These items are not just in your cleaning closet, but in your bread too!

Bromine and Chlorine

Chlorine we know may be found in cleaning products, swimming pool chemicals and drinking water.  We all know to avoid chlorine as much as possible, avoid using bleach and other cleaning products with chlorine, and install tap and shower filters. Have your water checked, swap typical cleaning products with the Thieves line – laundry soap, dishwashing power, dishwashing liquid, hand soaps and more.

But what about bromine? What is this anyway? It is a chemical found in almost all bread products, or anything that includes enriched flour to help the products last longer before going stale increasing shelf life.

Bromine is also found in citrus flavored sodas, some inhaled medications and nasal sprays, Pesticides (mostly used on strawberries), and fire retardant treated fibers including carpets, upholstery, and mattresses.

According to van Leeuwen, who has extensively studied the effects of sodium bromide on thyroid function:
“Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature, the main route of exposure in humans stems from bromide residues in food commodities as a result of the abundant use of bromide-containing pesticides, like methylbromide and ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive horticulture and for postharvest treatment.”

From an article in the Huffington Post regarding Bromine: “When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and iodine deficiency can leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate — cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name — the Bromide Dominance Theory. Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.”

Having too much bromine and not enough iodine may also cause little red dots on the skin called cherry angiomas. Not a freckle, these are decidedly red, as if you took a fine tip maker and made a dot on the skin. Bromine may be toxic to the body so cleansing this chemical from the body is important as it takes over iodine receptor sites making it unable to use the real iodine we ingest, which then leads to the thyroid not having the fuel it needs to operate normally.

Both chlorine and bromine can interfere with iodine uptake into the thyroid.

The way to purge excess bromine is two-fold. First is to stop consuming it and instead beginning eating foods rich in iodine. How much is enough? Depends on who you ask. The UK has set iodine intake at 100 ug. Japan residents intake as much as 12500 ug (12.5 mg).

Second – Be sure they get an iodine urine test, it checks your iodine levels AND bromide. Normal cleanses do not remove this – only iodine – oddly enough. Doesn’t mean a good cleanse isn’t in order though.

What can we do to support the thyroid? Debra Raybern gives us some great tips:

Eat iodine rich foods – several are listed above and stop eating flour in any form. The Young Living Einkorn ground straight from the berries is ok, as would be other grains you grind yourself – BUT – do not add any Dough Enhancer products. Getting wheat out of the diet goes far beyond gluten.

Thyromin from Young Living is a comprehensive formula for thyroid support containing iodine and other nutrients supportive of the thyroid.

Mega Cal – magnesium is thought to aid in ridding the body of excess bromine.

Master Formula for selenium, B2, niacin and other micro nutrients the body needs to maintain a healthy thyroid.

Super C or Chewable C – 1,000 to 3,000 mg per day (helps in general cleansing)

The next time you have blood work done, ask for a complete thyroid panel including a urinalysis of iodine and bromine. You might be surprised, but that’s ok, now you have some first steps to take in having a happy healthy thyroid.