All You Need to Know about Iodine!

So what is Iodine?

Iodine is an essential mineral that we all need. The best dietary source of iodine is seafood, but it can also be obtained in much smaller amounts in some leafy green vegetables. Iodine can be found in every organ of your body. in 1829, a physician named Jean Lugol originated a solution which contains 5% of elemental iodine in a 10% solution of Potassium Iodide. This has been steadily used ever since and this is what we make at Nutrient Nirvana. Iodine is abundant in the oceans and so spending time by the coast or in sea water will increase your iodine levels.

How Iodine will benefit you.

Your thyroid glands use iodine to make thyroid hormones that helps control growth, repair damaged cells and supports a healthy metabolism. It is well established that the iodine content of the thyroid gland is dependant upon the intake of the individual. A function of iodine in the human body relates to clear thinking and cognitive function. Do you sometimes walk into a room and wonder what it was you entered the room for? This is a classic symptom of iodine deficiency. In natural (real) health it's long been known that an iodine deficiency can negatively effect the brain. Depression, lethargy and anxiety are the most common symptoms. Iodine also plays a role in moderating hormone levels.

What are the signs of a deficiency?

As mentioned above, brain fog is a classic symptom of iodine deficiency. Another great way of determining whether or not you are acquiring enough iodine is to see if you have red, dry or patchy skin on your elbows. If you do, this indicates an iodine deficiency. The elbow skin should be as smooth as the rest of the skin on your arm.

Other interesting points worth mentioning.

Fluoride is iodine's elemental cousin. If you are drinking tap water (scream), or using toothpaste with added fluoride (gasp), and your iodine levels are low (at least half of us), fluoride can settle into the pineal gland in your brain and cause calcification. Many spiritualists believe the pineal gland to be "the house of the soul". or "the third eye" and so we recommend that you never drink unfiltered tap water or use fluoridated toothpaste.

Did you know that only one in ten Japanese women who are menopausal suffer with hot flushes compared to nine in ten women in the west? This is believed to be due to the large amounts of seafood consumed in the Japanese diet.

And finally, how to use iodine.

Many people take 2 drops of iodine in water on a daily basis. This is fine provided you are regularly consuming fermented foods or supplementing with a multi probiotic as drinking water with iodine for a long period can effect the bacteria in your digestive system. NN's preferred method is to administer 8 drops onto your skin (1 drop in water = 4 drops on skin). We also recommend that you consume selenium rich foods when supplementing with iodine as both minerals work together. Organic Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium. Here's an interesting quote : "The correct quantity of iodine needed to maintain sufficient amounts of iodine in the body is 13mg daily. This is 100 times more than the government recognised RDA for iodine". Dr David Brownstein. Surprise surprise hehe. Therefore, if you are confident you are deficient, you may want to consider starting with a higher dosage.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my article and please contact us at NN if you have any questions.

Health is wealth.

Paul.