<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<div><b>If You Want to Keep Your Thyroid Healthy </b></div><div><b>or restore it from being damaged - READ!!!</b></div><div><br></div><div>If you suspect your thyroid is compromised or you know that it</div><div>is, feel free to get in touch with me for help in restoring your</div><div>thyroid and overall health. It's easier than most people think.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromides are a common endocrine disruptor. Because bromide</div><div>is also a halide, it competes for the same receptors that</div><div>are used in the thyroid gland (among other places) to</div><div>capture iodine. This will inhibit thyroid hormone production</div><div>resulting in a low thyroid state.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Iodine is essential for your body, and is detected in every</div><div>organ and tissue. There is increasing evidence that low</div><div>iodine is related to numerous diseases, including cancer. </div><div>Various clinicians and researchers have found iodine</div><div>effective with everything from goiter to constipation.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromide can be found in several forms. Methyl Bromide is a</div><div>pesticide used mainly on strawberries, found predominantly</div><div>in the California areas. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is</div><div>added to citrus drinks to help suspend the flavoring in the</div><div>liquid.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Potassium Bromate is a dough conditioner found in commercial</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">bakery products and some flours.</span></div><div><br></div><div>If you are like most people, you probably haven’t spent much</div><div>time thinking about how much bromine you’re absorbing from</div><div>your car upholstery or your Mountain Dew. But bromine</div><div>toxicity is a definite danger from some surprising sources,</div><div>and it can wreak havoc on your health.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Bromines All Around You</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromines are common endocrine disruptors, and are part of</div><div>the halide family, a group of elements that includes</div><div>fluorine, chlorine and iodine. What makes it so dangerous is</div><div>that it competes for the same receptors that are used to</div><div>capture iodine.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not</div><div>hold on to the iodine that it needs. And iodine affects</div><div>every tissue in your body -- not just your thyroid.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>You are already exposed to far too much chlorine and</div><div>bromine. Bromine can be found in a number of places in your</div><div>everyday world, including:</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Pesticides (specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on</div><div> strawberries, predominantly in California)</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Plastics, like those used to make computers</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Bakery goods and some flours often contain a “dough</div><div> conditioner” called potassium bromate</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Soft drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop,</div><div> Squirt, Fresca and other citrus-flavored sodas), in the</div><div> form of brominated vegetable oils (BVOs)</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Medications such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal</div><div> Spray, Pro-Banthine (for ulcers), and anesthesia agents</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Fire retardants (common one is polybromo diphenyl ethers</div><div> or PBDEs) used in fabrics, carpets, upholstery, and</div><div> mattresses</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Bromine-based hot tub and swimming pool treatments</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>According to van Leeuwen, who has extensively studied the</div><div>effects of sodium bromide on thyroid function:</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><i>“Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature,</i></div><div><i>the main route of exposure in humans stems from bromide</i></div><div><i>residues in food commodities as a result of the abundant use</i></div><div><i>of bromide-containing pesticides, like methylbromide and</i></div><div><i>ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive</i></div><div><i>horticulture and for postharvest treatment.”</i></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>One clinical consequence of overexposure to bromine is</div><div>suppression of your thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism,</div><div>which will be discussed shortly. Another is bromide</div><div>toxicity.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Bromine -- The Bully of the Halide Group</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and</div><div>this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer</div><div>of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers</div><div>that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon</div><div>is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the</div><div>Bromide Dominance Theory.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is</div><div>toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central</div><div>nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central</div><div>nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of</div><div>psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other</div><div>psychotic symptoms.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>In fact, in an audio interview, physician Jorge Flechas</div><div>reported that, between 1920 and 1960, at least 20 percent of</div><div>all hospital admissions for “acute paranoid schizophrenia”</div><div>were a result of ingesting bromine-containing products.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>In addition to psychiatric problems, bromine toxicity can</div><div>manifest as the following:</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Skin rashes and severe acne</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Loss of appetite and abdominal pain</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Fatigue</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Metallic taste</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> * Cardiac arrhythmias</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Baby Boomers might recall a popular product from the 1950s</div><div>called Bromo-Seltzer. These effervescent granules, developed</div><div>by the Emerson Drug Company of Baltimore, were used to treat</div><div>heartburn, upset stomach, indigestion, headaches and</div><div>hangovers.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromo-Selzer’s original formula contained 3.2 mEq/teaspoon</div><div>of sodium bromide -- hence the name. The sedative effect</div><div>probably explained its popularity as a hangover remedy.</div><div>Bromides were withdrawn from the American market in 1975 due</div><div>to their toxicity.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromo-Selzer is still on the market, but no longer contains</div><div>bromide.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Bromines in Your Bread Box: Potassium Bromate</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The ban on bromines have not prevented them from sneaking</div><div>into your foods and personal care products.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>You probably are not aware of this, but nearly every time</div><div>you eat bread in a restaurant or consume a hamburger or</div><div>hotdog bun you are consuming bromide, as it is commonly used</div><div>in flours.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial</div><div>breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to</div><div>bromide overload in Western cultures.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate.</div><div>Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more</div><div>elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However,</div><div>Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use</div><div>only unbromated flour without any of these so-called</div><div>“structural problems.”</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and</div><div>mouthwashes, where it’s added as an antiseptic and</div><div>astringent. It has been found to cause bleeding and</div><div>inflammation of gums in people using these products.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Sodium Bromate and BMOs</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Mountain Dew, one of the worst beverages you can drink, uses</div><div>brominated vegetable oil as an emulsifier. Not only that, it</div><div>contains high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, more</div><div>than 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can, and Yellow Dye #5</div><div>(tartrazine, which has been banned in Norway, Austria and</div><div>Germany.)</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>A weapon of mass destruction -- in a can.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Even drinking water can be a source of bromide. When</div><div>drinking water containing bromide is exposed to ozone,</div><div>bromate ions are formed, which are powerful oxidizing</div><div>agents. Such was the case in 2004 when Coca Cola Company </div><div>had to recall Dasani bottled water.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Sodium bromate can also be found in personal care products</div><div>such as permanent waves, hair dyes, and textile dyes.</div><div>Benzalkonium is used as a preservative in some cosmetics.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Finally, bromine and chlorine were the most common toxic</div><div>elements reportedly found in automobiles, according to the</div><div>blog of David Brownstein, MD (March 2007). They showed up in</div><div>the seats, armrests, door trim, shift knobs and other areas</div><div>of the car.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Think about how much time you spend enclosed in your</div><div>outgassing Chevy… windows up with no air circulation.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The United States is quite behind in putting an end to the</div><div>egregious practice of allowing bromine chemicals in your</div><div>foods. In 1990, the United Kingdom banned bromate in bread.</div><div>In 1994, Canada did the same. Brazil recently outlawed</div><div>bromide in flour products.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>What’s taking us so long? Another case of our government</div><div>protecting big industry -- instead of protecting you.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Iodine Levels and Cancer Risk</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Iodine levels have significantly dropped due to bromine</div><div>exposure; declining consumption of iodized salt, eggs, fish,</div><div>and sea vegetables; and soil depletion. In the U.S.</div><div>population, there was a 50 percent reduction in urinary</div><div>iodine excretion between 1970 and 1990.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>What’s this doing to our country’s health?</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due</div><div>to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have</div><div>reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest</div><div>rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S.</div><div>is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the</div><div>average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer</div><div>rates in Japan are a result of their substantially higher</div><div>iodine levels. Iodine has documented antioxidant and</div><div>anti-proliferative properties.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>A strong case can be made that your iodine RDA should be</div><div>closer to what the Japanese consume daily, if breast cancer</div><div>rates are any indication. Low iodine can lead to fibrocystic</div><div>breast disease in women (density, lumps and bumps),</div><div>hyperplasia, and atypical mammary tissue. Such fibrocystic</div><div>changes in breast tissue have been shown to reverse in the</div><div>presence of iodine supplementation after 3-4 months.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>If you are interested in being tested for iodine deficiency,</div><div>the urine iodine challenge test is the best way to assess</div><div>your iodine level.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Bromine and Your Thyroid</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Adding to the negative health effects of bromine, the damage</div><div>to your thyroid health deserves special mention.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>As stated in the first part of this article, bromine</div><div>exposure depletes your body’s iodine by competing with</div><div>iodine receptors. Iodine is crucial for thyroid function.</div><div>Without iodine, your thyroid gland would be completely</div><div>unable to produce thyroid hormone.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Even the names of the different forms of thyroid hormone</div><div>reflect the number of iodine molecules attached -- T4 has</div><div>four attached iodine molecules, and T3 (the biologically</div><div>active form of the hormone) has three--showing what an</div><div>important part iodine plays in thyroid biochemistry.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Hypothyroidism is far more prevalent than once thought in</div><div>the U.S. The latest estimates are that 13 million Americans</div><div>have hypothyroidism, but the actual numbers are probably</div><div>higher. Some experts claim that 10 to40 percent of Americans</div><div>have suboptimal thyroid function.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Many of these folks may actually have nothing wrong with</div><div>their thyroid gland at all -- they may just be suffering</div><div>from iodine deficiency.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Seven Tips for Avoiding Bromine and Optimizing Iodine</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Trying to avoid bromine is like trying to avoid air</div><div>pollution -- all you can do is minimize your exposure. That</div><div>said, here are a few things you can do to minimize your</div><div>risk:</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>1. Eat organic as often as possible. Wash all produce</div><div>thoroughly. This will minimize your pesticide exposure.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>2. Avoid eating or drinking from (or storing food and water</div><div>in) plastic containers. Use glass and safe ceramic vessels.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>3. Look for organic whole-grain breads and flour. Grind you</div><div>own grain, if possible. Look for the “no bromine” or</div><div>“bromine-free” label on commercial baked goods.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>4. Avoid sodas. Drink natural, filtered water instead.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>5. If you own a hot tub, look into an ozone purification</div><div>system. Such systems make it possible to keep the water</div><div>clean with minimal chemical treatments.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>6. Look for personal care products that are as chemical-free</div><div>as possible. Remember -- anything going on you, goes in you.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>7. When in a car or a building, open windows as often as</div><div>possible, preferably on opposing sides of the space for</div><div>cross ventilation. Utilize fans to circulate the air.</div><div>Chemical pollutants are much higher inside buildings (and</div><div>cars) than outside.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><b>Avoid Unfermented Soy</b></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Another major contributor to thyroid dysfunction that I did</div><div>not discuss above is unfermented soy. Soy isoflavones can</div><div>wreak havoc on your thyroid.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Kaayla Daniel's groundbreaking book, The Whole Soy Story:</div><div>The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food is a</div><div>powerful exposé that reveals the truth about the soy myths</div><div>that have infiltrated our culture.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>It's ironic that soy has become so accepted as a health food</div><div>when, as Dr. Daniel states, thousands of studies link soy to</div><div>malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown,</div><div>thyroid- and hormonal dysfunction, cognitive decline,</div><div>reproductive disorders and infertility--even cancer and</div><div>heart disease.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>So if you want to keep your thyroid healthy, you’ll</div><div>definitely want to avoid unfermented soy products of all</div><div>kinds, including soy milk.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Finally, let me know if you are interested in an affordable,</div><div>effective and safe Iodine product that I supply. You can put</div><div>it in your drinking water or rub it into your skin to get the </div><div>benefits that we all need...</div><br><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div><div>-- </div><div>Elijah</div><div>Healing Researcher, Educator & Coach</div><div>Your health | God's Blessing</div><div><a href="http://GodsBlessing.com">http://GodsBlessing.com</a></div><div>(206) 350-7300</div></div></span></span> </div><br></body></html>