Dr. David Brownstein – whose blogs I follow – posted this information today. I’ve just added in some nutritional information for your health!

Recently, the U.S. EPA reported that common chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers– PBDE’s) found in nearly all our homes are contributing to a rash of thyroid problems. This class of chemicals is mainly used as a fire-retardant. PBDE’s are also found in a variety of household items including computers, televisions, carpeting, furniture and mattresses. PBDE’s are made from bromine. Bromine is also used to keep swimming pools and hot tubs clean. It is used as a pesticide, as well as in brominated vegetable oil which is used as an emulsifier in many citrus flavoured soft-drinks. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromine)

Bromine is from the family of halides. This chemical family contains iodine, fluoride and chlorine as well. The reason we are seeing such a high prevalence of iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders in humans is due, in large part, to the excess exposure of bromine from our modern conveniences. Bromine exposure causes our bodies to excrete iodine. If we don’t supplement with extra iodine, bromine will bind to receptors in the body that are supposed to be binding with iodine. In effect, bromine will replace iodine throughout the body.

What are the consequences of excess bromine levels?
The consequences are severe; increased rate of cancer of the breast, thyroid, ovaries, uterus and prostate are due, in part, to bromine toxicity. Also, we are seeing dramatically increased rates of autoimmune illnesses including autoimmune thyroid disorders. People with a serious illness have markedly elevated bromine levels.

So, what can you do?
The main treatment for excess bromine is to avoid bromine exposure.  Eat foods that do not contain bromine such as organic fruits and vegetables. Avoid bread, pasta and cereal that contain brominated flour and citrus-flavoured soft drinks like Mountain Dew. Next, supplement with enough iodine to allow your body to detox from bromine – excellent food sources of iodine include sea vegetables (sea vegetables like dulse, kombu, kelp can be added to your cooking water, and soups and stews, and you can sprinkle it on top of food to replace salt – for more recipes, visit http://www.whfoods.com).

Finally, supplement with antioxidants like Beta Carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium and zinc that help your detoxification system function optimally.  It’s easy to recognize foods rich in antioxidants because they have the brightest colours. Enjoying a spectrum of different coloured foods will allow you to enjoy the benefits of a spectrum of antioxidants.

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Hopefully I can make your reading time worthwhile!I was talking with Mark (my husband) this morning – talking about what I was reading at the time (Healing the Planet: One Patient at a Time – by Dr. Jozef J. Krop, an Environmental Doctor – who knew there was such a thing?). I don’t think that Mark was fully awake – but he suggested that I should blog about what I’m reading. First to keep track of my journey through Holistic Nutrition school (I’ve already done one year, chugging along on the second), so that I can remember who I’ve met along the way and how they’ve influenced me. Second to maybe share a little of the knowledge that I’m learning. And third because I think he’s getting tired of listening every morning before he even gets his coffee into him.I can be a little overzealous when I find something that shocks me, frightens me, or just interests me. And I have to admit that Dr. Krop’s book has done all of the three. Especially the information on Hormone Disrupting Chemicals (see pages 270-291). HDCs are such chemicals as plastics, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals and other man-made toxins. They have a profound effect on our endocrine, nervous and immune systems – they work as hormone disruptors.So why are these HDCs important – and how do they affect us? 1. They affect the endocrine system by mimicking the actions of hormones. On embryos they can affect anatomical changes especially on the urinary and genital organs. 2. Not only can they mimic the actions (xenoestrogens), they can also block the receptors from the normal action of the hormones. 3. What’s amazing to me, is that these HDCs can work in only minute amounts in the body – amounts that the Toxic Nation report show are in our bodies at birth, passed on through our mothers blood and milk thereby affecting changes in 2nd and 3rd generations.See what I mean? A little overzealous? No wonder Mark finds waking up to this information a little challenging! Me – I just want to find ways that I can make changes in this family’s life so that we aren’t adding to the toxic load of the planet.I’m hoping we can walk this path together – REB