorine, fluoride and bromine are present in the body, they can interfere with the uptake of iodine by the thyroid cells in turn impacting a range of bodily processes.

The No.#1 function of the thyroid is to control your metabolism. It does this by converting food into the energy your body uses to function.

If you’re suffering from weight issues (too much or too little), use iodine rather than becoming a slave to a heavily marketed weight loss programme that doesn’t address the cause.

So here’s the scoop: instead of waiting for your body to throw a tantrum, up your iodine levels, starting within the next 24 hours. Seriously.

Every evening I rinse with iodine diluted with a little water. I swish it around my mouth and teeth for 30 seconds and it’s done. Far more effective than the  neurotoxin fluoride they tell you to brush your teeth with.

The health authorities in several countries recommend a sprinkle, but their health tips are generally as worthwhile as a square wheel.

When I take iodine, I don’t count out the number of drops.  If you’re just starting to use iodine, try a drop or two of iodine onto your skin first to see if a reaction appears. 

I recommend using a dropper as there are iodine-sensitive people who need to be cautious about dosages.  Start low and build up.

In any event I recommend that if you have any concerns at all, that you consult an expert in this matter before embarking on the iodine journey.

And if you drop any iodine on your mother-in-law’s brand new white carpet, 

remove the stain with powdered Vitamin C and you’ll be back into her good books again.

Remember what happened thirteen years ago (2011)?  I hope you hadn’t forgotten about Fukushima.  The nuclear party that won’t end. 

Radioactive leaks into the ocean and all we hear is, “Don’t panic!” and “Yes the seafood is perfectly safe to eat”. But it’s a plot twist as our future life on Earth is still in the balance.

And oh, the Japanese government’s health advice was like getting fashion tips from a scarecrow. Why did they restrict the sale of iodine when it was needed the most?

So keep iodine in mind.  It’s the secret ingredient to a healthy life, no less important than that missing sock in the laundry. 

And remember, when in doubt, don’t trust your government’s clichéd official line of  “there’s no need to worry”. Rather than listen to their blizzard of meaningless information, go for a backstage pass to find out what’s really going on.

After Fukushima, Dr. Brownstein wrote:

“If there is enough inorganic, non-radioactive iodine in our bodies, the radioactive fallout has nowhere to bind. It will pass through us, leaving our bodies unharmed. It is important to ensure that we have adequate iodine levels BEFORE this fallout hits.”

His words are as important today and in the years to come as they were then.

Dr Elmar Jung