iodine Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Maintaining Thyroid Health

AHA Publisher — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:00:31 +0000

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey via Newswise – New Brunswick, N.J., January 3, 2022 – The thyroid, a key part of the endocrine system, is a small gland at the base of your neck that produces a hormone that helps control your body’s metabolism. Thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter (enlarged gland) that needs no treatment, to cancer that may need to be treated with radioactive iodine or surgery. Research shows that thyroid cancer diagnoses have spiked for U.S. women over the last decade. Staying educated about thyroid issues, doctor visits and the right lifestyle can help you maintain your thyroid health. Amanda M. Laird, MD, FACS, chief of endocrine surgery at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and associate professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and Toni Beninato, MD, MS, FACS, endocrine surgeon at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and assistant professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, share more information. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle The thyroid plays a large role in your overall health. While there is no known way to prevent thyroid cancer, some things that may help to maintain thyroid health are the lifestyle choices you make. Consider eating nutritious foods including a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole-grain foods, maintain a healthy weight and strive to be regularly physically active to improve your overall health. Learn to Recognize Signs of Thyroid Cancer The most common symptom of thyroid cancer is a painless lump or swelling that develops in the neck. Other symptoms only tend to occur after the condition has reached an advanced stage, which may include unexplained hoarseness or difficulty swallowing that does not go away. You may also experience a feeling of pressure at the point of the mass. If You Notice Something Abnormal, Talk with a Health Professional The best way to determine if you have a thyroid condition is to consult your physician as soon as possible. If you feel any new lumps, tell your doctor. Masses in the neck should be evaluated first with a physical exam, and then a decision is made to pursue further testing if needed. To evaluate for thyroid masses, an ultrasound is done first. A biopsy may be recommended depending on those results. If you have a family history of thyroid cancer, it is important that you see a health care team that is familiar with the latest advances in genetic counseling and genetic testing for this disease. To read the original article click here.

The post Maintaining Thyroid Health appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Clean-Up Your Metabolism with These Superfoods

AHA Publisher — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 08:00:06 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – Today, I have good news on how to rid yourself of a growing problem. Our technologies produce hormone-disrupting chemicals that are contaminating your food, water and even the air you breathe. It’s been building over the last 50 years and wreaking havoc on our health. One of the biggest problems we’re facing is the effect of thyroid hormone endocrine disruptors, or TH-EDCs. These fake molecules act just like your body’s natural T3 hormone and attach themselves to thyroid receptors in your cells and tissues. This causes your thyroid to become completely out of balance.1 Some of the worst toxins known to bind to thyroid receptors are: Chlorine and fluoride in drinking water Bromides and bromine in plastics, pharmaceuticals, even baked goods Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in popcorn packaging, fast-food wrappers and carpeting Bisphenol A (BPA) in soft plastics that come into contact with your food and drink Your body can’t remove these fat soluble, receptor-blocking toxins because your kidneys and liver are designed to handle water-soluble waste. So they accumulate in your fat before attaching to thyroid receptors. Making it almost impossible to lose weight. At the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine, the number of patients I see with this disorder has gone from a trickle to a flood. Most of my patients tell me that their number one symptom is weight gain. They’ve tried everything — with no success. They’ve even had a thyroid test… And it came back normal. You see, these patients aren’t suffering from typical low thyroid. That’s when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone. The type 2 thyroid disorder that my patients have is so new that it cannot be detected on routine tests. In fact, four out of five doctors have never heard of it. With type 2 hypothyroidism, your thyroid still produces normal amounts of T3, the active form of the hormone. But your cells and tissues have become resistant to it. It’s similar to what happens to type 2 diabetics when their cells become resistant to insulin. The good news is that type 2 hypothyroidism can be treated and even reversed… Allowing you to finally lose that extra weight for good. Here’s a simple at-home technique I developed to protect my patients from this dysfunction… Protect Thyroid Receptors With Two Superfoods Avoiding type 2 hypothyroidism starts by helping your body get rid of dangerous toxins, while boosting receptor sensitivity. Two of the most effective treatments are marine plants that have been used for centuries to restore thyroid function. First, flush phthalates from your body with chlorella. This edible alga binds to toxins and pulls them out of your body. Take 1 gram with breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can increase the dose to up to 3 grams three times a day. Then, supplement with this secret from the sea. One of the best thyroid nutrients comes from the Celtic Sea. It’s called Irish moss. But I call it an all-in-one pharmacy for your thyroid.It contains a vital thyroid hormone precursor, as well as the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. It’s also extremely high in iodine — an important thyroid nutrient. It’s packed with more than 90 minerals, including zinc, magnesium, manganese, potassium and selenium — all important elements your body needs for a balanced thyroid. I recommend taking 50 mg daily. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS To read the original article click here. For more articles from Al Sears, MD click here.

The post Clean-Up Your Metabolism with These Superfoods appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Are You Eating Enough Iodine-Rich Foods?

AHA Publisher — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:00:01 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – Iodine is considered one of the body’s vital nutrients, responsible for regulating thyroid function, supporting a healthy metabolism, aiding in growth and development, and preventing certain chronic diseases. Unfortunately, many adults don’t consume enough iodine-rich foods and, thus, suffer from an iodine deficiency. Therefore, many suffer a range of negative health consequences as a result, known as iodine deficiency disorders. Iodine is present throughout the body in just about every organ and tissue, needed by almost every bodily system to keep us alive and energized. For this reason, iodine deficiency poses many risks — an alarming thought considering that some sources suggest around 50 percent or more of the adult population in Western developed nations are at least somewhat iodine-deficient. That’s why eating iodine-rich foods is so vital. What Is Iodine? Iodine is an essential mineral that enters the body through iodine-rich foods, including certain salts (“iodized salt”), eggs, sea vegetables, fish, beans and other foods. It’s found naturally in mineral-rich soils and also ocean water. Iodine present in foods and iodized salt contains several chemical forms of iodine, including sodium and potassium salts, inorganic iodine (I2), iodate, and iodide. Iodine usually occurs as a salt and is called iodide when it does (not iodine). We rely on iodine to create thyroxine (T4 hormone) and triiodothyronine (T3), two of the main hormones produced by the thyroid that control numerous important functions. Iodide is absorbed in the stomach and enters the bloodstream, circulating to the thyroid gland, where it uses appropriate amounts for thyroid hormone synthesis. The unused iodine that we get from iodine-rich foods is then excreted in the urine. A healthy adult usually has about 15–20 milligrams of iodine present within her body at one time — 70 percent to 80 percent of which is stored in the thyroid. What is one of the most widespread symptoms of iodine deficiency? Thyroid disorders. Thyroid function relies on proper levels of iodine, so too much (or too little) can cause many serious health problems. Wondering, “How can I increase my iodine levels?” The very best way to maintain a normal iodine status is by eating foods high in iodine. Top 15 Iodine-Rich Foods What foods are high in iodine? Here are the best foods with iodine, accordingto the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with percentages below based on the recommended dietary allowance for the average adult: Dried kelp — 1 whole sheet dried: 19 to 2,984 micrograms (amounts vary widely — anywhere from 11 percent to 1,989 percent) Iodized salt — 1.5 grams/approx. ¼ teaspoon (71 percent DV) Cod (wild-caught) — 3 ounces: 99 micrograms (66 percent DV) Yogurt (organic, grass-fed and ideally raw) — 1 cup: 75 micrograms (50 percent DV) Dried wakame — 66 micrograms per gram (44 percent DV) Grass-fed milk — 1 cup: 56 micrograms (37 percent DV) Dried nori — 16–43 micrograms per gram (up to 29 percent DV) Eggs — 1 large: 24 micrograms (16 percent DV) Tuna — 1 can in oil/3 ounces: 17 micrograms (11 percent DV) Lima beans — 1 cup cooked: 16 micrograms (10 percent DV) Corn (organic) — 1/2 cup: 14 micrograms (9 percent DV) Prunes — 5 prunes: 13 micrograms (9 percent DV) Cheese (look for raw, unpasteurized) — 1 ounce: 12 micrograms (8 percent DV) Green peas — 1 cup cooked: 6 micrograms (4 percent DV) Bananas — 1 medium: 3 micrograms (2 percent DV) The ocean is considered the prime provider of iodine‐rich foods, such as seaweeds, including kelp, hiziki, kombu, nori, arame and wakame. Kelp seaweed contains the highest amount of iodine among all foods. Other good sources include cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, along with grass-fed butter (almost all dairy products contain some iodine), sardines, scallops, shrimp and other types of seaweeds. What vegetables are high in iodine? As you can see above, some of the top vegetable sources include green beans and peas. Organic/non-GMO corn, leafy greens, onions, sweet potatoes, many legumes/beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains like barley are also iodine-rich foods. Do bananas have iodine? Yes, although they do not contain as much as dried fruits like prunes and raisins. Berries, including strawberries, also contain some. Keep in mind that iodine levels vary greatly within a type of food depending on the conditions in which it was grown or produced. For example, because soil depletion is a concern for lowering iodine counts in foods, crops grown in depleted soils have lower levels of iodine than organically grown crops. Similarly, wild-caught seafood and cage-free, organic eggs are more likely to contain higher levels of nutrients than farm-raised fish or conventionally produced versions. Iodine Health Benefits 1. Supports Thyroid Health The thyroid must have high enough levels of iodine present in order to make key hormones, including thyroxine. Thyroid hormones regulate many important biochemical reactions every day. Some of the most significant include the synthesis of amino acids from proteins, digestive enzyme activity, and proper skeletal and central nervous system development. When thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism occur because of a diet low in iodine-rich foods, symptoms can range from a sluggish metabolism to heart complications, changes in appetite and body temperature, alterations in thirst and perspiration, weight fluctuations, and mood changes. Acquiring enough of this mineral is also important for preventing goiters, or an enlarged thyroid, as well. 2. May Help Prevent Cancer Iodine improves immunity and helps induce apoptosis — the self-destruction of dangerous, cancerous cells. While it can help destroy mutated cancer cells, it doesn’t destroy healthy cells in the process. For example, evidence shows the ability of iodine-rich seaweed to inhibit certain types of breast tumor development. This is supported by the relatively low rate of breast cancer in parts of the world like Japan, where women consume a diet high in seaweed. Specific types of iodine treatments are also sometimes used to help treat thyroid cancers. 3. Supports Growth and Development in Children Iodine is most critical in the early stages of development, as a fetus’ brain tissue and thyroid receptors are extremely dependent on this mineral to form normally. Research shows that an iodine deficiency during pregnancy and infancy can disturb healthy growth and brain development. Infants with iodine deficiency are more susceptible to mortality and at a higher risk for neurodegenerative problems — like a form of mental disability known as cretinism — low growth rate, motor-function problems and learning disabilities. Although doctors commonly test women during pregnancy for iodine deficiency, it’s difficult to get an accurate reading of iodine levels. Thus, many health experts now encourage women to increase their intake of iodine-rich foods in their pregnancy diet and supplement with iodine considering how common deficiencies are. 4. Maintains Healthy Brain Function Studies show that iodine plays a role in healthy brain development and ongoing cognitive abilities — therefore deficiency is thought by experts to be one of the most common preventable causes of mental disorders in the world, as well as neurodegenerative impairment. Some of the ways that it supports cognitive health include by facilitating brain development during specific time windows influencing neurogenesis, neuronal and glial cell differentiation, myelination, neuronal migration, and synaptogenesis. 5. Preserves Skin Health and Fights Infections A common sign of iodine deficiency is dry, rough and irritated skin that becomes flaky and inflamed. This mineral also helps regulate perspiration, so people might experience changes in how much they sweat if their levels become imbalanced. Another benefit is potentially helping to treat minor infections, such as those that form in scrapes, when applied topically since it has natural antibacterial properties. 6. Helps Control Sweating and Body Temperature Sweating is an important detoxification method that the body uses to discard toxins and even excess calories. Iodine deficiency can disturb the natural way we flush waste from the body through our pores and control our body temperatures. Similar to an ability to produce enough sweat, a lack of iodine also can cause dry mouth due to an abnormally low production of saliva. This makes it difficult to enjoy eating and can impair digestion to some degree. Iodine Deficiency Worldwide around 2 billion people are estimated to suffer from insufficient iodine intake, although many are unaware because they don’t display symptoms. Populations in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are particularly affected. In the U.S. and Europe, deficiency is believed to be on the rise. Common signs of an iodine deficiency include: Trouble producing saliva and properly digesting food Swollen salivary glands and dry mouth Skin problems, including dry skin Poor concentration and difficulty retaining information Muscle pains and weakness Increased risk for thyroid disease Increased risk for fibrosis and fibromyalgia A higher risk for developmental problems in babies and children Although too much iodine is a potential risk for thyroid disruptions, it’s much less common and considered a relatively small risk compared to the substantial risks of deficiency. Plus, consuming very high levels from foods high in iodine alone is very unlikely. Due to the high prevalence of iodine deficiencies globally, plus the serious health concerns as a consequence, there is much more emphasis in the health community on adding more of this mineral into the average person’s diet than worrying about removing it. Why are more people experiencing iodine deficiency? Several reasons might be to blame, including: A reduction in dietary iodine intake. A higher exposure rate to certain chemicals found in processed foodsthat reduce iodine absorption (especially the compound called bromine, found in many plastic containers and baked goods, for example). A depletion in the amount of iodine found in soils. Bromine, found in lots of industrial-produced packaged food products, is of particular interest to researchers, since it’s known to block foods rich in iodine from being useful and absorbable to some degree. Bromine is able to displace iodine and might lead to higher rates of iodine deficiency. When it comes to soil depletion, research points to the fact that, around the world, soils contain varying amounts of iodine, which in turn affects the quantity of this mineral within crops. In some areas, mineral deficient soils are more common, which makes it more likely that people will develop deficiencies. Efforts to reduce deficiencies, known as “salt iodization programs,” help reduce the rate of deficiency in some parts of the impoverished world that experience high rates of ill health effects. But the surest way to prevent deficiencies (and the safest) is to increase your intake of iodine-rich foods. Supplements and Dosage Low iodine status and diets low in foods with iodine are associated with an increased risk for thyroid disease, but there are also potential thyroid and hormonal risks associated with taking too much iodine, especially from supplements that contain it in the form of iodide. Although it seems counterintuitive, research suggests that consuming more than the suggested amount per day is even associated with an increased risk for thyroid disorders as opposed to preventing them. Recommended daily intake: Iodine recommendations are given in terms of “dietary reference intakes” (DRIs). DRIs were developed by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies as a set of values used for planning and assessing nutrient intakes of healthy people. According to the USDA, the recommended amount of iodine depends on your age and gender and are as follows: Birth to 6 months: 110 micrograms 7–12 months: 130 micrograms 1–8 years: 90 micrograms 9–13 years: 120 micrograms 14 years and older: 150 micrograms Pregnant women: 220 micrograms Breastfeeding women: 290 micrograms How can you best meet these recommended amounts? Eat more foods rich in iodine, especially the kind that naturally contain this mineral and aren’t fortified. Related: Bladderwrack Benefits for Thyroid Health, Digestion & More Recipes Including seaweeds and algae in your diet is one of the best ways to boost your intake, considering their high iodine content — along with other important minerals and antioxidants they contain. Various forms of seaweed (such as kelp, nori, kombu and wakame) are some of the best, natural sources of iodine. Like all crops, however, the exact content depends on the specific food and where it came from. Other good iodine-rich foods include seafood, raw/unpasteurized dairy...

The post Are You Eating Enough Iodine-Rich Foods? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Eating Seaweed Salad May Boost Immune Function

AHA Publisher — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 07:00:37 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Eating seaweed salad may boost the efficacy of vaccinations and help treat cold sores, herpes, Epstein-Barr virus, and shingles. Billions of pounds of seaweed are harvested each year, the consumption of which “has been linked to a lower incidence of chronic diseases,” both physical and mental. For example, women who eat more seaweed during pregnancy appear to be less depressed and experience fewer seasonal allergy symptoms. There’s a problem with these cross-sectional, correlational studies, however, in that they can’t prove cause and effect. Maybe seaweed consumption is just an indicator that people generally are following “traditional Japanese dietary customs,” which have lots of different aspects that could protect against disease. To know for certain whether seaweed can modulate immune function, you have to put it to the test. As I discuss in my video How to Boost Your Immune System with Wakame Seaweed, typically, researchers start out with in vitro studies, meaning in a test tube or a petri dish, which make for quicker, cheaper, and easier experiments. One study, for example, took eight different types of seaweed and essentially made seaweed teas to drip onto human immune system cells in a petri dish. Studies like these showed that the seaweed wakame, which is the kind you find in seaweed salad, can quadruple the replication potential of T cells, which are an important part of our immune defense against viruses like herpes simplex virus. No one actually gave seaweed to people with herpes until a study published in 2002. Researchers gave people suffering from various herpes infections about two grams a day of pure powdered wakame, which is equivalent to about a quarter cup of seaweed salad. “All fifteen patients with active Herpetic viral infections”—including herpes virus 1, the cause of oral herpes, which causes cold sores; herpes virus 2, which causes genital herpes; herpes virus 3, which causes shingles and chicken pox; and herpes virus 4, also known as Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mono—“experienced significant lessening or disappearance of symptoms,” as you can see at 2:06 in my video. There was no control group in the study, but with no downsides to eating seaweed, why not give it a try? Researchers also found that wakame boosted antibody production, so could it be useful to boost the efficacy of vaccines? The elderly are particularly vulnerable to suffering and dying from influenza. While the flu vaccine can help, ironically, the elderly are less likely to benefit from it because immune function tends to decline as we get older. So, researchers took 70 volunteers over the age 60. As you can see at 2:50 in my video, their baseline level of antibodies against a flu virus was about 10 GMT. What you’re looking for in a vaccination is to get a two-and-a-half-fold response, so we’d like to see that antibody level get up to at least 25 GMT to consider it an effective response. The vaccine only boosted levels to 15 to 20 GMT, though. What happened after the subjects were given some wakame extract every day for a month before the vaccination? Their levels jumped up to 30 to 35 GMT. The researchers used an extract in a pill rather than the real thing, though, so they could perform this randomized placebo-controlled study. After all, it’s kind of hard to make a convincing placebo seaweed salad. “It is hoped that the popular seaweeds eaten daily in Japan, though almost unknown around the world outside of Japanese restaurants, will be consumed…for possible immunopotentiation”—that is, immune-boosting potential—“and for attenuating the burden of infectious diseases in the elderly.” This article has been modified. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

The post Eating Seaweed Salad May Boost Immune Function appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.