Substances that interfere with iodine Chlorine – present in most city water supplies – unless you de-chlorinate your water, you are being exposed to thyroid-lowering gases whenever you bathe, shower, or have a drink of water. Fluorine Bromide or Bromine – found in some pesticides – try to eat organic whenever possible Bromide is even used in some asthma drugs Mountain Dew, Fresca, and orange Gatorade all contain bromide in the form of brominated vegetable oils. Drinking beverages with bromide causes low thyroid function in some people. These toxins are in our water, hot tubs, non-organic foods, and some soft drinks. If you don’t have enough iodine, chances are you have too much fluoride and bromide. Sufficient iodine pulls these toxins out of your body. Aspirin, blood thinner meds, and steroids can result in iodine deficiency thyroid problems. If you’re taking these, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function. EAT MORE Omega-3 fatty acids reduce breast tenderness, bloating, cramps, and PMS. Take a good fish oil, such as Carlson’s, as well as eating foods high in Omega-3s: Walnuts Chia Seeds Fatty Fish like salmon, tuna, sardines Omega-3 fatty acids reduce breast tenderness, bloating, cramps, and PMS. Turn to natural diuretics - parsley, cucumbers, and cabbage are healthy for you and will keep you naturally flushed. Increasing your intake of fiber can help control the hormonal fluctuations behind fibrocystic breast disease. Eat whole-wheat bread, brown rice, beans, and fruits. Coenzyme Q10 helps remove toxins from the body and controls fibrocystic breasts Helps fight cancer - It has been found to be low in people with cancer, but particularly breast cancer. Breast tumor tissues contain lower levels of CoQ10 than healthy breast tissue Natural food sources: almonds, broccoli, potatoes, eggs, rice, spinach, and wheat EAT LESS Limit, as much as is possible, coffee, regular tea, colas, chocolate and any other foods that contain caffeine. Caffeine definitely increases fibrocystic breasts. Wish it weren't so ... :glare: Foods high in Omega-6s (which cause inflammation) Red meat - especially if it is produced by industrial farming techniques and if it does not carry an “omega-3†label Dairy products Eggs not marked “omega-3†Sunflower oil Corn oil Safflower oil Soybean oil SUPPLEMENTS In many studies Evening Primrose Oil has shown to reduce size of lumps. Some evidence suggests that evening primrose oil may reduce breast pain and tenderness in people with cyclic mastalgia. It may also help reduce symptoms to a lesser extent in people with non-cyclic mastalgia. However, it does not seem to be effective for severe breast pain. Relieves peri-menopausal symptoms and PMS symptoms Helps with mood swings, cramping, tiredness during periods Don’t use EPO if you take an antiseizure Rx. Take it on a full stomach in 2 divided doses, equally spaced during the day. Take up to 500 mg EPO 2-3 times daily or no more than 2000-4000 mg total daily Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects breast tissue against fibrocystic breasts. Reduces mood swings, anxiety, and menstrual pain Take 400 IU of vitamin E a day. Take d-alpha, NOT dl-alpha Vitamin B6 manages fluids and hormone levels Works as a natural diuretic May help fight breast cancer Manages fluids and hormone levels, helping fight fibrocystic breast disease Women are more likely to become deficient in B6 as they age B6 requirements increase when high-protein diets are consumed. Coenzyme Q10 helps remove toxins from the body and controls fibrocystic breasts Helps fight cancer - It has been found to be low in people with cancer, but particularly breast cancer. Breast tumor tissues contain lower levels of CoQ10 than healthy breast tissue Two-thirds of volunteers who consumed 200 mg daily cut their migraine attacks in half. Consider taking CoQ10 if you are over 35 HTH :grouphug: - this is all the info I have on fibrocystic bre@st stuff. If you or anyone needs info on bre@st cancer (and trust me, I have maybe TOO much info), I can post here.

Fibrocystic breast is a condition that develops when fluid is not being evacuated fast enough from the breast causing cysts to form in them. These lumps move around the breast, grow and shrink, but they are benign. Normally the fluids in the breast are transported out by the lymphatic system. But if there is too much fluid some may get deposited in different areas of the breast, tissue grows around them creating these lumps. Again, these cysts are harmless, but they should be monitored, and a woman should check her breasts frequently (particularly one week after her period) in order to find and control the cysts. Discomfort, tenderness, and noticeable growth are normal especially around menstrual periods when estrogen levels change, it may be that the cysts disappear after the monthly period. However if the lump is hard, does not move freely and does not go away, check with a doctor immediately. A deficiency of iodine may be a factor in the development of breast lumps. Because iodine is concentrated in breast tissue, it can protect against fibrocystic breast disease and even breast cancer. Iodine is critical for breast tissue function and has been shown to be lower in cancerous breast tissue. Research has found strong evidence that women who are deficient in iodine are more prone to breast cancer. Back in the ’70s, scientists noted geographic differences in the rates of breast cancer (as well as endometrial and ovarian cancer), depending upon dietary iodine intake. Where iodine intake was lower, the incidence of these cancers was higher. Diets low in iodine can lead to more circulating estrogen levels in the body. What most people don’t realize is that next to the thyroid, iodine is concentrated in breast tissue. Iodine helps to normalize the impact of estrogens on the breast. Iodine decreases or turns off the estrogen receptor sites in the breast. So when there is a lack of iodine, breasts overreact to estrogen, which then leads to pre-cancer and then full-blown breast cancer. Women with fibrocystic disease (benign breast lumps) are four times more likely to develop breast cancer, the Mayo Clinic finds. But double-blind research at Queen’s University in Ontario has shown that iodine treatment improves fibrocystic disease in 70 percent of the women tested. When bromide gets into breast tissues, it displaces iodine. Some women with fibrocystic breast disease find their cysts and tenderness disappear after iodine supplementation. What to Take: Increase your intake with mineral-rich sea vegetables (agar, hijiki, kombu, nori, and wakame) at least twice a week. You can eat as much seaweed as you want. Brown seaweeds are highest in iodine. They include all forms of kelp. Fucus, also known as Bladderwrack, is considered to be the best for underactive thyroids. Hijiki and Sargassum are two other forms of brown seaweeds. Red seaweeds include dulse, nori, Irish moss, and Gracillaria. Since toasting doesn’t affect seaweed’s iodine content, you can eat it dried or dried and toasted. Toast some in the oven or in a dry frying pan to see if you prefer that taste. You can also powdered seaweed to your food or add larger pieces of seaweed to soups, grains, or vegetables. Seaweed should be an enjoyable addition to your diet, not an unpleasant experience. If you simply don’t like its taste, you can get it in capsules. Use 5-10 grams of mixed brown and red seaweed for thyroid problems. This is about 1 ½ teaspoons per day. If you’ve been told that your thyroid is borderline-low, eating seaweed makes sense. But remember, you need to eat seaweed every day or take iodine in a different form. Not all seaweeds are safe to eat. Some come from polluted waters. Be more cautious and talk to a naturopath if you’re on thyroid meds and want to try seaweed. Use iodine-rich Seaweed Gomasio to season your food. I LOVE this stuff. :) The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg. This amount was set based on the amount needed to prevent goiter. This amount will prevent goiter but it will not prevent breast cancer or its precurser fibrocystic breast disease or other serious diseases. Breast tissue and other reproductive organs require much more iodine than the thyroid gland. Many researchers now believe that you may need 100 to 400 times the RDI. Breast tissue needs many times more iodine than the thyroid gland. The average consumption of iodine from seaweed by the mainland Japanese is nearly 14 mg. They have some of the lowest incidence of iodine-deficiency diseases like goiter, hypothyroidism, and cancers of the reproductive system (breast, ovaries, and uterus). As our intake of iodine has declined, breast cancer has increased. Instead of using seaweed to boost your iodine levels, you might consider taking an iodine supplement. Iodoral is a very good one. I get mine from amazon. Read the reviews if you wish. Love this stuff and I have really noticed improvement from it. You may need 1 to 4 tablets of Iodoral, a combination of 5 mg of iodine and 7.5 mg of potassium iodide. Additional research finds that vitamin C improves the transport of iodine in the body, so it may be best to take Iodoral with Vitamin C. Studies show that women who weigh about 110 pounds need at least 5 mg of iodine a day for normal breast function. If you’re heavier, you may need more. Start off slowly over a 4 week period. Take 1 pill for 30 days Then 2 pills for 30 days Then maybe 3 for 30 days Then 1 in morning and 1 in evening for 30 days Can then go back to taking 1 or 2 a day to maintain Your body will know....listen to it... One Iodoral tablet provides 12.5 milligrams of iodine/iodide which is about the amount the average Japanese consumed in 1964 in their everyday diet. Iodoral is the best way to get the recommended amount of iodine. When we take 50 mg of iodine/iodide a day, it acts as an adaptogen, regulating various body functions.

Pammy, I have lots and lots of info on fibrocystic bre@st disease as well as on prevention of bre@st cancer. I can share the info here if you or anyone else is interested. Mostly diet and lifestyle stuff. Here's just some. Just because you have a lump in your breast doesn’t mean you have cancer. Pseudo Lump is breast tissue approaching 1 inch in diameter that has formed into a lump, such as a pocket of dead fat or scar tissue that resulted from trauma caused by surgery or injury. Lumpiness – little bumps that are approximately one-eighth inch in diameter. Harmless and perfectly natural – and has not been linked to later development of breast cancer Cyst – These lumps are fluid-filled sacs that are most common in women between 30 and 55 They feel squishy near the surface Those that are more deeply embedded in breast tissue feel harder Fibroid or Fibroadenoma is a lump ranging from half an inch to 2 ½ inches or larger. A rare cancer occurs in about 1% of all these lumps (usually the larger ones). This type of cancer is relatively harmless because it doesn’t spread. You’ve got plenty of time to look at all your options. Cancer Lump – By the time a cancerous lump is large enough for you to feel, it’s usually grown about half an inch in diameter. If a cancerous lump is much smaller, you won’t feel it. In the early stages, a lump of cancerous cells feels like normal tissue. It will not change with menstrual cycles and is rarely painful. Unless the type of cancer you have is extremely aggressive, you still have time to get information and examine your options.

:grouphug: If I hear of any good sales or coupon codes, I'll share if that's of any help. :grouphug:

Denise, praying for you right now. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Rebounding - really love it :)

:lol: :lol: :lol: Very nice to meet you. :grouphug: I can relate. :D

First of all, I absolutely and utterly adore your avatar. :D :grouphug: :D And this is coming from me, so not a mouse person. :lol: Secondly, I hear you. :grouphug: And trust me, it's not just the U.S. - it affects so many other countries also, since the "U.S.-ification" of food (not a real term, I know!) is becoming common in other countries also. So much of our food here comes from the U.S. This is becoming more and more a global problem.

Ummm ... shall I speak up or forever hold my peace? ;) :tongue_smilie: Some here know exactly what I'm talking about. :lol:

Agreeing with all that you say. When eating is more social (at least for me, anyway), one might tend to eat less, as opposed to eating alone in front of the computer or TV, not being fully aware of how much is being eaten. One other thing that occurred to me while doing laundry is eating slow and mindfully. I had some naturopathic friends who once told me that if you want to lose weight, you really can eat pretty much anything, just eat very, very slowly. Chew each bite at least 20 times. When a meal lasts at least 20 minutes, you're far less likely to get hungry. I did this for a long time and I was at a perfect weight. Then life got in the way and eating slowly seemed to become a luxury. I hope to implement this again. Good reminder.

:lol: You sound at a very good weight to me. Most of us (particularly after children) can no longer weigh what we did at 17. Just not realistic or healthy.

Yay! :D :grouphug: :D

Answers to both are basically the same - yes, perfectly fine. Some update the thread regularly. Others update once a week. Either way seems fine. You're most welcome. :grouphug: Hope you find something you like.

:iagree:

This has been on my wish list for some time. Waiting for the Kindle price to drop. Waiting patiently. :toetap05: This is good to hear :). I like Daphne DuMaurier, or at least, Rebecca, as a teen. Maybe there is hope for me after all, once I take this book on ... I've been cautiously avoiding it. :tongue_smilie:

:iagree: with all that you said. Portion sizes, processed foods, etc. ~ these are all factors. Something else occurred to me while making breakfast just now. In France (and most European countries at least, as well as in Iran where I was born), food just tastes so much better, maybe because it's less processed. You don't need to eat as much in order to feel satiated. I'm convinced (at least I think I read this somewhere) that HFCS (so common in most processed foods) is partially to blame for this never-ending hunger also. :iagree: with this fully. Good old common sense. I get annoyed when everyone asks for studies to prove every. single. thing ... :glare:

Laughter and not taking things too seriously Lowering expectations - most disappointments and unhappiness could be greatly reduced if we just lowered our expectations, particularly in regards to others.

:iagree: It's definitely related to affluence and is becoming a global problem. Two fabulous books that cover so many countries and go into this in depth - books that we are just crazy about: :D What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets What the World Eats I really, really wish they would hurry up and write more books. We love this couple. :)

I love this book, really, really love it - not about obedience per se, but just such a fabulous parenting book. I got the teen one, but have yet to read it. I'm reminding myself to do so now. She wrote this poem, which you may have already come across. This is the book.

We had a similar problem at that age. 1. It does get better. :grouphug: 2. Pick your battles. Be very, very choosy, or else he will learn to tune you out. :glare: 3. Get down to his eye level and try to get his attention. 4. Some of these books may help. They helped us a bit, particularly the first one. Shortcut by Donald Crews The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey That's all I can think of for now.

Wow! 4 hours without food! As the guy on Princess Bride would say, "Inconceivable!" :tongue_smilie: That would be unheard of in this part of the world and in most other developed/food-centered countries.

Will be going swimming in an hour or so. Can't wait. I'd go now if I could, but it's a bit too dark ...

I know. Seriously. These two are so true, particularly portion sizes. I've heard this mentioned here before. It's been on my wish list for some time. Thank you for the reminder. Makes so much sense to me. Obviously, all the diet, low-carb, processed stuff is just not working. Me too. I was made to live in the city - places like Paris, London, NY, etc. Not too crazy about the weather, but I do so love all that walking.

Here's all the info that I have on sleep apnea. Sleep apnea exists in 2 forms: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – the most common type Central Sleep Apnea – a more rare version caused by nervous-system problems OSA Upper airway becomes obstructed – usually because the throat muscles that keep the airway stiff relax too much, collapse, and block breathing. An apnea or cessation of breath, typically lasts about 20 seconds, and occurs 20 to 30 times an hour. Because you wake up so briefly, you typically don’t remember it. For that reason, many people go undiagnosed. Symptoms include: • Excessive Daytime Sleepiness • Morning Headaches • Irritability • Difficulty Concentrating • Memory Problems • Frequent Nocturnal Urination • Lowered Libido • Loud and Chronic Snoring • Pauses in breathing (typically lasting 10-20 seconds) while sleeping • Gasps, snorts, or choking sounds while sleeping (usually following the pauses) Causes: • Extra Pounds • Nasal Obstruction – allergies, congestion, deviated septum, small sinuses • Tongue-Nerve Problems – only medical tests can measure nerve function • Excess Mouth and Throat Tissue – doctor’s opinion needed • Small Jaw – doctor can determine this Undiagnosed sleep apnea increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and more. What to Do: Lose Weight Avoid Alcohol Quit Smoking Clear Sinuses – saline spray or neti pot Identify allergens – dairy, wheat, mucus-producing foods like bananas Try an elimination diet – google it Quell Inflammation – Diets high in fat, sugar, or processed foods, and a sedentary lifestyle can cause chronic inflammation. This has been linked to sleep apnea. Shun saturated fats, trans fats, refined grains, excess sugar, char-grilled foods, cigarette smoke, and chronic stress. Strengthen Throat Muscles – Keep your tongue on the floor of your mouth, with your lips closed for about 10 minutes, twice a day. Most patients’ sleep apnea disappears within 1 month of doing this exercise. http://www.silentnighttreatment.com Acupuncture – helps greatly Sleep on your side – Elevating your head with extra pillows may also help Exercise More Say a vowel rapidly for 3 minutes daily – this soft-palate exercise can reduce sleep apnea severity by 39 percent. BOOK Sleep Interrupted by Dr. Steven Park

Yep. :D This, for me, is key, both in books and in movies. When there's no sense of hope, I get very down and feel depressed for the longest while. Me too. This is why I couldn't read much of Malcolm X's book. There was only so much of the KKK horrors that were inflicted on their family and the baby almost being crushed to death, etc. - that I could handle. I just can't take it these days. Interesting that I was able to handle the North Korea book - Nothing to Envy - maybe it was her style or something. I don't know. I'm ready for you to hop on a plane and head this way. :grouphug: Romancy, light, set in England, WWII ... The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - fits all 4 categories that you're looking for Can't Wait to Get to Heaven - romancy (not overly romancy) and light. Fannie Flagg is fabulous - fairly romancy and light. The Housekeeper and the Professor - fairly light, but may not be what you're looking for. An easy and pleasant read, however. Any of the Maeve Binchy books - romancy, light, set in Ireland - I love Maeve Binchy, but prefer her older stuff. I've read them all.