ONE MINERAL CAN HELP A MYRIAD OF CONDITIONS FROM ATHEROSCLEROSIS TO COPDTO ZITS

[Guest guest]

- John Draper

ONE MINERAL CAN HELP A MYRIAD OF CONDITIONS FROM ATHEROSCLEROSIS TO "COPD"TO ZITS

For those interested in using iodine for health, I found the followingarticle very useful. I was not aware of some of the benefitsmentioned here, nor some of the means one can apply it.- John-------------------------------from: http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/iodide.shtmlONE MINERAL CAN HELP A MYRIAD OF CONDITIONS FROMATHEROSCLEROSIS TO "COPD"TO ZITS (Reprinted From "Nutrition and Healing") If you've read or heard anything at all about potassiumiodide, it's probably been in association with terroristattacks or nuclear power plant disasters. Potassium iodide(usually taken in tablet form) is recommended by "publichealth" authorities to protect the thyroid gland againstaccumulation of radioactive iodine released by a "terroristbomb" or by nuclear power plant "meltdown". But in reality,potassium iodide is a very effective "home remedy" withliterally dozens of uses. Older readers may remember Mother putting "iodine" on cutsand scrapes. It kept infection away as well as any "modern"antibiotic ointment, with the added benefit of not inducing"bacterial resistance". But what else is potassium iodide(usually abbreviated by it's Latin initials "SSKI") goodfor? Read on…and then make sure to read the separate sectionabout keeping SSKI use safe. Some years ago, a retired Indian physician told me about hisuse of SSKI during more than 30 years traveling from villageto village in rural Africa. Most usually, the only drinkingwater available was from a local stream or river, muddy andcontaminated. After removing sediment and debris bystraining the dirty water through cheesecloth, he'd addseveral drops of SSKI, and wait two to three minutes. He andhis team could then drink the water. In over 30 years, henever got an infection from contaminated water. The SSKIkilled any micro-organisms present. Fortunately, the water available to most of us whentraveling is considerably cleaner. Despite this, when Holly(my wife) and I travel, we always carry a small bottle ofSSKI, and put one or two drops into any water we're notabsolutely certain about. We've cut back considerably onairline travel this year because of the thoroughlyun-American and extremely unpleasant "airport Gestapo"experience. But when we're forced to travel by air, we drinka few ounces of water with 10 drops of SSKI, and prevent any"airline sinusitis" or other respiratory infection that sooften follows several hours spent breathing re-cycled, germladen air. (SSKI rapidly accumulates in any and all bodysecretions, including in the sinuses, where it inhibits orkills bacteria, viruses, and fungi before they can cause aninfection.) Although Holly has never had the experience, occasionallyanother woman at one of the conferences we attend hasdeveloped a bladder infection when far away from home andher own physician. Holly gives her our "back-up" smallbottle of SSKI with instructions to take 10 to 15 drops inwater or juice every 3 to 4 hours (while awake) until theinfection is gone. [Although SSKI is close to 100% effective in the eliminationof bladder infections, this is a "high dose"; make sure toread the section "Keeping SSKI safe". If possible, it's bestto use the simple sugar D-mannose to eliminate bladderinfections. D-mannose is effective over 90% of the time, andis very, very safe. For details, see D-mannose and BladderInfection by Lane Lenard Ph.D. and me, available through theTahoma Clinic Dispensary.] When our children were teenagers, they always knew where tofind the SSKI bottle. Whenever one of them "popped a zit",she or he would rub SSKI into it every hour or two. Theoffending "zit" would be gone in 24-48 hours or less; aninnumerable number of social events were rendered "zit-free"by this approach. So far, I've been telling you about SSKI's ability to "killgerms" in one place or another. We'll return to thisimportant "home remedy" use for SSKI, but let's digress fornow to other uses. Many women develop "fibrocystic breast disease". In the1970s, I learned from pioneering trace element researcherDr. John Myers that iodine (a close "relative" of SSKI)would eliminate even the most severe cases of fibrocysticbreast disease. [For the full details of this treatment, seepages 169-174 of The Patient's Book of Natural Healing byAlan Gaby M.D. and me.] In "medium" to "minor" cases, 6 to 8drops of SSKI taken in a few ounces of water daily willfrequently reduce fibrocystic breast disease toinsignificance within three to six months. Please do not dothis without monitoring your thyroid function…see "KeepingSSKI Safe" on page whatever. One of our daughters and at least thirty other women I'veworked with in nearly 30 years have helped ovarian cystsdisappear within two to three months with the same quantityof SSKI. Again, make sure to monitor your thyroid function! It's very likely that SSKI helps eliminate fibrocysticbreast disease and ovarian cysts at least partly throughit's interaction with estrogens….which brings us to anotherimportant use for SSKI (and other forms of iodine such as"Lugol's solution" and "di-atomic iodine"). All of theseforms of iodine help your body to metabolize estrone (aslightly carcinogenic human estrogen) and16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (a much more dangerous metabolite ofhuman estrogen) into estriol, an "anti-carcinogenic" or atworst "neutral" form of human estrogen. I've reviewedliterally hundreds of hormone tests in over 26 years whichhave proven this point. This testing and treatment usuallyrequires the help of a physician skilled and knowledgeablein nutritional and natural medicine, who can also help withmonitoring thyroid function. (See "Resources", page 8). "Dupuytren's contracture" and "Peyronie's disease" are two"fibrotic" conditions that can be helped considerably bySSKI. In Dupuytren's contracture, thickening (fibrosis)occurs along one of the tendons in the palm in the hand,pulling the related finger down towards the palm. As theproblem progresses, the finger often can't be straightenedany more. In Peyronie's disease, a very similar thickening occursalong the shaft of the penis, making erections increasing"curved" and painful. In both cases, rubbing SSKI into thethickened tissue at least twice daily softens and lessensthe fibrotic area over a period of several months, allowingfor more normal function. For these conditions, it's additionally helpful to takepara-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) 2 grams, three times daily,and to rub a mixture of Vitamin E and DMSO into thethickened areas, also. However, if "caught early", SSKIalone will often "do the job". (It's also advisable to haveglucose-insulin tolerance test done, as there's an unusuallyhigh incidence of "insulin resistance" in people withDupuytren's contracture or Peyronie's disease. "Keloids" are abnormally thick scars, sometimes as much asan inch thick, that can form after injury. Although anyonecan get a keloid, they're more common among blacks thanother ethnic groups. Rubbing SSKI into a keloid at leasttwice daily will ultimately flatten them down to a "normalscar", but it can take many months to a year forparticularly bad ones. The treatment goes faster if SSKI ismixed "50-50" with DMSO. "Fistulas" are literally abnormal tunnels through tissues,"tunnels" prevented from healing by chronic infection. Twonot-unusual types are "peri-anal fistulas" (a "tunnel" fromoutside the anus to the inside of the rectum) and"recto-vaginal" fistulas. Although these fistulas can betreated successfully by surgery, they can often be healed byfrequent swabbing inside and out with an SSKI-soaked"Q-tip". Patience is required: Complete healing often takesseveral months. The treatment appears to work better if theSSKI is mixed with DMSO, which enhances "penetrance". Mycolleague Richard Kunin, M.D. of San Francisco, is a "worldclass" expert on the use of SSKI and other forms of iodine.He has found that hemorrhoids will sometimes disappearliterally overnight, when SSKI (20 drops) mixed withflaxseed oil (1 ounce) is rubbed in them at bedtime. He'salso found that SSKI alone will do the same job, although it"really stings" when applied to a hemorrhoid by itself. When I was a pre-med student at Harvard University, thefamous chemistry professor Louis Feiser made a point ofdemonstrating to all the pre-medical students that iodineand iodide would make oils, fats, and waxes (cholesterol isactually a wax) more soluble in water. He urged us toremember this in our medical practices, as he was sure itwouldn't be taught in medical school (he was right!). Thisknown action of iodide likely explains why SSKI can beuseful in the next two applications. Over 30 years ago, two ophthalmologists observed that acombination tablet called "Iodo-niacin" (iodide 120milligrams, niacin 15 milligrams) taken for several monthscould actually reverse atherosclerotic clogging of arteries.They proved this effect by taking pictures of cloggedarteries in the backs of the eyes ("retinalphotomicrographs") before and after treatment. The publishedphotographs showed a significant lessening of thecholesterol-laden artery clogging in the "after" pictures. Amazingly enough, no follow-up study has ever been published(probably because niacin and iodide aren't patentable).Despite this, the published pictures speak clearly forthemselves. I recommend 4 to 6 drops of SSKI andniacin-containing B-complex daily (along with many otherthings) for anyone with significant cholesterol-relatedatherosclerotic clogging. Thyroid function must bemonitored! "Sebaceous cysts" are cysts which contain oily, fattymaterial. They usually appear rather suddenly on the face orin the groin or labia. Rubbing in SSKI mixed 50-50 with DMSOwill almost always persuade these cysts to go away in a weekor two; it appears that the iodide "dissolves" the fatty,oily material contained in the cysts, allowing your body toslowly re-absorb and dispose of it. Although it's not a common condition, from time to timesomeone will come to my office at Tahoma Clinic inquiringabout alternatives to surgery for "parotid duct stone".These are "stones" which can form in the saliva-carryingduct(s) from the major salivary glands ("parotid" glands,located at the "angle of the jaw"). 3 to 4 drops of SSKItaken in water daily will almost always dissolve parotidduct stones within four to eight months. If you have chronic bronchitis and or emphysema ("COPD","COLD") SSKI is an invaluable tool. SSKI "gets into" allbody secretions, including often thick and hard to cough upbronchial secretions, which get infected very easily. SSKItakes care of both of these problems. It "loosens"secretions remarkably, making them much easier to "clear",and it prevents micro-organisms from growing easily. Withregular SSKI use, bronchial infection is a much lessfrequent happening. Depending on the severity of COPD, Irecommend 3 to 6 drops of SSKI taken in water once daily. AsCOPD is usually a chronic condition, SSKI use will usuallybe indefinite, so make sure to monitor your thyroidfunction! (See the August 2002 Nutrition & Healing for amore complete discussion of natural COPD treatment.) Now, back to other infections. For this group, using SSKImixed "50-50" with DMSO works better, as the DMSO enablesSSKI to penetrate much more deeply into the tissues and killgerms. Infected "hangnails" are perhaps the easiest to clear upthis way, as are nagging bacterial infections around theedges of the toenails. Rub in the mixture several timesdaily, and the problem's usually gone in a few days. Herpessimplex ("herpes") ourbreaks can be "stopped cold" in thesame way, but it often takes longer for the "sore" to healitself over. If you have persistent "swollen glands" in the throat orgroin areas, see a doctor first! These can very rarely besigns of leukemia, lymphoma, or another cancer, especiallyin older people. But if all tests and studies are negative,and the doctor says "it's just swollen glands", rub in theSSKI with DMSO. In a large majority of cases, the "justswollen glands" will gradually fade away. Fungus under the toenails ("onychomycosis") is a difficultproblem to treat. Even "conventional" anti-fungal drugtreatment takes months to work, and (for safety) monthlyliver function tests are necessary. SSKI and DMSO rubbed on,around, and under the affected toenails doesn't work anyfaster, but it's just as effective, and definitely safer.Make sure to wear old socks, because SSKI and other forms ofiodine leave an orange-brown stain. (Other safe andeffective alternatives include geranium oil, oregano oil,and tea tree oil. These and other anti-fungal oils alsorequire "help" from DMSO to penetrate the toenail and soakthe fungus underneath.) SSKI can also help clear up vaginal infections. 20 to 30drops in water, used in a small "douche" once daily for fiveto ten days will usually do the job. (There's actually aprescription-only iodine preparation of available forvaginal infections, too.) However, iodine preparations ofany sort for vaginal infections are often not popularbecause of the inevitable orange-brown stains they leave onclothing. What about SSKI to help a "weak" thyroid (hypothyroidism)?Even though iodine and iodide are absolutely essential tothyroid hormone formation, in most "developed" countries,hypothyroid conditions are not usually due to an outrightlack of iodine or iodide. Still, hypothyroidism isoccasionally helped by 1 drop of SSKI daily. Make sure towork with your doctor on this one! Lastly, there's a gastronomic use for SSKI: reducing the gaswe all get from eating beans! If you're soaking beans beforecooking them, add 1 or 2 drops of SSKI, and let them soakfor an hour or more. (Pour offf that water before cooking,and add fresh water.) You'll be surprised at the reductionin resulting intestinal gas! (For those who want a technicalexplanation: There's a naturally occurring enzyme inhibitorin beans which interferes with starch digestion, producinggas. SSKI inactivates this enzyme inhibitor.) OBTAINING SSKI In the past, SSKI and other forms of iodine and iodide wereavailable only on prescription, or through chemical supplysources. Since the mid-1990s passage of the Federal DSHEAlaw, we've regained the basic American freedom to buy andsell natural substances (narcotics exempted) withoutprescription. You haven't read or heard much about SSKIbecause (despite Federal Appeals Court decisions) FDA stillmaintains it's First Amendment violating policy of completesuppression of truthful product use information on packagelabels or in advertisements….unless of course FDA is paid anenormous amount of money ($250 million minimum, according toCongressional testimony) for "approval". Since SSKI can't bepatented…well, you know the rest. SSKI can be obtained without prescription in somecompounding pharmacies, some health food stores, through"on-line" sources, and at the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary (withwhich I am of course affiliated) in a convenient travel-sizedropper bottle. USE SSKI SAFELY!! There are three "hazards" to using SSKI: staining, allergy,and a very small possibility of thyroid suppression withlonger-term use of "too much". Staining can be a big nuisance, but it's not a healthhazard. When SSKI is applied to skin, it can impart a faintto moderate orange-brown color, which fades away once SSKIis no longer being applied. SSKI and other iodine stains inclothing can be semi-permanent or permanent, so don't planto wear anything "nice" in the vicinity of recently-appliedSSKI. Iodine allergy is a possibility, although in nearly 30 yearsof medical practice I've seen it only a few times. Usually,it causes a red, bumpy skin rash, which goes away after SSKIor other iodine is discontinued. Topical (applied to theskin surface) iodine allergy is almost never a seriousemergency. SSKI or iodine can very occasionally cause acne, which alsogoes away once the source of iodine is dicontinued. The type of so-called "iodine allergy" that can interferewith breathing and occasionally sends us to the emergencyroom is usually not allergy to iodine or iodine molecules,but instead to much larger, possibly iodine-containingmolecules found in lobster, crab, clams and other"shellfish". These molecules are not present in SSKI oriodine. However, if there's any suspicion at all of iodineallergy, it's best not to swallow any without testing forallergy or sensitivity. Too much iodine for too long can suppress thyroid function.Many of the uses described for SSKI in the accompanyingarticle are short-term, from a few days or less to a week ortwo. If SSKI is then stopped, there's almost no chance ofsignificant thyroid suppression. However, if SSKI is to beused for two to three weeks or longer, and especially ifit's to be used continuously (for example, COPD orcholesterol-related atherosclerosis) monitoring thyroidfunction is very important. To find a physician near you whocan help order and interpret thyroid function tests, consultthe Resources section on page 8. Fortunately, in my experience with over a thousandindividuals, internal use of than nine drops of SSKI dailyhas or less has very rarely resulted in thyroid suppression.On those very few occasions, discontinuance has resulted inprompt recovery. So far, I've never seen thyroid suppressionresult from "topical" (skin surface) use of SSKI. A final "safety" note: Dr. Kunin cautions (and I agree) thatif you use SSKI or other iodine "long-term", make sure yourdiet contains plenty of essential fatty acids (both omega-3and omega-6) as well as the sulfur-containing amino acidsmethionine and cysteine. If you eat animal protein daily,that's usually sufficient as a source of these two aminoacids, but if you're vegetarian (or close) and using "longterm" SSKI or other iodine, then take 300-500 milligrams ofeach daily. IODINE, IODIDE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Iodine is a basic element, as are calcium, zinc, oxygen andother elements. The word "iodine" usually refers to twoiodine molecules chemically "stuck together" (I2), just asthe word "oxygen" usually refers to two oxygen molecules"stuck together" (O2). Since iodine is more reactive, andtherefore more likely to cause problems, iodine is usuallyused as "iodide", a word which refers to one iodine moleculecombined with another molecule such as potassium (KI) orsodium (NaI). In chemical terms, such molecules are called"salts"; the best known salt is sodium chloride (NaCl), a"salt" of chlorine (Cl2). The "SS" in "SSKI" refers to "Saturated Solution PotassiumIodide". Other medically useful forms of iodine include"Lugol's solution", invented by Dr. Lugol of Paris in the1840s, which contains a mixture of types of iodine andiodide, and "di-atomic iodine", which is another name foriodine, but usually prepared as a solid in a capsule insteadof a liquid.