Or more importantly about the lack of iodine and the excess availability of bromide, fluoride and perchlorate – all halides – all chemically similar enough so that the body may build thyroid hormone with them if there is a deficiency of iodine. Bromide replaced iodine in baked goods some point in time around the 1950s as an anti-caking agent in flour. Fluoride was added to water supplies and to toothpaste around the same time. Both fluoride and bromide may be used in medicines to help make a natural product able to be patented as chemically unique. They also may increase the active life of a medicine if the combination can be made to be able to enter cells with a molecule of bromide or fluoride attached then it tends to stay there longer because the molecule of the halide is so big that it is difficult for the cell to excrete – which may make accumulation to toxic levels more of a long-term risk.
Iodine deficiency makes the risk of radioactive iodine more of a risk but it makes the use of X-ray machines with radioactive iodine more effective. Or the radioactive iodine to kill the thyroid cancer treatment more effective (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27856930). I prefer health. Iodine deficiency can make hypothyroid symptoms more likely which may include depression, easy weight gain and a reduced sex drive.
Will we ever be allowed to discuss underlying natural causes of chronic illness and cancer or do we have to simply trust that prescription pads can cure everything no matter how high the cost to individuals or society – and the problem with that plan is they can’t cure everything and the side effects of cancer treatments can be severe and may include cognitive deficits – loss of thinking ability.
Do we as a people have to be ashamed of a desire for health or for a healthy sex drive or is it now the norm to expect looking good to not be associated with feeling good? Shaming women over wanting to feel better or to wonder why they’ve lost interest in life, let alone sexual relations, is something I’ve experienced as a patient. If the standard lab test for hypothyroidism shows the presence of thyroid hormone then any symptoms are ‘crazy’ – ask for an autoimmune antibody lab test to be done. Hypothyroid symptoms may occur during autoimmune hypothyroidism while the thyroid hormone lab test shows the presence of thyroid hormone. It may be present but if it is loaded with bromide, chloride or fluoride atoms then it may simply be adding to long term cancer risk instead of performing the normal functions of regulating metabolism. Feeling cold and having easily thinning hair are also symptoms of hypothyroidism. Constipation and being sensitive to gluten containing foods may also be associated problems with hypothyroidism.
Shaming patients has not been found to be effective at helping them in the area of drug or alcohol problems:
“The results add to a body of literature suggesting that widely used shaming and humiliating methods of treating alcohol and other drug problems — such as those seen on shows like Celebrity Rehab — are not only ineffective but also may be counterproductive.” (9.156)
Patients with problems with chronic obesity or overweight issues that are actually due to hypothyroidism may try very hard to lose weight and may exercise a lot and eat very little and still not lose weight or even gain it. A severe hypothyroid problem can make a person’s metabolic needs drop far below average. An average diet for a person is recommended to not go below 1200 calories per day. Someone with hypothyroidism may be eating 800 calories per day and still not be losing weight – are they shameful over-eaters? or are they starving for iodine? I vote the latter. But society tends to look at anyone who is overweight as someone who eats too much – no it might be someone whose body gains weight too easily.
It has been made clear to me that sexual health is not to be discussed unless it is regarding men’s sexual health. Women don’t sweat, they just glow, or something like that. If men want sexual health it seems like they would want healthy partners too. We really aren’t talking about men’s sexual health either though, just take a pill and don’t worry about potential underlying cardiovascular risks that may be associated with ED (Erectile Dysfunction – yes, actually we don’t talk about that much either.)
Babies come from under cabbage leaves still I guess. Unfortunately they need iodine too. Rhubarb is a good source of iodine so maybe start looking for babies under rhubarb leaves. Or maybe just eat more rhubarb because it would not only be providing iodine, it also has a phytonutrient, parietin, that has been shown to be effective against cancer cells. A concentrated amount of the parietin was used however: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/613194/Cancer-killing-drug-rhubarb-ready-within-years
Parietin is an orange pigment found in the rhubarb and in many types of lichen. I don’t happen to have an image of rhubarb handy but here’s some pretty lichen on a rock in a desert area:
Colorful lichen on a rock in the desert during early winter, with colored pieces of glass, found nearby.
The chemical left healthy cells unharmed which is unlike typical chemotherapy treatments. The parietin may be stopping cancer cell growth by blocking anaerobic metabolism – the burning of energy without oxygen. Our bodies preferentially use metabolic pathways that use oxygen (and cause oxidative stress as a byproduct). This article is longer and contains a list of many other beneficial phytonutrients and vitamins found in whole rhubarb. It contains antioxidants and a variety of beneficial things in addition to iodine: https://www.naturalhealth365.com/rhubarb-cancer-enzyme-1820.html
While I don’t have a picture I do have a recipe for Blueberry Rhubarb Jam – the two fruits work well together in a sauce, cobbler, or jam because rhubarb is fairly tart – acidic, and blueberries are fairly mild – more alkaline. They balance each other nicely in this low sugar recipe: https://transcendingsquare.com/2012/07/21/blueberry-rhubarb-jam/
If you happen to have a patch of rhubarb or know someone who does you’ll know that when it is season there is lots and then it is out of season, the leaves get large and the usuable part – the celery like stalks become too large, less tender, less colorful and the parietin at least is in the colorful pinkish pigments on the exterior of the rhubarb leaf stalks.
A simpler recipe that I made to use up a lot of rhubarb all at once was a Rhubarb Ginger Sauce which I would freeze in batches which turned into a sorbet like frozen treat. I also would use the sauce thawed in baked goods as a substitution for part of the liquid in a recipe similar to substituting applesauce.
The recipe was roughly 12 cups of washed and chopped rhubarb stalks, about 1/2 inch long sections, simmered with 3 cups of sugar and an inch or two section of ginger root, peeled and minced fine. Some might prefer less ginger or no ginger, that amount made a fairly zingy sauce. The stalks make their own sauce as they simmer and the chunks become soft and lose their form. Simmer for about 20 minutes. I would need to try it again to check the recipe but that is the way I remember making it. Once frozen the sugary treat was easy to eat like a fruit sorbet rather than freezing into a more solid ice cube. The sugar content would be necessary for that effect, I think a sugar free sauce would freeze more solid.
So plan ahead, eat healthy now and prevent precancerous cells the natural way – with a healthy immune system and active metabolic rate. It is difficult to have a normal lifestyle let alone exercise regularly when the body is coasting on 800 calories a day due to hypothyroidism.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
Tragedy in Florida, magnesium Epsom salt footsoaks or baths can help with anxiety, paranoia, anger, and physical muscle cramps, tension or some types of chronic pain. About 20 minutes in a bath or 20-40 in a footsoak is adequate. Too long can lead to too much magnesium absorption.
A recent article on an alternative news site discusses the idea that the violence embedded throughout our society may need to be addressed if we are truly to hope to end the frequent shootings and other violence that has been happening too often for tears to dry from the last occurrence. http://theantimedia.org/real-reasons-mass-shootings/
Tragedy and child trauma is a topic I’ve had too many occasions to write about lately. I’ve modified this post and reposted it in respect for the sorrow and death that occurred in Texas on 11/5 caused by an ex military person with a history of domestic violence in the hope that it may help children. Talking about traumatic events can help children and adults work through the pain or fear of a memory and in the process move the memory from a more emotional short term storage area of the brain into a less emotionally triggering long term area of the memory.
The number of deaths and injuries that occurred is devastating, heart-breaking, and my thoughts & prayers are with the families and also anger at the injustice of a random act of violence disrupting and ending so many lives. Calls for more stringent gun control and gun safety classes may make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to have guns while criminals would likely still have a black market for them but the graph in this link suggests it would help: https://twitter.com/JustinWolfers/status/927866872401416192
However most mental illness doesn’t increase risk of mass violence. A history of child trauma or domestic violence is linked to it. And copying previous acts of violence is also a risk. This comment sums it up https://twitter.com/bpshow/status/927872165717962752
Men and society support of kindness might help. Research suggests testosterone may have a role to play in men copying good or bad behavior. Testosterone in men can lead to trying to be better, bigger, faster, more whatever – the crowd of other men seem to approve. More positive acts being approved leads to more better, bigger, faster, etc positive acts and when negative honor killings or other negative treatment of people, women or children seem to be supported then that may lead to more extreme negative acts. (p106-107, Sapolsky) Men and women, boys and girls can help promote safety by not supporting violence or harassment of women and girls or other minority groups or poor people. We as a group also tend to like to feel superior to someone when in reality we are all just a brief moment in geologic time. the planet has had many long phases without humans and may yet again if we don’t start working towards a more sustainable way of using our planet’s limited supply of resources.
We all have quirks and good days and bad days but not like the shooter in Texas. Most of us are caring and can control ourselves or punch a pillow if we’re angry. The common theme of random mass violence is a male with a history of domestic violence or who experienced child trauma and who may be a binge drinker. From a previous post: Regarding potential underlying reasons for a person to resort to mass violence – typically it isn’t due to “mentally ill” people unless they were already prone to violence. An increased risk for violence is not associated with depression, anxiety or ADHD. Increased risk for mass violence is significantly associated though with being a male who had experienced child trauma and who is a binge drinker. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4318286/ )
So addressing poverty and binge drinking would likely help more than focusing just on gun control methods, 50% of children live in poverty, which is associated with stress for the household.
Until we change our approach to equality in general and regarding gender relations we may not achieve the peace that I knew as a child. It can help children and survivors to talk about their experience or fears, otherwise there can be a risk of PTSD, an over active fear response which can worsen with repeated trauma.
From a previous post: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can occur in observers of trauma even if they weren’t harmed. There are many helpful articles available on the topic: (Talking about trauma may help prevent PTSD)
More information about early childhood and developing trust through secure attachment parenting styles is available on my new website, in the section Trust is Learned Early.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
During the Blitzkreig bombing of the United Kingdom between 1940-1941 over 30000 tons of explosives were dropped on sixteen cities from German airplanes. The bombs included chemicals designed to increase risk of long burning fires. Over 40000 people lost their lives and many buildings were destroyed.
Our current and previous administration in the United States have been responsible for drone bombing in seven countries. In just the first seven months of 2017 the current administration has increased the amount of drone bombing from the previous years.
Airwaves is an independent group that has been tracking the number of bombs dropped by the US and the number they provide is a larger number than the official count released by the U.S.. Almost 11000 in the first three months of 2017 with an increased percentage of civilian deaths. The number of deaths is lower than during the Blitzkreig however we aren’t officially at war either. http://www.mintpressnews.com/us-coalition-dropped-nearly-11000-munition-on-iraq-syria-last-month/226995/
My concern for history and the future is linked because if we don’t learn from the past we are more likely to repeat mistakes and bombing civilians and countries that we aren’t even at war with is a big one, and costly. The Department of Defense has misplaced where $6.5 trillion was spent in the Army budget alone over the last couple of decades. Other money was spent to produce top-secret fake Al Queda propaganda and fake news stories designed to seem like Arabic television to make the group seem more negative than it was – at the time. Between 2006 and 2011 $660 million was paid to a publicity firm in the U.K. to produce the top-secret film footage. Fake atrocities – paid for by U.S. taxpayers to scare U.S. taxpayers and the rest of the world – just who are the terrorists in that story?
Eight other news stories that didn’t get much press attention are highlighted in an end of year summary by an organization that fights censorship by looking for the stories that were suppressed. Free speech isn’t just about what journalists are allowed to say but also about what they aren’t allowed to say. The Nazi’s burned books and controlled the media. I’ve been following alternative news sources and was aware there was suspicion that news was being faked about atrocities. I was not aware of the lack of audits in the military or missing $6.5 trillion from the Army budget. The other eight stories I was familiar with though – pay attention online and it is amazing what you can learn.
A synopsis:
Lead is poisoning children in Flint but is also an infrastructure and soil contaminant in many many urban areas.
The missing $6.5 Trillion from the Army budget and lack of audit, or expectation that the military be audited in the same way that other government agencies are expected (been there, done that – inventories are an annual task.)
The fake news about Al Queda and fake Arabic TV for $660 million.
Voter suppression during the 2016 election occurred in many places by making it more difficult for people to register to vote or to have been taken off the list of registered voters.\
Micro-targeting of voters during the 2016 election was performed for the Trump campaign with the help of modern social media advertising techniques, with assistance from social media staff. News of this has surfaced only recently.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria are gaining ground on human’s ability to create new more effective antibiotics – we may be unable to cure pneumonia or other diseases as easily as we were over the last few decades. Microbes evolve quickly. We have only been using antibiotics since the 1928 (Fleming, penicillin).
The U.S. Navy is killing or injuring large numbers of marine wildlife due to torpedoes, Sonar testing and other underwater devices and air to surface missiles.
The U.S. is the only developed nation in the world with an increasing rate of maternal mortality – more women are dying from childbirth or pregnancy than in previous years. Inadequate rural care and an increased rate of African American women dying is thought to be driving the increase. African American women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than white women. (Pre-eclampsia isn’t mentioned but it can be life threatening and is more of a risk for African American women than for other racial or ethnic groups. Differences in the average shape of the pelvis bone and less intra-abdominal space within an African American woman may be involved. Magnesium foods may help reduce the risk and spending time daily during the last few months in a knee-chest position that helps relieve intra-abdominal pressure may help reduce risk. Treating people individually instead of as a total group average might help – if individualizing health care based on individual differences seems racist then I don’t understand the word. Why would anyone want health care recommendations that were developed to help someone with a completely different body structure or different type of metabolism from their own? The best health recommendations for one person might not help another or might harm them. The kidneys of African Americans seems to be better at conserving calcium, which also wastes more magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can increase risk of hypertension and diabetes and pre-eclampsia and many other conditions.)
The DNC political party was sued regarding apparent rigging of the primaries in favor of one candidate and the lawyers representing the DNC argued that neutrality is not required by the charter. The group could feasibly just pick a candidate and not have a primary at all according to the legal argument.
The internet was shutdown due to hacking or political intervention more in 2016 than ever before. Internet slowdowns were found to be associated with atrocities and political events as possibly a national attempt to quell protest or limit communication during sensitive times.
Knowledge is painful but being uninformed may be life threatening.
Palestine lost World War II and the rest of the world is losing this current non-war. Every bomb is adding to global pollution and adding to the risk of birth defects in humans and animals. In some areas of the Middle East the rate of birth defects at some places and at some points of time reached 50%. Is that something the Nazi’s did to the United Kingdom with the Blitzkreig bombs? No. Whatever chemicals that were used to promote more fire risk didn’t add a nuclear radiation signature to the soil and air quality.
U.S. bombing is going to kill in slower ways than the Blitzkreig bombs, and likely will affect birth defect rates for a long time. My suggestion was help clean up and repair the soil and people with healing plants.
I’ve written about Zionism and the difference from anti-Zionism and have been called a Nazi for it, but Albert Einstein was a Jew at a time when Palestine was still a free country and he was an anti-Zionist. I am happy to stand with Albert Einstein. My children are 1/4 Jewish, I have nothing against Jewish individuals or groups. However I am very much against segregation and apartheid like laws. Diversity is beautiful and natural and Zionism isn’t diverse – it is about special treatment for one group at the expense of many other groups. The Middle East and Europe are disrupted and terror groups have been increasing in the Philippines and Bangladesh.
When will enough land for one group of people be enough?
Many people were anti-Zionists at the time preceding and during WWII. Taking another nation to give to a different group of people is not fair to the people who farmed the land for a thousand years – in some cases. If the European Jews had lived in the area of Palestine it had been over 1000 years prior, not in recent history.
Being for fair treatment of all groups is not racist or anti-Semitic. The current and past treatment of Arabs, Christians and Semitic Jews (non-European Jews who were living in the area of Palestine) has not been very equal compared to the way the European Jews were and are treated in modern day Israel.
It was wrong to treat black South Africans differently than white South Africans and it is wrong for Israel to be 90% segregated – that may be the wrong word but if 90% of the citizens are all the same religion or ethnicity than it seems applicable.
Persecution and humiliation tactics are commonly used against minorities or groups that are in a minority in that area. The technique may promote a feeling of pleasure in those participating as it may increase levels of dopamine but so would gratitude and friendliness. The humiliation tactic may increase risk of retaliation though in observers of the persecution of someone who they may feel similar to.
Other research supports the premise that humiliation tactics may increase violence if not against the oppressor than possibly it may take the form of increased domestic violence or violence against some other person who is in vulnerable position compared to the oppressor or the persecuted person: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233332514_Humiliation_Self-Esteem_and_Violence
Even worse than laws that segregate or give limited supplies of water or energy to some areas are the unspoken policies by the U.S. and Israel to support radical groups sometimes on both opposing sides in the hopes that the two forces would keep each other in check. Arming two opposing radical groups leaves civilians unprotected in the middle.
And a more recent overview of the U.S. and Israeli involvement in the buildup of terrorist groups and actions; includes many links to other articles, and a graphic by Occupy London showing the number of countries Iran has attacked since WWII, zero, and those attacked in some manner by US/Israeli forces – 36 nations, plus I know of at least one more since the last date on the image (Yemen – 2016, see list at the end of this post). Will attacking 37 countries in 72 years ever be considered a problem? Ten of the countries were attacked multiple times over the timespan. See: https://politicalvelcraft.org/2017/08/16/americas-cia-israels-mossad-created-al-qaeda-and-the-isis-terror-group/ – The short answer, from the overview article, for ending terrorism would be to support wind and solar power and help get the U.S. out of the oil business altogether, and the long answer would be to stop funding the military-industrial bomb and gun and missile sales business. We supply the world with things like Hellfire missiles. Wouldn’t it be nice to make windmills and solar panels instead?
A first hand account of what Zionists believe today is available in the form an a journalist’s interview of average Israeli citizens or visitors – the theme revealed by the interviews was disturbing to the reporter and to me – ethnic cleansing.
What would you think if Albert Einstein was quoted as saying carpet bombing the Middle East would be okay because he had a spiritual link to the ancient history of the land and he wanted to move in once the dust settled?
In my opinion Jewish people should be able to marry an Arab person if they both want to – and carpet bombing civilians is never okay – nor is random violence. Suggesting that violence against civilians is okay by some people but not others is discrimination, in addition to being violence, and we have seen increasing violence and increasing numbers of displaced people as a result of tension in the Middle East. Apartheid was wrong in South Africa and is wrong in Israel too. Persecution of others can lead to an increased risk of retaliation rather than supporting a goal of peace or communication.
Peace has to start somewhere and accepting and valuing each other’s differences may be the place to start. Not dropping over 20000 bombs is also probably a good place to start or threatening a country that has offered to negotiate if peace was being offered.
That number is enormous and is an escalation from 2016 but the number of bombs dropped in 2016 was also large: 26,171 bombs dropped over seven countries according to some record keepers. Even as an estimate that number makes me want to cry, and beg forgiveness, or to start planting sunflowers. (https://twitter.com/TravisRuger/status/917214035585781760) *Update, July 2018, U.S. averaging 121 bombs dropped per day. (see the Newsclick link)
We could also be planting sunflowers in low income urban areas where soil is contaminated with lead. Any areas that had a lot of automobile or other lead gasoline vehicles in the decades prior to its ban are likely to have soil that is dangerous for children to play. The recommendation for contaminated soil is to remove and replace it with uncontaminated soil or to cover over the area with some type of surface that would prevent the lead containing dust from getting in the air or on hands where it can then get into children’s mouths. Old damaged lead paint is best to paint over without dry sanding because dust in the air then may carry the lead elsewhere. Lead remediation specialists use a wet sanding method if they need to more thoroughly prepare a surface that had lead paint in some of the layers.
So as a citizen and former tax payer of the United States which just bombed seven countries with over 20,650 bombs in six months – if you want to call me a Nazi – I’m a citizen of the U.S. – it may be the word to describe us all, until we stop bombing the world in the name of peace or a so-called War on Terror. I’m terrified, please can we stop yet?
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
My transcribing of the graphic condenses the information to single entries for each country, rather than the consecutive time line used in the graphic and I may have transcribed a few dates inaccurately or the graphic may have contained errors – consider it an estimate that could be verified if desired.
“Of the seven countries expected to be named in Trump’s executive order [travel ban], the US is currently bombing five of them: Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. In 2016 alone, the country dropped an estimated 26,172 bombs in seven countries, (including Pakistan and Afghanistan), according to the Council of Foreign Relations. This estimate is thought to be on the low-end as each single “strike” can involve multiple bombs, according to the Pentagon’s definition. In Barack Obama’s last year in office, the US dropped 3,028 more bombs than in 2015.” https://qz.com/895516/which-countries-is-the-us-currently-bombing/
Audrey Hepburn, the actress, also worked in humanitarian roles with the UNICEF non-profit organization that helps refugees and other children and people in need around the world. (UNICEF emergency relief hurricane fund)
A magazine article in People from August 28, 2017 shares more detail about the actresses early childhood experiences where she survived Nazi occupation in the Netherlands by hiding in a basement. She became very thin and survived on whatever she could find that was edible – including “nettles and tulip bulbs” (People)- when in the Netherlands remember that tulip bulbs are similar to onions – note to self. Caution with the stinging nettles – but they are a superfood with health benefits for the respiratory system and other systems of the body. The herb can be purchased in prepared capsules – avoiding the stinging nettle part of the nettles. (Stinging nettle)
An excerpt:
“She often quoted a humanitarian worker who asked a child, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and the child said, “Alive.”
– “per Robert Wolders her partner from 1980 to her death.” People magazine, page 46, Aug. 28, 2017 (People)
Audrey Hepburn survived and Anne Frank, who was the same age didn’t – the article mentions that Audrey Hepburn was very aware of that fact and that it impacted her life as she felt some sense of survivor guilt – why did she Audrey survive when Anne didn’t, a girl who was the same age as Audrey at the time but who happened to have been Jewish.
We all have blessings that we may not realize others are lacking.
What do most children want to be when they grow up? a doctor, a lawyer, or an football star? or alive?
Regarding survivor’s guilt – tips suggest remembering that it is a common reaction for anyone surviving a traumatic event. Not worrying too much about “Why” or asking “Why did I survive, when so-and-so didn’t” is recommended and embracing life is recommended instead in an article on the website whatsyourgrief.com. (Understanding Survivor Guilt)
Keeping a gratitude journal with entries about the big or little things that make your life a more wonderful experience, can help with depression and other mood issues. (Benefits of a Gratitude Journal)
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
