David-Brownstein-on-Hormones-Part-2.mp3

http://www.drbrownstein.com/
http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/12/13/this-food-could-destroy-your-thyroid/
In this second installment with Dr. David Brownstein, we talk about why wheat can affect the thyroid, how to get enough iodine, if the iodine skin test is worth your time and Dr. Brownstein’s clinical experience with the vegan diet.

Like I wrote about in Part 1, I really found this interview to be very valuable and I think you will too.

Here’s where to listen to Part 2 now (My comments follow in writing)…



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Here are my thoughts on this interview…

1. The bromine, flour, thyroid connection.

I have interviewed a good deal of experts who have explained that wheat flour has a negative effect on the thyroid. I’m sure you may have heard this before as well. What I hadn’t heard until now, is that Dr. Brownstein believes that the bromine added to flour is what damages the thyroid. Some experts put weight on the gluten, but Dr. Brownstein sees it differently (though does attribute gluten to be an issue as well.)

Dr. Brownstein says that the thyroid uptakes bromine if there is not enough iodine and this causes interference with thyroid function.

The gluten theory is that the body produces antibodies to the gluten protein that are similar to thyroid tissue and these antibodies attack the thyroid as well as the gluten. This has the workings of a classic autoimmune disease.

So I’m not sure which one is right (or both), but both outcomes tell you hybridized, processed flour (with excess gluten) is not something you should eat if you want a healthy thyroid – or healthy waistline.

2. Can you get your iodine from your seaweed?

I asked Dr. Brownstein if eating seaweeds was enough to get sufficient amounts of iodine. His response wasn’t exactly a simple one.

First, you have to get your seaweed from a clean area that is not pumping industrial chemicals, flouride, bromine, arsenic or any other toxic substance into the water. You can ask your sea vegetable provider if they do any type of testing. (We test ours for heavy metals.)

You have to make sure the product is fresh, since over time the plant will lose it’s nutritional value.

You also have to make sure that you’re absorbing the iodine that is in the seaweed.

So I’m sure Dr. Brownstein would agree, it’s not about the seaweed you take in – it’s also about how you digest it.

The best way to determine if you are getting adequate amount of iodine from sea vegetables is to continually test to make sure your levels are at optimal levels (or rise if you’re low.)

3. The skin iodine test not accurate.

Dr. Brownstein has confirmed (adding to a long list of people) that the skin test for iodine is fairly inaccurate. About 80% of the iodine evaporates, so there’s very little science or control involved in this “test” at all.

Urinary testing for iodine is the most accurate in Dr. Brownstein’s opinion.

4. Estrogen is everywhere.

You’d think that all the talk you hear about estrogenic compounds everywhere, every man would be turning into women and every woman would have breast cancer. (Well, w