I have been meaning to post, not that I know much about this specific condition - but two things came to mind. BTW, the posts here are great. Wonderful recommendations. 1. When it comes to the pancreatic problems, sugar intake is a major culprit. Refined sugar is really bad for the pancreas, as well as for pretty much anything. 2. When any condition ends in “itis” it means that inflammation is present. Inflammation is Aggravated by: • Traditional Western diet • Refined sugars and white flours • Red meat from industrially raised animals • Oils rich in omega-6 – corn, sunflower, safflower, soy • Dairy products from industrially raised livestock (especially if full fat) • Eggs from industrially raised hens fed corn and soybeans • Persistent anger or despair • Less than 20 minutes of physical activity per day • Cigarette smoke, atmospheric pollution, domestic pollutants Inflammation is Reduced by: • Mediterranean diet, Indian and Asian cuisines • Multigrain flour • At most 3 times a week – organic meat from animals fed grass or flax meal • Olive oil, flaxseed oil, canola oil • Fatty fish rich in omega-3 • Dairy products from animals fed on grass or flax meal • Omega-3 eggs or eggs from hens raised in a natural environment or fed flax meal • Laughter, lightheartedness, serenity • A 50-minute walk 3 times a week, or 60 minutes 6 times a week • Clean environment EAT MORE Olive oil Rapeseed oil Oily fish twice a week (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, wild Alaskan salmon or small fish from cold waters – not farmed fish) Omega-3 eggs (free-range) Nuts Lambs’-ear salad Green vegetables Linseed or flaxseed oil Flax seeds Chia Seeds Ginger Fresh fruits and veggies – make sure you’re getting some of every color Turmeric is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory Omega-9 fats – olive oil, avocados, macadamia nuts Black cumin seeds - Has an anti-inflammatory Black cumin seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian healers for a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders - especially pancreatic problems. Try sauteing fresh spinach with ginger, hot chili, and a teaspoon of black cumin seeds, sprinkle it on fish before baking or broiling, or add a spoonful to lentils as you're cooking them. Find black cumin seeds online at Zamouri Spices. Sprinkle liberally on broiled salmon filets Also make a tasty addition to breadcrumb toppings for sauteed chicken breasts or fish SUPPLEMENTS Vitamin C – if you have inflammation, without a doubt you need more vitamin C. Vitamin C and the flavonoids it contains are important anti-inflammatory agents. They destroy damaging free radicals as well as reduce inflammation. Be sure you get at least 500 mg of Vitamin C with bioflavonoids each day. Buffered, or Ester C, is less likely to cause loose stools or stomach irritation. Omega-3 supplements (roughly 1g or 0.03 oz of the EPA-DHA combination – Carlson’s Fish Oil (has a teen version also that my dc take) – for a more severe condition, take up to 3 grams daily and wait at least 8-12 weeks to see if you notice a difference.) If you have chronic inflammation, you’ll want to be taking around 3 grams a day. Get a good brand – like Carlson’s. The cheaper ones may contain mercury or pesticide residues. Only buy fish oil supplements guaranteed to be free from contaminants. Probiotics help fight inflammation and bacteria in the gut Any probiotic you take should contain at least 1-5 billion colony-forming units (CFUs). Nature’s Way Primadoophilus Optima delivers more than 35-billion CFUs. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS Culturelle Nature’s Way Probifia Pearls Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls Jarrow LIMIT Reduce dietary sources of inflammation-promoting omega-6s: 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” Omega-6 fats - Sunflower oil, Corn oil, Safflower oil, Soybean oil, Peanut Oil Sugar Processed and fast foods Eating vegetables cooked at high heat without water (think roasting, grilling, or frying) can cause inflammation, increasing the rate of aging in the body. Steam your veggies instead! Free Radicals – fried, barbecued, charbroiled foods, coffee, alcohol, pesticides, solvents used in cleaning supplies, UV radiation

* The Doll People, The Meanest Doll in the World - the series - really engaging, funny, and appealing for girls and boys * The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett (nice follow-up to books on dolls - this one's sweet and funny) * Humphrey the Hamster series - absolutely fabulous * Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant * Tale of Despereaux * Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane :thumbup: :thumbup: * Indian in the Cupboard * Harry, the Poisonous Centipede * Roald Dahl books - we love Roald Dahl * Detectives in Togas (as well as its sequel)

Cyndi, thanks for the sample pages. Looks good. We're using Steck Vaughn Core Skills - and they're very good and thorough. But this is going to sound rather picky - my dc can't stand the paper. They say that it's cheap quality, which is true, IMO. I love easy programs like these. :)

These look good. Thank you. :)

Just bumping for you. I just saw this again yesterday in the Rainbow Resource catalog - if it is what you are referring to. Don't know if the link will work - if not you can look in Rainbow Resource. I am curious about this. Or maybe this link.

Thank you, all. :) Kate, yes, I should look on amazon. Looking more for supplemental-type workbooks. Dh covers science. I just want to do more - mostly for extra retention. This sounds really good. :D Yes, I have often thought of Singapore. We've used their math off and on and like how thorough they are. Also like pretty much anything by Spectrum. Nope. No B&N nearby ... nothing in this part of the world. We'll be visiting the U.S. soon - we just buy as we see or order beforehand. But, thanks anyway. So, do all the Singapore Science books require lab work? I'm not looking for that. And problems re-creating all that are not what I'm looking for at the moment. I'm looking for quick, easy, minimal work ... simple and nice ... particularly since dh teaches them science already. This might be too easy for them. If they had a volume for after grade 6, it would be nice. Now ... decisions, decisions. ;) You've all been a wonderful help. Thank you :grouphug:.

I got these - the Basic, Not Boring series - they're nice and all is fine - except - there's no related text - nothing really in them - just questions. :confused: Are there any secular science workbooks that have some form of text either inside them - or with a related text? I like engaging, effective, and minimal work for me. :) Am I asking for too much? I guess I need to spend more time browsing the Rainbow Resource catalog one more time ...

Isabella, thank you so much. Your info has been incredibly helpful. :grouphug:

Totally agree. I have lots of info on this.

Thank you, Isabella :grouphug:. I'm so excited to learn this. Now, a rather stupid question - is there a reason to freeze? Can someone just eat it raw? :001_huh: Not that I want to ;). I would think that freezing is done to make it taste better. But is there another reason? Or just to make it more convenient to have smaller chunks, rather than all in one go? :D I remember had a very long exam in grad school - more than 3 hours long - and I had liver that morning. I felt so energized. Felt great. Back then, I used to have liver at least 2-3 times a week for breakfast. I'd like to start having liver more regularly. The other new posts are really interesting. I need to read more on this. For now, I'm going to look into liver and yellow dock. I just love learning new things. :D

CORRECTING AN IODINE DEFICIENCY: I think it was Dr. Nan Fuchs who wrote: “I've had women come into my office who look like the poster child for underactive thyroid. They're overweight, they're losing their hair and eyebrows, their skin is dry, and they tell me they feel cold all the time. Yet when their doctor gave them a thyroid test, it came back normal! When I put these women on iodine supplementation, their conditions improve dramatically. Their skin improves, they stop losing their hair, and they finally lose that excess weight — and keep it off.” 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 and symptoms listed above. 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. 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). The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer rates in Japan are a result of their substantially higher iodine levels. Iodine has documented antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. A strong case can be made that your iodine RDA should be closer to what the Japanese consume daily, if breast cancer rates are any indication. Low iodine can lead to fibrocystic breast disease in women (density, lumps and bumps), hyperplasia, and atypical mammary tissue. Such fibrocystic changes in breast tissue have been shown to reverse in the presence of iodine supplementation after 3-4 months. 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. Sea vegetables (agar, arame, hijiki, kombu, nori, sea palms, and wakame) have some of the highest mineral content of any plants—especially calcium, iron, and iodine (the latter of which supports thyroid health)—all vital for women). Sea veggies are well known to protect against environmental pollutants; McGill researchers find that the alginic acid they contain reduces the amount of radioactive materials absorbed through the intestinal wall. If you haven’t yet developed a taste for these superfoods, a dash of Seaweed Gomasio (a seasoning combining them with sea salt) on other foods will do just fine. Use iodine-rich Seaweed Gomasio to season your food. Instead of using seaweed to boost your iodine levels, you might consider taking an iodine supplement. Iodoral is a very good one. When we take 50 mg of iodine/iodide a day, it acts as an adaptogen, regulating various body functions. This is the amount that most of us need. Not just any iodine will do. Kelp and iodized salt just won’t give you even close to the 50 mg required amount. Neither will seaweed nor fish, unless you eat enough of them every single day. The Japanese have adequate iodine, but we can’t get enough from our diet unless we eat high-iodine seaweed every single day. We’re extremely deficient. We’ve been on a low-iodine diet all our lives and they haven’t. And it’s rare for most to eat seaweed daily. Some forms of iodine are harmful. Iodoral is not. All of us need a combination of iodine and iodide, the two forms of iodine used throughout our bodies. Iodoral and Lugol are the only supplements containing these two nutrients. Lugol, however, tastes foul. 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.

Jessica, I have lots more info, but for now, I'll focus on Iodoral, which is a great supplement from my experience as well as from what others have posted - recommendations from both ends of the spectrum - endocrinologists to naturopathic types. You can read more than 50 reviews on amazon. I'm now taking 3 a day and feel much better - less monthly bre@st pain and discomfort (virtually none), less hair loss ... just better overall. Here's the info and it's a lot. More than 90% of us are low in iodine. Whole body iodine insufficiency is contributing to numerous health problems from hypothyroidism to breast cancer and fibromyalgia. Today's environment makes it almost impossible to get the amount of iodine you need. 1. There's very little iodine in the soil. So unless you're eating a ton of iodine-rich foods like kelp, seaweed and shellfish, you're not going to get much iodine from your diet. 2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt. While commercial table salt usually contains iodine, this is not the best way to boost iodine intake. In fact, “salt iodination, which is performed routinely in many countries, may increase the incidence of overt hypothyroidism,” a new Greek study concludes. Kelp and other sea vegetables are excellent sources of natural iodine. Use Seaweed Gomasio (Amazon has this also) to season your food, rather than iodized salt. 3. Food manufacturers have stopped using iodine in baked goods and are using bromine instead. Bromine (a halogen) competes with iodine to get into your cells. So the more bromine you consume, the less iodine you get. Unfortunately, many foods today (primarily baked goods) are loaded with bromine. 4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens. Again, halogens compete with iodine to get into your cells. And you can't avoid chlorine and fluoride simply by drinking filtered water. That's because you get a hefty dose any time you bathe, shower, soak in a hot tub, or swim in a swimming pool. 5. Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job! Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency Adrenal Fatigue Cardiac arrhythmia Diabetes (both types) Fibrocystic breast disease Fibromyalgia Graves’ disease Hormone resistance syndromes Hypertension Obesity PCOS Sleep apnea Thyroid Disorders – sub-clinical hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis BENEFITS OF CORRECTING AN IODINE DEFICIENCY THYROID Interestingly, over the past 30 years, Americans’ iodine intake has declined 50% while thyroid disorders have significantly increased during that period. Iodine plays a significant role in preventing hormonal imbalances and regulating the thyroid Your thyroid gland needs iodine whether it’s working normally, is underactive (hypothyroid), overactive (hyperthyroid), or enlarged (goiter). Enough iodine normalizes all these conditions. PROTECTS BREASTS – Fibrocystic Breast Disease, Breast Cancer (as well as endometrial and ovarian cancers) What most people don’t realize is that next to the thyroid, iodine is concentrated in breast tissue. It can protect against fibrocystic breast disease and even breast cancer. Iodine helps to normalize the impact of estrogens on the breast. It decreases or turns off the estrogen receptor sites in the breast. 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. Recent research has shown that iodine treatment improves fibrocystic disease in 70 percent of the women tested. As our intake of iodine has declined, breast cancer has increased. When bromide gets into the tissues, it displaces iodine, which, again, is essential for breast health. Some women with fibrocystic breast disease find their cysts and tenderness disappear after iodine supplementation. HELPS REMOVE CERTAIN TOXINS FROM BODY Iodine protects us from two toxic elements – fluoride and bromide. These toxins are in our water, hot tubs, non-organic foods, and some soft drinks. Bromide is even used in some asthma drugs. 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. FIGHTS FATIGUE and gives greater energy NORMALIZES SEVERAL HORMONES – Without enough iodine, your hormones won’t work at their best. If you and your doctor can’t explain why the hormones you’re taking aren’t working the way they should, insufficient iodine may be the reason.

:iagree: I keep going back and forth on this. Not sure if I should order it or not. Loving this right now. :D I'll be sad when this one ends. The 4th one will likely never be published. He planned on writing 10 in this series. I LOVE his books. :iagree: My dh loved this one. He's a huge Dickens fan. I want to go back to the ones I haven't yet read sometime in my life when I can focus more.

This is so interesting. My naturopathic friends would have raw liver daily or a few times a week. I thought they were out of their minds. Now, this is starting to make a lot of sense :iagree:. So, you just freeze raw liver and eat it, correct? Dancer67, your plan is a fabulous one. You're on the right track. :grouphug:

One more thing ... I feel like "Columbo" with my "one more things" ... if you really and truly want help with your health overall and especially with quitting smoking, I highly recommend acupuncture. Trust me on this. Many have had great success with this for all sorts of health issues, including quitting smoking. When it comes to anything alternative, my absolute favorite is a good acupuncturist. If you have issues with needles, they can also do acupressure - which is without needles. My very skeptical dh has had amazing results with acupuncture. It really helps with pretty much anything - chronic pain, arthritis, asthma, migraines, eating issues, weight problems, fertility issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression and anxiety, sleep issues, even cancer patients going through treatment - you name it. Most importantly, what I really love about it, is that an acupuncturist can help develop an herbal formula that is tailored specifically to you, in addition to using the traditional needles to help health problems. Herbs have a greater synergy with acupuncture, so you may see a greater benefit if you use both. To find a qualified acupuncturist near you, go to http://www.nccaom.org or call 904-598-1005 or go to http://www.acufinder.com A good acupuncturist is like an angel. Time and time again, I have seen them do incredible stuff that doctors can't.

Dancer67, I'm no expert. I honestly don't know. I haven't read all of the replies yet, but what I have read so far is great advice. I'll try my hardest to answer. I would probably try to avoid it for as long as I possibly can - dietary and supplement changes take at least 6 weeks in order to see a difference. Sometimes longer. So you need patience. I think it was someone here who posted this, or maybe it was on another forum. "There are several things that can deplete iron -- such as excessive intake of coffee or tea, strenuous exercise, heavy perspiration, and prolonged or heavy menstrual cycles. There are many great food sources of iron, and as always, this is the best way to go. If you must supplement, I *highly* recommend staying away from the often-constipating prescription iron supplements. There is a liquid iron supplement called Floradix that I have used, and I strongly believe that it is the way to go, if you must supplement your diet". Vitamin C can increase iron absorption by as much as 30%. So drinking orange juice, eating strawberries, green peppers, etc. along with your iron-rich foods is a good idea. Iron-rich foods include: Eggs Fish Liver - if I were you, I would try to eat organic, grass-fed liver at least a few times a week. Then once your levels are normalized, go down to less. Once a week is fine for many. Liver is fabulous, and like eggs, they've gotten a bad rap. Meat Poultry Leafy green vegetables - spinach, kale, etc. Whole grains Almonds Raisins (which you know) (and the list goes on) You could also try to switch to iron cookware. I read this, but have no experience with it: If you aren't using iron cookware regularly, you may wish to take 10 to 15 milligrams of elemental iron a day. Jarrow Formulas IronSorb Elemental Iron From Protein Succinylate -- 18 mg - 60 Vegetarian Capsules - vitacost.com has this. Perhaps Floradix is better. You can read reviews of both online or listen to the wonderful ladies here. I personally no longer care for store-brand multis - such as Centrum, etc. I don't know about CVS, but last time I checked the ingredients for Centrum, I said, "No more!" - the list is too long. I have taken multis from vitacost - good reviews and prices - Source Naturals is good. There are other good brands out there - you want ones with a short ingredient list. If your budget allows, Ann Louise Gittleman has very good ones - she knows her stuff - I am currently taking one of hers - mine is without iron. She also has ones with iron. I think the iron that she includes is a good form of iron. Mind you, she's very expensive. But again, vitacost has many good ones. I don't know about the brands of C, D, or fish oils that you're taking. Quality is important. Dosage is important also. Quality is very important when it comes to fish oil, especially. I take Carlson's. I read this recently: If you’re taking one of the many “one-a-day” formulas (Theragram-M, Geritol, Centrum - also brands like CVS), you may not be getting much bang for your buck. That’s because they’re so low in potency. Most fall into the “less well absorbed” category. One-a-day formulas frequently contain synthetic coloring, waxes, and other ingredients that bind the tablets together. The biggest problem with one-a-day formulas is that they can’t give you high potencies of nutrients. There just isn’t room to put a lot of nutrients into a single tablet or capsule. Supplements with therapeutic amounts need to be taken in larger quantities – from 4-6 tablets or capsules daily. This may seem like a lot, but it’s not. Frankly, you’re wasting your money if the supplements you take are too low in potency, poorly absorbed, contaminated, mislabeled, or not appropriate for your condition. Carlson Super 2 Daily Vitamins and Minerals Iron Free (2 softgels per day) - Carlson is FANTASTIC. If they have one with iron, I would imagine that the iron they use is a good one. I've decided to get as many supplements as I can from Carlson's. I trust them. Life Extension Two Per Day Tablets (2 tablets per day) Solgar Formula V VM-75 Multiple Vitamins with Chelated Minerals (1 tablet per day) Swanson Health Products Daily Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (1-2 capsules per day) Rainbow Light Certified Organics Women's Multivitamin (4 capsules, 2 to 4 per day) - have heard great things about Rainbow Light as well as New Chapter Organics. I would try my hardest to start looking into more natural approaches for the stuff you're taking meds for - depression, IBS, high blood pressure. I don't like the idea of being on meds long-term at such a young age. High blood pressure is serious. You may need to be on meds for that. But hopefully, with lifestyle changes, you can start to take care of it yourself with your doctor's approval. If you need specifics on those, and when you're ready to start working on those, let me know if you need tips. No, hardly. I take so many supplements, since it's very difficult, if not, impossible to take everything in one. I take pretty much everything and much more ... I have yet to find something that's all in one. You should see the amount of things I take. If someone were to shake me, I would rattle. :D We all take fish oil - it's one of the best supplements you can take for overall health. Same with D3. My parents and I take Garlic. And the list goes on and on ... but remember, diet is key. Nutrition is first and foremost. Thinking of you as you try to quit smoking. Quitting will be the best thing you can do for yourself. :grouphug: More info on iron that I've posted before, I think. Again, diet, as above. I would try eating liver a few times a week - even daily - along with a Vitamin-C rich food at the same time. I know some who have safely eaten liver daily. But every body is different. Iron is a double-edged mineral for women. Menstruating women lose iron-rich blood every month, plus pregnancy, nursing, and strenuous physical exercise dramatically increase the need for this mineral. But later in life, excess iron, which accumulates in the body after menopause, may increase women’s risk for cancer and heart disease. If you’re over 50 or have experienced early or surgically induced menopause, see your doctor for a hematocrit, hemoglobin, and/or ferritin test to determine if you need iron. The ferritin test, which assesses stored iron, is most important here. If your levels approach anywhere from 150 to 200 ng/mL on the ferritin test, do avoid extra iron in supplements, iron-enriched grains, and cut down on red meat. You might want to consider an iron-free multivitamin Studies indicate that iron can help improve short-term memory loss and concentration. If you aren't using iron cookware regularly, you may wish to take 10 to 15 milligrams of elemental iron a day. Jarrow Formulas IronSorb Elemental Iron From Protein Succinylate -- 18 mg - 60 Vegetarian Capsules Iron oxidizes. If you take too much iron, it can lead to cancer. This is why there are few multivitamin formulas for postmenopausal women that contain iron. If you have had cancer, or if there is a high incidence of cancer in your family, you may want to take a formula without added iron unless a blood test determines that you are iron-deficient, in which case, natural sources may be far superior. Iron supplements should be avoided if you have arthritis. Too much iron can increase the production of free radicals in your brain cells and the tiny blood vessels in your brain, thereby increasing the risk of stroke. If your iron levels are too high, your brain cells can release a neurotransmitter called glutamate that can trigger chemical reactions causing brain-cell death. Stored iron normally increases as we age, but in a few people, it is very high. The next time that you have a blood test, ask that your ferritin level be tested. It’s a simple and inexpensive aspect of stroke protection. ETA: I just remembered my naturopathic friends putting me on Yellow Dock drops many years ago. I asked them why and they said that it was the best and healthiest source of iron. I need to consider ordering some and taking this again. They begged me to stop those one-a-day brands, such as Centrum and had me go on this. I just googled yellow dock and came up with this. Drops, I think, are usually better absorbed than capsules. Alcohol-free ones don't taste as foul.

I'm not against meds for those who need them. My dh is on meds at the moment. Personally, I do prefer to not take meds, if possible, over the long-term. Short-term, fine. Long-term - only if nothing else works. Just me, personally. Iodoral has helped many. There's a book about iodine deficiency for those who are interested. There are reviews on amazon. The research is also out there. Some forms of iodine are harmful. Iodoral is not. All of us need a combination of iodine and iodide, the two forms of iodine used throughout our bodies. Iodoral and Lugol are the only supplements containing these two nutrients. Lugol, however, tastes foul. Interestingly, over the past 30 years, Americans’ iodine intake has declined 50% while thyroid disorders have significantly increased during that period. Iodine plays a significant role in preventing hormonal imbalances and regulating the thyroid Your thyroid gland needs iodine (again, the right kind) whether it’s working normally, is underactive (hypothyroid), overactive (hyperthyroid), or enlarged (goiter). Enough iodine normalizes all these conditions. I have lots more info, but I don't want to overwhelm anyone further.

This comment made me giggle. I'm going to have to remember this. :lol: I'm so sorry that you are frustrated, however. I hope you and everyone here finds health and healing. :grouphug:

Have not read the other posts, since I'm a bit short on time. Sorry if any of this is a repeat, which, I'm sure it is. CAUSED BY Stress Fatigue Eyestrain Seasonal allergies Magnesium Deficiency Caffeine Poor Nutrition Excessive Alcohol Intake Most eye twitches subside on their own • Drink lots of water. • Magnesium is good for muscle spasms. • Chamomile is also anti-spasmodic • Gently massage width of lid with finger for a minute or two several times a day

I didn't address adrenal fatigue directly, since I wasn't even thinking along those lines. I just started eating as healthy as I could and I try to keep it up. There are some great books on that. Think Mediterranean diet, etc. I also try to exercise consistently, but that's not always easy. You need to make your health and well being a priority. Again, not always easy. :grouphug: Iodoral has made a great difference for me. Taking 1 didn't feel that different. 2 was okay. Now, I'm taking 3 ... and remember, you should build up gradually and see how your body feels ... anyway, taking 3, has made me feel better.

Thank you. :)

More info I read - have not had time to edit this yet. I think Karuna progesterone cream is said to be a very good one. Facial hair can be the bane of women as they grow older—right around the same time, sadly, when their “crowning glory” starts to become thinner and grayer. One recent study shows that 10% of menopausal women complain of facial “fuzz,” but unwanted hair can start sprouting as early as perimenopause. Women who are younger with facial hair, in their 20s and 30s, may have another—more serious—concern, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially if they’re overweight, experience menstrual irregularities, and/or acne. While the direct cause of PCOS is unknown, a new study in Environmental Health Perspectives links neonatal exposure to the endocrine/estrogenic disrupter bisphenol A (BPA)—found in plastic bottles, the lining of food cans, and dental sealants—with hormonal disruption in rats that mimics PCOS in humans. The most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age, PCOS can cause infertility and lead to long-term complications like cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and stroke, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, male-pattern baldness, ovarian cysts, and (according to recent research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine) even endometrial cancer. One cause of thinning hair and/or excess facial hair in women of all ages—including those with PCOS—is a condition known as estrogen dominance. This hormonal imbalance is also associated with abnormal blood sugar levels, fat gain, and low adrenal function. Simply put, estrogen dominance occurs when there is more estrogen than progesterone in the system. Estrogen-like chemicals in the environment, emotional factors, stress, menstrual changes, and even lack of dietary fiber, which binds to excess estrogen to help move it out of the body, can all lead to this kind of hormone havoc. Need Progesterone? Sometimes, a severe lack of natural progesterone—which is the flip side of estrogen dominance—is the primary culprit. Starting in the teens and 20s, a skipped period (indicating the failure to ovulate, which is somewhat similar to what happens when women begin going through the “change”) can cause the adrenal cortex to secrete the steroid androstenedione—instead of progesterone. An alternate chemical precursor to the production of other hormones, this steroid hormone is associated with some male characteristics, one of which is male-pattern baldness. According to the late John R. Lee, MD, the body normally produces 20 mg of natural progesterone during a menstrual cycle. Besides its role as a precursor to other important hormones, natural progesterone helps balance blood sugar, combat fuzzy thinking and irritability, prevent water retention and fat gain, and even boost your libido. When you raise your progesterone levels with a bio-identical progesterone cream, which is absorbed transdermally in the fatty layer beneath the skin, your adronstenedione levels will gradually decline. Facial hair will start to diminish, while the hair on your head will begin to grow back normally. For older women who are no longer menstruating, progesterone deficiency can also result in excessive facial hair. But do beware of synthetic progesterone (progestin), which won’t work the way natural or bio-identical progesterone does. Your body has difficulty breaking down this synthetic form, used in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, so this altered form creates a potential for toxic effects. In fact, after progestin was added to HRT, women’s cancer risk increased! Regardless of age, practically every woman who takes a Salivary Hormone Test has been found to be extremely progesterone deficit. To help restore natural hormonal balance, Ann Louise Gittleman typically recommends applying about ¼ teaspoon or 1 pump (20 mgs) of ProgestaKey, an all-natural progesterone cream, to different areas of the body each day. This helps to avoid saturating the receptors beneath the skin in any one part of the body. Apply to soft skin, rich in capillaries, on the most suitable areas like your neck, upper chest, breasts, inner arms, abdomen, backs of your hands, and even your face. Not only does ProgestaKey help encourage hair growth in the right place, but it will also burn body fat as fuel and act as a natural diuretic to help control weight. I formulated this bio-identical hormone cream for my personal use when I was going through perimenopause—but it’s effective for younger women as well. Menstruating, perimenopausal, and menopenopausal women will find the specific protocol for application right on the label. I’m not at all surprised that researchers are linking PCOS with other endocrine disrupters in today’s increasingly “chemical world.” Environmental sources of hormones include parabens in cosmetics, pesticides, plasticizers, and the estrogen-laden feed given to livestock to fatten them up. The trouble is today’s factory-farmed food fattens us humans up as well! In addition to organic and grass-fed meats, a low-carb diet has been found effective for both PCOS and women going through the “change.” A University of Alabama at Birmingham study shows that low-carb diets significantly improve insulin and cholesterol levels in women clinically diagnosed with PCOS—without affecting circulating levels of their reproductive hormones. Cutting out sugar and the reactive and processed carbs in grains will help immensely. Exercise helps normalize insulin and balance hormone levels, too!

I don't always care for the medical community either. :glare: Hopefully, some of this will help. Trust me on the Iodoral, it works. Read some reviews on amazon. PCOS is a disorder marked by elevations in “male” hormones – Menstrual irregularities Increased Waist size Raised Testosterone Levels Pinnitol restores ovulation and decreases testosterone levels. Acupuncture eases symptoms of PCOS. It soothes overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, which can spur unhealthy hormone production. IODINE More than 90% of us are low in iodine and PCOS is often linked to an iodine deficiency. Today's environment makes it almost impossible to get the amount of iodine you need. 1. There's very little iodine in the soil. So unless you're eating a ton of iodine-rich foods like kelp, seaweed and shellfish, you're not going to get much iodine from your diet. 2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt. 3. Food manufacturers have stopped using iodine in baked goods and are using bromine instead. Bromine (a halogen) competes with iodine to get into your cells. So the more bromine you consume, the less iodine you get. Unfortunately, many foods today (primarily baked goods) are loaded with bromine. 4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens. Again, halogens compete with iodine to get into your cells. And you can't avoid chlorine and fluoride simply by drinking filtered water. That's because you get a hefty dose any time you bathe, shower, soak in a hot tub, or swim in a swimming pool. 5. Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job! CORRECTING AN IODINE DEFICIENCY: I think it was Dr. Nan Fuchs who wrote: “I've had women come into my office who look like the poster child for underactive thyroid. They're overweight, they're losing their hair and eyebrows, their skin is dry, and they tell me they feel cold all the time. Yet when their doctor gave them a thyroid test, it came back normal! When I put these women on iodine supplementation, their conditions improve dramatically. Their skin improves, they stop losing their hair, and they finally lose that excess weight — and keep it off.” 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 and symptoms listed above. 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. 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). 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. Amazon has this. Instead of using seaweed to boost your iodine levels, you might consider taking an iodine supplement. Iodoral is a very good one. 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 (I'm now taking 3 and feel fabulous) 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. 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.

One word ... yet again ... Iodoral - you can get it on amazon and read more about it. I can share lots of info with you. Just didn't want to overwhelm you.