I have written a couple of posts a while back about my experiences with Fibrocystic Breast disease and my success with the use of iodine in reversing this after 20 years of suffering the symptoms of terrible breast pain that was present usually at least three weeks out of every month.

I did a fair bit of research at the time on the internet at the time and then because of the success I had I haven’t really done much more since. I’ve still been taking the iodine, but have reduced my dosage quite some time back and my breast pain has been almost non existent. It does still appear every now and then, but the lumps haven’t reappeared which is great news.

Anyway, I went to the library yesterday and stumbled across the book Iodine: Why you need it, Why you can’t live without it by David Brownstein MD. I didn’t go there to get this book, but it is a book that I have wanted to read for a while after finding it referenced in my prior online research. David Brownstein is one of a couple of doctors that have done a large amount of research on iodine and it’s effects on health, and he uses it a lot in his practice.

I’m only part of the way through his book, but wanted to write a post on what I’ve learned already about the use of iodine for fibrocystic breasts, because I know that so many women suffer with this painful condition, and with breast cancer rates increasing, women need to know this information. I know that I’m incredibly grateful for my finding out about iodine and being able to rid myself of my hard painful breasts and if that’s all it did, that would be wonderful, but it does much, much more than that as I’m learning from this book.

Firstly, David Brownstein says in the forward of his book that when he lectures to physician he makes this statement: “Iodine is truly the most misunderstood nutrient”.

There is little mention of iodine in medical schools, and most doctors know nothing really about it and believe that the use of iodised salt is sufficient to supply our needs, that is if they think about it all! Studies have shown that iodine deficiency affects about 90% of the population! and that is a real problem as you will learn.

Iodine was first discovered in 1811 during the making of gunpowder and the first medical use of iodine was reported by Jean Francois Coindet (1774-1834) who showed that Goiter (swelling of the thyroid) could be treated with Iodine. The use of iodised salt began in the early 1900’s after tests were completed in Michigan and Ohio (USA) where there was a high rate of goiter and results showed reduced rates from the use of iodine. The use of iodised salt however, although enough to reduce the rates of goiter, is not enough to keep iodine at healthy levels and the salt that it is attached to, has serious health implications because it is highly processed, devoid of nutrients and can cause hypertension and hardening of the arteries as most of us are aware.

I have copied the contents of this table from Dr Brownsteins book showing the therapeutic actions of iodine along with the conditions that can be treated with it:

As you see, iodine has a whole lot of uses! and a whole lot of implications if your body isn’t getting enough! When it comes to not only fibrocystic breast disease, but also to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer and more, iodine is a nutrient that should not be ignored. To put it simply, with regard to hormone dependent cancers and disease in women, a lack of iodine will cause the ovaries to produce more estrogen, while at the same time causing the tissues of the breast to become more sensitive to estrogen. When iodine levels are increased to optimum levels, the rate at which estrogen is produced is reduced as is the sensitivity to estrogen in the breast tissues.

Dr Brownstein says he has seen many cases of cancer resolve with the use of iodine. He also gives his patients a regime of vitamins and minerals and often bio-identical hormones as well. I want to share a story of one of his patients from the book (one of many in this book!):

Joan, a 60 year old English teacher, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989. She refused conventional therapy and looked for other options. She found a holistic doctor who recommended that she take 2mg/day of iodine in addition to a regimen of vitamins and minerals. She was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism and treated with thyroid hormone. Over the next ten years, she felt well and continued to teach. The tumor metastasized in early 2005. Joan’s tumor markers also increased and she felt very fatigued. She lost 25 pounds of weight by July 2005. “If felt like I ws dying” she said. After she read of Dr Abraham’s research on iodine, she found a doctor to prescribe iodine for her. She increased the iodine dose from 2mg/day to 50-62.5mg/day using a tablet form of Lugol’s.  As she increased the iodine, she was able to stop the thyroid hormone. After six weeks of taking the higher iodine dose, Joan had a PET scan. The scan showed that all of the existing tumors were disintegrating. The central areas of the tumors were disintegrating after just 26 days of taking a higher dose of iodine. “I am so grateful for this information as it is surely saving my life” Joan claimed.

Apparently this is not uncommon. The iodine can stop the cancer cells from replicating and the tumors gradually disintegrate.

The iodine drops that I have been taking contain only Potassium Iodide and the Lugol’s drops that are used by Dr Brownstein and his colleagues are a 5% Iodine and 10% Potassium Iodide mixture, and he says in his book that this is important to have both types as one is more effective in certain organs than the other. He has seen much better results with the use of both iodine and iodide than the use of the just the iodide. I’ve managed to source Lugols drops here in Australia and so will be ordering them before my current drops run out. Lugols’ can be purchased online also via Amazon. Be sure to read what you are getting. The true Lugols is a mixture at the ratio stated 5% iodine -  make sure you get the 5% mixture – there are weaker mixtures out there and they’re not going to give you the correct dose.

I still have a lot of the book to read, so watch out for the updates. I, of course, can’t give you all the information that’s included in his book, so I’d suggest you read it for yourself if you’re able. I’ll be back with more……

This is an update from my earlier posts where I talked about my starting to take iodine again as a supplement and my realisation that I had in fact been taking it a couple of years ago but hadn’t really realised or thought about the iodine specifically. At the time when my health and my weight started to improve and my weight finally started to move, it was after a long time (18 months or more) of doing lots of exercise, and looking after myself but getting very limited results.

I’ve been back on the iodine now for a couple of months or so and as already described, I noticed a huge difference in my mood immediately. I’m not having as much problem with fluid retention (still a little puffiness in my left foot off and on) and my weight is pretty stable. It has stopped fluctuating wildly from one day to the next. Prior to the iodine my weight could fluctuate by 3kg from one day to the next – fluid retention being the main culprit.

This post however is to comment on my boobs! There has been no pain in them – NONE. That in itself is a little miracle. For most of the past 20 years I have had breast pain for 2-3 weeks out of the month. Sometimes so bad that when I take my bra off at night, I’d be wincing with the pain. I’ve had times over the years where it has been better or worse, but lately it’s been in the worse category again.

This all started when we first moved to Australia 20 years ago. I don’t know if having my tubal ligation played a part in it’s beginnings or not, but the first I remember was all of a sudden I notice painful lumps  particularly in the left breast . They were always sore to touch and I’ve always avoided them for that reason. They’ve been there now consistently (even when the breast pain has been better) for twenty years. They’ve almost completely disappeared! In two months on a high dose of iodine they’ve gone and I’ve had no breast pain.

Isn’t that interesting?

There has been quite a few studies done on Iodine and it’s implications reducing or even curing breast disease, fibrocystic breasts and breast cancer with great results. There is a whole book on the subject. Breast Cancer and Iodine: How to Prevent and How to Survive Breast Cancer by Dr. David Derry M.D., Ph.D.

If you’re going to try supplementing with iodine don’t make the mistake of thinking that iodised salt will do it – it won’t! The iodine used in the salt is crushed rock that your body can’t use and it’s combined with nasty processed, bleached mineral deficient sodium chloride that will give you high blood pressure, hard arteries, fluid retention and just plain give your body a hard time!

Use sea vegetables if you like them or get a good quality iodine supplement from a reputable company that makes quality supplements. I’m currently using two brands of iodine. I’m currently taking a brand of iodine drops as well as a very bio available excellent quality multi vitamin that includes iodine and this is the supplement that I was taking in New Zealand when I didn’t realise that a big part of my good results that I was getting was probably the iodine that it included. I think after a few months and once I know how much I need to take for best results I’ll go back to the just the multi vitamin tablets as I know that they’re a better quality than probably anything else on the market as they’re made by a company that always uses only the best, most bio available ingredients and contains not only iodine, but B Vitamins as well as other nutrients that will work synergistically with the iodine to help my body to function as it should.

Keep coming back and I’ll keep you posted with my results as the months go on. If you’ve got any questions feel free to email me.