Health News (Week 11 – 2015)
By Robert Redfern

Last week’s iodine newsletter caused quite a stir! One reader, who was signed up to a private Facebook group (who follow a Dr. Brownstein) posted my newsletter in all innocence. What followed was a hysterical old-fashioned witch-hunt and she was excluded from the group.

Firstly, why would anyone make important health information private? And, what is there to fear from information that is not very far from that of Dr. Brownstein’s?

Dr. Brownstein has a potassium iodide formula that he promotes (but no longer sells on his web site for some reason?). This formula is based upon Lugol’s liquid but in tablet form. To remind you, Lugol’s is NOT food state iodine as found in sea plants. Brownstein’s food recommendations are close to mine, so, you expect his followers to at least consider a variation but that raises another interesting phenomenon.

I receive many emails each week after my newsletters – some ask for clarity, some like to challenge what I write. I answer as many as possible and more to the point, I do check anything that is questioned, to ensure I am correct.

Everything I write is my best interpretation of the research into the causes and solutions to disease. I use this for my own health and that of my family. I am pleased to say for the majority of readers that follow my plans, their health improves dramatically. To be clear, I do not want to be ‘right’, I want to be correct. To seek to be correct is to seek the truth.

One reader emailed to say I was wrong in stating that ‘all of the 118 elements that make up the universe and specifically oxygen were made at the start of the universe’ and how “Oxygen is now (continually) being produced by plants, trees and algae in the oceans”.

I had to point out she is wrong and oxygen is not produced but converted and extracted from carbon dioxide CO2 by plants, trees and algae in the oceans. CO2 is 1 part carbon and 2 parts oxygen. Both are critical for all life on Earth, as are all of the 118 elements.

Another email challenged my knowledge of chemistry (back onto iodine)…

He said:
“Firstly, Lugol’s solution is not just potassium iodide. It is a mixture of potassium iodide and elemental iodine, which forms the soluble complex KI3”
And concluded:
“While the other aspects of your letter are good, its knowledge of chemistry is sadly lacking and misleading”

This person is a regular reader and was simply trying to correct my errors and chemical terms. I may not have been clear and may not have used technical terms but in this case he is wrong, with his inference that elemental elements are edible.

So, if I was not clear last week I will explain again:

  • I stated Lugol’s is elemental iodine, albeit some of it is in the form of potassium iodide and is not food state iodine. For clarity, elemental elements cannot normally be absorbed by the body and can be toxic in quantity eg elemental iodine.
  • Elemental elements are needed to make up all living things. To become a living thing the elements first have to go through two stages. The first is to be converted to an elemental salt. This happens in the soil by the action of yeast on the elements. It can be created chemically in a factory as in potassium iodide. The second is to be absorbed by the plant and converted into an organic element.
  • Nascent Iodine is a colloidal form (as organic minerals from plants) and is the safest and most absorbable form available other than food. Kelp or Kombu are the best foods to eat.

In conclusion:

  • Elemental elements cannot be absorbed by the body and could be toxic if absorbed.
  • Elemental Salts (or chelated elements bound to a protein) have minimal absorption but the little it does have is due to enzyme action of the body (maybe 10%) but being elemental elements, you would not want more because of potential toxicity.
  • Nascent Iodine is a colloidal form (as organic minerals from plants) and is the safest and most absorbable form available other than food. Kelp or Kombu are the best foods to eat.

In Final Conclusion:

Everyday we get feedback for success and failure. All feedback whether you agree or disagree is gratefully received. In the end the only thing that matters to me is using the best plans to help you to get and to stay healthy. I review the work of many scientists and doctors to arrive at the best plans. There is no such thing as fact, just opinion by different scientists… unless of course they are paid by global pharma or food companies.

“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your health.

Until you value your health, you may not do anything with it.”

Adapted from ‘The Road Less Travelled’

Just so you know I try to follow my own advice as much as possible and I take at least 3,000mcg Nascent Iodine every day. I am now in my 70th year, and feel great but of course I want to feel even better.