Dr. David Brownstein’s July 2012
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5 Common Foods That Damage Your Health
very day we are faced with a wide range of choices that affect our health in both the short term and the long term. Perhaps the single most important choice we make is what we eat — because the food you eat can make the difference between health and illness. Of course, everyone knows, in theory, that maintaining a good diet is an important part of maintaining good health. But very few people fully understand how much impact a diet makes. In my daily medical practice, I spend a great deal of time and energy educating patients about which foods are good and which foods are bad for the body. In this issue of Natural Way to Health, I will share some of the same information I give to my patients about making better food choices. Specifically, I will detail five common foods that are dangerous to your overall health. There are, of course, more than five foods you should avoid for a healthy diet, but these foods are so widespread and regularly eaten that they deserve special mention.
The Dangers of Soy
I wrote about soy in both the December 2008 and November 2011 issues of Natural Way to Health. Soy is a type of plant called a legume — a category that also includes peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts. And like other legumes, soy has been touted as a healthy food. I can assure you that the vast majority of soy food sources are not healthy products. In fact,
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most soy products cause a myriad of health issues, including thyroid problems and deficiencies in many vitamins and minerals. Then why is soy promoted as such a healthy food? For one thing, it is incredibly cheap to grow, so it is added to many products to increase volume. There are estimates that the food industry has added soy to more than 50 percent of supermarket food products. The vast majority of these products should be avoided. Soy can be processed as a fermented or nonfermented product. Fermented soy is produced by using bacteria to break down the soy. Examples of fermented soy include: • Miso • Natto • Tempeh • Fermented soy sauce The fermented forms of soy can be eaten in
In This Issue . . .
Stay Away From Artificially Sweetened Soda........ 2
“Devitalized” Food Harms the Body ..................... 3 Case Study: Addison’s and Hormone Deficiency.4 Quitting Soy Can Cure Thyroid Disorder............. 5 Fast Food Wreaks Havoc on the Body................... 5 In the News: An ‘F’ for the PSA Test...................... 6 Refined Sugar Impairs the Immune System......... 7 Ask Dr. Brownstein................................................. 8
Medical Schools Don’t Teach Proper Nutrition You would think that medical schools would provide future doctors with the knowledge they need to properly guide their patients in making good food choices. But the truth is very different. When I was in medical school, there was little or no mention of diet anywhere in the curriculum. In fact, I don’t recall any instruction about how food affects the body. In fact, the only dietary information medical students are exposed to is the standard American Diabetes Association (ADA) diets.
Unfortunately, these diets are a disaster for patients, as they recommend refined carbohydrates, avoiding or limiting good sources of protein, the use of artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame, avoiding good sources of fat, and other nonsensical directives. Over the last 60 years, Americans have followed the advice of the ADA. We have eaten less fat, increased our consumption of carbohydrates, and used artificial sweeteners. What has been the consequence of following the ADA’s advice? We are
small amounts without causing nutrient deficiencies or thyroid problems. Non-fermented soy products, on the other hand, contain anti-thyroid agents and enzymes that block the absorption of many vitamins and minerals. Soy in its natural form contains protease inhibitors. Protease enzymes, such as trypsin, are used by the body to break down protein into amino acids. Amino acids are used to maintain muscle tone and bone strength. Soy is one of the most potent trypsin inhibitors known to science. Animal studies have shown that trypsin inhibition results in illnesses of the pancreas as well as cancer. Examples of non-fermented soy products include: • Soy milk • Soy-based meat substitutes • Soybean oil • Tofu • Many types of spreads with soy in them
the most obese people on the planet, and we have more diabetes and insulin resistance than ever before. It is clear that the ADA’s dietary advice has been a disaster for the people of this country. Sadly, most doctors know little or nothing about which foods promote health and which foods promote illness. Medical doctors are so poorly trained in nutrition that it may be impossible for them to make reasonable dietary recommendations. It is best to educate yourself and come to your own conclusions.
Non-fermented soy use leads to hypothyroidism as well as autoimmune thyroid problems such as Hashimoto’s disease and Graves’ disease. I have seen many patients develop thyroid problems due to soy ingestion. And it is nearly impossible to rectify thyroid problems in patients who continue to eat soy as a major protein source.
Avoid Artificially Sweetened Soda
Diet soda has been touted as a healthy alternative to regular soda because it contains few or no calories. In fact, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (previously the American Dietetics Association) stated, “Unlike sugar, [artificial sweeteners] don’t cause cavities or add calories to food and they can be a helpful alternative for children with diabetes.” That is pure nonsense. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tested and approved five artificial sweeteners 1
Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is a publication of Newsmax Media, Inc., and Newsmax.com. It is published monthly at a charge of $54.00 per year and is offered online and in print through Newsmax.com. Our editorial offices are located at 560 Village Boulevard, Ste. 120, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409. The owner, publisher, and editor are not responsible for errors and omissions. Rights of reproduction and distribution of this newsletter are reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution of information contained herein, including storage in retrieval systems or posting on the Internet, is expressly forbidden without the consent of Newsmax Media. For permission, contact the publisher at: PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, Florida 33416. CEO Christopher Ruddy Health Publisher Travis Davis Author David Brownstein, M.D. Contributing Editor Matthew Kalash Production/Art Director Elizabeth Dole To contact Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health send e-mail to:
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July 2012
for use. Aspartame and sucralose are included in those recommendations. I have written about the problems with artificial sweeteners in previous newsletters. The artificial sweetener sucralose is essentially chlorinated table sugar. Chlorine is in the family of chemicals called halides, and can act as a competitive inhibitor to iodine. What this means is that chlorine can lower iodine levels in the body. Furthermore, when heated, sucralose changes into a toxic product. It should be avoided. The FDA approved aspartame for use in food products in 1974. However, there was much controversy over its approval. Many doctors felt that aspartame use would cause neurological problems. One 12-ounce diet soda contains 180 mg of aspartame. Aspartame contains two amino acids — L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine. In an acidic environment, or when heated, aspartame can generate methanol. The EPA states, “The artificial sweetener aspartame . . . release[s] methanol as [it] is metabolized.” Methanol is poisonous to the body, and is especially toxic to nervous tissue. The EPA recommends no more than 7.8 mg per day of methanol. But a one-liter bottle of aspartamesweetened (diet) beverage can generate about 56 mg of methanol — nearly eight times more than the EPA limit. Food manufacturers who use artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose claim that these substances help prevent obesity. Unfortunately, most registered dietitians have bought into this ludicrous idea, even though there is not a shred of evidence that it is true. There are no studies that show artificial sweeteners prevent obesity. In fact, the research is absolutely clear: Greater consumption of artificial sweeteners is associated with a higher prevalence of obesity. It’s very difficult for an obese person to lose weight if they ingest artificial sweeteners daily. 2
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Refined Carbohydrates Harm The Body
For more than 30 years, every child in America
July 2012
was taught about the “food pyramid,” which was established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to educate people about how to eat healthy foods. The USDA was promoting the food pyramid as a way to combat the growing obesity problem. You’ll recall that the largest part of the food pyramid, the base, consisted of refined carbohydrates such as bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. Did we follow the USDA’s advice? Yes, we did. We ate more bread, pasta, and cereal — and limited our intake of fats and oils. And what consequences followed from the USDA’s recommendations? As a country, we became fatter and developed higher rates of diabetes, insulin resistance (a condition in which insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugar), and other chronic illnesses. Continued on page 5
David Brownstein, M.D., is a board-certified family physician and one of the foremost practitioners of holistic medicine. Dr. Brownstein has lectured internationally to physicians and others about his success with nutritional therapies in his practice. His books include Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do!; Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It; Salt Your Way To Health; The Miracle of Natural Hormones; Overcoming Arthritis; Overcoming Thyroid Disorders; The Guide to a Gluten-Free Diet; Vitamin B12 For Health; The Guide to a Dairy-Free Diet; and The Soy Deception. He is the medical director of the Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield, Mich., where he lives with his wife, Allison, and their teenage daughters, Hailey and Jessica. For more information about Dr. Brownstein, please go to www.drbrownstein.com. Important As a subscriber to Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health you may have opted to get this newsletter with our Convenient Automatic Renewal program. If you decide not to cancel your subscription, your credit card will be billed each year and read NMX*DR BROWNSTEIN RPRT on your credit card statement. Thank you.
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Addison’s Disease Leads to Hormone Deficiencies In each issue, I will share with you the story of one of my patients and how sometimes simple alternative approaches can solve major health problems. Names and some details have been changed for privacy’s sake, but the problems and their resolutions are real. — Dr. David Brownstein Dennis was a 75-year-old retired airline pilot who had been diagnosed with Addison’s disease at age 35. Addison’s is a disorder in which the adrenal glands produce inadequate amounts of hormones. The adrenal glands are located in the back, on the upper pole of the kidneys. They produce many different hormones, such as hydrocortisone and epinephrine, which manage the body’s response to stress. The adrenal glands also produce DHEA, an androgenic (male developmental) hormone, and aldosterone, which helps regulate sodium and potassium balance in the body. Addison’s disease can be life-threatening if not treated with hormone replacement. Traditionally, it has been treated with lifelong doses of hydrocortisone and aldosterone (as Dennis was). If appropriately treated, patients with Addison’s disease can lead normal, productive lives. Unfortunately, the conventional medical approach to Addison’s disease does not provide all the hormones necessary for optimal health.
The Missing Pieces of the Puzzle
During my endocrinology rotations in medical school, I remember how exciting it was to diagnose and treat a patient suffering from Addison’s disease. A patient who was dying could be resurrected before your eyes when given small amounts of hydrocortisone and aldosterone. However, when I began studying natural hormone therapies, I realized that conventional treatment of Addison’s was missing crucial pieces of the puzzle. I have yet to see an endocrinologist prescribe the hormones DHEA or pregnenolone to a patient with Addison’s disease. As noted, DHEA is produced in the adrenal glands. In fact, the adrenal glands produce more DHEA than any other steroidal hormone. It stimulates tissue repair and muscle growth. Furthermore, DHEA stimulates the immune system and helps to ensure proper brain function. Pregnenolone is often referred to as the “mother hormone” of the adrenal glands because it is the first Page 4
major hormone produced. The highest concentration of pregnenolone occurs in the brain. I have found pregnenolone invaluable for patients suffering from headaches, brain fog, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I have never understood why endocrinologists fail to prescribe either DHEA or pregnenolone, especially in the case of Addison’s disease. When I started reading about the function of all the hormones of the body, I became interested in their use. Little did I know how safe and effective this therapy would be.
‘My Brain Is Working’
Dennis’ main complaint was fatigue. “For the last 35 years I always felt tired. I kept telling my doctors I was tired and they told me everything was OK. They wanted to put me on antidepressants. I told them I wasn’t depressed, I was tired.” At our first visit, I took a complete dietary history. Dennis was eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, and cereal, as well as dairy. I drew blood tests to ascertain Dennis’ hormonal status, as well as nutrient imbalances. I asked Dennis to eat a diet higher in protein and avoid refined food products. Furthermore, I told Dennis to maintain adequate hydration by drinking water. At a four-week follow-up, Dennis reported improvement. “When I started eating more protein, I felt my energy level improve. My head does not feel as foggy. I think I am 25 percent better,” he said. I found that Dennis’ adrenal hormone levels of DHEA and pregnenolone were very low. In low adrenal cases of Addison’s patients, it is the norm to find low DHEA and pregnenolone levels. In fact, I have found it nearly impossible to help low adrenal suffering patients reach their optimal health if low levels of DHEA and pregnenolone are not addressed. I asked Dennis to take 10 mg per day of DHEA and 25 mg per day of pregnenolone. Both hormones should be taken in the morning without food. Two months later, Dennis reported feeling markedly better. “I feel normal for the first time in 35 years,” he said. “I no longer feel fatigued, and my brain is working. I wish I’d taken these hormones a long time ago.” DHEA and pregnenolone are inexpensive supplements. It is best to check your levels before you begin supplementing and then after you have been taking them.
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July 2012
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o you have stiff joints or aches and pains that just never seem to go away? Unfortunately, most doctors offer only a Band-Aid solution for chronic pain, such as painkillers or steroids. The current mainstream medical mentality on pain management has spurred a multibillion-dollar industry for the pharmaceutical industry. However, studies show that long-term use of painkillers may actually weaken your joints — or worse! The painkiller Vioxx claimed as many as 55,000 lives before being banned, which makes me wonder, is the next Vioxx lurking out there? My name is Joshua Corn and I am the Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now, one of the fastest growing natural health publications in the nation. My passion for natural health drives me to seek out safe and effective alternative health solutions. A few years ago, I started to experience unexplained joint pain. I went the traditional route first, seeing one doctor after another. What none of my doctors knew was that I was suffering from chronic, low-grade inflammation and that there is a safe, natural and permanent way to address this problem.
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Quitting Soy Can Cure Thyroid Disorder Stacey was a 41-year-old doctor who came to my office complaining of fatigue, coldness, dry skin, and anxiety. Worse yet, her hair was falling out. All of these symptoms point to a thyroid problem. When I took her dietary history, I learned that Stacey was eating nonfermented soy as a large part of her diet. For breakfast, she was eating cereal with soy milk. She would have a soy protein-based shake for lunch and she was eating soy-based meat-
substitute products for dinner. She was also eating soy-based yogurts and edamame throughout the day. On a physical exam, I found that Stacey had a swollen thyroid gland and slow reflexes—also very common symptoms of thyroid disorders. Blood tests confirmed that she was suffering from an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). I told Stacey to remove all the soy in her diet and to undergo a detoxification plan to help clear
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Refined carbohydrates are flours, salts, and oils that have been processed to remove nutrients. Breads, pastas, and cold cereals, as well as crackers, cookies, and cakes are all made with these devitalized carbohydrates. And ingestion of devitalized substances leads to a devitalized body. One of the worst dietary choices you can make is to eat breakfast consisting primarily of refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates have a high glycemic index. This means that after ingestion, these carbohydrates turn into sugar quickly, which causes a spike in blood glucose. When this happens, the pancreas responds by releasing large amounts of insulin to lower the glucose levels. This rapid, exaggerated rise and fall of glucose is stressful to the body. In addition, the body’s response to this stress is to convert the excess glucose into fat. The end result is weight gain in the belly, hips, buttocks, and thighs as well as insulin resistance and diabetes. The first
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July 2012
out the residue of soy. Within three weeks, she was feeling better, and when she came in for a checkup two months later, Stacey told me that she was feeling 80 percent better. There is much more to the soy story. My book, The Soy Deception, contains more information about soy. Non-fermented soy products should be avoided. Children, in particular, should not be fed soy products, including soybased formula.
thing I tell people who want to lose weight is to avoid all refined carbohydrates and grains. Eating a balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of protein and fat is essential to supply the body with the correct nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy metabolic rate. More information on a how to follow a healthy diet can be found in my book, The Guide to Healthy Eating.
Fast Food Wreaks Havoc
Fast food restaurants are now found in nearly every city across the United States. I admit that in my younger days, I did eat fast food. Now, I can’t tolerate it. Most fast food items have too many refined carbohydrates and supply the wrong types of fat for our bodies. These products can cause nutrient imbalances and weight gain. The meat in fast food items comes from conventionally-raised farm animals that are fed a diet full of preservatives and synthetic hormones. As a result, people who eat fast food consume these preservatives and hormones. I believe that one of the reasons we are seeing such a tremendous increase in breast and prostate cancer is due to the hormones fed to animals. These are synthetic, estrogen-like hormones, which wreak havoc in our bodies. Furthermore, these animals are fed antibiotics, which also make their way into our food supply.
Continued on page 7
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In the News: Reading Between the Medical Headlines An ‘F’ for the PSA Test
A headline in the May 22, 2012, issue of the Wall Street Journal read, “Blood Test From Prostate Cancer Test Gets a ‘D’ From Panel.” My only criticism of the article is that the grade should have been an “F.” The article referred to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Recommendation Statement, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on the same date. The USPSTF recommended that men should not be screened for prostate cancer with the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. They reported a “moderate or high certainty that the [PSA test] has no benefit or that harms outweigh the benefits.” The task force reviewed clinical studies of PSA testing, and the best of the studies found only a miniscule benefit from PSA screening. The researchers wrote, “There is good evidence that PSAbased screening prevents only zero to one prostate cancer death for every 1,000 men screened. No studies show any benefit in overall death rates.” Millions of men have been screened with PSA testing and many have been told to have expensive and dangerous therapies to treat prostate cancer found by the test. However, men were not told that the vast majority of prostate cancers are slow-growing, and that the harm from treatment can vastly outweigh the benefits. This study is an indictment of PSA testing. It should also function as a necessary slap in the face to conventional medicine’s approach to treating cancer. The American Cancer Society should be studying how to prevent cancer. Instead, they focus on Page 6
early diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, by the time most cancers are diagnosed, it is too late. Truly preventative measures will revolve around eating a healthier diet, detoxification, and supplementing to correct nutritional and hormonal imbalances.
Osteoporosis Drugs Are A Disaster for Your Health
The May 21, 2012, issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reported on researchers studying the relationship between bone fractures and the length of time a woman is treated with a drug that is marketed to treat osteoporosis — the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density that occurs with aging. The study looked at 477 patients over age 50 who had been hospitalized for a fracture of the thigh bone (femur). These patients were compared to 200 healthy individuals without femoral fractures. The subjects were evaluated to find out if there was a relationship between an atypical fracture and the long-term use of bisphosphonate drugs. An atypical fracture of the femur occurs with minimal stress on the bone, as in walking or stepping off a curb. In a healthy state, the femur, the strongest bone in the body, should not fracture in the course of such normal daily activities. The researchers found a direct correlation between the length of time a woman took a bisphosphonate drug and the risk of an atypical fracture. Women who took a bisphosphonate drug for less than two years had a 35
times greater risk of developing an atypical fracture of the femur. Those who took the medication for 2 to 5 years had a 47-fold increase, and those who took drugs for 5 to 9 years had a 117 times greater risk. Finally, those who took the medications greater than nine years were 176 times more likely to have a fracture of the femur. Last year, Americans spent more than $4.2 billion dollars on these bisphosphonate drugs. This study showed a direct relationship between the length of use of these drugs and an increased risk of an atypical thigh bone fracture. I have written extensively about the use of these medications in my book Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do. There, I predicted that long-term use of bisphosphonates was bound to cause problems with bones. I made that prediction because I understood that the mechanism of action of these drugs poisons a crucial cell necessary to maintain optimal bone function. Bisphosphonates should be pulled from the market. We could have saved more than $4 billion dollars last year alone. That amount does not take into account the untold hundreds of billions of dollars we are wasting on bone mineral density testing and treating the adverse effects of bisphosphonates. Osteoporosis occurs due to an imbalanced hormonal system, nutritional deficits, poor exercise capacity, and eating a poor diet. Correcting the underlying causes of osteoporosis should be the focus of our medical dollars.
Osteoporosis ‘occurs due to
imbalanced hormones and eating a poor diet.
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July 2012
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When I was still eating at fast food restaurants, one of my favorite food items was french fries. These days, McDonald’s advertises that their fries contain zero grams of trans fats per serving. To accomplish this, they use a “canola-blend” cooking oil that contains soybean oil. Most canola and soybean oils are unhealthy because they have had all the nutrients removed. Specifically, the oils have been heated to very high temperatures — a process that alters the fatty acid structure of the oil. What’s more, even though McDonald’s claims the fries have “zero” trans fat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulations state that foods containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving are considered trans-fat free. So a company can manufacture a food product with up to 500 mg of trans fats and still declare the food free of trans fats. I can assure you that neither canola nor soybean oil are healthy oils to cook with, especially at very high temperatures. Palm oil and coconut oil are healthier options for high temperature cooking.
Refined Sugar Impairs Immunity
Refined sugar is the fine white table sugar that we are all familiar with. It is the most commonly used type of sugar today. Between 1985 and 1999, the U.S. consumption of sugars added to food items increased by 23 percent.4 U.S. adults consume more than 22 teaspoons of sugar per day. This is much higher than we should be consuming, which is about six teaspoons per day. Sugars now make up an average of 16 percent of our total calorie intake — and the majority of that is refined sugars. Refined sugar comes in many different forms, including: • Brown sugar • High fructose corn syrup • Powdered sugar • Turbinado sugar • White table sugar Like many other processed foods, refined sugar has a very high glycemic index and is converted to 5
July 2012
glucose very quickly after its ingestion. This causes a surge in insulin production. Prolonged use of refined sugar leads to a host of health problems including diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance. Its use also leads to deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. The refining of sugar involves stripping vitamins and minerals from the end product. I cannot stress enough the dangers of eating refined sugar. Researchers have shown that white blood cells, the first line of defense of our immune system, become dysfunctional for up to five hours after ingestion of refined sugar. Needless to say, inactivating the first step in our immune system is never a good thing to do. Every patient I have treated who removed all sources of refined sugar from their diet has seen a significant improvement in their health. Their immune system improves and metabolism rises. If they have an autoimmune disorder, that condition improves. One patient, Robert, had suffered with rheumatoid arthritis for 10 years before he saw me. He improved on a regimen of vitamins and minerals. However, his biggest improvement came when he removed refined sugar from his diet. “It took about three weeks of a no-sugar diet until I started to feel better. After that, I was amazed. All my remaining pain and swelling went right away. I think diet has a huge part in how you feel,” he reported. Eating the wrong foods can have a disastrous effect on your health. It is important to educate yourself about what food actually does in your body. With the right knowledge, you can make better choices on which foods to avoid. Next month’s newsletter will review five healthy foods that should be part of everyone’s diet. 6
References
1. http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442463177&terms=artificial+sweete ners. Accessed 2.18.12. 2. Cancer Epidem. Biomarkers and Prevention. Sept. 2006; 16: 1654. 3. Toxicological Review of Methanol. EPA CAS no. 678; 2009: 56-1. 4. USDA.gov. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/SSS/aug05/sss24301/. Accessed 2.19.12. 5. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/ PolicyDoc.pdf. Accessed 2.19.12. 6. AJCN. Nov. 1973:1180-84.
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Ask Dr. Brownstein Dear Readers, I will try to answer as many questions as I can. However, because of the volume of questions, I cannot answer each letter personally. Please include your full name, city, and state when submitting. If you have a question for me, please email it to:
[email protected]. My daughter had her thyroid removed because of cancerous nodules. They want to give her radioactive iodine treatments, but she wants to conceive again. Are there natural alternatives? — Wanda G., Albuquerque, N.M. Unfortunately, thyroid cancer is increasing at epidemic rates. The thyroid gland is at the base of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type and makes up more than 80 percent of all thyroid cancer diagnoses. What causes thyroid cancer? Radiation exposure such as X-rays or radioactive iodine released from a nuclear accident or weapon can cause thyroid cancer. Anything that causes goiter can also increase the risk of thyroid cancer. However, not all goiters are cancerous. Conventional medicine’s approach to thyroid cancer is to remove the abnormal tissue via surgery and/or use radioactive iodine therapy. I believe that surgery is warranted in a diagnosis of thyroid cancer. However, I also feel that radioactive iodine is overused and should be considered a potentially dangerous therapy. Endocrinologists would have you believe that radioactive iodine therapy is perfectly safe with no adverse effects. They are wrong. Radioactive iodine therapy has been associated with increases in various cancers. Radioactive iodine therapy works by having iodine bind to the thyroid; the radioactive material destroys the surrounding tissues. The iodine given in
this treatment also binds to other areas of the body including the breasts, ovaries, uterus — anywhere that iodine binds. It also destroys and alters DNA in these tissues. It should not be surprising that radioactive iodine therapy is associated with various cancers. I am very cautious about recommending radioactive iodine therapy for my patients. Where do you find unrefined salt? Can you buy it at a grocery store? Do you recommend a certain kind? — Sarah R., Los Angeles, Calif. Unrefined salt contains more than 80 minerals. It has not been subjected to harsh chemicals and bleaching that removes these precious minerals. Refined salt has had all of the minerals removed through chemical processes. Refined salt is the thin, white table salt that we are all familiar with. Unrefined salt, due to the mineral content, should have color to it. Which salt is healthier? Without a doubt, unrefined salt should be the salt of choice. I recommend using Celtic Brand Sea Salt or Redmond’s Real Salt. I have had both brands tested and the results showed no toxicity and a good mineral profile. These brands of salt can be found at a good health food store or online. More information about salt can be found in my book, Salt Your Way to Health.
To your good health,
Please note: All information presented in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medical advice for any individual. All answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents. Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. While the information found in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgment, readers who fail to seek counsel from appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health do not necessarily reflect those of Newsmax Media. Page 8
drbrownstein.newsmax.com
July 2012
