Just Ask Terry-May 17, 2013

Q. Dear Terry, “I have two large spurs in my toe joints in both feet and also spurs in each heal.  While stretching my calves provides relief from the heal pain caused by the spurs, the spurs in the toe joints are another story.  Is there anything to help deal with them?” — Dottie R., Fort Worth, TX

A. Dear Dottie, Bone spurs (also called “osteophytes”) are often the result of aging, weak bone structure, physical activity, and pH imbalances.

To specifically address the bone spurs, I recommend adding a combination of calcium and magnesium, along with bioavailable B6, betaine HCl, vitamin C, and ammonium chloride. These ingredients help keep calcium more fluid to make sure it doesn’t form clumps that later become bone spurs. In short, they help ensure that calcium is where it should be, dissolves it where it shouldn’t be, and prevents it from building up there again.

I recommend taking 2 capsules of this blend with each meal, followed by 2 capsules at bedtime. However, once your immediate concerns are cleared up, I think going to a maintenance dosage of 1 or 2 per day is sufficient.

When choosing a product, make sure to look for one that contains calcium in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium chloride, as well as magnesium in the form of magnesium glycerophosphate, as these forms are important in maintaining optimal calcium absorption, as well as a healthy acid/alkaline balance.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally

Tags: ammonium chloride, B6, betaine HCl, Bone and Joint Health, bone spurs, calcium, feet, heal, joint, magnesium, magnesium glycerophosphate, osteophytes, pH imbalance, spurs, toe, vitamin C

Newsletter - April 26, 2013

Would you like to have energy every day, and a metabolism that really works? Would you like to prevent breast, thyroid, prostate, or ovarian cancer? All it takes is a simple, forgotten mineral!

Tags: breast cancer, bromide, bromine, chlorine, cold hands, colon, depression, Energy, eyebrow thinning, fatigue, feet, fluoride, focus, fuel, hypothyroidism, iodine, iodine receptors, Japanese diet, kelp, listlessness, longevity, metabolism, obesity, overweight, potassium iodide, prostate, sluggishness, sodium, temperature, Thyroid, weight gain, Weight Loss, Weight Loss and Metabolism

Weekly Articles-April 26, 2013

Did you know there’s one simple mineral that we need every day that most of us never get? There was a time when it was considered a “cure all”, but we’ve forgotten all about it in favor of prescription drugs, and as a result, rates of cancer are skyrocketing, obesity is epidemic, and our energy levels have plunged.

That mineral is iodine, and it is the subject of this Terry Talks Nutrition®.

Iodine is one of nature’s most amazing minerals. Unfortunately for our health, it is one that has been largely forgotten. But it wasn’t always that way.

Before the widespread use of synthetic drugs, iodine was recommended for everything; healing wounds and disease, destroying bacteria and viruses, and possibly even preventing cancer.

But new pharmaceuticals brushed iodine aside, and we see the result – high rates of cancer, thyroid dysfunction, and a build-up of toxins in our bodies – many of them from the foods we eat and water we drink.

These days, most of the iodine we get in our diets is from table salt. However, it’s easy to forget that iodine was added to salt to reduce incidence of goiter (enlarged thyroid gland) back in the 1920s. And that worked, for a while. But now that people have tried to cut back on table salt at home, they aren’t getting much iodine. What little they do consume may not be able to work effectively, either.

That’s because chlorine, fluoride, and bromide – which lower iodine levels in the body by blocking iodine receptors – are increasingly consumed from foods or through environmental exposure.

Chlorine is now used to purify water instead of iodine. Fluoride is almost universally found in toothpaste and drinking water. And bromines replaced iodine in commercial baked goods over 30 years ago. Unfortunately, these minerals aren’t just toxic for your thyroid – they’re dangerous for your health overall. Fluoride is a problem because it blocks the ability of the thyroid gland to concentrate iodine, while bromide can cause depression, headaches, and even hallucinations.

Additionally, consuming soy and gluten blocks thyroid function and inhibits the uptake of iodine. You find these ingredients not only in obvious sources like soy milk and wheat breads, but also as hidden ingredients in many processed foods. They are another reason why we are so deficient in iodine.

Fortunately, not everyone has forgotten what this amazing mineral can do. Integrative medical practitioners and other holistic-thinking individuals are bringing iodine back. And science is recognizing iodine’s great value, too. Researchers suggest that boosting iodine consumption could improve thyroid health, lower incidence of breast and prostate cancer and fibrocystic disease of the breast, and promote overall well-being.

Of course, our minimum daily requirement is still set far too low – only 150 micrograms (mcg) per day. Typically, we in the United States consume 240 mcg per day – just enough to prevent goiter, but not enough for truly beneficial health effects. And there’s nothing scary about getting more iodine in your system. After all, people in Japan consume more than 12 mg – 12,000 mcg – of iodine per day. That’s 50 times more than the average American, and it hasn’t hurt a bit.

In fact, life expectancy in Japan is just over 83 years old, while in the United States it is about 78 years. The infant mortality in Japan is half that of the United States, too. And, America faces almost three times the number of deaths from breast cancer than Japan.

Studies have noted a connection between thyroid abnormalities and breast cancer, and iodine intake may be a factor. Today, one in eight American women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. Compare that to thirty years ago, when iodine consumption was much higher, and one in 20 women developed breast cancer. Women in Japan who consume high amounts of dietary iodine have much lower rates of breast cancer and thyroid problems. However, when women emigrate from Japan to the United States and begin eating a Western diet, with its fractional amount of iodine, their breast cancer and thyroid disease rates increase dramatically.

Although iodine is a required nutrient for a healthy thyroid, its anti-cancer functions are impressive. Scientific tests using estrogen sensitive breast cancer cells exposed to iodine have shown that they are less likely to grow and spread. Fibrocystic breast disease is also common, and creates swelling, tenderness, and discomfort. In one study, 98% of women receiving iodine treatment were pain-free by the study’s end, and 72% had improvements in breast tissue.

Supplemental iodine is available in different forms, each of which affects specific tissues in the body. Potassium and sodium iodide are best absorbed by the thyroid. Breast tissue uses iodine most efficiently in the form of molecular iodine.

Because of this, you need a supplement that includes more than one form of the mineral.  The best formula provides three forms of iodine, sodium iodide, potassium iodide, and molecular iodine – at levels that can actually make a noticeably positive difference.

Dr. David Brownstein, M.D., is an author and iodine expert who has treated thousands of patients in his clinic. He states, “As I started to use larger amounts of iodine (12.5-50 mg/day) to achieve whole body sufficiency, I began to see positive results in my patients. Goiters and nodules of the thyroid shrank, cysts on the ovaries became smaller and began to disappear, patients reported increased energy, and metabolism was increased as evidenced by my patients having new success in losing weight. Libido improved in both men and women. People suffering from brain fog reported a clearing of the fogginess. Patients reported having vivid dreams and sleeping better. Most importantly, those with chronic illnesses that were having a difficult time improving began to notice many of their symptoms resolving.”

If you’re extra-sensitive to cold, put on weight easily, have dry skin, or feel “foggy”, you may be deficient in iodine. Other signs include a thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows, stiff joints, and dull, lusterless hair. Sound like common symptoms? Of course they do – most people don’t get the iodine they need. They may wonder for years what exactly is “wrong”, until they restore the iodine levels their bodies are crying out for. That is why I believe that this miracle mineral deserves a second look for optimal, vibrant health.

Tags: breast cancer, bromide, bromine, chlorine, cold hands, colon, depression, Energy, eyebrow thinning, fatigue, feet, fluoride, focus, fuel, hypothyroidism, iodine, iodine receptors, Japanese diet, kelp, listlessness, longevity, metabolism, obesity, overweight, potassium iodide, prostate, sluggishness, sodium, temperature, Thyroid, weight gain, Weight Loss, Weight Loss and Metabolism

Just Ask Terry-December 14, 2012

Q. Dear Terry, “I’ve had type 1 diabetes for 18 years now, and have started feeling some symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Are there any supplements I can use to address the neuropathy symptoms? Thanks!”— Rosie R., Staten Island, NY

A. Dear Rosie, Over time, high blood sugar levels from diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy, a condition in which nerves are damaged. This often leads to numbness and pain in the hands and feet.

I do have some clinically-tested, safe, and effective nutrients that can make a big difference for those with neuropathy. However, I would encourage you to talk with your doctor and see what he or she thinks about the following protocol.

I would first recommend trying a combination of bioavailable curcumin with boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase to address any pain the neuropathy is causing. Each ingredient works in a slightly different manner to get you comfortable as quickly as possible. I advise taking one to two capsules of this blend three times a day when you experience a spasm.

I believe you would also benefit greatly by taking a blend of nutrients including B vitamins, biotin, alpha lipoic acid, chromium, and zinc, among others. B vitamins (B1-B3, B6, B12, Folate, and Pantothenic Acid) help nerves function better, delay damage to nerves, and reduce the frequency and intensity of the pain symptoms. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) can boost levels of glutathione, one of the body’s natural antioxidants, which helps protect delicate nerves from oxidative damage. Current research also shows that ALA can help to reduce the pain and tingling symptoms. Extremely effective as an antioxidant, zinc helps to promote tissue and wound healing. When looking for a formula, choose one that features B vitamins in their “active” forms, as well as minerals in the form of amino acid chelates. Active B vitamins do not need to be converted in the liver and are already in the effective form our body needs. This is important because many people (some experts estimate up to 30% of our population) do not convert B vitamins well, and don’t receive full benefits. I also prefer the amino acid chelates for minerals, because they are so much better absorbed. I recommend taking 1 capsule of this formula three times daily.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally

Tags: alpha lipoic acid, B vitamins, biotin, Blood Sugar Balance, boswellia, chromium, curcumin, diabetes, DLPA, feet, glutathione, hands, high blood sugar, nattokinase, numbness, Pain, pantothenic acid, peripheral neuropathy, type 1 diabetes, zinc

Just Ask Terry-November 16, 2012

Q. Dear Terry, “I am on my feet all day at work and because of this, my feet and legs are always swollen. My doctor has recommended propping my legs up after I get home, but this isn’t practical. Any suggestions on how to help improve my leg circulation?” — Rose S., Greensboro, NC

A. Dear Rose, I would first recommend that you consult with your healthcare practitioner to rule out the possibility that an underlying condition is causing the swelling. If everything checks out, I would then suggest trying the following botanical combination.

I believe you would benefit greatly by adding a combination of red vine leaf extract and butcher’s broom to your daily regimen. You may have already heard of these two powerful ingredients. Red vine leaf extract contains resveratrol, anthocyanins, and a range of other protective polyphenols and has been clinically proven to relieve the pain and swollen legs associated with varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is also extremely well known for treating varicose veins, other symptoms of CVI, and circulatory health in general.

Together, these two powerful botanicals have the ability to strengthen the veins of the legs and can help stop the pain and swelling you are experiencing. I recommend taking 2 capsules of this blend daily. When looking for a formula, make sure to choose one that contains red vine leaf and butcher’s broom that are standardized for their active compounds.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally

Tags: anthocyanins, butcher’s broom, cardiovascular health, chronic venous insufficiency, circulation, circulatory health, CVI, feet, legs, Pain, polyphenols, red vine leaf extract, resveratrol, Ruscus aculeatus, swollen leg, varicose veins