I use 1 teaspoon of raw kelp or dulse powder almost everyday.

1-2 teaspoon is fine to increase your iodine intake and get some of the benefits that seaweed has to offer.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Well, a first: I'm going to disagree with powerlifer (sorry).

According to Becoming Raw, by Vesanto Melina, RD, less than 1/16 tsp. kelp powder supplies sufficient iodine. The iodine UL (Upper Limit) is supplied by 0.4 tsp. powdered kelp/day, and people should "avoid frequent use" of that amount.

1/2 tsp. dulse granules supplies the DRI for Iodine. The UL is 3 1/3 tsp./day.

Reference: Becoming Raw, Vesanto Melina, RD, p. 188.

So sorry, suncloud, but I have to disagree with you. There is a ton of research out there that suggests that we need way more iodine than the RDA. Just as one example, there are many lifestyle factors that interrupt the assimilation of iodine like chlorine in the water we bath in, flouridated water, and flouride in toothpaste. As much as a heath-conscious person tries to avoid these contaminants, they still find their way into our bodies, blocking the absorption of iodine. What I have read, suggests a greater need for iodine, and that the RDA is outdated and way too low, and that many people are iodine deficient and don't know it.

Sorry, I don't have references, but I do have a thyroid condition, and have researched alot about iodine... the information is out there for anyone wanting to look for it.

The RDA for iodine is very low as stated and only enough to prevent goiter.

It is very hard to achieve iodine toxicity via seaweeds in my opinion. Supplements are a different matter of course. Although excessive iodine consumption can aggravate some conditions such as hashimotos disease.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Well, y'all might be right. BUT, I can't think of any more credible source than Vesanto Melina.

Here is her website: [en.wikipedia.org]

Here is her Wikipedia page: [en.wikipedia.org]

However, Ms. Melina does also state in her book that studies of "living food" Finns (from Finland) at both levels (high and low) of iodine intake had normal thyroid function according to laboratory tests. (p. 188) So, maybe the jury is out.

Whatever the case, it's always good to avoid chlorinated water, etc., if possible. Too bad most of our public water systems are so dirty! Pollution sucks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2011 12:32AM by suncloud.

Oops! Here is her website: [www.nutrispeak.com]

Thyroid blood tests are notorious for being inaccurate, you can be hypothyroid but still show acceptable reference levels of thyroid hormones. Which is why so many cases of hypothyroidism go undiagnosed.

Basal body temperature first thing in the morning is a better indicator of thyroid function as well as symptoms.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

suncloud,

It grieves me to quibble, but tisn't you with whom I quibble, but Melina, so I feel better about it all of a sudden!

Dr. David Brownstein, a Michigan MD who was formally trained to discount the importance of nutrients like iodine in glandular health, is now constantly on the trail railing against the iodine insufficiency in our RDA and other values parameters. Being that we are still the Goiter Belt, after almost a century of salt supplementation, etc., I defer to his clinical experience. To that end, I have been supplementing with water soluble iodine; 1830 mcgs daily, for almost two years. This is a toxic dose, allegedly, but clearly, I'm not dead. Also, I am not: experiencing that cotton-wool-behind-the-eyes feeling in the afternoons, nor freezing cold extremeties, nor a vague unpleasant pressure at the base of my throat anymore. Melina's sources for recommended iodine levels are scientific bodies that use the USDA guidelines for their recommendations. So, the same people who got it wrong in the first place, or at least not totally right. Having been through the endocrinology mill with various niggling problems that baffled the experts, but which have since almost entirely cleared up because of the iodine supplementation, I am pretty sure that most of what is to be known on this subject still eludes conventional analysis



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2011 01:30PM by Tamukha.

Thats great alot of your problems cleared up with iodine tamukha, any reason you don't prefer a food source of iodine though i.e seaweeds? Is it the taste i take it?

They do taste pretty icky if im honest, i try to get as much of my iodine from seaweeds as possible. I think everyone knows how much a fan of seaweeds i am but the supporting nutrition makes it all the more worthwhile such as the rich vitamin B group and being the best source of minerals on the planet. Not only that many of the supporting compounds that seaweed contains for health such as the polysaccharides(immune boosting), fucoidan(anti-cancer/inflammatory etc), aglinates(chelating metals and other radioactive elements).

But yeah there quite rank lol, i like to hide my seaweeds in miso soup or use nori to wrap raw veggies.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

And I am taking 12.5mg of water soluble iodine per day, which is 8333% of the RDA, and have noticed the same seemingly miraculous results as Tamukha, and much more.

Seaweeds are a great source of iodine, and would be my preferred method because the other potential compounds present, which help with assimilation are in tact naturally. However, in my case, and perhaps the same with Tamukha, there simply isn't a strong enough dose of iodine present in plants to offset the huge imbalance I'm experiencing. I'd have to consume piles of seaweed to get what I need right now to compensate for the gaping deficiency.

It is my hope, and my plan, that once this goiter has shrunk, which it is doing day by day, and my symptoms have all disappeared, and my cells have soaked up all the goodness from these supplements that they need, and everything is working optimally again, I will be able to sustain that level of heath with a natural source.

This is a good point especially in your case of deficiency marsh.

12.5mg is about the standard Japanese intake of Iodine daily, and they tend to have lower cases of certain cancers and other diseases. Soya consumption probably plays a role in that also though.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Not to worry Tamukha et al, I love getting new information even when I'm wrong - maybe especially when I'm wrong, because I don't like telling other people the wrong thing!

And I also do appreciate good references like the reference to Dr. Brownstein. It seems there's more research to be done on the subject, but I'm going to assume that eating a little more seaweed is OK.
This is good news to me, because my body seems to respond to seaweed better than any other green. Also, I like the taste of seaweed, thank goodness.

So, thank you marsh, powerlifer, and Tamukha! And I'm happy to hear you're feeling better marsh!

Same with me suncloud they make me feel better over greens for some reason.

Its funny i know hair mineral tests aren't 100% accurate as shampoos, hair products can effect the result but every hair mineral test i had done years back had no detectable levels of iodine, even after iodine supplements such as lugols, iodoral etc.

Seaweeds have been the only thing that have helped.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

suncloud-

Thanks! ...I am feeling great!

And this is day 8 of 100% raw, and I am amazed at how easy it is. yay!

powerlifer,

Have tried to eat seaweed, honest I have. But if not hidden in miso soup, the thought of consuming almost anything besides arame or wakame makes me wanna hurl, LOL

Tamukha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> powerlifer,
>
> Have tried to eat seaweed, honest I have. But if
> not hidden in miso soup, the thought of consuming
> almost anything besides arame or wakame makes me
> wanna hurl, LOL

Haha yeah it isn't the most appetizing i agree. Nori isn't too bad though although it isn't that high in iodine.

Thats surprising wakame is the worst in my opinion its so chewey and slimey lol. Dulse i like though quite neutral tasting and delicate.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]