The so-called iodine allergy May not be an allergy to iodine or iodine molecules

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The so-called "iodine allergy" May not be an allergy to iodine or iodine molecules http://www.endtimesreport.com/SSKI.html Potassium Iodide (SSKI) ONE MINERAL CAN HELP A MYRIAD OF CONDITIONSFROM ATHEROSCLEROSIS TO "COPD"TO ZITS http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/iodide.shtml (Reprinted From "Nutrition and Healing") If you've read or heard anything at all about potassium iodide, it'sprobably been in association with terrorist attacks or nuclear powerplant disasters. Potassium iodide (usually taken in tablet form) isrecommended by "public health" authorities to protect the thyroidgland against accumulation of radioactive iodine released by a"terrorist bomb" or by nuclear power plant "meltdown". But in reality,potassium iodide is a very effective "home remedy" with literallydozens of uses. Older readers may remember Mother putting "iodine" on cuts andscrapes. It kept infection away as well as any "modern" antibioticointment, with the added benefit of not inducing "bacterialresistance". But what else is potassium iodide (usually abbreviated byit's Latin initials "SSKI") good for? Read on…and then make sure toread the separate section about keeping SSKI use safe. Some years ago, a retired Indian physician told me about his use ofSSKI during more than 30 years traveling from village to village inrural Africa. Most usually, the only drinking water available was froma local stream or river, muddy and contaminated. After removingsediment and debris by straining the dirty water through cheesecloth,he'd add several drops of SSKI, and wait two to three minutes. He andhis team could then drink the water. In over 30 years, he never got aninfection from contaminated water. The SSKI killed any micro-organismspresent. Fortunately, the water available to most of us when traveling isconsiderably cleaner. Despite this, when Holly (my wife) and I travel,we always carry a small bottle of SSKI, and put one or two drops intoany water we're not absolutely certain about. We've cut backconsiderably on airline travel this year because of the thoroughly un-American and extremely unpleasant "airport Gestapo" experience. Butwhen we're forced to travel by air, we drink a few ounces of waterwith 10 drops of SSKI, and prevent any "airline sinusitis" or otherrespiratory infection that so often follows several hours spentbreathing re-cycled, germ laden air. (SSKI rapidly accumulates in anyand all body secretions, including in the sinuses, where it inhibitsor kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi before they can cause an infection.) Although Holly has never had the experience, occasionally anotherwoman at one of the conferences we attend has developed a bladderinfection when far away from home and her own physician. Holly givesher our "back- up" small bottle of SSKI with instructions to take 10to 15 drops in water or juice every 3 to 4 hours (while awake) untilthe infection is gone. [Although SSKI is close to 100% effective in the elimination ofbladder infections, this is a "high dose"; make sure to read thesection "Keeping SSKI safe". If possible, it's best to use the simplesugar D-mannose to eliminate bladder infections. D-mannose iseffective over 90% of the time, and is very, very safe. For details,see D- mannose and Bladder Infection by Lane Lenard Ph. D. and me,available through the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary.] When our children were teenagers, they always knew where to find theSSKI bottle. Whenever one of them "popped a zit", she or he would rubSSKI into it every hour or two. The offending "zit" would be gone in24-48 hours or less; an innumerable number of social events wererendered "zit-free" by this approach. So far, I've been telling you about SSKI's ability to "kill germs" inone place or another. We'll return to this important "home remedy" usefor SSKI, but let's digress for now to other uses. Many women develop "fibrocystic breast disease". In the 1970s, Ilearned from pioneering trace element researcher Dr. John Myers thatiodine (a close "relative" of SSKI) would eliminate even the mostsevere cases of fibrocystic breast disease. [For the full details ofthis treatment, see pages 169-174 of The Patient's Book of NaturalHealing by Alan Gaby M. D. and me.] In "medium" to "minor" cases, 6 to8 drops of SSKI taken in a few ounces of water daily will frequentlyreduce fibrocystic breast disease to insignificance within three tosix months. Please do not do this without monitoring your thyroidfunction…see "Keeping SSKI Safe". One of our daughters and at least thirty other women I've worked within nearly 30 years have helped ovarian cysts disappear within two tothree months with the same quantity of SSKI. Again, make sure tomonitor your thyroid function! It's very likely that SSKI helps eliminate fibrocystic breast diseaseand ovarian cysts at least partly through it's interaction withestrogens….which brings us to another important use for SSKI (andother forms of iodine such as "Lugol's solution" and "di-atomiciodine"). All of these forms of iodine help your body to metabolizeestrone (a slightly carcinogenic human estrogen) and16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (a much more dangerous metabolite of humanestrogen) into estriol, an "anti-carcinogenic" or at worst "neutral"form of human estrogen. I've reviewed literally hundreds of hormonetests in over 26 years which have proven this point. This testing andtreatment usually requires the help of a physician skilled andknowledgeable in nutritional and natural medicine, who can also helpwith monitoring thyroid function. (See "Resources", page 8). "Dupuytren's contracture" and "Peyronie's disease" are two "fibrotic"conditions that can be helped considerably by SSKI. In Dupuytren'scontracture, thickening (fibrosis) occurs along one of the tendons inthe palm in the hand, pulling the related finger down towards thepalm. As the problem progresses, the finger often can't bestraightened any more. In Peyronie's disease, a very similar thickening occurs along theshaft of the penis, making erections increasing "curved" and painful.In both cases, rubbing SSKI into the thickened tissue at least twicedaily softens and lessens the fibrotic area over a period of severalmonths, allowing for more normal function. For these conditions, it's additionally helpful to takepara-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) 2 grams, three times daily, and to rub amixture of Vitamin E and DMSO into the thickened areas, also. However,if "caught early", SSKI alone will often "do the job". (It's alsoadvisable to have glucose-insulin tolerance test done, as there's anunusually high incidence of "insulin resistance" in people withDupuytren's contracture or Peyronie's disease. "Keloids" are abnormally thick scars, sometimes as much as an inchthick, that can form after injury. Although anyone can get a keloid,they're more common among blacks than other ethnic groups. RubbingSSKI into a keloid at least twice daily will ultimately flatten themdown to a "normal scar", but it can take many months to a year forparticularly bad ones. The treatment goes faster if SSKI is mixed"50-50" with DMSO. "Fistulas" are literally abnormal tunnels through tissues, "tunnels"prevented from healing by chronic infection. Two not-unusual types are"peri-anal fistulas" (a "tunnel" from outside the anus to the insideof the rectum) and "recto-vaginal" fistulas. Although these fistulascan be treated successfully by surgery, they can often be healed byfrequent swabbing inside and out with an SSKI-soaked "Q-tip". Patienceis required: Complete healing often takes several months. Thetreatment appears to work better if the SSKI is mixed with DMSO, whichenhances "penetrance". My colleague Richard Kunin, M. D. of SanFrancisco, is a "world class" expert on the use of SSKI and otherforms of iodine. He has found that hemorrhoids will sometimesdisappear literally overnight, when SSKI (20 drops) mixed withflaxseed oil (1 ounce) is rubbed in them at bedtime. He's also foundthat SSKI alone will do the same job, although it "really stings" whenapplied to a hemorrhoid by itself. When I was a pre-med student at Harvard University, the famouschemistry professor Louis Feiser made a point of demonstrating to allthe pre-medical students that iodine and iodide would make oils, fats,and waxes (cholesterol is actually a wax) more soluble in water. Heurged us to remember this in our medical practices, as he was sure itwouldn't be taught in medical school (he was right!). This knownaction of iodide likely explains why SSKI can be useful in the nexttwo applications. Over 30 years ago, two ophthalmologists observed that a combinationtablet called "Iodo-niacin" (iodide 120 milligrams, niacin 15milligrams) taken for several months could actually reverseatherosclerotic clogging of arteries. They proved this effect bytaking pictures of clogged arteries in the backs of the eyes ("retinalphotomicrographs") before and after treatment. The publishedphotographs showed a significant lessening of the cholesterol-ladenartery clogging in the "after" pictures. Amazingly enough, no follow-up study has ever been published (probablybecause niacin and iodide aren't patentable). Despite this, thepublished pictures speak clearly for themselves. I recommend 4 to 6drops of SSKI and niacin-containing B-complex daily (along with manyother things) for anyone with significant cholesterol- relatedatherosclerotic clogging. Thyroid function must be monitored! "Sebaceous cysts" are cysts which contain oily, fatty material. Theyusually appear rather suddenly on the face or in the groin or labia.Rubbing in SSKI mixed 50-50 with DMSO will almost always persuadethese cysts to go away in a week or two; it appears that the iodide"dissolves" the fatty, oily material contained in the cysts, allowingyour body to slowly re-absorb and dispose of it. Although it's not a common condition, from time to time someone willcome to my office at Tahoma Clinic inquiring about alternatives tosurgery for "parotid duct stone". These are "stones" which can form inthe saliva-carrying duct(s) from the major salivary glands ("parotid"glands, located at the "angle of the jaw"). 3 to 4 drops of SSKI takenin water daily will almost always dissolve parotid duct stones withinfour to eight months. If you have chronic bronchitis and or emphysema ("COPD", "COLD") SSKIis an invaluable tool. SSKI "gets into" all body secretions, includingoften thick and hard to cough up bronchial secretions, which getinfected very easily. SSKI takes care of both of these problems. It"loosens" secretions remarkably, making them much easier to "clear",and it prevents micro-organisms from growing easily. With regular SSKIuse, bronchial infection is a much less frequent happening. Dependingon the severity of COPD, I recommend 3 to 6 drops of SSKI taken inwater once daily. As COPD is usually a chronic condition, SSKI usewill usually be indefinite, so make sure to monitor your thyroidfunction! (See the August 2002 Nutrition & Healing for a more completediscussion of natural COPD treatment.) Now, back to other infections. For this group, using SSKI mixed"50-50" with DMSO works better, as the DMSO enables SSKI to penetratemuch more deeply into the tissues and kill germs. Infected "hangnails" are perhaps the easiest to clear up this way, asare nagging bacterial infections around the edges of the toenails. Rubin the mixture several times daily, and the problem's usually gone ina few days. Herpes simplex ("herpes") ourbreaks can be "stopped cold"in the same way, but it often takes longer for the "sore" to healitself over. If you have persistent "swollen glands" in the throat or groin areas,see a doctor first! These can very rarely be signs of leukemia,lymphoma, or another cancer, especially in older people. But if alltests and studies are negative, and the doctor says "it's just swollenglands", rub in the SSKI with DMSO. In a large majority of cases, the"just swollen glands" will gradually fade away. Fungus under the toenails ("onychomycosis") is a difficult problem totreat. Even "conventional" anti-fungal drug treatment takes months towork, and (for safety) monthly liver function tests are necessary.SSKI and DMSO rubbed on, around, and under the affected toenailsdoesn't work any faster, but it's just as effective, and definitelysafer. Make sure to wear old socks, because SSKI and other forms ofiodine leave an orange-brown stain. (Other safe and effectivealternatives include geranium oil, oregano oil, and tea tree oil.These and other anti-fungal oils also require "help" from DMSO topenetrate the toenail and soak the fungus underneath.) SSKI can also help clear up vaginal infections. 20 to 30 drops inwater, used in a small "douche" once daily for five to ten days willusually do the job. (There's actually a prescription-only iodinepreparation of available for vaginal infections, too.) However, iodinepreparations of any sort for vaginal infections are often not popularbecause of the inevitable orange-brown stains they leave on clothing. What about SSKI to help a "weak" thyroid (hypothyroidism)? Even thoughiodine and iodide are absolutely essential to thyroid hormoneformation, in most "developed" countries, hypothyroid conditions arenot usually due to an outright lack of iodine or iodide. Still,hypothyroidism is occasionally helped by 1 drop of SSKI daily. Makesure to work with your doctor on this one! Lastly, there's a gastronomic use for SSKI: reducing the gas we allget from eating beans! If you're soaking beans before cooking them,add 1 or 2 drops of SSKI, and let them soak for an hour or more. (Pourofff that water before cooking, and add fresh water.) You'll besurprised at the reduction in resulting intestinal gas! (For those whowant a technical explanation: There's a naturally occurring enzymeinhibitor in 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 were availableonly on prescription, or through chemical supply sources. Since themid-1990s passage of the Federal DSHEA law, we've regained the basicAmerican freedom to buy and sell natural substances (narcoticsexempted) without prescription. You haven't read or heard much aboutSSKI because (despite Federal Appeals Court decisions) FDA stillmaintains it's First Amendment violating policy of completesuppression of truthful product use information on package labels orin advertisements….unless of course FDA is paid an enormous amount ofmoney ($250 million minimum, according to Congressional testimony) for"approval". Since SSKI can't be patented…well, you know the rest. SSKI can be obtained without prescription in some compoundingpharmacies, some health food stores, through "on-line" sources, and atthe Tahoma Clinic Dispensary (with which I am of course affiliated) ina convenient travel-size dropper bottle. USE SSKI SAFELY!! There are three "hazards" to using SSKI: staining, allergy, and a verysmall possibility of thyroid suppression with longer-term use of "toomuch". Staining can be a big nuisance, but it's not a health hazard. WhenSSKI is applied to skin, it can impart a faint to moderateorange-brown color, which fades away once SSKI is no longer beingapplied. SSKI and other iodine stains in clothing can besemi-permanent or permanent, so don't plan to wear anything "nice" inthe vicinity of recently-applied SSKI. Iodine allergy is a possibility, although in nearly 30 years ofmedical practice I've seen it only a few times. Usually, it causes ared, bumpy skin rash, which goes away after SSKI or other iodine isdiscontinued. Topical (applied to the skin surface) iodine allergy isalmost never a serious emergency. SSKI or iodine can very occasionally cause acne, which also goes awayonce the source of iodine is dicontinued. The type of so-called "iodine allergy" that can interfere withbreathing and occasionally sends us to the emergency room is usuallynot allergy to iodine or iodine molecules, but instead to much larger,possibly iodine- containing molecules found in lobster, crab, clamsand other "shellfish". These molecules are not present in SSKI oriodine. However, if there's any suspicion at all of iodine allergy,it's best not to swallow any without testing for allergy or sensitivity. Too much iodine for too long can suppress thyroid function. Many ofthe uses described for SSKI in the accompanying article areshort-term, from a few days or less to a week or two. If SSKI is thenstopped, there's almost no chance of significant thyroid suppression.However, if SSKI is to be used for two to three weeks or longer, andespecially if it's to be used continuously (for example, COPD orcholesterol-related atherosclerosis) monitoring thyroid function isvery important. To find a physician near you who can help order andinterpret thyroid function tests, consult the Resources section on page 8. Fortunately, in my experience with over a thousand individuals,internal use of than nine drops or less of SSKI daily has very rarelyresulted in thyroid suppression. On those very few occasions,discontinuance has resulted in prompt recovery. So far, I've neverseen thyroid suppression result from "topical" (skin surface) use of SSKI. A final "safety" note: Dr. Kunin cautions (and I agree) that if youuse SSKI or other iodine "long-term", make sure your diet containsplenty of essential fatty acids (both omega-3 and omega-6) as well asthe sulfur- containing amino acids methionine and cysteine. If you eatanimal protein daily, that's usually sufficient as a source of thesetwo amino acids, but if you're vegetarian (or close) and using "longterm" SSKI or other iodine, then take 300-500 milligrams of each daily. IODINE, IODIDE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Iodine is a basic element, as are calcium, zinc, oxygen and otherelements. The word "iodine" usually refers to two iodine moleculeschemically "stuck together" (I2), just as the word "oxygen" usuallyrefers to two oxygen molecules "stuck together" (O2). Since iodine ismore reactive, and therefore more likely to cause problems, iodine isusually used as "iodide", a word which refers to one iodine moleculecombined with another molecule such as potassium (KI) or sodium (NaI).In chemical terms, such molecules are called "salts"; the best knownsalt is sodium chloride (NaCl), a "salt" of chlorine (Cl2). The "SS" in "SSKI" refers to "Saturated Solution Potassium Iodide".Other medically useful forms of iodine include "Lugol's solution",invented by Dr. Lugol of Paris in the 1840s, which contains a mixtureof types of iodine and iodide, and "di-atomic iodine", which isanother name for iodine, but usually prepared as a solid in a capsuleinstead of a liquid.