Quack watch.

[toad]

So I was wondering why my fingernails were so darn fragile. I looked up symptoms and causes and a shortage of vitamin D3 was indicated. I'd recently gone into fro blood tests for B-12 shortage but that was OK and my calcium levels were OK then I remembered that I had to have a parathyroid removed about 5 years ago and this can lead to a shortage of D3. The blood test showed that my phosphate lever was OK for parathyroid function. The thing is I was having the "Bones, Groans, Sighs," ( fragile sore bones, general pain, depression, and kidney stones) symptoms for hyperparathyroidism. No kidney stone symptoms thankfully. The next two test require subscriptions or heavy money, bone density tests and then a nuclear uptake test to id the bad parathyroid. I won't have my medicare part B restored until July 1. This led me to start researching ways to last until then. In the meantime I've gone as about as far as I can with pay it your self with blood tests. Now on to quack search.
Welllll, it seems that people have about half the iodine in their bodies that they had in 1970. Further research with my bad google-fu and bingsearching have led to a lot of correlation studies but not enough large scale causation studies. It is thought that since the jihad against salt, people are getting enough iodine and this leads to thyroid and parathyroid problems. The theory seems to be that we don't get enough food with iodine in it and that the increase in fluoride, chlorine, and various heavy metals in drinking water and processed foods have been depleting iodine.
Also in ye ancient days they recommended keeping your system alkaline, usually by taking baking soda. Iodine supplements were recommended..
Unfortunately the larges study was for keeping cattle healthy.......Moo! The Japanese get a lot of iodine from eating kelp and seafood they also tend to salt the heck out of their rice. Of course these days they are probably getting radioactive kelp and fish.

[Netpackrat]

Welllll, it seems that people have about half the iodine in their bodies that they had in 1970. Further research with my bad google-fu and bingsearching have led to a lot of correlation studies but not enough large scale causation studies. It is thought that since the jihad against salt, people are getting enough iodine and this leads to thyroid and parathyroid problems. The theory seems to be that we don't get enough food with iodine in it and that the increase in fluoride, chlorine, and various heavy metals in drinking water and processed foods have been depleting iodine.

Jihad against salt, plus jihad against chemical additives in food. Mrs. NPR kept buying the non-iodized salt, and I would then go back to the store and buy the iodized stuff, and dispose of the first package. It led to an argument which I settled by sending her a couple links to pages about cretinism, and why they put iodine in the salt in the first place. No issues after that and she buys the correct stuff at the store now.

[blackeagle603]

cept it's only good for providing Iodine 3-4 weeks after opening.

[Darrell]

Once upon a time Lugol's solution was the answer. I gather it's now regulated by the .gov, as it can be used in methamphetamine production.

Iodine pills are available all over the place.

ETA: 2% Lugol's solution and a wide variety of iodine supplements are available at Amazon, Walmart and elsewhere.

I quit using iodized salt many years ago--I use saline nasal irrigation, and the iodized salt tastes awful and burns my sinuses. I think pure salt tastes better for cooking as well. I have considered taking a supplement, though.

[Netpackrat]

cept it's only good for providing Iodine 3-4 weeks after opening.

Even if that is so, putting the iodine in salt seems to be effective, given that the Great Lakes region is no longer commonly known as the Goiter Belt.

[Termite]

If you make sushi rolls a regular part of your diet, you should get plenty of iodine.

If you can't stand the idea of eating raw fish, then nori(roasted dried kelp) snacks are commonly available at most all oriental food markets.

I generally buy non-iodized salt because it has better flavor. Living on the Gulf coast, shrimp is a regular part of our diet.

[Netpackrat]

Alaskans don't eat bait, and I'm not really a fan of seafood, period. Love to catch fish, not interested in eating them. When we go fishing together, AlaskaTRX generally gets to take everything home.

[Rich]

I buy a Sea Salt product for taste and Old Farts vitamins which contain Iodine. Seems to work.

[toad]

My old farts vitamins contain iodine but it also contains vitamin C which is counter indicated for Hyperparathyroidism, unless taken about an hour later. Maybe. It does contain boron though.
I read on one post that you can absorb enough iodine just by painting it on a patch of skin and it be absorbed.
Wouldn't "Sea Salt" have iodine in it?

[Rich]

My old farts vitamins contain iodine but it also contains vitamin C which is counter indicated for Hyperparathyroidism, unless taken about an hour later. Maybe. It does contain boron though.
I read on one post that you can absorb enough iodine just by painting it on a patch of skin and it be absorbed.
Wouldn't "Sea Salt" have iodine in it?

Garlic.
Sea Salt.
Sunflower Oil.
Parsley.

McCormick brand grinder.

The Garlic is to keep the vampires away.

Old Farts pills are Sentry Senior, supposedly similar to Centrum Silver, and also have Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid).

If I lay off the Old Farts pills for a month or two, I don't notice any changes so really can't say if the Sea Salt is iodized or not. It's just that what I'm doing works, so why change?

(IMPORTANT, SEE BELOW)

Edited from McCormick's site:

Sea Salt Grinder

Naturally harvested from the French Mediterranean. Sea salt tends to be coarser and have a
higher concentration of minerals than table salt. Its sodium level is comparable to table salt. This
salt does not supply iodine, a necessary nutrient.