Wheat one-liners

If you're having difficulty convincing a loved one or someone else that wheat should be eliminated from the human diet, here are some useful one-liners to use:

Wheat makes your boobs big.
(This is true. Priceless for women to use on their husbands.)

Wheat causes dementia.
(And confirmed on examination of brain tissue at autopsy. Yes, autopsy.)

Wheat makes you look pregnant.
(The visceral fat of a wheat belly does a darn good imitation of a near-term infant.)

The first sign of wheat intolerance can be wetting your pants.
(Cerebellar ataxia, i.e., destruction and atrophy of the cerebellum, caused by wheat leads to loss of coordination and bladder control. Average age of onset: 53 years old.)

White flour bad, whole grain better; just as Marlboros are bad, Salems are better.
(The flawed syllogism that led to the "eat more healthy whole grain" colossal blunder.)

Wheat is the only food with its very own mortality rate.
(Celiac disease, osteoporotic hip fractures, and the neurologic diseases triggered by wheat can be fatal.)

"Wheat" is no longer wheat; it's the dwarf mutant that came from genetics research in the 1960s.
(Over 99% of all wheat today comes from the 18-inch tall dwarf mutant.)

Wheat increases blood sugar higher than nearly all other foods.
(Higher than Milky Way bars, higher than Snickers bars, higher than table sugar.)


There you have it: A full arsenal of one-liners to shoot at your husband, wife, or friend when they roll their eyes at your refusal to consume this thing called "wheat."

Comments (22) -

  • Anonymous

    11/26/2010 3:21:15 PM |

    Dr. Davis:

    As part of my low carb diet. When my family has pasta (2x per month or so) I have Dreamfields pasta which claims to "lock up" the carbs so they become indigestible. By testing, I know this does not cause a spike in my blood sugar like a normal pasta meal would. I have no wheat sensitivity at all that I can detect, but lately I've become concerned that this may still contribute to small particle LDL, even though it does not spike my blood sugar. Will I still have negative effects from eating this?  P.S. Sorry to be "Anonymous" but I'm not signed up for any of the other options.

  • Anonymous

    11/26/2010 3:53:36 PM |

    You need to test up to 5 hours after eating the pasta. It may be slowing, but not eliminating the spike

  • Lori Miller

    11/26/2010 4:07:33 PM |

    I find wheat to be an appetite stimulant, congesting, it leads to bloating, a few pounds of water weight gain, and a lot of crud on my teeth. If a slightly flatter chest is the price I have to pay to avoid all this, I call it a bargain.

  • Steve Cooksey

    11/26/2010 4:17:47 PM |

    ... but other than all those reasons....wheat's ok right? Cause we need fiber....right??

    LOL!!! I am a Type 2 Diabetic with normal blood sugar and CDE's have told me I should start eating grains.... for FIBER!

    I should take drugs & insulin ....for fiber...

    Thanks Dr. Davis!!!

  • Anand Srivastava

    11/26/2010 6:29:12 PM |

    So women who want big ones should eat wheat Wink. Just saying.

  • Anonymous

    11/26/2010 7:13:05 PM |

    "So women who want big ones should eat wheat Wink. Just saying."

    Didn't work for me!  I've had size A cup boobies before and after wheat.  I do have a nice, flat stomach now though so it was a net gain (loss actually)!

    I also got rid of allergies, skin problems, joint pains and other minor health complaints.

    To the person above eating Dreamfields pasta, it is still loaded with glutens, which cause a host of problems associated with wheat. It's not just the carb content of wheat that is bad.

  • Anonymous

    11/26/2010 7:17:13 PM |

    im a new persona after quiting wheat but doctor what are the usual minerals low in a person consuming wheat which they should supplement after stopping wheat... eg iron/iodine?

  • Dr. William Davis

    11/26/2010 8:41:01 PM |

    Hi, Anonymous--

    See Anonymous' response. It's right on.

    We've had mostly good experiences with the Dreamfields, though some have had modest increases in blood glucose.

  • Dr. William Davis

    11/26/2010 8:42:35 PM |

    Yet another Anonymous--

    Great question about the deficiencies that develop with wheat consumption.

    I'll cover that in an upcoming Heart Scan Blog post.

  • Ed

    11/26/2010 9:21:18 PM |

    As you say, "'Wheat' is no longer wheat".

    Here's a paper that shows varying wheat toxicity, as you observed with einkorn:

    "Natural variation in toxicity of wheat: potential for selection of nontoxic varieties for celiac disease patients."

    http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/16143119

    Different species and varieties, all (usually) called by the same name: not helpful for reality-based thinking.

  • Chris

    11/27/2010 1:34:46 AM |

    Robert DeNiro used Pasta to gain, what was it? 70lbs? for "raging Bull"
    ...worth an Oscar, I guess Smile

  • Eric Edberg

    11/27/2010 2:13:07 AM |

    "Wheat causes dementia."  What's the documentation for that?  I've read all over the place that the evidence for dementia causes, including dietary causes, is inconclusive.  (I also understand that big pharm would have us believe that the problem is insufficient levels of Namenda and Aricept, etc.)

    It's confusing.  My mother has significant dementia.  My dad had a huge belly, all sorts of diabetes complications, heart disease, etc., which killed him, but never developed dementia.  

    Anyway, enjoy your blog and am almost there on eliminating wheat from my diet.  

    Thanks!

  • Desia

    11/27/2010 2:17:22 AM |

    The first sign of wheat intolerance can be wetting your pants.
    (Cerebellar ataxia, i.e., destruction and atrophy of the cerebellum, caused by wheat leads to loss of coordination and bladder control. Average age of onset: 53 years old.)
    Where can I find more info on the above? I've been googling but cannot find something substantial.
    Thanks!

  • Dave

    11/27/2010 6:12:49 AM |

    I think it might be more catchy to think of "healthy whole grains" as the equivalent not of Salems but of "healthy low tar" cigarettes.

  • William Trumbower

    11/27/2010 12:06:29 PM |

    The increased visceral fat (wheat Belly) caused by the high wheat SAD does cause men to aromatize their testosterone to estradiol and get man-boobs, but in women it converts their estradiol to testosterone causing hair growth abnormalities etc.   The SAD causes men to look like women and women to look like men.

  • Dr. William Davis

    11/27/2010 1:50:41 PM |

    Hi, Eric--

    A clarification: I don't believe that I can argue that ALL dementia, or even most dementia, is caused by wheat. But the Mayo Clinic has published a study demonstrating that it has this potential. Nobody knows how common this is.


    Hi, Desia--

    Go to Pubmed.com and enter "cerebellar ataxia" and "gluten" and you will come up with the extensive work of Hadjivasilliou et al.


    Dr. Trumbower--

    Good to hear from you!

    Excellent distinction. I should have added: "Wheat makes women grow mustaches."

  • sr

    11/27/2010 4:09:37 PM |

    The new poster boy for the wheat industry:

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gv9eOOyFf8Q/SAP0wrd5E6I/AAAAAAAAB0g/vht-QdRvPZQ/s1600-h/76e41476b9ecd0ed6e386edb0e9e0fccfb3b2b77.jpg

  • Desia

    11/27/2010 6:10:41 PM |

    Thanks for the reply Dr. Davis.

  • Paul

    11/27/2010 7:11:18 PM |

    I fell off the wagon this Thanksgiving.

    All my family and friends completely reject the very idea of wheat abstention. Although, I did succeed in convincing my mom to go LC for a little while. She lost eight lbs. and two 1/2 inches off her waist in two weeks. She fell off the wagon soon after and quickly regained the weight. She said she was going to "try it" again.

    This holiday I was asked to two Thanksgiving meals and the usual villains where there in abundance; breaded turkey stuffing, thick-starchy gravy, puffy white butter rolls, and a variety of pies drowned in sugar.

    After 31 straight months abstaining from all things wheat, starch, and sugar, I succumbed to the prodding of my hosts to fully participate in the carb filled feasts (although I did so only in small portions.)

    By the time I got home later that afternoon, I felt so lethargic and foggy all I wanted to do was lay down and go to sleep. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn someone slipped me a drug, but I knew it was only a reaction to the carbs, especially after being (at or near) a ketogenic state for so long.

    Instead, I got the dumbbells out and did some heavy lunges, presses, and pull-ups and I quickly felt much better.

    I think the adoption of wheat in western societies is so accepted and so prolific, and even highly revered and dispensed as a health food by medical and dietary establishments, the war for minds and bodies (literally) against this enemy is going to involve very long arduous battles.

    Oh, and I'll think very hard when ever again my family or friends offer up a bowl of stuffing, gravy, or butter rolls.

  • Hans Keer

    11/28/2010 5:23:49 PM |

    Thanks for the ammunition doc. My experience however is that apart from my partner, children and closest friends, second line relatives and friends are not so willing to listen to this kind of advice. Fortunately a lot of blog readers and Facebook friends are very willing to pick up the information (in this case http://bit.ly/cyKHre) and do something with it.

  • Anonymous

    11/29/2010 5:20:10 PM |

    One minor modification to the Salems quip:  Healthy whole grains are the "light" cigarettes of our age!

  • Freida Pinto

    12/2/2010 12:24:49 PM |

    Very good analysis for the diet, family. Really good. Go natural...






    Freida Pinto

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Wheat-free 2007

Wheat-free 2007


Long ago, most of us made the change of reducing saturated fat in our diet. Few people now rely on butter (despite the idiotic butter vs. margarine controversy), full-fat dairy products, fried foods, and greasy meats. That's a healthy change, since saturated fat has conclusively been tied to various cancers, high blood pressure, rise in LDL, and is calorie-dense.

But if there were just one change you were to make beyond a reduction in saturated fat, a change that would translate into dramatic health benefits, it would be a drastic reduction, even elimination, of wheat products.

People do indeed eat enormous quantities of wheat flour-containing products. U.S. per capita consumption of wheat flour was 110 pounds in the early 1970s, and rose to 141 pounds in 1991. It's even higher now. 20% or more of most people's caloric intake every day is provided by wheat flour products.

Wheat containing foods are tasty and convenient. Witness the popularity of bagel shops, the goodie counter at Starbuck's, the proliferation of crackers, breads, and breakfast cereals at the grocery store. Patients are horrified when I suggest that they find a substitute for the sandwiches they eat every day. Even Mom said they were okay!

You're unlikely to hear much about this from the popular press. The wheat industry is enormous and exerts extraordinary clout, just like the drug industry. Texas alone farms 6 million acres of wheat, yielding over $2 billion for the state's economy. The "wheat chain" is complex and far-reaching: growers, processors, food manufacturers, the transportation industry, retailers, chemical producers, and on and on. Wheat futures are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade. Wheat is a major export industry for the U.S.

Of course, these are not evil people, intent on corrupting your health. In fact, most of them are probably working under the perception that they are raising a healthy product. The point is that the notion that wheat is healthy is deeply entrenched in the minds and economy of the U.S. Don't expect to hear unbiased commentary on the health effects of wheat products from most media sources.

What can you expect if you sharply reduce or eliminate wheat? The majority of people:

--Feel like a cloud has been lifted from their thinking.
--Don't experience the afternoon blah or tired feeling after lunch.
--Lose weight, sometimes substantial quantities.
--Raise HDL.
--Reduce small LDL.
--Reduce triglycerides, particularly if they start >100 mg/dl.
--Reduce blood sugar.

The reduction in small LDL can be especially impressive.

For most people, reducing or eliminating wheat is a sacrifice, a major change in food choices and even a loss of convenience. But the health benefits for most people can be dramatic.

Comments (4) -

  • Sue

    1/5/2007 1:26:00 AM |

    All very nicely said, and knowing the effects of wheat, very logical.  However....HOW?  We basically have to change everything we eat to eliminate wheat.Everything from the hamburger bun to sauce thickeners.  So when you're in the mood, a bit of HOW to eliminate wheat from our diets would be great!

  • Nancy

    1/5/2007 4:18:00 PM |

    Sue, as someone who studiously avoids gluten (from wheat, rye, etc), I suggest visiting some web sites regarding Celiac, people suffering from this disease have to avoid anything with gluten.  Just search the internet on celiac or gluten free and you'll be amazed at the resources and information.

    One web site in particular has a very good safe/forbidden list:
    http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=12

    But the easiest way to do it is to avoid most convenience foods and go back to eating foods that come without much processing and lots of added ingredients.

  • Dr. Davis

    1/6/2007 1:03:00 AM |

    I couldn't have said it better than Nancy. However, I will warn you that people with celiac, who strictly avoid wheat products, can also gravitate towads unhealthy non-wheat containing products, too.

    Reducing, even eliminating, wheat products is not that hard. But it does mean changing deeply-ingrained habits (no pun intended). Raw nuts and seeds, oat products, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, salsa, mustards, olive oil based salad dressings, fruit,  vegetables...There's thousands of foods that don't contain wheat. You've just been brainwashed by food manufacturers into believing that most foods must contain wheat.

  • M

    4/30/2007 4:22:00 PM |

    I'm reading this months after the fact, but every single wheat-related post after has been extremely interesting to me. I weep at the thought of having to give up my beloved breads and pastas, no really, but in trying to find wheat-free diets to follow (for weight loss), I've discovered I have several symptoms of celiac disease. This may be coincedental, but your blog has at least given me food for thought. I can't quite get my mind around no wheat, but you may have pointed me in the right direction.

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Erectile dysfunction and coronary plaque

Erectile dysfunction and coronary plaque

Erectile dysfunction (ED), previously known as "impotence," and coronary atherosclerotic plaque go hand in hand.

A recent study in men with advanced coronary disease showed that 93% experienced ED. The participants in the Track Your Plaque program, for the most part, do not have advanced coronary atherosclerosis, but have an earlier form detected by a CT heart scan.

What proportion of men with asymptomatic coronary plaque as measured by a CT heart scan have ED? Around 50%. In other words, it's not a rare occurrence.

The conversation about ED (and even its renaming from impotence) really gained momentum with the development of ED-drugs like Viagra and Cialis. The drugs are reasonably effective and safe. However, you will hear little about all the strategies that can either precede your need for these drugs and/or enhance your response to these drugs if the response is partial. That part of the conversation, of course, doesn't yield loads of drug company revenues.

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We will detail the supplements that you can use safely in your Track Your Plaque program to both enhance erectile function if you suffer ED, as well as impact positively on coronary health, in an upcoming and detailed Special Report on the www.cureality.com website.

Comments (5) -

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    4/30/2008 3:28:00 PM |

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Iodine update

Iodine update

As the iodine experience grows, I've made several unique observations.

Up to several times per day, I see people who are responding in some positive way to iodine supplementation. (See previous Heart Scan Blog posts about iodine: Iodine deficiency is REAL and The healthiest people are the most iodine deficient.)

Among the phenomena I've observed:

1) A free T4 thyroid hormone at the low end of normal, or even in the below normal range, along with a highish TSH (usually >1.5 mIU/L) are the most frequent patterns that signal iodine deficiency. Occasionally, a low free T3 value will also increase, though this is the least frequent development.

2) At a dose of 500 to 1000 mcg iodine per day, it requires anywhere from 3 to 6 months to obtain normalization of thyroid measures.

3) Reversal of small goiters also occurs over about 6 months.

4) Iodine intolerance is uncommon. If it occurs, using a low starting dose, e.g., 100-200 mcg per day, usually works. The dose can be increased gradually over the ensuing months.

5) Perceptible benefits of iodine occur only occasionally. The most common perceptible effects are increased energy and increased warmth, especially of the hands and feet.

6) Some people who have taken thyroid hormones for years will develop reduced need for their medication with iodine supplementation. In other words, their physician was inadvertently treating iodine deficiency with thyroid hormone replacement. Anyone already on any thyroid preparation(s), e.g., Synthroid, levothyroxine, Armour thyroid, Naturethroid, etc., should watch for signs of hyperthyroidism when iodine is added. But having your own thyroid gland make its own thyroid hormones is better and healthier than relying on the prescription agents. Just be sure to monitor your thyroid measures.

7) Iodine toxicity can occur--Two people in my clinic population developed iodine toxicity by taking 6000 mcg iodine per day for 6 or more months. (Both patients did it on their own based on something they read). Iodine toxicity is evidenced by shutting down your thyroid, i.e., marked increase in TSH, e.g., 15 mIU/L.


Most of the people in my clinic obtain their iodine from kelp tablets. Some use potassium iodine (KI) drops. A handful have used the high-potency Iodoral (12.5 mg or 12,500 mcg iodine per tablet); this was also the form that generated the toxic effects in the two females.

All in all, iodine deficiency is actually far more common than I ever suspected. Not everybody is iodine deficient. But a substantial minority of the Midwest population I see certainly are.

Comments (30) -

  • GOJI BERRY

    7/4/2010 10:45:21 AM |

    Its really very much helpful.

  • google

    7/4/2010 12:41:31 PM |

    Initially by eating iodine-rich seaweeds daily, and then by taking 12.5 mg of Iodoral daily, my required T4 dose has decreased dramatically: from 165 ug per day to 100 ug per day so far. None of my doctors have every seen anyone reduce their T4 dose like this.

    It may not be the case that dramatic TSH increase on 12.5 mg or more of Iodoral is a sign of iodine toxicity. The docs with the most experience with mg level iodine supplementation (Abraham, Brownstein, Flechas) seem to agree that sometimes TSH will rise a lot, temporarily, but generally without hypothyroidism. They  believe this is a  functional adaption to the correction of iodine deficiency--i.e., TSH appropriately upregulating various aspects of iodine and thyroid hormone metabolism, including the iodine symporter system. Quite a few people have supplemented with doses of 100 mg per day or more with apparently no signs of iodine toxicity.

    See Dr. David Brownstein's book, "Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It," and the articles by Dr. Guy Abraham, the pioneer of modern iodine orthosupplementation, at http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Research_I.shtml.

  • Anonymous

    7/4/2010 1:17:30 PM |

    Should iodine be taken with something (i.e. oil, etc) to help with absorption?

    -- Boris

  • Lori Miller

    7/4/2010 3:36:45 PM |

    Is iodine stored in fat or fluids? In other words, can a person eat a bunch of iodine-rich seaweed once or twice a week, or should it be eaten every day if you're going that route?

  • Dr. William Davis

    7/4/2010 10:46:22 PM |

    HI, Google--

    Read it. Know his stuff.

    I think he's got a lot of great lessons to teach us. But not in this case. This was a clear-cut instance of extreme TSH elevation with prolonged iodine. This was not the phenomenon that David Brownstein describes  of modest TSH increase in the face of early iodine supplementation, an effect I see every day with great frequency.

  • Anonymous

    7/5/2010 1:17:30 AM |

    Dr Davis

    Regarding your post "This was a clear-cut instance of extreme TSH elevation with prolonged iodine"

    Can you please explain more in layman's term?

    So iodine meds supplementation should not be whole year round?

    But iodine foods can be eaten everyday?

  • Garry

    7/5/2010 1:19:20 AM |

    Are there cases of patients being "allergic" to iodine?  I'm thinking of those who have reacted to some form of seafood in the past and now might be reluctant to try iodine supplementation.

  • Samantha

    7/5/2010 1:15:39 PM |

    What do you think about iodine and hashimotos´s? Should they supplement too? Regular medical advice seems to dissuade.

  • WilliamS

    7/5/2010 2:15:30 PM |

    Hi Dr. Davis,

    I'm curious if your patients with high TSH levels also showed clinical signs of hypothyroidism. I ask because I've read all the work I can find from the three docs most experienced with iodine supplementation (Abraham, Brownstein, and Flechas) and I don't recall any of them reporting any cases of iodine-induced clinical hypothyroidism—elevated TSH, yes, but clinical illness, no. And they use much higher iodine does than you do, in some cases ten to twenty times higher, for years.

    I'm also curious if you are aware of any plausible mechanism for iodine-induced hypothryroidism at the doses you are using. Other than than the mythical Wolf-Chaikoff effect (see http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-04/IOD_04.html), I'm not aware of any.

    Since, as with Vitamin D, iodine deficiency appears to be extremely widespread and perhaps just as dangerous, clarifying any potential for toxicity that might discourage supplementation seems worthwhile.

    Thanks.

  • Anonymous

    7/5/2010 7:38:05 PM |

    What advantage does kelp have over something like potassium iodide?

    Although kelp is natural, it also tends to collect lead, etc. from the environment, which may not be so healthy.

  • Dr. William Davis

    7/5/2010 8:33:27 PM |

    Hi, Garry--

    My understanding of the iodine allergy issue is that, not being a protein, there is no such thing as genuine iodine allergy.

    There is something called "anaphylactoid reactions" to iodine-containing x-ray dye, which is not iodine allergy, but a reaction to the osmolality of the solution.

    There also seems to be allergy to iodine-modified proteins that can occur in fish and shellfish. Most of these people, in my experience, can safely take an iodine supplement. After all, most of these people use iodized salt.

    Very rarely, for reasons I do not understand, there seems to be a genuine allergy to iodinated compounds. I have met one or two people like this.

  • rmarie

    7/5/2010 8:36:35 PM |

    I have been taking an iodine supplement in liquid form called 'Iosol' off and on for years. It has been around a long time yet I have never seen it mentioned in any blogs. It is said to be water soluable, that is if the body doesn't need it it is excreted...so it's fairly safe to take. Here are two links for more info.

    The company that makes it http://www.tpcsdirect.com/

    and a good description on Byron Richard's site:
    http://www.wellnessresources.com/products/iosol_iodine.php

    Are you familiar with it Dr. Davis? Or anyone else?

  • William Trumbower

    7/5/2010 10:43:47 PM |

    I use Iosol quite frequently in my practice.  Particularly if the patient is on thyroid medication, as too high a dose can trigger hyperthyroid symptoms.  Some people will get acne on higher dose of I, probably due to excretion of other Halogens such as Bromine from the tissues.  I never use the 12.5mg dose to start.  My usual routine is Iosol 1drop daily increasing to 4 drops over 4-6 weeks (1drop=180mcg) and then switch to TriIodine capsules 6.25mg daily (available at our local health food store).  The only drawback to Iosol is that it does not contain Iodide as does Iodoral or TriIodine.  The other benefit to Iodine is the reduction in fibrocystic breast change and probably  breast cancer and prostate cancer.   I have only been doing Iodine for the past year, so I can't comment on cancer prevention results, but one of my pts. who was getting mammograms/MRI scans every 6 months for dense breast tissue with a terrible family history of Ca, has been on triIodine for 6 mon.  The radiologist asked to see her ID as her films did not look like they did 6 mon ago!   I also recommend VitD and correction of progesterone deficiency (estrogen dominence) to decrease breast cancer risk.

  • Anonymous

    7/5/2010 10:49:33 PM |

    Dr. Davis,

    Am I too presumptuous to assume that part of America's obesity crisis is due to our inefficient metabolisms caused, in part, by an iodine deficiency?

  • Catherine

    7/6/2010 1:17:02 AM |

    Anyone with a high Reverse T3 problem needs to be careful with iodine.  There are quite a few reports coming in on the thyroid forums that it increases RT3.  Apparently, if you have a problem converting T4 into RT3 instead of T3, it will sometimes encourage the RT3 conversion. Would love to hear any feedback/experiences from docs or thyroid patients on this.
    Warm regards, Catherine
    (I think we have 3 or 4 different Catherines posting here!)

  • MissPkm

    7/6/2010 1:21:07 PM |

    Great post, I am taking kelp at this point and you are so right - the energy I get from it is amazing! I am still very confused about the T3, T4, and TSH - what is normal, what is preferred and so on. What should I look for when I have a test done? If possible can anyone direct me to a easy to read basics on thyroid health and kelp/iodine supplement that describes the test results? I would like to go to the doctor to have some new tests done but if I can't understand the results then what good do they do?! Don't even know for sure that my doctor would be able to explain it to me...

  • Anonymous

    7/6/2010 2:04:03 PM |

    My two main concerns would be Hashimotos and potential pre-cancerous cells... both of which may be aggravated by iodine supplementation.  Do you make a point to rule both of these out before beginning supplements?

  • julianne

    7/7/2010 12:58:00 AM |

    I have Auto-immune thryroid disease, and have elevated anti-bodies, TSH,normal T4 and T3.
    I started taking a highish dose of iodine and my thryoid started enlarging and TSH shot up. As soon as I decreased the dose to RDI the enlargement stopped - in fact it's a little smaller.

    Can you explain more about your recommendations for AITD (Hashimotos)
    I am taking omega 3, vit D selenium, iodine, zinc, magnesium and doing strict paleo especially strict no gluten as I know there is a connection. I am not overweight, and have only mild thyroid symptoms sometimes.

  • Anonymous

    7/7/2010 4:11:00 AM |

    Hi
    I've been reading you're thyroid articles so I went out and bought a thermometer.
    Seems my temperature throught the day varies from 35.5C to 36.8C. (just measured today)
    That would sounds like possible hypothyroidism accoridng to your other articles.
    But reading arround I've seen lower body temperatures are typical when on calories restriction diets which I kinda do. And also that lower levels of T3 when under calorie restriction diet is one of the possible benefits of it.
    Anyway I'll go out and get some blood tests to get more information about my thyroid.
    But would like to know if you have data on body temperature of people on calorie restricted diets with healty thyroid.

  • Jim

    7/7/2010 12:36:19 PM |

    @Julianne,

    There's a newly posted series about iodine and AITD over at The Healthy Skeptic.

    The first of the three is at http://thehealthyskeptic.org/the-most-important-thing-you-may-not-know-about-hypothyroidism

  • Daniel

    7/7/2010 5:54:15 PM |

    Your post contains opposite advice to that given in this blog post at healthyskeptic:

    http://thehealthyskeptic.org/iodine-for-hypothyroidism-like-gasoline-on-a-fire

  • J. Huggins

    7/7/2010 6:01:11 PM |

    William Trumbower recommended using Trilodine capsules after a few weeks of Iosol for people who are presently on thyroid medication. I am presently taking Synthroid and have been for many years now. I have tried to find the Trilodine but with no success.  Is there another name or product that will do the same thing, or could you advise me as where I can purchase it?

  • Maniek

    7/9/2010 5:13:48 PM |

    http://curezone.com/upload/_I_J_Forums/Iodine/Maniek/flechas_questions_answers_2006_lynn.doc

    http://curezone.com/upload/_I_J_Forums/Iodine/Maniek/Iodine_New_Member.doc

    Rread frends Smile

  • WilliamS

    7/10/2010 12:47:31 AM |

    I came across an account of Dr. Flechas's views on iodine-induced hyperthyroidism (he's one of the docs most experienced with iodine supplementation). Apparently it does happen on occasion, but it's not necessarily a reason to discontinue iodine. The source for this is:

    http://curezone.com/upload/_I_J_Forums/Iodine/Maniek/flechas_questions_answers_2006_lynn.doc



    What happens to thyroid hormone production in the presence of iodine supplementation?

    Iodine supplementations should be prescribed only when iodine testing indicates iodine deficiency. Iodine testing kits can be ordered from my office (828 684 3233) by individuals or by medical practitioners.

    Traditional medical literature indicates that patients who have thyroid nodules or thyroid goiter may have the potential to develop hyperthyroidism when supplementing with iodine. Hence, before commencing iodine supplementation, it would be advantageous for a person to have their primary care doctor order a thyroid ultrasound to rule out the possibility of pre-existing goiter or thyroid nodules.
    The primary care doctor should also order thyroid lab work (to be used as a baseline) before prescribing iodine therapy and this lab work should be repeated and followed at regular intervals during the patient's iodine therapy.

    For iodine therapy patients not also on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, adjustments to the iodine therapy should be made if signs of hyperthyroidism should occur.

    Should signs of hyperthyroidism occur in patients who are taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy as well as taking iodine supplementation, the physician should first recommend an adjustment in the thyroid hormone therapy rather than in the iodine supplementation.

    This adjustment in therapy is recommended because iodine is required not only by the thyroid but is required for the proper functioning of many other tissues.

    The presence of pre-existing thyroid nodules or goiter does not preclude the patient from iodine supplementation therapy. In fact, in the extensive research with iodine therapy done in my office, I have seen many case of pre-existing thyroid nodules and goiter shrink in the presence of iodine therapy.

    Hyperthyroid patients. Graves disease patients and other with autoimmune disease take iodine also but use lithium and copper among other minerals (he didn't say) to decrease the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Iodine isn't reduced because it's the neutralizer of the thyroid.  Patients in a thyroid storm with high heartbeats are given iodine to calm it down as normal medical practice.


    Goiters. In some patients with goiters the iodine will stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormone and the patient will suddenly look hyperthyroid with elevated T4 and losing weight. As the goiter shrinks this normalizes. 


    http://www.helpmythyroid.com/iodine.htm

  • WilliamS

    7/10/2010 12:48:03 AM |

    I came across an account of Dr. Flechas's views on iodine-induced hyperthyroidism (he's one of the docs most experienced with iodine supplementation). Apparently it does happen on occasion, but it's not necessarily a reason to discontinue iodine. The source for this is:

    http://curezone.com/upload/_I_J_Forums/Iodine/Maniek/flechas_questions_answers_2006_lynn.doc



    What happens to thyroid hormone production in the presence of iodine supplementation?

    Iodine supplementations should be prescribed only when iodine testing indicates iodine deficiency. Iodine testing kits can be ordered from my office (828 684 3233) by individuals or by medical practitioners.

    Traditional medical literature indicates that patients who have thyroid nodules or thyroid goiter may have the potential to develop hyperthyroidism when supplementing with iodine. Hence, before commencing iodine supplementation, it would be advantageous for a person to have their primary care doctor order a thyroid ultrasound to rule out the possibility of pre-existing goiter or thyroid nodules.
    The primary care doctor should also order thyroid lab work (to be used as a baseline) before prescribing iodine therapy and this lab work should be repeated and followed at regular intervals during the patient's iodine therapy.

    For iodine therapy patients not also on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, adjustments to the iodine therapy should be made if signs of hyperthyroidism should occur.

    Should signs of hyperthyroidism occur in patients who are taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy as well as taking iodine supplementation, the physician should first recommend an adjustment in the thyroid hormone therapy rather than in the iodine supplementation.

    This adjustment in therapy is recommended because iodine is required not only by the thyroid but is required for the proper functioning of many other tissues.

    The presence of pre-existing thyroid nodules or goiter does not preclude the patient from iodine supplementation therapy. In fact, in the extensive research with iodine therapy done in my office, I have seen many case of pre-existing thyroid nodules and goiter shrink in the presence of iodine therapy.

    Hyperthyroid patients. Graves disease patients and other with autoimmune disease take iodine also but use lithium and copper among other minerals (he didn't say) to decrease the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Iodine isn't reduced because it's the neutralizer of the thyroid.  Patients in a thyroid storm with high heartbeats are given iodine to calm it down as normal medical practice.


    Goiters. In some patients with goiters the iodine will stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormone and the patient will suddenly look hyperthyroid with elevated T4 and losing weight. As the goiter shrinks this normalizes. 


    http://www.helpmythyroid.com/iodine.htm

  • Anonymous

    7/10/2010 12:48:29 AM |

    I came across an account of Dr. Flechas's views on iodine-induced hyperthyroidism (he's one of the docs most experienced with iodine supplementation). Apparently it does happen on occasion, but it's not necessarily a reason to discontinue iodine. The source for this is:

    http://curezone.com/upload/_I_J_Forums/Iodine/Maniek/flechas_questions_answers_2006_lynn.doc



    What happens to thyroid hormone production in the presence of iodine supplementation?

    Iodine supplementations should be prescribed only when iodine testing indicates iodine deficiency. Iodine testing kits can be ordered from my office (828 684 3233) by individuals or by medical practitioners.

    Traditional medical literature indicates that patients who have thyroid nodules or thyroid goiter may have the potential to develop hyperthyroidism when supplementing with iodine. Hence, before commencing iodine supplementation, it would be advantageous for a person to have their primary care doctor order a thyroid ultrasound to rule out the possibility of pre-existing goiter or thyroid nodules.
    The primary care doctor should also order thyroid lab work (to be used as a baseline) before prescribing iodine therapy and this lab work should be repeated and followed at regular intervals during the patient's iodine therapy.

    For iodine therapy patients not also on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, adjustments to the iodine therapy should be made if signs of hyperthyroidism should occur.

    Should signs of hyperthyroidism occur in patients who are taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy as well as taking iodine supplementation, the physician should first recommend an adjustment in the thyroid hormone therapy rather than in the iodine supplementation.

    This adjustment in therapy is recommended because iodine is required not only by the thyroid but is required for the proper functioning of many other tissues.

    The presence of pre-existing thyroid nodules or goiter does not preclude the patient from iodine supplementation therapy. In fact, in the extensive research with iodine therapy done in my office, I have seen many case of pre-existing thyroid nodules and goiter shrink in the presence of iodine therapy.

    Hyperthyroid patients. Graves disease patients and other with autoimmune disease take iodine also but use lithium and copper among other minerals (he didn't say) to decrease the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Iodine isn't reduced because it's the neutralizer of the thyroid.  Patients in a thyroid storm with high heartbeats are given iodine to calm it down as normal medical practice.


    Goiters. In some patients with goiters the iodine will stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormone and the patient will suddenly look hyperthyroid with elevated T4 and losing weight. As the goiter shrinks this normalizes. 


    http://www.helpmythyroid.com/iodine.htm

  • WilliamS

    7/10/2010 12:55:25 AM |

    Sorry for the multiple identical posts regarding Dr. Flechas. Google (Blogger) kept giving an error that made it seem the posts hadn't been published.

  • mtflight

    9/16/2010 6:20:25 PM |

    I second the healthy skeptic post.  In the presence of TPO auto antibodies (Hashimoto's), it could backfire as the autoimmune attack may worsen.

    I've read that autoimmune thyroid disease is more common in iodine sufficient areas, which correlates too.

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Even monkeys do it

Even monkeys do it


It all started back in the 1960s, when ape-watching anthropologists, Drs. Jane Goodall and Richard Wrangham, observed chimps foraging for a specific variety of leaf, which they consumed whole while wrinkling their noses in presumed disgust. Subsequent study showed that the leaves contained a powerful anti-parasitic compound.

A similar observation followed in 1987 by Dr. Michael Huffman from the University of Kyoto. During his year of living in the jungles of Tanzania, he observed chimpanzees in their native habitat. On one unexpected morning, he observed a female chimp, Chausiku:

Chausiku goes directly to and sits down in front of a shrub and pulls down several new growth branches about the diameter of my little finger. She places them all on her lap and removes the bark and leaves of the first branch to expose the succulent inner pith. She then bites off small portions and chews on each for several seconds at a time. By doing this, she makes a conspicuous sucking sound as she extracts and swallows the juice, spitting out most of the remaining fiber. This continues for 17 minutes, with short breaks as she consumes the pith of each branch in the same manner.”

Dr. Michael Huffman’s description of Chausiku documents a fascinating example of animal self-medication what some call "zoopharmacognosy."
In this instance, the chimpanzee, weak, clutching her back in pain, and listless, was ingesting the leaves of the plant, Vernonia amygdalina, to purge an intestinal parasite. She recovered by the next morning.

Vernonia leaves have since been found to contain over a dozen potential anti-parasitic compounds. Chimps in this region commonly suffer infestations of parasites like Strongyloides fuelleborni (thread worm), Trichuris trichiura (whip worm), and Oesophagostomum stephanostomum (nodular worm). They have somehow stumbled onto a treatment that they administer themselves.

Chimpanzees have inhabited earth for over 6 million years. Who knows how long they and other primates have practiced some form of self-medication.

If chimpanzees can do it, I believe that we, as human primates, can also practice a similar form of self-directed health--homopharmacognosy?



Image courtesy Wikipedia

Comments (6) -

  • Scott Miller

    4/23/2009 7:03:00 PM |

    Fascinating post.  Thank you, Dr. Davis.

    In the same way, Native Americans, Australian Aboriginals, Indians, Chinese, and so many other long-standing cultures also have developed an acute understanding of local phyto-medication. Then, when modern science emerged, much of this cultural wisdom was discarded and/or re-branded as unproven or snake oil medication.

    In the last 20 or so years, though, a lot of these medicinal plants have been redeemed by modern science, like turmeric, green tea and pine bark.

    It's too bad we don't have a more integrated system of medicine, researching and embracing both the old and the new.

  • Scott W

    4/23/2009 9:14:00 PM |

    We actually have self-medication occuring in modern culture, but the intent is 180 degrees reversed from our ancestors: we intentionlly ingest substances of known or suspected toxicity when we feel healthy. Then we switch to prescribed drugs to undo what we did to ourselves in the first place.

    Scott W

  • Dr. William Davis

    4/24/2009 1:49:00 AM |

    Scott and Scott--

    Well said!

  • Rick

    4/24/2009 5:12:00 AM |

    Dr Davis,
    I've always been surprised by the willingness of non-mainstream cardiologists to recommend supplements such as L-carnitine or coenzyme Q-10  but not herbs. Does this post mean your thinking has shifted on this?

  • vin

    4/24/2009 10:01:00 AM |

    Wonderful article. And great comments from Scott and Scott.

  • Dr. B G

    4/25/2009 3:54:00 AM |

    homopharmacognosy...

    HOLY MOLY BATMAN...

    I love that! You ROCK Dr. Davis!

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