The Vital Role of Iodine, By: Olin Idol, N.D., C.N.C.

The following article was published on the Hallelujah Acres web site. Read below or click the link for reading on their web site.  Also click on the PDF article in the 3rd paragraph.

The Hallelujah Health Tip
Issue #496: The Vital Role Of Iodine
May 22, 2007

(5) The Vital Role of Iodine, By: Olin Idol, N.D., C.N.C.

For almost 10 years, Hallelujah Acres has had on staff, through the Hallelujah Acres Foundation, our own nutritional scientist. Michael Donaldson, PhD, is a chemical engineer graduate of Cornell University in New York. We brought Michael on board for several reasons: (1) To make sure scientifically, that The Hallelujah Diet, was complete in all known nutrients the body had need of, and (2) To keep us abreast of new scientific findings.

Dr. Donaldson has been diligent in his role! He is the one who alerted us to the potential for a deficiency of vitamin B12, by those who followed The Hallelujah Diet, and provided us with our own Hallelujah Acres B12, B6, Folic Acid sublingual supplement. Then he brought to our attention the potential for mineral loss due to the low ph of distilled water. Again, Dr. Donaldson came to our rescue with a product that raised the ph of distilled water to 8, while at the same time adding usable organic minerals. This product is known as WaterMax™.

Recently, we noticed that we were receiving word from numerous people both on and not on The Hallelujah Diet of experiencing thyroid problems and testing low in iodine. Once again, Dr. Donaldson to the rescue. He has just completed an extensive article titled “Recent Advances in Iodine Nutrition.” The full article can be seen at http://www.hacres.com/diet/articles/Iodine.pdf

We have also had my personal assistant and Vice President of Health here at Hallelujah Acres, Olin Idol, N.D., C.N.C. working on the Iodine issue. Below, you will read a synopsis of the combined findings of both Dr. Donaldson and Olin. Trust you will find this summary of the research, put together by Olin, of help in understanding the Iodine issue:
  

The following statement by James Howenstine, M.D. provides us with some relevant indication of the importance of this vital nutrient: “The essential trace element iodine may be the most important least publicized mineral in existence. Iodine is the only element needed in hormones and in the production of hormones. The iodine containing hormones are involved in the creation of embryos, development of brain function, growth, metabolism and maintenance of body temperature. This means that proper amounts of thyroid hormone, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, insulin, growth hormone etc. cannot be made when iodine is lacking from the body. One third of all individuals on Earth are functioning with SUBNORMAL levels of iodine. Low intake of iodine is the LEADING CAUSE FOR INTELLECTUAL DEFICIENCY in the world. There is strong evidence that iodine lack predisposes to BREAST CANCER. One out of seven women in the U.S. has DEFICIENCY of iodine proven by urine iodine screening tests (urine I less than 50 ug/L). This is the same incidence for breast cancer seen in U.S. women.” (Thyroid Hormone Therapy Appears to Cause Breast Cancer, NewsWithViews.com, July 27, 2006)

Low dietary intake of iodine is widespread not only in the US but much of the world. Between the years of 1917 and 1924 the Iodization of refined table salt was undertaken in an effort to prevent the prevalence of goiters in certain areas of the US. Unfortunately, while this was successful in preventing most goiters, the amount of iodine supplied was woefully low in terms of whole body sufficiency. If the thyroid doesn’t have enough Iodine, then the rest of the body, especially the breast tissue and ovaries are deficient.

For years iodine was used in baked goods and a slice of bread supplied the current (RDA originally established in 1980) 1989 RDA of 150 mcg of iodine. Unfortunately over 40 years ago iodine was removed from baked goods and replaced with bromine, an element that easily binds to the iodine receptors and displaces iodine. Concerning the RDA, Guy Abraham, M.D. states:
“The goal of the RDA for iodine is the prevention of extreme stupidity, endemic goiter and hypothyroidism, NOT whole body sufficiency.”

Not only is bromine an issue but also, two other halogen elements commonly consumed today through municipal water supplies, are fluorine and chlorine – both of which also displace iodine in critical areas of the body. Thus, a limited availability of dietary iodine is further complicated by the ready availability of the three halogen elements that easily occupy receptor sites that are in critical need of iodine.

David Derry, M.D., in his book, “Breast Cancer and Iodine” states: “I propose primarily that iodine is the trigger mechanism for apoptosis (the natural death of cells) and the main surveillance mechanism for abnormal cells in the body. Iodine triggers the death of cells which are abnormal or which have normal programmed death as part of their life cycle. This is part of a general thesis that iodine and thyroid hormone act as a team to provide a constant surveillance against abnormal cell development, chemicals that are carcinogenic and the spread of cancer cells within the body.”

Iodine and Iodide were used extensively in medicine in the early and mid 1800s up until the mid 1900s when antibiotics were replacing iodine in infectious diseases. Since that time the benefits of iodine have almost fallen into obscurity. Within the last few years, a renewed interest in this vital element has lead to more extensive research as once again the benefits of this element are being realized. The erosion of vital elements from our food supply and the impact on overall health has further spurred interest in iodine as a vital and important nutrient that when lacking in our diet may lead to any of a number of physical problems.

As the mission of Hallelujah Acres is teaching the world how to attain and maintain optimal health, we feel compelled to stay abreast of the most recent research in the area of nutrition and to make public the information we learn that can have a dramatic impact on an individual’s overall health and well being.

In an effort to help keep you better informed we are making available two excellent books containing information that will help equip you to better understand the overall role of iodine in maintaining optimal health.

1) “Breast Cancer and Iodine” by David Derry, M.D. will help you understand the role of iodine in nourishing the thyroid as well as the benefits of an optimal dietary intake to insure body sufficiency of this vital trace element which plays such an important role in the body’s innate self-healing. Dr. Derry draws on over twenty years of medical practice and the impact he has seen from a low dietary intake of iodine.

2)  “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It” by David Brownstein, M.D. will help you understand why dietary levels of iodine are in general, woefully low and the impact that a deficiency of this element can have on one’s state of health. Dr. Brownstein shares with the reader many of the results he has seen in the last few years with iodine supplementation in his medical practice.

The research concerning iodine is in the very early stages. At this time there is no solid scientific data from which to determine an optimal daily intake for the average person who is seeking optimal health. Evidence, as we understand it at this time, points to 1 to 2 mg of iodine daily as a possible optimal amount for most people. Others with specific conditions related to an iodine deficiency may desire higher levels of supplementation to help reach body sufficiency more rapidly. To help those who choose to supplement their diet with iodine, Hallelujah Acres is making available two options.

1) IOSOL is a liquid iodine/ammonium iodide supplement, supplying 1.83 mg per drop. Directions for using this product provide a way for a person to begin with a very small serving size, by dilution in water, and then gradually working up to the desired intake.

2) IODORAL is a tablet supplying a total of 12.5 mg of iodine/potassium iodide for those desiring a tablet form of supplementation, and offers a little more aggressive use of iodine. The tablets are scored so they can be used in divided servings for those desiring a lower serving size yet a more aggressive supplementation routine.

As you will note both of the above supplements provide a combination of iodine and an iodide. Research indicates that some tissues such as the thyroid utilize iodide more efficiently while other tissue such as the breast more readily utilizes iodine most efficiently. The combination iodine and iodide provides for optimal supplementation that helps facilitate assimilation by the various tissues of the body as needed.

As with any supplement it is often best to begin with smaller servings and gradually working up to the desired level over a period of time. Since iodine can detoxify heavy metals, too aggressive use initially, may cause some symptoms of detoxification. For aggressive supplementation the supervision of a knowledgeable nutritionally minded health care professional may be prudent.
 
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If you are not already on The Hallelujah Diet, may I encourage you to give it a try! Hallelujah Acres is a Christian Ministry that teaches health from a Biblical perspective! Hallelujah Acres is trying to help the Christian community (as well as anyone else who will listen) realize that God's ORIGINAL diet, as given by God in the Bible, in Genesis 1:29, was God's perfect plan for the proper nourishment of his human creation. Multitudes have made this diet change that we teach here at Hallelujah Acres, and experienced normalization of weight, as well as the elimination of almost all their physical problems. For more information, visit our website at http://www.hacres.com or call (704) 481-1700.