Every year, we get the same advice. Get your mammograms, eat your vegetables and ‘feel your boobies’. However, even with that advice, we still haven’t made much of a dent in breast cancer prevention. One thing we never hear about in the mainstream media is iodine deficiency. This can contribute to breast cancer as well as ovarian and cervical cancers in addition to fibroids.
Facts About Iodine
Here’s what you need to know:
• It is stored in the thyroid gland, ovaries, breast and fat tissue. Therefore plays an important role in reproductive and breast health.
• Is found in iodized salt, sea vegetables, seaweed, eggs, dairy, and fish
• Iodine deficiency can lead to increased estrogen production. When you pair that with exposure to environmental estrogen’s in plastic, pesticides, meat, and dairy foods (produced by big agriculture), you have a ripe environment for the development of breast cancer.
• Bromide, fluoride and chlorine compete with iodine for absorption. They are abundant in the environment and food supply. Bromide is found in furniture, carpet, cars, fire retardant clothing and mattresses. Asthma medications, bread products and toothpaste. Municipal water supplies, food prepared with fluoridated water and tea leaves. The antidepressants Paxil and Prozac also contain fluoride. Chlorine is also found in our water supplies, swimming pools, and the artificial sweetener Splenda, or sucralose. Click here for more information about cancer risks.
How To Get Tested
One of the best steps to take in preventing cancer is to get an iodine loading test. This is a urine test, not a blood test. You will take 50 mg of iodine and collect your urine for 24 hours; I know, not fun, but it may just save your life. You can also get a bromide test. Click here for more information on iodine and bromide testing.
Simple Steps
I highly recommend finding a physician who is knowledgeable about iodine so you can get the right dosage. It is best to take it with vitamin C, magnesium, and selenium. Get plenty of unrefined sea salt. The chloride component of salt can help eliminate bromide. Sea salt does not contain much iodine, so you can also sprinkle kelp granules on food. If you eat meat, choose grass fed over conventional. If you do dairy, raw is best, followed by low heat pasteurized and non-homogenized. Click here before buying seafood. If you are allergic to iodine, focus on eliminated toxins like bromide.
Click here for more information on iodine and breast health. The Switch Diet is almost here and will help you eliminate toxins. To get notified when it is released, like my Facebook page.
Annette Presley RD, LD, is a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people live their lives well so they can stay out of hospitals and spend more time with their families and doing the things they love.