Sue Visser
One diet cannot possibly suit everybody because we are not all the same. There are different gut biomes for different people. Some thrive on meat or wheat, while others can’t tolerate gluten or lactose. The gut is directly linked to the brain and affects your mood. Use Food as Medicine to make you healthy and happy!
Please note: These discussions are about our relationship with food and are not intended as medical advice. Should you prefer using natural alternatives to your prescribed medications, please consult your doctor, who can assist you and supervise a reviewed protocol. Certain foods, supplements, herbs and spices that are used therapeutically may compete with (or oppose) certain drugs – but do not have such harmful effects. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down but using food as medicine does not require any sugar and does not deplete any micronutrients.
Calcium and Magnesium Do Not Work in Isolation – They Need Each Other
Within the body, calcium is in continuous circulation and magnesium levels need to be maintained to prevent the calcification of soft tissue. Magnesium keeps calcium dissolved in the blood and plays a critical role in maintaining heart health, blood pressure, and for preventing muscle spasms (including those in blood vessels). They are both important electrolytes that need to be kept in balance to ensure a regular heartbeat. Reserves of magnesium together with calcium are stored in bones, muscles, and other tissues. We need calcium for contraction and magnesium for relaxation on a continuous basis. This is how we use our muscles, including heart muscles. Cramps, constipation, nervous tension, high blood sugar, hypertension, and an irregular heartbeat indicate that we may need a top-up of these minerals.
Calcium assists in muscle contraction throughout the body, including the heart muscles. For this reason, calcium is critical to maintaining a normal heartbeat. It also plays a role in releasing hormones and enzymes and helping the brain to communicate with the rest of the body by means of neural synapses. Calcium ions (Ca++) help brain cells release neurotransmitters to help muscle cells contract. Calcium facilitates appropriate blood clotting and helps to reduce the risk of different chronic conditions: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, colon cancer, kidney stones, and abdominal obesity.
When your blood calcium levels fall too low, a condition called hypocalcaemia, your body begins pulling calcium from your bones and teeth, resulting in osteoporosis. Hyperparathyroidism and cancer account for up to 90% cases of hypercalcemia – just the opposite. But taking too many calcium and vitamin D supplements can also cause a build-up of calcium, due to a deficiency of magnesium.
Deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D are common in adults with gut dysbiosis. This avoidable and treatable condition impairs the uptake of nutrients from dietary sources. We need vitamin D as well as magnesium to absorb calcium. A glass of milk supplies about 30% of the calcium and 10% of the magnesium RDA for adults of 1000 mg to 2000 mg. Suggested doses of magnesium range from 125 to 500 mg per day and green vegetables are a very good source.
My close encounter with calcium. The promulgation of calcium supplements to the exclusion of magnesium in 1995 is what prompted me to make an effective calcium complex for the South African market. We only managed to find one product at the time, being sold by a private pyramid marketing company. I also challenged the Osteoporosis Foundation which was ignoring the necessity to include magnesium in supplements. I was asked to write a paper about my justifications so that it could be peer reviewed. It was also read out loud to a large group of doctors who were attending a symposium, but the author of ”Ten Things About Calcium” was not mentioned, despite the unanimous applause. Fortunately, today we have plenty of calcium – plus magnesium supplements available. In my original 1995 formulation I included calcium, magnesium, citric acid, vitamin C, D3, B6, boron, zinc, copper, sodium plus potassium and a few Homeopathic tissue salts. It has a neutral pH of 7 to make it easier to absorb. I used to triturate the minerals in a coffee grinder! Several ladies with osteoporosis sent me their bone scans showing a visible increase in bone density after taking it for a few months. I was, at the time, a mere housewife who dabbled in ceramics. According to a survey a few years later, our Calcium Complex turned out to be the best formulation at the lowest price per dose. Today we sell over two tons of it a month.
Watch out for whole wheat bread! Mom insists on whole wheat brown bread and craves it. Although the B-vitamins are plentiful, it is a calcium thief, due to the phytates (anti-nutrients) it contains. High phytate foods (such as gluten, grains, and beans) reduce our ability to build up zinc and calcium reserves. Yet Mom refuses to take any calcium or magnesium – not even mine! A few years later, anti-inflammatory NSAIDS were prescribed for the pain in her joints (and bones) and her posture has deteriorated. Apart from gut inflammation, gluten robs the joints of glucosamine. This gluten intolerance (that runs in the family) was never questioned by her “family doctor.” Apart from that, her well-balanced diet was initially inspired by Adelle Davies, a nutritional pioneer. She has a slim, but now frail body with the blood pressure of a teenager. Mom’s love of reading book after book helps her to maintain a keen, sharp mind—at the age of 101 years. An inspiration to us all.
Tearing or brittle nails, a weakened grip strength, numbness and tingling in the fingers, muscle cramps, lethargy and fatigue, poor appetite, abnormal heart rhythms, a stooped or hunched posture, and low energy are all indicators of calcium/magnesium deficiencies. Before it can be absorbed, calcium must be in solution in the ionized (acidic) form. Stomach acid needs to be maintained at pH 2 in order to digest food and kill germs. Within the stomach, calcium carbonate becomes calcium chloride, to produce calcium in ionized form. A glass of milk also needs to be ionized by gastric acid to ensure its absorption.
Leafy greens such as kale and spinach are rich in magnesium but are poor sources of calcium. An average serving of green vegetables, legumes and other vegetables do not provide more than 50-70 mg of calcium on average. Sweet potatoes provide about 100 mg. Tortillas are higher in calcium than other corn products, including cornmeal and corn rice. This is because calcium carbonate is traditionally added to the mixture – for flavor. Asian countries used to mix a little calcium carbonate with rice to make it look whiter. Not a bad idea, to enhance the nutritional value of food.
Magnesium deficiencies – a universal blind spot we need to be constantly reminded of. Magnesium is known to facilitate hundreds of bodily functions. It is essential for maintaining insulin sensitivity as, without it, sugar from the bloodstream cannot provide cells with energy. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels and prevents their calcification—so up goes the blood pressure if there is a deficiency. Cardiologists really need to concede that magnesium is essential for preventing cardiovascular diseases. According to a recent review, “magnesium plays a role in a number of chronic, disease-related conditions.” It is important for regulating blood pressure. The authors also noted that “increased magnesium intake may improve serum lipid profiles. Dietary magnesium is also recommended to aid in the prevention of stroke.”
Even a marginal magnesium deficiency seriously affects our moods, anxiety levels, and attention span. It exacerbates cravings for sugar, alcohol, and nicotine, shuts down the adrenals, and drains us of vitality. Medications for type 2 diabetes and statins for cholesterol, antispasmodics for cramps, energy uppers or drugs for hypertension and insomnia will not treat a magnesium deficiency. At best, they smother the symptoms and generate a host of unpleasant side effects. Some of them even deplete magnesium—plus calcium, vitamin D3, and zinc!
A magnesium deficiency increases the risk of kidney stones, atherosclerosis, joint inflammation, and osteoporosis. Memory lapses and dementia could be side effects of statin drugs but they, like cholesterol imbalances, are symptoms of magnesium deficiencies. Others include brain fog and ADD or ADHD involving fidgety, neurotic behavior. Yet we treat youngsters with schedule 7 habit-forming drugs like Ritalin or methylphenidate that are like street cocaine. We wonder why so many people become insulin resistant. This is yet another symptom of a magnesium deficiency that is being ignored by both alternative as well as mainstream practitioners. Insulin resistance makes one retain sodium which inhibits the uptake of magnesium. As a result, magnesium is excreted by the kidneys so levels of insulin as well as fat increase. Do we treat these with magnesium? Uh, no.
Menstrual cramps are treated with painkillers, not magnesium. Birth control pills and other patent drugs rob us of magnesium by inhibiting its uptake from the diet or by depleting vitamin B6. The worst culprits are some brands of diuretics, antibiotics, painkillers, anti-cancer drugs and cortisone. Many of the chronic illnesses and especially Crohn’s disease, celiac sprue and kidney problems are also due to a lack of magnesium.
Adding more magnesium – too little or too much? Add a slow-release form of magnesium to your supplementation protocol and for good measure: daily B vitamins, taurine, and omega 3’s. They help to accelerate the miraculous reversal of symptoms of what many researchers now consider to be a universal yet often misdiagnosed magnesium deficiency. Add two tablespoons of Epsom salts to your bathtub of hot water. Some of it can be absorbed via the skin. Feel the cramps and restless legs melt away and have a good night’s sleep. Taking a teaspoon of a powdered calcium and magnesium supplement mixed with water before retiring for the night ensures a more rapid, efficient absorption. Slow-release magnesium fizzy tablets are also popular, especially as a pick-me-up during the day.
The alleviation of a magnesium deficiency as a primary treatment for depression, hypertension, or even constipation with simple foods and supplementation is safe, easy, and economical. Homeopathy can offer profound remedies for a cluster of symptoms relating to an individual’s magnesium-related disorders. Sucking the tissue salt MAG PHOS is a useful handbag remedy, especially for cramps, hiccoughs and tensed-up arteries. Our symptoms may differ but most of us are affected by magnesium deficiencies.
Some people are very sensitive to magnesium. Even a regular supplement may cause diarrhea. In such cases, take it only at mealtimes. Others need to add a pinch of Epsom salts to their powdered mineral supplement to keep the bowels relaxed and active. Beans and nuts, whole grains, oily fish and leafy green vegetables are common dietary sources of magnesium but are inadequate if your symptoms persist. The slow-mag options are freely available, so are magnesium tablets combined with vitamin B6—a good combination.
Sodium and Potassium – Partners That Balance Body Fluids
Electrolytes are minerals that control the distribution of fluids throughout the body. Calcium and magnesium work in tandem throughout the body and team up with sodium and potassium, another pair of electrolyte minerals. Sodium is associated with fluid balance and potassium with muscle contractions and nerve transmission. Potassium and sodium have an inverse relationship: As sodium goes up, potassium levels decrease, and vice versa. Potassium regulates fluid levels within cells. Blood pressure not only rises in response to a higher sodium intake, contrary to popular belief, it is also affected by deficiencies of potassium and magnesium. They say that palaeolithic diets had a low sodium to a high potassium ratio yet today it is the other way around. A potassium deficiency, which is known as hypokalaemia, can be caused by taking diuretics or laxatives, consuming too much salt, drinking alcohol to excess, diarrhea, excessive sweating, and other factors that can lead to weakness and fatigue.
When sodium levels are too high, it leads to hypernatremia. This is often the result of being dehydrated, from not drinking enough water, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating too much, or taking diuretics. However, if sodium levels dip too low, hyponatremia occurs, resulting in seizures that can be life threatening. Certain medications, including oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), calcium-channel blockers, and some diabetes medications, may upset the sodium-potassium balance and increase water retention. The main symptom of water retention is the swelling of extremities and puffiness in the abdomen and face. It is caused by nutrient deficiencies and imbalances, especially a sodium deficiency (in this case, not an excess) with low vitamin C, vitamin B-6, magnesium, and zinc being common factors. Bloating or water retention is also a symptom of dehydration. As a result of dehydration, the build-up of fluids in the body also remains within the tissues, especially the feet.
Maintaining blood sugar reserves requires potassium. During a hard physical workout, the release of potassium from the muscles causes a local increase in the plasma concentration, which causes vasodilation, to increase blood supply to the muscles during exercise. The release of adrenaline and excess insulin during hypoglycaemia stimulates the uptake of potassium from the bloodstream, causing it to drop. Low potassium (hypokalaemia) is associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias that could be fatal. A total of 47% of type 2 diabetic patients with severe hypoglycaemia exhibited potassium deficiencies. Glycogen reserves in the liver and skeletal muscles help regulate blood sugar levels. Glucose plus potassium are involved in the metabolism of glycogen. According to a 2017 study outlined in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, potassium holds the key to controlling glucose management in order to prevent as well as treat diabetes. It is sad to see people injecting themselves with an extra shot of insulin so that they can binge on sweets. But don’t tell the doctors!
Simple, cheap solutions for water and sugar imbalances. Potassium is a simple and inexpensive commodity. Magnesium, zinc, and potassium are critical for insulin metabolism as well as for cardiovascular health, yet there are so many medications we have now discovered that deplete these important minerals. Practitioners are not always aware of how common deficiencies cause disease. If they were, supplementation and a compensatory diet would have been a standard procedure by now. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is thought to help in cases of mild fluid retention. Good sources of vitamin B6 include brown rice and red meat. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), calcium, and vitamin D also help the body to excrete excess fluids. The tissue salt NAT MUR is excellent for balancing sodium-related disorders affecting fluid levels throughout the body. NAT SULPH is the go-to remedy for water retention. I remember using it for blocked sinuses.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) is also considered to be a natural diuretic, rich in potassium that can help to regulate glucose metabolism. This herb has other benefits, including antiviral, antifungal, and antioxidant effects. This makes dandelion tea or juice an ideal natural remedy that protects against conditions such as kidney stones.
Apple cider vinegar is low in calories and very nutritious. It contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium and the B vitamin complex (B1, B2, and B6, biotin, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid), as well as vitamin C. Its main benefits are strengthening immunity, weight loss, helping to regulate blood sugar, and supporting intestinal health. It also makes a tasty salad dressing, mixed with flaxseed oil and honey.
A pinch of the Wright salt as medicine. The medicinal effects of this supplement-enriched salt experiment have been studiously ignored, so here is the full story: A low sodium salt formula based on a 1996 nationwide salt study in Finland was associated with a 60% decrease in deaths from stroke and heart disease. The results: “Adherence to anti-hypertensive drug therapy has been quite good. However, the drug treatment does not seem to account for more than 5-6% of the observed fall of blood pressure, and 10-15% of the decrease in deaths from strokes and ischaemic heart disease.” The report went on to note that during the same time period “…marked increases in the intake of alcohol, obesity among men, and smoking among women have been observed.” The salt was even used and promoted by the local McDonald’s! (Salt as medicine!) According to a follow-up study published in 2006, there has been “…a 75 to 80 percent decrease in both stroke and coronary heart disease mortality in Finland.” This special sodium-reduced salt was enriched not only with potassium, but also with magnesium and L-lysine-hydrochloride.
Wright’s Formula ‘Salt for Healthy Heart Support’ is a proprietary blend: Sodium chloride (Himalayan Pink Salt), potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, L-Lysine hydrochloride, zinc chloride, silicon dioxide, potassium iodide complex, sodium selenite, and copper bisglycinate chelate. It is available for purchase online. I had to laugh at a prescribed medication of potassium chloride tablets, selling for a small fortune when potassium chloride is sold in a salt shaker at the supermarket as a no-sodium salt!
Jonathan Wright also reminds us “that (along with vitamin C and proline) L-lysine was (and is) part of Linus Pauling’s treatment for prevention and even reversal of cardiovascular disease.” L-lysine is an essential amino acid and is harmless, as a pinch here and there, in your salt. L-Lysine is also extremely effective in combating fever blisters (Herpes simplex) and sun blisters. Some other health problems have been found to be related to L-lysine deficiency such as kidney stone formation, low thyroid hormone production, asthma, chronic viral infections, and abnormal growth and development.
“Natrophobia” is the fear of salt. Despite getting a lot of negative press of late, salt can be enjoyed with a clear conscience when it is used in moderation. A pinch of salt before and after meals was traditionally recommended by Islamic healers. Our sodium RDA should not exceed 2300-2400 mg a day and it is needed to balance potassium as well as magnesium. An excess of sodium is associated with many common ailments, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes; but this only happens if there is a deficiency of potassium. If our intake of potassium (from fruit and vegetables) is too low, we retain all the sodium. Seventy percent of our chemical composition consists of a saline solution – so cutting out salt can have serious repercussions. If too low, we upset the potassium and magnesium balance and lose all these minerals – yet again!
A pinch of salt a day helps us to:
- Control blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity, which decreases the risk of diabetes.
- Support cardiovascular health and prevent hyponatraemia that can severely affect the heart.
- Maintain the right levels of stomach acid needed for good digestion.
- Support the adrenals glands and improve the quality of sleep. Low sodium causes insomnia.
- Support a healthy thyroid function (iodine) to improve metabolism and control weight.
- Prevent dehydration – plus water retention due to severe dehydration.
Salt is the key to good digestion, especially for acid reflux! Taking a pinch of salt before a meal and enjoying the taste helps to stimulate the appetite, liven the taste buds, and it supports the intensity of stomach acid to digest the meal. A pH of below 2 (very acidic) is required to close the valve at the base of the esophagus, and salt provides the chloride that is needed to maintain acidity at this intensity. Taking a few grains of salt after a meal can help to prevent acid reflux and heartburn; due to the sodium, it contributes to our sodium bicarbonate reserves from the pancreas that alkalize the stomach contents before they enter the duodenum. If your esophageal valve is not able to close, due to the weakness of stomach acid intensity (too alkaline) then you will experience heartburn. The burning sensation is from acid rising up within an alkaline esophagus channel. But ironically, the acid is not strong enough to stay inside the stomach and close the valve. Why would you want to make it even weaker with an antacid? If you suspect this is the case, rather take a teaspoon of vinegar or a pickle or a slice of lemon with salt when you experience acid reflux between meals – especially if it only happens when you lie down.
Extra little pinches of salt also sharpen up the hydrochloric acid after a few days. Weak stomach acid does not kill germs like Helicobacter pylori, so restore the acidity to prevent stomach (gastric) ulcers. Iodine from salt also kills other types of microbes such as mold or bacteria and thus prevents food poisoning. Few of us know that hydrochloric acid is made by the stomach’s parietal cells, and iodine is also required for this process. Using cheap, common iodized salt can prevent these problems in the first place, and it is very important for thyroid as well as cardiovascular health. Salt helps the body to retain other important minerals such as magnesium and potassium.
Having a lick of salt after a meal can help to prevent acid reflux and heartburn, due to the sodium it contributes to our sodium bicarbonate reserves from the pancreas that alkalize the stomach contents before entering the duodenum. A salty finish to a meal, (as opposed to sugary residues in the saliva) is thus vital to the ongoing digestion of food. By ending the meal with a few grains of salt in your mouth you eliminate the desire for sweets, and this also helps to prevent tooth decay. (Do not do this with potassium chloride or magnesium chloride-based salts because they can burn the tongue and skin on the inside of your cheeks.)
Zinc and Copper Also Go Hand in Hand – We Need to Balance Them
A perfect balance of copper and zinc is important to maintain their role in hundreds – if not thousands of metabolic processes. A copper-zinc imbalance is important in almost every chronic disease: ADD, schizophrenia, arthritis, chronic fatigue, and many others. When you have too much copper and not enough zinc, vitamin C will not be utilized; it will be destroyed. Part of the normal immune response depletes infected tissues of zinc to support the immune response whereby copper is also increased. Copper has been found to regulate white blood cell (macrophage) pathways, irrespective of supplementation. It has been shown that copper deficiency increases the severity of experimentally induced inflammation. Serum levels are increased when inflammation occurs.Studies have found that during stages of chronic inflammation and poor health, there is a lower level of zinc and a higher level of copper, leading to an imbalance in the ratio. Both copper and zinc create the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme that counteracts oxidative stress. It was discovered that Alzheimer’s disease patients had high serum copper levels and low serum zinc levels compared to controls. So too, these imbalances were evident in ADD, autism, diabetes, and heart failure. Too much copper!
Being deficient in both vitamin C and glutathione may cause a build-up of copper whereas sulphur binds with copper and excretes it, thereby correcting our copper levels. Taking high amounts of copper or iron can accelerate the breakdown of vitamin C to form oxalates. Someone with high copper or iron levels may be at risk for higher oxalate formation if also supplementing with vitamin C. The vitamin C may be broken down to form dehydroascorbate and then oxalate. Knowing your copper and iron status is important. A person with autism can have ten times the value of free copper as compared to normal individuals.
Glutathione is an important antioxidant that supports vitamin C and plays a role in immune health as well as the detoxification process. Zinc deficiency may also decrease glutathione production so yet again, we need to focus on the facts and not assume that the daily multi-vit is all we need. Copper is associated with enzyme activity and cell signalling throughout the body. Like zinc, magnesium, and other key micronutrients, it plays an equally important role in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, sleep, osteoporosis, cancer, inflammatory diseases, immune function, blood lipids, myelin and collagen support and thyroid function. Copper also regulates skin pigmentation, iron homeostasis, oxygen metabolism, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
How much copper and how much zinc? Copper accumulation in rare disorders such as Wilson’s disease is treated with zinc supplements to displace copper as they have similar atomic weights. However, the worst copper antagonists are ascorbic acid in excess of 1300 mg per day and any foods that are high in sulphur (brassica vegetables). The average diet contains at least 1-2 milligrams of copper (especially from nuts and pulses). The richest food sources of zinc include oysters and meat (e.g., beef, veal, pork and lamb), whereas organ meats, nuts and seeds, chocolate and shellfish have the highest copper content. Some of the foods with the best copper to zinc ratio include oysters, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and sunflower seeds. Copper sulphate is used as a base in some mineral supplements but needs an acidic medium for its uptake. Do not exceed 5 mg of copper per day. The RDA for zinc is usually 30 mg per day. Copper can be absorbed through the skin, so wearing that copper bracelet is still worthwhile.
Iron and manganese also have an inter-dependent relationship. Zinc and manganese may interfere with iron absorption because of similar physicochemical properties and shared absorptive pathways. Manganese affects iron absorption as they have similar atomic weights, so displacement of iron is a factor. Manganese plays a role in maintaining enzymatic pathways involved in amino acid, cholesterol, glucose, and carbohydrate metabolism; reactive oxygen species scavenging; bone formation; reproduction; blood clotting homeostasis and immune response. A popular supplement for improving glucose metabolism includes a combination of zinc, chromium, and manganese for this reason.
Iron and Other Deficiencies That Affect the Heart and Blood
What is the most common nutritional deficiency? An iron deficiency. What are the commonly accepted causes? Poor nutrition/absorption, diseases, gastrointestinal parasites, menstruation/blood loss and in rare cases, a lack of B12 (pernicious anemia) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The standard treatment is an iron supplement and advice to eat foods that contain more iron such as red meat, prunes, and so on. The medications that inhibit iron absorption are seldom listed as causative factors for anemia (hypoxemia, or lack of oxygen in the blood). This may eventually result in angina and even heart failure. The worst iron inhibitors are due to drug treatments for cholesterol problems and stomach ulcers. Most of our iron is required for hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis to produce 200 billion erythrocytes. The heart is dependent on iron for myoglobin and energy production to sustain mechanical contraction. In the absence of underlying cardiovascular disorders, severe anemia. (Hemoglobin concentration <4-5 g/dl leads to congestive heart failure.) A symptom of anemia is a rapid heart rate.
CoQ10 provides antioxidant support against oxidative stress, supports cellular energy production, and helps support the heart function. Statin drugs and beta blockers deplete this vital nutrient. I do not understand how heart muscles can contract when medications are given to relax muscles in blood vessels. No wonder an old lady was complaining about a loss of control of her bladder and wetting her bed. She was on a heavy dose of calcium channel blockers, so is this what can also happen to sphincter muscles? By now people should know that the pumping action of the heart merely serves as a flow regulator. The legs and other skeletal muscles assist with the contractile force that is needed to circulate the blood around, from top to toe. It is especially important for the return of venous blood to the heart. Veins embedded within a muscle are compressed during contractions. Due to the presence of one-way valves within the veins, blood is driven – or squeezed back towards the heart.
Lying flat on a bed during days of intensive care and not being encouraged to move your legs thereafter is not going to boost circulation. The skeletal muscles of the legs are particularly important as pumps because they prevent the pooling of blood in the feet and calves, due to gravity. Restless legs syndrome causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, due to uncomfortable sensations such as prickling or cramps. It typically happens in the evening or at night when sitting or lying down. Moving the legs or walking will restore the circulation, so consider restless legs to be a call for help. This phenomenon is also associated with a lack of magnesium and potassium. Iron deficiency anemia (hypoxemia) is one of the lesser-known causes of angina and heart failure. It is also associated with restless legs – a warning, in this case.
The Ravages of Iodophobia – Why Are People Afraid of Iodine Supplementation?
Fifty years of research suggest that abnormal iodine metabolism may be a causative factor in many of our common ailments. Iodine is a popular antiseptic, something our grandmothers kept in their medicine chests to use on cuts and grazes. As a topical antiseptic, iodine can kill pathogens that include gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa. Most bacteria will die within 15 to 30 seconds of contact. A 20 ml bottle of elemental iodine costs less than a 2-liter bottle of soda pop, yet it can help hundreds of people! In the early 19th century iodine cured infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Being suspicious of iodine, we now tend to overlook the vital role that it plays in just about every part of the human body – not just the thyroid gland. When used as an antibiotic at doses of less than 50 mg iodine destroys pathogenic bacteria yet it leaves the valuable probiotic bacteria intact to help promote gut health. Iodine is also valuable for breaking down biofilms that cause antibiotic resistance in the first place.
Breast cancer, microbial infections, hormone imbalances, cardiovascular disease, mental retardation, and thyroid problems are all related to iodine deficiencies in some way or another. According to the orthomolecular paradigm, the simplest way to address such a problem is to first correct the underlying deficiency – that of iodine because prescribing drugs for symptomatic relief of a condition does not address its initial cause. Iodine is an essential trace element and to the degree we lack iodine, we will continue to manifest iodine deficiencies regardless of surgery, hormone replacements, and patent medications.
Get the right iodine test, as blood levels are deceptive. Iodine that circulates in the bloodstream usually shows up as being adequate according to the standard test but it does not show how well iodine interacts at a cellular level or how well it engages on hormonal receptor sites. The iodine loading test is the best way to determine the extent of a patient’s iodine deficiency: 50 mg of iodine is given in a single dose and a subsequent urine analysis measures the excreted amount. (Why are people so afraid of ingesting a few mg of iodine when the excess is excreted in the urine?) The amount of iodine that is taken up and used from the 50 mg dose reveals your level of iodine deficiency. Severe iodine deficiencies, ranging from 50% to as much as 80% showed up in all 60 of the breast cancer patients who were thus tested. More iodine is present in breast tissue than the thyroid gland, so one wonders why the iodine loading test is not included in a regular breast examination. Iodine kills germs, especially underarm bacteria. Blocking perspiration tends to trap bacteria within the lymph glands of breast tissue. The development of cysts that show up in mammograms are often mistaken for a sign of cancer. (Eek, a lump!). Why not take iodine or eat seaweed?
Iodine supplementation with Lugol’s iodine. In the 1820’s the French physician Jean Lugol formulated a solution made out of 85% water plus 10% potassium iodide for making thyroid hormones and 5% elemental iodine for breast, ovary and prostate health and to fight microbes. According to iodine expert Dr Brownstein many patients who are routinely put on thyroid hormone for hypothyroid conditions could easily normalize their thyroid hormone output by supplementing with extra iodine and L-tyrosine instead of taking thyroid medications.
During the 1880’s to early 1900’s Lugol’s iodine was used to successfully treat Grave’s disease (hyperthyroidism) instead of radioactive iodine, surgery or drugs. Patients suffering from thyroid abnormalities such as hypothyroidism (under active), hyperthyroidism (overactive) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease) were all shown to be deficient of iodine when tested. An iodine deficiency causes the thyroid gland to readily absorb radioactive iodine which destroys thyroid tissue. Why treat patients with radioactive iodine because they are deficient of normal iodine? During threats of atomic fallout, people are given 2-4 mg of potassium iodide to protect their thyroid glands.
Iodine deficiency is directly linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Selenium and iodine interact with each other to maintain a healthy output of thyroid hormones. Some studies have found that supplementing with selenium can help or even reverse thyroid problems, including autoimmune thyroid. These two minerals are also paired – just like calcium-magnesium, sodium-potassium, zinc-copper and iron-manganese. We need just the right amounts to balance out these combinations. Studies can prove that an iodine deficiency can adversely affect the cardiovascular system. They noted that a higher iodine intake may benefit cardiovascular function. (Why do modern cardiovascular experts ignore such micronutrient deficiencies as causative factors?)
In recent years, public health bodies have aggressively promoted sodium restriction as a means of reducing hypertension and the risk of cardiovascular disease. These measures have led to a general decline in iodine intake in many developed countries. For example, in the United States, 20 years ago 1 in 40 individuals had low urinary iodine levels a few decades ago, yet today 1 in 9 participants of this long-term study are now iodine deficient.
A bromide overload has also contributed to global iodine deficiencies, due to its addition to bread instead of iodine that was originally used to control pests and microbes. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism have both been shown to negatively affect cardiovascular functions. Selenium may also play an interactive role in the development of these thyroid irregularities that are associated with cardiovascular disease.
We need to appreciate the role that iodine plays in helping to prevent as well as treat cancer. “You cannot give breast cancer to rats that have sufficient iodine” is what Dr Brownstein concluded. Chemotherapy is a strange way to treat an iodine deficiency. Patients who lose their hair and possibly their breasts may still be suffering from a lack of plain old iodine. According to Dr. Blaylock: “A decrease in iodine intake coupled with an increased consumption of competing halogens, fluoride and bromide, has created an epidemic of iodine deficiency in America and this seems to be in part responsible for skyrocketing rates of breast cancer. “It makes sense that iodine, one of the nutrients that when deficient leads to breast cancer, would also help to cure it.”
- Iodine prevents and reduces the build-up of fibrocystic tissue in the breast and increases timed cell death (apoptosis) in abnormal breast cells. For the relief of fibrocystic breast disease it has been demonstrated that when iodine is applied to the mucous lining of a woman’s vagina it will be absorbed, taken up in the bloodstream and the patient’s breasts will soften within a few minutes. Doctors also discovered that a small dose of iodine can relieve intestinal cramping and irritability.
- Iodine facilitates lymph drainage, to prevent lumps in the breasts. Underarm odor indicates an iodine deficiency. Iodine kills germs and microbes, especially underarm, that may lodge in breast tissue. Biofilms of untreated bacteria develop into cysts.
- Iodine is a powerful antioxidant and keeps tissues from being damaged by free radicals.
- Iodine blocks the uptake of estrogens that stimulate cell proliferation (the pro-cancerous 16 – estrogens) and increases the uptake of the breast-healthy estrogens (2- estrogens) to improve the 2/16 ratio. It also lowers or down-regulates several estrogen-responsive genes.
Other symptoms of iodine (and selenium) deficiencies
- General: Iodine deficiency affects motor skills; reaction time, manual dexterity, muscle strength, and coordination. Lower IQ readings were registered in people who are iodine deficient. In pregnancy an iodine deficiency can cause ADD or mental retardation in the fetus (cretinism).
- Hypothyroidism: (under active.) Low energy, low body temperature, cold hands and feet and a slower metabolism. Fatigue or tiredness, especially in the morning. Low blood pressure. Sleep disturbances, including the desire for 12 or more hours of sleep at a time. If T4 is not converted to T3, the active form regardless of iodine intake, then there is also a selenium deficiency.
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s disease), Grave’s disease or a toxic thyroid can also be due to iodine deficiencies, contrary to popular belief and not an excess of iodine. In many cases these conditions respond well to iodine supplementation with the thyroid returning to normal size without any surgery or radioactive iodine. (Dr Brownstein)
- Fitness: Shortness of breath on exertion with a very fast pulse and chest pain with stiffness of joints and muscular cramps explains the term: poor exercise tolerance. Also: heart palpitations, frequent respiratory infections and asthma. Excessive all over perspiration regardless of heat or exertion.
- Digestion: Difficulty in losing weight with swelling of the face (myxoedema).and general fluid retention. High LDL cholesterol and increased blood fats. Difficulty in swallowing, indigestion, flatulence, constipation, and irregular bowel movements.
- Circulation: Intolerance to cold and/or heat. Cold hands and feet, poor circulation. In extremes: Raynaud’s syndrome whereby hands and feet turn white in response to the cold.
- Mental picture: Depression, fatigue, apathy, slower thinking and reaction times, headaches and migraines, visual disturbances and eye protrusions, mood swings and loss of memory.
- Skin: Dry and coarse skin with a yellowish tinge, dark brown eyelids, brittle fingernails, dry brittle hair and increased hair loss. Acne.
- Reproduction: Menstrual problems such as PMS and menstrual irregularities, including heavy periods, fertility problems. Reduced libido, benign and malignant tumors, cystic breasts and ovaries, uterine fibroids and fibrocystic breast disease.
- Sinus infections, post-nasal drip, allergies, frequent bladder infections.
- Thyroid swollen (struma), tender throat and neck as the thyroid enlarges and may form a goiter.
- Extreme iodine deficiency: cardiovascular disease, cancer of the thyroid, ovaries, breasts, and prostate.
- Low thyroid function frequently coincides with low adrenal function whereby most of these symptoms tend to overlap. Both are thus related to a deficiency of iodine and selenium.
How much iodine? According to Dr Abraham’s research: “the optimal daily dose of iodine for a person is approximately 12.5 mg.” This amount of iodine is very close to the 13.8 mg average dietary intake of Japanese people who eat seaweed. “12.5 mg is equivalent to 2 drops of Lugol’s iodine, taken in a little water. The regular RDA of 200 micrograms is not sufficient, especially when the presence of bromide, fluoride and chlorine interfere with your iodine levels. Often the iodine restoration sets off bromide-based reactivity that needs to be counteracted with literally – a pinch of salt in order to correct a patient’s iodine status. Seek the advice of an iodine-literate doctor if you anticipate conflict.
Side effects from a 2 mg dose of iodine. Side effects are not common unless the patient is very deficient in iodine. These effects are usually temporary, and patients recover after a few days.
- Iodine is mucolytic (breaks down mucous} so you may have a runny nose, increased salivation or sinus headaches.
- Iodine is also anti-parasitic and anti-microbial in action and so signs of detoxification or “die-off” may result.
- If there is a long-standing iodine deficiency, one may experience hyperthyroidism for a while or have a sore throat with a slight thyroid swelling. When lacking in iodine, the thyroid tissue expands in order to glean more iodine from the bloodstream. (Although alarming, this is actually a positive sign and is only for a few days. After this, you begin to feel more dynamic – energetic. I did!)
- Bromide toxicity from food sources such as bread, manifest as lethargy, depression, “dark” thoughts, “brain fog,” constipation, leg and hip pain, acne, rashes and other symptoms; 5 ml of natural salt (sodium chloride) mixed in a glass of water is taken to counteract this reaction. These side effects are usually reversible in 24-48 hours by discontinuing the iodine and allowing a short period of washout before restarting at a lower dose.
Safety of iodine supplementation and topical use. Iodine when taken by mouth at recommended amounts or when applied to the skin appropriately using approved products is generally regarded as safe (GRAS). Overdose: Patients, even if they are not allergic to iodine, who are given unusually large doses of a few grams of iodine as a contrast medium for CAT scanning may be affected by the following: a metallic taste, mouth sores, swollen salivary glands, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, or a rash. They may have difficulty in breathing. The thyroid may swell up to remove excess iodine from the blood and the throat may become sore. A fatal iodine dose begins at 2 to 3 grams. Give milk to treat emergency ingestion. However, 50 mg is used as an iodine loading urine test so obviously, excessive iodine is excreted via the urine. Follow supplementation guidelines during pregnancy as iodine deficiencies may harm fetal development and adversely affect an infant’s brain and learning abilities later on.
Contraindications: Kidney patients and those with excretory problems who cannot detox iodine through the kidneys. Iodine allergy, even to iodized table salt, is extremely rare. Usually, iodine spread onto a patch of skin will indicate an extreme intolerance to iodine.
Interactions with medications: Medications for an overactive thyroid (Antithyroid drugs) interact with iodine, so Dr Brownstein’s guidelines are essential to follow. Amiodarone (Cordarone), Lithium, ACE inhibitors, Medications for hypertension – Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and Potassium-sparing diuretics all interact with iodine, so alternative protocols can be discussed with an iodine-literate practitioner. We need to consume foods that are rich sources of iodine to maintain our reserves as iodine is a preventative medicine in the first place.
How to enhance food with medicinal minerals. Minerals and other nutrients are evidence-based remedies for conditions that are being treated with drugs to the exclusion of nutritious foods.
Extract Calcium from eggshells. This method produces a creamy, bland tasting liquid, rich in extracts from the shell as well as the membrane. 3-10 eggshells provide a week’s supply of calcium citrate – plus all the extra hidden minerals, including magnesium and zinc that are assimilable at this pH. It also provides valuable joint and connective tissue support from hyaluronic acid and chondroitin from the membrane. The extract can be added to your cottage cheese or green smoothies or taken with meals that contain oxalic acid such as spinach, soya protein, rhubarb and very high doses of ascorbic acid to help neutralize the crystals. For your face, the gritty residue after filtration makes an excellent skin exfoliator and rejuvenating face pack. It works miracles for the tired, patchy skin on your face and hands. After you rinse it off you will understand what I mean about the “secret” ingredients in the membrane!
1. Keep your eggshells and when you have about a dozen, bake them in the oven on a metal tray at a low temperature to sterilize them.
2. Crush the eggshells using an electric coffee grinder or blender attachment to make a fine powder.
3. In a large, deep bowl, add 100 ml of citric acid crystals (from the supermarket) and 1 liter of water.
4. Give the mixture a stir from time to time to make it fizz up. After two days, you will see the water become white and creamy. Allow 2 – 4 days of soaking time. It can then be blended again and strained through a fine cloth, placed in a sieve above a bowl. You need to squeeze out the extract and it is very messy. Keep it in a bottle in the fridge.
5. The remaining paste can be rolled into balls, dried and used as a face scrubber. Or crumble them into the dog food.
Make some changes to your own salt. It is easy enough to use a commercial potassium chloride “salt” as a replacement for regular salt. Just don’t be alarmed at the corrosive effect on the tongue it has when used on popcorn or potato crisps! You can blend it with cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) is a white, acidic powder similar to baking powder used as a food additive and baking ingredient. It has a lemony flavor and can also be mixed with regular salt. Add magnesium carbonate for a free flowing, medicinal salt. For a salt and vinegar effect, add ascorbic acid to taste. Add L-lysine or other vitamins by popping open a few capsules, but test how they affect the flavor. To enhance the savour effect and reduce sodium by 90%, add MSG (monosodium glutamate). This helps to produce more glutathione.
Iodine. Iodized salt was introduced to help prevent iodine deficiencies but salt is so restricted that most people lose out on iodine. Lugol’s iodine is an excellent supplement and is nothing to be afraid of. To enhance the supply of dietary iodine, I make these lentil sprouts in large amounts: While the lentils are soaking overnight in water, add ½ teaspoon of iodine (the cheap one from the drug store contains elemental iodine). This is taken up by the sprouts – we tested them. Chewing a few of these delicious sprouts provides a lot more iodine and it does not have to compete with the chloride in salt for uptake. The iodine keeps the sprouts free of bacteria and mold and they last very well, even out of the refrigerator. They don’t have to be rinsed every day, so it is a win-win medicinal food. Sprouts are rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, and other trace elements.
There are several selenium-rich foods, especially if they come from soils that are rich in selenium. The richest sources of selenium from greatest to least include: Brazil nuts (2.5 mg per cup of whole Brazil nuts), turkey breast, eggs, tuna, sunflower seeds, sardines and shellfish. They also provide zinc and other micronutrients. Brewer’s yeast is a rich source of minerals — particularly selenium, protein, B-complex vitamins, and chromium.
As opposed to a trip to a pharmacy, the kitchen is well stocked with delicious medicines at reasonable prices.
Food as medicine, abundant and effective at treating the primary cause of disease – the dietary deficiencies!
References and Resources
Section 1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8746734/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8746734/
http://naturefresh.co.za/products/nf-010-calcium-complex-300g-powder/
http://naturefresh.co.za/do-we-need-calcium/
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151106-is-msg-as-bad-as-its-made-out-to-be
http://www.mgwater.com/agingcal.shtml
http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/causes-depletion/#medications
Section 2 Benefits of L-lysine & Ways to Avoid Its Deficiency | New Health Advisor (md-health.com)
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/sodiumpotassium-ratio-important-for-health
https://www.livestrong.com/article/507014-the-relationship-between-potassium-and-sodium/
How to use salt to treat and prevent diseases | Medical Academic
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4578021/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cream-of-tartar-benefits#:~:text=As%20you%20can%20see%2C%20cream,present%20in%20all%20body%20tissues.
https://www.mymed.com/health-wellness/nutrition-and-weight-loss/apple-cider-vinegar/what-are-the-side-effects-of-apple-cider-vinegar
https://www.translationalres.com/article/0022-2143(50)90056-4/fulltext
https://svalbardi.com/blogs/water/retention
https://tahomaclinic.com/2013/02/introducing-wright-salt/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23509-glycogen
Section 3 https://www.americanelements.com/interactions-of-iron-with-manganese-zinc-chromium-and-selenium-as-related-to-prophylaxis-and
https://www.google.com/search?q=role+of+manganese+in+human+body&oq=role+of+manganese+in+the+body&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2.15391j0j8&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
https://www.healthline.com/health/iron-deficiency-anemia#treatment
Section 4 https://www.medindia.net/drugs/side-effects/iron-deficiency-anemia.htm
Iron deficiency | Blood | American Society of Hematology (ashpublications.org)
Pathophysiology of anaemia: focus on the heart and blood vessels – PubMed (nih.gov)
18.7C: Blood Flow in Skeletal Muscle – Medicine LibreTexts
https://www.livestrong.com/article/484289-medications-that-inhibit-iron-absorption/
5 Warning Signs You Don’t Have Enough Oxygen In Your Blood (powerofpositivity.com)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22349-autoimmune-hemolytic-anemia
https://za.iherb.com/blog/kidney-stones-supplements/1174#:~:text=Magnesium%20inhibits%20the%20formation%20of,the%2017th%20and%2018th%20centuries.
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/calcium-oxalate-stone
https://explore.globalhealing.com/10-facts-about-calcium/
https://gratitudehappythoughts.weebly.com/how-to-make-your-own-calcium.html
https://explore.globalhealing.com/two-types-of-calcium-deficiency/
https://www.alive.com/health/10-surprising-facts-about-calcium-and-your-body/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6221107/
https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/food/reconnect/detoxify/oxalates.php
https://hoffmancentre.com/are-high-oxalate-levels-harming-your-health/
Section 5 Natural Medicine IODINE by Sue Visser.4810627 | PDF | Iodine | Thyroid (scribd.com)
Preventing and treating diseases with iodine | Medical Academic
http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/iodine.html
https://www.drbrownstein.com/iodine-fibrocystic-breast-disease-and-cancer/
https://drbrownstein.directfrompublisher.com/catalog/book/iodine
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-35/iodine ( Iodine safety and side effects)
https://gratitudehappythoughts.weebly.com/the-iodine-story.html
Hypothesis: dietary iodine intake in the etiology of cardiovascular disease – PubMed (nih.gov)
The Health Benefits of Selenium and Its Relationship with Iodine | Deanna Minich
Published September 9, 2023
About the Author
Sue Visseris the health researcher and product developer for Nature Fresh Health Products. She has developed over 45 products, beginning with her unique Calcium Complex formulation in 1997. With over 25 years of experience in complementary and especially traditional medicine, Sue shares her articles freely with doctors (SA Medical Academic) and other publications. For many years, Sue has given free presentations, radio shows, workshops and has appeared in the two TV series on local herbs (Nature’s Health – 2007 and 2009). She is the author of two books and dozens of research papers and published articles.
Sue investigates current health trends, products and modalities on a constant basis and interacts with fellow South Africans at all levels to learn more about their health issues. Artemisia annua and other anti-malarial species, especially Olea Europa/Afra have now come to the fore as treatments for Covid-19. The new Nature Fresh prototypes are having very successful results with viral infections by using herbs that treat malaria. Contact: sue@naturefresh.co.za ; info@naturefresh.co.za