Iodine deficiency is one of the three most common nutritional deficiencies, along with magnesium and vitamin D, but people still go about their life thinking that it’s not a big deal. Iodine is very important for the proper functioning of your body. It’s the key to a healthy thyroid and efficient metabolism, and even comprises a large part of the thyroid hormone molecule itself. Iodine has 4 very important functions in human body:
- Stabilization of metabolism and body weight
- Brain development in children
- Fertility
- Optimization of your immune system (iodine is a potent anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral and anti- cancer agent)
If you’re deficient in this essential element you’re at risk of thyroid disease, breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, prostate cancer and obesity. It has also been linked to an increase in mental retardation and developmental delays in American children.
Now that you know how serious this condition is we’ll show you how you can check your iodine level at home and see if you need to do something about it. The usual symptoms of iodine deficiency are the general feeling of tiredness and fatigue, shaking hands, excessive sweating, irritability, high blood pressure, insomnia, difficulties losing weight, dry skin and so on. If you notice some of these symptoms it’s most likely that you are suffering from this condition.
If you suspect iodine deficiency there’s a simple test you can do and determine for sure. Before you go to bed apply some iodine on your elbows and go to sleep. When you get up in the morning if your elbows are dry and the body has absorbed the iodine it’s a tell-tale sign you lack iodine. As we already mentioned it’s a very serious condition which can have some pretty serious consequences which is why you need to do something about it immediately. You can consult with your doctor and see what he advises but you can also try the following natural recipe which has proven very effective in the treatment of this condition.
Walnut shells remedy for iodine deficiency
Take half a cup of walnut shells and put them in a small pot. Pour two cups of water in the pot and bring the mixture to boil. Set it aside to cool off a bit and store it in a dark and cool place. Take a sip of this drink before every meal for a period of one to four months and your iodine levels will go up guaranteed.